Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Enjoying this series more and more … the character development is so well done … I do wish though there were fewer mentions about Vera’s size/appearance. Ultimately that’s not what defines her.
This is the first book I have read by Ann Cleeves, and although the main character (Vera Stanhope) was the subject of a TV series relatively recently, I did not know this until part way through reading the book and therefore, did not watch it. As such I had no preconceptions about the book at all. I do quite like a pacey crime novel, especially ones which are part of a series, so when it came up as a Deal of the Day on Audible, I was keen to give it a go.
It was not at all what I was expecting!
I was imagining something akin to a female Simon Serrailer, really dark and gritty, but this is quite different. It's like one of those ITV crime dramas (tick!) that have an edge of surreal comedy to them.... nods and winks and deep, dark secrets at every turn. Dead bodies popping up left, right and centre around a community of self styled "retired hedonists" who get plastered together every Friday night. REALLY?? Odd, but strangely quite good.
Bit heavy on the North East stereotyping, lots of "Why Aye Pet" and "Howay Man" (and before anyone strikes me down, my origins are Gateshead!) and if we were told that Vera was "fat and ugly" once, we were told it too many times. Yes, ok, get the fact that she's not a bombshell.
I did enjoy it though, and it didn't run out of puff, came to a satisfactory conclusion though I wonder if the series is intended to be slightly tongue in cheek and was always written with TV in mind, as it has the whiff of it right from the outset.
Perfectly adequate, but not setting the world alight.
It was not at all what I was expecting!
I was imagining something akin to a female Simon Serrailer, really dark and gritty, but this is quite different. It's like one of those ITV crime dramas (tick!) that have an edge of surreal comedy to them.... nods and winks and deep, dark secrets at every turn. Dead bodies popping up left, right and centre around a community of self styled "retired hedonists" who get plastered together every Friday night. REALLY?? Odd, but strangely quite good.
Bit heavy on the North East stereotyping, lots of "Why Aye Pet" and "Howay Man" (and before anyone strikes me down, my origins are Gateshead!) and if we were told that Vera was "fat and ugly" once, we were told it too many times. Yes, ok, get the fact that she's not a bombshell.
I did enjoy it though, and it didn't run out of puff, came to a satisfactory conclusion though I wonder if the series is intended to be slightly tongue in cheek and was always written with TV in mind, as it has the whiff of it right from the outset.
Perfectly adequate, but not setting the world alight.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
love this series because I love the character of Vera. (PBS series) but it is impossible for the reader to arrive at solution so it loses a star.
Interesting plot. characters with depth. Superb Mystery novel. This was my first time reading an Vera Stanhope Mystery.
Solid enough mystery plot, although a little more depth into the eventual killer would have been helpful. This was my first Vera novel and I liked her and her team. The constant fat remarks were both quite noticeable and annoying though. Still, I’ll likely return to Vera at some point. 3.5
Another enjoyable trip inside the world of Vera Stanhope. I particularly enjoyed the focus on Holly's point of view in this book as before she was more a bit part when compared to Joe Ashworth.