Interesting start to a new series, with an unusual main character for Cleeves, a happily married gay man. Lots of intricate family dynamics, not just for the main character, but for the victims and witnesses as well. Enjoyable.

procedural, law-enforcement, murder, murder-investigation, family-dynamics, friction, friendship, Devonshire, secrets, lies****

DI Matthew Venn is complex, often brooding and with a lot of personal baggage in a job that could break a less driven man. He finds this case more trying than most because it is in a location he is not fond of and comes just as he has returned for the funeral of his estranged father. All of the character development is clear and realistic within nearly the whole gamut of the human condition. The plot seems rather plodding at times but it is complex with plenty of twists and red herrings. The length had me at a disadvantage, but I did enjoy it.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you

3.5 stars

Ann Cleeves is well known for her popular Shetland Island mystery series, featuring Detective Jimmy Perez and her Detective Vera Stanhope mystery series, set in northern England.

This book starts a new series for Cleeves, set in North Devon, and featuring police investigator Matthew Venn.

*****

Detective Inspector Matthew Venn of the North Devon police grew up in a family that belonged to a small, strict religious sect called the Barum Brethren. Matthew rejected the order's beliefs when he was a teenager, and was shunned by the congregation, including his parents. Now Matthew's father has died and his mother doesn't want him at the funeral, saying Matthew's marriage to a man gave his father a fatal heart attack.

Matthew is lurking near the doorway of the church, listening to his father's funeral service, when he's called to a crime scene. A body has been found on the North Devon beach, close to where Matthew lives with his husband Jonathan Church.

The stabbing victim is identified as Simon Walder, a troubled man who was renting a room in the home of two friends, Caroline Preece and Gaby Henry. The women took Simon in as an act of charity, and tell the police they were looking forward to Simon leaving when he got on his feet.

The police discover that most people acquainted with Simon have a connection with the Woodyard Centre - a community resource with a restaurant, art classes, nature lectures, cultural activities, charitable operations, etc. The Woodyard Centre also has a day center for adults with learning disabilities. Simon worked as a chef in the Woodyard Centre's restaurant, but he didn't socialize and kept himself to himself.

Simon's connection with the Woodyard Centre presents a conflict of interest for Matthew, because his husband Jonathan is the Centre's director, and people he knows - including the leader of the Barum Brethren - is on the Board of Directors. Nevertheless Matthew continues making inquiries with the help of his detectives Jen and Ross. Jen - who Matthew considers his best investigator - is the hard-partying single mother of two teenagers; and Ross is a married 'man's man' who's anxious for recognition from the boss.

As the investigation proceeds, the detectives learn that Simon kept a lot of secrets, and many people in town are reticent about their connection with him. To add to the mystery, a learning disabled woman named Lucy Braddick, who goes to the Woodyard Centre every day, says Simon had been taking the bus with her, chatting and bringing sweets....which was a change in his routine and demeanor.

Additional crimes - including two abductions - add to the mystery in North Devon, and Matthew struggles to solve the case before he's forced to recuse himself.

In addition to creating compelling characters, Cleeves includes the North Devon landscape and ambiance in her story, which is a great pleasure for armchair travelers and adds to the book's atmosphere.

I enjoyed this debut novel in Cleeves' new series, and look forward to reading future books featuring Matthew Venn.

Thanks to Netgalley, Ann Cleaves, and Minotaur Books for a copy of the book.

Ann Cleeves always delivers and her newest addition to her already great series featuring Ver and Jimmy Perez, Cleeves is adding a new series called the Two Rivers Series. She introduces a new detective Matthew Venn, who is complex and subtle. The first in a series, this book open in North Devon with Matthew Venn standing outside a church where his father is being buried. He is interrupted by a call that a body has been found--and from here both the detective and the plot unfolds. Highest recommendation

This is the first in a new series and I’ll happily read the next one. It was entertaining, with a complicated and interesting new detective who I’m anxious to learn more about. A well-paced procedural, Ann Cleeves never disappoints!

What a thrill to have a new detective in Matthew Venn, as interesting and compelling a character as Vera and Jimmy Perez in Cleeves' other mystery series. Setting is still strong here, and plot twists abound. Major characters with disabilities are a welcome addition. Cleeves is masterful at balancing setting and character, and serving up a solid mystery to boot.

What a creepy, atmospheric police procedural thriller! This is my first Ann Cleeves novel and I am looking forward to reading more of her books. This was a great setup, with each of the characters having solid backstories, including the detectives, and I liked their ties to the case. The case itself was thorough and well done, I went back and forth a few times on who I thought was behind everything, and even at the end I didn't have it all figured out. This is the first in a series, and I am excited to see where the next book picks up.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the digital copy to review.

When a man is found dead on the beach, Matthew Venn is called in to investigate.. The man is found stabbed but no identification is found. When a girl goes missing, Matthew thinks the two are connected but he's just not sure how.
I enjoyed the appearance of Matthew Venn and can't wait to see this character evolve into another beloved series.

“The Long Call” is a well-written, first installment in a brand new series by author, Ann Cleeves that is set against the backdrop of North Devon, between the two rivers, Taw and Torridge. It plays out as more of a procedural whodunit than riveting mystery, and as such, the pacing leans towards the slower side. Despite the stellar writing, I had a difficult time relating to the characters, and the story, itself, felt a bit lackluster for my personal tastes. Judging by other reviews, however, fans of Ann Cleeves will, no doubt, find this novel extremely appealing, even if it did fall a bit short for me.

I loved the characters and the storyline development of this book. It was absolutely one of my favorites so far and I can't wait to delve in to the next one that this author writes. The storyline was simple, enjoyable, and entertaining.

What a fantastic well written novel. Interesting characters and character development. I found that the story flowed well and kept you eager for more. The story follows an ex-fundamental detective Matthew Venn and is set in England. Matthew is in a loving relationship with another man. I loved that we got a diverse leading man who was in a healthy relationship.

I will definitely add other Ann Cleeves novels to my TBR.

Thank you Net Galley and St Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy for review. This did not influence my review.

I think this is my favourite Ann Cleeves work to date. When I saw that the second in the Venn series was available I wasn't hugely excited but the story, character development, theme, and intrigue caught my interest from the start.

In the Heron's Cry I learned more about main character Matthew, Jonathan, Jen and Ross and find myself on pins and needles hoping that 'things would be OK' and that they could balance their dedication to their positions and their families. I really liked that beloved characters from The Long Call return; it really built the theme of community.

Cleeves also focused on mental health and how important and difficult it is to support those around us - families, friends, and even strangers. The very difficult role of law enforcement officers in providing mental health support is a item in today's news and her story embraces the challenges and opportunities.

Thank you Ann for catching my interest, touching my heart, and keeping me up way to late last night because I could literally 'not put it down'.

This mystery was well written but didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat. I didn’t feel a real connection with Matthew, the head detective, like I have in other mystery series I enjoy. I also wasn’t very invested in the story and found myself skipping ahead to see how it was all resolved rather than enjoying the journey. Overall it was okay but not one of my favorites.

The Long Call is a slow burn of a novel. Great for fans of police procedural story lines. Ann Cleeves created very strong characters, which I feel is a great set up for continuing on the series. Just keep in mind it will be slower and not full of twists and turns like a thriller would be.

The Long Call by Ann Cleeves is an advance reader copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. DI Matthew Venn goes to the funeral service for his father. He later gets a call about a body found on the beach. The closeness and love that Matthew shares with his husband, Jonathan, is beautiful. He worries that it could affect his case, as the dead man has a connection with Jonathan's work. Jonathan works at a center that helps adults with Downs Syndrome. This was another fantastic story by Ann Cleeves! She draws the reader in with her descriptive stories. I have loved reading her Vera and Shetland series and watching the series on TV. This new character DI Matthew Venn is different, but just as good as the other ones. I look forward to reading more about DI Venn.

This was my first Ann Cleeves book, and I was extremely impressed. The characters were well written and fleshed out, and the mystery was terrific. I'd highly recommend it, and will look for more from the author.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. The word building was phenomenal in this book. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

Great mystery book! The Long Call is an incredible story of an honorable detective in our sometimes dishonorable world. The plot and characters are cohesive and believable. This story Is satisfying by all measures, engaging to the end. In fact, I didn’t want it to end! I hope to see more from this author soon.

I am late to the Ann cleaves fan club however I thoroughly enjoyed the book, the setting, and the characters. I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

I enjoyed this gritty, oh so very English mystery.

The characters felt very real to me. Even after I finished, I found myself thinking about Lucy and wondering how she and her dad were getting along.

There were several English terms that I had to ask my colleague to explain to me, so that's always added value to me.

(I posted this review to Goodreads already: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2804785769