Post by geminii on May 4, 2017 9:02:18 GMT
DI Vera Stanhope Series by Ann Cleeves
As a lover of Northumberland, I was thrilled to see the Series of Vera being shown on ITV, filmed at lots of locations I have visited and enjoyed.
Finding out that they were adapted from a Series of books has led to a quest to find them all ..
1. The Crow Trap (1999)
2. Telling Tales (2005)
3. Hidden Depths (2007)
4. Silent Voices (2011)
5. The Glass Room (2012)
6. Harbour Street (2014)
7. The Moth Catcher (2015)
8. The Seagull (2017)
The Crow Trap
" Three very different women come together at isolated Baikie’s Cottage on the North Pennines, to complete an environmental survey. Three women who each know the meaning of betrayal . . .
Rachael, the team leader, is still reeling after a double betrayal by her lover and boss, Peter Kemp. Anne, a botanist, sees the survey as a chance to indulge in a little deception of her own. And then there is Grace, a strange, uncommunicative young woman, hiding plenty of her own secrets.
Rachael is the first to arrive at the cottage, where she discovers the body of her friend, Bella Furness. Bella, it appears, has committed suicide – a verdict Rachael refuses to accept.
When another death occurs, a fourth woman enters the picture – the unconventional Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope ... "
June 2017 - I have demolished this Series of 7 Books within a month .. a sure sign that I enjoyed every single word; I am quite sad that it has come to an end. You could easily read these as individual books as the crimes are not carried over, however, you will miss the nuances of the Team dynamics that flows through the Series.
What I found hooked me into the first book, was that it took over 200 pages for Vera to appear and then another 50 until you realised that she had made an entrance. The personal description of Vera in the Books is different to Brenda Blethyn, but she was a good start for my own imagined Vera. Using her voice and the North East accent in my head made her come alive.
The Author's writing style is uncomplicated, not long descriptions of every room & building etc. .. the reader is treated to a much deeper probe into the personal lives of Vera and her team that is only briefly covered in the TV Series.
The Murders are totally believable & the central figures and pool of suspects lead you through a maze of facts & red herrings .. delving into their pasts and motives whilst taking you from one path to another .. with the speed of the investigation slowly increasing, your reading seems to speed up as well in an attempt to keep up. You almost feel yourself pacing up and down with Vera as she struggles to put all the little titbits of information her Team have gathered together until she has her 'Eureka!' moment. Even then, you have to wait until Vera has put into place her plan to 'catch her man' before the big reveal ..
The way that Vera is portrayed makes her into a 'real' person .. and the books take you into her past, her regrets, present anxieties and even fears for the future and the addition of her thoughts throughout continuously highlights her personality.
The saddest part is that she is constantly referred to by others as 'that fat detective' rather than as a woman who has worked her way up in a male dominated world .. dismiss her as such at your peril .. !! 
ETA : Nov 2017 The Seagull
Another Fantastic Read !! I love St Mary's Lighthouse, which plays a shining role in this tale .. I always visit the little island, walking the causeway, when I holiday in Northumberland. I hope there are many more Books in this Series ..
Series : 10 / 10 
