| Publisher | Macmillan |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 01 September 2022 |
| ISBN-10 | 1509889612 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1509889617 |
| Format | hardcover |
| Pages | 384 |
| Price | £ 20.00 |
The Rising Tide
by
A group of old friends meet up every five years on Lindisfarne, the Holy Island. But when one of them is found hanged, after their first evening back together, the ghost of a death from 45 years earlier comes back to haunt them all.
Review
The Rising Tide sees the return of one of crime fiction's most popular and most unlikely detective inspectors, often mistaken for a bag lady and once, in this story, for the office cleaner. DI Vera Stanhope once again displays her sharp wit, her unwillingness to delegate and her dogged persistence in solving another mystery set in the North-East – this time on the mysterious and atmospheric Holy Island, known to southerners as Lindisfarne. The island is linked to the mainland by a causeway that floods twice a day – the rising tide of the title that plays a key role in the action.
A group of local sixth formers and their trendy young teacher first visited the island 50 years ago. The close friendships they made during the soul-searching few days of a retreat draw them to meet up again every five years. Relationships made 50 years ago have come and gone, like the tide, but the nucleus of their friendship remains the same. When the group were still in their early 20s and at their very first five-year reunion, one of their members perished in the dangerous waters that surround the island. And now it seems that someone wants to dish the dirt on those early days and reopen old wounds …
The core group, now in their mid to late 60s, reconvene on Holy Island for their latest gathering with each member assuming their expected and traditional role. The first night always involves some heavy drinking and when someone is found dead the next morning, the first assumption is suicide. Cue the arrival of DI Vera Stanhope and her trusted sidekicks, DS Joe Ashworth and DC Holly Clarke.
The plot thickens nicely when closer examination reveals that the apparent suicide is murder and a few more suspects on the mainland are thrown into the mix. The fact that the island and its inhabitants are sporadically cut off adds to the tension. This isolation seems to bring Joe and Holly to a closer understanding, almost to a friendship, whereas before they have always been rivals for Vera's approval and affection. Naturally, Vera is as maddening as ever!
Cleeves is one of the writers who have chosen to ignore the interruption of the Covid pandemic – but the fact that more people are taking holidays on the English coast is intrinsic to her plot. This change is attributed to a greater awareness of green issues and a general wish to protect the planet rather than the virus.
There's a highly dramatic all-action finale before the killer is revealed in a credible and satisfactory way. And, as is usual in these books, the conclusion of the case brings its own poignancy and heartache to the investigative team. The Rising Tide is another triumph for Vera and for Ann Cleeves, who provides such a compelling and ever-developing series set in such a fabulous part of the country.
A group of local sixth formers and their trendy young teacher first visited the island 50 years ago. The close friendships they made during the soul-searching few days of a retreat draw them to meet up again every five years. Relationships made 50 years ago have come and gone, like the tide, but the nucleus of their friendship remains the same. When the group were still in their early 20s and at their very first five-year reunion, one of their members perished in the dangerous waters that surround the island. And now it seems that someone wants to dish the dirt on those early days and reopen old wounds …
The core group, now in their mid to late 60s, reconvene on Holy Island for their latest gathering with each member assuming their expected and traditional role. The first night always involves some heavy drinking and when someone is found dead the next morning, the first assumption is suicide. Cue the arrival of DI Vera Stanhope and her trusted sidekicks, DS Joe Ashworth and DC Holly Clarke.
The plot thickens nicely when closer examination reveals that the apparent suicide is murder and a few more suspects on the mainland are thrown into the mix. The fact that the island and its inhabitants are sporadically cut off adds to the tension. This isolation seems to bring Joe and Holly to a closer understanding, almost to a friendship, whereas before they have always been rivals for Vera's approval and affection. Naturally, Vera is as maddening as ever!
Cleeves is one of the writers who have chosen to ignore the interruption of the Covid pandemic – but the fact that more people are taking holidays on the English coast is intrinsic to her plot. This change is attributed to a greater awareness of green issues and a general wish to protect the planet rather than the virus.
There's a highly dramatic all-action finale before the killer is revealed in a credible and satisfactory way. And, as is usual in these books, the conclusion of the case brings its own poignancy and heartache to the investigative team. The Rising Tide is another triumph for Vera and for Ann Cleeves, who provides such a compelling and ever-developing series set in such a fabulous part of the country.
Reviewed 12 November 2022 by Viv Beeby
