Harbour Street

A Vera Stanhope Mystery

By: Ann Cleeves

Narrated by: Janine Birkett

From Ann Cleeves—New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows—comes Harbour Street.

“Ann Cleeves is one of my favorite mystery writers.”—Louise Penny

As the snow falls thickly on Newcastle, the shouts and laughter of Christmas revelers break the muffled silence. Detective Joe Ashworth and his daughter Jessie are swept along in the jostling crowd onto the Metro.

But when the train is stopped due to the bad weather, and the other passengers fade into the swirling snow, Jessie notices that one lady hasn't left the train: Margaret Krukowski has been fatally stabbed.

Arriving at the scene, DI Vera Stanhope is relieved to have an excuse to escape the holiday festivities. As she stands on the silent, snow-covered station platform, Vera feels a familiar buzz of anticipation, sensing that this will be a complex and unusual case.

Then, just days later, a second woman is murdered. Vera knows that to find the key to this new killing she needs to understand what had been troubling Margaret so deeply before she died - before another life is lost. She can feel in her bones that there's a link. Retracing Margaret's final steps, Vera finds herself searching deep into the hidden past of this seemingly innocent neighborhood, led by clues that keep revolving around one street...Harbour Street.

Told with piercing prose and a forensic eye, Ann Cleeves' gripping novel explores what happens when a community closes ranks to protect their own-and at what point silent witnesses become complicit.

Critic reviews

“I do love Vera!” —Val McDermid

“Excellent . . . Intricate plotting makes for a compulsive read.” —The Independent (UK)

“Detective Vera Stanhope is a remarkable creation.” —Bookseller (UK)

“One of the most appealing fictional detectives to emerge since Andy Dalziel got into his stride.” —Martin Edwards, Spintingler Magazine (UK)

“Watch out for Ann Cleeves . . . Snapped up by ITV, her creation, Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope, is the new Frost, played by Brenda Blethyn.” —Red magazine (UK)

“Cleeves has hit the big time . . . This is going to be a winner!” —BBC Front Row (UK)

“An absorbingly cunning mystery.” —Daily Mail (UK)

Love Vera Stanhope and Ann Cleeves

Fast moving, characters you can root for. Felt like I was walking down Harbour Street with Vera!

Harbour Street

I am hooked on Ann Cleeves, on her Vera books, on the tv series, and I love the narrator who sounds like the actress that plays Vera in the series! Ann has a way of making you feel you really know her characters.

Another excellent story

Great story with well defined characters and twists Cleeves masters well. Description of land and townscapes are just nearly perfect. Entertaining read.

Appealingly flawed characters, great storyline 

I’m loving the Vera Stanhope series more and more as the characters and relationships continue to develop.

Vera is a delight

Cleeves always is brilliant. It was refreshing to have a strong female lead with no distracting romance. Characters and plot were well/developed.