The light had almost disappeared and the mist had returned like a fine drizzle on her skin. On the terrace the wrought-iron furniture appeared ghostly and insubstantial, a distorted memory of warm summer days.

I like the Vera Stanhope character because Ann Cleeves succeeds in making this fat, old, grumpy detective so human.
And for me, the plot of 'Silent Voices' is the best in this series so far.