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!

A murder mystery across the pond in rural England. The victim has many secrets that lead the investigation down several paths and increases the number od suspects. The story gets more complicated when a disabled girl disappears and the team doesn't know if it connected to the murder are not. Several stories in the tale and how do they all relate is a mystery in itself. Lotsof twists and turns with a surprise conclusion.

I haven't read an Ann Cleeves book before, although I am a big fan of the show, Shetland, created from her books. The Long Call totally lived up to my preconceived notions about her! She created not just a story with this book, although the story is excellent. She creates an entire village. You can imagine each character in detail, you can put yourself walking through the streets in her city, on the shore and in the buildings. Her descriptions are so clear and poignant that you find yourself loving and rooting for these characters. At the heart of the book is Matthew, a detective who finds himself investigating a murder and some kidnappings that may or may not be related and that are very close to home for him. There is also Jenn, a fellow officer, who juggles her single motherhood with being a good police woman. There are many twists and turns that gently unfold in this mystery. For once, I did not see the end coming, and loved how it tied up. I was fully immersed and ending the novel was very jarring for me... all of a sudden I was back in real life. I can't wait to read more about these people and their lives.

Great author. Very compelling story and love the character development. Moody, realistic, logical but interesting narrative and storyline. Looking forward to more in this series.

I was thrilled to see that Ann Cleeves had a first entry out in a new series. I have long been a fan of Vera and Shetland. I was honored to meet Ann Cleeves and Brenda Blethyn in 2018 at the Malice Domestic, and to hear them speak on several panels.

Vera and Jimmy Perez are two completely different types in their respective series. Now, the Two Rivers series introduces us to Detective Matthew Venn. Matthew is married to Jonathan, who is in charge of a community center that he helped create.. Part of the center is used as a day care for developmentally challenged individuals.

When the body of a man is found stabbed on the beach, it is suspected that he was homeless. However, as the story unfolds, Venn learns that the victim has ties to the community center and to multiple people involved directly or in the position of board members. One of the women who attends the day care is kidnapped, but found unharmed. When a second day care attendee is kidnapped, Venn and his team begin to find answers, but also find more questions.

Venn's loss of faith, which had been the focus of his family's life, coupled with his marriage to a man, alienated him from his mother, father, and others in the church community. As he seeks answers to the murder and kidnappings, his past as a member of the church community comes into play.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I do hope that Ann Cleeves will flesh out the characters more. Along with Venn and Jonathan, there is the feisty redheaded female detective, who lives with her two teens and still enjoys partying. There is also the eager young man who seems to be keeping the Chief in the loop regarding Venn's actions. They are almost written as stereotypes, but with Ann Cleeves' track record of amazing series, I'm confident that she will expand these characters into more.

Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to preview this book (I had already pre-ordered it on Amazon, as I was anxious to dive into her new series).

This is a complex and thoughtful mystery. I really enjoyed the real relationships between colleagues, lovers, parents and children...and I am not a person who reads a book for character studies or anything. The relationships are just strongly drawn and also contribute to the plot.

That said, it was a bit slow-moving for me--perhaps a bit too thoughtful. I will try another book in the series, though. This was probably a 3-1/2 stars for me.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

As a British Crime Novel there is lots of good going for it. The mystery is well written and you are kept guessing as things progress along. The fact that there are many characters to keep track of has two points, the positive is that they are all well written and their character is excellently developed, the negative is that there are so many of them. But that adds to the mystery.

Another aspect of the story that I appreciate is the inclusion of a Down syndrome “adult child” who has a friendship with the murder victim. I very much appreciated the authors care in developing her character, making her appear as someone you would want to be friends with. Also the tension of her father having to decide what to do for her as he is in his 80’s and must decide how to provide for her care is very compelling and authentic as to a real life dilemma.

It seems to me that as much as this is a crime novel it is also a novel about people and their lives as well as the politically correct views of lifestyles. While I might not agree with some of the views, they are woven together seamlessly and do not detract from the main aspect of the novel. But the social issues that are touched on do add another dimension to the book.

I. Received an ARC of this book and very much enjoyed this captivating mystery. It kept me guessing throughout. It is a good British mystery that moves along well.

This is a British detective mystery set in a small town in England. It is a very good mystery involving a murder and several kidnappings. I thought the book started out slowly but picked up after 2 or 3 chapters. From then on it firmly held my interest. If it had grabbed me at the start, I would’ve given it five stars but because of the lag, I gave it four. Once you get past the first few chapters it is a very good book.

“The Long Call” is the latest novel by the award winning author Ann Cleeves, and I believe she has a winner with this novel. Matthew Venn is a policeman who is fighting his own demons in the town where he grew up, and while at his estranged father’s funeral he is notified about a dead body on the local beach. As he delves into the investigation he examines the cult-like church he left as a young man, as well as those closest to him. This is a fantastic read that kept me engaged until the last page. I was given an advanced copy of this book, and all of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

There is a lot going on- several plots unfolding. First there is a man hiding in the shadows at his father's funeral. We get to know this character, Matthew Venn, has been estranged from his predominately Evangelical family and community for several years because of his lack of faith and homosexual relationship/ marriage to Jonathon.

Next there is a dead body found at the beach near where Matthew lives so he is called to the scene and takes on the role of lead investigator. The murdered man, Simon, lived with two female roommates and has secrets that are uncovered during the course of the investigation.

Third at the place where Simon volunteered a woman goes missing. Is this connected to the murder? Do anyone associated with Simon have additional information or motive?

The characters are all well written with some back story and clear personalities. The story alternates mainly between the two detectives trying to solve the murder investigation. Set in present day Devon, England I love the English terms. I've never been out of the USA but I definitely felt transplanted with the world building. So well written! My cousin is mentally retarded, she doesn't have down syndrome like the characters in the book but I do understand the various mentalities of individuals with learning disabilities. I think it was wonderful reading about those characters and the families with their feelings, triumphs, and obstacles. Adding diversity to books is super trendy right now and I think this book hit the mark perfectly.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. All opinions are my own, any review is voluntary.

Great story! The body of a male adult is found on the beach with no identification other than an albatross tattoo on his neck. Detective Matthew Venn received the call about the discovery just as he was leaving his estranged father’s funeral. Almost simultaneously, village women with Down’s syndrome begin to disappear from their day center. Thus begins an investigation that had me enthralled immediately and kept my attention throughout the book, the first in her new series The Two Rivers series.

The familiar phrase “twists and turns” applies here, although I wish I could come up with something more original! It was an exciting ride. The author’s descriptive language is so vivid that the characters and scenarios are imaged immediately in the reader’s mind. I particularly enjoyed the variety of the personalities, temperaments and lifestyles of the people in the story. It greatly enriched the reading experience. Ms. Cleeves is a fine storyteller with a mastery of language and construction of relatable characters. I look forward to reading more of her books.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 5 stars

A very good read and a strong beginning to a new series. The characters are nicely nuanced and have vulnerabilities not often seen in this
genre. The plot was delightfully twisted and kept me reading much later than intended. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I rad this book on Net Galley.

I requested this book because I was a huge fan of "Vera" and eager to get in on the ground floor of a new series by this author. It turned out to be a great atmospheric mystery with unique characters (disabled characters written with personalities and strengths) who propel the story rather than just prop it up. It is a very realistic tale about families and greed, I love the pace of her writing.

An involved who-done-it, very intricate and enjoyable. We meet Inspector Venn, who solves the mystery, which involves his family discord, his husband and the entitled surrounding cast of characters. Very well done, a little dry in places. Good read.

I was excited to see a new series by one of my favorite authors, Ann Cleeves! She introduces Matthew Venn, a detective in North Devon. When we first meet him, we don't know he's a detective, and the reader is left to wonder why he isn't welcome at his father's funeral. By starting the book this way, Cleeves puts the reader off balance, in a good way, and once again creating a leading character who is complex and much more than just a crime solver. As always, she does a wonderful job of describing location; she truly has a gift for making the reader feel like they can see where the story takes place.

The plot is fairly standard, but the characters are so interesting and well-developed that this book, like her others, is a definite cut above the standard mystery novel. The book begins with the death of a man found on the beach, and does a deft job of winding in the disappearance of two local women. The plot is further complicated by the fact that the community center at the heart of the book is run by Matthew's husband, making us wonder whether he is really as wonderful as he seems.

I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read the next book in the series!

I am a long time fan of Anne Cleese.. I have loved her ‘Vera’ and ‘Shetland’ series. I wasn’t too sure about her new detective Matthew Venn but I grew to appreciate him and his crack team. Venn is a quiet man who was raised in a small Christian sect. After leaving the group he’s been estranged from his family. Cleese’s introduces us to Venn slowly in a manner that suits him perfectly. When a body is found on the beach in his Cornwall patch Venn tackles the investigation. Shortly after two young women, both with Down’s syndrome, are kidnapper. One of them is a member of the sect in which Venn was raised and that leads him into familiar yet unknown territory. By the end of the book I was cheering Matthew and his team and I’m quite looking forward to the next books in this series.