Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first ever book by Ann Cleeves and i thoroughly enjoyed it. I have seen the adaptation of her Shetland series and enjoyed all the episodes and so was eager to read her other books as well.
The Darkest Evening takes a phrase from Frost's famous poem and makes it the core of the story. A young woman Lorna is found dead on a dark evening, her car door open and her child Thomas left in the car. The paternity of the child is unknown and as Vera and her team tries to make sense of the crime, they realise right from the beginning that the mysterious lover of Lorna is at the heart of this case. This case also has a limited pool of suspects and hits closer to home for Vera.
I.loved how i could see the character of Vera and her collegues even though this is a pretty late book into the series. She felt a welcome change from the extremely dark, brooding, alcohol filled n fuelled detectives often found in thrillers. I also likes how chapters were given from the pov of two of her team members too. Loved the book and definitely reading more in the series.
The Darkest Evening takes a phrase from Frost's famous poem and makes it the core of the story. A young woman Lorna is found dead on a dark evening, her car door open and her child Thomas left in the car. The paternity of the child is unknown and as Vera and her team tries to make sense of the crime, they realise right from the beginning that the mysterious lover of Lorna is at the heart of this case. This case also has a limited pool of suspects and hits closer to home for Vera.
I.loved how i could see the character of Vera and her collegues even though this is a pretty late book into the series. She felt a welcome change from the extremely dark, brooding, alcohol filled n fuelled detectives often found in thrillers. I also likes how chapters were given from the pov of two of her team members too. Loved the book and definitely reading more in the series.
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first Vera Stanhope novel, and it was definitely a treat. Author Ann Cleeves has crafted a wonderful murder mystery, guaranteed to snare the reader right from the start.
Vera finds herself lost and turned about while in the middle of a snowstorm, ending up outside the country home of relatives. It is there she finds a car with its door open, a baby inside. The body of a woman is found in the snow not far from the car. Thus the mystery begins, and Vera has her hands full trying to untie all the relationships one might find in a smaller community.
This is a police procedural, and we either accompany Vera or one of her subordinates, Joe or Holly. Ms. Cleeves lays out all the clues, inviting us to read between the lines and put all the pieces together. Once the author explained everything at the end it made perfect sense, but I have to confess that I did not give more than a passing thought to the true murderer and I missed every path that would have led to the truth.
Although part of a series, this is a standalone tale. Newer readers like myself will probably end up looking at some of the earlier books, curious about what we might have missed. Highly recommended. Five stars.
My thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for an advance electronic copy of this book.
Vera finds herself lost and turned about while in the middle of a snowstorm, ending up outside the country home of relatives. It is there she finds a car with its door open, a baby inside. The body of a woman is found in the snow not far from the car. Thus the mystery begins, and Vera has her hands full trying to untie all the relationships one might find in a smaller community.
This is a police procedural, and we either accompany Vera or one of her subordinates, Joe or Holly. Ms. Cleeves lays out all the clues, inviting us to read between the lines and put all the pieces together. Once the author explained everything at the end it made perfect sense, but I have to confess that I did not give more than a passing thought to the true murderer and I missed every path that would have led to the truth.
Although part of a series, this is a standalone tale. Newer readers like myself will probably end up looking at some of the earlier books, curious about what we might have missed. Highly recommended. Five stars.
My thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for an advance electronic copy of this book.
The Darkest Evening is the ninth instalment in the DI Vera Stanhope series set in the wild landscape of Northumberland, my home county. On the first snowy night of winter, Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope sets off for her home in the hills. Though the road is familiar, she misses a turning and soon becomes lost and disorientated. A car has skidded off the narrow road in front of her, its door left open, and she stops to help. There is no driver to be seen, so Vera assumes that the owner has gone to find help. But a cry calls her back: a toddler is strapped in the back seat. Vera takes the child and, driving on, she arrives at a place she knows well. Brockburn is a large, grand house in the wilds of Northumberland, now a little shabby and run down. It’s also where her father, Hector, grew up. Inside, there’s a party in full swing: music, Christmas lights and laughter. Outside, unbeknownst to the revelers, a woman lies dead in the snow. As the blizzard traps the group deep in the freezing Northumberland countryside, Brockburn begins to give up its secrets, and as Vera digs deeper into her investigation, she also begins to uncover her family’s complicated past.
This is yet another spectacular and compulsive addition to what has become a much-loved, character-driven series with Vera and her colleagues being a fascinating cast of characters that you really become invested in. The case is a compelling one which you'll find difficult not to devour in one sitting. The plot is superbly executed with enough mystery, intrigue, twists and turns to keeping you feverishly turning the pages. It's fast paced and written in Cleeves's straightforward prose which makes it such an easy book to read and lose yourself in. Cleeves manages to keep the perpetrators identity hidden until the big reveal where the tension is ratcheted up ready to uncover the mystery behind the brutal killing. This is a crime writer who knows exactly how to pull the wool over readers' eyes time and time again and who can be trusted to have you on the edge of your seat, making guesses at those behind the crimes but each time she somehow completely fools you and those involved shock you to your core once revealed. A highly entertaining, masterful and utterly engrossing police procedural from start to finish. READ IT! Many thanks to Macmillan for an ARC.
This is yet another spectacular and compulsive addition to what has become a much-loved, character-driven series with Vera and her colleagues being a fascinating cast of characters that you really become invested in. The case is a compelling one which you'll find difficult not to devour in one sitting. The plot is superbly executed with enough mystery, intrigue, twists and turns to keeping you feverishly turning the pages. It's fast paced and written in Cleeves's straightforward prose which makes it such an easy book to read and lose yourself in. Cleeves manages to keep the perpetrators identity hidden until the big reveal where the tension is ratcheted up ready to uncover the mystery behind the brutal killing. This is a crime writer who knows exactly how to pull the wool over readers' eyes time and time again and who can be trusted to have you on the edge of your seat, making guesses at those behind the crimes but each time she somehow completely fools you and those involved shock you to your core once revealed. A highly entertaining, masterful and utterly engrossing police procedural from start to finish. READ IT! Many thanks to Macmillan for an ARC.
In a blinding snowstorm, Vera misses the turn on her way home. Unable to turn around, she continues on until she comes upon a car pulled over to the side of the road, driver's door hanging open. Upon investigation, she finds the driver missing, but discovers an infant strapped into a carrier in the back seat.
I have been reading Ann Cleeves since her Staphen Ramsay series, and she never disappoints. The Darkest Evening may even by my favorite of the Vera Stanhope series, with Vera finding herself enmeshed with her black sheep father's wealthy relatives, and the tiny community just a stone's throw from her own home.
I have been reading Ann Cleeves since her Staphen Ramsay series, and she never disappoints. The Darkest Evening may even by my favorite of the Vera Stanhope series, with Vera finding herself enmeshed with her black sheep father's wealthy relatives, and the tiny community just a stone's throw from her own home.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
I haven't read a 'Vera' novel for ages, although I faithfully watch the TV series. The spirit of the books is faithfully transferred across, I see. This was a solid police procedural, with the added complication of the murder victims being discovered in the grounds of a country house belonging to Vera's cousin. The first victim, Lorna, remained a bit of an enigma, so the ending was only somewhat satisfactory to me. I had suspected various other people throughout though, and the novel depicts teamwork at its best.
I haven't read a 'Vera' novel for ages, although I faithfully watch the TV series. The spirit of the books is faithfully transferred across, I see. This was a solid police procedural, with the added complication of the murder victims being discovered in the grounds of a country house belonging to Vera's cousin. The first victim, Lorna, remained a bit of an enigma, so the ending was only somewhat satisfactory to me. I had suspected various other people throughout though, and the novel depicts teamwork at its best.
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Darkest Evening is the ninth in the Vera Stanhope series. It begins during a blizzard. Vera is driving home and mistakes her turn. She finds a car has driven off the road. The driver is gone, the door of the car wide open, and in the back seat an infant in a car seat. Vera takes the child, leaving her card for the missing driver, and drives to the nearest home, one she knows well as it’s the childhood home of her father. It is a source of bad memories and embarrassment as her father only went there when he wanted money. Shortly after she arrives, a neighbor comes on his tractor telling everyone he found a body.
The investigation starts out fairly wide especially when the mother’s close friend, a former teacher, is murdered, but soon comes to center on the Stanhopes and the two families nearby.
The Darkest Evening is an excellent mystery. There were plenty of red herrings and misdirection. I love how the detective’s assumptions about women and what they want in a relationship misled them. I also love learning a little bit more about Vera and her family.
The mystery is completely fair. The story is exciting and one that was hard to put down. In fact, i didn’t. I read it from start to finish.
I received an e-galley of The Darkest Evening from the publisher through NetGalley
The Darkest Evening at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
Ann Cleeves author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2020/09/12/9781250204509/
The investigation starts out fairly wide especially when the mother’s close friend, a former teacher, is murdered, but soon comes to center on the Stanhopes and the two families nearby.
The Darkest Evening is an excellent mystery. There were plenty of red herrings and misdirection. I love how the detective’s assumptions about women and what they want in a relationship misled them. I also love learning a little bit more about Vera and her family.
The mystery is completely fair. The story is exciting and one that was hard to put down. In fact, i didn’t. I read it from start to finish.
I received an e-galley of The Darkest Evening from the publisher through NetGalley
The Darkest Evening at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
Ann Cleeves author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2020/09/12/9781250204509/
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes