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The Darkest Evening

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The Darkest Evening

By: Ann Cleeves
Narrated by: Janine Birkett
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About this listen

Christmas is coming – and death is at the door. DCI Vera Stanhope returns in The Darkest Evening, the ninth novel in number one Sunday Times bestseller Ann Cleeves’s phenomenally popular crime series.

The darkest nights can hide the deadliest secrets . . .

Driving home during a swirling blizzard, Vera Stanhope’s only thought is to get there quickly.

But with the snow driving down heavily, she becomes disorientated and loses her way, eventually stumbling on another car abandoned on the road. With the driver’s door open, Vera assumes the driver has sought shelter but is shocked to find a young toddler strapped in the back seat.

Afraid they will freeze, Vera takes the child and drives on, arriving at Brockburn, a run-down stately home she immediately recognizes as the house her father Hector grew up in.

Inside Brockburn a party is in full swing, with music and laughter to herald the coming Christmas. But outside in the snow, a young woman lies dead and Vera has a new case. Could she be the child’s mother and, if she is, what happened to her?

©2020 Ann Cleeves (P)2020 Macmillan Publishers International Ltd Crime Fiction Detective Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Crime Exciting Winter

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Critic reviews

Superb . . . This page-turner is must reading for fans as well as newcomers (Publishers Weekly)
A touch of the Agatha Christie house-party murder (Book of the Week, Country Life)

A thoroughly engrossing thriller (Mail on Sunday)
All stars
Most relevant  
Absolutely loved it Anne Cleaves never fails to draw you into Vera’s world cannot wait for the next one

Well worth the wait

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In this excellent performance of Ann Cleeves latest Vera installment, we learn more about her Vera's background. Great suspense as always throughout.

Ann Cleeves Vera Series gets better and better

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A well developed story and characters and lots about Vera herself and her family.
However- the narrator is a challenge for me. Her different voices are really amazing but she keeps lapsing into a voice more suitable for reading Noddy to kids. It’s only tolerable as it’s gets better later on into the novel. I wish they would choose someone else.

Again a good story with great characters…

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I enjoyed overall the classic format where the death was preceded by disappearance , followed by discovery and multiple possible suspects. I’m not sure a second murder was necessary !

Absorbing plot

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Great storyline, different kind of context which made it intriguing and allowed for further insights into Vera and great development of Holly. Kept me guessing until the end!

Love Vera!

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I loved this story and the narrator was perfect.
She can do an amazing Northumbrian accent and men as well as women.
A wonderful atmospheric story.
5 Star

Great Vera Story

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It was a mystery to the end and enjoyable. Read really well bringing the story and village to life

Enjoyable and good narrating

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great story well read loads of plot twists keeps you engaged until the last sentence

great story loads of plot twists keeps you engaged

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I had read some of the reviews and wasn’t sure about selecting this book - but I love the Vera stories and this did not disappoint at all.I thought the narration was excellent and listened to the entire book in three days.

An excellent audiobook.

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Loved the story and the narration was extremely good with the different voices and accents

Excellent

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