The Rising Tide (Vera Stanhope)

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Ann's DI Vera Stanhope series of books is set in Northumberland and features the well loved detective along with her partner Joe Ashworth.

Asked about the future of Vera, she said: “Every time we finish a series I say I’m not going to be doing any more.Holy Island has the distinction of being approachable only during certain hours, at low tide, when the causeway is accessible. But with the tide rising, secrets long-hidden are finding their way to the surface, and Vera and the team may find themselves in more danger than they could have believed possible. Learning that the dead man had recently been fired after misconduct allegations, Vera knows she must discover what the friends are hiding, and whether the events of many years before could have led to murder then, and now.

The almost rivalry between Joe and Holly works well and I like that this team isn’t the seamless group that other series have. He hoped [Vera] would pull some solution out of the bag at the last minute like some overweight female magician, she often did. Another murder occurs soon afterward, and Vera suspects the deaths - possibly including Isobel's demise 45 years ago - are connected. Later, there’d been women he’d fancied himself in love with, but there’d never been the same depth of understanding, and in the end, he’d refused to compromise. Her main suspects are a group of men and women, all in their sixties, who’ve been friends for decades, all of whom have their worries, problems and issues….I know the island well, and many of the other locations, so, for me, this really adds another layer of pleasure to this favourite series. The new film is based on the latest Ann Cleeves’ Vera novel of the same name which was published in September 2022. A fabulous setting for a murder mystery, with its sudden fogs, and the dangers stemming from its rising tides.

In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East. He tried not to resent the squabbling children and the wealthy elderly, but he was always pleased when the island was quiet. In a press interview ahead of the latest series, Brenda admitted that filming the series takes it out of her. Vera--blunt, intelligent, frumpy and obsessive yet deeply affectionate toward her team--continues to prove her investigative mettle.They reminisce and celebrate the school trip where they first met as teenagers at the Pilgrim’s House. In the present day, one of their number, a well-known journalist Rick Kelsall is found hanging from a vaulted ceiling.