A compelling, atmospheric, enlightened read in the setting of Barnstaple, North Devon, UK. Detective Inspector Mathew Venn, prematurely grey-haired and staid investigates the body on the beach at Crow Point. The only identifying mark on the fatally stabbed victim is a tattoo of an albatross on his neck. Assisted by Constable Ross May, the big boss’s golden boy with gelled hair, designer shirts and a permanent case of the fidgets, along with the red-haired and fiery Detective Sergeant Jen Rafferty. A great plot that reveals secrets of the past and uncovers the prejudices of people struggling for and against change. A fantastic read.

Excellent new series set on the marshy coast of North Devon, where an unidentified body is found. The book is filled with diverse, well-drawn characters. DI Matt Venn, a complex character trying to outgrow his restrictive, evangelical past, brings insight and compassion to the investigation; and his two DSs, total opposites, add to the realistic and diverse cast.
Venn is forced to confront elements of his own past as he follows a series of surprising, often conflicting, leads to gradually uncover the victim’s life and unexpected connections.
As in her other series, Ms. Cleves brings The Long Call to life for the reader with her rich, atmospheric prose, such as “Expressions flew across her features like the shadows of clouds on a windy day.”
I received an advance reader copy of this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I recommend it and look forward to more in the series.

4.5 out of 5 Stars

***ARC received from Minotuar Books and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***

This is my first introduction to Ann Cleeves and I really enjoyed the read. I'm not much for mystery but I'll be back for the rest of the series.

The Good

- Characters, characters, characters! There are a lot of characters in this book and I really liked all of them. They are not all good characters but they all felt fleshed out enough that the actions that they took felt believable to me. Powerful men that felt the only way they could protect things was by using their power. Matthew is the main lead although there are plenty of chapters from other points of view I found his and Maurices my favorites. Matthew is just a calm, leveled headed detective trying to solve a case. I liked his quite a bit, particularly his backstory that is more interconnected with the main plot that I expected it to be. I just wish we had gotten a little bit more of it though. Jen and Ross are also really good characters, I do hope that we get to see more of Ross in the next book. He has more going on behind the scenes that just being the lackey to the boss and I'd love to see that conflict explored.

- There are three characters with down syndrome in this book and I really liked the way that the author portrayed these three women. They are as pivotal to the story as the rest of the characters and there is always that concern of them being treated with kid gloves but the author never did that. They are never spoken down to and what they have to say is always valued. It is their inclusion that gave this so much more depth than just a who done it mystery.

- The writing is nice. Its nothing flashy or fancy, its just a well woven story. The author seems very interested in developing her characters both the good and bad. She writes dialogue so realistic for me, like I could see all these conversations taking place.

The Not So Good

- Pacing felt a little off at times. While getting a lot of backstory can be good, when it covers so many characters it can slow down the pace of the plot. I felt like getting to the end felt a little winding. The book is not exceptionally long even though it still felt like reaching the end took awhile.

Overall, this was a great introduction for me to Ann Cleeves and I can't wait to read more.

The book is a little slow to get into, but it is worth the while to stick with it. The author has created an interesting collection of characters. One of the main characters, Detective Inspector Matthew Venn, is an outcast from a local religious sect, The Brethren. It does not help that he also happens to be gay and married. A gay detective in a same-sex marriage is not an arrangement I have run across before, but it does help this book stand-out in the crowded field of detective novels. While the marriage is an issue in Matthew's strained relations with his family, the main reason the marriage is important is one that would be relevant in any relationship arrangement -- the crimes that Matthew and his fellow officers are investigating are connected to the Woodyard, a combination arts centre, café, and day centre for adults with learning disabilities that Matthew's husband, Jonathan, started and administers (with a Board of Trustees handling the financial aspects). On multiple occasions, Matthew contemplates stepping aside from the investigation due to the potential conflict of interest. The author handles this dilemma well.

One of the major plots in this book revolves around women with Down's Syndrome who attend the day centre. I liked that the author choose to have characters with intellectual disabilities be a prominent part of the story. I also appreciated that the author did not rely on a caricature of a person with Down's Syndrome, but rather made these women unique, with their own strengths and weaknesses.

The underlying plots are interesting and well crafted and there are plenty of surprises/plot twists. However, what really makes this book stand out is the diversity of characters.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I don't know what it is about Ann Cleeves' writing that just doesn't engage me. I have tried one in both the Vera series and the Shetland series, and while I absolutely adore both TV series, I haven't been able to make it through a book in either series. So I felt both excitement and trepidation about trying this new series. I did like it but I did find myself pushing just a bit to force through it. Why the quiet suspense in the TV series utterly draws me into each show but falls flat for me while reading I have no idea. I do think if you like the author's work you will not be disappointed in this one at all. It's a very strong mystery with solid characters just like the author's other two series that should be very appealing to her fans.

This is the first book I’ve read from the author Ann Cleeves, so I’m not sure how her other books are rated. I liked the plot of the book but I didn’t believe it was written well. It had no flow,it was stilted and all over the place. I was unable to connect with any of the characters, it felt like they didn’t have any true feelings or reactions. I dislike giving bad reviews but I have to give honest ones and in my opinion I can’t recommend this book.

Loved this. Been meaning to dive into Ann Cleeves works. Now I will hit the rest of them. The characters make the book. Recommend highly.

This mystery was just ok for me. The story outline and characters are interesting but the story dragged on too much for me.

This was a very well-written novel about a murder investigation of what is believed to be a down on his luck cook on the coast. There are quite a few characters to keep track of but its easy enough. Matthew is the investigating officer and a wonderful story unfolds.

One of the best written novels I have read in a long time. The story line was was interesting and the narrative flowed seamlessly. This is the first book I have read by this author, and it will not be the last. I enjoy police procedural genre very much, and this was excellent. The characters were very well developed and the plot was captivating.

I was given an ARC by Net Galley for an honest review. Thank you!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have never read Ann Cleeves before, although I do watch Vera. This is the first in a new series. Matthew Veen comes back to his childhood hometown as a police officer. He is married to Jonathan and hasn’t spoken to his parents for years. His father has just passed away and his mother and father had disowned him because he didn’t go along with their religious beliefs. Now a man has been found dead near Matthew’s house. He worked where Matthew’s husband works. Matthew seems like a great boss. He tries to get his staff to do their best. He’s got a temper underneath. This promises to be a great series.

I have read, and loved, several books by Ann Cleeves. This book was a pleasure to read. This story drew me in right away with an interesting setting, an engaging cast of characters, a religious sect, and, of course, a murder. We were quickly filled in about each of their backstories. This book introduces Matthew Venn, homicide investigator. Jonathan is his husband, who runs a work center for developmentally disabled adults, around which this story is based. Jen and Ross, detectives with whom Matthew works, are also interesting main characters in this compelling story. I enjoy that the writer is very adept at depicting the setting and atmosphere in a few simple words. I am very excited to follow this new series by the wonderful Ann Cleeves.

I found this new title hugely disappointing. Although I liked the characters, and the plot, there were places it seemed to drag. I really had to work to get through the first third of the book, but I thought perhaps that was due to the need to create a new fictional environment and introduce the new characters. I read Ann Cleeves' books before they became popular television series, so I don't think I was overly biased due to this being something different (although, I do ❤ the Vera and Shetlands series!).

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the wonderful opportunity to read and review this title.

In this most recent offering, Ann Cleeves introduces a new main character, police detective Matthew Venn, and a new location, the southwest coast of England near the Cornwall region. As has been the case with earlier series, Cleeves has created characters that are real and interesting folks with lives that reflect our contemporary society. The story is compelling and holds the readers interest while also providing the reader with an opportunity to "visit" a new region and learn more about the English way of life in all its variety.

Fans of the earlier works will be delighted to meet new characters and enjoy new stories. This book doesn't disappoint.

This is a really good book. The characters are very interesting and the story line holds your interest. It also keeps you guessing. Very enjoyable.

Ann Cleeves is known for her two previous series, Shetland and Vera, both of which have been made into TV series. Now she's added a third series to her canon. The Long Call is the first novel in her Two Rivers series. In the opening scene, we meet Detective Matthew Venn standing outside the church at his funeral's father. Detective Venn was raised by a fundamentalist Christian family, and he fell out of their favor when he lost his faith and fell in love with a man. He's now married to his long-term partner, Jonathan, and has had little contact with his parents.

Now Detective Venn is called back to his home community to deal with the fatal stabbing of a man whose body was found on the beach. Soon Venn connects the dead body to a center for developmentally handicapped people, which happens to be where his husband Jonathan works.

I'm curious to see how this series progresses. Matthew Venn is one of the more interesting detective protagonists to hit the scene in recent years. He's a three-dimensional character who never feels like a stereotype.

This is a book for fans of British procedurals. Like many of the best British mysteries, the story focuses more on the characters' psychology, less on violent actions.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Great start to a new series with Inspector Michael Venn and his team. Quintessential British mystery with Solid characterization, detailed descriptions and a twisty plot. Enjoyed Ms. Cleeves mysteries with Vera and Jimmy Perez and am looking forward to more of the Two Rivers Series. Highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This English mystery with lots of characters was a bit draggy in the beginning. I stayed with It and found myself much more interested about a third of the way into the story.

If I was ever in trouble I'd want Detective Matthew Venn to handle my case. He is compassionate with the victims and relentless in his pursuit to bring the criminals to justice. No one seems to know why Simon Walden was the victim of a homicide. He was found on the beach, stabbed in the back. What follows is surprising in the depth of disregard for the young women who were taken from their families. The conclusion was more complex and satisfying than I expected.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy from Minotaur Books through NetGalley.The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#TheLongCall #NetGalley

I was so very pleased to see that Ann Cleeves was beginning a new series, and The Long Call certainly lived up to my expectations. Ms. Cleeves has a gift for making her characters real to me, skillfully giving details about them and their lives bit by bit, just as we learn about most new acquaintances. There also is a rich sense of place, the isolation of a small village on the Devon coast. If you loved the Shetland series, definitely read The Long Call.

I received a digital ARC of this title from NetGalley and Minotaur Books in return for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC. I have been a long standing fan of Ann Cleves, especially the Shetland mysteries. This new series features a new detective named Mathew Venn who has had his own troubles with his hometown. When a body is found near the lake and several learning disabled girls go missing, Mathew and his partner find out a couple of secrets about his Devon home.