The fifth book in Ann Cleeves' bestselling the Vera Stanhope series, now a major ITV detective drama starring Brenda Blethyn as Vera. Now reissued with a new cover look. Sometimes crime strikes too close to home. DI Vera Stanhope is not one to make friends easily, but her neighbours keep her well-supplied in homebrew and conversation. But when one of them goes missing, her path leads her to more than a missing friend. Vera tracks the young woman down to the Writer's House, a country retreat for aspiring authors. Things get complicated when a body is discovered and Vera's neighbour is found with a knife in her hand. Calling in the team, Vera knows that she should hand the case over. She's too close to the main suspect. But the investigation is too tempting and she's never been one to follow the rules. Vera must find a killer who has taken murder off the page and is making it real.