This was my first time reading Ann Cleeves, and I was eager to dive into this mystery based on the blurb. The premise was fantastic—murder, a missing teen, and the possibility of a cult lurking in the shadows had me ready for an edge-of-my-seat thriller. However, the story felt weighed down by an overwhelming number of characters who didn’t contribute much to the plot. If you enjoy stories rich in detail and with a large cast of characters, this might be the book for you.

*Thank you to Ann Cleeves, ​​St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and Netgalley for the copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

After a murder and a missing teen, Vera must solve the case and find the girl before it’s too late. This book was slow with lots of detail and not as much action as I like. I did enjoy the characters and how the author kept you guessing to the very end. I loved the incorporation of the folklore and small town/big town vibes. This book is the 11th in the series and my first one. Works as a stand alone.

Ann Cleeves has saved the best for last. Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope is as persistent, devious, and laser-focused as always but her involvement this time is visceral. Vera’s still reeling from Detective Constable Holly Lawson’s death by drowning in The Rising Tide. One doesn’t envy newbie Rosie Bell, the newest member of Vera’s team. No one would pass up an opportunity to work with Vera Stanhope, but she has that tricky reputation.

Our Review of The Rising Tide

The Dark Wives is a deeply personal book. Cleeves writes,

I trained as a social worker when I was in my twenties and occasionally worked with troubled young people who’d grown up in chaotic families. Perhaps, that was why a radio documentary about teens living in residential care moved me so much. The programme explored a few of the unscrupulous private companies that run residential homes in the UK. The idea of making a profit out of young people trying to survive the trauma of a neglectful or abusive childhood unsettled me.



So, The Dark Wives was born.

Josh Woodburn, “a student working part-time in a small care home on the Northumberland coast is found murdered.” N.B. Should you want to visit the coastal village of Longwater, it is “fictional as is the monument and crime scene of Three Dark Wives.” Josh’s body was found just outside the Rosebank Home: is his death connected to his job? Chloe Spence is missing, she’s a resident of the Rosebank Home. Why is Chloe on the run? Vera Stanhope views Josh’s body and reads the diary of the missing teenager.

IT’S NOVEMBER TODAY. I HATE NOVEMBER. Two years ago, in November, my dad ran off. A year ago, Mam stopped eating and started slipping away. She got the sack from the travel agency in town, and I caught her talking to the TV when it wasn’t even switched on. She had the idea that it was talking back. There was just her and me, and I felt I was drowning. I’m only fourteen, so what could I do to help?

Time passes.

Now it’s November again. Mam’s back in the hospital, and I’m having to live here: Rosebank Home for the teenage kids nobody wants. I don’t blame Mam. She’s ill. And Dad’s not even in the country. Apparently, he’s in Dubai, making a fortune selling fancy apartments to rich people.

Being a teenage girl, is it surprising Chloe develops feelings for Josh? He told her to keep a diary, a place to let out my thoughts and feelings. Josh is a bright life in her unhappy life … she writes I think I could be in love with him. Vera reads Chloe’s scrawl and says, ‘It’s got today’s date. Chloe must have written it this evening.’

A fourteen-year-old girl, Chloe Spence, has disappeared. Perhaps because she’s sparky, challenging, difficult at school, Vera hates to think of the lass as a killer. But Chloe must be found. She’s either a suspect, another victim, or an important witness.

“Sparky, challenging, difficult,” could serve as a description of Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope. A sparky person is lively, challenging, and never boring—but Chloe, like Vera, has spiky edges. It’s Vera’s job to go deeper, and she will. Vera has never become inured to death, and Josh was so young, with his whole life ahead of him.

His face was turned towards Vera, but she could see the back of his head, the large round hole in the skull where he’d been hit, the blood that clotted and matted in the pale hay-colored hair.



Oh Chloe, Vera thought. What have you done? And where are you now? And if this wasn’t you – and really there’s nothing in your diary to suggest that it was – are you still alive?

The residential home exudes a sad and rather sordid past. It’s been a guest house, a bail hostel, “a hostel for asylum seekers.”

A bleak house on the edge of a former pit village, with threadbare carpets and everywhere small signs of violence: a door almost pulled off its hinges, a sofa with a scorch mark, not quite hidden by a cushion. How could a child feel safe or loved here? Vera knew what it felt like to be unloved, but she’d grown up in the hills, with space and clean air, and couldn’t remember ever feeling unsafe.

Vera gets to the bottom of finances behind the Rosebank Home, by taking to Kath, a knowledgeable social worker. Kath is a warm, solid figure, close to retirement age.

‘Tell me about the home,’ Vera said. ‘Rosebank. Who actually runs it?’ She couldn’t see Dave Limbrick in charge of the place, even if there were only four kids staying there.



‘It’s owned by a company called Seaview. Based in Barrow, and they have places in Blackpool and Whitehaven too. They buy up places in run-down seaside towns and set up kids’ homes.’ Kath looked up at Vera. Her eyes were feverish with anger. Vera recognized the mood, the fizzing fury. She could get like that herself.

‘So it’s all about making profit?’ asks Vera. Yes. “Glossy brochures” notwithstanding.

“When a second connected body is found near the Three Dark Wives monument in the wilds of the Northumberland countryside, superstition and folklore begin to collide with fact.” Vera knows Chloe is likely the key to what happened, and that the teenager is in grave danger. The climax is set high up in the hills, at dusk. The night’s activities are imbued with centuries-old traditions, while Vera and her team search feverishly for a killer and a lost girl.

The Dark Wives is a moody, atmospheric mystery with an impact that lingers long after reading it.

I',m not a fan of police procedurals, this was a British one. Couldn't get into the story, also was a part of a series.

I've read some of Ann Cleeve's other books and knew I really liked her writing style, but despite having watched all seasons of "Vera" on television, I'd never actually read her Vera Stanhope series. So it was with both excitement and trepidation that I decided to jump right into the deep end and read this, the 11th book in the series. I'm usually one that reads a series in order, but happily this time it worked out well. I wasn't too lost, and I was familiar with a couple of the main characters already from the TV series. And I enjoyed the story and the writing. This one is quite atmospheric, set in autumn with not just Halloween, but also a witchy local fall festival as a backdrop for some of the action. Vera and her team have not just two murders to investigate, but the disappearance of a troubled 14-year-old girl who could be the murderer, or possibly the next victim. We learn about the team members as a new one as been brought in and they're all feeling each other out as they establish some new team dynamics. And there's also some interesting social commentary on the pitfalls of privatizing/commercializing health and human services services. I had both the ebook and the audiobook, and found myself mostly listening to the audiobook thanks to the outstanding narration by Janine Birkett. Honestly though, you can't go wrong with either version.
Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing copies for an unbiased review.

When a fictional character is so familiar to you that they feel like an friend you’ve known forever, the author must be doing something (or, more likely, a lot of somethings) right.

Vera Stanhope—the feisty, bull-headed, and frequently-irascible Northumberland Detective Inspector—is exactly that kind of comfortable-as-old-shoes character... and author Ann Cleeves is still doing her proud in the latest outing, The Dark Wives.


After a young man is found dead in the wee hours one morning, Vera and her team are called to investigate.

They quickly discover that the victim, Josh--found bludgeoned outside a home which houses troubled teens—was himself a worker at the home... and that one of the home’s few residents—a 14-year-old girl named Chloe—is now missing.

Nearly everyone immediately assumes the girl must’ve killed Josh—especially since the other staff members and teens all seem to agree that Chloe had been sweet on the college student—but Vera isn’t so sure.

She insists (as only Vera can do) her team keep an open mind. After all, the poor girl could’ve witnessed the murder, then fled in a panic. Or, she might’ve been abducted (or worse), to keep her quiet.

Vera’s long-time team members—loyal second-in-command, Joe, and the doggedly-determined Charlie—are quite used to Vera’s brash manner... but newcomer Rosie, with her showy city looks, isn’t at all sure what to make of her dowdy but imperious new DI.

None of them really have time enough to question Vera’s logic, though, because in short order, another body turns up.

This death was in a distant countryside town, but the connections are plentiful, because the person was known by everyone who knew Josh... and because Vera, herself, has long-ago ties to this area—particularly around the trio of ancient monolithic stones, awash with superstitious tales, known as the Three Dark Wives.




The team feels the ticking of the clock—for Chloe, if she’s still alive, somewhere, and for themselves—as a famous autumnal fete celebrating the lore surrounding the Dark Wives (which brings hundreds of costumed partygoers from miles around) is about to take place.

And with that sort of craziness around? Vera knows that anything can—and likely will—happen.


It’d been several years since I’d last read a Vera book, and I have to say, it was really great to be back.

Cleeves has such an ease to her writing, with a lovely flow that carries the reader along. (Did I ever want to put The Dark Wives down? Absolutely not! Alas, though, I did have to sleep, and work, and such.)

The case was intriguing, with no shortage of interesting characters (main, side, and minor—no matter, Cleeves gave each of them space and a role to play in the story).

Nor did I guess precisely “whodunit”... and certainly not all of the how or why. (When an author accomplishes that—and you find yourself saying, “Aaah, that makes sense,”—well, I’d say it’s a job well done.)

[So, I can’t really end without mentioning the TV show, Vera, which, obviously, is based on Ann Cleeves’ books, featuring an absolutely-brilliant portrayal of the DI by award-winning actress Brenda Blethyn. The fourteenth—and final—season of Vera will air at the end of 2024... and the last episode will be none other than a scripted take on... The Dark Wives. Best to read it now, folks.]

My take? The Dark Wives makes the PERFECT autumnal read.
~GlamKitty

Eleventh in the Vera Stanhope series, The Dark Wives had me with the standing stones. . .said to be gossiping women turned to stone as a cautionary measure/landmark for loose-lipped community members. . .there's your first clue, MacDuff.

This was my first Ann Cleeves book (as far as I can recall). . .and I truly enjoyed Vera, although I'm surprised someone hasn't talked to her about her constant "petting." I'm of two minds about it and haven't yet come to a conclusion. A twisty tale that started slow, came to a rapid solve, and settled to a promise of more to come from the Stanhope team.

A just-right autumn-into-winter read.

*A sincere thank you to Ann Cleeves, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

n the wake of the tragic events of the previous Vera Stanhope novel, The Rising Tide, Vera's team has been irreparably altered, and not everyone is responding equally well to the personnel changes.

A young girl has disappeared from a care home for vulnerable youth, and one of the staff members at the home has been found murdered. The relationship between these two events is teased out over the course of a well-plotted and carefully paced mystery. The missing girl, Chloe, had connections to a region that capitalizes on a local monument steeped in lore. Cleeves excels in weaving local myth and contemporary concerns together in this thoughtful assessment of vulnerability and loss.

With thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I always love a new Vera Stanhope novel. The characters have so grown on me through the years. While the mysteries are always compelling, Vera's inner feelings and her relationships with her staff are what keep me coming back for more. There was a devastating event toward the end of the previous novel in the series and The Dark Wives really does it justice in the way it shows the team, especially Vera coping with that. They mystery of the murder was as entertaining and captivating as usual, but the characters in the series are what keep me coming back for more.

Yet another exquisite Vera Stanhope novel. Focused less on Detective Stanhope and more on those who help her, her faithful Joe and brand new detective Rosie who is unsure of her assignment and her place on the team. The team is faced with the murders of two lads, but the book concentrates more on the disappearance of a young, feisty, and independent teen girl who goes missing immediately after the first murder. Taut throughout, the reader is unsure whether the lass has been killed because she observed the initial murder, or on the run because she correctly suspects who committed it. Joe has second thoughts about his place on the team and his absence from his family. Rosie struggles to find her place. All in all, riveting.

3.5 stars

In this 11th book in the 'Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope' series, the Northumberland sleuth investigates the murder of a university student, and the disappearance of a teenager. The book works fine as a standalone.

*****

Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope was raised by a difficult bullying father, and now has a soft spot for struggling adolescents. So Vera is especially concerned when a midnight 999 call summons her to Rosebank Home, a foster care facility for 'teens that no one wants.' At Rosebank Home, Vera learns that the body of Josh Woodburn, a university student employed at Rosebank part-time, was found outside the facility. In addition, a fourteen-year-old girl called Chloe Spence, who's a resident of Rosebank Home, is missing.

Vera observes that Josh's head was caved in with a hammer, and Chloe's diary reveals the teen liked hanging out with Josh and had a crush on him. Vera thinks, "Oh Chloe. What have you done? And where are you now" And if this wasn't you - and really there's nothing in your diary to suggest that it was - are you still alive?"

In Vera's mind there are three possibilities: Chloe killed Josh and ran away; or Chloe saw who killed Josh and is hiding from the murderer; or Chloe was abducted by the killer. All this makes Vera anxious to find Chloe, hopefully alive and well.

Vera gathers her detective squad to investigate. This includes Vera's longtime partner, Detective Sergeant Joe Ashworth, and a new member of the team, Detective Constable Rosie Bell. The investigators' first interest is Rosebank Home, a dilapidated facility with peeling floors and mismatched furnishings. The facility can accommodate four teenagers, and Chloe's co-residents, two boys and a girl, claim to know nothing about Josh's death or Chloe's whereabouts. The youngsters all acknowledge, though, that Chloe kept to herself and read a lot of books.

A visit to Chloe's school, Salvation Academy, provides little additional information. The administrators and teachers say Chloe was a good student who did well until her father ran off and her mother had a psychotic break. This landed Chloe in Rosebank Home, presumably until her mother recovers. The inquiry into Josh's homicide also yields few clues. Josh's parents, former girlfriend, and acquaintances all say Josh was a genial young man, with no enemies who would want to kill him.

A new avenue for the investigation opens up when Vera discovers that Chloe's deceased grandpa had a cottage in Gillstead, where Chloe sometimes visited. Gillstead is known for a rock formation called the 'Three Dark Wives', which attracts tourists and historians. Legend says three crones were turned to stone by a giant who thought they talked too much. Gillstead has an annual activity called the 'Witch Hunt', where people run around at night trying to catch a witch.

Vera thinks Chloe might be hiding in her grandpa's old cottage, and goes to Gillstead to investigate. Instead of Chloe, Vera finds the body of a teenage boy from Rosebank Home, dead from a drug overdose.The case gets darker and more obscure until Vera and her team make some breakthroughs. This leads to the novel's exciting, action packed climax. The resolution of Josh's murder and Chloe's disappearance is quite clever, and will tax the deductive ability of even the most dedicated armchair sleuth.

A fun aspect of the book is the rivalry between DS Joe Ashworth and DC Rosie Bell, who compete to find clues, and try to best each with their investigative skills. Rosie, who's the new person on the team, wants to prove herself to Vera, and Joe doesn't want to be shown up. It all turns out well in the end, though, and the trio make a fine team.

Like all the Vera Stanhope books, this is a good thriller, recommended to fans of the genre.

Thanks to Netgalley, Anne Cleeves, and Minotaur Books for a copy of the book.

As this episode opens, Vera is still brooding over the death of young DC Holly Clarke in the previous one.

This time, a man walking his dog finds the body of young Josh Woodburn near a home for troubled teens in the coastal village of Longwater. Josh didn't show up for work there the previous night.

At the same time, a resident of the home, 14-year-old Chloe Spence, has disappeared. Is she another victim, the killer, or did she flee after witnessing the crime?

"The Dark Wives" by Ann Cleeves is an exciting and thought-provoking book. It focuses on important issues in society, especially how we deal with young people who break the law. Cleeves is great at creating interesting characters and a story that keeps readers wanting to know what happens next.

The book is full of suspense and drama, but it also makes us think about right and wrong. It shows how privatizing care for young offenders can lead to problems, like not holding people accountable and not caring for those who need help the most.

Cleeves blends a fictional story with real-life issues, making "The Dark Wives" a great read for anyone curious about social problems and how people think. Her writing is clear and beautiful, making her message really stick with readers. This novel can spark conversations and inspire change, so I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand how we can better help our youth.

I have not read the entire Vera series but reading this one made me want to go back and read the ones I have missed. Well done!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

In the 11th Vera Stanhope mystery, “The Dark Wives,” Ann Cleeves tackles a controversy over private children’s homes that made news in Britain a while back. Underfunded and largely unregulated, the homes subjected children to neglect and even abuse.

In a story the author calls entirely fictitious, a girl in a home “for the teenage kids nobody wants” disappears after a popular staffer is murdered. Where Chloe went, and whether she killed the young staffer to whom she had become attached, is the question that brings in Vera and her team, including sidekick Joe Ashworth and new addition Rosie Bell.

Vera herself is feeling her age. She muses about people who are “desperate to retire, but who couldn’t quite make the jump. Because what would be the point of getting up in the morning if there was no work.” Vera is also brooding over, and blaming herself for, the loss of a member of her team in the previous book. Guilt “was like a weight on Vera’s shoulders,” Joe muses. “Physical. It made her seem stooped and old. Never before had he thought of Vera as old.”

The death, noted as having taken place just weeks before, is a thread throughout “The Dark Wives,” a reference to a group of standing stones that in folklore represent women who nagged their husbands too much. (Yikes.) In addition to looking for Chloe, Vera’s team has to find the real murderer.

“The Dark Wives” isn’t a “Vera” that much stands out. It’s a good read but one that doesn’t prove very memorable.

This latest Vera Stanhope mystery was a great case. It introduces Rosie Bell who replaces Holly and she’s a great character looking to get into Vera’s good graces. The mystery centers around a children’s home, a dead counselor, and a missing resident. A great addition to the canon!

The Dark Wives was such a great novel. I love how it brought the characters to life, and I was so engaged in the mystery. As always, Vera was a flawed character I was rooting for. And the story kept me guessing til the end about who the killer was. I give this book a solid 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for the opportunity to review The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves.

This was one of the darkest and most twisted of the Vera Stanhope installments by Ann Cleeves that I have read. There is a new addition to the team and I liked Rosie Bell. The rest of the team is intact and each plays a significant part in this story.

In dealing with a tightly crafted murder mystery, the story also focuses on certain significant social issues. Some of the peripheral characters unapologetically examine the problems with a society that leaves it most vulnerable unprotected claiming a lack of resources and staffing. An unfortunate sidebar which we have heard on many occasions. Applause for incorporating and acknowledging difficult issues. Vera’s character is multilayered and not without its flaws. Espousing a more controlled and inclusive role with her team she continues to take unnecessary risks so it should come as no surprise that she is constantly in harm’s way. I found it troubling that a character who needs to call meetings and talk things out keeps so much to herself and away from her team. So not a perfect, but a complicated yet strong team leader.

I appreciate Cleeves attention to detail and look forward to future installments in this very successful series.

Another great DI Vera Stanhope mystery from author Ann Cleeves. This book has a focus on the child welfare system when fourteen year old Chloe Spence goes missing from a care home for troubled teens. The murder of two people connected to the home make it imperative for Vera to find the girl because her life may be in danger.

Latest in the Vera Stanhope series. A teenage girl goes missing from a care home, after a body is found... is she the killer, was she also killed or was she in the wrong place at the wrong time? Vera and her team race to find out.

And yet a third book I thought I'd already reviewed... No matter. I think this is a solid Vera entry. If you haven't met Vera yet, she's...interesting. She can be tactless and seem hard-hearted but she's truly not. I think this book shows a bit of her softer side. I liked it and would definitely recommend it but I would perhaps suggest reading one or two of the earlier books first. I gave four stars but I'd up that to four and a half if I could.
Thank you to Ms. Cleeves, her publisher and Netgalley for making this book available to me.