The Rising Tide by Ann Cleeves *****

The Rising Tide by Ann Cleeves is about a pair of murders that happen around the 50^th anniversary of an encounter group attended by high school students. Fifty years later, the students have married, divorced, and grown old. One is a disgraced TV personality, and another became rich. Back around the 5^th anniversary, one couple lost an infant and a lady died accidentally. So with two old deaths and two recent murders, Vera Stanhope and her team attempted to unravel the relationships formed over the past fifty years. “The theme of the novel is hypocrisy, and it explores the lengths some people will take to hide the sins of the past.”

COMPLICATIONS

Rick Kelsall (first murder victim) is writing a tell-all novel.

The two old deaths are called into question.

Eliza Bond’s accusation which led to the downfall of Rick Kelsall was a fabrication.

Teacher Judith Sinclair slept with her students.

Louisa didn’t like her older sister Isobel.

Charlotte (the second murder victim)’s family were gangsters, and her business (Only Connect) was failing.

Annie still feels guilty about the death of her infant.

CHARACTERS

Cops

Vera Stanhope – Inspector

Billy Cartwright – CSI

Holly Clarke – DC, detective constable

Joe Ashworth – DS, detective sergeant

Katherina Willmore – PCC, Police and Crime Commissioner. Partner to Daniel.

Doc Keating – medical examiner

Only Connect encounter-group attendees

Annie Laidler – works at Bread and Olives with Jax. Her infant died which led to her divorce from Daniel.

Charlotte Thomas – Left first meeting early, never returned, Married Rick, divorced

Daniel Rede – Married Annie. Left after infant Freya died just before the first five-year reunion, minted

Isobel Hall – died at the first reunion

Judith Marshall Sinclair – the teacher

Ken Hampton – Has dementia. Married to Louisa.

Philip Robson – became an Anglican priest

Rick Kelsall – famous TV personality, murdered at 10^th reunion

Others

Louisa Hall – Isobel’s younger sister. Married to Ken (with dementia).

Eliza Bond – Katherine’s daughter and accuser who got Rick fired (by accident)

Joanna – Vera’s neighbor

SPOILERS

Dan Rede did it to protect PCC Willmore, her daughter Eliza, and his business.

Holly dies.

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