Title:	The Rising Tide
	Author:	Ann Cleeves
	Published:	September 6, 2022, Minotaur Books
	No. of Pages:	384
	Cover Price:	$27.99 Hardcover, $14.99 Kindle

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The Rising Tide is the 10th installment of the Vera Stanhope series by bestselling British author, Ann Cleeves. Several friends have been meeting every five years on Holy Island; the first meeting was a class trip, and that was 50 years ago. One of the friends died earlier when she argued with one of the friends and took off getting caught up in the rising tide. Presently, one of the friends has been murdered, and Vera has been called in to solve the murder.

Cleeves has developed the character of Vera Stanhope very well, and she is not a traditional protagonist. Rather, she is overweight, unattractive, and sloppy. But she does know how to solve a murder, and while she may not be liked all that much by her co-workers, she is very much loved by those of us who read the series. She seems like a real person that most of us would like to know.

Cleeves is also an excellent storyteller. She incorporates some British culture into the novel, which makes for something a bit different. This novel flows with ups and downs, as well as building suspense right up to the dénouement, which is, of course, a surprise. The Rising Tide will keep readers on the edge and is well-written. Fans of Vera Stanhope will welcome this excellent novel. Those unfamiliar will find they must read the previous novels because Cleeves style is very appealing.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.