Vera returns to investigate another case , and does so in her own unique style.
A worker in a children’s home is found dead by a dog walker ,and a young girl living at the home is missing .
Vera needs to find the murderer before they can strike again .
Surely it can’t be the missing girl who has killed the care home worker , she seemed to have a soft spot for him didn't she?
Vera is trying to get used to a new member of the team Rosie. ( Vera is trying her best but as we know Vera is quite a contrary character! )
Rosie is enthusiastic and Vera is trying hard to not repeat her past mistakes with the members of her team .
Vera still feels guilty about the death of Holly and it’s making her a little more soft around the edges .
Ann Cleeves writes in an atmospheric way and the pages turn themselves .
We have the backdrop of Northumberland countryside and red herrings aplenty to keep the readers interest .
An enjoyable and intriguing read!
Thanks to NetGalley and PanMacmillan.

I love reading Ann Cleeves with all her series Vera is indeed my favourite.

As with all these books in the series they keep you reading to try and figure out who did it and why with red herrings galore

I love the character of Vera in book form and on screen and would love to see this on the small screen

I will continue to read this series and look forward to many more murders in al.l of Ann Cleeves works

Would highly recommend

Also last year we stayed in Northumbria and visited lots of places as featured in this series and the tv series it was great to add my experience of seeing them in real life and then picturing them for vividly in the books

Vera is another of my favourite female detectives. She’s like a little, inquisitive bird. She’s generally a bit grumpy and sharp when the occasion demands it. She’s stubborn and lives for her job, knowing instinctively which of her team is best for which task and often expecting long days and nights. That’s definitely the case when a missing person report comes in for a young girl called Chloe living in care. Even more disturbing is the discovery of a body in the nearby park. This young man with a head injury turns out to be a new recruit to the children’s home called Josh Woodburn. Josh was a student but had recently taken a part-time post as a support worker and had worked closely with Chloe. She had come to the home after her mother was hospitalised with mental health problems. Despite the offer to stay with her paternal grandparents Chloe chose the home. She was learning to express herself, trying things on and seeing what fitted. Josh had encouraged her to write about her feelings, so she was journaling daily and dabbling with poetry. The social workers at the home had noticed she maybe had a slight crush on the new worker, so they can’t imagine her harming Josh. On the night Chloe disappeared Josh had come into work and then popped out again, everyone else was enjoying film night and pizza. Their only clue is that a dark, high end Volvo had been seen parked outside the home a few times recently. At the moment, Vera and the team don’t know if they’re looking for a vulnerable witness who is missing or the fleeing perpetrator. Either way they need to find her as soon as possible, before anyone else is harmed.

The team are getting used to new girl Rosie, as they lost one of their own on the last case. Rosie is what Vera considers a proper Geordie with the obligatory fake eyelashes, fake tan and never going out with a coat. Vera is determined she will have to get used to the breadth of their patch which takes in both cities and vast countryside. Joe is suspicious and is watching her closely, but actually she has good instincts and her empathic manner with the victim’s families yields results and they seem to trust her. Chloe’s grandparents live in Whitley Bay, after selling up their farmhouse in the country. Her granddad tells them how sorry he is that they haven’t made more effort with her. Sadly her parent’s difficult split lead to bitterness and Chloe’s father felt she blamed him for her mother’s mental health. Her grandad would message her and take her out to the hills where they used to live and an old bothy that he still owned with an incredible view. They would take a picnic and simply enjoy being in the open air together. He admits that her relationship with her grandma was more difficult. His wife owns a boutique and was always trying to get Chloe to make more of herself, disliking the Goth look that Chloe had adopted. Vera can see that Chloe doesn’t fit the stereotype of a child in care; she still has connections with family and hasn’t been drawn into drink, drugs or violence. Vera keeps asking herself - what is Chloe running away from?

Josh’s parents are obviously shocked and grief stricken, but also confused. They had no idea he’d taken a job and financially he didn’t need to work. He could have lived at home and gone into university, but he wanted the full student experience and they could afford it so why not? Josh’s big love was film so the work isn’t even linked to his course at all. His father wonders if he was still trying to impress a girl he’d been involved with called Stella. Stella’s family ran an organic farm where people with mental health issues or who were homeless could help out and gain work experience. Stella seemed almost embarrassed by Josh’s comfortable, middle-class background and put him on the spot. What was he doing to make a difference in the world? Maybe taking this job was a way of showing her he did have a social conscience. Coincidentally the farm is near the village of Gilstead, where Chloe’s granddad’s bothy is. Could Chloe be hiding out there until she can get away. When they arrived at the bothy the next day, Vera is horrified by what they find. There’s another body and the suggestion that someone has been living here. This body must have something that links it to Josh and Chloe, not just that they’re from the same care home but something they seem to be missing at the moment. Gilstead is a pretty village that tourists like to take a look at and this week is no exception. This week sees the annual witch hunt in the village, where children search for the ‘witch’ on the hills and in the dark. Outside the village are three monolithic stones, the so-called ‘Dark Wives’ of the title. Eerie posters of an all seeing eye appear in cottage windows to repel witches and let them know the villagers have their eye on them. It seems a little odd and creepy but essentially harmless.

The relationships in the team are interesting and Joe’s relationship with Vera is problematic, not least because he feels stuck between his boss and his wife. Sometimes he feels like he’s always trying to please women, whether he’s at work or home. Vera lives alone and doesn’t always understand that responsibility to another person. She seems to assume everyone is as free as she is when she suggests a pie and ping after work. Other times she’s almost motherly and affectionate towards him. It was really interesting how this case seemed to get under Vera’s skin and bring back memories of her father. She still lives in his old cottage with all his things surrounding her and never seems to make it her own. Is she just camping there? Or setting down roots? She thinks about her relationship with her father and how difficult he could be when drunk. Maybe she understands Chloe’s need for a stable and loving parent who’s there for her, instead of the other way round. Sometimes police work is a thrilling chase and other times it’s doing the boring background checks and looking at the detail. This case is a bit of both, but the finale of the Gilstead Witch Hunt is genuinely spooky. With the monolithic Dark Wives in the background and the sun setting, the village comes alive with people taking to the hills to look for the witch. It’s dark and menacing, so as Vera, Joe and Rosie set out with them there’s real tension in the air. Chloe could be out here in the dark, but so could a killer. As they stumble around in the cold, with Rosie finally wearing a coat, it was hard to know whether screams were just excited kids or something more sinister. I love Anne Cleeves’s plots because they’re like a labyrinth, looping round and back on themselves. There are always secrets to unravel within families and these ones are no exception, they’re also emotional because these families are struggling or have broken apart. Most of all I love Vera. She’s like a little terrier and leaves no stone unturned in her determination to find a killer.

Another belting ‘Vera’ read from Ann Cleeves. With this series you know you are guaranteed an engaging dark mystery/ crime, some Northern humour / sarcasm, great team spirit and some real caring from the blustery, no nonsense, DI Vera Stanhope.

I loved this book because Vera gets stuck in completely, uncovering all sorts of dirt hiding under stones in this emotional case. It is a real conundrum but she follows her instincts and is supported by her trusty team, (Joe & Charlie) whilst trying hard to get to know her new team member. Seeing Vera’s quirks and habits from a new pair of eyes is fascinating.

The case is an interesting one, throwing up enough social injustices, to rile Vera. Her doggedness and determination are what make her the resounding success she is.

Ann Cleeves’ writing brings the Northumbria countryside to life so vividly that the reader ‘sees’ the scenery clearly. Totally love this series!! Wouldn’t we all want a Vera in our corner in times of trouble?

Book 11 in the Vera Stanhope series and it’s another cracking read. Young teenager Chloe Spence is a real live wire of a girl who likes dressing as a Goth and spinning stories of witches. She is also living in Rosebank care home for troubled teens after her Dad walked out and her Mum had a breakdown. Chloe has become close to Josh Woodburn a care worker which is making her life easier, but there are so many sad tales about the children living in the home.

Briefly, one morning Vera is called out as Josh, has been found dead outside the home. Chloe has disappeared. With a new detective, Rosie, joining the team to replace Holly, they need to find Chloe and work out what happened. Is she alive and in hiding, is she the killer or is there another body to be found? Then a second body is found. Brilliant storyline as all the talents in the team try to dissemble the many lies being told to them. The main question though is will Vera let Jo, Rosie and Charlie in on her suspicions or try to do it herself?

Vera is such a brilliant character and as a fan of the television show you can’t help but envisage the tv personalities as you read the books. But I find this makes my reading all the more immersive and emotional. The author is so good at writing character and the plot is, as always, brilliantly executed. A wonderful read that I didn’t want to put down. Classic!

Of all Ann Cleeves novels, Vera is by far my favourite. I know that is down to the portrayal but Brenda Bleythn, but the character just jumps off the page and continues to delight the readers such as me. And probably all the people she has to work with.

In this the latest, a man’s body is found near a home for troubled teens. He was a worker there, but never showed up for his shift. Now we know why.

In the home, a 14 year old girl goes missing, she had befriended the dead worker and they had a good relationship. No one seems overly concerned about her apart from Vera and her team. Surely it must all be connected.

When another body is found, and this seems to be related to not just the home but also some local folklore about the Dark Wives, a monument further into the wild landscape away from the city, it seems that the only one who has the answer is the girl who is missing.

It is a race against time as Vera and her team try to uncover the truth and find the girl.

Full of twists, unlikeable characters and dramatic settings, this book fits in with the Vera oeuvre and shines an uncomfortable spotlight on the place of children’s homes and those that sadly end up there. Brilliant.

Chloe Spence, a 14 year old girl has gone missing from a local children's home, at around the same time one of the volunteers at the home has been found murdered. Is Chloe a suspect, or is she another victim? Vera suspects the latter. Where can Chloe be hiding? Is someone helping her?
After the death of Holly in a previous book, Vera finds herself working with new team member, Rosie. She hopes that she will be a valuable member of the team, but suspects a bit of rivaly between her and Joe - both vying to be 'teacher's pet'.
With missing Chloe & the body count rising, Vera must find a way to solve the case before more blood shed, and without putting herself and the team in danger.
Another great outing for Vera Stanhope & her team!

After her father left home a year ago and moved abroad and her mother subsequently had a breakdown, fourteen-year-old Chloe Spence found herself in Rosebank, a children’s home at Longwater in Northumberland. Also a recent addition there is agency childcare worker and art history student Josh Woodburn. The two have become friends and it seems Chloe hero worshipped him. So when Josh is found dead on the nearby common, his skull bashed in by a hammer, and Chloe has vanished, the question for DI Vera Stanhope, DS Joe Ashworth, her other DC Charlie and Holly’s replacement DC Rosie Bell is whether Chloe is another victim, a witness or a killer? And if she isn’t the murderer, just who is, and how much danger is Chloe in? The race is on to find the girl but after three days the detectives are at a loss and then a very unexpected second body is found. It surely can’t be a coincidence. What is the significance of the monumental standing stones called the Three Dark Wives up at Gillstead? As Vera and her team dig deeper into the lives and secrets of all those involved, will they manage to find the link between the deaths, the truth behind them and a missing vulnerable and scared girl?
Vera is still feeling guilty and responsible for Holly’s death but Rosie is a great addition and already proving herself a worthy recipient of a place on the team. I really liked her, even if Joe is a little jealous of the way Vera has immediately warmed to her! There’s also a nice little story about Vera’s father Hector in this book. As I read these books I visualize the tv series that has brought Vera to life, portraying her just like the author does with her straight talking, unfashionable clothes and old Land Rover. This is a great twisty story full of suspense and surprises, guaranteed to keep the reader glued to the pages from start to finish. Another superb addition to a much-loved series!

After the events of the previous book & the loss of one of her team, Vera decides that maybe she needs to change the way she approaches her team. The new member, Rosie is very different & how she will fit in has yet to be seen. The book opens with an extract from Chloe's diary who is a teenaged girls written from a children's home, she is waiting to talk to Josh, the only one of the staff she has connected with. When Josh is found brutally murdered outside the home, Chloe has disappeared. Is she a suspect or a victim?

I love the TV series Vera & had read the previous book. I think that was necessary as so much of the repercussions from that affect the characters. I really enjoyed this one, particularly the outlying villages & the traditions . The descriptions of The Witch Hunt were brilliant. The reveal came as a complete surprise. I love how the author keeps the reader guessing. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

EXCERPT: 'Was there anywhere special the two of you liked to visit? Where she'd been happy? Somewhere she might go back to?'
There was a long pause while the woman seemed to be thinking. Vera thought there'd be no answer, but at last Rebecca spoke. 'She loved it up at Gillstead.'
Vera knew Gillstead. It was a hamlet on the other side of the valley from Vera's house. Nothing there but a few farms, a street of cottages, which had once belonged to the big house. On the fell, three standing stones - the Three Dark Wives - that pulled in the occasional history buff. She'd always loved the legend of the Dark Wives. The story was that three crones had been turned to stone by a giant who thought they talked too much. There were times when Vera thought of herself as a crone, and she hoped something horrible had happened to the giant. At least the crones were remembered, and he'd disappeared from the story.

ABOUT 'THE DARK WIVES': A body is found by an early morning dog walker on the common outside Rosebank, a care home for troubled teens. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who never showed up to work.

DI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate. Her only clue is the disappearance of fourteen-year-old resident Chloe. Vera can’t bring herself to believe that a teenager is responsible for the murder, but even she can’t dismiss the possibility.

Vera, Joe and new team member Rosie are soon embroiled in the case, but when a second body is found near the Three Dark Wives standing stones in the wilds of the Northumbrian countryside, folklore and fact begin to collide.

Vera knows she has to find Chloe to get to the truth, but it seems that the dark secrets in their community may be far more dangerous than she could ever have believed. . .

MY THOUGHTS: Any excuse to catch up with Vera and her team is a welcome one for me. I have no idea how Vera's mind works and that may well be a blessing. I just love her character. She's definitely not tactful but has a surprisingly soft heart - even if her team don't see evidence of it often. She can be quite secretive and, despite her best intentions to share more with her team, is still inclined to keep things close to her chest. Joe is quite used to Vera's way of working, but Rosie, the new team member, finds it quite irksome. Her habit of keeping things close to the chest also makes it difficult for the reader - I have never yet managed to solve the mystery ahead of Vera.

I loved the way Ann Cleeves has described Vera's first encounter with Rosie, but that's a pleasure I will leave for you to discover by yourself. It will be interesting to see just how well Rosie fits into the team in future books; she is very ambitious.

The Dark Wives incorporates local folklore with the mystery of a missing girl, two bodies and is centred on a home for disadvantaged children. There were a couple of twists that simply took my breath away, revealed as the mystery unfolded; things I would never have imagined happening in a million years. But, as the saying goes, 'there's nowt so queer as folk'. And there's something else at the end that took me by surprise, but that I'll also leave for you to discover.

The tension is incredible as the search for Chloe continues with little success. I feared for her safety even more following the discovery of the second body.

The atmosphere of the setting is just as palpable as that of the tension and suspense, and Cleeves has skilfully fined-tuned both, producing a tightly plotted mystery that kept me glued to the (virtual) pages. I lose myself in Ann Cleeve's books often rereading the older books as I wait for the next installment. Already I'm anxiously awaiting #12.

Dark Wives is able to be read as a standalone, but you will miss out on the building of relationships which occurs in the earlier books. It really doesn't seem that long ago that Joe and his wife were expecting their first child, and now she's a teen!

A highly recommended book and series.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheDarkWives #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.

While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married.

In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the northeast provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.

DISCLSOURE: Thank you to Pan Macmillan via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Book number 11 in the Vera Stanhope series and one again another winner for this author. Each story in the series is different with slight references to the previous book but not enough to detract from the story for new readers.
Vera and her team get called out to a residential home for troubled teens following the murder of a volunteer there. At the same time a 14 year old girl goes missing. Vera's first thoughts are is she a victim or a suspect. The investigation goes into their pasts as they look for a connection. Once again the local area is well described as are all the characters. The dialect from the north east of England where this is set gives a homely feel to it despite the murders, yes there is more than one, and there is no shortage of twists and turns in the hunt for the killer.
A slow build up to an enthralling storyline.

The story begins with the thoughts of a young girl, a carer for her mother, who suffers from mental health issues; she is currently residing in a children's home after her mother's illness escalated. She's a loner and a writer and harbours a tendre for one of the younger workers at the home. When a dog walker finds a body, Vera and her team arrive and discover a suspicious death and a missing girl. The investigative team with a new member draws the reader into the story with their detailed interviews, research, and cohesive team dynamics. The mystery grows with another deadly twist and a claustrophobic wall of silence. I like the web of lies and secrets created, the story's emotion, especially the poignant lives of the young people involved and the clever and compassionate detective, Vera. It's an absorbing and immersive crime mystery.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

A new Vera book! It was brilliant! I really enjoyed this one so thank you for the access to read it. A young man's body is discovered outside the children's home he was working in, and one of the girls there has gone missing. It looks like she might have killed him, but Vera can't let herself believe that. Josh's parents didn't know he was working at the home and then another body is found near the stones known as The Dark Wives. This book is full of intrigue and mystery

Verandah Stanhope is back in another cracking read. This team Vera and her team are on the lookout for a murderer and for Chloe Spence, who has gone missing from a children's home. Is Chloe a suspect, a witness or even a victim?

The action really hots up when another body is found, in a location close to Chloe's heart. Could Vera's insistence that she is innocent be wrong?

The Dark Wives is a thrilling read, with plenty of pace at times. There's also the slowness of the investigation, highlighting the tough job faced by the detectives in reaching an outcome.

When a body is found on the common outside Rosebank, an isolated care home for troubled teens, DI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who never showed up to work, and her only clue is the disappearance of fourteen-year-old resident Chloe. Then, in the wilds of the Northumbrian countryside, near the Three Dark Wives standing stones, a second body is found. As folklore and fact begin to collide, Vera knows she has to find Chloe to get to the truth.
Another page turner of read. I love Vera whether it’s reading the books or seeing the television series. She’s down to earth & doesn’t suffer fools. An intriguing case which kept me guessing. I also love the descriptions of an area I know well, they brought the book to life. Vera & her team work well together & even a new member starts to fit in. I hope there are more books
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

I love this series, both in book form and the TV adaptations. I am a big Vera fan!
Anyway, in this, her 11th literary outing, she, and her team, are called on to investigate the death of a Josh, a volunteer at a home for troubled teens, after he is stabbed outside, just as he is about to start a night shift. It occurs on the same day as one of the aforementioned "troubled teens" 14yo Chloe goes missing. Coincidence, or was she involved? And if involved, is she a witness, perpetrator, victim, or just caught up in something else...?
Now, if you have been following this series, you'll know that Vera's team is now down one after the tragedy of the previous book. So we have a new face to meet and get to know in Rosie Bell. She, along with Joe and Vera form the crux of the investigative team and what a task they have in front of them.
But just as they start to look like they are making progress, there's another death, that of another "troubled teen" and this throws a great big spanner into the works...
Apart from the compelling and interesting case that Vera and her team have on their plates in this book, I also loved the interactions between Joe and Rosie. But I will leave you to discover that at your leisure. It makes for a wee bit of respite in amongst all the heard hitting crime stuff.
The social commentary regarding children's homes is also quite pertinent and topical at the moment. In fact, just as I started reading this book there was an article in the MSM regarding the how private (profit making) children homes are taking over council runs one. So yeah, interesting and important theme to tackle and indeed highlight. I especially loved Vera's connection with Kath the social worker.
That aside the case was interesting and intriguing, keeping my attention, and keeping me guessing throughout. A cracking addition to an already well, and favourite series. Roll on next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

The first Ann Sleeves book I have read and the latest Vera Stanhope novel. By reputation one of the greatest writers of this genre and I can see why. Set in Northumberland with references to places in the area I am familiar with this gripping tale is beautifully written.Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

The Dark Wives by Anne Cleeves
The publication of new Vera Stanhope novel is always something to be celebrated. This novel begins with the murder of a young man who has been working at a children’s home. At the moment of the murder a young girl goes missing from the home. Is she the murderer or is she on the run from the murderer? Is there something wrong with the children’s home or is it linked to Chloe, the missing girl. The missing girl attends an academy which is run by a local girl made good but their rules and regulations do not seem to allow Chloe to blossom in the way that she should.
The action in the book seems to link back to the village of Gilstead and to the strange standing stones called the Dark Wives. There is a local legend related to them and also a witch hunt which all of the local community are involved in. There is tension in Vera’s team with the arrival of DC Rosie Bell who had come to replace Holly who died in the previous novel. Joe Ashworth feels pushed out by this new arrival but it is Charlie, another team member, who is pivotal in solving the crime this time.
The plot highlights the difficulty with Children’s Homes which are run for profit by large corporations and also academies which are only interested in churning out examination results rather than in real children. Where has the care disappeared to in the care system? It is a comment on the society in which we live and it is an engrossing read for those who are familiar with Vera and all of her foibles. A good addition to the series. I would like to offer many thanks to the author, the publishers and to Net Galley for the opportunity to read the book in return for an honest review.

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I have read other books in the Vera series but not all of them. I do think that one needs to have read the previous book in the series to understand the dynamics within the team throughout the book rather than as a stand-alone book.

I did find the ending rather rushed and pulled together with a lot of information all at once, meaning that people’s motives were not clear.
I also felt that a map of the area would have been useful to refer to and although I live in the North East a glossary of vernacular and local dialect would have made the flow of reading easier. I had to keep breaking off to check what words meant as the inbuilt tools were not helpful.

The book was well written and though slow at times it was a page turner and I wanted to know what happened and why. The end was rushed for me and there seemed to be padding earlier on that wasn’t really needed.

A great read though.

The wonderful, eccentric, irascible, stubborn but smart DI Vera Stanhope is back in her 11th case. A young man, Josh Woodburn has been found dead outside the private care home for troubled teenagers where he worked. At the same time, one of the teenagers, 14 year old Chloe Spence has disappeared. Chloe has trust issues but it seems was close to Josh so Vera thinks it unlikely that she killed him, but she may have witnessed something and has gone to ground in which case she could be in danger and Vera needs to find her quickly. While the other three residents of the home have alibis for the time of Josh’s death, however Vera is suspicious of one of them, 17 year old Brad, who is no longer attending school and is dealing drugs.

Vera has a new team member to break in. DC Rosie Bell is personable and bright, keen to make a good impression and Vera thinks she’ll fit in well, although DS Joe Ashworth is not so sure. After her last case, Vera had promised her team that she would be better at sharing her thoughts and intuition about cases with them. However, she is still finding that hard and her team are still often left in the dark, having to rush to her aid late in the day. This does work to keep the reader totally in the dark about the identity of the killer as long as possible.

The POV alternates in chapters from Vera, Joe, Rosie as well as the killer themselves. The tension rises after the body of another teenager from the home is found and the need to find Chloe becomes urgent. The setting is very atmospheric with the climax in a small rural village during an ancient folklore ritual set around the standing stones known as the Three Wives. As well as being a cracking murder mystery, the novel also shines a spotlight on the failure of society to care for teenagers in care from difficult backgrounds who are at very real risk of falling between the cracks. Even though the TV series Vera is now in its last series of production I hope Ann Cleeves will continue to write new mysteries for Vera and her team to solve. There’s no one quite like her in crime literature.