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.

Vera, Joe and co. are back in fine form. Sadly they are all still grieving the loss of their colleague, Holly. A new DC has been deployed with the team and she is big, brash, bold and everything Holly was not. Which is probably just what they need!

Called out to a local private children's home, they find the body of Josh, student and volunteer, and
one of the young residents is missing. Is she a victim, witness or suspect?

The hunt for Chloe leads the team around Northumbria and into the remote hills. Another murder of a resident of Rosebank muddies the clues and Vera has to make some logic leaps to unravel the mess.

I love that Vera is so untypical of most fictional detectives. She's straightforward, down to earth and can be awkward. She is gruff and caring at the same time. As someone who actually works with these kinds of teams I can vouch for the warring personalities, dark humour survivor skillset and the pints in the pub after work!

There are numerous twists and turns and red herrings. I can honestly say that I did not guess the murderer this time (don't tell my colleagues!). It illustrates the wash of money lining private companies pockets instead of looking after their vulnerable charges.

The description of the remote Northumbria is so evocative and really adds to the atmosphere of doom surrounding the area.

Another worthy read!

This is the latest Vera Stanhope book, which investigates suspicious deaths involving privately run children's care homes. Chloe, a 14 year old resident in Rosebank, goes missing and the search is on.
Vera has a new member on her team, Rosie, and in the book it's good to see the relationship between her and Vera develop and strengthen. A lot of the book involves teenagers in the system and in schools, so if you have a teenager in your life like I do, the book takes on a new layer of significance. We see a softer, caring side of Vera as she solves the case.
For me it was too lengthy and slow paced and I found myself skimming towards the end..

A very topical story that has 14 year old Chloe, the narrator, living in a Children’s home, for those who ‘ no one wants’. Her mother suffers from an unspecified mental health problem and has been hospitalised. Chloe’s school is more concerned with the appropriate uniform being worn than the pastoral side of pupil responsibility.
Josh is an agency carer at the home, and he is Chloe’s only friend and confidante, he has encouraged her to keep a reflective diary about her thoughts and feelings. When Josh is found dead and Chloe goes missing, Vera and her team of detectives are called in.
When Vera was a Police Cadet, she was ‘ volunteered’ to work in a Children’s Home as part of the community placements that cadets were expected to do in the 1960s/ 1970s. She remembers when these buildings used to be homely, house parents were in charge, now children look starved of love and affection, nobody seems bothered when the young people disappear.
Vera and her team suffered the loss of Holly, a young detective in the last book, her replacement is Rosie Bell, she is very ambitious and sees this post as a stepping stone to a bigger force, but she is surprisingly caring and efficient throughout, even Vera is impressed, and that’s not an easy thing to do.
When local myths and legends combine in a Witch Hunt event, the titular Dark Wives are revealed and reveal an unexpected killer.
This story reveals an understanding look at the social themes of mental illness and the profit driven ethos behind the running of children’s homes and other underfunded enterprises.
The story moves at an easy pace, the reader feels involved in every step of the search to find the killer. Another brilliant addition to the Vera series of books. I much prefer the written word to the Television adaptations, old fashioned detective work in every sense of the word, in a world of fast tracked university graduates with no relevant experience of rising through the ranks, says my husband, retired police officer!!
A five star read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Pan MacMillan for my advanced copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I will post to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.

I do not usually go for crime novels, but when I do, I’d like them to be like Vera Stanhope novels, and especially like this one.

Josh is found dead outside Rosebank children's and another resident is missing.

Vera and Rosie are on the job.

Plot 4
Characters 4.5
Prose 4
Mood 4

Vera and her team are called to a murder at a children's home. One of the residents, a teenage girl, is also missing. The new DC, Rosie, also arrives and Vera's guilt about Holly is still present. As the investigation progresses, another body is found and they are unsure if it's connected or a coincidence.
As usual with a Vera book, the action showcases the rugged Northumberland countryside and coast. This book explores the privately run children's home and how much the private companies actually put into the system.
It's an interesting read and a real page turner.

I’m not a great reader of crime fiction, but Ann Cleeves’ storytelling is always more about the people. In that way she’s like her most famous character, Vera Stanhope. Getting inside heads, what makes people tick – and how her regulars change and grow over time.

A student working in a care home is murdered, and a young resident, Chloe, runs away, leaving her diary behind her. Not full of clues, but full of a troubled teenager’s hopes, dreams, and fears. Enough for Vera to know that she’s unlikely to be the killer.

Played out in part in the village which sits below the standing stones known locally as The Dark Wives, this novel is full of strong women. Women in tough roles, women who care. For this, and for the quality of the writing, I loved it. For the final denouement, not so much. But you can’t please everyone all the time.

The eleventh book in the Vera Stanhope series
Another great read
Love all the books in this series and this one didn’t disappoint
Thanks NetGalley

A really good addition to the Vera Stanhope novels, with a stunning cover of the standing stones known as the Dark Wives of the title. It is set in the world of Children’s homes and Ann is very good at the social aspects which make you think whilst not detracting from the storyline.
There is a new member of the team following on from Holly’s death in the last book and Vera is still feeling the after effects. The dynamics of the team change as Rosie is far more outgoing and ambitious.. As usual the Northumbrian countryside is a feature. as well..
The plot moves at a good pace and add the folklore, witches and the standing stones and it becomes a real page turner!
I loved it!

Another great read in the "Vera" series .Atmospheric and compelling there is a new ,member of the team Rosie to replace poor Holly who dies in the last book .A man has been found dead outside a Children's Home and a child from the home is missing .So the Team set off the find the child and solve the murder .Near the end of the book Vera realizes who the murderer is and why but there were no clues to tell the reader so I felt a bit confused by this but otherwise another good read .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

The Dark Wives Ann Cleeves

5 stars

I have read all of Ann Cleeve's books featuring Jimmy Perez but have only recently discovered Vera Stanhope although I am aware of the TV series featuring these books.

DI Vera Stanhope is not your normal detective and her way of working is what makes her so interesting. Although she has her team of detectives, including a new member of the team, the feisty Rosie Bell, she still likes to do some of the work on her own following her hunches.

The story centres around Rosebank a place for disaffected teenagers which houses only 4 inhabitants. Josh Woodburn, a student at Newcastle University has become a volunteer there and is popular with everyone so when he is found murdered it is a mystery. One of the inmates, Chloe Spence, 14, disappears at the same time but Vera is convinced that she is not the killer but has seen something and run away. A few days later, Brad Russell, another disturbed teenager staying at Rosebank, is also found murdered but there seems to be no obvious connection between the two killings.

Vera and her team investigate all the angles and backgrounds of the people involved and slowly but surely the truth comes out. As always the Vera books are set in the North East and in this particular book the culmination of the story occurs during the annual witch hunt that takes place in the village near The Dark Wives, the local name for three peaks that overlook the village.

This was a good story but I particularly liked the way Ms Cleeves has highlighted children's homes and how they can be used by the wrong people for monetary gain instead of providing a safe haven.

I will always look out for any books by Ann Cleeves, I am never disappointed when reading them.

Karen Deborah
Netgalley

This is book 11 of the series but you can read it as a stand alone, I do love the characters from Vera and there was a new addition to the team, it does seem with these books that it is a slow process and if your not in a hurry or wanting a page turner then this is the book for you, the ending seemed rushed with a large information drop at the end.

Vera is BACK! Another series I will never not enjoy, and yes I do hear her voice in my head and I love every second of it!
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This one was a very baffling storyline, and I enjoyed it showcasing the privately run children’s sector. I also am always so blown away that Ann Cleeves manages to deliver fresh storylines and ideas over and over again, a brain like that is something I could only wish to possess!
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As usual the storyline flows so well throughout the book and you are fed the narrative at a pace that never feels like it lags, and I love a book that keeps at a brisk pace keeping you entertained throughout the whole reading experience
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Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

I love all of the Vera books and loved catching up with her again. She is a well developed character who I have enjoyed following from the beginning of the series. The relationship she has with each of her team is interesting and in this book she has a new detective to get to know, Rosie Bell.

The story begins when the body of a young man, Josh is found outside a children’s home. One of the residents, teenager Chloe is missing but is she another victim or the perpetrator?

As the team investigate the murder and Chloe’s disappearance, another body is discovered. Vera becomes concerned about Chloe’s well being and definitely shows her softer side.

The murder investigation is intertwined with local folklore of the dark wives, stones similar to Stonehenge and a witch hunt which is the highlight of the village’s calendar.

The team work together to find Chloe and the killer.
The plot kept me guessing throughout and the reveal was a surprise, great addition to the Vera series.

When a staff member at a children's home is found murdered and a fourteen year old female resident of the home disappears, Vera and her team investigate.

Thankfully the repeated mentions of Vera's size that we found in earlier books have become a thing of the past and we now see her as a more rounded character with a great deal of compassion. The new member of the police team gives the impression of being something of a stereotype of the good time girl from Newcastle, but this is a device to demonstrate that you shouldn't judge by appearances. Rosie has excellent instincts and although they are very different people it is clear that Vera values her. the team worked hard to follow all the various leads with a few surprises along the way.

The denouement of the case was not what I was expecting but everything tied up together very well.

A thoroughly enjoyable read rich in the atmosphere of the Northumbrian countryside, with a side of a critique of the care system. 5 stars from me

Vera is called in when a body is found, who worked at a nearby children's home. There a teenager is missing, are they connected?. This is a twisty thriller, that keeps you hooked till the end. This is my first Vera book (though I've read other series by Ann Cleaves) it won't be the last. Thanks to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for this review copy.

I’d like to thank Pan MacMillan and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Dark Wives’, book 11 in the DI Vera Stanhope series written by Ann Cleeves, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

DI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate when the body of Josh Woodburn is found on the common outside Rosebank, a care home for troubled teens. Josh has been working there part-time and Chloe Spence, one of the residents who’s formed a friendship with him, has also disappeared. Vera together with DS Joe Ashworth and the new DC Rosie Bell are concerned for Chloe safety and are determined to find her before the killer does.

‘The Dark Wives’ is an intriguing mystery with an intricately-constructed plot and nicely rounded characters. I’ve enjoyed meeting the vivacious Rosie who’s totally different to their late colleague DC Holly Clarke and look forward to seeing how she integrates with Vera and Joe. The friendly Northern way Vera talks to everyone is a joy to read especially her inner thoughts and calling everyone ‘pet’. I’ve been enthralled as they hunt for clues and the investigation gets more complicated while Vera’s brain continues to tick over leading to an unexpected conclusion. The story seemed a bit slower towards the middle but it’s still been a sound thriller that I’ve enjoyed reading.