Murder Squad 25th Anniversary Short Story Competition
In 2025,Murder Squad, of which Ann Cleeves is a founder member, celebrates its 25th Anniversary. Yes, astonishingly, it's a quarter century since seven, unknown, mid-list crime writers joined forces to publicise our work. Four of the original founders remain, plus two (relative) newbies. The squad has garnered many accolades and awards during that time - and now boasts not one, but TWO Diamond Dagger winners!
Murder Squad, left to right: Martin Edwards, Ann Cleeves, Cath Staincliffe, Kate Ellis, Chris Simms and Margaret Murphy
To mark this special year, we are running a short story competition with the theme 'Anniversary'. The competition is open to new/emerging writers (aged over 18) who have not had a full-length novel or story collection published. We are looking for original stories up to 1500 words in length that grip us and make us eager to find out what happens. Entries are open now and will close on Friday 15th February 2025. All the details are on the Murder Squad website.
Ann says: "A short story brought me my very first award nomination. I didn't win, but I still remember the excitement of it. I hope many of you enter Murder Squad's very special short story competition. After all, we're nearly as old as Vera!"
Good luck!
A postcard from Ann Cleeves
Talking about her own short stories, Ann says "As a writer, they give me the opportunity to experiment, to play and to try a new form. My first non-series piece of prose came out as short fiction and I'd never have had the nerve to write a first person novel, without practising first on a story.
"I don't send post cards when I travel; I write stories instead. The three pieces in the CWA anthologies bring back vivid memories of Tanzania, Finland and Alaska."
Now publisher Pan MacMillan are offering you the chance to receive one of those postcards: sign up foe the Best of Pan Macmillan newsletter and download your digital copy of Games for Winter. In this gripping short story, a newcomer to an isolated Alaskan island finds that beneath the locals' seemingly idyllic way of life, there hides a dark and sinister truth ...
Visit the Pan MacMillan website to complete the form and sign up for all the latest news! Offer valid until 23:59 on 30th December 2024.
Shetland wrapped!
The thrilling finale of Shetland's ninth series has now been broadcast. Ann posted on Bluesky "Great ending to #Shetland tonight. Worth watching the series if you've missed it so far!" You'll find all six episodes on the iPlayer.
Ashley Jensen and Alison O'Donnell reprise their roles as Detectives Ruth Calder and Alison 'Tosh' McIntosh; other returning regulars include Shetlander Steven Robertson (Sandy), Lewis Howden (Billy) and Anne Kidd (Cora).
And of course, all the original mysteries featuring Jimmy Perez are still there in Ann Cleeves' eight Shetland novels, two whole quartets to read whenever you want to!
Read more about Shetland: the tv series and the books.
A very VERA New Year!
ITV have announced the details of season 14 for the hit crime drama based on Ann Cleeves' unorthodox but brilliantly perceptive Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope, played to perfection by Brenda Vlethyn. The good news is that there isn't long to wait: it will air at the very beginning of the New Year. The bad news is, as previously announced, that series 14 consists of only two episodes, and that with them VERA< comes to an end.
The series finishes in style: the first episode, Inside will be shown on New Year's Day, Wednesday 1st January at 8pm on ITV1. Then the very next day, on Thursday 2nd January (also at 8pm on ITV1) Brenda Blethyn gives her farewell performance as Vera in The Dark Wives. The ITV synopsis says: "The final episode brings Vera back to a familiar place when a body is found at the foot of legendary local stones The Dark Wives. With memories of childhood in the background, Vera must work hard to uncover the mystery of why a bright young student would be violently attacked and left so far from home," and promises: "This poignant episode weaves together past and present and makes for a compelling and emotional farewell."
It's a sad farewell for all concerned. Brenda Blethyn said, when she announced her retirement from the rrôle, "Working on VERA has been a joy from beginning to end and I'm sad to be saying Cheerio But I am so proud of our achievements over the last fourteen years.
"I'll be forever grateful to the wonderful Ann Cleeves who created Vera, and to Elaine Collins who saw fit to cast me in the role. The producers, dream cast and crew have been fabulous and I'm going to miss them, but I won't forget their huge talent, the camaraderie, laughter or kindness we shared..." Ann returned the compliment, tweeting: "Of course, I'm sad Vera is coming to an end, but what a ride it's been! Thanks so much to the magnificent @BrendaBlethyn and the team."
There will be one last treat as we say "Farewell Pet," to Vera: an accompanying documentary will air on Friday, January 3.
If thats still not enough for you, all the previous episodes of VERA. are available to watch on ITVx. Better still, you can meet the original Vera by reading the books! Start at the beginning, with The Crow Trap; or start with the latest, The Dark Wives - yes, like the tv drama (only different).
Read more about all things Vera - in print and on TV - here.
A local myth. A deadly threat. And Vera
Vera Stanhope returns to her beloved hills to solve a suspenseful mystery in acclaimed crime writer Ann Cleeves' eleventh VERA novel. The Dark Wives, on sale now.
A man's body is found in the early morning light by a local dog walker in the park outside Rosebank, a care home for troubled teens in the coastal village of Longwater. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who was due to work the previous night but never showed up.
DI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate the death. Her only clue in this, her eleventh case. is the disappearance of one of the home's residents, fourteen year old Chloe Spence; Vera can't bring herself to believe that a teenager is responsible for the murder - but even she can't dismiss the possibility.
Vera, Joe and new team member Rosie Bell, are soon embroiled in the case, which takes Vera back to her beloved Northumberland hills, and when a second connected body is found near the Three Dark Wives monument in the wilds of the Northumberland countryside, superstition and folklore begin to collide with fact. Vera knows she has to find Chloe to get to the truth, and the dark secrets in their community that may be far more dangerous than she could have ever believed possible.
More about The Dark Wives.
"Like Rendell and James before her, like McDermid and Rankin today, Ann Cleeves is one of our secret chroniclers, charting - under cover of a series of expertly plotted and mesmerising crime novels - how we live now"
Mick Herron, author of 'Slow Horses'
"I do love Vera!"
Val McDermid
Helping to bring The Woodyard to life
The latest mystery novel from award-winning author Ann Cleeves is The Raging Storm, out now in the both the UK (where it is also available in paperback) and the US. Matthew Venn must unravel a third case, set in a remote fishing village in the area of North Devon where he - and Ann - grew up.
If you are already a fan of Ann's Matthew Venn stories, you probably recognise the name 'The Woodyard', the combination of community hub, arts centre, café, and place for people to meet and explore ideas where Matthew's husband Jonathan works. Now Ann is supporting a project to set up a real life Woodyard, and she is inviting you to be part of it too!
Ann explains a bit more about the Woodyard project, what it is and why she is supporting it...
The Raging Storm
When Jem Rosco - sailor, adventurer and local legend - blows into town in the middle of an autumn gale, the residents of Greystone, Devon, are delighted to have a celebrity in their midst. The residents think nothing of it when Rosco disappears again; that's the sort of man he is.
Until the lifeboat is launched to a hoax call-out during a raging storm and his body is found in a dinghy, anchored off Scully Cove, a place with legends of its own....
"Cleeves crafts a devilishly intricate mystery that will surprise even seasoned genre fans, and Venn remains an appealing lead every bit as memorable as the author's Vera Stanhope or Jimmy Perez. Cleeves's fans and newcomers alike will be hungry for the next entry."
"A surprising denouement moves this character-based mystery to the top tier."
The Raging Storm is now available in paperback, hardback, Kindle and audiobook (read by Jack Holden) editions. It was longlisted for the Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2024; voting has now closed, and we await the announcement of the shortlist!
Read more about The Raging Storm.
A Champion for Libraries
Award-winning novelist Ann Cleeves has been an outspoken advocate for public libraries throughout her career; she was a worthy first recipient of the new Public Library Champion award. This has been established to recognise a public figure who has used their platform to promote, celebrate and raise awareness of libraries. Ann says "Delighted to pick up my Public Library Champion Award last week at the Libraries Connected 2024 Awards Ceremony. Met some great people too. Without libraries, I wouldn't be a writer. There'd be no Vera or Shetland on our screens, selling all over the world and bringing money and tourists into our country. More importantly, I probably wouldn't be a reader."
Ann Cleeves Classic Crime
Book Break guides you through the books of Ann Cleeves: you may know Vera Stanhope, but did you know about Ann's first series set in Vera's county of Northumberland, featuring Inspector Stephen Ramsay? Or maybe you've read all of the Shetland books, but didn't know about Ann's standalone titles. Or maybe you'd like to read some short stories next...?
Some of Ann's classic crime novels will be easier to find in the future, with a series of new editions from Pan Macmillan. 2023 started with two stunning standalone mysteries, The Sleeping and the Dead and Burial of Ghosts. Next came the chance to discover Ann's very first detective series, featuring George Palmer-Jones, an elderly birdwatcher - helped by his wife, Molly, starting with A Bird in the Hand. Young Tom French is found dead, lying in a marsh on the Norfolk coast, with his head bashed in and his binoculars still around his neck. One of the best birders in England, Tom had put the village of Rushy on the birdwatching map. Everyone liked him. Or did they? ... More details of Ann Cleeves's stand-alone mysteries, and other books here.
Now the spotlight moves to Northumberland. Yes, before there was Vera Stanhope, there was Inspector Stephen Ramsay. A series of six cases are based in Northumberland, and show all aspects of that multi-faceted county. The first, A Lesson in Dying will be reissued on 20th June 2024. Read more about the 'Inspector Ramsay' books here.
In true Agatha Christie style, Cleeves once again pulls the wool over our eyes with cunning and conviction
Colin Dexter
A most satisfying mystery set in an isolated and intriguing location
Peter Robinson
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Last update: 12th December 2024.