The Rising Tide

A Vera Stanhope Novel (Vera Stanhope, Book 10)

By: Ann Cleeves

Narrated by: Janine Birkett

Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

"Janine Birkett's captivating narration does full justice to Ann Cleeves's masterful storytelling in the latest installment of this mystery series."-AudioFile Magazine on The Rising Tide

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 tenth Vera Stanhope audiobook, The Rising Tide, a powerful story about guilt, betrayal, and the longheld secrets people keep.

"Ann Cleeves is one of my favorite mystery writers."—Louise Penny

For fifty years a group of friends have been meeting regularly for reunions on Holy Island, celebrating the school trip where they met, and the friend that they lost to the rising causeway tide five years later. Now, when one of them is found hanged, Vera is called in. Learning that the dead man had recently been fired after misconduct allegations, Vera knows she must discover what the friends are hiding, and whether the events of many years before could have led to murder then, and now . . .

But with the tide rising, secrets long-hidden are finding their way to the surface, and Vera and the team may find themselves in more danger than they could have believed possible . . .

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

©2022 Ann Cleeves (P)2022 Macmillan Audio

Vera is quite a character

I usually prefer the book to the movie, or in this case,
the series, but it was the reverse for me this time. I enjoyed the voice, attitudes and stubbornness displayed by the character in the series as opposed to the voice of this narrator. Obviously the series gives a face to the name and to all the events in the story. I wish the VERA series had continued, but there would be no series without the author, of course .

Another Winner For Vera!

Another winner for Ann Cleeves & Vera Stanhope. Just wish I hadn’t read the whole series already; maybe I should go back & start again!

Wonderful story

No spoilers. It’s great to read a solid new story with Vera Stanhope in charge.
There are a number of well drawn characters who are believable and have topical jobs.
The entire story was well written and the characters are people who we could actually meet or know.

Always a joy to read Cleeves

As satisfying as always. I had my own idea about who the perp was; but I was wrong. In some ways, I maybe would’ve liked my own outcome more. LOL. But I certainly will defer to Ms. Cleeve’s insightful story weaving.

I am very saddened at the ending of the book. I’m a little disappointed about that, and unsure why it had to be.

Good Ole Vera

Good windy, twisty story we come to expect from Vera. Good characters and great setting.

Great narration

Slow and confusing 1/3 of the way through the book..but then becomes captivating and hard to walk away from.

Excellent

Even after so many stories, V lives on and is still as fresh and complex as to be alive and not just in one’s imagination.

Not what I hoped for

What I loved: Vera. The Holy Island setting.
What did I not love: it took a long time for the story to get going. I think it suffers from comparison with the book that came before it. For me, the series pops when Vera is in the scene. I also didn't find the mystery characters as interesting as previous books.
What I'd change if I could: the narrator. She did male voices better than female voices. I wonder if this audiobook was hastily assembled.

One of her best

I’ve always loved Vera Stanhope, and the way Anne Cleeves inserts the inner (and often inglorious) thoughts of her characters into the narrative. At first I didn’t think I would like this one as much- there were too few suspects, it seemed, and two of them couldn’t be the killers, could they, as we heard their seemingly innocent thoughts. (By the end I was sure it was each of them in turn...I won’t say whether or not it was.) But as things progressed, and as more crimes accumulated, I admired the way the author seemed to play a game of musical chairs with the reader, implicating this character and then another, and then coming back to the first one— and pulling it all together in a way that worked, seamlessly. I had certainly suspected the killer, but was never sure, and felt it could have been others— but the ending narrative worked and the psychology fit, perfectly. Cleeves is truly a master at her craft. And Vera and her team remain marvelously imperfect and lovable in this audio version, with the narrator bringing life and personality to each voice. Spoiler alert- the ending isn’t completely happy, however.

Soothing listen

Ann Cleeves and Janine Birkett do not disappoint. Like all of her novels, the story meanders and leads to places I don’t expect. Everyone could be the guilty one. I haven’t yet guessed correctly. If you enjoy a relaxing and interesting listen, that are people telling their stories you will enjoy all of Ann Cleves novels.