The Dark Wives
A Vera Stanhope Novel
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4.5 • 64 Ratings
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
As New York Times bestseller Ann Cleeves's beloved Vera series explodes in popularity in print and on TV, this stunning eleventh book explores the web of secrets surrounding a young man's death.
The man’s body is found in the early morning light by a local dog walker in the park outside Rosebank, a home for troubled teens in the coastal village of Longwater. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who was due to work the previous night but never showed up.
DI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate the death, with her only clue being the disappearance of one of the home’s residents, fourteen-year-old Chloe Spence. 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 Bell, are soon embroiled in the case, and when a second connected body is found near the Three Dark Wives monument in the wilds of the Northumberland countryside, superstition and folklore begin to collide with fact. Vera knows she has to find Chloe to get to the truth, and the dark secrets in their community that may be far more dangerous than she could have ever believed possible.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
A missing person and a murder are tied together in this fast-paced installment of Ann Cleeves’ beloved Vera Stanhope mystery series. Stalwart DI Stanhope is on the case of a murdered children’s care home attendant, the good-natured Josh, and the disappearance of one of the residents, disturbed but quick-witted Chloe, which leads her team on an urgent search of small towns and rural areas in her little corner of Northumberland, England. Duplicity, lies, and corruption are uncovered in a chase that culminates in a ritual steeped with superstition and folklore surrounding a set of three standing stones called the Dark Wives. Cleeves builds tension masterfully as Vera and her investigators Joe and Rosie follow lead after dead-end lead with determination, skill, and a necessary sense of humor. Vera is one of British mystery’s greatest characters, the kind of solid middle-aged woman many people would overlook and underestimate at their peril. And she is exactly on point in this delightful entry.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The murder of an employee at a home for troubled youth triggers a search for a missing girl in bestseller Cleeves's forceful 11th Vera Stanhope mystery (after The Rising Tide). When 14-year-old Rosebank Home resident Chloe Spence vanishes the same night that somebody kills Rosebank employee Josh Woodburn, Det. Insp. Stanhope and her Northumbria Police colleagues suspect a connection. The facility houses particularly troubled teens, so some of Stanhope's colleagues believe Chloe attacked Josh and fled. However, Chloe's diary indicates she adored Josh; it also mentions someone "pervy" loitering outside the facility, suggesting to police that Chloe was more likely a frightened witness to Josh's killing. Vera and her team start digging, hoping to find a clue that will lead them to Chloe. Instead, they discover a second corpse in nearby Northumberland that raises even more questions. Cleeves portrays Rosebank's kids and its staffers with compassion and respect, even as she spotlights the pitfalls of a for-profit approach to child welfare. Multiple narrators and a core cast of keenly rendered characters lend the tale dimension while furthering the series arc. Cleeves's fans will be well satisfied.
Customer Reviews
The Dark Wives
Another outstanding book by a brilliant author. Vera is my favorite detective and has awesome skills, insight, and a big heart. Hope to see more of Rosie in the future, too.
The themes of this book will definitely resonate with readers, many of whom have experienced the difficult roads faced by parents coping with bullying, substance abuse, divorce, mental illness, social services, loss, and social media! The roots of all evils remain the same: money and power!
The book gives readers hope that strong morals, compassion, and kindness are still out here, and difficult roads can lead to beautiful destinations!! Especially with Vera, Joe, Rosie, and Charlie on your side!