The Rising Tide

Ann Cleeves is on top form in this atmospheric mystery that gradually expands to include more shifty characters on the mainland, and, on her tenth outing, you feel the pain beneath Vera's blowsy bravado. The Rising Tide is exactly the sort of novel she likes - it provides escape and 'the joy of loose ends tied up'. * The Times * A thoroughly engrossing thriller * Mail on Sunday * Who doesn't love 'large and shabby' Vera Stanhope, the blunt detective in Ann Cleeves's Northumberland police procedurals? She is already one of the genre immortals. Cleeves delivers some choice Vera moments in The Darkest Evening * New York Times * Cleeves's Northumberland novels are strong on atmosphere, combining old-fashioned detective work with a modern take on class * Sunday Times * It is a joy to watch a writer as skilful as Cleeves lay out her version of a locked room mystery. As ever, Cleeves goes deeper, examining the precarious nature of life and what it is to age and face your own mortality * The Observer * A thrilling tale with an ending that catches you by surprise, it's a story both newbies to Vera and diehard fans will enjoy * The Independent * In a world where celebrities debut on bestseller charts, Cleeves is an old-school crime writer in every sense, working her way up the list over years, building a readership while honing her craft -- Brian McGilloway on <i>The Rising Tide</i> A brilliant read * The Sunday Express * Another evocative mystery * Crime Scene Magazine * This instalment oozes atmosphere and tension * Woman and Home * Masterful characterisation and pacey writing * Express & Star * Ann crafts her Shetland, Vera and, now, Matthew Venn novels, all with such specific and distinct geographical settings from which her characters emerge. * Daily Record * A character-driven puzzler that ends in a painful denouement. * Kirkus Reviews *

Ann Cleeves is the author of more than thirty-five critically acclaimed novels, and in 2017 was awarded the highest accolade in crime writing, the CWA Diamond Dagger. She is the creator of popular detectives Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez and Matthew Venn, who can be found on television in ITV's Vera, BBC One's Shetland and ITV's The Long Call respectively. The TV series and the books they are based on have become international sensations, capturing the minds of millions worldwide. Ann worked as a probation officer, bird observatory cook and auxiliary coastguard before she started writing. She is a member of 'Murder Squad', working with other British northern writers to promote crime fiction. Ann also spends her time advocating for reading to improve health and wellbeing and supporting access to books. In 2021 her Reading for Wellbeing project launched with local authorities across the North East. She lives in North Tyneside where the Vera books are set.