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Inspector Ramsay #6
The Baby Snatcher
WINNER OF THE CRIME WRITERS' ASSOCIATION DIAMOND DAGGER AWARD 2017
The Baby-Snatcher is the sixth and final novel in the Inspector Ramsay series by Ann Cleeves, author of the Shetland and Vera Stanhope crime series.
When fifteen-year-old Marilyn Howe turns up alone and frightened on Inspector Ramsay's doorstep he has little choice but to invite her in. Marilyn and her mother, Kathleen, are a familiar sight around Heppleburn, a strangely inseparable couple. But Kathleen has unaccountably failed to return home that evening, and Marilyn is fearful for her mother's safety.
Ramsay takes the young girl home, to the isolated coastal community known as the Headland. And in the Howes' dark and cluttered kitchen they find Kathleen safe and apparently well, though acting rather mysteriously.
Six months later, Ramsay has more or less forgotten the strange incident, busy as he is on the trail of a local child abductor. Until he receives news that Mrs Howe has disappeared once more. And for the second time he is drawn into the strange relationships of the families living on the lonely Headland.
Then a woman's body is washed up on the beach . . .
The Baby-Snatcher is the sixth and final novel in the Inspector Ramsay series by Ann Cleeves, author of the Shetland and Vera Stanhope crime series.
When fifteen-year-old Marilyn Howe turns up alone and frightened on Inspector Ramsay's doorstep he has little choice but to invite her in. Marilyn and her mother, Kathleen, are a familiar sight around Heppleburn, a strangely inseparable couple. But Kathleen has unaccountably failed to return home that evening, and Marilyn is fearful for her mother's safety.
Ramsay takes the young girl home, to the isolated coastal community known as the Headland. And in the Howes' dark and cluttered kitchen they find Kathleen safe and apparently well, though acting rather mysteriously.
Six months later, Ramsay has more or less forgotten the strange incident, busy as he is on the trail of a local child abductor. Until he receives news that Mrs Howe has disappeared once more. And for the second time he is drawn into the strange relationships of the families living on the lonely Headland.
Then a woman's body is washed up on the beach . . .
300 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
611 people are currently reading
1152 people want to read
About the author
Ann Cleeves
132 books8,923 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 137 reviews
December 20, 2025
Simon and I listened to the audiobook as we traveled. We became engrossed in the story and thoroughly enjoyed it.
December 27, 2025
I just love Inspector Ramsay. He is so clever in solving cases. I hope there will be more in this series. Outstanding narration. Highly recommend.
I was blessed with an audio ARC. Thank you, NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
I was blessed with an audio ARC. Thank you, NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
November 13, 2021
The last book in the Inspector Ramsay series. It's a doozy. I thought it was great but in the end the series feels unfinished. I wish we had more books that followed Ramsay, Hunter, and Prue. This one had an ending I did not see coming. I honestly thought the guilty party was someone (I was partially kind of right, but missed the boat). And again, it's great to see the lessons that Ramsay has learned through his first marriage and the first case we met him on still impacting him.
"The Baby-Snatcher" has two starts in a way. The book starts in September with a young girl named Marilyn coming to Ramsay's home for help. Her mother has gone missing. Ramsay has seen the young girl and her mother often walking together and wonders where her mother could have gone. When they return to Marilyn's home, her mother is there, but frozen in expression. Ramsay wonders what could have occurred, but leaves them. Almost a year later the woman goes missing again, but then is found in the water, dead, stabbed to death. Ramsay and Hunter investigate this case and wonder if it has any ties to some man snatching up young boys in the area. The man doesn't hurt them, but takes them away and gives them candy and releases them. The book takes a lot of twists and turns.
Ramsay is quite good in this one. I think though we get to see Hunter and now Sal growing up a bit more and realizing that they jump to conclusions. They often want Ramsay to run in and arrest someone and he refuses to do so. As other reviewers said, you get to see how well Cleeves has come from the first book to the last in this series. She does a great job of developing everyone. And you get some of Hunter's contempt for the "common people" that seems similar to how some of her other police characters feel in her other series.
The dialogue and the reasoning with some of these characters is a lot. Cleeves does a great job of showing so many things in this book that really come around to love and how so many people in this book are desperate to have it no matter the cost.
The flow stayed very good up until almost the end when the book drags a bit.
I do have to say the solution to this one was clever. But the book ends a bit abruptly I thought. If there was another book in the series I would not have noticed it as much.
"The Baby-Snatcher" has two starts in a way. The book starts in September with a young girl named Marilyn coming to Ramsay's home for help. Her mother has gone missing. Ramsay has seen the young girl and her mother often walking together and wonders where her mother could have gone. When they return to Marilyn's home, her mother is there, but frozen in expression. Ramsay wonders what could have occurred, but leaves them. Almost a year later the woman goes missing again, but then is found in the water, dead, stabbed to death. Ramsay and Hunter investigate this case and wonder if it has any ties to some man snatching up young boys in the area. The man doesn't hurt them, but takes them away and gives them candy and releases them. The book takes a lot of twists and turns.
Ramsay is quite good in this one. I think though we get to see Hunter and now Sal growing up a bit more and realizing that they jump to conclusions. They often want Ramsay to run in and arrest someone and he refuses to do so. As other reviewers said, you get to see how well Cleeves has come from the first book to the last in this series. She does a great job of developing everyone. And you get some of Hunter's contempt for the "common people" that seems similar to how some of her other police characters feel in her other series.
The dialogue and the reasoning with some of these characters is a lot. Cleeves does a great job of showing so many things in this book that really come around to love and how so many people in this book are desperate to have it no matter the cost.
The flow stayed very good up until almost the end when the book drags a bit.
I do have to say the solution to this one was clever. But the book ends a bit abruptly I thought. If there was another book in the series I would not have noticed it as much.
June 21, 2013
I'm trying not to take on too many crime series, and when I do I try to read in order, but I broke my rules for this book. The premise looked intriguing, and when I saw that it would fill a difficult year in my Century of Books, well I decided that was a sign ...
The story began one evening, when Inspector Ramsay was at home and off duty. The quiet evening that he had planned was disturbed when a teenage girl, alone and clearly frightened, banged on his door. He hesitated, aware of the risks of having a distressed girl in his house with nobody else present, but he realised that he couldn't turn her away.
She told him that her mother was missing, and that her mother was so reliable, so involved with her family, that she knew something had to be wrong. And he was inclined to believe her, because he had often seen them in the town, and he had never seen one without the other.
Ramsay drove the girl back to her home, to the Headland, a small, remote, coastal community. And he found the girl's mother, safe and well. He didn't quite believe her account of where she had been, or of what had happened, but he didn't think that there was really anything amiss.
Until six month's later. When the same woman was reported missing again. And her body was found on the beach
There was precious little physical evidence, and even less witness evidence.
There had been a children's party that day, for one of the children of the family at the Coastguard House. With all of the coming and going somebody should have noticed anything unusual. But nobody did. Save a man in the red car visiting one of the neighbours.
She only knew his first name, she told the police; he was just somebody she had met in a club who called round. Ramsay was inclined to believe her. She had a lot of male visitors, indeed she made her living from them. But it was a line of enquiry that had to be followed.
They had to look closely at the woman's family. Her husband, who worked in an office but was building up a lucrative side-line as a children's entertainer. He was at the Coastguard House, entertaining the party guests, when his daughter reported his wife missing. Her sister, much younger than her, who she had brought up, She worked as a nanny at the Coastguard House. And her daughter. They all seemed strangely unaffected by the death.
They had to look at the couple at the coastguard house too. There seemed to be so many links between the two families. And they looked at a close friend who had been there that day. A new widower, a teacher at the daughter's school.
There was no real action, no real drama but, as the police made their enquiries, Ann Cleeves was able to create detailed character studies, to analyse relationships, and to slowly reveal secrets. And she did it so well that for a long time it didn't bother me that there wasn't much of a plot.
The police - Ramsay and two colleagues - their relationships, the way they worked together, were just as well drawn and just as believable. There may have been subtleties I missed by dropping into the middle of a series, but I really didn't notice. And because there was no one else I could really warm to, it seemed quite natural to follow them and to see things as they did.
The sense of place was just as good.
The crucial piece of evidence that the police needed came to them purely by chance. through another case. Small boys had been going missing, only to be found some distance away, seemingly unharmed. Suddenly the two cases seemed to be linked.
And that was where things went a little wrong. There was a little too much drama, a little too much going on. The ending was right psychologically, but it didn't grow out of the story and out of the character as naturally as it should have. And it felt a little rushed.
I'd still say that this was a good book, and I'd still pick up another of the series if I liked the premise. But I'd also say that this book, from 1997, probably isn't as strong as the books Ann Cleeves has written more recently.
The story began one evening, when Inspector Ramsay was at home and off duty. The quiet evening that he had planned was disturbed when a teenage girl, alone and clearly frightened, banged on his door. He hesitated, aware of the risks of having a distressed girl in his house with nobody else present, but he realised that he couldn't turn her away.
She told him that her mother was missing, and that her mother was so reliable, so involved with her family, that she knew something had to be wrong. And he was inclined to believe her, because he had often seen them in the town, and he had never seen one without the other.
Ramsay drove the girl back to her home, to the Headland, a small, remote, coastal community. And he found the girl's mother, safe and well. He didn't quite believe her account of where she had been, or of what had happened, but he didn't think that there was really anything amiss.
Until six month's later. When the same woman was reported missing again. And her body was found on the beach
There was precious little physical evidence, and even less witness evidence.
There had been a children's party that day, for one of the children of the family at the Coastguard House. With all of the coming and going somebody should have noticed anything unusual. But nobody did. Save a man in the red car visiting one of the neighbours.
She only knew his first name, she told the police; he was just somebody she had met in a club who called round. Ramsay was inclined to believe her. She had a lot of male visitors, indeed she made her living from them. But it was a line of enquiry that had to be followed.
They had to look closely at the woman's family. Her husband, who worked in an office but was building up a lucrative side-line as a children's entertainer. He was at the Coastguard House, entertaining the party guests, when his daughter reported his wife missing. Her sister, much younger than her, who she had brought up, She worked as a nanny at the Coastguard House. And her daughter. They all seemed strangely unaffected by the death.
They had to look at the couple at the coastguard house too. There seemed to be so many links between the two families. And they looked at a close friend who had been there that day. A new widower, a teacher at the daughter's school.
There was no real action, no real drama but, as the police made their enquiries, Ann Cleeves was able to create detailed character studies, to analyse relationships, and to slowly reveal secrets. And she did it so well that for a long time it didn't bother me that there wasn't much of a plot.
The police - Ramsay and two colleagues - their relationships, the way they worked together, were just as well drawn and just as believable. There may have been subtleties I missed by dropping into the middle of a series, but I really didn't notice. And because there was no one else I could really warm to, it seemed quite natural to follow them and to see things as they did.
The sense of place was just as good.
The crucial piece of evidence that the police needed came to them purely by chance. through another case. Small boys had been going missing, only to be found some distance away, seemingly unharmed. Suddenly the two cases seemed to be linked.
And that was where things went a little wrong. There was a little too much drama, a little too much going on. The ending was right psychologically, but it didn't grow out of the story and out of the character as naturally as it should have. And it felt a little rushed.
I'd still say that this was a good book, and I'd still pick up another of the series if I liked the premise. But I'd also say that this book, from 1997, probably isn't as strong as the books Ann Cleeves has written more recently.
June 15, 2021
I’m a bit sad to have read the last in this series, but I found it a satisfactory place to leave the characters. There are a few oddities in this story: the community where a family choosing isolation meets a family out to impress and motivations prove to be fairly universal; the stunted magician, and a whole range of mothers, from those who can’t take care to those who can’t let go. In this story Cleeves really shows the range of her understanding of human frailty and the struggle many have to live up to personal ideals and values.
In the midst of this community Ramsay and his team continue to learn from each other as well as data, honing their skills to understand and get to the truth.
I’m really pleased to have discovered and read this series. I will now read later series with increased pleasure.
In the midst of this community Ramsay and his team continue to learn from each other as well as data, honing their skills to understand and get to the truth.
I’m really pleased to have discovered and read this series. I will now read later series with increased pleasure.
June 24, 2021
I've rather reluctantly come to the end of this series which I thoroughly recommend. I also recommend reading them in the order of publication. They have all recently be re-published as e-books.
The final solution in this particular novel caught me by surprise, so perhaps there weren't enough clues as to the identity of the murderer. There are some fascinatingly dysfunctional characters.
I've enjoyed watching the development of the character of Stephen Ramsay and the increasingly complex plots. From here the author went on to develop the character of Vera Stanhope.
The final solution in this particular novel caught me by surprise, so perhaps there weren't enough clues as to the identity of the murderer. There are some fascinatingly dysfunctional characters.
I've enjoyed watching the development of the character of Stephen Ramsay and the increasingly complex plots. From here the author went on to develop the character of Vera Stanhope.
April 23, 2018
It held my attention almost all the way to the end, but it seemed to become muddled and ended abruptly. The reactions of the characters seemed unreal at the end.
March 2, 2026
A good ending to a too-short [for me] series. A good mystery, lots of craziness [I'd be SO moving away from there], and a good end. I am so very glad I read this series.
Simon Mattacks, thank you. You made an already great series even better, and I cannot recommend your narration enough. Until we meet again...
Thank you to NetGalley, Ann Cleeves, Simon Mattacks - Narrator, and Macmillan Audio for providing the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Simon Mattacks, thank you. You made an already great series even better, and I cannot recommend your narration enough. Until we meet again...
Thank you to NetGalley, Ann Cleeves, Simon Mattacks - Narrator, and Macmillan Audio for providing the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2026
The baby snatcher was the last book in the Detective Ramsay series and I found it to be engrossing enough. I think my favorite part of this particular story was the setting and the overall vibes of the characters. This didn't take place on the mainland and there's a bit of a strangeness around the island and its occupants.
August 18, 2025
The final Inspector Ramsay story from Ann Cleeves already feels like a “ piece of captured time”. Set in the early 1990s before the technologies we take for granted nowadays with police procedural and crime stories…a time before the smart phone ruled and attitudes differed.
This is the story about a murder and the abduction of children albeit for very short periods. Tautly plotted and with an awareness of the fragility between relationships that readers of Ann Cleeves know she has perfected in the last two decades with her successful series of books - Vera , Shetland and The Two Rivers.
In retrospect, the series feels like Ann Cleeves was developing and perfecting her writing talents; that is not a negative as this series is not bad at all and has a nostalgic feel about them.
It’s a shame the series ended without a conclusion as to what Inspector Ramsay was to do next but this doesn’t affect this final solid crime/ police story
This is the story about a murder and the abduction of children albeit for very short periods. Tautly plotted and with an awareness of the fragility between relationships that readers of Ann Cleeves know she has perfected in the last two decades with her successful series of books - Vera , Shetland and The Two Rivers.
In retrospect, the series feels like Ann Cleeves was developing and perfecting her writing talents; that is not a negative as this series is not bad at all and has a nostalgic feel about them.
It’s a shame the series ended without a conclusion as to what Inspector Ramsay was to do next but this doesn’t affect this final solid crime/ police story
June 25, 2025
Quite a disturbing story to read especially with a sub plot of children being abducted, then left several hours later, unharmed but parents left traumatised. Aligned with this is the description of a very strange family made up of a two sisters, one left orphaned and taken in by a much older sister, a reclusive husband, public servant but also a part time magician (yes!) and a 16 year old daughter, a talented violinist whose mother somewhat smothers her with over care. That mother is found in the sea, stabbed before being dumped in the water. Around these characters are others, a bereaved widower who teaches music at the daughter’s school, a couple with three young children who employ the orphaned daughter to be their nanny. It was all a lot to take in and I had several suspicions as to the perpetrator none of which turned out to be the correct one. The setting was explained by Ann Cleeves in the introduction to the book. This is one of her earlier books.
December 2, 2024
First it did not make sense to me what it was all about. Once i got caught up in the story I could not work out who the killer was. Strange family lift on the headland , mother , daughter , aunt and husband that did chikdcdbtertaining in his spare time. The mother was found murdered , but the rest of the family carried on. The Santander the hone nice and cooked beside bring the nanny inches big house. Eventually inspected Ramsey worked it all out Crazy story , nicely written
December 31, 2021
My library doesn't have the rights to the fifth book in this series for some reason, so I have had to skip that one, although these are stand alone stories really. This was very well-plotted, but full of extremely odd characters.
July 2, 2023
so. many. unhappy. families.
And emotional abuse, and death from causes both natural and unnatural. Let’s throw in some really psychologically unhealthy relationships as well, offspring as it were from the unhealthy parental relationships and unhealthy couple relationships. But such good writing. Up too late finishing another Ann Cleeves story
And emotional abuse, and death from causes both natural and unnatural. Let’s throw in some really psychologically unhealthy relationships as well, offspring as it were from the unhealthy parental relationships and unhealthy couple relationships. But such good writing. Up too late finishing another Ann Cleeves story
February 1, 2026
Lazy writing that is unbearably clunky at points, and relishes throwing a punch at almost all its female characters.
Reveres the police, and only seems to treat the central inspector as a fully formed character rather than a poorly conceived layer of stereotypes that all the others are - even then, he’s a poor man’s Sherlock Holmes, and extremely predictable. The unflappable genius act is very boring very quickly.
I guess fine enough for this kind of thing, but generally was at best mediocre and at worst just bad. Rushed its conclusion so you were left completely cold by it. 1 star rather than 0 (if that was possible) because I guess it was compelling enough to finish it.
Reveres the police, and only seems to treat the central inspector as a fully formed character rather than a poorly conceived layer of stereotypes that all the others are - even then, he’s a poor man’s Sherlock Holmes, and extremely predictable. The unflappable genius act is very boring very quickly.
I guess fine enough for this kind of thing, but generally was at best mediocre and at worst just bad. Rushed its conclusion so you were left completely cold by it. 1 star rather than 0 (if that was possible) because I guess it was compelling enough to finish it.
December 20, 2025
Not for me. Mystery and suspense was very underwhelming and hard to stay engaged.
February 27, 2023
Intriguing. Lots of twists and turns
November 6, 2021
A good interweaving of two plotlines, enjoyable, and a mystery to the end to me anyway.
April 1, 2016
Another heart wrenching story
Another heart wrenching edge of your seat mystery starring Inspector Ramsey and his team who scramble to find a killer and a baby snatcher. Some harrowing scenes and great character development. I wonder what happens between Ramsey and Pru. Oh well I guess they live happily ever after?
Another heart wrenching edge of your seat mystery starring Inspector Ramsey and his team who scramble to find a killer and a baby snatcher. Some harrowing scenes and great character development. I wonder what happens between Ramsey and Pru. Oh well I guess they live happily ever after?
March 19, 2015
after seeing a review of this in the NY Times, i picked up a copy. Enjoyed the read…as with British TV shows, this book is character driven…not action driven. Good intro to this author for me.
July 5, 2015
A good capstone on this solid series. I wish that there were more featuring Detective Ramsey.
December 7, 2025
I did persevere….
Not one of the characters was engaging OR relatable. Droned on and on.. finally with a big rap in the last 25 pages. Underwhelming.
Not one of the characters was engaging OR relatable. Droned on and on.. finally with a big rap in the last 25 pages. Underwhelming.
December 31, 2025
Thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this eARC.
The Baby-Snatcher by Ann Cleeves
Narrated by Simon Mattacks
Ann Cleeves’ The Baby-Snatcher—part of her Inspector Ramsay series—offers a quieter, more psychologically attuned mystery than her later Vera or Shetland novels, but it carries the same signature strengths: moral nuance, a deep sense of place, and characters whose flaws feel lived-in rather than engineered for plot. As an audiobook, it becomes an even more atmospheric experience thanks to Simon Mattacks’ grounded, unobtrusive narration.
Narration: Simon Mattacks’ understated precision
Mattacks approaches the material with a restraint that suits Cleeves’ tone. He doesn’t overplay emotion or dramatize tension; instead, he lets the story’s unease accumulate naturally.
- His character differentiation is subtle but consistent, especially with female voices—never caricatured, always respectful.
- He captures Inspector Ramsay’s quiet intelligence and moral steadiness without flattening him into monotone.
- The pacing is measured, giving the novel’s psychological beats room to breathe.
This is the kind of narration that supports rather than competes with the text, ideal for listeners who prefer immersion over performance.
A community under pressure
Cleeves builds the mystery around a missing baby, but the novel is less about sensationalism and more about the fractures within a small community.
- The tension comes from interpersonal dynamics—resentments, secrets, and the ways people misread one another.
- Ramsay’s investigative style is methodical and empathetic, which gives the story a slow-burn quality rather than a twist-driven one.
- Cleeves explores motherhood, judgment, and the vulnerability of women in ways that feel grounded rather than melodramatic.
The plot unfolds with a steady, deliberate rhythm. It’s not a thriller in the modern, high-adrenaline sense; it’s a character-driven mystery that rewards patience.
Quiet complexity
Ramsay remains one of Cleeves’ most understated detectives—less charismatic than Vera, less brooding than Jimmy Perez—but his emotional intelligence is the series’ anchor.
- He listens more than he talks.
- He notices the small things.
- He treats people with dignity, even when they’re difficult or unreliable.
This makes the novel feel more humane than many crime stories built around child endangerment. Cleeves avoids exploitation and focuses instead on the emotional ripples of fear and suspicion.
Northumberland as a living presence
Cleeves’ sense of place is as strong here as in her later work. The landscape isn’t just backdrop—it shapes the characters’ choices and the community’s tensions. Mattacks’ narration enhances this, giving the setting a muted, wintry texture.
The Baby-Snatcher is a thoughtful, quietly unsettling mystery elevated by Simon Mattacks’ sensitive narration.
It’s ideal for listeners who appreciate:
- character-driven crime fiction
- psychological nuance over shock value
- detectives who solve through empathy rather than bravado
- atmospheric, community-rooted storytelling
It may feel understated to readers expecting the punchier rhythms of Cleeves’ later series, but for those who enjoy slow-burn mysteries with emotional depth, this audiobook delivers a compelling, immersive experience.
The Baby-Snatcher by Ann Cleeves
Narrated by Simon Mattacks
Ann Cleeves’ The Baby-Snatcher—part of her Inspector Ramsay series—offers a quieter, more psychologically attuned mystery than her later Vera or Shetland novels, but it carries the same signature strengths: moral nuance, a deep sense of place, and characters whose flaws feel lived-in rather than engineered for plot. As an audiobook, it becomes an even more atmospheric experience thanks to Simon Mattacks’ grounded, unobtrusive narration.
Narration: Simon Mattacks’ understated precision
Mattacks approaches the material with a restraint that suits Cleeves’ tone. He doesn’t overplay emotion or dramatize tension; instead, he lets the story’s unease accumulate naturally.
- His character differentiation is subtle but consistent, especially with female voices—never caricatured, always respectful.
- He captures Inspector Ramsay’s quiet intelligence and moral steadiness without flattening him into monotone.
- The pacing is measured, giving the novel’s psychological beats room to breathe.
This is the kind of narration that supports rather than competes with the text, ideal for listeners who prefer immersion over performance.
A community under pressure
Cleeves builds the mystery around a missing baby, but the novel is less about sensationalism and more about the fractures within a small community.
- The tension comes from interpersonal dynamics—resentments, secrets, and the ways people misread one another.
- Ramsay’s investigative style is methodical and empathetic, which gives the story a slow-burn quality rather than a twist-driven one.
- Cleeves explores motherhood, judgment, and the vulnerability of women in ways that feel grounded rather than melodramatic.
The plot unfolds with a steady, deliberate rhythm. It’s not a thriller in the modern, high-adrenaline sense; it’s a character-driven mystery that rewards patience.
Quiet complexity
Ramsay remains one of Cleeves’ most understated detectives—less charismatic than Vera, less brooding than Jimmy Perez—but his emotional intelligence is the series’ anchor.
- He listens more than he talks.
- He notices the small things.
- He treats people with dignity, even when they’re difficult or unreliable.
This makes the novel feel more humane than many crime stories built around child endangerment. Cleeves avoids exploitation and focuses instead on the emotional ripples of fear and suspicion.
Northumberland as a living presence
Cleeves’ sense of place is as strong here as in her later work. The landscape isn’t just backdrop—it shapes the characters’ choices and the community’s tensions. Mattacks’ narration enhances this, giving the setting a muted, wintry texture.
The Baby-Snatcher is a thoughtful, quietly unsettling mystery elevated by Simon Mattacks’ sensitive narration.
It’s ideal for listeners who appreciate:
- character-driven crime fiction
- psychological nuance over shock value
- detectives who solve through empathy rather than bravado
- atmospheric, community-rooted storytelling
It may feel understated to readers expecting the punchier rhythms of Cleeves’ later series, but for those who enjoy slow-burn mysteries with emotional depth, this audiobook delivers a compelling, immersive experience.
March 23, 2025
Ann Cleeves delivers another compelling mystery in “The Baby Snatcher”, a novel from her Inspector Ramsay series. Set in the quiet yet deceptively complex Northumberland countryside, the book follows the investigation into the shocking murder of a woman whose baby has gone missing. As Inspector Ramsay digs into the case, he uncovers a web of secrets, lies, and deeply buried tensions within the seemingly peaceful community.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its atmospheric setting. Cleeves excels at painting a vivid picture of the Northumberland landscape, using it not just as a backdrop but as an integral part of the story. The contrast between the picturesque surroundings and the dark undercurrents of crime adds to the novel’s suspense.
Inspector Ramsay is a fascinating protagonist—reserved, thoughtful, and often underestimated, which makes his investigative approach feel refreshingly different from more traditional, hard-nosed detectives. His methodical style allows for a slow but immersive unraveling of the mystery, with plenty of red herrings and unexpected twists along the way. While Ramsay may not be as widely known as Cleeves’ later detectives, like Vera Stanhope or Jimmy Perez, he’s an engaging and well-developed character in his own right.
The mystery itself is layered and well-paced, keeping the reader intrigued until the very end. Cleeves skillfully explores themes of motherhood, class divisions, and the hidden struggles within families, making the story not just a whodunit but also a deeper exploration of human nature.
While “The Baby Snatcher” might not have the same level of complexity as some of Cleeves’ later works, it’s still a solid, well-crafted mystery with strong character development and a satisfying resolution. Fans of British crime fiction, especially those who enjoy a more introspective detective, will find much to appreciate in this book.
A compelling, atmospheric mystery with a thoughtful protagonist and a gripping plot—perfect for Ann Cleeves fans and lovers of classic British crime fiction.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its atmospheric setting. Cleeves excels at painting a vivid picture of the Northumberland landscape, using it not just as a backdrop but as an integral part of the story. The contrast between the picturesque surroundings and the dark undercurrents of crime adds to the novel’s suspense.
Inspector Ramsay is a fascinating protagonist—reserved, thoughtful, and often underestimated, which makes his investigative approach feel refreshingly different from more traditional, hard-nosed detectives. His methodical style allows for a slow but immersive unraveling of the mystery, with plenty of red herrings and unexpected twists along the way. While Ramsay may not be as widely known as Cleeves’ later detectives, like Vera Stanhope or Jimmy Perez, he’s an engaging and well-developed character in his own right.
The mystery itself is layered and well-paced, keeping the reader intrigued until the very end. Cleeves skillfully explores themes of motherhood, class divisions, and the hidden struggles within families, making the story not just a whodunit but also a deeper exploration of human nature.
While “The Baby Snatcher” might not have the same level of complexity as some of Cleeves’ later works, it’s still a solid, well-crafted mystery with strong character development and a satisfying resolution. Fans of British crime fiction, especially those who enjoy a more introspective detective, will find much to appreciate in this book.
A compelling, atmospheric mystery with a thoughtful protagonist and a gripping plot—perfect for Ann Cleeves fans and lovers of classic British crime fiction.
January 3, 2026
If you’re a fan of TV’s Vera, you’re familiar with the Northumberland it portrays. Writer Anne Cleeves, who wrote the books the series is based on, portrays a place of rugged beauty, post-industrial squalor, and psyches damaged by generations of struggle, striving, and economic abandonment. It's a stifling, secretive world where wealthy and poor are emotionally stunted, closed off, doomed.
The Baby-Snatcher, written in 1997 and reissued in 2024, is the sixth mystery in Cleeves' Inspector Ramsay series. The story begins when teenage Marilyn Howe knocks on the door of Inspector Stephen Ramsay. Her mother, Kathleen, hasn't returned home, and she's concerned. Well-spoken and angelic-looking, but surprisingly dowdy in appearance, Ramsay is surprised to learn that she lives on the wrong side of the tracks. Her mother soon returns home, but Marilyn's knock stirs up a hornet's nest.
Ramsay soon finds himself investigating Mrs. Howe's second disappearance, as well as a rash of child abductions (the theme of children as victims of unmet adult needs is woven throughout). And there are few innocents to be found. He and his team uncover secret upon secret—and a community slowly crumbing from the inside out. By the time we learn the fate of Mrs. Howe, so much dirty laundry has been aired that it seems secondary to the book’s greater theme: an unraveling society where unmet needs give rise to crimes against spirits, souls, and humanity.
I finished The Baby-Snatcher in two days. It was mesmerizing in its darkness, dysfunction, and surprising fairness to even the most depraved involved. As a mystery, it is better than most but not stellar. But as a psychological thriller, it is a book that will stay with you long after you reach the final page. As we move even further into societal decline almost 20 years later, I see The Baby-Snatchers as a warning to the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC. Simon Mattacks, who narrated the audiobook, is fantastic.
The Baby-Snatcher, written in 1997 and reissued in 2024, is the sixth mystery in Cleeves' Inspector Ramsay series. The story begins when teenage Marilyn Howe knocks on the door of Inspector Stephen Ramsay. Her mother, Kathleen, hasn't returned home, and she's concerned. Well-spoken and angelic-looking, but surprisingly dowdy in appearance, Ramsay is surprised to learn that she lives on the wrong side of the tracks. Her mother soon returns home, but Marilyn's knock stirs up a hornet's nest.
Ramsay soon finds himself investigating Mrs. Howe's second disappearance, as well as a rash of child abductions (the theme of children as victims of unmet adult needs is woven throughout). And there are few innocents to be found. He and his team uncover secret upon secret—and a community slowly crumbing from the inside out. By the time we learn the fate of Mrs. Howe, so much dirty laundry has been aired that it seems secondary to the book’s greater theme: an unraveling society where unmet needs give rise to crimes against spirits, souls, and humanity.
I finished The Baby-Snatcher in two days. It was mesmerizing in its darkness, dysfunction, and surprising fairness to even the most depraved involved. As a mystery, it is better than most but not stellar. But as a psychological thriller, it is a book that will stay with you long after you reach the final page. As we move even further into societal decline almost 20 years later, I see The Baby-Snatchers as a warning to the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC. Simon Mattacks, who narrated the audiobook, is fantastic.
January 10, 2026
The Babysnatcher AUDIO , rerelease, by Ann Cleeves is the last in the Inspector Ramsay series. Ramsey has relaxed into being a human being after his divorce. Hunter is Hunter; Sally is the rising star, although sometimes dissatisfied with her place in the squad. People living out on the headland were considered odd, and many were. A young woman knocked on his door one day, reporting her mother missing. She returned in short order. This was his only interaction with this family until sometime later when someone had found a body. It was this same woman and thus the investigation began. The woman’s sister was the nanny for a family on the headland; while they were a little odd, the sister seemed normal. Simultaneously, small boys began disappearing from various places: a birthday party, a day care center, et al. They each turned up several hours later, unharmed. They two things didn’t seem to be related.
Ramsay is a brilliant investigator, although he was slow and meticulous. Very often his subordinates wondered at him as he did’t often share what he was thinking. Hunter was right there for any good looking woman, but his questioning style was aggressive and put people off. The mystery was a good one and elements of it came as a surprise, both to the listener and the police. The characters are interesting and only slighting repetitive from book to book. This series shares Cleeves’ earlier talent for telling the story of an investigation. This novel display her ability to write the misdirection. She is a master.
Simon Mattacks is the reader and fulfills all the requirements. He is serious, but not maudlin, and his slight accent adds to the veracity of the novel. Quite good.
I was invited to read The Babysnatcher by Macmillan Audio. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #MacmillanAudio #SimonMattacks #AnnCleeves #TheBabysnatcher
Ramsay is a brilliant investigator, although he was slow and meticulous. Very often his subordinates wondered at him as he did’t often share what he was thinking. Hunter was right there for any good looking woman, but his questioning style was aggressive and put people off. The mystery was a good one and elements of it came as a surprise, both to the listener and the police. The characters are interesting and only slighting repetitive from book to book. This series shares Cleeves’ earlier talent for telling the story of an investigation. This novel display her ability to write the misdirection. She is a master.
Simon Mattacks is the reader and fulfills all the requirements. He is serious, but not maudlin, and his slight accent adds to the veracity of the novel. Quite good.
I was invited to read The Babysnatcher by Macmillan Audio. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #MacmillanAudio #SimonMattacks #AnnCleeves #TheBabysnatcher
January 23, 2026
Thanks to MacMillan Audio & NetGalley for providing an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
If you're absolutely *dying* for something to fill the hole while waiting for a new 'Shetland' book, this will do. It's fine, there's nothing really wrong with it, per se, but it's not going to make anyone's top 10 list. Going in with low expectations is probably a good idea.
Inspector Ramsay is at the helm again in this mystery in Northumberland. A teenager comes to his door, upset bc her mom isn't home (and her mom is, apparently, ALWAYS at home waiting for her when she comes home from school). Mom comes home eventually, crisis averted. Until several months pass and the woman is missing again, only this time she turns up on the beach near the jetty of the isolated community in which they live. Simultaneously, there is a series of child snatchings that resolve when the child(ren) are eventually found to the sides of busy areas, unscathed. The two are not exactly interconnected, but one informs the other, as it were. The result is a bit of a shedload of red herrings, which is a bit frustrating just bc it seems like there are rather more than necessary to keep one guessing.
Cleeves leans hard into character development, and I enjoyed learning more about the lesser recurring characters. Possibly if she had gone further in the series she could've made more of a go of it, but the early book I read (I believe it was the first in the series) did not engender me to read any more, and I only went with this one as I had already been approved (and it did turn out to be a better book than anticipated, fortunately).
Good in a pinch, but I wouldn't go out of my way if you have a sumptuous TBR pile already.
Simon Matticks does OK, but a bit more vocal variance would've been welcome.
If you're absolutely *dying* for something to fill the hole while waiting for a new 'Shetland' book, this will do. It's fine, there's nothing really wrong with it, per se, but it's not going to make anyone's top 10 list. Going in with low expectations is probably a good idea.
Inspector Ramsay is at the helm again in this mystery in Northumberland. A teenager comes to his door, upset bc her mom isn't home (and her mom is, apparently, ALWAYS at home waiting for her when she comes home from school). Mom comes home eventually, crisis averted. Until several months pass and the woman is missing again, only this time she turns up on the beach near the jetty of the isolated community in which they live. Simultaneously, there is a series of child snatchings that resolve when the child(ren) are eventually found to the sides of busy areas, unscathed. The two are not exactly interconnected, but one informs the other, as it were. The result is a bit of a shedload of red herrings, which is a bit frustrating just bc it seems like there are rather more than necessary to keep one guessing.
Cleeves leans hard into character development, and I enjoyed learning more about the lesser recurring characters. Possibly if she had gone further in the series she could've made more of a go of it, but the early book I read (I believe it was the first in the series) did not engender me to read any more, and I only went with this one as I had already been approved (and it did turn out to be a better book than anticipated, fortunately).
Good in a pinch, but I wouldn't go out of my way if you have a sumptuous TBR pile already.
Simon Matticks does OK, but a bit more vocal variance would've been welcome.
January 6, 2026
Audiobook Review: The Baby-Snatcher (An Inspector Ramsay Novel) by Ann Cleeves
Narrated by Simon Mattacks
Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read this one with my ears—and to listen through the entire Inspector Ramsay series.
I’m happy to say that The Baby-Snatcher ended up being my favorite book in the series. It kept me the most engaged and held my attention far better than the previous installments. The mystery surrounding the isolated coastal community known as the Headland, combined with the unsettling disappearance of Kathleen Howe and the parallel investigation into a child abductor, created a strong sense of unease that worked really well.
I appreciated how this book slowly unraveled the strange family dynamics and secrets within the Headland community. The atmosphere felt tense and eerie, especially as Ramsay is drawn back into the case months later and events escalate with the discovery of a body on the beach. This story felt more focused and cohesive, which made it easier for me to stay invested.
As with the rest of the series, Simon Mattacks delivered a solid narration. I’ve enjoyed having the same narrator throughout—it provided consistency and familiarity, and his accent suited the setting perfectly.
While the Inspector Ramsay series as a whole wasn’t my absolute favorite, I’m glad I stuck with it. I enjoyed listening and learning alongside Inspector Ramsay, and The Baby-Snatcher was a strong and satisfying conclusion for me. Thank you again to NetGalley for the opportunity to experience the full series in audiobook form.
Narrated by Simon Mattacks
Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read this one with my ears—and to listen through the entire Inspector Ramsay series.
I’m happy to say that The Baby-Snatcher ended up being my favorite book in the series. It kept me the most engaged and held my attention far better than the previous installments. The mystery surrounding the isolated coastal community known as the Headland, combined with the unsettling disappearance of Kathleen Howe and the parallel investigation into a child abductor, created a strong sense of unease that worked really well.
I appreciated how this book slowly unraveled the strange family dynamics and secrets within the Headland community. The atmosphere felt tense and eerie, especially as Ramsay is drawn back into the case months later and events escalate with the discovery of a body on the beach. This story felt more focused and cohesive, which made it easier for me to stay invested.
As with the rest of the series, Simon Mattacks delivered a solid narration. I’ve enjoyed having the same narrator throughout—it provided consistency and familiarity, and his accent suited the setting perfectly.
While the Inspector Ramsay series as a whole wasn’t my absolute favorite, I’m glad I stuck with it. I enjoyed listening and learning alongside Inspector Ramsay, and The Baby-Snatcher was a strong and satisfying conclusion for me. Thank you again to NetGalley for the opportunity to experience the full series in audiobook form.
December 28, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping
Moderate: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Violence
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, Blood
I love a slow burn mystery with an atmospheric setting. I had heard of Ann Cleeves but never picked up one of her mysteries until now, which I found out was the last installment in the Inspector Ramsay series. I wasn’t sure I could connect with a character that already had five volumes. I was pleasantly surprised with The Baby-Snatcher.
The investigative focus of the book was very appealing. This methodical crime story is a bit slower paced than my normal mysteries, but that gave me time to catch up to Inspector Ramsay. He gets involved in the case when a frightened teenaged girl shows up at his house and tells him that her mother is missing.
When Ramsay and the girl head to her small town, her mother is there, safe and sound, with no information on where she was. Apparently, the girl overreacted. But six months later, her mother disappears again, and this time her body turns up on the beach. Cue the mystery,
This was a great change of pace from my normal mystery selections. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Simon Mattacks, who does a spectacular job of keeping the slow and methodical investigation interesting. I’d definitely listen to something narrated by Mattacks again.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping
Moderate: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Violence
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, Blood
I love a slow burn mystery with an atmospheric setting. I had heard of Ann Cleeves but never picked up one of her mysteries until now, which I found out was the last installment in the Inspector Ramsay series. I wasn’t sure I could connect with a character that already had five volumes. I was pleasantly surprised with The Baby-Snatcher.
The investigative focus of the book was very appealing. This methodical crime story is a bit slower paced than my normal mysteries, but that gave me time to catch up to Inspector Ramsay. He gets involved in the case when a frightened teenaged girl shows up at his house and tells him that her mother is missing.
When Ramsay and the girl head to her small town, her mother is there, safe and sound, with no information on where she was. Apparently, the girl overreacted. But six months later, her mother disappears again, and this time her body turns up on the beach. Cue the mystery,
This was a great change of pace from my normal mystery selections. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Simon Mattacks, who does a spectacular job of keeping the slow and methodical investigation interesting. I’d definitely listen to something narrated by Mattacks again.
December 29, 2025
Fifteen-year-old Marilyn shows up at Inspector Ramsay’s door, frantic that her mother, Kathleen, is missing but when they arrive at her home, they find her safe although acting a bit strange. However, months later, Kathleen goes missing again and her body is pulled from the water, stabbed to death.
At this time, Ramsay is working on another case. Several small boys have gone missing, snatched by a man who never hurts them but, instead, gives them candy and then releases them. Ramsay can’t help but wonder if the two cases are related.
The Stephen Ramsay series was written by Ann Cleeves and first released in 1990 before either Stanhope and Vera and is now being rereleased. The Baby-Snatcher is the 6th and, sadly, last in the series. It provides a complex, compelling, and very interesting mystery. And like in her other series, it is her characters who move the story and keep us immersed in it. Cleeves takes her time, letting us get to know the many characters and to understand the dynamics between them so that we care about what happens to them. Admittedly, I did not guess the killer but the story ends on a satisfactory note with no loose ends and my only negative here is that I wish there were more books to come in the series. I received an audiobook from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio narrated by Simon Mattacks who does an amazing job of giving individual voice to the large cast of characters.
At this time, Ramsay is working on another case. Several small boys have gone missing, snatched by a man who never hurts them but, instead, gives them candy and then releases them. Ramsay can’t help but wonder if the two cases are related.
The Stephen Ramsay series was written by Ann Cleeves and first released in 1990 before either Stanhope and Vera and is now being rereleased. The Baby-Snatcher is the 6th and, sadly, last in the series. It provides a complex, compelling, and very interesting mystery. And like in her other series, it is her characters who move the story and keep us immersed in it. Cleeves takes her time, letting us get to know the many characters and to understand the dynamics between them so that we care about what happens to them. Admittedly, I did not guess the killer but the story ends on a satisfactory note with no loose ends and my only negative here is that I wish there were more books to come in the series. I received an audiobook from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio narrated by Simon Mattacks who does an amazing job of giving individual voice to the large cast of characters.
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