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The Dark Wives

A Vera Stanhope Novel 11

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The Dark Wives

By: Ann Cleeves
Narrated by: Janine Birkett
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About this listen

Vera Stanhope, star of ITV's Vera, returns in the eleventh novel in Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller Ann Cleeves' acclaimed series.

The man's body is found in the early-morning light by a local dog walker on the common outside Rosebank, a care home for troubled teens. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who was due to work the previous night but never showed up.

DI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate the death. Her only clue is the disappearance of one of the home's residents, fourteen-year-old Chloe Spence. Vera can't bring herself to believe that a teenager is responsible for the murder, but even she can't dismiss the possibility.

Vera, Joe and new team member Rosie Bell are soon embroiled in the case; and, when a second connected body is found near the Three Dark Wives monument in the wilds of the Northumbrian countryside, superstition and folklore begin to collide with fact.

Vera knows she has to find Chloe to get to the truth, but it seems that the dark secrets in their community may be far more dangerous that she could ever have believed possible.

©2024 Ann Cleeves (P)2024 Macmillan Australia Audio Crime Thrillers Mystery Police Procedurals Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths
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The character Vera never disappoints and I always enjoy the descriptions of the scenery and the characters

Good plot

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Social justice themes have a tendency to ruin many a police procedural. Vera and her team are always worth spending time with but I found this instalment a little droll.

Solid albeit a little dull in passages.

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Good story. New character introduced. Softer ending. More optimistic. The hills are a perfect setting.

Vera at her best

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Didn't like the different voices for each character. Too distracting . Would have preferred the story just to be read.

Good story but annoying reading style.

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Really great story from beginning to end. Enjoyed the whole book, a pleasure to listen to.

Well written, absolutely worth the listening time!

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Descriptive and complex story with strong believable characters. Just as expected from such a seasoned writer. Vera is one of my favourite fictional characters come to life.

Brilliant - Did not disappoint

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The accents were terrible and totally ruined the reading. Would have been better with no attempt at accents.

How poor the attempt at accents was

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.