| From The Publisher* | From CWA Diamond Dagger-winner Ann Cleeves, comes the eighth book in the Vera Stanhope series, a searing novel about fragile, fracturing family relationships and corruption deep in the heart of a community. A visit to her local prison brings DI Vera Stanhope face to face with an old enemy: former detective superintendent, and now inmate, John Brace. Brace was convicted of corruption and involvement in the death of a gamekeeper - and Vera played a part in his downfall. Brace promises Vera information about the disappearance of Robbie Marshall, a notorious wheeler-dealer, if she will look out for his daughter and grandchildren. He tells her that Marshall is dead, his body buried close to St Mary's Island in Whitley Bay. However, when a search team investigates, officers find not one skeleton, but two. This cold case takes Vera back in time, and very close to home, as Brace and Marshall, along with a mysterious stranger known only as 'the Prof', were close friends of Hector, Vera's father. Together, they were 'the Gang of Four', and Hector had been one of the last people to see Marshall alive. Vera must confront her prejudices and unwanted memories to dig out the truth, as the past begins to collide dangerously with the present. |
| Biographical Note | Ann Cleeves is the author behind PBS's Vera and BBC One's Shetland TV series. She has written over thirty novels, and is the creator of detectives Vera Stanhope and Jimmy Perez - characters loved both on screen and in print. Her books have now sold millions of copies 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. In 2006 Ann was awarded the Duncan Lawrie Dagger (CWA Gold Dagger) for Best Crime Novel for Raven Black, the first book in the Shetland series. In 2012 she was inducted into the CWA Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame and is the 2017 recipient of the CWA Diamond Dagger, the highest honour in British crime writing. Ann lives in North Tyneside, England. |
