The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves
Like many people, I eagerly watch each new series of Vera, but I've also recently started watching the entire series from the beginning. I'm enjoying it so much that I decided it was finally time to try the books that the TV series is based on.
If you have read other reviews of The Crow Trap, you have probably learnt that DI Vera Stanhope isn't introduced until part way through the book. But (fear not) she still manages to steal the show. Vera is a fascinating character, vividly brought to life, and even after only one book I feel like I have a better, rounder understanding of her character than can be gained from watching the TV series alone.
That's not to say, however, that I was impatiently turning pages, waiting for Vera to be introduced. The characters the reader is first introduced to are all interesting in their own right. Ann Cleeves clearly has a talent for crafting characters that are both memorable and realistic. The Crow Trap is a little longer than you might expect for a police procedural (around 560 pages), and it was the characters and the story which held my attention more than the suspense and action.
I was particularly impressed by how well-plotted The Crow Trap is (everything is relevant, without making the resolution too easy to guess). Fans of the TV series need not worry that their familiarity with the plot will ruin their enjoyment of this book. The TV adaptation has (as is usually the case) changed details of the story, simplified characters, and condensed plotlines. The Crow Trap is worth reading as much for the way the story is told, as for the 'whodunnit' part of the story itself.
I would definitely be happy to read more of this series.
If you have read other reviews of The Crow Trap, you have probably learnt that DI Vera Stanhope isn't introduced until part way through the book. But (fear not) she still manages to steal the show. Vera is a fascinating character, vividly brought to life, and even after only one book I feel like I have a better, rounder understanding of her character than can be gained from watching the TV series alone.
That's not to say, however, that I was impatiently turning pages, waiting for Vera to be introduced. The characters the reader is first introduced to are all interesting in their own right. Ann Cleeves clearly has a talent for crafting characters that are both memorable and realistic. The Crow Trap is a little longer than you might expect for a police procedural (around 560 pages), and it was the characters and the story which held my attention more than the suspense and action.
I was particularly impressed by how well-plotted The Crow Trap is (everything is relevant, without making the resolution too easy to guess). Fans of the TV series need not worry that their familiarity with the plot will ruin their enjoyment of this book. The TV adaptation has (as is usually the case) changed details of the story, simplified characters, and condensed plotlines. The Crow Trap is worth reading as much for the way the story is told, as for the 'whodunnit' part of the story itself.
I would definitely be happy to read more of this series.
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