Guides · Getting Started
New to Vera?
Fourteen series, one unforgettable detective, and a complete story now that Brenda Blethyn has hung up the coat. Here's everything you need to know before you press play.
Streaming availability may change — check BritBox for current availability. Spoiler-free throughout.
Vera follows DCI Vera Stanhope, a brilliant, rumpled detective investigating murders across the wild coastline and villages of Northumberland. Each episode is a feature-length, self-contained mystery, driven as much by Vera's own character as by the case itself.
| Setting | Northumberland, in the north east of England |
| Format | Feature-length, self-contained mysteries |
| First aired | 2011 |
| Based on | Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope novels |
| Status | Complete — ended with Series 14 in January 2025 |
The pilot, introducing DCI Vera Stanhope and DS Joe Ashworth. Since the show is now complete, watching in broadcast order from here is the simplest way through all 14 series.
One quirk worth knowing: the pilot doesn't adapt Ann Cleeves' first Vera Stanhope novel. It adapts her third, also called Hidden Depths. If you plan to read the books too, note that the TV and book series don't run in the same order.
Vera's original sergeant, and her closest thing to a surrogate son. Left the show after Series 4, then returned for the final two series.
Steps in as Vera's sergeant for the show's middle stretch, becoming just as trusted a partner as Ashworth before him.
Each episode is a self-contained mystery, so it's easy to jump in anywhere — watching in order mainly helps you follow the sergeant handovers.
Where to watch in the US
BritBox
All 14 series · Subscription required · Check current price at signup
Start free trial →Streaming availability in the US can change. Check the linked service for the current season and episode selection.
Once you've finished the series, BritBox also has Vera: Farewell Pet (2025), a 46-minute documentary marking the end of the show, with Brenda Blethyn looking back on all 14 series.
For collectors and anyone who prefers a physical copy over streaming.
“Hidden Depths,” which aired in 2011. It introduces DCI Vera Stanhope and DS Joe Ashworth and is the best starting point for most new viewers.
They're not the same order. The TV pilot adapts Ann Cleeves' third Vera Stanhope novel, “Hidden Depths,” rather than her first, “The Crow Trap.” New viewers can simply follow TV broadcast order without worrying about the books.
DS Joe Ashworth (David Leon) appears in Series 1–4, then returns for the final two series, 13 and 14. DS Aiden Healy (Kenny Doughty) is Vera's sergeant in between, across Series 5–12.
No. Each episode is a self-contained mystery. Watching in order adds context, mainly around the sergeant handovers, but isn't essential.
No. Vera concluded with Series 14 in January 2025, after Brenda Blethyn chose to leave the role. The finale, “The Dark Wives,” shares its title with Ann Cleeves' most recent Vera Stanhope novel.
14 series in total, all available to stream on BritBox in the US.
BritBox is Vera's main US streaming home, with all 14 series available.
Yes, on Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope novels, 11 books in total starting with “The Crow Trap.” The show has outpaced the books, adapting original stories once it caught up to the source material.
Affiliate disclosure: British TV Hub is a participant in the Amazon Associates program and earns from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page may be affiliate links to BritBox. This never affects the recommendations — these are genuine editorial favourites.
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