I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. I have never read this author before, but have followed the tv series. The story is gripping and the characters really come to life. Matthew is an unusual detective, not brash but empathetic, courteous, respected and always professional. His family belonged to an evangelical community and the brethren threw him out when he publicly stated he did not believe in God. He lost his family too as they remained in the community. Matthew married Johnathan and that was a huge blow to his family who had cut off all contact. I highly recommend this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is my first Ann Cleeves book, so I do not know her usual writing style. I will say that, although I am a huge fan of mysteries, this is not one that I can highly recommend because it is so slow-moving. It is a character-driven police procedural, with a lot of characters and a lot of what I considered unnecessary social commentary. The main character, DI Matthew Venn has left the church and there is a lot of commentary about how believers have blind faith. He is also gay, so there is the fact that accepting homosexuality should be a “given” in today’s society. The book has multiple plots and lots of characters, many of whom are very slowly developed but developed well. The setting for much of the mystery is a place called The Woodyard, a shelter for the mentally impaired and the disabled. One of my favorite characters went to The Woodyard daily and that was Lucy, a girl with Down’s Syndrome who is seeking her independence. If you are looking for a mystery that is a fast read, then this is not for you. But if you enjoy character development with a very slow-moving plot, then you may enjoy this one. I have to say that I was put off with all of the social commentary and the slow pace.

As a longtime fan of the Shetland series I was a little nervous about a new protagonist; but I needn't have worried. Ann Cleeves has done it again with Detective Matthew Venn, creating a complicated, believable man. Venn was raised in a Puritanical sect, but left the church and became a policeman. When a murdered man turns out to have connections to both his husband Jonathan's workplace, and members of his parents' church, Venn realizes that this case may be way too close to home.

#TheLongCall#NetGalley
By: Ann Cleeves
Review By: I LoveToRead/Librarian
An engrossing mystery from beginning to satisfying end. The murder of a troubled man whom no one seems to know well is a mystery to the police and to the few people who had limited contact with him. His friendship with a Downs Syndrome woman who is later abducted is puzzling. As the police further investigate an evil conspiracy is suspected. All characters are fully developed, even secondary characters, which reinforces believable motivation. I look forward to other books in this new series.

THE LONG CALL is a slow burn mystery peaking at the back end of the book. It is a very compelling read with multiple plots and characters. The plots are interwoven well and more complicated than expected. Down’s Syndrome is touched upon with characters Lucy and Christine in an insightful manner.

The Long Call was centered around The Woodyard, a combined arts center for the community and day center for learning disabled adults. Being a parent with an adult Down syndrome son, I have to say that the author was incredibly accurate in her portrayal of the learning disabled adults who attended the day center and of the parents who loved and looked after them and sometimes feared for their safety. The readers get to know the lives of the detectives as well as the families who work and participate at the Woodyard. The mystery was excellent on many levels with a variety of characters that kept me guessing until the end. I would highly recommend this novel.

This book and the matter of the book is just not for me. It is a lot more sinister than what I am used to reading although the author gripped me with her writing I just couldn't connect with the characters.

A very solid mystery full of false clues and red herrings and an ending that is as unexpected as it's inevitable. Detective Matthew Venn is a local who's been away for ages so, for all intents and purposes, he's the new kid. The black sheep of a religious family, he is also - gasp!-gay, so he is an outsider looking in. When a suicidal alcoholic is murdered, Matthew and the team he's still getting to know start an inquiry that will hit close to home. All the characters are well developed, even the supporting cast. As in real life, bad people have redeeming qualities and the good guys can be mean sometimes. Matthew identifies with the victim because he was also an outcast. The resolution was a little convoluted but satisfying. My problem was relating to the characters. I didn't hate them but neither was I completely invested in anyone but Lucy, a young, independent woman with Dawn Syndrome who is stronger than other people think. Other than that, the plot is good and the outcome satisfying.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books!

I was painfully annoyed with myself for how quickly I was reading this book because I wanted to slow down and savor it more, but I also couldn't because I had this need to know what was going to happen next. No disappointment here.

The novel opens with Detective Matthew Venn lurking outside the church where his father's funeral is taking place. His mother has made it clear he is not welcome inside. Frustrated and grief-stricken, he leaves without speaking to anyone. On the way back to his office, he receives a phone call about a murder victim who was found on the beach near where he lives with his husband Jonathan. So begins a complicated plot where the detective's past and present are suddenly intertwined.

Matthew grew up in North Devon, where the Rivers Taw and Torridge converge and flow into the sea. He was raised in a strict evangelical community, the Barum Brethren, where he was once loved and encouraged to go into the ministry. But when he denounced the church he was shunned by his family and church members. Years later, Matthew has married and returns to the area as a police detective.

Simon Walden, a depressed drifter trying to get his life back together, died from a knife wound in his chest. Right away the investigation of Simon Walden's murder proves to be much too close to Matthew's current life, with links to the charity Jonathan runs and also to his past with the involvement of Dennis Salter, the head of the Brethren.

This is the first book in Ann Cleeves' new series introducing Detective Matthew Venn and his team. Cleeves works her magic in creating complex characters you'll want to visit often in upcoming books. They may have flaws, but they are also compassionate and caring. She also does a wonderful job of describing the North Devon area. I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series.

Mysterious and atmospheric, this book gripped me from the beginning and had me reading late into the night . A recommended read, for sure!

Kudos to the talented Ann Cleeves for this first entry in her new series. I have read the author's Vera and Jimmy Perez novels, both of which I recommend. As a reader who looked forward especially to every Perez novel, I was sad to learn that the series had finished. I wondered if there would be no more books by this author. I am delighted that that is not the case.

In The Long Call, Ann Cleeves creates a world within a small community in North Devon where rivers converge; the setting effectively becomes a part of the story. In this world, there are three police officers who are central characters. First is Matthew; he was raised within the Brethren, a conservative religious group. While Brethren characters are very much a part of the novel, Matthew himself has left the group. This cast him away from the familiar into a new life in the police and with his husband, Jonathan. Next is a female character, Jen. She is divorced and never has sufficient time for that elusive work-life balance. Ross is a police officer who seems a bit full of himself but he too has reasons for being as he is. I enjoyed spending time with each of these characters.

The story is populated with many others. There are businessmen, a curate and his girlfriend, an artist and many others. There is the murder victim whose backstory is essential to the plot. Also, there are three young women with Down Syndrome who are integral to the novel. Ms. Cleeves portrays each as a fully rounded person. She is clear eyed and empathetic in the portrayals of the three and their families.

This book was an excellent read and one that I highly recommend. I was sorry to get to the end of the book and only hope that the next in the series comes out soon. If you are a person who enjoys well written British mysteries, put this one on your TBR pile

Many, many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this book in exchange for an honest review.

The first in a new series from Cleeves. She writes a great procedural and this one has some great characters to build on. A good mystery and compelling leads, I think she has another hit on her hands.

Set in North Devon, this first in a new series is a police procedural. The primary team is led by a man in a gay marriage, a single mother, and a young man that could grow up a little. I enjoyed how the case unfolded and I will be happy to read more investigations by this team.

This was a great book - very entertaining to read. The storyline moved well and it was easy to follow. This is the first books I’ve read by Ann Cleeves and I look forward to reading more.

This is the first book in an anticipated series. This book was centered around coastal Devon. Inspector Matthew Venn is lead on a murder that has taken place in the area where he has grown up., and where he lives with his husband Jonathon. As the story evolves,, they find that the murder is just the tip of the iceberg in discovering some illegal activities involving a local day center and some of its clients. The story twists and turns and pulls in several of the local residents who are involved in the everyday running of the day center, including Matthew’s husband.. The book is well worth the read. Would like to see some further development of the main characters in future books. I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review, which this has been. #TheLongCall, #NetGalley

Ann Cleeves's The Long Call introduces Inspector Matthew Venn. Set in coastal Devon, the mystery involves the murder of a man found on the beach near where Venn and his husband Jonathan live, and centers around a community center run by Jonathan. Needless to say, things get a little sticky.

It's a good story. Like all of Cleeves's mysteries, it's a solid police procedural with a strong sense of place. Why am I not excited about this new series? No surprises. Everything is by the book. Venn is a fairly tame central character, not nearly as interesting or quirky as Vera. There are no laugh-out-loud moments. What is missing is the verve. It's a very enjoyable read, don't get me wrong. But Cleeves is holding the reins a bit too tight. Aside from Venn's traumatic back story, he's a very quiet man.

This ARC was provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley. I am a huge fan of Ann Cleeves, and appreaciate the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Glad to find a new good inspector series. Also, I enjoyed reading this on the beach and having such a great book to drown myself in. I can't wait to read the second book from this series and see whats in store for the inspector.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book in the Two Rivers series.

Inspector Matthew Venn leaves his father’s funeral to learn that a dead body has been found nearby, it is a day he cannot get away from the thoughts of death that are on his mind and the many unpleasant memories that plague him. And so begins the murder mystery that the reader expects will unfold as a formal investigation begins. Normally the opening of a story will grab this reader’s attention, this one had the exact opposite effect, after reading four chapters there was no investment in the storyline or characters so I am considering this book a Do Not Finish @ 11% in and not rating it.

The language phrasing was heavily English (UK) based, I found many references difficult to understand, the descriptions were hard to visualize without looking up numerous word definitions. The pacing was excruciatingly slow and instead of becoming engaged this reader was repelled. The style of writing was odd in comparison to the many other books read. The main protagonist was a rather depressing soul, a man with a husband who doesn’t have confidence in his relationship and has deep religious faith issues. I can’t say that I liked the character at all. The bottom line is that this reader was frustrated at the effort required to read this work (reading should never be a chore), bored with the content and just doesn’t want to read any further. This was the first time reading this author, I doubt I’ll read this author again.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.

An interesting British police mystery. Excellently written, especially since I couldn't figure out who the culprit was until the end, which makes the story better in my opinion.