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The Plater
An exclusive recording created for The Crime Hub.
Written by Ann Cleeves
Narrated by Alfred Molina
Ever wondered about the people standing at motorway service stations carrying car registration plates and thumbing a lift?
But in this haunting tale the story unfolds as the the plater stops for a hitchhiker.
Ann Cleeves
Ann Cleeves is the author of over thirty critically acclaimed novels and is translated into as many languages. She is the creator of popular detectives Vera Stanhope and Jimmy Perez who can now be found on television in ITV’s Vera and BBC One’s Shetland. The TV series and the books they are based on have become international sensations, capturing the minds of millions worldwide.
In 2017 Ann was awarded the highest accolade in crime writing, the CWA Diamond Dagger. The award recognises authors whose crime writing careers have been marked by sustained excellence, and who have made a significant contribution to the genre.

Ann worked as a probation officer, bird observatory cook and auxiliary coastguard before she started writing. She is a member of ‘Murder Squad’, working with other British northern writers to promote crime fiction. Ann is also a passionate champion for libraries and was a National Libraries Day Ambassador in 2016.
Ann lives in North Tyneside, UK near where the Vera books are set.

Alfred Molina
Alfred Molina is an English actor. He is best known for numerous Hollywood film roles including Raiders of the Lost Ark, Enchanted, Species, Boogie Nights, The Da Vinci Code and Chocolat.
He has also starred in numerous stage productions, winning him an Olivier award along the way.
He was nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of Robert Aldrich in the 2017 television series, Feud.
He is also a renowned voice actor, having worked on countless movies including Rango,
Monsters University and Ralph Breaks the Internet.
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