Written with her customary finesse, this is an author that always proves impeccable. With this, a typically densely-plotted, engrossing mystery, and #11 in the Vera series, we are back with all our favorite characters, and a new one to size up, at the same time. As DI Vera Stanhope and her sidekick, the trusty Sergeant Joe Ashworth, battle a new and disturbing case, they must make room for a new member to the team, the gorgeous and brash DC Rosie Bell, who has come to replace the much-missed DC Holly Lawson.

Rosie’s presence, of course, represents a new opportunity for crusty, guilt-ridden Vera, - one that will have her struggle to grow into the image of a more inclusive, communicative leader, with (as the reader must surely expect) only mixed results.

Tackling some heady issues, (including the ethics and challenges of cruelly disadvantaged youth and where (and how) to house them), a death concurrent with a missing teenage girl sends our heroes down a path which is basically a frantic race against time. Can the team unravel the mystery, and find the young teen - be she suspect, victim, or witness - before the body count grows?

Atmospheric and intense, the plot, as usual, centers on the rural Northumberland windswept coast, including the hamlet of Gilstead, with its three standing stones bathed in folklore, a creepy hunt-the-witch ceremonial festival, and memories of Hector Stanhope, - birder, naturalist and father (for Vera, all of which remain drenched in unrest).

A terrific addition to a much-loved series, Vera, Joe, and now Rosie are back, and for this reader, not a moment too soon.

A great big thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

Links:

When Josh, a young staff member at Rosebank, a home for troubled teens, is found dead, DI Vera Stanhope begins her investigation. At the time the death occurred, fourteen-year-old Chloe Spence, one of the home’s residents, was reported missing. She had developed a friendship with the victim, and after several days of searching for her, Vera suspected that Chloe could have been involved in the murder.
Soon after Vera began her investigation with her team members Joe and Rosie Bell, a second body was found near the Three Dark Wives monument deep in the wilds of the Northumberland countryside. Dark secrets surround the entire community, and Vera fears Chloe is hiding, fearing that her life is in danger if she is found.

Another great installment from Cleeves! Vera is such a likeable character, and the settings are so good. It gave me all the autumn and gothic vibes. It’s not my favorite in the series, but fans of Cleeves will really enjoy this next journey. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy!

If you’ve ever watched “Vera” on Masterpiece Theater on PBS or watched it on one of the streaming services, you’ll already be familiar with this book’s main character, Vera. Yes, Anne Cleeves is Vera’s creator and this is the 11th book in this series. Whenever I read one of Cleeves’ books in this series, it is the PBS character’s voice I hear in my head, and it is Brenda Blethyn, who plays Vera on the television program, I see in my mind’s eye.

In this outing, Vera and her team are called to a home for troubled teenagers taken into care. One of the home’s staff members has been bludgeoned to death and one of the home’s teenagers, a 14-year-old girl, is missing. With zero leads and a lack of motives, Vera and her team must find the young teenager who might have been taken by the murderer.

Cleeves has carefully crafted this procedural and she takes her readers along with Vera as she sets out to solve the murder and find the missing girl - dead or alive. As Vera proceeds, she uncovers several prospective suspects, but no solid evidence to justify arresting anyone, and the girl remains missing.

Cleeves’ writing is picture perfect for the no nonsense Detective Chief Inspector. The author lets the reader know what the detective knows with the exception of the one or two ideas Vera keeps to herself despite having promised her team she’d not do that any more.

If you’re not yet a fan of Cleves, but love British police procedural, give this book a try. You need not have read any of the previous 10 books in this series to be quickly brought up to speed able to tell the characters apart in this book. The author does a credible job of introducing the ongoing key characters so her new readers will know who is who.

My thanks to Minotaur and NetGalley for an eARC.

I think I'll always be a fan of Ann Cleeves. I wait in anticipation for the next Vera Stanhope installment. I was disappointed about Holly's murder. With that being said Rosie will add spunk to the team. There's a murder of a guy working at the home for at risk children. He was due to report for work one evening when he was murdered. Chloe, a teen at the home, was close to the murdered guy and now she's missing. Where is Chloe? Did she murder him or was she a witness to the murder. From the first page to the last, you fall in love with the characters with every Ann Cleeves book.

WWWThank you NetGalley and Publisher for the opportunity to read "The Dark Wives" in exchange for an honest review.

As always, when a new Vera novel comes in, I have to keep myself from running and reading it immediately! But I had 10 books ahead of it, so it had to sit there in my virtual library taunting me LOL. The story starts with the proverbial British police procedural body found by a dog walker (always, right? LOL). But this time, it's a youngster-a barely older than the kids he was working with college student. His murder makes no sense, and as Vera and her team struggle to find clues, they have to open up some past secrets to find out the truth about the home, and the deceased. Along the way Rosie has to try to fit into the team, while Vera is still reeling from the events in the last book, The Rising Tide, and the death of one of her team. Rosie may not be the character one would pick to join the unit, but she quickly earns respect from Vera and Joe (grudgingly in his case), and it will be interesting to see how she fits into the team in the next book. Vera also finds someone she can talk to, and for the long time reader, this is HUGE and makes you wonder if Cleeves is leading us to Vera's retirement (nooooo!).

The Dark Wives is another ‘Vera’ book that didn’t disappoint. Vera was as feisty and compassionate as ever, and the story was as mysterious and well told as ever. I enjoyed the new detective, Rosie, who will be an interesting addition to Vera’s team. The story was brought to a close with a satisfying ending.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Dark Wives. I enjoyed it very much.

The Dark Wives has Vera and her team investigating the death of a young man at a children's home for troubled children.

One of the teens is also missing which ups the ante as the clock ticks away.

Did she witness the crime or was she perpetrator.

We meet the new member of the team Rosie who has big shoes to fill but she is confident she can contribute and be a rising star.

Ann Cleeves always writes descriptively and the scenery and characters stand out.

Twist and turns that include witches, the statues of The Dark Wives and a cast of suspects to choose from.

The pages turn themselves as the tension mounts.

I will be first in line to see where Vera and her team get up to next.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press , Minatour Books for another page turning read by Ann Cleeves.

<i>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-coloured 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?

Because Chloe Spence had disappeared.</i>

THE DARK WIVES is #11 in the Vera Stanhope series, and it is an outstanding mystery, with only one misstep—near the ending—that marred its excellence. A four-star novel, which was a strong five-star one until the 75% point.

Josh Woodburn, a volunteer worker at a private care home for troubled teenagers, is murdered, bludgeoned to death by a hammer. Chloe Spencer, a 14-year-old who lived in the house with three other “challenged” teenagers, has disappeared. Those three others have an alibi for the time of the murder, unfortunate for Vera’s investigation, because the resident most likely to have committed such a crime was 17-year-old Brad Russell, a petty drug dealer given to violent outbursts. But soon, Brad’s body is discovered in a desolate rural hideaway—one well known to Chloe; Brad is the apparent victim of yet another murder.

Vera and her team trace down clues designed to locate Chloe, who Vera is sure was a witness to the first murder and now running for her life. Vera feels that once they locate Chloe, they will be able to identify the murderer. The team consists of Joe, Charlie, and Rosie. Rosie is a new addition, a replacement for Holly who was killed at the end of book #10.

Everything moves at a quick pace, as the detectives, particularly Joe and Rosie, collect information that tells us more about Chloe and where she might be hiding. Then, around the 75% point, Vera has a hunch. Up to this stage, we, the readers have been privy to the main characters’ thoughts—sometimes following Joe’s POV, sometimes following Rosie’s POV, and sometimes following Vera’s POV. But Vera’s hunch isn’t shared with readers. So the denouement comes out of the blue. And this is the misstep that occurs near the ending. In an attempt to conceal the true murderer, the author hid important information from readers—changed the trajectory we were following—to bring the story to a quick close.

So from perfect story, to somewhat less than perfect, in order to pull off a surprise ending. Still it was a great read, a book I couldn’t put down, even though I felt a bit cheated by the sudden shift in direction near the end.

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My review for an earlier book in this series:
<a href = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4968804915 > The Rising Tide (Vera Stanhope, #10) </a>
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“The Dark Wives” Will be released in North America on August 29, 2024.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGallry. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.

thanks to netgalley for providing an advanced e-reader copy in exchange for a review! this book comes out august 27th.

this is our eleventh book with Vera! in this book, there's a murder of a staff worker at a troubled teens home and a young 14yo girl missing from that home. throughout the book, Vera and crew need to solve the murder and, hopefully, find missing girl before the murder potentially finds her.

between my appreciation for Ann Cleeves' consistently solid writing and my affection for Brenda Blethlyn's depiction of Vera, i've got a lot of goodwill for any entry in the series. this series is a strong example of how the different versions can interplay in a really nice way. it's enjoyable to read a new book and imagine the television adaptation (in reverse, i do enjoy watching the show and seeing where it differs from the book).

accordingly, my first thought in reviewing The Dark Wives is considering it specifically as a Vera book and on those terms, i really recommend it to fans of the series. the book picks up recently following the death of one of Vera's team and Vera is thinking a lot about how she interacts with her team, especially the newest edition, Rosie. i liked spending time following Vera's thoughts and some of the thoughts were distinctive from earlier books but still staying true to her voice.

my second thought is considering The Dark Wives as a mystery novel and it's just okay, just fine! there's a sense of urgency pulling the narrative forward in a lovely way as Vera & crew search for the missing teenage girl. it's also a book that invites us into the thoughts and perspective of a lot of the central characters in a compelling way. we get a strong sense of the people at the center of the story and that helps encourage the reader to ponder what might have happened. however, a lot of the solving of the mystery happens off page and that's ultimately a little dissatisfying. that's really where it fell a little bit short.

in all, lovely addition to the Vera series but likely will only satisfy less critical readers who have a lot of fondness for the series.

Ann Cleeves is the queen of mystery. Her new title begins with the body of a student and social worker outside Rosebank, a home for troubled teens where he works. One of his devoted clients is Chloe Spence. She disappears on that night and suspicion falls on her but Vera has a hard time believing a teenager, who so liked Josh, could do such a thing. Woven within the mystery is the theme of private care homes which are making money on their clients. Another Vera stunner!.

Ann Cleeves has done it again with another intelligent Vera Stanhope story. This time, a young man working at a private care home for troubled youth is murdered right outside the building. And one of the young girls staying there has gone missing the same night. No one knows if she is the murderer, a witness or another victim.
I love these books for the in-depth character studies of the entire team. The book incorporates multiple POVs from each of the team members. Rosie is a great addition to the team and I can’t wait to see how she works out in future books.
The book moves along at a steady pace. This, like the other books, always felt very real with easy to envision scenes. The setting was divine - I loved the countryside, the bothy and the Dark Wives. At times, Vera keeping ideas from her team felt a little forced. In real life that wouldn’t happen, but Cleeves is determined to keep the reader in the dark. The other problem was that individuals suffer physical injuries but then go on acting like there’s no problem. <spoiler> my mother fell down the stairs and injured her neck and back. It took her months of recovery and she was never fully the same. So, the idea that someone would be up and active within an hour rubbed me the wrong way.</spoiler> I’m still rating this a four because of the wonderful characters.
I could determine the why behind the murder but not the who. In truth, the book doesn’t provide the reader much to go on to figure out the solution.
Readers should not read this before reading the previous book, The Rising Tide, as it will give a major twist from that book. Otherwise, these books do tend to work as stand-alones.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Though she is in continual self doubt mode, Vera never fails. Nor does the way Cleves connects the reader so intimately with locations, characters and stories.

The Dark Wives rock formations placed hauntingly nearby the critical points of action offer up a sinister atmosphere in perfect linkage to a deserted seaside cottage and a buried woodland hideaway. A perfect Autumn read!

Cleves masterfully lets us in on the sensitive and compassionate aspects of a Vera that only her closest associates know. This detective is worn down by her own personal life, yet somehow can open herself to the interior motivation and consequences of not only the suspects but the victim(s) as well.

As is always the case in books from this long standing series, it’s comforting to meet old friends from her staff and be introduced to new ones. The Northumbrian setting continues to work for its quirkiness, ancient origins and changing landscape.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s and of course Anne Cleeves for the opportunity to read this review copy.

In THE DARK WIVES Vera Stanhope, a Detective Inspector, and her team work to find Chloe Spence, a fourteen-year-old girl. Chloe has been a resident at Rosebank, a home for troubled teens in Longwater, and leaves a diary that hopefully will help Vera find her. Chloe has a history of wandering and being a loner, but she seems to work well with Josh. Josh Woodbury, a staff member on a temporary contract at Rosebank, is found dead on a path outside Rosebank. Will Vera and her team find Chloe? Is Chloe responsible for Josh’s death? The mystery is set, and I need to find answers.

I like that this is a straightforward mystery. Vera Stanhope is an interesting, well-developed character. She may appear rough around the edges but cares a great deal about others. I like the way she uses the term "pet" when referring to a character. The biggest difference I see between the book and the Vera television episodes is that Vera's thoughts are exposed in the book (set in italics) but are implied in the television dramas. The plot is quite involved, and I appreciate the inclusion of the explanatory narrative that ties up all the loose ends. While this book can be read as a standalone, I think reading the series in order would be even better. This is the eleventh book in the Vera Stanhope series but the first one I have read. I look forward to reading past and future Vera books. Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review and advance reader copy of THE DARK WIVES.

Ann Cleeves is one of those writers I drop everything to pick up. She is managing to create two series each intriguing in its own way in its approach to the crimes perpetuated, the investigators cracking the code, and, most importantly, the role the UK landscape plays in the proceedings. We are back in Northumberland with Vera Stanhope, familiar to those addicted to the BBC series starring Brenda Blethyn who embodies her to perfection, her no nonsense style, filthy Land Rover, piercing intelligence. Cleeves makes use of news sources for inspiration, in this case the treatment of unwanted kids in a halfway house and the complications of their care.

I am a huge Anne Cleves fan. I have loved all of her different series, but I think that Vera is my favorite. This story fell into place as it was told. Not that it was unexpected but that it felt like the only way it could have been told. Loved the characters and the setting. Loved the climax in Gillstead with the Witch Hunt.
I think the fact that I have been a fan of the series on television made this even more enjoyable. I was able to visualize the main characters and setting. I could also hear some of them with the dialogue.
If you love British mysteries and have never read Anne Cleves, now is the time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced copy. I look forward to reading more.

I will be posting a review on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble as soon as it is released. I will also be posting my personal book blog review on Blind Date with a Book at Virginia-Gruver.com. I do always use social media to promote my blog as well.

Ann Cleeves does it again! In this installment of the Vera Stanhope series, we get the typically do-it-yourself Vera, but with a new vulnerability plus a heightened awareness of individuals on her team, including the new one whose continued development I'm anticipating. With just the right number of red herrings and an ending you might not predict, this is a fast, absorbing read that will captivate longstanding Vera fans and newcomers alike.

When a staff member at a home for troubled teens is found murdered and a fourteen year old female resident of the home disappears, Vera and her team are drawn to the countryside of Northumberland to investigate.

I really enjoy Ann Cleeves’ writing, having read her Two Rivers series.  This book is the eleventh of the Vera Stanhope series (there are also some short stories); it is the second I have read. Some may recognize the name Vera Stanhope from the very successful TV series based on these stories starring Blenda Blethyn and available on a number of streaming platforms.

Vera is a bit overweight and unkempt, very forthright, and no fashion plate. She isn’t always a team player. She is, however, a stellar detective.

Cleeves is an excellent writer.  All of her books that I have read have been engrossing, well plotted, with good character development.  Her atmospheric, descriptive, detailed language draws the reader into the scenes.  

I did like the new addition to the team, Rosie Bell. She is also quite the character! Although the main players’ stories progress with successive books, each one can be read as a stand alone.

Ann Cleeves is recommended for fans of British police procedurals and other mystery lovers.

The institution of privately owned care homes for troubled teens in England is controversial. Running them should be a noble mission, but without sufficient state control, it can evolve into a business like any other, subject to negligence. Additionally, for the residents of such houses, their temporary homes and proximity to other teens like themselves can become either a rescue or a stepping stone into more serious conflicts with the law.

Chloe is a fourteen-year-old living in such a place but is now missing. At the same time, when she disappeared, her only friend, a university student and a volunteer staff member, was found dead. Vera and her team come to investigate. Soon, they discovered that the small community had dark secrets. Some of Chloe's peers consider her and two of her friends to be involved in some witchcraft practices. There is also a strange ceremony planned in the village, based on the witch hunt, and the local attraction includes the Three Dark Wives monument in the Northumberland countryside. Someone might want to take advantage of the local dark folklore tradition and use it as a cover for another murder. Chloe is undoubtedly in danger. Or is she a danger?

Even with such a dark background, coming back to another book in the Vera Stanhope series feels like meeting old friends. There is a new member of Vera's team, Rosie, a young woman who is bright, energetic, and unafraid to question Vera's methods. Joe, caught between two strong women, is simultaneously warm, logical, and vulnerable. It's such fun to watch the dynamics between these three!

The ending was a bit unexpected for me, as this time Vera was even more than usual secretive, although she had a good reason – she wanted to make sure that Chloe was back safe and sound, and sometimes it was hard to say who was a friend and who was a foe. The people interviewed by the team are often not even aware that they are being interviewed. The conversations sound like friendly but inquisitive chats, and the plot moves forward, never losing sight of its purpose: finding Chloe, finding the murderer. "The Dark Wives" is another excellent book by Ann Cleeves, who quickly became one of my favorite mystery writers.

3 stars!

The premise of this book was very intriguing and it was. However, it was a slower pace than I would personally prefer, but it did keep me guessing and reading until the end.

It was interesting to learn a bit about the issues involving privately owned "troubled" teen homes. It was also fun to learn British terms that I've never heard before.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!