A dark and wintery murder mystery.

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The Darkest Evening (Vera Stanhope #9) by Ann Cleeves   

When Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope of the Northumberland & City police takes a wrong turn on a dark blizzardy night, she ends just missing running into an abandoned  car with its door wide open and a baby in the back.
This mystery has her returning to the grand home of Brockburn, where her father Hector (the black sheep of the family) grew up. A place of memories from her childhood, a place of secrets and as it unfolds, a place of murder.
I had lightly cast my thoughts towards the murderer but thought Nah!
So we have an 'empathetic environment' that adds to the tension, not only the dour aspects of Northumberland but now we have a wintery pall.
At Brockburn Vera finds herself forced to confront relatives she's not that keen to engage with. Family secrets is disclosed as Vera, the blunt Northumberland woman, stomps right in not at all disposed to be gentle the grand lady of the manor attitude of her cousin Harriet, much to Harriet's daughter Julia's secret admiration.
Of course Vera's very capable team are out in full force, marching to Vera's tune--her Detective Sergeant Joe Ashworth, her Detective Constable Holly and others of the cohort. Reading their inner thoughts arounds their interactions and understandings about Vera and her demands is informativ.
This story provides us with some interesting facts about Vera's background. Certainly her father Hector has always been a source of frustration, fascination and fixation. The musings of Vera in her head are moments you can't include in the TV series, but in print, add a further dimension to this fascinating character.
I must admit all the time I read this, I couldn't get the voice of Brenda Blethyn out of my head. But hey! this after all is Vera!

 A St. Martin's Press (Minotaur) ARC via NetGalley

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