Although the Shetland series has concluded in print at least, English author Ann Cleeves is still going strong with her Vera Stanhope books, and her new series featuring Matthew Venn. On 29 August 2024, the 11th book in the Vera series will land on the shelves and in The Dark Wives the author weaves a touch of ancient folklore into a dark mystery.
It all begins when a murder takes place outside a care home for troubled teens, and another body is found in the Northumbrian countryside near the Dark Wives – three fictional standing stones near the village. Was this a sacrifice?
Police detective Vera Stanhope arrives to investigate – a strong woman character unlike most of the others you’ll come across in crime novels or, indeed, on screen. But where did Vera come from? How did Ann Cleeves conceive of her now beloved character when she was writing the first novel in the series, The Crow Trap, back in the late 1990s?
Well, all is explained this video, which we’re pleased to bring you today via Ann’s publisher, Pan Macmillan. You’ll be surprised to discover just how Vera burst onto the scene…
Like Shetland, the Vera books have been adapted for television, with Brenda Blethyn in the title role. However, to get to the source you need to read the novels, and you can order a copy of The Dark Wives using the buttons below.
See our review of the previous Vera Stanhope novel, The Rising Tide, here.
