The second entry to the Venn series manages to lure you in even further with an intriguing cast of characters. Cleeves allows her characters to be human, and her compassionate but honest examination of their struggles is an enormous strength of all of her work. Add a fascinating plot to the rich characters, and you have yourself a 5-star novel.

Ann Cleeves, truly one of the best contemporary mystery writers, has done it again with her newest book The Heron's Cry. It is the second book in the Two Rivers series centered around Detective Matthew Venn and his team. The book is lushly written, the descriptions of the landscape and the characters and interactions of the characters so real. The murder itself was a bit convoluted and, for me, almost took a back seat to the story line of the characters. I look forward to more books in the series.

North Devon is enjoying a rare hot summer with tourists flocking to its coastline. Detective Matthew Venn is called out to a rural crime scene at the home of a group of artists. What he finds is an elaborately staged murder--Dr Nigel Yeo has been fatally stabbed with a shard of one of his glassblower daughter's broken vases.
I love this new character...Detective Venn! This second in the series is even better than the first as we start to learn more about him. This was well plotted, and kept me guessing as to all the who's and why's of this mystery. Really looking forward to book 3! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

This is the second book in the new series by Vera and Shetland writer Ann Cleeves, and soon to become as popular as the other two. This outing finds Detective Inspector Matthew Venn and his team trying to solve the murder of a respected doctor and the murder of a aging artist. It was enjoyable reading as the recurring characters are being fleshed out more. We come to learn more about each member of the team and their motivations. Cleeves is also a master at weaving the landscape into the fabric of the story. Can't wait for more additions to this series.

Ann Cleeves never disappoints and her latest, The Heron's Cry, is of course, great! This book had me hooked from the first page until the last and now I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

My thanks to the publisher, author Ann Cleeves, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This ‘newest’ series by Ann Cleeves highlights DI Matthew Venn and his team of detectives as they try to solve the murder of a man who seems to be investigating health care anomalies. The place where the murder happened has several links to people close to the investigative team, which adds a few wrinkles to how interviews are conducted. As an additional person is killed in the same manner, the team is pressured to find the perpetrator, which also puts the typical strain on the team’s domestic lives.

This story is very typical of British police procedurals, and the style is very similar to other Ann Cleeves detective stories, which I have always thoroughly enjoyed.

I have to start this review by saying that I love Ann Cleeves and her books and shows. I am so impressed that two great series of books have been turned into two great series on tv. I read the first book in the new series and was very taken with Matthew Venn and his husband, Johnathan. I was so excited to get The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves from #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review as it meant I got to read this book early and share how I feel with others. I also heard that this series is being released as a show too, and saw who they cast as Matthew, I am so excited!
Matthew Venn, Ross Mayo and Jenn Rafferty come to an artist commune. Eve, a glass blower, finds her dead father in her studio when she arrives in the morning. Questions are asked by the police and the area checked out by CSIs.
Wow, what an awesome story! I just love Ann Cleeves work. I cant wait to see what happens next.

#The HeronsCry #NetGalley and thanks to Minotaur and Netgalley for this thriller. 5 Stars.
"DI Matthew Venn returns in The Heron's Cry, in Ann Cleeves powerful next novel, proving once again that she is a master of her craft."

What a gripping story, bringing back regulars from the first Two Rivers book, as well as some local friends and acquaintances. Matthew Venn and his husband Jonathon, Officer Jenn and Ross are plunged into a succession of murders in this outing.

Dr.Nigel Yeo starts it off by being found in his daughter glass studio and a quick succession follows.

Is a serial killer loose and does it have to do with Yeo investigating young suicides for a granted oversight program?

The ending will surprise!

This is the second book in the Two Rivers series. Don't ask me how it happened, but The Long Call was my first read by this author and I loved it. The main character is Detective Matthew Venn, a man who carries some heavy personal baggage. Matthew and his husband Jonathan live in North Devon, and while the setting sounds lovely, even beautiful locales don't seem immune to murder.
When a local man, Dr. Nigel Yeo is found dead, there is no apparent motive and no clues left behind. Nigel had just spoken to DS Jenn Rafferty at a party the night before his death. She has no idea why he wanted to speak with her professionally, but she wishes she had pushed him for an explanation.
While Matthew tries to piece this baffling puzzle together, there is another murder. The clock is ticking and the investigating team finds some odd connections, and perhaps a link to a young man who committed suicide. There were numerous red herrings and I think that I changed my mind about whodunnit at least a half dozen times.
The main characters all have intriguing backstories and the plot moved forward at a steady pace. Mental health, depression, and suicide are frequently discussed and might be triggering to some readers. I hope this series continues since I am really enjoying getting to know these characters.

So glad to get to read this Cleeves book. Love all of her books, including this newer series. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

The pacing on this book was a little slow for me, but the great writing and the distinctive and complex police officers made up for that. The author does a nice job of reminding the reader of who all of the characters are, so although there are many people involved in this mystery, I rarely felt confused. I hope that in the next book in this series, we’ll get more about the officers’ lives; that’s really where my interest was while reading.

I am always so happy when there is a new Vera or Venn novel, and the latest, as always is a fully realized, terrific whodunnit. Part of the joy for me is the well-drawn human characters, and the psychological aspects of their make-up as well. The excitement of human frailty. This is another exciting installment, and a book I’m thrill to talk up and push.

Cleeves' second in the Matthew Venn series is just as twisty and slick as her first, featuring skillful character development as well as engaging description and dialog. Cleeves is by far one of the best mystery writers practicing today, including intricate plots with lots of little off-shoot stories meant to deceive the reader until the final reveal.

The peek into the relationships that have shaped Matthew, Jen and Ross lead to emotional investment in the story and characters while the detective work keeps you turning pages.

Recommended.

This was an entertaining read, and it kept me guessing, but it truly went off the rails in the last quarter. There was so much going on, and everyone had a wild secret, and it was just a little too much.

Ann Cleeves is the hands down master of the British police procedural. In The Heron’s Cry, the second in the Two Rivers series, Matthew Venn, the complicated, tightly wrapped Detective Inspector, is faced with a baffling case and a possible serial killer.

Nigel Yeo, a doctor and head of a group representing patients’ interests, is found gruesomely murdered in his daughter’s glassblowing studio. He was stabbed in the neck with a shard of glass broken from a vase made by his daughter Eve. Coincidentally, at a party the night before, he had approached D.S. Jen Rafferty and asked to meet with her about a concern. Venn and Rafferty learn that he was investigating the suicide of the young son of the owners of the Sandpiper, the local beach bar. Then another man, also connected to Eve, is found murdered in the same way. As the pressure to solve the case increases, dangerous secrets are uncovered.

All the elements of a great mystery are here. The pacing of the story is deliberate, building suspense slowly. The main characters are complicated and we see how their private lives affect their behavior in the investigation. For Instance, Jen learns that Nigel Yeo had planned to talk to her at the party. Had she been sober and able to listen to him, he might still be alive. And Matthew, who has a conservative, formal protective shell, tries to be more relaxed with his delightful, artistic partner Jonathan. The descriptions of the North Devon cliff area are captivating as are the artists’ communes. But The Heron’s Cry also has dark themes: depression, addiction, suicide and mental illness. This is an impressive series. 5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Ann Cleeves for this ARC.

This book was sent to me by Netgalley on Kindle for review. Written by a popular author, the story moves slowly. Some
Of the characters are intriguing...others not so much. Try this one.

My first book by this author, an enjoyable mystery read that I found very atmospheric. Would recommend if you are looking for a new mystery book. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the characters in this one.

Yes! I enjoyed first book of Two Rivers series so much and I was looking forward the author’s bringing Matthew Venn and his team back sooner! My wishes came true!

Matthew with his lovely, artsy husband, resilient, exhausted single mother Jenn, ambitious, success oriented Ross are back again!

This time team searches of the murder of Dr.Yeo, public servant, the very same night at his murder tried to talk an important matter with Jenn at a party at Barnstable, her close friend Cynthia Prior’s house but Jenn was a little wasted to give her full attention. They ended up sharing their phone numbers to schedule a meeting. Now Jenn wonders if she drank less and listened to him that night, could she pretend the brutal murder?

Now Dr. Yeo is stabbed with a shard by vase made by her glassblower daughter Eve, lying on a blood pool at her studio at Westacombe Farm owned by Frank Ley, an economist who became more wealthy after his clear predictions about financial fallout and support the artist community of the farm with less charge of rent, promoting their work.

Eve expected to her father to come early at her studio, is the one who found him.

How an idealist public worker who recently lost his wife who were suffering from dementia can be a murder victim? What he got himself into to attract this kind brutality?

He was former doctor of North Devon Hospital who worked with a small organization represents patients’ views and experiences to the health trust, the governing body of the hospital.

Could his murder be connected with Mac Mackenzie’s suicide? It was the last case Dr. Yeo was searching if there is any misconduct or wrongly treatment to bring family closure?

When another murder occurs with someone connected with farm and the murder weapon related with Eve, it confuses the minds. What was the connection between those murders and why the killer insist using art works-glasses of Eve to take lives of the victims?

A vicious murderer is out there to haunt the peace of small town. Matthew and his team has long way to connect the dots and make sure bring the safety to his community.

I think I enjoyed to read the characters’ stories and their daily interactions more than learning more about the mystery.

I enjoyed see Matthew’s fight to separate his personal life with his job, trying to make peace with his past, tolerating her mother, learning to forgive her as Jenn struggle to form her personal life, friendships, paying more attention to her kids and ass-kisser Ross chasing the opportunities to climb the career ladder by being more irritating at each chapter.

Conclusion and the identity of the perpetrator were surprising.

I wasn’t wooed like the first book because the murder mystery part of the book didn’t pick my interest but I never get bored to read about detailed character depictions and back stories of this perfect built characters which feel like your acquaintances, a part of your family, your friends.

I’m giving my four mysterious, intriguing, small town murders, secrets, mental illness stars!
Looking forward to read more books of brilliant author of Vera and Shetland series.

So many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books For Sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Wow! Ann Cleeves you took me completely by surprise! I tend to think I’m pretty astute when it comes to figuring out most murders, but this one slapped me right in the face. What a stunning reveal.

If I may be critical for just one short interlude, three, nearly four, unexplained deaths in one novel seems a bit much! However, it was expertly done and didn’t require too far a belief-stretch for me.

I loved the law enforcement cast as a bunch of unique characters each in their own way.

Matthew, a cerebral cop still getting comfortable in his profession and personal life. Easy to relate to! Jen a single mom struggling not to imprint her personal shortcomings on her victims. Ross a butt-kisser striving to find the right behind to smooch in order to advance his career.

All the character profiles were wonderfully developed and easy to see in my own world. Great work!

Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read and offer my thoughts. Thank you Ann Cleeves for spinning me around and around until I finally landed upright at the end.

Detective Matthew Venn has been called to a murder at North Devon artists colony. Dr. Nigel Yeo has been killed with a shard of glass from a vase made by his daughter, a glass blower. Matthew has a hard time figuring out who would want to kill Yeo, a man seemingly beloved by all who knew him. The detective is further discomfited by Yeo’s daughter’s friendship with his husband . When there’s another killing, Matthew begins to wonder just how safe his community really is…and how well he knows his neighbors