The Darkest Evening : A Vera Stanhope Novel by Ann Cleeves

Vera was going home for a social event, but she missed her turn and had to go the long way around.  She had found a car off to the side with a young child still in it.  The door was wide open.  She took the child inside but there were no strangers.  It was what she expected.    At least in the beginning.  Then someone found the missing mother dead in the snow in the back.

Minotaur Books and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published September 8th.

Vera warns everyone away and calls the station for more help.  She didn't die from the cold, she had blunt trauma to her head.  Most knew who she was but she wasn't close to any of them.

This was a difficult case.  There were several suspects but they were all cleared.  The DNA test proved an assumption by the family was false.  Vera keeps trying to find out who the father was of the little boy.  She keeps following the wrong road.

When she goes back to their love nest, she is accosted by the real killer.  When she tells him she knows he did it, he tries to strangle her.  He's bigger and stronger, will this be the end for Vera?