*E-Arc received from the publisher, via net gallery, in exchange for a honest review *

I've been a avid watcher of Vera since it first began in 2011. When I found out the series was based off books I knew I had to check them out. And I wasn't disappointed.

This instalment of the Vera series takes Vera close to home that ever before. When she finds a baby in an abandoned car, she finds herself seeking shelter with her distant relatives the Stanhopes. While she trys to figure out where the mother of the baby is and why he was alone, a body turns up on the Stanhopes grounds. Veras investigations take her closer to uncovering family secrets that have been kept well hidden. Is this murdered woman closer to her than she first thought? Are her distant relations at fault for this recent murder she's investigating? If not what are they hiding? And how far are they willing to go to keep these secrets?

This isn't my go to genre but I loved this book and read it in two sittings. Thank you netgallery for the chance to read this..

In this latest in the Vera Stanhope series, we see more of Vera’s background as she investigates a murder on the property of her father’s relatives. The plot is compelling and the characters are well-drawn.

I love Vera- if you've watched the series on Amazon/PBS/Britbox (a recent addiction I confess), then you already have a good picture of Vera. She's not your normal character-she 'a big country girl', who is as low maintenance as you can get. Sometimes than can be off putting to those she has to deal with on investigations, such is the case in this 9th
book of the series, where her past comes up to meet her, with the finding of an abandoned baby in the snow. She never planned on getting close to the family who abandoned her and her father, but suddenly she's not sure if they are suspects or innocent witnesses to the apparent crime at hand. It's an interesting look at secrets hidden, and how what appears to be innocent,can actually be hiding a dark secret. It breathes life into the series, and fans of the series will love it, those who haven;t read the series, get a solid intro to it, as it can be read stand alone!

"From Ann Cleeves - New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows - comes the stunning new Vera Stanhope novel, The Darkest Evening.

On the first snowy night of winter, Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope sets off for her home in the hills. Though the road is familiar, she misses a turning and soon becomes lost and disorientated. A car has skidded off the narrow road in front of her, its door left open, and she stops to help. There is no driver to be seen, so Vera assumes that the owner has gone to find help. But a cry calls her back: a toddler is strapped in the back seat.

Vera takes the child and, driving on, she arrives at a place she knows well. Brockburn is a large, grand house in the wilds of Northumberland, now a little shabby and run down. It’s also where her father, Hector, grew up. Inside, there’s a party in full swing: music, Christmas lights and laughter. Outside, unbeknownst to the revelers, a woman lies dead in the snow.

As the blizzard traps the group deep in the freezing Northumberland countryside, Brockburn begins to give up its secrets, and as Vera digs deeper into her investigation, she also begins to uncover her family’s complicated past."

I know I can't be the only one who dreams of inhabiting Vera's world and hanging out with her...especially at a grand house with a storm brewing outside!

As a huge fan of the Vera Stanhope television series, I can't believe that this is the first Cleeves novel I've read, but I immediately ordered book 1 in the Vera series from my local independent book shop as soon as I finished reading.

This case begins in the middle of a snowstorm. On her way home, Vera comes upon an abandoned vehicle with a baby in the backseat. Vera goes to a nearby house, owned by distant relatives, and while there learns the fate of the baby's mother. She alerts her team and the investigation begins. Cleeves plotting is excellent and several credible “killers” are presented. What really drew me into this particular story is the unveiling of Vera’s personal history and the present day interactions with her long lost relatives. As local connections are uncovered, Vera begins to wonder if her family knows more than they’re telling. Their memories of Vera are of an awkward, frumpy daughter of the family’s black sheep and while she still has some quirks, she is also a brilliant and intuitive DI who always gets to the truth.

Clever dialogue, well developed characters, and a fast pace mystery make this book a must buy!

Thank You St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for sending me the eARC through NetGalley

Ann Cleeves is such a talented writer and I am a big fan. Her characters are full of secrets. Her descriptions of locations are atmospheric throughout. This book is part of the Vera Stanhope series, and is also a fantastic tv show. However, as with all of her books, this works well as a stand alone. Recommended!

After reading one of this prolific author's other books - The Long Call - and giving it the highest 5-star rating, I was eager to start this one, the ninth in the Vera Stanhope series. I've not read any of the others, but that wasn't a problem at all. I think perhaps it would have been nice to know more about Vera and her teammates as I read this one, but at no time did I feel disadvantaged because of it.

I will say it had me looking up British words and phrases; I've read quite a few books set in merry old England and surrounding countries, plus our daughter-in-law is from London and still has her beautiful English accent, so I'm well acquainted with "torch," "jumper," "biscuits" and women who "fall pregnant" (that last one always makes me chuckle; I'm familiar with getting "knocked up," but down? Nuh uh). But I encountered quite a few new terms here, although that's certainly not a complaint. It just sent me to Google a few more times than usual.

Truth be told, though, I never quite warmed up to Vera - maybe because it seemed her co-workers seemed more tolerant of her than loving. But that's okay; I didn't need to love her to thoroughly enjoy the story. It begins as Vera is driving through a hazardous snowstorm in Northumberland and spots a car that's slid off the road. One of the doors is open, so she stops to help and finds a young child in the back seat. Who, she wonders, would leave a child alone in this weather? She grabs the child, leaves a note in the car, and heads for the nearest warm place - which happens to be the estate of her mostly estranged relatives. She hasn't been here in a long time and, understandably, isn't sure who she'll find and how happy they'll be to see her. On the way in, she meets a distraught man on a tractor, who says he just found a woman's body in the snow.

Once in the house, Vera calls in her team to check out the crime scene. Inside, Vera finds the "housekeeper" - a woman who apparently left a promising career to basically clean house and cook for the husband and wife who now own the property and the wife's rather obnoxious mother, who seems to think she runs the place. The night before, they'd hosted a big bash attended by the well-heeled; the husband wants to turn part of the property into a theatre and hit them all up for seed money.

Finally, the body is identified - a troubled young woman who was the baby's mother. From that point on, the goal is to find the killer; unfortunately, there are quite a few who might fit that bill - including Vera's relatives. Then another woman is murdered, raising more questions. But the closer Vera gets to solving the murders, the greater the chance that she might become the next victim. Good book, for which I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review prior to its release.

There is lots of intrigue in this story.

Is family all it’s cracked up to be? Is anything really as it seems?

I really enjoyed trying to guess the “bad guy” and the motive in this story. Days after reading this book, I can still picture the snow falling and the hunt for the killer.

Definitely a must read for those who need a little excitement in their mysteries.

This is yet another brilliant current day police procedural by Ann Cleeves - a true master of her craft. With a nod to classic Christie mysteries, there's a grand country estate, the small English village nearby with all it nosy inhabitants, a few quirky characters and an impossible mystery to be solved. The setting and character interplay are rather feudal in conception yet this story has quite the modern feel with its inclusion of current day technology.

In this ninth book of the Vera Stanhope mystery series, Cleeves carries over a number of characters from previous series installments yet introduces us to a number of new characters, not the least of which are Vera's snobbish relations - the ones who inherited Brockburn estate, all the family chattel and the requisite air of nobility. Initially, it sets the usual inelegant yet confident Vera a bit off-balance as she delicately navigates interactions with her relations. However, with an unclaimed child in tow and two murders, Vera is soon on top of her game and directing her team toward a spectacular conclusion.

The writing is excellent and even painterly at times. Scenes are vividly described evoking winter images with its low-lighting, snow, ice, sleet and frigid temperatures. The Northumbrian food references help to remind the reader just how far north in England the book is set. The tension remains steady throughout the bulk of the story, ramps up near the end and finishes with an excellent conclusion. If you enjoy well-crafted police procedural mysteries, then I highly recommend this series to you.

I am grateful to Minotaur Books of the St. Martin's Publishing Group for having provided a complimentary ebook through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Usually I really like her books, but this was kind of... sleepy?

Driving home in a snowstorm, Vera discovers a car in the road, door open and a baby inside,but no driver. She takes the baby and finds herself near the home of a distant relative so she stops there to call for help. A party is going on and when the father of the girls serving as waitstaff arrives to pick them up, he brings word of a dead body in the yard.

I read the first third and realized it was not grabbing my attention and skimmed the rest of the book, which is not like me to do. Every time I started to read it, I fell asleep. Partly me, exhausted, but I've been just as exhausted when reading Alex North and managed to stay awake easily for that, so this book just didn't have what it takes to keep my interest. Good story, just too slow.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion. 2.5 stars

Ann Cleeves is a new author for me, discovered when I started watching the eponymous ITV series Vera. I have never been to northern England, but both the TV series and this book make me want to visit soon! The imagery of the book is compelling and richly evocative. I could really imagine the people and the scenery vividly. The mystery drew me in well and the gradual teasing out of the clues never seemed tedious or overly simplified. I will definitely be coming back for more of my new Vera addiction! I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Darkest Evening catches my attention from the first chapter and keeps me engaged until the very last page. Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope finds herself a little lost on the way home one night and comes across a car on the side of the road. The door is wide open and she has a feeling to check the car. She discovers a child - a toddler buckled up in the backseat.

I love the crisp writing style and the way the Detective Stanhope’s mind works. She is sharp-with a sense of humor and very observant. Taking the child with her; she looks for a parent but can’t find anyone. She finally figures out where she’s at and then shows up at the nearest house - which happens to be Stanhope’s cousin’s house and they are in the middle of a dinner party. She goes in to gather warmth for herself and the child and later, the child’s mother is found dead.

This who done it has several plot twists I didn’t expect (thus I enjoyed immensely!) Terrific writing that kept me suspicious of several people for many different reasons... I believe this is the debut novel for a new series by Ann Cleeves.

Thank you to a NetGalley and Ann Cleeves for this temporary, advance digital review copy for me to read and enjoy, As always, my reviews are voluntary and my opinions are my own.

Set in Northumberland just before Christmas, Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope is on her way home. In the midst of a snow storm, she misses her turnoff and winds up on a remote country road. There she finds an abandoned car, its door open, and although the driver is not there, there is a baby strapped in a car seat. Taking the child, she tries to determine where she is when she comes across Brockburn, an estate she knows well from here youth - in fact her father grew up in the large house. But Vera has never had a relationship with her extended family who live there. While there, the body of a young woman is found lying in the snow, brutally murdered. Frumpy Vera heads up the investigation, and when a second murder happens, she is drawn deeply into the family she has really never known as well as the neighbors in this remote part of England. This is the ninth book in Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series, and the first that I have read. A delightful British mystery. We love to watch BBC shows, and the Vera Stanhope books have been turned into a series - I can’t wait to read more in the series and to watch them come to life on the “telly.” My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the ARC of this novel.

Wow,, Ann Cleeves does it again with another delicious story with Vera Stanhope! This murder mystery hits a little close to home for Vera. I love her thought process and her very curt way of letting one know what she thinks or how she feels. As usual there is no figuring out "who done it" until the end. Very enjoyable, and there is something cozy and warm reading this book set in the snowy Christmas time while devouring it poolside in the sun! Thank you #NetGalley#TheDarkestEvening# MinotaurBooks

I’m addicted to the Vera TV series starring the brilliant Brenda Blethyn, but this is the first Vera novel that I’ve read. I loved it. As the ninth and most recent book in this mystery series, “The Darkest Evening” hasn’t yet been filmed as a TV episode so I kept imagining how it would look on the screen…the moody moors of Northumberland, the grand country estate of Brockburn, and Vera, with her bag-lady clothes and her funny hat and her gruff manner that attempts to cover the kind heart underneath.

I really enjoyed this novel’s third-person narration that let me hang out inside the heads of different characters: Vera and her sidekicks, Joe and Holly, as well as Vera’s cousin’s daughter, Juliet. Wait, what? Vera has a cousin? We thought she was all alone in the world and totally happy about her disconnectedness. In the opening scene of the novel, Vera is driving home on a snowy evening and finds an abandoned car with the driver’s door wide open and an infant in the backseat. Vera takes the baby with her and tries to find the missing mum, which leads her to Brockburn, the gorgeous country house where she used to take tea on the terrace with her landed gentry kinfolk and eat thin sandwiches and meringues while accompanied by Bach. Since Vera’s father was cast out when she was still a teen, she’s never been back to Brockburn, until now. I love the extra layers of Vera’s back story here.

Recommended for readers who love clever police procedural mysteries with great character development and also for all fans of the Vera TV series.

Content: A few curse words.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital advance review copy. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

On the first snowy night of winter, Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope sets off for her home in the hills. Though the road is familiar, she misses a turning and soon becomes lost and disorientated. A car has skidded off the narrow road in front of her, its door left open, and she stops to help. There is no driver to be seen, so Vera assumes that the owner has gone to find help. But a cry calls her back: a toddler is strapped in the back seat.

I can add this to my favorite by Ann Cleeves book list. As you can imagine there are a lot of her books on the list. Vera is an interesting character and well depicted in the movies. So you can easily imagine her reaction to the toddler with which she has almost no experience. And from there the story unfolds as she spends much of the book trying to identify the father of the child. And I must admit, I never figured it out. I was surprised big time at the end of the book when the father was revealed.

One thing that I did find interesting was the fact that there was basically a switch of the secondary characters from the investigators. Usually it is Joe who Vera relies on mostly to help investigate the murders. But in this book it moved from Joe to Holly where she was Vera's primary helper. And it was good to see them getting along pretty well. As for the fact that Vera was basically investigating her somewhat distant family, she did get along with them better that I thought she would. But that isn't saying much.

I was glad to have another Vera book to read and I would like to that the author and publisher for the opportunity to read the book. The comments above are my own.

This was my first Vera Stanhope novel, and it was definitely a treat. Author Ann Cleeves has crafted a wonderful murder mystery, guaranteed to snare the reader right from the start.

Vera finds herself lost and turned about while in the middle of a snowstorm, ending up outside the country home of relatives. It is there she finds a car with its door open, a baby inside. The body of a woman is found in the snow not far from the car. Thus the mystery begins, and Vera has her hands full trying to untie all the relationships one might find in a smaller community.

This is a police procedural, and we either accompany Vera or one of her subordinates, Joe or Holly. Ms. Cleeves lays out all the clues, inviting us to read between the lines and put all the pieces together. Once the author explained everything at the end it made perfect sense, but I have to confess that I did not give more than a passing thought to the true murderer and I missed every path that would have led to the truth.

Although part of a series, this is a standalone tale. Newer readers like myself will probably end up looking at some of the earlier books, curious about what we might have missed. Highly recommended. Five stars.

My thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for an advance electronic copy of this book.

Ah, what more can I say about the marvelous Ann Cleeves? Her books, and the tv series' adapted from her books, have brought me endless hours of joy and entertainment. To have Vera back during these strange and stressful times was just what I needed to boost my spirits.
It's a great mystery with the great Vera Stanhope, need I say more?
Perfection!

Fantastic premise and the author made me feel like I was trudging through the cold with her. This was a first read for me. I like the fact that I was flummoxed by who the guilty party was. The tid bits that are parceled out as we learn about Vera's family history. The writing was a tad difficult for me to follow, and that's on me, not the author. I am thrilled NetGalley and Minotaur allowed me an opportunity to receive this arc and that I took a chance to try something new and enliven my field.

Book 9 of the Vera Stanhope mysteries and the first one I’ve read. Even so, I didn’t feel out of the loop nor as if a good part of the story was background catch up. In this story Vera is thinking a bit that she may be getting close to being ready to retire perhaps. But she still has the culprit figured out before anyone else and is completely wrapped up in the investigation. I think the next mystery will see her being a little less autonomous and reaching out to local people for interaction rather than being such a loner. I really enjoyed this and will look for the other 8 mysteries in the series. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for #thedarkestevening to read and review.