Scan barcode
aeclark12's review
5.0
After watching the show, it was great to read one of the Vera Stanhope novels and learn more about her character. I also enjoyed how she structured the story, shifting the perspective between several characters. Ann Cleeves is clearly a talented writer.
cecile87's review
3.0
It did drag a bit, but overall, an interesting start to the series. The quirks of Vera as depicted here didn’t resonate for me—not as much as they do on the TV show. And, to my surprise, I suspected the actual guilty party. I just didn’t know the why.
dianawohl's review
adventurous
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
tash95's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
rosalindm1's review
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I've been watching the Vera series and wanted to read the original book. Vera doesn't appear until a third of the way through the book, but she dominates the final third. Strangely slow paced for a crime novel, but well plotted.
punkinmuffin's review against another edition
4.0
I haven't watched tv's Vera but that's because of having too many things to watch. So I thought I'd try the books. This novel is more than 20 years old now but it doesn't feel too dated. In The Crow Trap we spend half of the book getting to know Rachael, Anne and Grace, three scientists conducting an environmental survey of a proposed quarry site in the Northumbrian hills. Each of these women has secrets. Then a body is found strangled on the hillside, and the small cottage where the women have been staying is suddenly full of the presence of Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope.
Countless books have been written (and tv series and films made) featuring misanthropic male detectives. We all know this guy. He looks older than his years because he's seen too much. He's single, with multiple failed relationships in his past. He drinks too much and he's too pure or something to have toadied his way up the power hierarchy. Yet this psychological train-wreck somehow manages a stellar clearance rate on his cases. Huh. Yeah right.
Female fictional detectives tend to be cut from similar cloth with certain patriarchal adjustments. They are often beautiful and have to fight to have their substantial intellects taken seriously. The price they pay for being so gorgeous and clever is a lack of functioning relationships and a weakness for the bottle. Outside of these stereotypes, Ann Cleeves has created Vera Stanhope. Survivor of an emotionally abusive childhood. Overweight. Suffering from eczema. Yet Vera has a knack for getting the truth out of people. She's bloody-minded and won't suffer fools. She knows she's unattractive and she refuses to let herself care about it, thus defying anyone else to do the same.
Personally, I am looking forward to a time when fat, ugly women rule the universe. In the meantime, I will have to content myself with reading more in this series.
Countless books have been written (and tv series and films made) featuring misanthropic male detectives. We all know this guy. He looks older than his years because he's seen too much. He's single, with multiple failed relationships in his past. He drinks too much and he's too pure or something to have toadied his way up the power hierarchy. Yet this psychological train-wreck somehow manages a stellar clearance rate on his cases. Huh. Yeah right.
Female fictional detectives tend to be cut from similar cloth with certain patriarchal adjustments. They are often beautiful and have to fight to have their substantial intellects taken seriously. The price they pay for being so gorgeous and clever is a lack of functioning relationships and a weakness for the bottle. Outside of these stereotypes, Ann Cleeves has created Vera Stanhope. Survivor of an emotionally abusive childhood. Overweight. Suffering from eczema. Yet Vera has a knack for getting the truth out of people. She's bloody-minded and won't suffer fools. She knows she's unattractive and she refuses to let herself care about it, thus defying anyone else to do the same.
Personally, I am looking forward to a time when fat, ugly women rule the universe. In the meantime, I will have to content myself with reading more in this series.
alibrarymouse's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I like Ann Cleeves’ mysteries a lot, but Vera hits a little differently to her other detectives in a way that almost didn’t land? I liked the aspect of cozy mystery to this one with Rachel and her mother, but felt the investigation (while realistic) should have taken off a bit more than it had.
Instead, Vera felt a bit dismissive until things really started coming together. Ultimately, it’s accurate to how many investigations would have gone, but the characters weren’t likable enough that this was a bit easier to put down than others. However, it was very engaging and I’d find myself reading large chunks at a time when I did pick it up. So it was a well-balanced book with an interesting mystery and some likable characters, but it just didn’t exactly come together and the ending was a bit anticlimactic because she didn’t want to spoil the mystery too soon.
Instead, Vera felt a bit dismissive until things really started coming together. Ultimately, it’s accurate to how many investigations would have gone, but the characters weren’t likable enough that this was a bit easier to put down than others. However, it was very engaging and I’d find myself reading large chunks at a time when I did pick it up. So it was a well-balanced book with an interesting mystery and some likable characters, but it just didn’t exactly come together and the ending was a bit anticlimactic because she didn’t want to spoil the mystery too soon.