Glad to find a new good inspector series. Also, I enjoyed reading this on the beach and having such a great book to drown myself in. I can't wait to read the second book from this series and see whats in store for the inspector.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book in the Two Rivers series.

Inspector Matthew Venn leaves his father’s funeral to learn that a dead body has been found nearby, it is a day he cannot get away from the thoughts of death that are on his mind and the many unpleasant memories that plague him. And so begins the murder mystery that the reader expects will unfold as a formal investigation begins. Normally the opening of a story will grab this reader’s attention, this one had the exact opposite effect, after reading four chapters there was no investment in the storyline or characters so I am considering this book a Do Not Finish @ 11% in and not rating it.

The language phrasing was heavily English (UK) based, I found many references difficult to understand, the descriptions were hard to visualize without looking up numerous word definitions. The pacing was excruciatingly slow and instead of becoming engaged this reader was repelled. The style of writing was odd in comparison to the many other books read. The main protagonist was a rather depressing soul, a man with a husband who doesn’t have confidence in his relationship and has deep religious faith issues. I can’t say that I liked the character at all. The bottom line is that this reader was frustrated at the effort required to read this work (reading should never be a chore), bored with the content and just doesn’t want to read any further. This was the first time reading this author, I doubt I’ll read this author again.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.

An interesting British police mystery. Excellently written, especially since I couldn't figure out who the culprit was until the end, which makes the story better in my opinion.

In Anne Cleeves latest atmospheric novel, The Long Call (Minotaur Books 2019), Book 1 of the Two Rivers Series, Detective Matthew Venn is called in when a homeless man who had been trying to turn his life around is found dead on the beach. The clues touch on the help center run by Matthew's husband where people in need are assisted in a variety of ways. Somehow, this homeless man, who used to be a productive member of society, is involved with a Downs Syndrome girl who also attends the Center. And then to another. As the case becomes more and more centered around Matthew's husband's center, Matthew considers removing himself from the case due to the potential conflict but is persuaded to stay. And then, a girl is involved who is tied closely to Matthew's estranged parents.

As a reader, I couldn't see the connections between all of these threads, so masterful was Cleeves' storytelling. I read eagerly, trying to unravel how one clue fit with the bigger picture, but I confess, I didn't see the ending coming. As is usual in Cleeves' books, the story is awash in the atmosphere of small town Scotland, from the settings t

"Then he parked up and climbed the narrow line of dunes until he was looking down at the shore. Here, the river was wide and it was hard to tell where the Taw ended and the Atlantic began. Ahead of him the other North Devon river, the Torridge, fed into the sea at Instow. Crow Point jutted into the water from his side of the estuary, fragile now, eaten away by weather and water, and only accessible on foot.The sun was low, turning the sea to gold, throwing long shadows..."

"...was a semi at the end of a row of eight, curved around a patch of grass, where kids sometimes kicked a ball about. There was a long garden at the back looking out on a valley, with a view of Exmoor in the distance. These days, Maurice spent most of his time in the garden; he grew all their own veg and they had a run with half a dozen hens."

...to the rich background details of the characters:

"There was something of the indulged schoolboy about Ross. It was the gelled hair and designer shirts, the inability to understand a different world view. He seemed a man of certainty. His marriage to Melanie, whom Jen had once described as the perfect fashion accessory, hadn’t changed him."

It is impossible to make any decisions about who is guilty and who a victim. Cleeves is endlessly clever and creative in creating backstories that end up critical to the plot. And Matthew is a fascinating and unique detective. Rather than a super detective with Sherlockian skills, he is personable, human, and what we commoners might be if we were trained in this job.

Overall, a good read and well worth the investment of time.

--review to be published on my blog, WordDreams, 9-2019

"The Long Call," the first in a new series by Ann Cleeves, features Matthew Venn, an inspector in the North Devon police force. Venn is married to Jonathan Church, who manages the Woodyard, a multipurpose community center that offers daytime activities for developmentally disabled adults; classes in various subjects; and studio space for an artist-in-residence, Gaby Henry. Venn, DS Jen Rafferty, and DC Ross May look into the murder of Simon Walden, a hard-drinking and depressed army veteran who had been carrying a heavy burden of guilt. The victim was also an accomplished chef who volunteered at the Woodyard. Simon's killer stabbed him and left his corpse on a beach not far from Matthew and Jonathan's home.

The dense plot involves a number of people who had a connection with Walden. Among them are Chrisopher Preece, the Woodyard's wealthy chair of trustees and a generous donor to charitable causes; Preece's daughter, Caroline, a psychiatric social worker who treated Simon and later became his landlady; thirty-year-old Lucy Braddick, a woman with Down Syndrome who knew and liked Walden; Lucy's doting dad, Maurice; and Darren Salter, the head of a cult-like religious group that Matthew once belonged to, but abandoned many years earlier. Matthew, Jen, and Ross track down and interrogate a variety of witnesses, but before the police are able to make much progress, a woman is abducted. Finding her before it is too late becomes a top priority.

Alas, "The Long Call" is not a particularly compelling mystery. The book is sluggishly paced and, aside from the lively and independent Lucy, few members of the large cast engage our emotions. Venn is a bland individual who lives a quiet life with his husband. At work, he is an honest, competent, and caring detective whom his subordinates like and respect. A source of sadness for Venn has been his estrangement from his mother and father (the latter died before Matthew managed to reconcile with him). The long-awaited conclusion is convoluted, messy, and unsatisfying. In her best novels, Cleeves's storytelling skills and character development have been first-rate, but this time around, it was difficult to stick with this talky and tedious whodunit.

This is a remarkable book. A tour de force. A multi-layered story full of interesting turns. An additional plus is that the main detective is an interest character in its own right without falling into the typical stereotypes.

If you enjoy reading mysteries that do not sacrifice beautifully written prose for the sake of a thrill, then you are going to enjoy delving into The Long Call by best-selling British author Ann Cleeves.

In The Long Call – Book 1 in the Long River Series – we are introduced to Detective Matthew Venn – a guy who’s a far cry from your stereotypical British detective. Shunned by his family for rejecting his faith and further estranged from them when he marries his partner, Jon, life takes a turn for complicated when, on the day his father dies, a body of a mysterious stranger washes up on the beach in the sleepy little town of North Devon.

As Matthew begins to investigate this murder, he begins to uncover a tangled web of lies, secrets, and deceit amid unusual characters with complex relationships.

What seemingly starts out as a simple investigation turns into a complex, masterfully woven story that builds and builds until it reaches its surprising crescendo of an ending.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimer: This book was provided to me by netgalley in return for a review.

This book follows the investigation into a murder and a couple of kidnappings that seem to center on a day care facility for developmentally delayed adults. As we see the investigation proceed we learn more and more about the occasionally worrisome history of the facility.

The story is an interesting read and shows good character depth and development and kept my interest throughout.

I enjoyed Book 1 of this new series by Ann Cleeves. Lots of characters that will play out in the next books, and most are quirky but likable so I'm anxious to read the entire series. Matthew and Jen are police detectives investigating the stabbing of a man discovered on the beach. Because he's not a local, there are no leads initially and many secrets to be discovered. Add to it the disappearances of two young women with Down Syndrome, and the plot thickens. It's a multi-layered plot with lots of twists and turns--just what I like in a police procedural! I await the next book in the series!

This book is the first in a new series by Ann Cleaves. The story started off a bit slow, but then really picked up steam. It had enough suspense and twists and turns to keep my interest. I think that fans of police procedurals will enjoy this story. Overall, a good mystery read — 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book takes place in Devon, a small English town at the confluence of two rivers and the sea. Matthew Venn was raised here and is now a police detective. Matthew has issues that go back to his university days, when he realized that he did not believe the dictates of the small evangelical sect where his family worshiped. When Matthew denied the church, his family ostracized him. Later Matthew further shocks his family when his wedding announcement is in the local paper. His husband, Jonathan, runs a local community center for the mentally and physically disabled.
A body has been discovered on the beach, and it is soon determined that this is not a drowning but a murder. Matthew and his team are called in to investigate. As this novel progresses, a myriad of characters slowly come forward: the rich and powerful; the pious and conflicted; the recovering alcoholic who was murdered; young women suffering from Down’s Syndrome; aging parents who live with those women and fret over their future; an enabler; artists—all having ties to the Woodyard, the community center. As Venn and his team work to unravel this mystery, we see the interesting dynamics in the police force as they deal with their internal conflicts. Cleeves has masterfully created these rich characters. The plot is just as meticulously crafted with red herrings, minor characters, and personality insights that keep you interested without giving a clue to the ending.
This was my first Anne Cleeves book. I thank Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this wonderful mystery in exchange for an honest review. Cleeves has a new follower!

The start of a new series always brings special challenges. You must introduce the characters, their problems, the setting and the main problem of the novel. This is a delicate balancing act and Ann Cleves handles it well in the start of her new detective series.

Matthew Venn has returned home to North Devon. He has a new husband, Jonathan, a new job at a different police station and he and Jonathan are restoring a house. The novel starts with the discovery of a body that is too close to Matthew, both literally (it was found near his home) and figuratively (the murdered man has connections to the center where Jonathan is the director). Matthew is walking a fine line with this murder. Should he hand it over to the soon-to-be-retired DCI, or keep investigating?

I loved Matthew! His insecurities could turn some readers off but I was there with him. From the moment we meet him standing outside his father's funeral before leaving and heading to the corpse to the point where it all 'falls into place' and he catches the person responsible for the death, he was a real person to me. From trying to settle in with a new team and a boss who's spending more time in the pub as his retirement date approaches, to figuring out how to handle his fundamentalist mother (who of COURSE blames him for his dad's heart attack, how could he marry a MAN!!!) and trying to find out who is preying on the vulnerable women at the center, his dedication to his job and helping people overrode his insecurities.Special shout-out to Jen, one of the members of his team. She's funny! She's a stressed out single mother, who's a little desperate trying to balance it all and find the right guy, and just as dedicated as Matthew to helping people through detective work. And she's one of the few who didn't make a subtle crack about Matthew having a husband. Yay for open-mindedness!

** Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the ARC in exchange for an honest review **

ANN CLEEVES NEW SERIES OF CRIME MYSTERIES

The Long Call is my first Ann Cleeves book. It is also a first for these characters as she is starting a new series of crime mysteries (The 2 Rivers Series).

But I did see Shetland, a TV series based on a series of her books. I liked the TV series do I decided I’d try one of her books.

As it happened NetGalley was offering an advance reading copy (ARC) of her new book The Long Call which is the start of a new series. The Two River series is named for the location in North Devon where two rivers enter the sea. The new characters are quite interesting as was the crime mystery. The story is well written and well told.

In The Long Call DI Matthew Venn leads a small team of detectives including Jen Rafferty and Ross May. The author immediately grabs your attention with a body found on the beach and Matthew being unwelcome at his father’s funeral. As we move along the characters are well developed and the mystery becomes complex.

I enjoyed the book and expect most who have enjoyed the books of Ann Cleeves or a TV series based on her books will enjoy this new series of books.

The Long Call is not coming out until early September. It can be pre-ordered on Amazon. Or if you prefer, check with your local bookstore or library to see if you can put your name on a wait list. This new series is something for Ann Cleeves fans to look forward to.

Set in North Devon, where two rivers converge and run into the sea, Detective Matthew Venn returns to his roots and stands outside the church as his estranged father’s funeral takes place. Matthew is not welcome since the day he stood up in his family's strict evangelical service and announced that "none of this is true. I'm sorry, but I don't believe any of it. You must be mad if you think it's true." When he left the university, took a job and fled the community he grew up in, he lost his family too. Returning and buying a house does not redeem him in the eyes of the community especially since he is now married to a man. He gets a call from his team that a body has been found on the beach close to his house. Discovering the identity and the kiler of the victim, leads Matthew into a world he thought he had left behind--- a world of greed, religious fervor, and intolerance. When two special needs girls go missing, community secrets are exposed!

I am a huge fan of Vera, the television series, so I am already a Cleeves fan. Her writing transports me to whatever village or town the story is set in and her characters come to life there. Cleeve has a unique writing style and reading her work is like listening to a friend tell a story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to read Book 2. Well-done!

Absolutely phenomenal. I love Cleeve's Shetland Island series and I was thrilled to learn she's started a new one. THE LONG CALL more than delivers. I absolutely loved it - the moody, atmospheric setting, the complex characters, everything. Matthew Venn is a wonderful character with such an interesting history that I really look forward to exploring more. He also has a great team: I loved Jen from the get-go; Ross grew on me towards the end and I know there's a lot more to him that I look forward to uncovering. And I especially loved Matthew's husband Jonathan - what a great contrast to the more staid, buttoned up detective. I cannot wait for more in this series.

This was a mystery/thriller about an investigator coming back to his roots to investigate a body found on the beach.

This is the beginning of a series that I will watch for #2.

My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this advanced readers copy. This book is set to release in September 2019.

A fascinating MYSTERY SET IN Britain, but not your usual suspect at all. The detective in the story is a married gay man, and the author has brought the detective’s history into the story as well. That’s refreshing and different. I think 5e characters are well drawn, interesting and believable. I was unable to totally finish it before the license ran out, so I am looking forward to it’s release so I can finish the story and fin out whodunit.

"The Long Call" is one of those mysteries that just pulls you in and won't let go. The characters were compelling and the plot and setting were unique enough that I just wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen to this tightly knit community of disparate people. The descriptive passages brought the countryside to life and the dialogue and interactions of the characters were very realistic. So many times in a novel, the characters seem like caricatures rather than real people, but this wasn't true in this book. The pacing and tempo were just right and when the final outcome was revealed, it wasn't what I had been expecting at all. I hope the author writes the next book in this series soon, and I won't hesitate to read some of her other work. This was a very well-done mystery that comes highly recommended.

A new series, a new setting, but still the same Ann Cleeves!
When a woman walking her dog finds a man stabbed to death on a beach in North Devon, Detective Inspector Matthew Venn goes straight from his father’s funeral to begin the investigation. Matthew and his team, including Sergeant Jen Rafferty and Constable Ross May, learn that the man, Simon Walden, was a troubled formerly homeless man with a history of alcoholism who had seemed to be straightening out his life. He volunteered in the kitchen at Woodyard Centre, a local community center run by Matthew’s husband Jonathan Church, and roomed with Caroline, a social worker at a mental health charity, and Gaby, who is artist in residence at Woodyard. While the police are searching for motives for the murder, a woman with Downs Syndrome who attended Woodyard’s day centre and also helped in the kitchen goes missing. As the team searches for the woman and for a possible connection with the murder, Matthew struggles with a possible conflict of interest because of his husband’s connection to Woodyard. The disappearance of a second woman with Downs adds further complexity to the case and to Matthew’s conflict.
Cleeves has moved to a different part of England for her new series, but she has not abandoned the vivid evocation of place that her fans love. She also makes good use of local slang to emphasize the setting. The waters and the surrounding dunes are a strong presence in the book, as are the descriptions of buildings from many eras: old warehouses, council housing, pubs. Many of the buildings described show neglect or decay, though, and this is not a storybook resort setting, despite the frequent mention of tourists.
The Long Call is a very character-driven police procedural, and these are not happy people. The term “long call” refers to the cry of the herring gull, a cry that always sounded to Matthew like “an inarticulate howl of pain”. That sound is very appropriate. Matthew himself has been ostracized by his family since he rejected the small fundamentalist faith in which he had been raised. And although he clearly loves his husband and is loved in return, he is equally clearly very insecure about their relationship. Jen is raising her two children alone after leaving her abusive husband. And their boss, DCI Oldham, has problems of his own that may endanger his career and that I expect to hear of more in future books.
Matthew and his team successfully solve the case but not before Matthew himself is endangered. Our characters and their lives have not been so easily resolved, though, and Cleeves has made us care about them and assured that we will want to hear more about them in future books.

I had a wonderful time with this book. It has enough suspense, twists and turns to keep me interested until the end, the characters were nicely developed and the story was pretty consistent. The final characters had a vertiginous rhythm. I loved how the lead investigators in the case had their own issues to solve through the book so I could know them better, what kind of person they were, their motivations. Also I enjoyed how the author highlighted people with learning disabilities here, and people with mental health issues. I think is important to inform (even through fiction works) about them, their vulnerabilities and how we can built a better society acknowledging them, helping them. Can't wait for what's next in this series.