Ann Cleeves has written ten Vera Stanhope novels, all of which have been adapted by the Vera television series. It was announced earlier this year that the Vera television adaptations starring the one-and-only Brenda Blethyn would come to an end after the next season. Since that announcement, it has been revealed that the adaptation of The Dark Wives (the eleventh DI Vera Stanhope novel) would be the inspiration for those final episodes. Thankfully, Ann Cleeves has confirmed that the Vera Stanhope novels will continue and based on how strong The Dark Wives is, this will be welcome and exciting news for her—Ann and Vera—many fans.
At the end of last year’s The Rising Tide, Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope and her team suffered a devastating loss and much of the emotional underpinning of The Dark Wives deals with Vera coming to terms with this event and finding some level of peace with regard to what she believes to be her part in it. This blow to the investigative team also brings about the necessity of on-boarding a new member to the squad—in the form of Rosie Bell.
Fans of Ann Cleeves writing know how skilled she is at crafting complex and compelling characters and Rosie Bell is no exception. From the moment Rosie appears on the page, readers are going to find her both intriguing and frustrating in equal measure. In terms of adding vitality to a long-running series, readers couldn’t have asked for a more successful introduction of a character who can (and likely will) alter the course for everyone on the team. This is still very much a Vera Stanhope novel, but as readers watch how the team splits the tasks and deftly investigate the various avenues of inquiry, it’s clear that Vera’s leadership skills are working—despite her prickly nature.
So, what are they investigating? When a staff member at Rosebank—a care home for troubled teens—is found dead not far from the property, the sudden disappearance of one of Rosebank’s residents becomes a life-or-death search. Is Chloe Spence the criminal or the victim? And is she even still alive? Vera, Joe, and Rosie Bell begin the difficult task of interviewing all those who might have answers to the many questions that keep popping up. But when a second body is found near a stone monument known as the Three Dark Wives, fact and folklore begin to merge and an already tangled web quickly becomes a Gordian knot.
Ann Cleeves knows how to keep readers guessing, crafting a serpentine plot that perfectly marries pacing with tone. Just as Vera gets an answer to one thing, another complication arises in her path. Readers will palpably feel the frustration as everyone begins to realize that time is of the essence in this case. With each new puzzle piece finding its place, the startling truth begins to take shape.
From the Author’s Note—which here appears at the beginning of the novel—it is clear that Ann Cleeves had something she wanted to say about juvenile care homes. While the story is completely fictitious, it doesn’t take much of a cognitive leap to understand the important message(s) put forth throughout The Dark Wives.
The Dark Wives is another standout in a series of books that are always an example of first-class crime fiction. Ann Cleeves—with her many accolades and awards—is the real deal, as any reader who pick up her novels already knows. Add this latest to your To-Be-Read pile immediately.
BUY LINKS: The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves
Disclaimer: A print galley of this title was provided to BOLO Books by the publisher. No promotion was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.
