I have long been a fan of Ann Cleeves' writing, in particular her Shetland series and these Vera Stanhope novels. Vera is a favorite of mine. She's not young, she's definitely not pretty, and she tends to be a grouch. Her life with her eccentric father shaped her, but it does not define her. This woman has a mind like the proverbial steel trap, and not much gets past her gimlet eye.

What's new for Vera this time around is the fact that she's paying more attention to children and mothers, and she's wondering if perhaps she should've given motherhood a try herself. When a woman is childless past a certain age, it's natural to think about what if's... and Vera might even be wondering who's going to take care of her when she no longer can.

Cleeves' strengths are in evidence here: characterization, creating atmosphere, her ear for dialogue, and plotting, and I always enjoy how she includes her own interests in her books-- like the beautiful county of Northumberland, birds, and this time the world of writing and publishing. I was slightly disappointed in that I knew the identity of the killer immediately, but I think it was more the case that I instinctively distrust certain types of characters rather than any sort of weakness on the author's part.

What I am sure of is my affection for Vera Stanhope. Whenever Vera has a new case, you can be certain that I'll read all about it.

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The Glass Room was not as strong or engaging as the earlier ones in the Vera series, mainly because the supporting characters seemed unlikeable and, in two cases, implausible to me. On the plus side, the plot was good and kept me guessing until the end. Cleeves' focus on Vera's thoughts is what makes this series unique, so I disagree with others who think they are intrusive.

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In print, detective Vera Stanhope is a whole lot more likeable than she probably would be in person. We see her in her vulnerable, private moments, not just when she is bullying her staff or trying to trick suspects into talking with her.

The book's plot involves an inn full of writers, and having been around hundreds of writers over the years, it didn't ring true to me that this batch were uniformly loud, noisy and showoffy.

Nevertheless, it's an excellent read, well crafted.

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