I enjoy British police procedurals and this was fabulous. There are a list of realistic characters , some with secrets in their backgrounds. When a body washes up on a beach, Matthew and his team must investigate.
This is the start of a new series and it promises to be a good one. I look forward to the 2nd installment.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

When a murder occurs on a strip of beach in Devon, Matthew Venn is on the case to try to solve it. This murder hits close to home because he lives not far from the site of the killing, but also because the man murdered has ties to his husband Jonathan’s place of work. Death is prominent in this day in Matthew’s life, as he has just left the burial of his own father, someone he’d been estranged from for years.

As the pieces of the murder puzzle come together, not only is Jonathan’s place of work, The Woodyard centering in the story, but also Jonathan himself. Matthew has to distance himself from thinking of his husband as his husband, and more as a possible suspect in the crime. But there are plenty of other characters that might be just as guilty. Could his parents’ religious order The Brethren have anything to do with it? How many people are involved in this crime and why?

Ann Cleeves has woven a tale of suspense and mystery in a gloomy little seaside town. The Long Call is not only in the perfect setting, but has fantastic characters as well. She creates little turns and drops small hints throughout the story, never revealing enough until the time has come. It is a great mystery how all the pieces will come together in the end, but come together they do. Each character plays their own special part in the story, but you’re never really sure who are the good guys and who are the bad guys right up until the finish.

As a huge fan of books based in Britain, this one doesn’t disappoint. It has all the elements of the perfect British mystery. I enjoyed the story as well as the characters. I have not read any of Cleeves novels before, but I certainly am going to add them to my to read list after this book.


This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com close to publication date.

This was a British mystery. It was slow at times but it kept your interest. A fallen away from a cult gay police detective becomes embroiled in a case that he may need to recluse himself from due to his husband’s connection to the victim. A murder victim, a center for the arts combined with a work environment for down’s women provides a confusing scenario for Matthew Venn.
I am seeing many more plots with LGBTTQQIAAP (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, ally, pansexual) characters in a setting that places little or no emphasis on their gender identity. The acronyms may be confusing but the bottom line is that gender identity as plot point really isn’t important.
The alienation of Matthew from his family due to a charismatic and flawed cult leader provides a lot of motivation for Matthew. He shows compassion and understanding for a wide range of characters.
Secrets and the protection of the status quo certainly play a part in the plot.
I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

Another terrific book by Ann Cleeves.. I have previously read only books from her Vera Stanhope series. I must say I like this one even better, a the main character takes a front row sooner than in some of her other books. Homophobes may find the main character's same-sex marriage troubling, but it is dealt with extremely well. The mystery is well written with p[enty of potential perpetrators and red herrings. A wonderful read!

I love bed this new series by Ann cleeves. I loved the main characters and the setting which figures in all her books as a character itself .
She is my favorite British mystery writer. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Cleeves is a master of the complicated ethical detective, and this new series promises to be terrific with its focus on Matthew Venn, of Two Rivers. The novel is both a study of place and of family and the ways in which we need to navigate our belonging and separation from both. The novel is gripping and beautifully written.

The Long Call" by Ann Cleeves is an intriguing British Crime Drama set in North Devon, "...where the Taw met the Torridge and flowed into the Atlantic." The protagonist is Detective Inspector Matthew Venn, who is called to a crime scene while he watched his father's funeral from a distance. Matthew was brought up in a strict religious community which he ultimately renounces. In doing so, he was cast out by his parents and the Brethren. He carries his guilt around which simmers and threatens to explode.

Venn learns that a man's body is found on a beach in Crow Point above the tideline wearing dry clothes with a fatal stab wound. On his neck was a tattoo of an albatross. As Venn delves into the investigation, he is led into a world of deceit, lies, intrigue and ties back to the Barum Brethren. He must ironically call upon the community that has shunned him in order to solve the crime.

Ann Cleeves does a masterful job of weaving the past and present together. You will be totally invested in her characters long before the story ends. "The Long Call" is much more than a mystery; it is a study of human nature and relationships that sometimes blind us to the truth. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In this start of a new series, Cleeves has moved her setting to Devon. The backdrop is still bleak and dreary but more populated, giving her a broader palette for her characters. Her inspector is a married gay man with anxiety issues and a need for order. The case involves what at first appears to be a murdered derelict. As the investigation develops, it draws in a man of the church the inspector respects, a wealthy man earning esteem with his monetary contributions, and the inspector’s own husband, admired for his work with a charitable organization, including people with Downs syndrome. Matthew has to push past his instinct to trust authority figures before he can see the light.

The book starts out slow, but the reader is drawn into the story as the characters become real. By the end, it’s impossible not to flip pages to be certain the vulnerable are safe and the wicked are halted. A thoroughly satisfying read!

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.

Detective Matthew Venn is called to the scene of a man stabbed to death at the shore. He investigates, meeting many characters associated with the victim. A gay man, Matthew is happily married, but is estranged from his religious family. This is the first book in a new series by the popular novelist, Ann Cleeves.

Secrets are revealed in this well plotted page turner. An interesting and introspective detective, Matthew soon flushes out what is happening in this complex story. The characters are also complex and well-fleshed out. An excellent beginning to this new series.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this fascinating tale.