The Glass Room

The Glass Room by Ann Cleeves is definitely a novel for those addicted to crime fiction.  The action occurs at a country property used as a writers' retreat. When Vera's neighbour is reported missing by her partner, Vera tracts her down at the retreat. Vera sets out to check that Joanna is OK and discovers that a murder has occurred with Joanna as the initial suspect. As Vera and her team investigate it is soon obvious that the murder victim was not a popular person and the investigation of the crime will not be straightforward.

The investigation examines why each participant is at the retreat and what they hope to achieve by attending. The guests are not just aspiring writers but are also lecturers and tutors. When a second murder occurs it becomes apparent that the murderer has staged the setting of the murder to resemble a setting for a murder written by one of the guests at the retreat. Working on a case committed by someone interested in creating crime fiction provides challenges for Vera and her team as they race to avoid a third murder. The chemistry between Vera and members of the team continue to be a feature of the novel.

The Glass Room is book number 5 in the Vera television series. The plot from this book has not featured in the TV series.