Oh I love Vera! And this new book in the series did not disappoint! What a great read, with the feel of a locked room mystery, this one taking place on an island where school friends have been having reunions every year. Unfortunately this year, one of the friends has died, bringing Vera and her crew to the island to determine if there has been foul play. Vera is her usual, brash, disheveled, wonderful self and as she works to interview the guests, we begin to learn the layers of each friend's entanglements. I really enjoyed the narration, it was excellently voiced and well paced. Five star addition to the Vera collection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio ARC

I really enjoyed this book. Even though it was the first book by Ann Cleeves that I’ve read, I felt it worked well as a stand-alone. I’ll have to go back and read the previous Vera Stanhope books. The atmosphere, plot and characters were well-developed. I especially loved Vera. Looking forward to reading more by this author.

The narrator Janine Burkett was excellent at keeping the different voices and accents distinguishable.

#NetGalley #TheRisingTide

*Review copied to Goodreads

Old friends have been meeting on an island since they graduated 50 years ago. On their latest reunion, one of them is murdered. The police have to figure out who did it before anyone leaves, and before anyone else dies. Enjoyable mystery.
I was given an ARC of The Rising Tide by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
#netgalley
#therisingtide
#mysteries
#the rising tide

*received for free from netgalley for honest review*This was actually really good! would love to watch this as a tv series!

THE RISING TIDE is a powerful story about guilt, betrayal, and the longhand secrets people keep.

This story follows a group of aging friends from high school who meet every five years at an island retreat to think back on the memories they shared, and catch up with one another. I thought the audiobook was done well, and the narrator really captured each character.

*many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy for review

I love the Vera tv show which I knew was based on a book series but I never got around to reading any until now. It’s actually an interesting to go from watching the show to reading/listening to one of the stories. Murder dressed up as suicide, mystery, secrets, lies and Vera Stanhope on the case to solve it all. Great writing and narration I will have to go back and read sone other books in the series.

This book is about a group of aging friends from high school who meet every 5 yrs at an island retreat to reminisce and celebrate their lives. This is their 50th year reunion and as they gather together, they remember the first reunion where one of their friends drowned in the rising tide while crossing the causeway that connected the island to the mainland. Now, a the 50th year reunion, another classmate is found dead in his room.
Vera Stanhope and her team are called in to investigate and she recognizes that the death is not a suicide but a murder. The victim, Rick is a TV personality who was writing a murder mystery after leaving his job because of sexual misconduct charges.
I liked the way the author described each character as a suspect and thoroughly developed each possible motive. All the friends have secrets which she revealed slowly throughout the book. To add to the intrigue, another death is discovered before Rick's death is solved.
I thought that the pacing was very slow and at times, the book lost my interest. In addition, there were a lot of extraneous characters who had minor roles in the story, who could have been eliminated.
I listened to the audiobook which was provided by NetGalley and the publisher but I probably should have requested an ARC so that I could go back and reference the different characters. I rate the book at 3.5 and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for accepting my request to audibly read and review The Rising Tide.

Author: Ann Cleeves
Published: 09/06/22
Narrator: Janine Birkett
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers

My first Ann Cleeves book. I am an avid watcher of Vera on Masterpiece Theatre.

As Birkett performed I visualized the character Vera, and I appreciated the narration of the story. I did have uncomfortable moments with characters like Joe, as well as other smaller roles. The lack of variations slowed the pace. Once Vera took a more active role, the story seemed less cringe-worthy.

This may be one of just a couple books where I would prefer the physical copy. The majority of the narration did not work for me.

With regards to the story, I was able to visualize the scenes with my interpretations around 50-60% of the book. At this point, I relaxed and enjoyed the ride. Without spoiling, there is a murder, a group of friends, a secluded place, and one with fame and wealth.

The ending left me teary-eyed. I thought Cleeves wrote beautifully the last few chapters. I could feel so many emotions through her words. Likewise with Vera, I could feel her thoughts.

I look forward to seeking more books by Cleeves.

I would gift this to true book loving readers. This is not a novel to be zoomed through on speed 2-4. This is a book to be appreciated with a glass of wine. This is real art.

I loved this book. Never read any Ann Cleeves and did not put it together with the “Vera” show on the tele when I requested to review this book. The show is OK, but the Vera character is awful. Once I realized they were the same story I was a bit worried. But this is book is wonderful!

Vera is a well-developed character who is a bit odd, but that is part of what makes her such a great character. Her quirkiness is clearly explained and works well as a backstory.

The story is told mainly from Vera’s point of view. The handling of her weight is such a brilliant depiction of the thoughts of a person who has been fat their whole lives – the negative self-image, the projection of the self-hatred onto others is well done. She further takes on the idea that every claim of sexual assault must be believed and the reality that such claims can, and in unfortunate situations, do happen and ruin lives. She handles both situations masterfully.

In all, Ms. Cleeves weaves an engaging story. Janine Birkett has the perfect voice for Vera and helps wrap the listener in the tale. Great read, great listen. Cannot recommend it enough.

There has been a murder. Vera is called in to investigate. But, it is not as cut and dried as she first thought. The evidence keeps leading her back to a night 50 years ago. The night a group of friends meet for their regular evening on Holy Island. But, someone died that night as well! Can Vera unravel all the deceptions and solve this case?

As most of y’all know, I do not write bad reviews. It is hard work to write a book. So, I try not to damage an author’s hard work based on my opinion. But, this author is just not for me. This is the 3rd book by her that I have read and I am just not a fan.

This story just went on and on. It has quite a few characters and it just seemed to be stuck in the middle for a while and never went anywhere. And for the life of me, I do not know why I did not DNF. I guess, I kept hoping there would be a twist..nope!

The narrator, Janine Birkett, did a good job with what she had to work with. She is probably the reason I completed this book

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

The Rising Tide is the 10th Vera Stanhope procedural mystery by Ann Cleeves. Released 6th Sep 2022 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 384 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a strong entry in a very strong and well written series. The characters are so well rendered and filled out that at this point they live and breathe. (Helped, no doubt, by the capable casting and direction of Brenda Blethyn and the cast and crew of the long running ITV series). This installment sees them investigating a hanging death at an isolated island retreat involving a group of friends and former schoolmates on the anniversary of their gathering there decades ago.

It's not long before Vera & co. discover entanglements and secrets. The isolation and undependable tides make the island more or less a "locked room" setting and render the investigation logistically difficult and somewhat dangerous.

The unabridged audiobook format has a run time of 11 hours, 28 minutes and is expertly narrated by Janine Birkett. She has a well modulated and warm voice and does a perfect job with the disparate and difficult dialects and intonations of the large cast of characters. Her voice wasn't intrusive at all, which allows readers to concentrate on the intricate plot and various characters. I wasn't previously familiar with the narrator, but she did an excellent job in this instance.

Five stars. The series is superlatively well written, and this installment fits well with the others. There are 10 books in the series as it stands now, making it a good candidate for a long binge read. One of the best modern procedurals available.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I was already familiar with Vera Stanhope from the British drama series, "Vera," but I had never read the books upon which the series was based. I have to admit that the book added a lot of color and internal dialogue to the character that the screen cannot adequately replicate (although it comes very close!).

In The Rising Tide, a group of friends has gathered for their every 5-year reunion that had been going on for decades. The gathering had always been shadowed by a tragedy that had occurred at the inaugural meeting as teenagers, but those events came into sharper focus when one of their members was found dead by apparent suicide. Vera does not take facts at face value and begins questioning the determination. Her suspicions prove true that there is more to the victim's death than was first believed and so begins the arduous task of not only unraveling the events of this year's get-together but also trying to make sense of the death that bonded them all together in an alarming way so many years prior. Someone within the group has been hanging onto a deadly secret and Vera intends to find out who.

The depth of character development in the books is amazing. The author is a master of creating mood and setting to create a mysterious, foreboding atmosphere. With details slowly unfolding, the reader goes on a wild ride, always wondering and guessing who may have committed the crime. Cleves lays out snippets of clues like a trail of breadcrumbs for the reader to follow, unaware of the dangers that await the characters along the way.

I really enjoyed learning more about Vera's life and what made her tick throughout the book. I highly recommend the audio version to be fully immersed in the British flavor. Narrator Janine Birkett did an exceptional job with perfect elocution and variation in voices with masterful rhythm and timbre. If you enjoy a cerebral mystery and an intricately woven backstory, then you will love The Rising Tide!

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The Rising Tide audiobook from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

3.5 stars

Ann Cleeves is well known for her popular Shetland Island mystery series, featuring Detective Jimmy Perez and her Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope mystery series, set in northern England. In this 10th novel in the Vera Stanhope series, the intrepid sleuth investigates a suspicious death on Holy Island, a tourist destination off the west coast of Scotland. Holy Island has the distinction of being approachable only during certain hours, at low tide, when the causeway is accessible.

Fifty years ago a group of teenage school friends participated in a retreat called 'Only Connect' on Holy Island. The event, led by a young teacher named Judith Marshall, resulted in all night drinking, deep discussions, and exploration of the students' feelings. The pupils - Philip Robson, Annie Laidler, Daniel Rede, Rick Kelsall, Isobel Hall, Kenneth Hampton and Charlotte Thomas - bonded with one another and agreed to have a reunion on Holy Island every five years.

By the time of the first reunion - when the participants were in their early twenties - Rick and Charlotte were married, and Annie and Daniel were married and mourning the recent loss of an infant. Sadly, tragedy struck the reunion event when Isobel's car was caught by a high tide and she drowned. From then on, Isobel's death has haunted many of the friends.

It's now fifty years since 'Only Connect' and the reunion participants are well into their sixties. Annie and Daniel are long since divorced, as are Charlotte and Rick....who has the reputation of being a playboy Don Juan. Philip is an Anglican priest; Annie is co-owner of a local deli; and Kenneth - now married to a woman named Louise - is succumbing to dementia.

The first night of the reunion consists of the usual eating, drinking and talking, .but things take a drastic turn the next morning when Annie finds Rick hanging in his room.

Rick's death is initially called a suicide, amid speculation that Rick was depressed about losing his broadcaster job because of sexual harassment charges. Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope suspects a wrongful death, however, and the medical examiner confirms the fact that Rick was murdered.

The obvious suspects are the reunion participants followed by Rick's supervisors, co-workers, acquaintances, and so on. Vera and her team interview and re-interview people who knew Rick and some surprising secrets are unearthed. Another murder occurs soon afterward, and Vera suspects the deaths - possibly including Isobel's demise 45 years ago - are connected. Thus Vera pokes and probes and eventually exposes the truth.

It's fun to see Vera interact with her team, especially Detective Sergeant Joe Ashworth. and Detective Constable Holly Clarke, who vie for Vera's attention like contentious siblings. Vera herself - a chunky woman with a hearty appetite who's totally unconcerned about fashion - is my favorite character. Ann Cleeve's Vera Stanhope books are the basis for the TV series 'Vera', in which the Detective Inspector is wonderfully played by

This is an entertaining mystery that leads to a satisfying denouement.

Thanks to Netgalley, Ann Cleeves, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the book.

So this is my first book by this author and I was really looking forward to this one. I really tried to like this book but it was so hard get in to the book. It was sluggish and boring most of the time. I kept reading hoping it would get better but it never did. At times I couldn't even understand the narrator. I felt myself drifting off in my mind thinking about things I needed to do. I'm sorry NetGalley but this one was just not for me.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to listen to this book.

Vera Stanhope is a character known to many crime fiction aficionados. She has been the protagonist of ten novels and has also been made popular by actress Brenda Blethyn in a TV series.

Vera is untidy in both her dress and in her environments. She has a troubled back story with her father Hector. Vera also has a loyal team, a few friends and a mind that should never be underestimated. Spending time with Vera is a joy. Readers who love mysteries should definitely get to know Vera.. Old readers will be delighted to see her again.

This was one of the very best of the novels in my opinion. At times, there was a slightly elegiac quality to the read that added to its enjoyment. Vera is getting older (although she does not want to retire) and many of the main characters in this title are in their sixties. Much of the book is set on a place called Holy Island, a place that asks for some introspection from those who visit.

A group meets when they are teens in school and are taken to Holy Island to participate in a program called Only Connect. Indeed connections are made and many in the group attend the regularly scheduled five year reunions. This time it is different as there are murders. Are they related to the present? the past? both? I choose not to say more as it is so much more fun to read without spoilers.

The characters including, Annie, Lou, Ken, Rick, Phil and Judith, are unique individuals. All have back stories and relationships with one another. Life has challenged them as have the events of the book. Each reacts in their own way.

This story is well told although it took just a tiny bit of listening before I got fully involved. Once I was immersed, I very much enjoyed this novel and was sad to see it end. I recommend this one highly.

I alternated between reading and listening to this book, a favorite habit of mine. The narration was very well done and engrossing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this title. All opinions are my own.

I tried and tried to struggle through this audiobook but the British accent was just too hard to understand, also very slowly paced.

Since I did not finish the book I will not be giving a review on social media or purchasing sites.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this title.

This mystery thriller is book 10 of the Vera Stanhope series. It can definitely be read as a stand-alone, I haven’t read any of the previous books but there was enough background given on the characters to bring me up to speed.
It started a bit slow for me but I had to really pay attention as it introduced many people connected to a previous murder. It really took off for me once I got through those initial first chapters and I managed to keep everyone straight. It was really a good read and I will have to add the rest of the series to my “to be read” list.
As an added note, the narrator was great too!

When young teacher Judy Marshall wanted to inspire several of her students, she arranged for them to go to Holy Island. Since it’s a tidal island, they spent the night there, enjoying each other’s company and waiting for the tide to go back down so they could get to the mainland. There were six of them that first time, Annie and Dan, Isobel and Philip, Rick and Charlotte and Ken. That was 50 years ago. They had come back every five years.

Annie still lived locally, working at a beloved bakery and cafe. She and Dan had divorced long ago, but he was still close too, building up his family’s small rental business into a successful business of holiday rentals. Philip had become an Anglican priest. Ken had Alzheimer’s, but he still came to the reunion with the help of his wife Louisa (three years behind them at school, so she hadn’t been invited to Only Connect).

Even though Charlotte had left the original Only Connect early, she and Rick had eventually married. She had become an actress and model while he found success on his talk show. After their divorce, Charlotte had moved back to the area and opened a yoga studio. Rick had just left his television show, or been asked to leave, after several women had accused him of impropriety. At the reunion, he announced that he had decided to write a book, a novel, based on their past.

They all couldn’t help but wonder if that meant he would be writing about that first weekend, or worse, about that first reunion, when Isobel had decided just a few minutes too late to drive home. Her car got swept away as she tried to drive back to the mainland. But it had been an accident, a tragedy based on the impulse of youth and bad timing. Right?

But when Rick is found dead in his room, there are so many questions about what happened. And Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope plans to get all the answers. As Vera and her fellow officers look into Rick’s death, they are also trying to figure out what happened on Holy Island all those years ago. As they wade through the secrets and the lies, going back in time to the original sins, the police of Northumbria investigate and interrogate until they find the killer. But will they find the killer before they strike again?

The Rising Tide is the latest in Anne Cleeves’ bestselling series about DI Vera Stanhope and her team. This compelling story of a group of students returning to be together through fifty years and the secrets they kept. The unique setting of the tidal island increases the intensity, and hearing the story from several different character perspectives adds a fuller picture of what happened to these friends through the years.

I listened to The Rising Tide on audio, and I thought narrator Janine Birkett did an amazing job bringing this story to life. One drawback to listening to the audio is that there is a large cast of characters and sometimes I struggled to keep them all straight. But I thought that Birkett captured Vera’s intelligence and contradictions in a way that brought her to life, and I really enjoyed getting to listen to this book. The Rising Tide is an excellent addition to the Vera Stanhope novels, and I think fans of the books and fans of the television series will want to spend time with her on Holy Island.

A copy of the audio book of The Rising Tide was provided by Macmillan Audio through NetGalley, with many thanks, but I also won a copy through a giveaway on Goodreads.

Vera Stanhope is a great character and Janine Birkett really brought her to life on the audio version of this book. She also did a great job with the other characters and making the listener feel like they are right there in the story with the characters. The story did start out a little slow, but picked up soon enough and kept my interest throughout. Vera is such a wonderful detective with a sharp mind and her team of detectives help to bring other perspectives to the case. Between the murders in the present and their ties to the past there was a lot to investigate and consider. I was kept guessing until the end how they would come together. I have seen the Vera TV shows and loved them, but this is the first book that I've read in the series. I can't wait to go back and start at the beginning to catch up before the next book comes out.

I received a complimentary copy of this audio book from Macmillan Audio through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Your app deleted it before I had a chance to listen. I’m sure that it was great. I’ll leave a better review on the book version when I’m finished with it.