I've never read any of the Vera books before, mainly because I was put off by the TV show. I much preferred the book's characterisation of Vera, and I enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook's performance. However the story was a bit bland and uninteresting - I found I didn't really care about the case, and I was listening to it as background noise rather than because I was eager to know 'whodunit'.

I listened to this audio over a few days and enjoyed the pace and narration. The narrator is perfect for this and really brought the book to life. I must admit that having read Ann Cleeves' books both in physical and audio format, I do prefer the audio version, so perhaps slightly biased here, but I don't have much to say about this one that isn't positive :)

This was so hard to get in to. I tried numerous times to pick up from where I left off but the story just did not grip me unfortunately.

It always astounds me how long an audio book can take and this book was no exception. At the start I found it really quite hard to get into as an audiobook - the characters all seemed quite unpleasant, particularly Emma. From about two thirds of the way through though I started to find it more engaging and was then keen to find out who had killed Abigail and Christopher and why. As for other Ann Cleeves, it was all tied up well in the end. All in all a solid book - what we've come to expect from the Vera series (although I know I've listened to this completely out of order) but a bit depressing as no-one comes out of it as a nice or likeable person. For me therefore a 3.5 but rounded to a 4

DI Vera Stanhope is brought in to oversee an investigation from 10 years ago where a young girl is murdered. The woman put away for the murder has her alibi confirmed but too late. Vera has all the problems of the original officers having retired and the local police do not want her on there patch. There are many layers to reveal, and Vera is not sure she can solve the mystery in time.
The narration starts a bit slow and it’s not until Vera appears that both the narrator and the pace of the mystery really picks up.
Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

*A big thank-you to Ann Cleeves, Macmillan UK Audio, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
If you are already acquianted with Vera, this instalment will not disappoint. A cold case behind the plot with characters well-developed and Vera Stanhope with her unique ways of dealing with suspects always keep me intrigued. I hope to continue with this series.

An early Vera audiobook. A well crafted novel with plenty of twists along the way. Was a murderer wrongly convicted as new evidence comes to light, Vera and her team are asked to look into the case.
The narration was very good also the accents were spot on well done Janine Birkett.
I received this audiobook from Macmillan Audio UK and Netgalley for a review.

Wow, first Vera audiobook. How amazing was this. I must have seen the programme, but didn’t remember it.
Really well read, I could imagine all the characters and see them clearly - particularly Vera.
I was sucked into the story right from the start and true to form was totally surprised by the ending.
Loved it.

I love Ann cleeves so much but I think the Vera series is definitely not for me. I was hoping the audiobook of the second Vera novel would be a hit, and despite a whodunnit set in Yorkshire and lots of twists and turns, I just didn’t love it.

It had been a decade since the brutal murder of Abigail Mantel, whose body was found in a ditch by her best friend Emma Bennet. The accused murderer, Jeanie Long, had spent the past ten years in prison before committing suicide.

However, new evidence suggests that Jeanie may have been wrongfully convicted. As Inspector Vera Stanhope and her partner Joe Ashworth delve into the case, secrets begin to surface and another murder complicates things even further.

Despite some slow moments, Telling Tales is well-crafted and engaging. Inspector Vera Stanhope adds depth to the story making it worth reading.

Part of a series of books about Detective Vera Stanhope, the hero of the TV series Vera, I came to this audiobook unfamiliar with both the books and the series. All I can say is, I think I’ve missed out! Vera is a lovely character, totally dedicated to her job but also curious about human dynamics and what makes her witnesses and suspects tick. The narration brought the story to life beautifully and kept me hooked from the start.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the producers of the audiobook for giving me the opportunity to listen and review this story.

There is something weirdly comforting about listening to Ann Cleeve's novels in audio book form. Janine Birkett's narration is definitely part of it, as well as knowing that you are listening to a writer who really knows what they are doing and will provide a satisfying ending. "Telling Tales" is no different - a village full of secrets, someone wrongfully accused, and Vera Stanhope in all her glory. This is a great book to sit back and listen to!

You can't go wrong with some Ann Cleeves - enticing, with wonderful characterisation and a plot that moves at a good pace.

This is my second book in this series, and much like the first, it's a very slow burn read. That said, it did have me hooked and wanting to know how it played out and ended. Loved the narrator she really brought the characters to life.

Vera Stanhope goes to Elvet in East Yorkshire, the town where Abigail Mantel was killed 10 years ago; following the death of the woman convicted for her murder. She always said she was innocent.

Can Vera find out who really killed Abigail and will hidden truths be revealed.

A brilliantly written novel and well narrated (I listened to the audiobook). Well paced and plenty of interesting characters. Vera is not keen on this town but she will not go home until a killer is found. Love how down to earth Vera is. Enjoy.

An excellent Vera Stanhope story .
Jeanie Long has been in prison for ten years for the murder of a fifteen year old girl Abigail Mantel .
New evidence has come to light proving the innocence of Jeanie , but it’s too late Jeanie committed suicide without knowing about this new evidence.
Vera Stanhope is in charge of looking into the new evidence and finding the real murderer.
This story is well written and the narrator is excellent .
An enjoyable Vera tale definitely a page turner and kept me guessing until the end .

I enjoy Ann Cleeves books and have read most of them. For some reason I wasn't expecting this to be a Vera book as she doesn't make an appearance early on, or at least I didn't recognise her. I was pleased to see her and it made the story more enjoyable. It was an early book in the series which is being rereleased. I must have missed it the first time around.

Emma found the body of her best friend Abigail when they were teenagers and that event shaped her life in the intervening years. She is a bit of a wet lettuce and lets others decide life choices for her. The voice given to her by the narrator matches the character, slightly whiny and annoying. Her husband, parents and brother were odd characters in their own way and I found them unlikeable.

I have heard this narrator on previous books and she is excellent at accents from the North East as heard by someone who is not from that area but the Yorkshire accents were a bit off, especially Veronica, the landlady of the pub.

The person convicted of the murder of Abigail is found to be innocent, unfortunately too late and the search is on to find the real killer. I guessed who it was a while before the end but it did not detract from the enjoyment of the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This was a delicious page turner right from the start. Everytime I had to put it down, it was all I could think about. I did end up finishing way past my bedtime, just so I would be able to sleep. If you love a quick, immersive thriller, than this is definitely for you!

Really enjoyed this. Amazing characters. Loved the narration and well written plot. I’d highly recommend this audiobook.

Though I'm a Vera Stanhope fan, I came late to the party and hadn't read the early books. So I was pleased to get the chance to listen to this one on Audio. An excellent story, as usual, from Ann Cleeves, though I felt it took some time to get going. The introductory narrative concentrated on the background information on the cold-case murder enquiry of a young girl, and the various parties involved, before Vera put in an appearance and came to the fore in her usual brusque yet kindly way. Then, the story came to life as she probed and explored each and everyone's version of events. The excitement ratcheted up with the discovery of another body, and I was fully engrossed.
All the characters were believable, some more sympathetic than others, and there was plenty about all of them to keep you guessing about the murderer.
I felt the two victims didn't quite get the attention they deserved, but I suppose this story is about the living, not the dead.
At first I wasn;t keen on the narrator's voice, but when she introduced Vera, and took on the expected Geordie tones, I found myself believing that Vera was speaking to me, revealing her thoughts and her own insecurities as a police officer and a rather plain, dumpy woman.
A good solid murder mystery with Vera at its centre - what more could I want?