The Darkest Evening – The episode opens with a girl receiving a package with keys and a note that reads, “Sorry wasn’t in class, it’s all yours, didn’t want to wake Thomas” signed “R.” After receiving a text, “I know what you’re doing and I won’t let it happen,” she packs her belongings and rushes out into a storm. While stopped by a down tree, a vehicle pulls up behind her. She runs through the woods. Her lifeless body can be seen lying on the ground at Brockburn Estate.

DCI Vera Stanhope (Brenda Blethyn) comes upon the girl’s car. With Thomas, she drives to the home of Juliet Branagh(Zoe Telford) to call in the vehicle registration number. She alerts DS Aiden Healy (Kenny Doughty) about the vehicle that belongs to 60-year-old Ronald “Ronnie” Browne (Kevin Doyle) at 14 Pleasance Drive in Kirkhill. He admits to having a few beers before she ends the call. Juliet informs Marcus Branagh (Simon Harrison) of the infant. Harriet Stanhope (Rosalind March) makes a snide remark to Vera about not attending her cousin, Crispin’s funeral. They discuss her living in Hector’s abode. A distraught Nial Neslop (Stephen Walters) claims to have discovered a female’s body.

Ronnie claims to have sold the vehicle to Lorna Falstone (Aimee Cassettari) who still hasn’t paid for it. Vera informs him of the vehicle and a girl’s body being found. He and Lorna are enrolled in the same art class taught by Joshua Heslop (Joshua J. Parker). He admits to sending her the car keys on Thursday night after missing the weekly class. Vera asks how Lorna pays him. He says she’ll pay when she can. Joshua’s family has a farm on the estate as well.

Vera informs Aiden of Ronnie giving his vehicle to Lorna. Dr. Paula Bennett (Sarah Kameela Impey) says Lorna tried to fight off her attacker. She suggests the cause of death is a blow to the head. Vera says if she died around 9pm, it was before she found Thomas in her vehicle.

Vera and Aiden inform Jill Falstone (Karen Henthorn) and Robert Falstone (Jack Deam) of Lorna’s death. Jill questions what was Lorna’s destination. Vera tells them about Ronnie selling his vehicle to her. Robert admits to not seeing her regularly. Jill says they never knew who fathered Thomas. Lorna left home at 16.

DC Kenny Lockhart (Jon Morrison) reminds Vera of her family ties to the owners of Brockburn Estate. She claims the ACC approved her remaining on the case. Jacqueline “Jac” Williams (Ibinabo Jack) hands her an envelope of Lorna’s photos from Juliet. She says the Falstone’s guest, Paul Blackstock (Mo Sesay) went missing several times before departing the following morning. Aiden says Lorna’s parents have a farm on the estate. Vera suggests Lorna wasn’t going there when she died. DC Mark Edwards (Riley Jones) informs her that Dorothy Elmsworth (Kaye Brown) living in an attached cottage. He says she assists in running the estate. Jac tells her that witnesses claim Joshua was at an art retreat.

Vera and Aiden search Joshua’s cottage. It appears as if he’s preparing to relocate. In a letter, Marcus Branagh invites Lorna to submit her art for an exhibition. She confronts Marcus about the letter. He denies knowing Lorna before claiming Sophie Blackstock (Shelley Williams) sent it. She reminds him of the Falstone family leasing land from the Brockburn Estate. He admits to knowing the surname, not Lorna. Sophie and her husband, Paul Blackstock (Mo Sesay) were at the party last night.

Bennett determines the time of death to be 9pm and the cause of death, a cardiac arrest caused by strangulation. Arum maculatum “cuckoo pint” was found at the crime scene. Lorna was in a struggle near her vehicle before heading toward the Brockburn Estate.

Aiden informs Paul that witnesses claim he disappeared several times during the party. He claims to have left to call his dog sitter, Sarah at 9:06pm and 11:12pm. Sophie claims to have met Lorna while working at an eating disorder clinic three years ago. Vera asks how Lorna responded to the art exhibition offer. Sophie says initially excited but there was no more contact.

Vera suggests Lorna’s heart condition may have been linked to the eating disorder. She meets Jill at the morgue. Jill confirms Lorna’s eating disorder. Lorna canceled their meeting on Friday.

Harton Hill Private Clinic – Aiden informs Joanne Simmons-Wright (Reynah Rita) of Lorna’s death. Lorna spent eight months at the clinic in 2019. She tells him that Lorna had a relationship with a former patient, Nate.

Vera asks Paul why he never told her about Lorna and his brother, Paul. He accuses Lorna of messing with Nate’s head before admitting to not liking her. Aiden asks what type of relationship they had. He claims Nate loved her but she didn’t feel the same about him. Jac tells Vera that Paul’s story checks out. He says Lorna questioned if Robert was her biological father. Jill and Paul were banned from visiting the clinic but Ronnie and his wife visited for hours.

Edwards tells Vera that Ronnie was a groundskeeper at Brockburn Estate before becoming teaching at Bamford High. Aiden says Lorna put a deposit down on a flat in Newcastle. Lockhart questions how she could afford it with no income. Vera suggests Ronnie paid for it.

Ronnie denies having been romantically involved with Jill. Vera asks why he and his wife regularly visited Lorna at the Harton Hill Clinic. He claims his wife and Lorna were friends. Vera asks if he can tell them who was Thomas’ father. He suggests Lorna and Joshua were close.

Nettie Heslop (Sky Frances) denies she left the party before Vera arrived. Nial tells Vera that Joshua is teaching at an art school, Bragi Hall.

Lorna left two voicemails for Jemina at the Harton Hill Clinic. In the first voicemail, Lorna asks if she would guarantee her Newcastle flat. In the second voicemail, she says Ronnie agreed to give her money and be the guarantor.

Vera and Aiden discover Ronnie’s left without his phone to keep them from tracking him. Jac says Dorothy Elmsworth approved €15,000 from Crispin Stanhope’s account to pay for Lorna’s treatment at Harton Hill.

Vera asks if Lorna’s father is Crispin. Juliet tells her that it’s possible. Dorothy admits to signing off on the payment to Harton Hill. Vera asks if Crispin named Lorna an heir of his will. Dorothy claims a letter in which Crispin wanted the Falstone Farm to go to Lorna went missing several months ago. Marcus was aware of the letter. Vera says Harriet put the Falstone Farm on the market. Dorothy suggests it was Marcus.

Robert becomes irate when Vera asks if he is Lorna’s father. She informs Jill of Crispin paying Lorna’s Harton Hill treatment. Jill admits he is her father. Ronnie has been missing since yesterday.

Marcus admits the money from the sale of the Falstone Farm would be used for his art venture. Vera asks if he’s familiar with Crispin’s letter. He says Crispin wanted her to have the farm. Vera asks about his whereabouts when Lorna was murdered. He claims to have been there rehearsing with several others.

Ronnie’s body is lying near a creek. Bennett says the cause of death is strangulation. Someone pushed his body over an embankment. Quad-bike tracks were at the crime scene. Vera says Nettie owns one.

Joshua claims to have gone to the Crow’s Nest before returning home around midnight Thursday. Vera suggests he is Thomas’ father. He denies the allegations. She informs him of Ronnie’s death. He and Lorna hung out together until she got pregnant.

Someone utilized a Molotov cocktail to start a fire in the barn to lure Jill and Robert away from the home to abduct Thomas. Aiden suggests Joshua is responsible.

Vera compares Lorna’s painting with a photo of her as a child. She contacts Aiden to request he meets her at Harley Lodge on Palaihora Lane. She looks through the window to see Thomas lying on a makeshift bed. As she nears the front door, a shot rings out and she collapses on the ground. Aiden requests backup. Regaining her footing, Vera enters the home to find Thomas gone. Aiden insists she seeks treatment for her head wound. She admits to bumping it into the wall.

Vera and Aiden arrive at the Heslop Farm. She discovers a cuckoo pint on a truck in the barn. Nettie is holding Thomas. Nial is armed when he enters the room. He claims it wasn’t intentional. Joshua accuses him of killing Lorna before wrestling the rifle from him. Vera tries to convince him to not shoot Nial. He and Nial admit to loving Lorna. Aiden apprehends Nial while Vera takes the gun away from Joshua.

Nial claims to have met Lorna at Harley Lodge before Thomas was born. Vera reminds him that Lorna and Nettie are about the same age. He says they planned to build a life together away from there. She asks if that is why Lorna was running from him during a storm. He describes Ronnie as a “feeble excuse of a man” for encouraging Lorna to be an artist. She assures him that Ronnie knew nothing about his relationship with Lorna. He became upset when Ronnie admitted to being fond of her. She asks if that’s why he murdered him. He accuses Ronnie of killing Lorna.

Vera informs Robert that the DNA validated he is Lorna’s father. Jill says they’re going to acquire the farm from Harriet.

Vera speaks to Harriet and Juliet about Nial. They invite her to stay for tea but she refuses as the episode comes to an end.

 

Vera Review And Synopsis

A young mother, Lorna is murdered on Brockburn Estate during a severe storm. Her baby, Thomas is found in the vehicle by Vera. There is no signal, so she heads to the estate where a party is in progress. Vera has family ties to the Stanhope family.

Vera begins her investigation with the car owner, Ronnie. Being fond of Lorna, he gave her his vehicle, assuming she would eventually pay for it. They became acquainted through his now-deceased wife. They’re enrolled in an art class taught by Joshua.

No one, including Lorna’s parents, Jill and Robert knows who sired Thomas. She and Robert became estranged because she believed he wasn’t her biological father.

Vera sets out to find Thomas’ biological father. DNA rules Joshua out. He also has an alibi for the night Lorna was murdered. A letter, signed by Marcus, requests Lorna to submit her art to his exhibition. It turns out, Sophie sent the letter. Marcus has an alibi, so he too is ruled out as Lorna’s killer.

Ronnie gave Lorna the deposit for an apartment in Newcastle. When Vera and Aiden arrive at Pleasance Drive, Ronnie is nowhere to be found. They suggest he fled but his body is found down a raven a short time later.

Crispin Stanhope of Brockburn Estate paid for Lorna’s 8-month eating disorder treatment at the Harton Hill Clinic. Vera begins to question if he was her father. He had written a letter to the estate trustee, Dorothy wanting Lorna to have the Falstone Farm. Marcus planned to sell the farm to pay for his art venture.

Thomas goes missing. Vera and Aiden find him at the Heslop Farm. Nettie has the baby when Nial approaches with a rifle. He and Lorna were intimate several times when she got pregnant with Thomas. He killed Ronnie because he was fond of Lorna.

It felt a bit rushed with missing bits and pieces of vital information. Vera wrestling the gun away from Joshua Heslop was too easy.

My biggest qualm is the oversaturated main cast. The majority of the actors are lucky to get five minutes of airtime with their minimalist lines.

It is unusual for a TV series to remain consistent after 12 seasons. Vera is proof that it can be done and done remarkably well.

The episode deserves a 6.5. Get more Vera recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link. Get more information about our onsite advertising.