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Ann Cleeves

Ann Cleeves

British · 1 series

Police procedural Small town mystery Atmospheric

By The Editorial Team · Last reviewed April 2026

Who is Ann Cleeves?

Ann Cleeves is one of Britain’s most beloved crime writers, best known for creating two iconic detective series that have both been adapted into long-running television dramas. Her Vera Stanhope series, set in the wild landscapes of Northumberland, introduced readers to a brilliantly eccentric and deeply humane detective inspector whose unconventional methods consistently get results. The Shetland series, meanwhile, transplants the procedural format to the remote Scottish islands, where Detective Jimmy Perez navigates close-knit communities and secrets buried deep in the landscape.

Cleeves began her writing career in the 1980s, but it was the Vera series — launched with The Crow Trap in 1999 — that cemented her reputation. The television adaptations starring Brenda Blethyn (Vera) and Douglas Henshall (Shetland) introduced her work to millions of viewers worldwide and made both series international phenomena.

In 2017, Cleeves received the Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger, the highest honour in British crime writing, awarded for sustained excellence and outstanding contribution to the genre. She joins a short list of legends to have received the lifetime achievement award.

What distinguishes Cleeves is her mastery of place. Northumberland’s moors and coastline breathe through every Vera novel; the Shetland islands — remote, windswept, starkly beautiful — become characters in their own right. Her mysteries are psychological and community-driven, with meticulous plotting that rewards patient readers.

She announced the conclusion of both the Vera and Shetland series, ending them on her own terms — a rare and admirable decision.

Quick facts

  • Born: 1954, in the United Kingdom
  • Nationality: British
  • Genre: Crime fiction, police procedural
  • Best known for: Vera Stanhope series, Shetland series
  • Award: CWA Diamond Dagger (2017)
  • TV adaptations: Vera (ITV), Shetland (BBC One)
  • Both series concluded by author’s choice

What order should I read Ann Cleeves’s books?

Start with the Vera Stanhope series from the beginning — The Crow Trap is the right entry point and sets up Vera’s world with confidence. The books work as standalones, but reading in publication order rewards you with Vera’s slow, layered development as a character.

The Shetland and Vera series are completely independent of each other. You can read them in parallel or tackle one before the other — there is no wrong choice. Most readers find Vera the stronger starting point, but Shetland has its own fierce advocates.

Vera Stanhope

  1. 1
    The Crow Trap
    The Crow Trap (1999)

    Vera's first outing. Three women share a remote Northumberland cottage while conducting an environmental survey — until one of them is found dead.

  2. 2
    Telling Tales
    Telling Tales (2005)

    A woman wrongly convicted of murder is freed after ten years when new evidence emerges. Then another death follows, and Vera must untangle two decades of lies.

  3. 3
    Hidden Depths
    Hidden Depths (2007)

    A young man is found drowned in a bath of wildflowers. The staging is ritualistic, and Vera suspects the killer is closer to her own world than she would like.

  4. 4
    Silent Voices
    Silent Voices (2012)

    A body is discovered in the changing room of a luxury health spa. Vera must navigate a world of privilege and resentment to find the killer among the guests.

  5. 5
    The Glass Room
    The Glass Room (2012)

    A prestigious writers' retreat becomes a crime scene when a tutor is found murdered. Vera infiltrates the literary world with characteristic bluntness.

  6. 6
    Harbour Street
    Harbour Street (2014)

    A woman is stabbed on a Tyneside Metro train, her murder witnessed by dozens of commuters — none of whom claim to have seen anything.

  7. 7
    The Moth Catcher
    The Moth Catcher (2015)

    In a secluded Northumberland valley, a gamekeeper and a young man are found dead, their deaths seemingly unconnected. Vera finds the thread that links them.

  8. 8
    The Seagull
    The Seagull (2017)

    A convicted criminal offers Vera information about a decades-old disappearance. But the truth he leads her toward is far more dangerous than she anticipated.

  9. 9
    The Long Call
    The Long Call (2019)

    This entry introduces a new detective, Matthew Venn, set in North Devon. Vera appears in a supporting role as the series begins to expand its world.

  10. 10
    The Dark Wives
    The Dark Wives (2023)

    The final Vera Stanhope novel. A woman's body is found near a children's home, and the investigation forces Vera to confront her own past and what legacy she will leave behind.

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