This first book in the new police procedural series by Anne Cleeves, easily draws you in and keeps you enthralled. This well-crafted mystery set in Britain, has a great range of interesting, fully developed characters, a captivating plot of deceit, secrets and intrigue, and sub-plots that weave expertly into the story. Detective Matthew Venn is a complex, captivating character. He is compassionate, somewhat strait-laced, introverted and a deep thinker. Jonathan, his husband, is his polar opposite; relaxed, outgoing and loves to socialize. The two compliment each other well and you can’t help but become attached to both. Matthew’s past and present life entwines in the case, creating additional problems and tension as the connections grow. I loved the complexity of the characters and how the investigation unfolded. It is a terrific thriller with murder, estranged family, kidnapping, abuse, personal struggles and people who are not what they seem. The twists, suspense and wonderfully crafted plot will keep you reading to the end and leave you wanting more stories in this world.

In this intriguing new series from Ann Cleeves, she introduces another quirky lead detective, Matthew Venn., and his small staff. Early on, we learn that Matthew is recently married to a younger man, Jonathan, and is still insecure about his relationship. Raised in a strict evangelical Christian sect, Matthew was shunned by his recently deceased father and his still living mother.

When a virtual stranger to Matthew's village, Simon Walden, is found stabbed on a deserted stretch of beach, Matthew and his two detectives, Jen and Ross, begin to interview those who might have knowledge of Simon, of which little is known.

The plot revolves around a Community center which has various functions, one of which is to provide supervision for adults with learning disabilities, more particularly Down's Syndrome. Matthew's husband is the director of the Community Center and its board of directors are the usual mix of clergy, local businessmen and others who have interest, some of the innocent variety but, of course, some not.

There are some instances where the action was interrupted by untimely ventures into the personal lives of the secondary characters but as the copy was unedited at the time of this reading, it is expected that these minior issues will be sorted out in the final draft. All in all, a promising start to a new series.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This British police procedural introduces a number of interesting characters. We meet Matthew as he eavesdrops on his father's funeral. All of the characters are well-developed and believable. The mysteries, as they unfold, keep the reader guessing. The ending is satisfying. I want to read other books in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for this fine review book. It is obvious why Ann Cleeves has such success with her mysteries and this one may be the best one I have read.


A new series, this tale begins in North Devon with Matthew Venn's sadness at the early part of his life and ends on an upturn of those same facts. This was one book I essentially "read right through" unusual for me!
In between comes a cast of interesting and complex characters who were developed exceptionally well which include Detective Matthew Venn, his husband Jonathon, Matthew's team and a cast of characters portrayed with warmth and dignity. Entrancing.

Several women who had varied developmental disabilities were introduced to us, all of them very vibrant and likeable. Cherished by their parents and their educators they were drawn into a complicated plot to defraud where they and others were in harms way.
I am so looking forward to the next book in this unique series

Ann Cleeves has a knack for creating compelling characters, and bringing to life the places where her books are set. She has again succeeded in drawing me in and making me long for more about Matthew Venn and his team.
"The Long Call' is a well-written British police procedural set in North Devon, in which Venn returns home for his estranged father's funeral. He is quickly called away to a seemingly simple murder. As the layers are peeled back, they reveal a complicated web of secrets and deceit. The story was riveting and the ending was indeed a surprise for me. Being the first book in a new series, you can expect some character building. There is a hefty does of suspense with careful plotting and the story includes a diverse range of characters. I really enjoyed it and look forward to more.

Amazing!! I am so impressed by Ann Cleeves' novel. I have not read anything of hers yet and I am so happy that I did! Bravo to her. This story was amazing and it really captured my attention the whole read. I recommend this one to everyone!

As a huge fan of the Shetland novels and the TV series, I was excited to receive this book. No disappointment here. Ann Cleeves is a master of the mystery/crime genre and her skills are on display here. Engaging characters, wonderful dialog, a perfectly crafted plot, and of course setting and atmosphere. Detective Matthew Venn returns to North Devon for his father's funeral, and to a community that is no longer his. The expected quick trip turns out to be anything but. Bodies with odd tattoos found on beaches tend to do that. A great story. Highly recommended.

The Long Call by Ann Cleeves simply wasn't for me. Though well-written and plotted, the slow pacing made for a less than enjoyable read. I struggled to finish the book. Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Ann Cleeves is one of my favorite mystery writers and with The Long Call she hasn’t disappointed me.

I loved the pace of this book and the twisting plot. One minute you're pulled in one direction, and you're looking at one person as the "bad guy," and the next minute you're looking at someone you would never expect. I also found that the characters were well developed, and the author didn't bore you with a lot of wishy washy stuff in the characters minds. They were always having "important thoughts" that helped development of the characters back story, and the story in general. This is the first book I read by this author but it won't be that last!
The book follows an investigator by the name of Matthew Venn, and the book begins with him standing at the outskirts of his father's funeral, as he isn't sure he is allowed to attend. His father and mother are part of a religous group, and Matthew was cast out during his college days so he wasn't welcome there. We then learn more about him, and his two partners Jen and Ross, when they become the assigned investigators on a murder investigation.
There are multiple other characters I could get into, but the best would be for people to read the book and sort it all out!

The Long Call by Ann Cleeves was the best British novel I have read in a long time. The story of a murder on the beach of a newcomer, abduction of some adults with learning disabilities, a community help center, men of power (financially, religious leaders, Board of Directors) are all entangled in this mystery. A local detective tries to sort all of this out but at the same time not sure if he is the right detective for the job due to his relationships with the some of the suspects. Definitely kept me guessing. Would recommend for those that enjoy mysteries and suspense.

This is my first Ann Cleeves book. I know, I know. About time right? So now I know what all the fuss is about. Very descriptive in each and every character. You really get to know them and the village. While some might say its too wordy, I loved it.,

I also liked the modern take of a couple who just happen to be of the same sex.

The mystery, itself was quite good and I hope she has more books featuring the same characters in this book.

Thank you so much St. Martins Press for this advanced copy.

I always love finding a new series. In this book, Ann Cleeves presents a mystery with well-developed characters. Matthew Venn is a policeman who is investigating the murder of a man found on the beach near his home. Returning to his home town, Matthew interacts with people with whom he hasn't seen or spoken to in many years. Looking forward to the second book in this series!

• Title: The Long Call
• Author: Ann Cleeves
• Series: Two Rivers Book 1
• Pages: 384
• Genre: British Murder Mystery
• Rating Out of 5 Stars: DNF at 75% 2 out of 5

My Thoughts:

I’ve picked this up and set it down several times since being approved for the EARC. It does has a formatting issue which after I while I was able to get past and try to sink into the story. It just wasn’t for me. I finally gave up around 75%. I feel that’s fair enough of a chance to give it my thoughts.

There are a few manners of speaking that, unless you’re English, you may not get. I had to stop more than once to look up a meaning of a phrase. The writing was good (the bits I had to look up aside) if a bit verbose.

I don’t know if it was the formatting issue that lead to this, but I had difficulty keeping the scenes straight. Who was present, who was talking, etc. While the idea of the story was intriguing, it just didn’t keep my interest.

EARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Long Call is an English murder mystery. The issues surrounding the murder are quite relevant to our contemporary societal problems. The language used was colorfully reflective of the English culture. The ending was satisfying.

However, this story is WAY too long - the characters could have been developed in half the time. The descriptions and flashbacks were too numerous and wordy. The mystery itself was compelling and because I couldn't wait to find out what happened, I found myself skipping over chunks of text. I would recommend this book only if it's trimmed up substantially.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read The Long Call.

In a nutshell: Senior Investigator Matthew Venn and his team are called in to investigate the death of a man who was found stabbed to death on the beach near Matthew's home in North Devon. When Matthew is called by an old family friend to assist with the disappearance of a vulnerable adult - who attended classes at the local community center run by Matthew's husband Jonathan, and where the victim was a chef - Matthew realizes the case is much more complex than it seemed. This is a solid, satisfying police procedural, but what I really loved about it was the character of Matthew - he is smart, compassionate, introspective, but also dealing with his own insecurities in a very real and relatable way.

Book Description
For the first time in 20 years, Ann Cleeves—international bestselling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows—embarks on a gripping new series.
In North Devon, where two rivers converge and run into the sea. Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church as his father’s funeral takes place. Once loved and cherished, the day Matthew left the strict evangelical community he grew up in, he lost his family too.
Now, as he turns and walks away again, he receives a call from one of his team. A body has been found on the beach nearby: a man with a tattoo of an albatross on his neck stabbed to death.
The case calls Matthew back into the community he thought he had left behind, as deadly secrets hidden at its heart are revealed, and his past and present collide.
An astonishing new novel told with compassion and searing insight, The Long Call will captivate fans of Vera and Shetland, as well as new readers.
My Thoughts
Every once in a while( without requesting), I will get an email that says I am approved for a book on NetGalley. Often, it’s from a publisher or author whose book(s) I have read and enjoyed, but sometimes, it’s an unknown( to me) author, and the thrill of perhaps finding a new author to love, makes my book loving hands eager to begin reading. This was the case with The Long Call by Ann Cleeves, and as I have since learned, I must have been living in a cave or under a rock since I was unaware of her work.
The main character, Matthew Venn, lives in a small town and a murder is about to consume his life. He is written in a way that makes you feel the pain of his childhood and how the loss of his family( due to his differing beliefs), haunts him every day. His self-confidence is an issue, as he questions whether he has what it takes to succeed in his chosen profession and you can just picture him always expecting ‘ the other shoe to drop’ in both his personal and professional life.
As if murder isn’t enough, add in kidnapping, sexual assault, secrets, lies, and a well-written plot that had me guessing whodunnit and why until the author reveal. There wasn’t one aspect of the story that wasn’t believable and I was hoping that everything would become clear to Matthew and his team. A very good page flipping mystery and I look forward to additional books in this series.4.5 stars.
I received a DRC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this upcoming mystery. Overall, it fell flat for me. I didn’t find the mystery story that compelling and yet still felt it was wrapped up rather quickly towards the end. The main character is a detective and I hear this is going to be a new series. I’m not that interested though in reading more about him. I found him rather irritating. Well, all books are not made for all. I’m sure readers of British mystery series may like it.

A fantastic police procedural, full of multi-dimensional characters that add to the story line. The reader is kept in suspense almost to the last page. This is the first in the series, and I can hardly wait until the next mystery from this talented author.

A solid murder mystery, one of those charming ones set in the English countryside. A stalwart detective with able backups, a quirky set of viable suspects...throw in a little religious fanaticism and a plucky young woman with Downs Syndrome, and you've got yourself a very satisfying read!