Vera

Sep 2022 17

The Rising Tide A Vera Stanhope Novel By Ann Cleeves: Review/Giveaway

2022 Articles, Kathleen Costa, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Kathleen Costa

DCI Vera Stanhope has been the lead detective for the Northumberland Police Constabulary for many years although don’t comment on the amount of years it truly is. She is the epitome of a workaholic, rarely taking time off, as she is more comfortable in the middle of an investigation with the people she considers like family. Growing up she was always an outsider due to her short and plump stature and her father’s peculiar, if not illegal, pastime.

Jan 2022 29

Ann Cleeves Trifecta VERA, Shetland, & The Long Call on BritBox Streaming

2022 Articles, Kathleen Costa, Mysteryrat's Maze, TV

by Kathleen Costa

BritBox offers many programs that are actually based on novels which has sparked my interest in engaging with the author’s original vision of the characters, the setting, and the plot. From Robert Thorogood’s Death in Paradise to James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small from Ellis Peter’s Cadfael Mysteries to Georges Simenon’s Maigret from Nicholas Rhea’s Constable series (Heartbeat) and of course, not to mention all things Agatha Christie to Shakespeare, BritBox brings to the screen an excellent cast, beautiful settings, and stories that have you coming back for more…more is checking out the books! One author whose work is iconic in any form is Ann Cleeves.

May 2020 23

Vera Season 10 On BritBox Streaming

2020 Articles, Kathleen Costa, Mysteryrat's Maze, TV

by Kathleen Costa

Finding entertainment during this “stay at home” season may be challenging, however, for me, it is as close as my iPad and the BritBox app. I am a happy Anglophile with a huge library of movies, mini series, and television shows included in my very reasonable membership (monthly or annual fee options). I can start with a couple comedy shows like Waiting for God and Scarborough or dramas like DSI Bancroft and Casualty 1900s: London Hospital, or get comfy for a long weekend of binging all of thriller MI-5 and police procedural Prime Suspect. I have also found new-to-me shows like Taggart, Blandings, and The Mallorca Files offering lots of entertainment.

Mar 2019 23

Brit-Box Trilogy of Entertainment Vera, Maigret, & Shakespeare & Hathaway

2019 Articles, Kathleen Costa, Mysteryrat's Maze, TV

by Kathleen Costa

I've been a fan of British television and movies since the early sixties. Mysteries, secret agents, romance, humor, and of course, all the Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing horrors had me glued to the television every Saturday. But, getting productions in the U.S. was relegated to a hit-and-miss and incomplete airing on PBS stations, and don't get me started on BBC America! So, it was a gift from tech heaven finding BritBox. For a reasonable monthly or annual fee, I have access to a wide range of comedies, drama, mysteries, documentaries—all with excellent video/audio quality using any of my devices.

Aug 2017 12

Acorn-TV Rocks!

2017 Articles, Kathleen Costa, Mysteryrat's Maze, TV

by Kathleen Costa

ACORN-TV continues to provide hundreds of the best programming options including news & reviews, mysteries, dramas, comedies, documentaries, foreign language, feature films and some programs only available on or original to Acorn-TV. The regular monthly or annual subscription fees are very reasonable and with hours of commercial-free streaming enjoyment for the true anglophiles, you won’t be wondering, “What’s on the telly tonight?”

Jul 2015 25

Vera Stanhope: Detective, Loner, Winner

2015 Articles, Deborah Harter Williams, Mysteryrat's Maze, TV

by Deborah Harter Williams

Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope is variously described as cranky, driven, overweight and middle-aged, and that’s from the people who love her. Vera is based on the books created by author, Ann Cleeves, and is brought to small screen life by actress Brenda Blethyn.