This is my first Ann Cleeves book, although I've watched and enjoyed both Vera and Shetland, TV series based on earlier books. The Long Call, the first in a series with a new setting and cast of characters, is precisely my cup of tea.

I enjoy the occasional thriller, but too many of them rely on velocity rather than depth. I'm curious about what lies below the surface, and Cleeves was brilliant in this book at revealing the fathoms of motivation that lie beneath the behavior of most of us.

I loved the clear-eyed treatment of the outcasts in the book: the homeless and people with disabilities were portrayed with dignity and without condescension. Perhaps it helped that the protagonist, Detective Inspector Matthew Venn, is himself an outcast, having been excommunicated from the fundamentalist sect (almost a cult) in which he was raised -- first for a loss of faith, and more permanently because he at last came to terms with his own sexual orientation.

I also loved Cleeves' sense of place. I've never been to southwestern England, but I felt at home there. I will be watching for more installments in the Two Rivers series. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance readers copy.

This is a solid first book in a new series. As a police procedural, it is a slower moving mystery. I enjoyed the main character, Detective Matthew Venn, and I can see where he will become more developed and revealed as the series continues. I also thought his husband, Jonathan, was an interesting secondary character, and I liked how their personalities complemented each other. Another character I particularly liked and found interesting was Jen, an investigator working with Matthew.

The setting of this book, in North Devon near the sea, added much to the story. I can see where this book could make a good television show. Personally, I would have liked this story to have been a bit faster moving, but I am interested in reading more of this series.

The Long Call by Ann Cleeve’s is the first in her new Two River series. We are introduced to detective Matthew Venn and his husband Jonathan. Matthew has been estranged from his family. I felt that Cleeves had a powerful opening with Matthew watching his father’s funeral from a distance. He is called back to the office because a dead man has been found on the beach. It was an interesting mystery which involves the place where his husband works. I felt the story moved very slowly at times, and I think Cleeves might have been building depth to continue her series. I also felt the ending was rather abrupt.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4 promising and suspenseful stars

This is the first book in a new mystery series by Anne Cleeves. I’ve been meaning to read this author’s work for years so I was excited to get this book and get in on the ground floor of this series. I now see why Anne Cleeves’ works have received so much praise. This book has set the groundwork for what I believe will be a series that I anxiously await for each new book to be published.

“The Long Call” is set on the North Devon coast of England, in a spot where two rivers run into the sea. The scenery and setting is almost as much of a character in the book as the people who inhabit it. The title comes from the call of the herring gull often herd on the Devon coast. Naturalists have named the call the ‘long call’. To the main character, Detective Inspector (DI) Matthew Venn, the call sounds like an inarticulate howl of pain. Venn, is a native of this area. He has recently returned reluctantly to Barnstaple in order to support his partner’s career. Venn was estranged from his strict evangelical family and their insular community decades ago. In the opening scene of the book Matthew is standing outside of the chapel where his father’s funeral is being held. He is reluctant to enter, but doesn’t want to miss the service. His phone rings. It’s a call his police team member, Ross. Ross informs him that a dead body has just been found on the beach.

The rest of the book is a race to figure out who the killer is. To do that, they need to understand who the victim was, and why someone might have wanted to murder him. There are several really good plot twists as Venn and his team chase down all sorts of leads. Some of the main characters are adults with Down syndrome. I thought that the scenes with 30 year-old Lucy and her aging father were especially well-written. The characters and suspects are connected through a fairly new community center called the Woodyard that Matthew’s husband, Jonathan runs.

The book pulled me in, and didn’t let me go. It was well-plotted and evenly paced. I was vested in the characters. I want to read more about Matthew Venn and his husband Jonathan. Matthew’s team also holds promise for further character exploration. Jen, is a formerly abused single parent. She is struggling to balance caring for her teenaged children while working and carving out a bit of time for herself. Ross seems all too eager to be in the middle of the action. What insecurities motivate him to push himself to the front all the time? I’m looking forward to the next book to see where this whole team goes the next time the call to solve a murder comes in. I’d also like to see if Matthew’s Mom relaxes a bit and lets Matthew and Jonathan back into her life.

What a great start to a promising series from a proven author. What’s not to like? I’d recommend this to mystery, especially police procedural lovers. But it shouldn’t be limited to just those readers who love the mystery genre. I think that most readers of a well-plotted drama would really enjoy this book.

‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, St Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and the author, Anne Cleeves for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Author Ann Cleeves intordues her new Two Rivers Series with “The Long Call,” a police procedural story. The plot is simple enough – a body is found, and the police need to discover who and why. The police team of Matthew, Ross, and Jen sift through the clues and follow them along their various paths until the truth is finally discovered.

Much of the early characterizations of our investigators focus on love and sex. There are pages of unnecessary descriptions of Matthew’s relationship with his partner, Jonathan, someone he considers had been a present for his fortieth birthday. Another member of the investigation team, Jen, realizes that “…time was passing and she wanted a man in her life before it was too late.” No issue there, although she daydreams about her babysitter, having “…sexy dreams…” about someone she considers “…a very fit man,” the one with “…the tight bum in the skinny jeans.” A mention here or there to flesh out their personalities would be okay, but pages of these descriptions bog down the story in the early stages.

This is not to say that Ms. Cleeves can’t write tight, concise passages. A paragraph on Jen’s relationship with co-worker Ross quickly describes him as “…young and brash…” and adds “It probably wasn’t even his fault that he was the son of Oldham’s best buddy and the DcI had taken him under his wing.” Her perception of the relationship with Ross is perfectly outlined with a minimum of sentences that enlighten as well as entertain.

This book was my introduction to Ann Cleeves, an author whose successful career as a writer has rewarded her with two different television series. While I was never overly disappointed or bored with the story, it did move slowly in spots. Perhaps that might be because the story is primarily a police procedural and not loaded with adrenalin-pumping action like many books on the market today. While I am not wishing for the book to have been cluttered with these types of scenes, condensing or removing some of the extraneous moments might have keep the tale moving rather than at a slow drift.

Even so, this is a solid effort, and there are many instances where the author makes the everyday tedium of police work feel exciting. Definitely a standalone book, and not even a hint as to what the next story might bring. Those who enjoy reading about mysteries more based in reality than what one might find in a television series will find this to be a fine choice. Four stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance complimentary ebook of this title.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Ann Cleeves for the opportunity to read and review this first in a new crime fiction series - 5 glowing stars for a great read! I can't wait to read the next books in this series!

Matthew Venn stands apart from the rest of the mourners at his father's funeral. Estranged from his ultra-religious family for years, Matthew has struggled to feel that he fits in anywhere. He now works as a Detective Investigator in Devon, England, and is called to investigate a murder. A body is found by the sea near where Matthew now lives with his husband, Jonathan. The investigation comes close to home when there are links to the community run by Jonathan as well as back to the religious sect of his childhood.

The characters in this book are so real - they are shown with all their true feelings and thoughts, not just the pretty glossy side. Matthew is wonderful and I really connected with Jen, a single mother struggling to do well both on the job and at home. The setting is made to feel so real and the writing wonderful - kept me guessing to the end. I look forward to the next chapter of this series! Highly recommended!

Ann Cleeves delivers once again in this British police procedural, kicking off the new Twin Rivers Series. It's been twenty years since her last novel, and Ms. Cleeves shifts the setting to North Devon, with detective Matthew Venn in the lead. Up-to-date themes encompass the cast of characters, villains and victims, who surprise with their often unexpected motives and reactions. This "Shetlands" fan is hoping BBC One is considering casting actors Mark Bonner and Nicola Walker!

ARC was provided by Minotaur Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is book 1 in the new Two River Series and I was so excited to receive and ARC from NetGalley for this one. I'm familiar with her stories from seeing the TV adaptations but this is my first time actually reading one of her books. This story more than lived up to the hype. The setting is North Devon, which I have never been to, but the author's descriptions painted a wonderful picture of the place from the beaches to the little villages to the way the two rivers come together. Add to this the characters, a murder and two kidnappings and you have a great read. Matthew is not the typical police detective stereotype. He is full of insecurities and self-doubt, but his partners, both in life and in work, keep him pressing on. This story brings him into contact with family that he has not seen in years and re-opens some wounds he thought long healed. This story deals with issues of religion, homosexuality and disabilities, and does an excellent job of weaving them into the overall storyline. I found this book to be rich in detail, it moved at a good pace, it kept my attention and twisted my brain. I can't wait for more in this series. This book release tomorrow, Sept. 3, in the U.S. so if your interested click the Amazon link below and pick up your copy.

This book just wasn’t for me. I appreciate the style and tone of the book but it made the story feel long and I lost interest. It starts out with a clear police procedural mystery and adds a unique secondary story, but I just couldn’t get into it and stay involved in the case or the characters.

Once again Ann Cleeves demonstrates why she is a master of the contemporary British crime novel with the first entry in her new series. The novel pulsates with a sense of tension, emotion, and place as she crafts a story of murder that is shocking and personal.

I think the main character was well developed, and I like that he was representing a community that really deserves to be represented. The body that is found on the banks of a beach is tied to his husbands work, and he needs to find out what happened.

The man seemed to be poor and staying with two women, one is the daughter of the founder of the center he volunteered at, the other is the artist in residence. The links to Matthew's husbands work keep coming up. When a young woman with mental disabilities goes missing, another link to the center, Matthew can't ignore.

There is another part of the story that is tied to a religious sect, part of Matthews background that was interwoven in the story. It lost me a lot as it seemed random and vague when mentioned.

Not one of my favorite reads. I find many authors struggle with attempting to load in as much background data on the first go round, in the first in a series and for me, it doesn’t work. Then add in the actual storyline and the many characters being introduced and I really get lost. The plot and storyline were good and while this may not have been my cup of tea, you should still give it a chance as you may find you can over look the things that were issues for me.

Great first in a series and I really do look forward to the second one and intend on reading it! Detective Venn is unique and has lived quite a life. I found him pretty interesting and not the normal run of the mill, when it comes to Detectives!

Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book. It moved too slowly and I struggled to make my way through it. I hate more than anything to leave a negative review but I have to be hones. By the high ratings Ann Sleeves has on other books I know she's a successful writer, but this one just didn't click for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this title.

I love murder mysteries, and for a long time, I’ve been a fan of the television programs Vera and Shetland. I was delighted to find that Ann Cleeves had a new release available for review {insert fan girl squee}. Actually, I have to admit to not even knowing that the programs were based on books!

Inspector Matthew Venn, his partner, and his crack team of investigators are introduced in this initial book of the series. I loved how smoothly Ms. Cleeves swirled the private lives of her key players into this story. I cannot wait to see how Matthew’s very complex, conflicted character plays out in future books!

The various subplots are told in the present day. The third-person narrative serves the story well. The plot is perfectly paced (this is a police procedural, so set your expectations accordingly). Between the secrets revealed and red herrings along the way, The Long Call is completely engrossing and had me guessing to the end. I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

4.5 stars

*I'm between 4-4.5 stars here. This is my first taste of Ann Cleeves' writing and I quite enjoyed her style. Good place to start, with the first book in a new series.

As the story begins, Detective Matthew Venn of North Devon is attending his father's funeral, but remains outside the building because he and his family are estranged. He receives a call that a body has been found on the beach at Crow Point. It's reportedly no accident; the man has been stabbed.

What follows is a character-driven police procedural that keeps the reader guessing right up to the end. I enjoyed getting into these people's heads--their emotions and thoughts.

I'm always fascinated to learn where an unusual book title comes from. In this case it's from one of Matthew's thoughts as he's on his way to the crime scene: "He'd left the window down and now he could hear the surf on the beach and the cry of a herring gull, the sound naturalists named 'the long call', the cry which always sounded to him like an inarticulate howl of pain."

I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review. I am pleased to discover a new-to-me author that I'll be happy to read more from.

Although I have watched and thoroughly enjoyed both the Vera and Shetland series on television, this is the first book I have read by Ann Cleeves. After this I am definitely going back to catch up, and I can’t wait for the next book in this new Two Rivers series featuring Senior Detective Matthew Venn.

It’s a bleak beginning. Even though not much is revealed except that Matthew is an observer, not a participant, at his father’s funeral, he seems troubled, unsettled, uncertain. From this little peek into Matthew Venn the man, we immediately transition to Matthew Venn the Senior Detective. A body has been found on the beach, practically on Matthew and his husband’s doorstep, in places they are familiar with. Brings back a lot of memories of his youth growing up as part of a strict evangelical church, known as the Barum Brethren.

I found this to be an absorbing and engaging read, not dashing at the frantic pace of some of the thrillers so popular today but a measured journey through the vivid North Devon countryside, providing in-depth background and character development and a well-plotted mystery with multiple threads that come together skillfully at the end. Matthew, Jen and Ross make a good team, each bringing a different history and perspective to the case. I look forward to learning more about them and about Matthew’s husband Jonathan in future books. I found it endearing and revealing how Matthew always says, “my husband” if someone says, “your partner.” Matthew is very happy to be married to Jonathan.

In addition to the riveting mystery Ann Cleeves is noted for, in The Long Call she also addresses some of society’s prejudices and treatment of those not in the mainstream, and the learning disabled women, Lucy, Chrissie and Rosa play an important part in the mystery.

The Long Call would work just fine as a standalone, but lucky for us it is not. I especially appreciate when an author takes this much care with a new series, setting the scene, introducing the surroundings and the people that live there, providing a little insight into the relationships and stress and strains of everyday life the way Ann Cleeves has.

Thanks to Minotaur Books/Macmillan and NetGalley for providing an advance copy for my honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed The Long Call and recommend it without hesitation.

DI Matthew Venn has always felt himself an outsider and never more so than when he's standing back from the edges of his estranged father's funeral. Then he receives a call that a body's been found on the beach and he's back in his element. Matthew is happily married to Jonathan, who heads the Woodyard- a sort of combination community center-which as it turns out is the connective tissue which links the murder of Simon with the disappearance at two different times of young women with Down's syndrome. The investigation into Simon's death takes multiple turns and the answer, as it turns out, was a surprise. Cleeves has created terrific characters, not only in Matthew and Jonathan, but also in Matthew's team (especially Jen), Gaby, Caz, Lucy, and Maurice. Set in Devon, there's a terrific sense of place and the atmospherics, not only along the shore but also in the town, are wonderful. This one sucked me in and kept me reading. It's (oddly) a gentle mystery even as there's a sense of menace and bad things. It's twisty and smart. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. If you've liked Cleeves' earlier novels, you'll love this and if you haven't read her before, you are in for a treat.

The Long Call begins the first new series by the author of Vera and Shetland in twenty years. Set in North Devon, it introduces us to DI Matthew Venn, a very different sort of detective to the usual run. Matthew grew up in a strict evangelical cult and was expelled as a young man when he lost his faith. He is also gay, something frowned upon by the Barum Brethren. When we first meet, he is standing outside the funeral of his father. The funeral was by invitation and Matthew was not invited. Upon leaving, he received a call to a nearby beach and a body with a large albatross tattooed on his neck stabbed to death. His search for the killer will lead him into a web of secrets and lies involving the very people he grew up with. The community center run by Matthew's husband, Jonathan, appears to be closely linked.

Ann Cleeves writes intensely atmospheric, character-driven mysteries and The Long Call does not disappoint. This murder investigation is Matthew's first as lead, and he has many doubts, mostly driven by his past. Added to his worries is the apparent involvement of his husband's center. He worries that it's a conflict of interest. The supporting characters are well-drawn and memorable, especially his female investigating partner, Jen Rafferty. She is Matthew's opposite but serves as a perfect foil for his introspection. The supportive and loving relationship between Matthew and Jonathan helps him keep his balance in a case that destroys his previous beliefs about the Brethren.

Some might find that The Long Call moves a bit slowly, and I would agree. However, I like character-driven mysteries, rather than a fast-moving plot. There is plenty of action in the last third of the novel! Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

RATING- 4.5 Stars

The Long Call is an atmospheric, character-driven murder mystery set in North Devon. Cleeves has an obvious gift for setting a scene with the tone and mood drawing both characters and readers into the story. Like any good police investigation, this story is slow to develop with evidence and clues being gathered and accessed by an array of unique characters. I applaud the author's sensitive yet straight-forward inclusion of several social issues including religion and the social injustice and abuse often demonstrated toward the disabled, mentally impaired, and gays.

DI Matthew Venn is a complex, smart, introspective, married gay man who, as the story opens, is standing outside a church watching his father's funeral. He has been estranged from his family ever since he was banished from the evangelical church years ago. As he slips away, a phone call draws him to a nearby beach where a body has been discovered. Venn has no idea that his past and present will soon collide in a major way. While Venn is a highly efficient detective, he also clearly has self-confidence issues making for a unique if somewhat puzzling character and somehow, I never fully connected to him.

As the story unfolds, readers are introduced to a rather large support cast including Venn's husband Jonathan who is head of The Woodyard, a center for disabled adults. Clues will soon tie the murder to this center as well as to some of its residents leaving readers to unravel the mystery as they work through the multiple plot lines and many lies and secrets people will do anything to keep hidden. Red herrings are plentiful as this story slowly unfolds through twists and turns until near the end when the puzzle pieces begin to fall into place, and the author ties it all together. While the story moved a bit too slow for me, The Long Call will appeal to murder mystery fans who enjoy a slow moving case that's character driven - one in which they can follow the clues to solve the crime. A well-written, highly atmospheric police procedural that tackles some tough issues.

I enjoyed this mystery and the people in it. I liked the style of the author and how thoughtful the detective Matthew was to his team and his partner. I also found it interesting how his background played a part in the story. I would like to read another book with this detective and hope she writes one! Again i don't want to spoil the story so i didn't want to say too much.