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Ten years after Jeanie Long was charged with the murder of fifteen-year-old Abigail Mantel, residents of the East Yorkshire village of Elvet are disturbed to hear of new evidence proving Jeanie's innocence. Abigail's killer is still at large. For Emma Bennett, the revelation brings back haunting memories of her vibrat best friend - and of the fearful winter's day when she discovered her body lying cold in a ditch. As Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope makes fresh inquries on the peninsula, villagers are taken back to a time they would rather forget. Invariably tensions begin to mount, but are people afraid of the killer. or of their own guilty pasts?
User reviews
LibraryThing member smik
Ten years ago Abigail Mantel died. In what appeared to be an open and shut case, her murderer Jeanie Long was quickly identified and charged. To some people in the East Yorkshire village of Elvet, Jeanie had seemed an unlikely culprit, but even her father believed she was guilty. Now, after years
She has an advantage - Dan Greenwood, local craftsman, is a former copper whom she has worked with, and he was on the Mantel murder case. For one of Abigail's friends, Emma Bennett, who discovered Abigail's body the past comes back.
Ann Cleeves tells us that TELLING TALES is set in a fictitious landscape east of Hull, but that doesn't stop it from feeling very real. Vera Stanhope is an almost larger than life character, gruff, with a way of winkling confidences from people, and a little unorthodox in her methods. She has that attribute of all good detectives, the ability to make the intuitive leap, to see past what she is being told, to admit when she has made a mistake, and finally to come up with the goods.
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of protesting her innocence, Jeanie has committed suicide in prison, and someone has come forward to give her an unshakeable alibi for the time of the murder. So the killer, probably a local, is still at large, and Inspector Vera Stanhope comes to the village to seek the truth.She has an advantage - Dan Greenwood, local craftsman, is a former copper whom she has worked with, and he was on the Mantel murder case. For one of Abigail's friends, Emma Bennett, who discovered Abigail's body the past comes back.
Ann Cleeves tells us that TELLING TALES is set in a fictitious landscape east of Hull, but that doesn't stop it from feeling very real. Vera Stanhope is an almost larger than life character, gruff, with a way of winkling confidences from people, and a little unorthodox in her methods. She has that attribute of all good detectives, the ability to make the intuitive leap, to see past what she is being told, to admit when she has made a mistake, and finally to come up with the goods.
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LibraryThing member VictoriaJZ
I liked this one much better than the first. And was surprised when she wrapped it up at the very end.
LibraryThing member Condorena
Vera Stanhope is one of the most interesting characters in detective fiction that I have come across in a while. She looks and dresses like a bag lady because of an unfortunate figure and a recalcitrant skin condition. She is frequently underestimated and often over looked so he has developed a
She is the perfect Detective Inspector to reinvestigate a case of the death of a young girl ten years prior. She knows people and also knows how to manipulate them on occasion as she ferrets out secrets that only an elephant would remember.
This is the second of this series and like all of Ann Cleeves' series is well worth reading.
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personality that is warm and caring on occasion and very snarky as the British say, on others.She is the perfect Detective Inspector to reinvestigate a case of the death of a young girl ten years prior. She knows people and also knows how to manipulate them on occasion as she ferrets out secrets that only an elephant would remember.
This is the second of this series and like all of Ann Cleeves' series is well worth reading.
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LibraryThing member Romonko
I first met Inspector Vera Stanhope on a television series on public television. I enjoyed the series so much that I had to read the books. This is the second book in the Vera Stanhope series. We don't see Vera in this book until about a third of the way through, but we are introduced to some truly
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unlikable characters before we do see Vera. I couldn't help thinking, "Hooray, finally a character that I can enjoy!" Vera has been called in to reexamine a case that was supposedly solved ten years ago. The person who had been charged with the murder of 15 year old Abigail Mantel had always insisted she was innocent. A witness that had been out of the country had since come home and contacted police to tell them that Jeanie Long's alibi for the time of the crime was verified. In the meantime, Jeanie Long had taken her own life in prison. So that is why Vera is sent to the little village of Elvet to get to the bottom of the whole thing. Naturally, the villagers are not happy to dredge up all the unsavoury details of Abigail's death. Vera finds not much co-operation and assistance in this tight little, closed-off, unfriendly village. She perseveres though and uncovers all kinds of old-history that doesn't shed a very good light on anyone in the village. The killer is unmasked due to Vera's thorough investigating skills. I love Ann Cleeves' characterization. Her characters are so realistic, especially the unlikable ones, and Vera and her sidekick Sergeant Joe Ashworth are treasures in the fictional detective genre. Show Less
LibraryThing member Icewineanne
This is the second book in the Vera Stanhope series, and it is also the second book that I have read by Ann Cleeves. I love Ann's writing. As with her first book in the series, she doesn't begin the story with her detective, rather she starts with the stories of all of the other fascinating
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characters, their relationships to each other, and to the victim(s). Vera Stanhope does not play a major role until almost half-way through the novel, but because the suspects and their tales are so interesting, you don't really mind. I love character driven novels, no serial killers or excessive violence here, just a good old fashioned psychological mystery story. I highly recommend this series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Goldengrove
Re-read of this. Cleaves is so good at atmosphere, especially in the countryside.
I remembered who had done it, but that didn't matter at all - always a good sign in a murder mystery.
I remembered who had done it, but that didn't matter at all - always a good sign in a murder mystery.
LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Telling Tales is the second novel to feature Inspector Vera Stanhope. She's been called in to re-investigate a ten year old crime when new evidence surfaces that proves Jeanie Long, found guilty of the murder of fifteen-year-old Abigail Mantel, was innocent. It's too late for Jeanie, who committed
Emma Bennett's life changed drastically ten years ago when she discovered the body of her best friend. Now she lives in Elvet with her husband, James, and baby but the discovery continues to haunt her. Vera discovers that Dan, the man who owns the Pottery, was on the police force at the time of the murder, but left soon after Jeanie was convicted. Caroline Fletcher, Dan’s boss who was in charge of the earlier investigation, also left the police force soon afterwards, and it isn’t long before Vera discovers a huge conflict of interest. Even James, Emma’s husband, seems to be hiding something in his past. When another murder occurs, it's obvious to Vera that it's connected to the first.
There is nothing lovable about Vera Stanhope. If you are looking for a Miss Marple or Jessica Fletcher you need to find another series. This was a great book with a solid crime plot and great characters and locale. Vera is a commanding presence in this gripping mystery and I look forward to the next book in the series, Hidden Depths.
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suicide after her recent unsuccessful parole review. Nothing makes Vera madder than discovering an investigation was botched and the killer is probably still at large so she and Joe Ashworth head to the coastal village of Elvet where she finds that everyone seems to have a secret.Emma Bennett's life changed drastically ten years ago when she discovered the body of her best friend. Now she lives in Elvet with her husband, James, and baby but the discovery continues to haunt her. Vera discovers that Dan, the man who owns the Pottery, was on the police force at the time of the murder, but left soon after Jeanie was convicted. Caroline Fletcher, Dan’s boss who was in charge of the earlier investigation, also left the police force soon afterwards, and it isn’t long before Vera discovers a huge conflict of interest. Even James, Emma’s husband, seems to be hiding something in his past. When another murder occurs, it's obvious to Vera that it's connected to the first.
There is nothing lovable about Vera Stanhope. If you are looking for a Miss Marple or Jessica Fletcher you need to find another series. This was a great book with a solid crime plot and great characters and locale. Vera is a commanding presence in this gripping mystery and I look forward to the next book in the series, Hidden Depths.
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LibraryThing member diana.hauser
TELLING TALES by Ann Cleeves is the second title in the Vera Stanhope series.
I am just getting acquainted with Vera and I am glad I did. I segued into ‘Vera’ after reading Ann Cleeves’ Shetland series.
Inspector Stanhope is called in to reinvestigate a ten year old crime where a young woman,
The detailed characters and sense of place drew me into this mystery. Vera is a one of a kind personality and I quite adore her. How she unravels the relationships among all the characters , especially their relationships with their parents is not only brilliant but very unsettling.
Police procedures, suspense, mystery, psycho drama, a strong sense of place and crooked businessmen all combine to create a great mystery.
I am just getting acquainted with Vera and I am glad I did. I segued into ‘Vera’ after reading Ann Cleeves’ Shetland series.
Inspector Stanhope is called in to reinvestigate a ten year old crime where a young woman,
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Jeanie Long, was convicted of murdering her lover’s young daughter. New evidence has come to light, plus whispers of a botched investigation. It appears Jeanie may not be guilty after all.The detailed characters and sense of place drew me into this mystery. Vera is a one of a kind personality and I quite adore her. How she unravels the relationships among all the characters , especially their relationships with their parents is not only brilliant but very unsettling.
Police procedures, suspense, mystery, psycho drama, a strong sense of place and crooked businessmen all combine to create a great mystery.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
First Line: Sitting at the bedroom window, Emma looks out at the night-time square.
It's been ten long years since Jeanie Long has been locked up for the murder of teenager Abigail Mantel. Ten long years, and now evidence has come forward that proves Jeanie's innocence. The villagers of Elvet on the
Stanhope finds many questions that need answers. Two of the leads on the original case left the force and are now living in the area. Both of them had seemed content with Jeanie Long's conviction. The murdered girl's father is a businessman and no better than he has to be. Even the victim's best friend seems wreathed in daydreams and unsure of what really went on ten years ago. Stanhope has her work cut out for her.
But if there's anyone with the patience to get to the bottom of this case, it's Vera Stanhope. A middle-aged, homely woman, she's used to being in the background and allowed to listen and observe. When she finds the loose thread of a clue, she worries and worries at it until it's pulled loose, and she follows wherever it leads. She is quite simply a joy to watch as the case unfolds.
Ann Cleeves is one of the most talented crime fiction writers today. Her atmospheric settings bring in the natural world and tease the imagination as her plots twist and turn-- and her characterizations are brilliant, never hitting a false note. If you've never tried a book written by Ann Cleeves, I strongly urge you to do so!
It's been ten long years since Jeanie Long has been locked up for the murder of teenager Abigail Mantel. Ten long years, and now evidence has come forward that proves Jeanie's innocence. The villagers of Elvet on the
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East Yorkshire coast know this means Abigail's killer is still at large. Yorkshire police believe it best to bring in an investigative team from outside to re-open the case, and Northumbria's Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope finds herself amongst the "Yorkies" sifting through all the witnesses' stories to piece together the truth.Stanhope finds many questions that need answers. Two of the leads on the original case left the force and are now living in the area. Both of them had seemed content with Jeanie Long's conviction. The murdered girl's father is a businessman and no better than he has to be. Even the victim's best friend seems wreathed in daydreams and unsure of what really went on ten years ago. Stanhope has her work cut out for her.
But if there's anyone with the patience to get to the bottom of this case, it's Vera Stanhope. A middle-aged, homely woman, she's used to being in the background and allowed to listen and observe. When she finds the loose thread of a clue, she worries and worries at it until it's pulled loose, and she follows wherever it leads. She is quite simply a joy to watch as the case unfolds.
Ann Cleeves is one of the most talented crime fiction writers today. Her atmospheric settings bring in the natural world and tease the imagination as her plots twist and turn-- and her characterizations are brilliant, never hitting a false note. If you've never tried a book written by Ann Cleeves, I strongly urge you to do so!
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LibraryThing member thornton37814
Before her release from prison, Jeanie Long committed suicide. New evidence found her innocent of the Abigail Mantel's murder. Jeanie declared her innocence all along. Now Vera Stanhope reviews the case, seeking clues the original investigators overlooked. We meet the cast of family, friends,
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suspects, and original investigators as Vera makes her inquiries. I had trouble focusing on the book, but in the end, I was satisfied. I suspect I might prefer these in audio format. If available in that format from the library, I'll probably try the next one that way. Show Less
LibraryThing member Andrew-theQM
Anne Cleeves does write a very good story! This is a very good book, but not a great book. I do enjoy Anne Cleeves writing - she writes a complex story quite often involving events from the past and leaves you thinking many of the characters could have had a convincing reason for being the
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murderer. I did, at one point, think the actual murderer could have been guilty, but it wasn't until towards the every end of the book that I finally worked out she must have done it. I do prefer the Shetland Islands Series (which is one of my favourite all time series) but this is still a very good series that I am enjoying. Vera is a very unique character and the books are so much the better when she is central in the story. I would recommend this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member gbelik
Vera Stanhope is a great character, and this mystery treated the other characters deeply and thoughtfully.
LibraryThing member hobbitprincess
The character of Vera Stanhope is developed further in this second novel of the series about the English detective who is clever and quirky. As always, the crime is multi-layered, and this makes the story very interesting with something happening at the turn of a page. Once again, I had the
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murderer wrong! Show Less
LibraryThing member lauralkeet
A solid second novel in the Vera Stanhope mystery series. Vera is assigned to investigate a recently-reopened case, the murder of a 15-year-old girl ten years earlier. The scene is initially set by the victim’s best friend, now married with a baby. Like any good mystery, there are a number of
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potential suspects, and Ann Cleeves is effective at keeping the reader guessing. After the reveal I asked myself “why didn’t I see that coming?” and I think it was because she did such a good job of focusing my attention elsewhere that I missed the obvious signs. Show Less
LibraryThing member SamSattler
Ann Cleeves has written five different crime fiction series since publishing her first George Palmer Jones novel in 1986, usually alternating novels between whichever are the two most current of her series. These days that means that Cleeves is alternating between additions to her nine-book Vera
Telling Tales sees Vera and her young partner, Joe Ashworth, reinvestigating a ten-year-old murder conviction that has fallen apart. It turns out that the woman serving prison time for the murder is every bit as innocent as she has been proclaiming herself to be for the last ten years. A witness has finally come forward to prove that Jeanie Long was in London when the fifteen-year-old victim was strangled hours away in her rural village. Unfortunately for Jeanie Long, the news did not reach her in time to save her life. Now, much to the chagrin of the local police, Vera and Joe have been called in as unbiased outside investigators to figure out where and how everything about the initial investigation could have gone so wrong.
And, even more importantly, to find the real killer who has escaped justice for the last decade.
Neither objective is going to be easy to achieve, however, because Vera soon learns that this is a village full of people hiding secrets about the past from each other — and now, from her. All Vera knows for sure is that none of them can be trusted or taken at face value, including the two cops who worked the murder case ten years earlier. Soon enough, Vera is not sure which she dislikes more, the village’s boringly flat landscape or the people who lie there.
Bottom Line: Readers have come to expect complicated and satisfying mysteries from Ann Cleeves, and Telling Tales is no exception. I do suggest that, right from the beginning of the novel, readers begin making a list of character names and descriptions as each new character is introduced. There are many of them, and their relationships get more and more complicated as the story unfolds. I found myself referencing my own character notes almost to the end of the book, and without them, I think I would have missed out on some of Cleeves’s subtle hints and tricks — the very ones that make mysteries like Telling Tales so much fun.
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Stanhope series and additions to her latest series featuring Detective Matthew Venn - which is now two books long. Telling Tales (2005), the second Vera Stanhope novel, re-established that pattern for Cleeves. The novel was published a full six years after the first Vera Stanhope novel because the author published her only two standalone novels in between the first and second Stanhope books. The following year (2006), Cleeves introduced her Shetland series featuring Detective Jimmy Perez, and the Stanhope and Perez books together carried her to a whole new level of popularity she has enjoyed ever since. Telling Tales sees Vera and her young partner, Joe Ashworth, reinvestigating a ten-year-old murder conviction that has fallen apart. It turns out that the woman serving prison time for the murder is every bit as innocent as she has been proclaiming herself to be for the last ten years. A witness has finally come forward to prove that Jeanie Long was in London when the fifteen-year-old victim was strangled hours away in her rural village. Unfortunately for Jeanie Long, the news did not reach her in time to save her life. Now, much to the chagrin of the local police, Vera and Joe have been called in as unbiased outside investigators to figure out where and how everything about the initial investigation could have gone so wrong.
And, even more importantly, to find the real killer who has escaped justice for the last decade.
Neither objective is going to be easy to achieve, however, because Vera soon learns that this is a village full of people hiding secrets about the past from each other — and now, from her. All Vera knows for sure is that none of them can be trusted or taken at face value, including the two cops who worked the murder case ten years earlier. Soon enough, Vera is not sure which she dislikes more, the village’s boringly flat landscape or the people who lie there.
Bottom Line: Readers have come to expect complicated and satisfying mysteries from Ann Cleeves, and Telling Tales is no exception. I do suggest that, right from the beginning of the novel, readers begin making a list of character names and descriptions as each new character is introduced. There are many of them, and their relationships get more and more complicated as the story unfolds. I found myself referencing my own character notes almost to the end of the book, and without them, I think I would have missed out on some of Cleeves’s subtle hints and tricks — the very ones that make mysteries like Telling Tales so much fun.
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LibraryThing member LARA335
A young woman sentenced for murder commits suicide, only for her alibi to belatedly emerge. Vera stays in a close-knit village to re investigate.
A solid murder-mystery that kept me guessing to the end. I like down-to-earth Vera, but didn’t feel invested in any of the other characters, but as this
A solid murder-mystery that kept me guessing to the end. I like down-to-earth Vera, but didn’t feel invested in any of the other characters, but as this
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is a puzzle, it didn’t matter that much. Show Less
LibraryThing member Dabble58
I love the Vera series by Ann Cleeves - total addict when on PBS or streaming and have taken to calling people “pet” and eying shapeless floral print dresses, but I hadn’t read the books and I have to say they are a marvel. Crafting a mystery series that keeps the reader guessing, with
Atmosphere is big here, too, and Vera’s increasing disgust with the case and the town is palpable, even as she acknowledges the thrill of the chase. I like her character and enjoy the greater view into it the books provide.
On to # 3 in the series- perfect reading for a cold winter’s night.
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multiple creepy story lines and interweavings is a huge challenge. In this book, Cleeves juggles several story lines and though I spotted the possible perpetrators early I ended up surprised by the ending. Atmosphere is big here, too, and Vera’s increasing disgust with the case and the town is palpable, even as she acknowledges the thrill of the chase. I like her character and enjoy the greater view into it the books provide.
On to # 3 in the series- perfect reading for a cold winter’s night.
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LibraryThing member lamour
It took almost 100 pages before Vera appeared and when she did, the novel took off. During those early 100 pages, I was trying to keep all the many characters that Cleaves introduced straight. The plot is about Jeanie Long, a young woman who has spent 10 years in jail for a murder that now the
It turns out to be extremely complicated and as she works her way through the evidence and suspects, she finds herself changing her focus from one suspect to another with each new revelation. Lots of fun to read.
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police know she did not commit. Vera is sent in as an outside police department to investigate the case to see where mistakes were made,It turns out to be extremely complicated and as she works her way through the evidence and suspects, she finds herself changing her focus from one suspect to another with each new revelation. Lots of fun to read.
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Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Mystery — 2018)