Seller
The Seagull
Vera Stanhope
Synopsis
The Seagull is Ann Cleeves' searing eighth novel in the Vera Stanhope series, about corruption deep in the heart of a community, and about fragile, and fracturing, family relationships.
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, her 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 . . .
New & Used
Seller |
Information |
Condition |
Price |
|
| - | New | | Out of Stock |
What Reviewers Are Saying
The Seagull brilliantly evokes the run-down seaside resort of Whitley Bay . . . a mystery as satisfying as anything Cleeves has written * Sunday Times * Nobody does unsettling undercurrents better than Ann Cleeves -- Val McDermid One of the best natural writers of detective fiction * Daily Express * Darker and more intricate than ever, [The Seagull] shows a new side to Vera as she confronts her prejudices and the past * Woman & Home * Cleeves is carving out a reputation as the new Queen of Crime * Sunday Mirror * Fans of curmudgeonly cop Vera Stanhope, prepare for a treat * Good Housekeeping * An excellent, atmospheric mystery. Ann Cleeves is our Queen in the North, and The Seagull another jewel in her crown. -- Mick Herron A fine writer * Sunday Telegraph * I loved The Seagull - quite simply it reminds me why Ann Cleeves is one of my favorite mystery writers! I relish learning more about Vera with each book, and The Seagull provides fresh insight into one of our most complex and lovable sleuths. -- Louise Penny Many years ago, I was part of a team looking into police corruption. This novel captures the challenges and emotional issues such an investigation raises in a way I have never read before or since. -- Matt Johnson, author of <i>Wicked Game</i> * Big Issue * Ann Cleeves has an enviable talent . . . I love these books * CrimeSquad *