Book cover of The Rising Tide

Book description

'One of Britain's best crime writers' - Daily Express

Vera Stanhope, star of ITV's Vera, returns in the tenth novel in number one bestseller Ann Cleeves' acclaimed series.

Fifty years ago, a group of teenagers spent a weekend on Holy Island, forging a bond that has lasted a lifetime. Now,…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked The Rising Tide as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This year I’ve been on a true crime/mystery kick, and bingeing Ann Cleeves’ Vera Stanhope series (both the books and the show) has been part of that.

The Rising Tide, the latest installment in the series, was solid and twisty, with an ending I did not expect and was 100% not prepared for.

This is the third novel in the North Devon series featuring gay detective Matthew Venn whom I find very likable.

I felt the landscape was marvellously evoked, while the characterisation – which matters a lot to me as a reader and also as a writer – is first-rate. The mystery is intriguing and intricate, with more than a hint of Golden Age twistiness. I didn’t guess the solution!

A key theme is celebrity and the dangerous attractions of a charismatic personality. Overall I thought it was a superb traditional mystery.

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