None of the publicity materials mentioned that the hero of this book is gay, though that's clear very early on. Matthew is a great character, with an interesting back story, and Jonathan is a good match for him as husband. The work of the police department is clear and easy to follow, and the descriptions of Devon are terrific. Highly recommended.

A British murders mystery with what I felt were very well developed characters which made it an easy read for me. A conspiracy to cover up the abuse of a developmentally disabled young lady, lead to a murder of a volunteer at the day center the young lady attended. A good mystery as I did not guess whodunnit until all was revealed.

The Long Call, book one of Ann Cleeves new series, Two Rivers. I thought it was pretty good. AI give it five stars. Looking forward to the installment of the series.

This is a very intriguing and riveting novel. A smartly structured mystery of detective work and relationships.
Couldn't put it down!

Ann Cleeves' new detective series, Two Rivers, is another winner.  DCI Matthew Venn works and lives in North Devon with his husband, Jonathan.  Great story - can't wait to read more of the Two Rivers series.

The story was well written overall using a wide range of characters - all with flaws and vulnerabilities. Lucy was my favorite character, a strong woman with a heart of gold. The mystery was carefully woven, making it impossible to know whodunit until the very end. Was a bit disappointed in the ending because IRL, the killer wouldn't be able to commit the crime as written, and important issues surrounding a number of characters weren't written to satisfying conclusions. All of a sudden the mystery was solved, but without satisfactorily sewing up all the loose threads. Finally, while the grammar is pretty solid, there are two concerns. First the chapters begin with alternating lower and upper case sentences and occasionally a space between sentences, which is simply irritating and second, there are numerous wide spacing issues along with no space between periods and new sentences throughout. A good mystery that needs a bit of polish.

Ann Cleeve’s new mystery series is set in a new location, Devon, with new characters. But the importance of place and engaging characters remain. The why of the mystery is more important than who. All in all a great new series that will appeal to Cleeve’s fans and attract new ones looking for a moody, intriguing mystery.

One morning in a quiet town in southern England, a woman walking her dog discovers a man's body on the beach. At first thought an accident, it is then discovered that the man was stabbed to death. DI Matthew Venn, recently returned to his hometown, is placed in charge of the case. As the investigation continues, it seems to revolve more and more around The Woodyard, an arts center for the community and a place for learning-disabled adults to receive care during the day. Unfortunately for Matthew, his husband Jonathan is one of the chief administrators there. When one of the adults with Downs syndrome goes missing, Matthew must put aside his personal attachments and rely on his team to solve the case before it's too late.

The Long Call is the start of a new series from acclaimed mystery writer Ann Cleeves. It is well-plotted and has interesting characters. At times it is very obvious that the book is setting up for a series, rather than focusing on the individual storyline of the novel, but that isn't too much of a detractor. It's a good read for fans of atmospheric mysteries.

The Long Call by Ann Cleeves is one of those novels that goes deep, divides the audience into just two categories perhaps? It seems to be one of those novels where people either really like it or can't stand it. I liked it, quite a bit! Do you like British detective stories??? Then this one is for you. The intersecting lives - past and present - of Detective Matthew Venn definitely clash in all the wrong ways. Paying attention to details is what Detective Venn and his team excel at as author Cleeves allows the story to unfold. Many plot twists, great ending, and fun mystery!!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ann Cleeves, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader copy. As always, my opinion is my own. My review will be published September 2019 (Goodreads and Amazon.com)

Love Ann Cleeves and always enjoy her books. This one started off slow, but picked up and became a book I really enjoyed. I love her writing style and the way she develops the characters. Recommend this book and Ann Cleeves.

Thank you to Net Galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn't a terrible book but I didn't really enjoy it much. Although I liked how the crime/mystery was solved (with multiple people being intertwined in the coverup and subsequent crime), I didn't find any of the characters too likeable which made it hard for me to enjoy.

The Long Call features detective Matthew Venn in a British crime procedural. A body is discovered on the beach near the home Matthew shares with his husband, the administrator at a facility that provides services for community members with special needs. The author does a fine job developing characters from the community, from local law enforcement and from Matthew’s past while steadily leading the story to a satisfactory resolution. I found it to be a fairly compelling read and look forward to the next title in the series.

This was just too hard to get into. I tried to read a bit...got frustrated...left it aside to come back to later. Still not flowing well. Never could finish.

The Long Call is a splendid mystery, full of twists and turns and events seemingly not connected but integral to wrapping up the case that bedevils Matthew, the inspector in charge, and his colleagues.

When a man is found murdered not far from the house Matthew shares with his husband, Jonathan, who runs a charitable organization called the Woodyard, a there appear to be no witnesses or motive. Simon Walden, the dead man, was new to the small British community, trying to get some semblance of his life back after accidentally killing a child with his car while intoxicated. As the story unfolds, we learn that there is more than meets the eye about every character. Watching the mystery unravel itself is mesmerizing. While I was pretty sure who was responsible and involved in what becomes a tangled web of intrigue, the resolution caught me totally by surprise.

All of the characters in this book have stories to tell and they tell them well. At the heart of the story, three young women with Downs’ syndrome are truly heroic. Ms. Cleeves has the gift of crafting intriguing and often frightening stories and she imbues each of her characters with something special that makes the reader either loathe or adore them. I look forward to reading more by this author.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

Fans of Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope and Shetland series will be excited to have something new. Readers will find all the things they've come to love in her work: suspense, characters they'll want to know better, and a fantastic mystery to solve.

It was an honor to be selected to read “The Long Call,” first in a new series by Ann Cleeves. I thank Ms. Cleves and her publisher for the opportunity to read this book in return for my honest review. As a fan of the Shetland Series; books and TV series, I was more than ready.
The book takes place in North Devon and features Detective Matthew Venn, new to his position, estranged from his family and in the start of a new marriage. Detective Venn also has his own baggage and along with his introspection and self-doubt is someone I want to know more. Maybe there is just a wee bit of Jimmy Perez in his character? The supporting characters are unique and perfect for more development and back stories as the series progresses. The story focuses on a murder and subsequent abductions of two disabled women. The plot takes Detective Venn and his team on a complicated journey that at times, hits close to home. “The Long Call” is a mystery/suspense novel and more. The need for all of us to feel secure and competent in our family, successful in our employment and find the boundaries and confidence to make it all, somehow balance out in the end rang out to me. “The Long Call” is a page turner that kept my Kindle running low on battery. I highly recommend this book and please, Ms. Cleeves, keep them coming.

The author, who has brought many landscapes to life, moves to a new part of the UK, North Devon, The mystery is well done, here, but the main character is a bit of a cold fish. That may be understandable given his situation - a gay man coming to terms with his upbringing in a fundamentist cult by a woman who hasn't forgiven him for leaving the fold - but he's, frankly, not the best company.

In this introduction to a new series, Ann Cleeves gives us a complex mystery and well-developed characters. Matthew Venn is a police officer investigating the murder of a man found on the beach near his home. It’s a complex story but I do like stories that when rules are broken they are done for a good reason and you will see this in Cleeves. Even though the story was based across the pond I enjoyed it immensely. I do look forward to following this series since it has all they things I like. A must read filled with the unexpected.

Oh, finally! A compelling set of characters in a complicated (yet simple) mystery. I won’t recap the plot or give any spoilers, but I will tell you what I enjoyed here. The lead detective Matthew is a complicated man. He grew up in a bizarre cult sort of community with which he fell out with years before. He returns as an adult as the head of a small police department with his husband who runs a local community center. As the head of the police/detective unit Matthew commands, we meet one of the women, Jen, who has the makings of an excellent detective but with a difficult family life to balance — single mom with two teenagers at home who she seems to neglect for the most part. There is also the alcoholic higher -up who pops in to wield some power, and the one suck-up officer who tries very hard to do his job and impress Matthew, but to little avail.

As the story slowly unwraps (some might feel it was too slow—I didn’t mind the pace), we learn about the complexities of this old “cult” community and get a small impression of Matthew’s difficult relationship with his mother and leaders in the community. The crime and the resulting ending is not full of surprises, but does twist a little at the end.

In all this character driven mystery was a great read and I look forward to more of this main character and especially the development of the other police officers and Matthew’s husband.

I thank St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very slow start for me but the great reviews kept me reading and I'm so glad I did. I hadn't read Ann Cleeves before but she's totally on my list now. I can't pinpoint what exactly about this one resonated so well with me - the characters are well developed but not so individually compelling that they stood out for that alone. The plot was intricate and well paced but again not anything so specifically unique that it would do it on its own. The writing was very crisp and tight - which in itself is always worth remarking upon - and that was probably the single most significant contribution.

Frankly, I think it was the combination of all of them - this was, quite simply, a well-written, well-rounded story prepared by someone who is clearly in mastery of her writing. It kept my attention, engaged me, made me feel for the characters, and kept me curious and guessing right up until the end. I'm certainly going to keep this series on my watch list!