Review: The Dark Wives (Vera Stanhope #11)
Gaby Meares
The latest instalment follows on closely from the previous book, The Rising Tide. Vera is still grieving for the loss of a team member, when she is called to investigate the murder of a young man who works in a private care home for troubled teens. When one of the home’s residents, Chloe, goes missing, Vera, Joe and the new member of the team, Rosie, are in a race to find her, before the murderer does.
We are privy to Vera’s internal dialogue, which I loved: comments about the case, about her ‘bonny lad’ Joe, about her self-doubt and her need to work more collaboratively with her team, about the ghost of her father Hector who still haunts her. We also see a softer side to her, as she makes a new friend and invites her team home for a celebratory supper.
We learn more about Joe in this book: his Methodist upbringing, his conservative views and his obvious affection for Vera even as he chafes against her bossiness. At one point, he tells Rosie he thinks searching the hills for Chloe is a complete waste of time, but ‘our Vera’s always up for a jolly to the hills’!
Ann Cleeves has created a memorable character who is not static, and who develops with each new book. Vera’s love of the landscape is very present - something she shared with her father: ‘Vera was enjoying herself. Being outside, and breathing in this sharp, clean air with its scent of pine needles and ice…’
Our Vera, of course, can’t help but put herself at risk, and be present when the murderer is finally captured. She may be learning to share more with her team, but some things can never change!