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Vera Stanhope #5
The Glass Room
DI Vera Stanhope is not one to make friends easily, but her hippy neighbours keep her well-supplied in homebrew and conversation so she has more tolerance for them than most. When one of them goes missing she feels duty-bound to find out what happened. But her path leads her to more than a missing friend...
It's an easy job to track the young woman down to the Writer's House, a country retreat where aspiring authors gather to workshop and work through their novels. It gets complicated when a body is discovered and Vera's neighbour is found with a knife in her hand. Calling in the team, Vera knows that she should hand the case over to someone else. She's too close to the main suspect. But the investigation is too tempting and she's never been one to follow the rules.
374 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
3856 people are currently reading
3917 people want to read
About the author
Ann Cleeves
132 books8,834 followersAnn is the author of the books behind ITV's VERA, now in it's third series, and the BBC's SHETLAND, which will be aired in December 2012. Ann's DI Vera Stanhope series of books is set in Northumberland and features the well loved detective along with her partner Joe Ashworth. Ann's Shetland series bring us DI Jimmy Perez, investigating in the mysterious, dark, and beautiful Shetland Islands...
Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.
While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.
In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.
For the National Year of Reading, Ann was made reader-in-residence for three library authorities. It came as a revelation that it was possible to get paid for talking to readers about books! She went on to set up reading groups in prisons as part of the Inside Books project, became Cheltenham Literature Festival's first reader-in-residence and still enjoys working with libraries.
Ann Cleeves on stage at the Duncan Lawrie Dagger awards ceremony
Ann's short film for Border TV, Catching Birds, won a Royal Television Society Award. She has twice been short listed for a CWA Dagger Award - once for her short story The Plater, and the following year for the Dagger in the Library award.
In 2006 Ann Cleeves was the first winner of the prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award of the Crime Writers' Association for Raven Black, the first volume of her Shetland Quartet. The Duncan Lawrie Dagger replaces the CWA's Gold Dagger award, and the winner receives £20,000, making it the world's largest award for crime fiction.
Ann's success was announced at the 2006 Dagger Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Hilton, in London's Aldwych, on Thursday 29 June 2006. She said: "I have never won anything before in my life, so it was a complete shock - but lovely of course.. The evening was relatively relaxing because I'd lost my voice and knew that even if the unexpected happened there was physically no way I could utter a word. So I wouldn't have to give a speech. My editor was deputed to do it!"
The judging panel consisted of Geoff Bradley (non-voting Chair), Lyn Brown MP (a committee member on the London Libraries service), Frances Gray (an academic who writes about and teaches courses on modern crime fiction), Heather O'Donoghue (academic, linguist, crime fiction reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, and keen reader of all crime fiction) and Barry Forshaw (reviewer and editor of Crime Time magazine).
Ann's books have been translated into sixteen languages. She's a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. Raven Black was shortlisted for the Martin Beck award for best translated crime novel in Sweden in 200
Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.
While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.
In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.
For the National Year of Reading, Ann was made reader-in-residence for three library authorities. It came as a revelation that it was possible to get paid for talking to readers about books! She went on to set up reading groups in prisons as part of the Inside Books project, became Cheltenham Literature Festival's first reader-in-residence and still enjoys working with libraries.
Ann Cleeves on stage at the Duncan Lawrie Dagger awards ceremony
Ann's short film for Border TV, Catching Birds, won a Royal Television Society Award. She has twice been short listed for a CWA Dagger Award - once for her short story The Plater, and the following year for the Dagger in the Library award.
In 2006 Ann Cleeves was the first winner of the prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award of the Crime Writers' Association for Raven Black, the first volume of her Shetland Quartet. The Duncan Lawrie Dagger replaces the CWA's Gold Dagger award, and the winner receives £20,000, making it the world's largest award for crime fiction.
Ann's success was announced at the 2006 Dagger Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Hilton, in London's Aldwych, on Thursday 29 June 2006. She said: "I have never won anything before in my life, so it was a complete shock - but lovely of course.. The evening was relatively relaxing because I'd lost my voice and knew that even if the unexpected happened there was physically no way I could utter a word. So I wouldn't have to give a speech. My editor was deputed to do it!"
The judging panel consisted of Geoff Bradley (non-voting Chair), Lyn Brown MP (a committee member on the London Libraries service), Frances Gray (an academic who writes about and teaches courses on modern crime fiction), Heather O'Donoghue (academic, linguist, crime fiction reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, and keen reader of all crime fiction) and Barry Forshaw (reviewer and editor of Crime Time magazine).
Ann's books have been translated into sixteen languages. She's a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. Raven Black was shortlisted for the Martin Beck award for best translated crime novel in Sweden in 200
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,063 reviews
April 5, 2022
Another very enjoyable book in this great series. In this one Vera's next door neighbour manages to get herself mixed up in a murder at a local writer's retreat and Vera and her team investigate.
I always enjoy the way DI Vera Stanhope carries out her investigations. She chivvies everyone along, causing great disruption on the way and occasionally having little 'light bulb' moments which usually help her solve the case. She and Joe make a perfect team although he currently does not seem to be in a very good place personally.
I did enjoy the book but I must admit it was not my favourite of hers so far - there was maybe a little bit too much navel gazing from our two main characters, and when results were hard to come by on the case the book also seemed to slow right down.
Nevertheless the story was good, the characters were excellent and it finished well. I am looking forward to the next one.
I always enjoy the way DI Vera Stanhope carries out her investigations. She chivvies everyone along, causing great disruption on the way and occasionally having little 'light bulb' moments which usually help her solve the case. She and Joe make a perfect team although he currently does not seem to be in a very good place personally.
I did enjoy the book but I must admit it was not my favourite of hers so far - there was maybe a little bit too much navel gazing from our two main characters, and when results were hard to come by on the case the book also seemed to slow right down.
Nevertheless the story was good, the characters were excellent and it finished well. I am looking forward to the next one.
January 3, 2020
Each volume in this series brings me immense enjoyment. It takes some self will to space them out, so that I don't get ahead of the author! I love Ann Cleese's descriptive writing and her wonderful characters. I also appreciate that the reader narrates the story in an accent authentic to the region the stories are set in. A couple of favorite quotes:
"Shy bairns get no cake" - in other words, speak up or lose out!
"An octopus of tangled colored tights" - this brought me back to the days when I wore tights (panty hose) of many colors to match my skirts and dresses. Sure enough, just like balls of yarn, they would mysteriously tangle themselves in whatever drawer or container they were placed in.
"Shy bairns get no cake" - in other words, speak up or lose out!
"An octopus of tangled colored tights" - this brought me back to the days when I wore tights (panty hose) of many colors to match my skirts and dresses. Sure enough, just like balls of yarn, they would mysteriously tangle themselves in whatever drawer or container they were placed in.
March 13, 2020
This edition of the Vera Stanhope series finds Vera investigating and ultimately defending her hippy neighbor Joanna who has "disappeared" to a writers retreat. It is here that multiple murders occur and provides a bit of a stretch for Vera as she investigates writers and posers who want to appear as serious writers. This world is not the norm for her and provides interesting background in the world of writing and publishing. Her usual team is on board consisting of Joe, Holly and Charlie. There is some tension that arises between Vera and Joe, due to her tactics which provides an interesting angle to Joe's personality.
June 14, 2018
First Sentence: Vera Stanhope climbed out of Hector’s ancient Land Rover and felt the inevitable strain on her knees.
What is an Inspector to do when one’s neighbor goes to a writer’s retreat and another of the attendees turns up dead? In Vera’s case, and with the approval of her Superintendent, she, and her team, investigate it. But is her neighbor truly as innocent as Vera thought?
Ann Cleeves has the most wonderful voice and creates such a strong sense of place—“It was October and the light was going. A smell of wood-smoke and ice. Most of the trees were already bare and the whooper swans had come back to lough.”
Vera is definitely not a cozy Miss Marple—“Let folk into your life and they started making demands. She hated people making demands.”—yet her internal monologue, which is delightful, tells so much more about her—“And why had she agreed to do as Jack asked…Because I’m soft as clarts. Because I enjoy happy endings and want to bring the couple together again, like I’m some great fat Cupid in wellies.”
Cleeves explains perfectly why—“…everyone loved a murder… They loved the drama of it, the frisson of fear, the exhilaration of still being alive. People had been putting together stories of death and the motives for killing since the beginning of time, to thrill and to entertain.” Such a perfect statement and small truth.
It’s nice that we have Joe’s internal thoughts as well. They reveal information about the character, his relationship with Vera—“You’re my eyes and my ears, Joe. I’m a simple soul; I can’t talk and observe at the same time.”--and about Vera herself as she is perceived by others. In fact, the way in which we are introduced to the supporting characters is very well done. Rather than the author introduce them to us, many of them introduce themselves to another character.
Vera’s relationships with people, particularly Joe, are fascinating. She reads them well and knows just how to manipulate them, but never in a malicious way. With her team, she knows how to get the best out of them. The way in which she conjectures about other people’s lives makes one realize that many may do the same.
There’s nothing better than a good plot twist. One dealing with the forensics of the murder is even more clever. There is, however, one significant problem; the author/editor couldn’t seem to decide on the manner by which the first victim died. This could rather throw one out of the flow of the story. Still, the plot twists are well spaced and very well done. As should be, one doesn’t see them coming, but they are very effective when they do. There is very good drama and suspense. In the end, all the questions are answered.
“The Glass Room” has a wonderful theme and setting for readers and hopeful writers. Being inside Vera’s head, combined with the several well-placed twists, makes this a very good read.
THE GLASS ROOM (Pol Proc-Insp. Vera Stanhope-England-Contemp) – VG+
Cleeves, Ann – 5th in series
Minotaur Books – April 2019
What is an Inspector to do when one’s neighbor goes to a writer’s retreat and another of the attendees turns up dead? In Vera’s case, and with the approval of her Superintendent, she, and her team, investigate it. But is her neighbor truly as innocent as Vera thought?
Ann Cleeves has the most wonderful voice and creates such a strong sense of place—“It was October and the light was going. A smell of wood-smoke and ice. Most of the trees were already bare and the whooper swans had come back to lough.”
Vera is definitely not a cozy Miss Marple—“Let folk into your life and they started making demands. She hated people making demands.”—yet her internal monologue, which is delightful, tells so much more about her—“And why had she agreed to do as Jack asked…Because I’m soft as clarts. Because I enjoy happy endings and want to bring the couple together again, like I’m some great fat Cupid in wellies.”
Cleeves explains perfectly why—“…everyone loved a murder… They loved the drama of it, the frisson of fear, the exhilaration of still being alive. People had been putting together stories of death and the motives for killing since the beginning of time, to thrill and to entertain.” Such a perfect statement and small truth.
It’s nice that we have Joe’s internal thoughts as well. They reveal information about the character, his relationship with Vera—“You’re my eyes and my ears, Joe. I’m a simple soul; I can’t talk and observe at the same time.”--and about Vera herself as she is perceived by others. In fact, the way in which we are introduced to the supporting characters is very well done. Rather than the author introduce them to us, many of them introduce themselves to another character.
Vera’s relationships with people, particularly Joe, are fascinating. She reads them well and knows just how to manipulate them, but never in a malicious way. With her team, she knows how to get the best out of them. The way in which she conjectures about other people’s lives makes one realize that many may do the same.
There’s nothing better than a good plot twist. One dealing with the forensics of the murder is even more clever. There is, however, one significant problem; the author/editor couldn’t seem to decide on the manner by which the first victim died. This could rather throw one out of the flow of the story. Still, the plot twists are well spaced and very well done. As should be, one doesn’t see them coming, but they are very effective when they do. There is very good drama and suspense. In the end, all the questions are answered.
“The Glass Room” has a wonderful theme and setting for readers and hopeful writers. Being inside Vera’s head, combined with the several well-placed twists, makes this a very good read.
THE GLASS ROOM (Pol Proc-Insp. Vera Stanhope-England-Contemp) – VG+
Cleeves, Ann – 5th in series
Minotaur Books – April 2019
November 10, 2020
Shame that this one was pretty tedious. The book jumps back between Vera, her second in command Joe, and a writer named Nina. I thought that Vera was all kinds of awful in this one. She constantly sets up Joe to be jealous of another officer (Holly) and leave him out of things if he chooses his wife and kids for an evening. Also I have to say that the reveal of who did this and why just felt like it came out of left field. I felt left down by the final interrogation scene.
August 17, 2022
Another well-done Vera Stanhope mystery. This one starts with Vera being, most annoyingly, dragged into her neighbor’s domestic situation which literally puts Vera at the scene of her next murder investigation.
As always, I adore Ann Cleeves way with characters— the good (Vera and gang), the bad (potential and actual suspects) and the herrings (great characters who lead us readers down the rosy path before Vera straightens them, and us, out).
I don’t know how she does it, but Cleeves character slight of hand literary talent always leaving me wondering how did I miss it? The “it” being the clue I overlooked or the suspect who is neglected by this reader for another “better” suspect. And be the end, once again, I settled on the wrong suspect/villain again.
We’ll done Vera and company— already waiting for your next investigation. This time I will not be stumped.. famous last words from this usually critical reader!! 😎
As always, I adore Ann Cleeves way with characters— the good (Vera and gang), the bad (potential and actual suspects) and the herrings (great characters who lead us readers down the rosy path before Vera straightens them, and us, out).
I don’t know how she does it, but Cleeves character slight of hand literary talent always leaving me wondering how did I miss it? The “it” being the clue I overlooked or the suspect who is neglected by this reader for another “better” suspect. And be the end, once again, I settled on the wrong suspect/villain again.
We’ll done Vera and company— already waiting for your next investigation. This time I will not be stumped.. famous last words from this usually critical reader!! 😎
February 2, 2012
“All writers are parasites”
Stepping into The Glass Room is a little like being transported back to the golden age of mystery stories: a windswept landscape, isolated country house, disparate people thrown together, crime scenes mimicking their fictional counterparts and a plot liberally strewn with blind alleys, red herrings and mis-directions. This book has all the elements of Agatha Christie at her best.
DI Vera Stanhope, at the request of a frantic neighbour who’s mislaid his wife, heads out to the Writers’ Retreat, where publishing-establishment figures and literary hopefuls are gathered to see what each can learn, and plagiarise, from the rest. Vera hopes to talk sense into the errant wife; she isn’t expecting to find a corpse, (Professor Ferdinand, in the conservatory, with the kitchen knife). Nor her neighbour the prime suspect.
As the Writers’ House draws us in, the book’s cosy veneer sloughs away, because the players in the mystery (those who aren’t police are writers) are anything but appealing. Writers, in Cleeves’ world, are shallow, self-absorbed and egotistic, as willing to stab you in the back (literally), as they are to pen a harsh review. These writers are greedy for fame and recognition and worryingly, are all too credible. One has to hope Cleeves isn’t writing from personal experience, but given her number of years in publishing, she might well be.
Cleeves plots skilfully, the clues are all there in this clever and convincing mystery, but most readers I suspect will miss them, so subtly and delicately are they laid. But where Cleeves excels is in characterisation, particularly with the lovable, exasperating Vera, about whom she writes with all the easy, slightly contemptuous familiarity of the long-standing best friend.
The book gathers pace to its perfect Christie-esq conclusion, when the suspects are brought together and one almost expects to see Poirot strut into the drawing room, kiss Vera on the cheek and ask her how she’s getting on.
Cleeves (and Vera) fans might baulk at my giving The Glass Room four rather than five stars but this is nothing more than a reflection of personal taste. The claustrophobic, country-house mystery simply isn’t my favourite of the sub genres, but those who love it (and they rank in their millions) might well consider The Glass House to be one of the best crime novels of the year.
Stepping into The Glass Room is a little like being transported back to the golden age of mystery stories: a windswept landscape, isolated country house, disparate people thrown together, crime scenes mimicking their fictional counterparts and a plot liberally strewn with blind alleys, red herrings and mis-directions. This book has all the elements of Agatha Christie at her best.
DI Vera Stanhope, at the request of a frantic neighbour who’s mislaid his wife, heads out to the Writers’ Retreat, where publishing-establishment figures and literary hopefuls are gathered to see what each can learn, and plagiarise, from the rest. Vera hopes to talk sense into the errant wife; she isn’t expecting to find a corpse, (Professor Ferdinand, in the conservatory, with the kitchen knife). Nor her neighbour the prime suspect.
As the Writers’ House draws us in, the book’s cosy veneer sloughs away, because the players in the mystery (those who aren’t police are writers) are anything but appealing. Writers, in Cleeves’ world, are shallow, self-absorbed and egotistic, as willing to stab you in the back (literally), as they are to pen a harsh review. These writers are greedy for fame and recognition and worryingly, are all too credible. One has to hope Cleeves isn’t writing from personal experience, but given her number of years in publishing, she might well be.
Cleeves plots skilfully, the clues are all there in this clever and convincing mystery, but most readers I suspect will miss them, so subtly and delicately are they laid. But where Cleeves excels is in characterisation, particularly with the lovable, exasperating Vera, about whom she writes with all the easy, slightly contemptuous familiarity of the long-standing best friend.
The book gathers pace to its perfect Christie-esq conclusion, when the suspects are brought together and one almost expects to see Poirot strut into the drawing room, kiss Vera on the cheek and ask her how she’s getting on.
Cleeves (and Vera) fans might baulk at my giving The Glass Room four rather than five stars but this is nothing more than a reflection of personal taste. The claustrophobic, country-house mystery simply isn’t my favourite of the sub genres, but those who love it (and they rank in their millions) might well consider The Glass House to be one of the best crime novels of the year.
November 12, 2020
I’m really enjoying this series.. I save them for when I need a smart, rational mystery in between some of my wackier choices.😂 & I wanted to mention that even though I personally like to read any series in order, with this 1 it’s not as important to start at the beginning. (& the audio’s are really good!)
January 1, 2019
Another great story featuring DI Vera Stanhope who is one of my favourite characters ever.
This one does not have as much nature in it as usual but I still loved it and it's in the same style as the others in the series. You could call it formulaic but as I love the formula this is not a problem for me.
I'm trying to pace myself with these books so I still have new ones to look forward to!
This one does not have as much nature in it as usual but I still loved it and it's in the same style as the others in the series. You could call it formulaic but as I love the formula this is not a problem for me.
I'm trying to pace myself with these books so I still have new ones to look forward to!
June 29, 2022
A great Vera read--love this series! Ann Cleeves writes in such a way that you feel you are right there with Vera, Joe, and the rest of the cast. The setting in Northumberland is evocative, and this book, set at a writers retreat was an intriguing venue for murder.
August 16, 2020
Vera's neighbor Joanna has joined a residential workshop for writers, and Vera finds herself called in for a murder at the workshop. Then there's another murder, and everyone is a suspect. Who has a motive to kill these two tutors? And who will be next? Another intense and atmospheric British police procedural by Ann Cleeves with the inimitable Vera Stanhope and the great narrator, Charlie Hardwick.
March 26, 2023
Usual fun but the ending is a bit dodgy.
May 15, 2018
4.5*
Returning home after work and looking forward to some down time, DI Vera Stanhope, not really the sociable type, is annoyed to find her neighbour, Jack, waiting for her. It seems his partner Joanna has gone missing and he needs Vera’s help. If he’d expected sympathy and a shoulder to cry on he was way off the mark but Vera, mindful of the burgeoning friendship that was developing between them agreed, for a variety of reasons, to Jack’s request.
'God, Vera thought, if any of the others considered doing this—going freelance, playing private eye—I’d give them such a bollocking.'
Vera soon finds out that Joanna is staying at the Writer’s House, a retreat for writers of varying experience, where residential courses and seminars are held with the promise of a possible publishing deal. The Writer’s House is owned and run by Miranda Barton, with the help of her son, Alex. Deciding to check the place out discretely before she spoke to Joanna, Vera’s visit coincides with the discovery of a body. Professor Tony Ferdinand, lecturer, had been stabbed to death. Joanna was found holding a knife. By rights, Vera knows she should step down and let someone else handle the case but she’s never been one to follow the rules.
'Your mother saw the murderer?’
'No! I did. As I’ve just said. And as I told your colleagues. On my way to the glass room, while Mother was still screaming, I bumped into the woman here in the corridor She had a knife in her hand.’
‘Very convenient.’ Bugger, Vera thought. So it was back to working the boring stuff, the pathetic druggies and pub brawls, just when she thought there might be something more exciting to sustain her interest. Then she had another thought, which was even more disturbing. ‘I suppose your murderer has a name?’
‘It’s one of the students. We’ve shut her in her bedroom. She’s called Joanna Tobin.’’
I loved the setting for this book on an isolated and rugged stretch of the Northumbrian coast. The story itself mirrors a classic crime novel—a captive number of suspects in an old remote, rambling house, several with a motive for murder. The way in which people regard each other, often completely wrongly, is woven into the narrative with insight, as is the world of writers and publishers. A well plotted and paced story with believable characters has enough twists to send the reader (this one anyway) in every direction but the right one.
The TV characterisations are slightly different to the books. In the televised version Vera is still short-tempered but slightly less abrasive and not portrayed nearly as large. Her vulnerability and flaws are evident in both, I’m glad to say, which makes her a more rounded and engaging character despite the brusque manner. It makes a nice change to have someone quirky and not at all stereotypical as the main protagonist. Joe is much more adult in his dealings with the other members of the team, and the confrontational attitude between him and Holly is nonexistent. Ann Cleeves’ well drawn representation of the characters is excellent and I do enjoy being able to picture the cast in their roles, and the areas the stories are set.
I chose to listen to and review The Glass Room based on an audio of the book courtesy of Brisa Robinson at Macmillan Audio
Returning home after work and looking forward to some down time, DI Vera Stanhope, not really the sociable type, is annoyed to find her neighbour, Jack, waiting for her. It seems his partner Joanna has gone missing and he needs Vera’s help. If he’d expected sympathy and a shoulder to cry on he was way off the mark but Vera, mindful of the burgeoning friendship that was developing between them agreed, for a variety of reasons, to Jack’s request.
'God, Vera thought, if any of the others considered doing this—going freelance, playing private eye—I’d give them such a bollocking.'
Vera soon finds out that Joanna is staying at the Writer’s House, a retreat for writers of varying experience, where residential courses and seminars are held with the promise of a possible publishing deal. The Writer’s House is owned and run by Miranda Barton, with the help of her son, Alex. Deciding to check the place out discretely before she spoke to Joanna, Vera’s visit coincides with the discovery of a body. Professor Tony Ferdinand, lecturer, had been stabbed to death. Joanna was found holding a knife. By rights, Vera knows she should step down and let someone else handle the case but she’s never been one to follow the rules.
'Your mother saw the murderer?’
'No! I did. As I’ve just said. And as I told your colleagues. On my way to the glass room, while Mother was still screaming, I bumped into the woman here in the corridor She had a knife in her hand.’
‘Very convenient.’ Bugger, Vera thought. So it was back to working the boring stuff, the pathetic druggies and pub brawls, just when she thought there might be something more exciting to sustain her interest. Then she had another thought, which was even more disturbing. ‘I suppose your murderer has a name?’
‘It’s one of the students. We’ve shut her in her bedroom. She’s called Joanna Tobin.’’
I loved the setting for this book on an isolated and rugged stretch of the Northumbrian coast. The story itself mirrors a classic crime novel—a captive number of suspects in an old remote, rambling house, several with a motive for murder. The way in which people regard each other, often completely wrongly, is woven into the narrative with insight, as is the world of writers and publishers. A well plotted and paced story with believable characters has enough twists to send the reader (this one anyway) in every direction but the right one.
The TV characterisations are slightly different to the books. In the televised version Vera is still short-tempered but slightly less abrasive and not portrayed nearly as large. Her vulnerability and flaws are evident in both, I’m glad to say, which makes her a more rounded and engaging character despite the brusque manner. It makes a nice change to have someone quirky and not at all stereotypical as the main protagonist. Joe is much more adult in his dealings with the other members of the team, and the confrontational attitude between him and Holly is nonexistent. Ann Cleeves’ well drawn representation of the characters is excellent and I do enjoy being able to picture the cast in their roles, and the areas the stories are set.
I chose to listen to and review The Glass Room based on an audio of the book courtesy of Brisa Robinson at Macmillan Audio
October 29, 2019
Continuing with my reading of the DI Vera Stanhope Mysteries, I've reached the fifth entry in the series.
This one begins with Vera returning home from work to find her "hippy-dippy" neighbor, Jack, waiting for her in her parlor. He is distressed because his wife, Joanna, has disappeared. Even though she left him a note saying that she needed a break and would be gone for a few days, she didn't say where she was going and he hasn't heard from her since she left a few days ago. He wants Vera to find her.
Well, that proves easy enough. Vera contacts the taxi driver who picked her up and learns that she went to Writer's House, a country retreat where aspiring writers go to attend lectures and workshops and polish their stories. Vera goes to the Writer's House to check on Joanna and let her know that Jack is worried. As luck would have it, her arrival at the retreat coincides with the finding of a dead body in the glass room.
The body is that of Professor Tony Ferdinand, one of the instructors. Vera is informed that the murderer has already been apprehended and they are holding her for the police. It is Vera's neighbor, Joanna, who was discovered near the body with a bloody knife in her hand. In spite of that evidence, Vera is skeptical. She calls in her team and they begin their investigation.
Vera is excited to have a murder to investigate because "everybody loves a murder".
Vera fears that she will be removed from the investigation because of her relationship with one of the suspects, but she appeals to her superintendent and he leaves her in charge.
Cleeves is an extremely skillful plotter and all of the necessary clues are woven into the narrative, but they are so subtle and integrated into that narrative that I defy any reader to identify them and solve the mystery before the end. Moreover, there are several plot twists, the first murder is not the last, and the reader/detective must be very nimble to keep up.
As in all of the books, one of the most enjoyable features is the relationship of Vera to the various members of her team and the way she manipulates and uses them, especially her sergeant, Joe. Cleeves' characterizations paint masterful portraits of Vera and the team and she allows us to eavesdrop on the interior dialogues of Vera and Joe which gives added depth to their relationship.
The book reminds one somewhat of Agatha Christie. It is a traditional country-house mystery in the best sense. Ann Cleeves is a worthy inheritor of the Christie mantle.
This one begins with Vera returning home from work to find her "hippy-dippy" neighbor, Jack, waiting for her in her parlor. He is distressed because his wife, Joanna, has disappeared. Even though she left him a note saying that she needed a break and would be gone for a few days, she didn't say where she was going and he hasn't heard from her since she left a few days ago. He wants Vera to find her.
Well, that proves easy enough. Vera contacts the taxi driver who picked her up and learns that she went to Writer's House, a country retreat where aspiring writers go to attend lectures and workshops and polish their stories. Vera goes to the Writer's House to check on Joanna and let her know that Jack is worried. As luck would have it, her arrival at the retreat coincides with the finding of a dead body in the glass room.
The body is that of Professor Tony Ferdinand, one of the instructors. Vera is informed that the murderer has already been apprehended and they are holding her for the police. It is Vera's neighbor, Joanna, who was discovered near the body with a bloody knife in her hand. In spite of that evidence, Vera is skeptical. She calls in her team and they begin their investigation.
Vera is excited to have a murder to investigate because "everybody loves a murder".
They loved the drama of it, the frisson of fear, the exhilaration of still being alive. People had been putting together stories of death and the motives for killing since the beginning of time, to thrill and to entertain.
Vera fears that she will be removed from the investigation because of her relationship with one of the suspects, but she appeals to her superintendent and he leaves her in charge.
Cleeves is an extremely skillful plotter and all of the necessary clues are woven into the narrative, but they are so subtle and integrated into that narrative that I defy any reader to identify them and solve the mystery before the end. Moreover, there are several plot twists, the first murder is not the last, and the reader/detective must be very nimble to keep up.
As in all of the books, one of the most enjoyable features is the relationship of Vera to the various members of her team and the way she manipulates and uses them, especially her sergeant, Joe. Cleeves' characterizations paint masterful portraits of Vera and the team and she allows us to eavesdrop on the interior dialogues of Vera and Joe which gives added depth to their relationship.
The book reminds one somewhat of Agatha Christie. It is a traditional country-house mystery in the best sense. Ann Cleeves is a worthy inheritor of the Christie mantle.
January 8, 2025
I love this series. I'm about to branch off into another of Cleeves' series (the Shetland series) because she's so wonderful. But it may just be that I love Vera Stanhope. I'm obsessed with the series and it's faithful to the spirit of the book (even though although Brenda Blethyn manages to look dowdy as Vera she's certainly a lot more attractive than the Vera in the book!).
The premise of The Glass Room is murder at a writers' retreat house. (One room is of course made of glass, hence the name). The plot is complicated enough that it took my full attention to follow and made it harder to name the culprit and the solution was satisfying. I did find the final scene a little predictable and therefore less exciting than it was supposed to be but even guessing how it would turn out, i was engaged.
But for me, the interest of the book hinges on the character of Vera. Not your typical hero, especially as a woman. Middle aged (and almost beyond that), unattractive, and abrasive. And in her unassuming appearance, masking her sharp mind and superlative detecting skills, she reminded me a bit of Columbo, another favorite of mine (in fact, she does an equivalent of his casual "Oh, one more thing" after which he pounces for the kill). She irritates her colleagues but she has their (albeit sometimes grudging) respect. She is passionate about her work and while capable of sympathy and compassion for both victims and (sometimes) perpetrators, ruthless in her pursuit of justice. Plus she likes to solve the riddle: who did it?
I'm currently reading Telling Tales which I saw dramatized as one of the TV episodes. Even though I know who the killer is, I'm enjoying the writing and the characters. And the difference in the perspective of the book (a lot of which takes place before Vera arrives on the scene) is interesting.
So I strongly recommend the series and this entry in it. Great fun.
The premise of The Glass Room is murder at a writers' retreat house. (One room is of course made of glass, hence the name). The plot is complicated enough that it took my full attention to follow and made it harder to name the culprit and the solution was satisfying. I did find the final scene a little predictable and therefore less exciting than it was supposed to be but even guessing how it would turn out, i was engaged.
But for me, the interest of the book hinges on the character of Vera. Not your typical hero, especially as a woman. Middle aged (and almost beyond that), unattractive, and abrasive. And in her unassuming appearance, masking her sharp mind and superlative detecting skills, she reminded me a bit of Columbo, another favorite of mine (in fact, she does an equivalent of his casual "Oh, one more thing" after which he pounces for the kill). She irritates her colleagues but she has their (albeit sometimes grudging) respect. She is passionate about her work and while capable of sympathy and compassion for both victims and (sometimes) perpetrators, ruthless in her pursuit of justice. Plus she likes to solve the riddle: who did it?
I'm currently reading Telling Tales which I saw dramatized as one of the TV episodes. Even though I know who the killer is, I'm enjoying the writing and the characters. And the difference in the perspective of the book (a lot of which takes place before Vera arrives on the scene) is interesting.
So I strongly recommend the series and this entry in it. Great fun.
July 19, 2018
2.5* Liked the setting at the writers' conference and the usual cast of characters, but I do get tired of Cleeves' continued habit of leaving ravelly bits of plot hanging loose at the end like threads off the hem of Vera's skirt.
November 14, 2019
Μου αρέσει να διαβάζω ιστορίες που έχουν σαν παρασκήνιο τη λογοτεχνία!
Η πέμπτη ιστορία με πρωταγωνίστρια τη Βέρα Στάνχοουπ την οδηγεί σε λογοτεχνικά μονοπάτια αφού οι εμπλεκόμενοι στο έγκλημα είναι συγγραφείς και άνθρωποι που ασχολούνται με αυτό το αντικείμενο και αν και στην αρχή λίγο έξω από τα νερά της στη συνέχεια βρίσκει τον ρυθμό της για την εύρεση του δολοφόνου!
Σε αυτό το βιβλίο η συγγραφέας μας δίνει μια πιο αναλυτική ματιά στη προσωπική ζωή του συνεργάτη της Βέρας και αν δεν είχε άμεση σχέση με την υπόθεση μπορεί να γινόταν βαρετό!
Η ιστορία είναι αρκετά καλή όπως όλες οι άλλες της σειράς και προς το παρόν θα είναι η τελευταία που θα διαβάσω μέχρι να αποκτήσω τα δύο που μου λείπουν!
Η πέμπτη ιστορία με πρωταγωνίστρια τη Βέρα Στάνχοουπ την οδηγεί σε λογοτεχνικά μονοπάτια αφού οι εμπλεκόμενοι στο έγκλημα είναι συγγραφείς και άνθρωποι που ασχολούνται με αυτό το αντικείμενο και αν και στην αρχή λίγο έξω από τα νερά της στη συνέχεια βρίσκει τον ρυθμό της για την εύρεση του δολοφόνου!
Σε αυτό το βιβλίο η συγγραφέας μας δίνει μια πιο αναλυτική ματιά στη προσωπική ζωή του συνεργάτη της Βέρας και αν δεν είχε άμεση σχέση με την υπόθεση μπορεί να γινόταν βαρετό!
Η ιστορία είναι αρκετά καλή όπως όλες οι άλλες της σειράς και προς το παρόν θα είναι η τελευταία που θα διαβάσω μέχρι να αποκτήσω τα δύο που μου λείπουν!
February 7, 2021
A tale of the underbelly of the culture of writing programs and retreats. I become more of an Ann Cleeves fan girl with every successive book.
April 26, 2018
I'll bet Ann Cleeves had fun writing this story - a murder mystery that takes place during a retreat for budding authors taught by professionals either in or associated with the publishing industry. This story was especially interesting because much of it is shown from the viewpoint of one of the tutors, automatically a suspect simply from being on hand when the victim was discovered. DI Vera Stanhope, Joe, Holly and Charlie all work together to collect the small bits and pieces that eventually grow together to form the picture of the suspect. Even Vera's hippie neighbors have a large part to play in this story so it was interesting to find out more about Joanna and Jack.
If you've watched the television series Vera, you may think you know all about these characters. I can tell you the television cast does not portray the characters as they are presented in the books. I am pleased to say I can enjoy both versions of the characterizations. The solution for this mystery was a doozy and I had no idea of who the murderer was. Looking back I can see that all the clues are there, but hidden, very well hidden. Available in e-book form as of late April 2018. Enjoy!
If you've watched the television series Vera, you may think you know all about these characters. I can tell you the television cast does not portray the characters as they are presented in the books. I am pleased to say I can enjoy both versions of the characterizations. The solution for this mystery was a doozy and I had no idea of who the murderer was. Looking back I can see that all the clues are there, but hidden, very well hidden. Available in e-book form as of late April 2018. Enjoy!
April 12, 2021
I have not read the Vera books in order and wanted to circle back to this one from 2012 for another taste of Northumberland with the added treat of the Seahouses vicinity for atmosphere. This particular book gives us many murders to contemplate centered on writers achieving publication and perhaps fame as they gather at a workshop/retreat house on the shore. Joe and Holly assist Vera, but she is there at the opening shot due to her "hippy" neighbor asking for help. The dude (Jack) is sitting in Vera's house with a fire going having used her spare key and he is concerned and forlorn as his partner (Joanna) has stopped taking her medication (lithium) and pulled a runner. From that plea for help Vera makes the drive to the workshop house after querying the local cab service to discover Joanna's destination. By sheer happenstance she walks into the first murder freshly done, and they think she is there as a result of their phone call for help.
There is a good amount of literary reference material to dig up as the team works on one after another murder in this group. A very good setup and engaging read.
There is a good amount of literary reference material to dig up as the team works on one after another murder in this group. A very good setup and engaging read.
September 4, 2019
I am so sorry to all the Vera Stanhope fans there are but I just couldn��t push past page 63.... The introduction and description of all the characters hadn’t been completed for me before I reached the realization that a group of people huddled in a confined area for a few days with a killer among them has been the setting for numerous movies, TV shows and other books over the years. I’m simply bored. I’ll move on to another book, thank you very much.
November 11, 2019
I’ve been reading through this author’s series at a pretty good pace but this one slowed me down. There wasn’t technically anything wrong with it but it was on the boring side. I don’t know if it was because it had a more traditional mystery aspect to it or the characters, but it felt like a long book even though it wasn’t.
January 8, 2020
This would have had four stars except I found it really hard to read over and over again about Vera’s weight. Every other page says she’s “fat” or “sloppy” or eating and spilling food on herself. I know it’s part of the persona, but it felt like unnecessary fat-shaming to me.
December 15, 2019
Struggled to finish it. Found it rather dull and slow. My biggest problem was how condescending the author was about people especially writers.
July 12, 2020
Enjoyed this one, perhaps my favourite so far. There's an air of Agatha Christie about the setting and as she's mentioned in passing that might have been intentional. A very traditional cosy mystery setting and cast. A group of would-be writers in a big house and a murder with clues left. One of the suspects someone Vera might call a friend if she was feeling generous or fancying some homebrew. I have a lasting affection for the genre so liked seeing Vera taking it on.
There's less self-pity in this book, though the threads of it are there, a relief as it was easy to get engrossed in the story without the heavy depressive feel. I've actually googled to see if Cleeves herself has children (she does) the childless state being such an issue for characters. Vera is still referred to as fat at every opportunity. It's unecessary and feels a harsh criticism rather than a factor of her. Ashworth takes more of an on-page role and you can see him stepping up, if his emotions were a tad disappointing - Cleeves sees everyone as deeply flawed.
For the first time in the series I thought the villian was obvious; it was very clear to me whodunnit, obvious things not dwelt on, but there were a few false trails and our detectives follow a number of viable leads before the dramatic showdown.
Read this one very quickly, it kept my attention. Have the next ebook reserved with the library.
There's less self-pity in this book, though the threads of it are there, a relief as it was easy to get engrossed in the story without the heavy depressive feel. I've actually googled to see if Cleeves herself has children (she does) the childless state being such an issue for characters. Vera is still referred to as fat at every opportunity. It's unecessary and feels a harsh criticism rather than a factor of her. Ashworth takes more of an on-page role and you can see him stepping up, if his emotions were a tad disappointing - Cleeves sees everyone as deeply flawed.
For the first time in the series I thought the villian was obvious; it was very clear to me whodunnit, obvious things not dwelt on, but there were a few false trails and our detectives follow a number of viable leads before the dramatic showdown.
Read this one very quickly, it kept my attention. Have the next ebook reserved with the library.
July 1, 2020
Another great whodunnit. Enjoying the developing relationship between Vera and Joe.
June 22, 2025
Denna finns även som ett serieavsnitt, men mindes inte slutet så fick snällt läsa klart. Upplösning precis i slutet så det är bra! Relationen Vera och Joe är intressant och behöver läsa fler Vera böcker!
March 24, 2020
3rd book of 2020. ⭐⭐ (2/5 stars) The Glass Room. Ann Cleeves is a successful mystery author from England. I first read the Shetland series and fell in love with the landscape and characters.
This book is the 5th in a different series, with the detective Vera Stanhope in England. Both series have BBC TV shows inspired by them, but I've only seen Shetland. I have mixed feelings about Vera Stanhope but I keep reading more of these books because Shetland is finished!
Vera is a single, stubborn, slobby (author's words not mine!) detective who is unusually good at figuring out mysteries. She is sometimes rude and manipulative to the officers working with her and she drinks a lot. She's definitely a unique character but I'm not sure I actually like her that much.
I've read some books in this series that stick with me, and others that are more forgettable. This one is the latter.
Vera's neighbors, who she calls "hippy-dippy" because they are artists and eat tofu, need her help when the woman artist goes missing. It turns out she went to a writer's retreat in the countryside. A well known reviewer who can make or break a new author is also in attendance and turns up murdered. This is another closed circle murder mystery about artists in the countryside - right after I read Artists in Crime! I had no idea how similar they were. Everyone has lurking motives to kill the reviewer, ranging from becoming famous, falling from fame, old family ties, and romance.
One of the things I don't love about the Vera books is that often there's something at the end that Vera finds out but is withheld from the reader until she announces the murderer to her team. I prefer mysteries where the clues are available to the reader if they're paying attention and know where to look.
Two stars for this book, but I know I'll keep reading her books. Does anyone else do that to themselves? 😄
This book is the 5th in a different series, with the detective Vera Stanhope in England. Both series have BBC TV shows inspired by them, but I've only seen Shetland. I have mixed feelings about Vera Stanhope but I keep reading more of these books because Shetland is finished!
Vera is a single, stubborn, slobby (author's words not mine!) detective who is unusually good at figuring out mysteries. She is sometimes rude and manipulative to the officers working with her and she drinks a lot. She's definitely a unique character but I'm not sure I actually like her that much.
I've read some books in this series that stick with me, and others that are more forgettable. This one is the latter.
Vera's neighbors, who she calls "hippy-dippy" because they are artists and eat tofu, need her help when the woman artist goes missing. It turns out she went to a writer's retreat in the countryside. A well known reviewer who can make or break a new author is also in attendance and turns up murdered. This is another closed circle murder mystery about artists in the countryside - right after I read Artists in Crime! I had no idea how similar they were. Everyone has lurking motives to kill the reviewer, ranging from becoming famous, falling from fame, old family ties, and romance.
One of the things I don't love about the Vera books is that often there's something at the end that Vera finds out but is withheld from the reader until she announces the murderer to her team. I prefer mysteries where the clues are available to the reader if they're paying attention and know where to look.
Two stars for this book, but I know I'll keep reading her books. Does anyone else do that to themselves? 😄
July 4, 2020
This was another great Vera Stanhope novel and exactly what I’ve come to expect from Ann Cleeves. Unlike the previous books I’ve read I don’t recall this story having been turned into an episode of the BBC show so the plot was truly brand new to me. The setting of an elegant mansion by the sea gave it the same atmospheric ambiance that is the reason I love this author so much. I wouldn’t say that it has been my favorite so far, in fact probably the opposite, but still a very enjoyable read.
October 18, 2022
Dnf… Vera really irritated me- and I hate the way she gets written about e.g. fat, self-conscious, depressed etc, . Everyone trapped in a remote location with the killer- nothing exciting happening yet… I may read the next book… or I might just not bother
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