THE DARKEST EVENINGAnn CleevesPan MacmillanREVIEWED BY GEOFF ADAMSThis book deservedly became an instant New York Times bestseller, published 21 years since the author's first novel The Crow Trap. Cleeves' detective with the trademark floppy hat and big floating coat became a hit as Vera on television. It is a thriller with classic ingredients: an old Northumberland country house, snowy night, and a dead body. Then she discovers the nearest house is Brockburn, a grand old mansion needing repairs where a house party is in progress. In the meantime The Darkest Evening skilfully shows a dedicated Vera solving the complex mystery, while portraying a small community, the many faces of families and dysfunctional nature of some, along with a strong whiff of feudalism.

Source: Otago Daily Times November 25, 2020 01:41 UTC