The Heron's Cry is the second (following The Long Call) in Ann Cleeve's series starring DI Matthew Venn in North Devon.

This time, he and DS Jen Rafferty investigate the murder of Dr Nigel Yeo, who worked for a healthcare watchdog organization and was investigating a local suicide of a young man being treated for acute depression.

Slowly and surely, they follow leads through a rather convoluted investigation, with more deaths before it's all over - and a surprising conclusion.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in this engaging series. I would recommend that you read them in order; not only are the lead characters introduced there, but also elements of the previous crime are mentioned. It is also a very good read!

Matthew, Jen, and Ross are once again racing against time, as North Devon becomes a dangerous place to live. With links to the Woodyard – a community centre run by Matthew's husband, Jonathan – there are again problems with blurring the lines between work and private life. I really like how we get snippets of all their private lives, and not only how the gravity and long hours of work impacts on their relationships. I also loved seeing that Lucy is doing well, and that the arty vibe that continues through the story.

The plot centres around an investigation about a young man who was failed by the mental health department of the local hospital. As the story unfolds, it reveals some very disturbing parts of society, and just how the mind can justify the worst of actions. Unravelling it all is perfectly complicated, and there are lots of twists and turns which throw out false leads.

Another really good story in this engaging series.

Ann Cleeves is on the fast track of being the UK's Queen of Crime. She knows how to build relatable characters, subtly twisted plot lines and real life relevancy. The Heron's Cry was no exception. If you can't get enough of British Police Procedurals with emotionally challenged DI's, this book will not disappoint.

Thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan for providing a digital ARC in exchange for a an honest review.

This was my first Matthew Venn novel; I only recently got into Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series, which I've been devouring book by book, but I missed the first one in this series (will have to go back & read it). Venn is certainly a departure from Vera, but not necessarily a bad one. He seems very repressed, which I guess makes sense when one considers his background in The Brethren, which sounds cultish almost to the point of Scientology. Jonathan, Venn's husband, provides a nice counterpoint to his seriousness, and it's really nice to see a gay couple in a loving relationship portrayed as normal, well-adjusted people (maybe I'm reading the wrong books since I feel like I don't see much of this!).
The story is fairly complicated, as is the norm in Cleeves' books. It took me a little bit to warm to Venn, but I got there. He is a pleasantly humble character who has some self knowledge that I think is probably rare in policing, and in most humans. I will say that the plot kept me guessing the whole time, which is always a good thing. One odd thing about this series is that I feel like I got just as much of the inner lives of Venn's subordinates as I did of Venn's. I suppose that happens in The Vera series as well, with Joe and to a lesser extent Holly, but it felt more pronounced in this book.
All in all, I enjoyed the book and I expect it'll be another successful series for Cleeves.

I had never read Ann Cleeves until The Long Call and was instantly hooked. Book two in the Matthew Venn series was just as good. You just keep turning pages because you HAVE to know what is going to happen next.

The characters are perfectly real and flawed. We all know the perfectionist who has to have their clothes ironed to the nth degree and the co-worker who is always looking higher and higher. Jenn may drink too much and feed her kids too much take-out but I don’t find that odd in her line of work.

I also took time to listen to the audiobook and oh my dreamy stars the narrator is fantastic. He has the perfect voice to fall asleep to but the story prevents that from happening.

If you like Louise Penny then you have to try Ann Cleeves. I am told her Vera series is really smashing.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed above are entirely my own.

The second in the Two Rivers series by Ann Cleeves takes us back to the North Devon coast with the non-profit arts center, the unique mix of gentrifiers and the longstanding community. The first death is brutal and occurs in the artist's studio in a private estate. The owner offers below market rent to artists that he wants to help. The community seems to get along well but the murder opens up the conflicts and issues.

Our lead detective Detective Matthew Venn grew up in a Quaker like community and this affects how he moves and interacts and adds another layer to the detective mystery. Ann Cleeves combines a diverse group of characters in this small community - disabled, famous actors, financiers, farmers, artists, medical activists. Matthew Venn and his group take us to an unexpected conclusion.

I received a reviewer copy of The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves from the publisher Minotaur books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

CW: Suicide, Suicide Ideation, Murder, Encouraging Suicide, Online Suicide Forums

What It’s About: This is the second book in a new series by Ann Cleeves following DI Detective Venn in this case, there has been a murder at a local artist commune with a beloved doctor found murdered and of course Detective Venn's husband happens to be friends with the victim's daughter.

What I Loved: These books are really well written police procedurals and Detective Venn is an intriguing lead. This book focuses a bit more on his sergent Jen who is a bit of a drinker who is in Devon trying to start fresh after an abusive relationship. The writing is great and very cinematic. Like Cleeves' other work this will make excellent TV.

What I Didn't Like So Much: Ultimately I didn't find this mystery as interesting as the first one. I also think these books are kind of slow pace and at times can be hard to keep up with. However, there's no denying that Cleeves can spin a tale. I just have trouble keeping track of all the characters but maybe this is an inherent issue with the audio.

Who Should Read This: People who love police procedural. People who love atmospheric books. People looking for a series to start that is still relatively new.

Quick Summary: A mystery where a man with seemingly no enemies is murder and the motive and suspects remain unknown.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ann Cleeves for this ARC. I had read The Long Call (Two Rivers #1) so I was very excited to read The Heron's Cry (Two Rivers #2). Matthew Venn is a brilliantly written detective by the master of mystery Ann Cleeves. A frightening murder of Dr. Yeo sets up a race to find out what really happened... and it will hit Matthew a little too close to home. Beautiful background of Devon!

Set in Devon, this second in Ann Cleeves new series moves relentlessly illuminating the environs and examing the dynamics between locsle snd the peoplecwho live there. The detectives melding into a team, albeit not without stresses. Matthew Venn may be bottled up and controlled, but he is lightened by his mattiage to Jonathan, an outgoing artsy sort. Jen Rafferty, a workaholic single mother of teens who likes to party, is earning his respect for persistence and insight in spite of what may be a slight problem with booze. Many subplots build and coalesce in the unraveling of the murders starting with the death of an unlikely gentleman stabbed in his daughter's glassblowing studio with a shard of one of her creations.While I certainly enjoyed the first book, the second book has me hooked on the series and anxiously awaiting the next book.

DCI Matthew Venn and his team are called to the scene of a brutal murder of a middle-aged man (Dr. Nigel Yeo) who was found in the workshop of his artist daughter. The area is an artist community and Dr. Yeo seemed to have no enemies and also the good doctor had been to a party the night before as well as Jenn a member of Matthew's team. There were a large group of people at the party so it will be tough job to sort through since there were a large number to have been the last to see Nigel right before he was murdered. Before long another body will turn up and they also attended this party and were a possible suspect but now a victim. The team will have to put their personal lives on hold and work around the clock before the killer decides to take another life.

This was an enjoyable and solid detective story with the team racing all over to discover why and who the killer was. The story allowed glimpses of the teams personal lives but not enough to take away from their non-stop police work.. It was fun and entertaining trying to figure out who the killer was and why, so there were quite a few unexpected turns and a few twists that kept my attention. I enjoy reading books by Ann Cleeves and I will look forward to reading more written by her in the future.

I want to thank the publisher "St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I do recommend this book and have given a rating of 3 SOLID 🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!

I absolutely loved The Herons Cry. The writing was superb; Ann Cleeves has created multi-dimensional characters, a scenic backdrop, and a twisty, complex plot. I gobbled up this story, trying (and failing) to catch a murderer. But it was so much more than a who-done-it. It was a gripping mystery, perfect for fans of Elizabeth George.

Two Rivers #2. DI Matthew Venn returns when a man is murdered in a small artist colony in rural Devon. Once again we have an unusual murder surrounded by intriguing characters with mixed motives and secrets, shifting relationships, and disconcerting ties to Matthew's husband Jonathan. The setting has its own part to play, the detectives' personal lives can't help but intersect their professional ones from time to time, and murder rears its ugly head yet again. The plot indeed thickens, thickens to a rich, tasty, satisfying stew. Every bit as good as the first and equally complex. Highly recommended.

The Heron's Cry is the second release in Ann Cleeves' Two Rivers series, following DI Matthew Venn and his team. The first book in the series, The Long Call, was a standout Mystery for me in 2019, so I was highly anticipating this next installment.

Unsurprisingly, Cleeves did not disappoint. This woman could teach a master class on writing an engaging Police Procedural. This particular Mystery kicks off when Venn is called to a crime scene at a rural home occupied by a group of artists. A man has been killed, stabbed in the neck with a shard from one of his glassblower daughter's vases.

Dr. Nigel Yeo, the victim, is a dedicated public servent, a loving father and valued member of his community. It's perplexing as to why anyone would want him dead. His daughter, Eve, the glassblower, is particularly distraught, as is Venn when he discovers Eve is actually a good friend of his husband, Jonathan. Of course, sometimes it seems everybody knows everybody in a small community.

The detectives discover a line of inquiry Yeo was following with regards to his work for the health ministry. It involved the suicides of two young men and the possible failure of the health system in providing them appropriate care. Could someone have been meaning to silence him?

When another body is discovered, killed in the same fashion, Venn and team fear they may have stumbled across something larger than they initially anticipated.

I really enjoyed my time with this novel. Being back with DI Venn and learning more about him and his team, it felt comfortable. Cleeves has created a great cast of main characters for this series. I enjoy how she includes a few different perspectives.

The coastal community in North Devon provided an insular, small town atmosphere, which I tend to enjoy in my Mysteries. I loved learning all about the town's secrets; the underbelly of an otherwise picturesque place. Every community has things they would prefer to keep from the outside world. I also enjoyed how this story incorporated a group of artists, randomly thrown together into a sort of communal living situation. That whole subculture feel was quite interesting.

I'm not sure if there are going to be more books in this series, but I truly hope there will be. I could picture this one running for a long time. If that's the case, I will be so happy that I got in on it early. If you haven't had a chance to check out this series yet, and you love Police Procedural Mysteries, you really should. Now is the time!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am definitely looking forward to more Ann Cleeves!

The Heron's Cry is very well-written--- the story flows, the mystery is intriguing and the characters well developed. My only quibble is that Matthew Venn does not read convincingly as a gay man.

Not to say he has to wear a rainbow flag, but most of his background angst has to do with coming from that religious sect, not from any kind of sexual identification, if that makes sense. He treats his "husband" like a straight guy would treat a wife. He never seems to worry about how others will perceive his orientation.
If he has an "outsider" perspective, as many LGBTQ detectives do, it's because of religion, not sexual identity.

I've communicated with Ms. Cleeves on Facebook, and here's what I suggested to her.

First, my impression of Matthew is that he is a very self-contained individual-- something caused by his religious upbringing. How did he make the connection with Jonathan in the first place? Maybe you have indeed dealt with this, somewhere, but did they meet online, at a party, etc. Did he have any uncertainty about approaching Jonathan-- for example, how good was his gaydar? Did he recognize an approach by Jonathan? These are experiences that are common to gay men that would show us how his sexual orientation affects his character.

Also, even in the most open and accepting communities there is still some prejudice. Does he hear one man call another "Faggot" on the street, perhaps think it's directed at him? How would he react? As a cop-- is this second man in danger, perhaps of gay bashing? Maybe the two men are just joking, but it still electrifies him in some way. I think these minor sort of points are a way to show how his sexual orientation has affected him as a human being, and as a cop.

But don't let my comments deter you from reading what is otherwise a fine book.

With The Heron’s Cry, Ann Cleeves returns to her recently launched Two Rivers series. In many ways, all of Cleeves’ books feel like ensemble pieces, but this new series in particular, celebrates all the characters equally. Yes, Matthew Venn – as the head of the investigation team – anchors the novel(s), but the development of each major player is well thought out and keeps readers invested.

Longtime readers of Ann Cleeves will know that her characters are always multi-dimensional, allowing incidents in each of the books to help shape and mold them. Even with the newness of the Two Rivers series, this same principle holds true in The Heron’s Cry. The North Devon community that serves as the setting is quaint and tight-knit, so naturally many of the characters are linked – be it as friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc. Naturally, this makes any investigation of crime more complex, but its also rewarding to see that Matthew and his team encounter major players from the first novel, during their canvasing endeavors in this book.

Work/Life balance is an important theme in The Heron’s Cry. Readers witness how the high stress job of policework intrudes on each of the character’s personal lives. Ann Cleeves is never one to give easy solutions, so this is a struggle we will continue to witness as the series continues.

All of this talk of character in no way shortchanges the plot. Ann Cleeves is meticulous in crafting intricate webs, luring readers down one alley only to reveal an unexpected dark corner that leads to another route. The Heron’s Cry begins with the death of Dr. Nigel Yeo – stabbed with a shard of glass from a vase his artist daughter created. This leads Matthew and the team to focus on a multi-artist residence home, which also has ties to Matthew’s husband Jonathan. A second death, with similar MO, will cause the team to take a step back to reassess.

The theme of artistic achievement is another that links this novel to The Long Call (the first in the series). With the prominence of The Woodyard artist compound to this community, this is likely to be an ongoing thread throughout the series. However, Ann Cleeves is not going to allow this case to be that straightforward, so a recent controversy in the healthcare sector also makes Dr. Yeo a target of those colleagues. The way Ann Cleeves is able to weave such disparate topics into a realistic Gordian Knot reaffirms her role has master storyteller.

The Heron’s Cry works perfectly well as a stand-alone, but readers will find the experience more rewarding if they start the Two Rivers series at the beginning. Already, readers are witnessing major shifts in character behavior confirming that the slow burn of these books is intentional, implying that the series arc is likely to be both radical and rewarding. Ann Cleeves has no shortage of fans who will follow her anywhere. Here’s hoping that The Heron’s Cry – and the Two Rivers novels – grows that legion even larger.

Princess Fuzzypants here: DI Matthew Venn is a hero with lots of layers that make him the fascinating character that he is. The same experiences that shaped him make him an excellent detective in a very unstated way. His police station in Devon is also populated with complex and very real people. Everyone has flaws and warts as do the people with whom they interact as they investigate the murder of a lovely man who just wanted to do the right thing. But finding the killer proves more challenging because no one is one dimensional. When the second murder and then third death occurs, with a shockingly similar modus operandi, the police feel like they are getting no closer to a resolution.

They are chasing after one line of inquiry until they realize they have missed the right “turn” and they are searching in the wrong direction. With themes suicide, mental health care, social guilt and acceptance, it is hard to tell the good guys from the bad. It makes for a cracking good mystery with the villain revealed only at the end. It kept me guessing and following the leads the same as the police. I felt like I was right there, with them.

Five purrs and two paws up.

Ann Cleeves is not just one of the most prolific but also one of the best current mystery writers. This second in her new Two Rivers series is full of solid, very human characters and, as always, with Cleeves' vivid sense of place. I reviewed it in print and online for the Sat. Louis Post-Dispatch on Sept. 12.

I was a bit apprehensive when I began this book. The first in the series, A Long Call, left me feeling I had missed something, or the author thought I knew more than I did, or I wasn’t smart enough to keep up with Matthew Venn. But this second book had me from the first page, and I was right in the mess of things with Matthew and his team.

I am sure there were subtle points I missed along the way, but with Ann Cleeves’ genius with tempo and plotting, I stayed on board for the ride she takes her readers on. A ride, which should not be missed.

Detective Matthew Venn is called out to a farm/artist retreat where Dr. Nigel Yeo has been killed. He's found dead in his own daughter's glassblower studio, stabbed with a shard of one of her vases. Dr. Yeo seems like a nice man: adored by his daughter and a public servant, working to help bring understanding between the public trusts. When a second body is found--killed in a similar way--Matthew realizes that he must dig deep into the secrets and lies of his community to find a killer.

I adore this series and the fact that Detective Matthew Venn, our lead, is a gay man. As with all of Cleeves' books, this is an excellent, solid mystery, with an interesting plot and a team whom you can easily become invested in. Each of her characters is well-written, strong, and original. It's so refreshing, honestly, to read a tale without a crazy unreliable narrator but instead one that simply relies on a strong story and excellent characters. There is a slate of people who could be potential suspects, and we also get backstories for our various detectives: Matthew, Ross, and Jen. Everyone is entwined in this small town (and honestly, if I were them, I'd be a bit worried how many people seem to die there! Cabot Cove, anyone?).

This book kept me guessing the entire time, which I love. I was constantly second guessing myself and wondering who killed whom. It was filled with twists, but nothing wild or unbelievable. This is easily becoming one of my new favorite series.

North Devon is so critical to the plot that the first page of The Heron’s Cry is a map of the area. The Long Call introduced readers to Detective Inspector Matthew Venn and his two subordinates, Jen Rafferty and Ross May. Matthew’s husband is Jonathan, who manages “the Woodyard, a large and successful community arts centre in Barnstaple.” Jen is a single mother with two teenagers, whilst Ross is married to Mel, his childhood sweetheart.

Jen, a divorcée, has an active social life: she “couldn’t bear the idea of being lonely for the rest of her life.” She occasionally over-indulges like at her friend Cynthia Prior’s party. An older man, “small and sturdy, built like a troll from a fairy story,” chats her up in the garden and introduces himself as Nigel Yeo. Nigel works “in the health sector,” but says that he’s no longer a doctor, rather “more of a private investigator at the moment.”

‘In fact, there was something I wanted to discuss, but I’m not sure this is the right place after all.’ He seemed distracted for a moment. ‘Actually, it’s probably time for me to head home, I think.’ Nigel got to his feet, the movement smooth and easy, and wiped a few grass clippings from his bum. It was rather a nice bum too.



He hesitated when he was on his feet. ‘Is it okay if I get your number from Cynthia and call you?’



‘Yeah,’ Jen said. ‘Sure.’

The evening deteriorates and Jen goes to bed alone. She wakes up fully clothed, with a headache to boot. Her daughter Ella tells her disapprovingly that Matthew Venn has been calling all morning.

‘Shit.’ Matt Venn was the boss. The best boss she’d ever had, but he wasn’t much into fun either. He was a man of principle, still haunted, Jen thought, by a strict evangelical childhood. He could do disapproval as well as her daughter.

There’s been “an unexplained death.” Matthew needs Jen to join him and Ross in Westacombe, “a group of craft workshops in the grounds of a big house.” The victim was discovered by his daughter, a glass blower, in her studio: “the murder weapon is a shard of one of her broken vases.” Jen is taken aback when she sees the body—it’s Nigel Yeo. She tells Matthew that she met him the night before.

‘He wanted to talk to me, but said it could wait.’



‘He wanted to talk to you professionally?’

That’s their first clue as to why someone might have wanted Nigel dead. Matthew tells Francis (Frank) Ley, a wealthy man who underwrites much of the commercial activities in the area, that Nigel had been killed. Ley owns the big house adjacent to the farmhouse and craft workshops. ‘Shit!’ says Ley.

‘Dr Yeo was a friend?’



‘No.’ A pause. ‘Well. I suppose he was in a way; becoming one at least. Eve came here a couple of years ago after finishing her Master’s degree.’



Matthew said nothing. Silence, he’d found, was an ally and a weapon.



At last, Ley continued: ‘Nigel worked for North Devon Patients Together, NDPT. It represents patients’ views to the trusts. It’s a small organization but very efficient, I thought. Since Nigel took over as boss, he’s widened the brief to look into anomalies, and to explore patients’ complaints.’



Venn nodded. That chimed with what Jen Rafferty had said.

There’s a personal connection. Alexander Mackenzie, a young friend of Ley’s, was brought low by depression, something Ley had personally experienced. The difference was that ‘Mack killed himself.’ Ley can’t understand why a “talented, bright” young man with a loving family would make such a choice. Could the psychiatric hospital where Mack was sectioned be somehow culpable?

The inter-relationships between the investigators and the investigated are murky. Cynthia tells Jen after the fact that Nigel only came to her party to meet Jen and share with her his concerns. Jonathan is good friends with Eve, the daughter of the first victim and so on and so forth. It’s an insular community. Eve reaches out to her friend Jonathan, after Wes Curnow, her colleague and friend, is found murdered. Jonathan sits with her in her little flat, fetches her a glass of wine, and mops up her tears.

‘It was my glass that killed him,’ she said. ‘Just like with Dad. Why would somebody do that? They had to go into Frank’s part of the house and steal the vase and break it. Then they set me up to find him. Who would hate me that much?’



‘I can’t believe that anyone hates you.’



‘Why use my glass then? Why try to point the blame at me?’



Jonathan didn’t have an answer to that. He sat beside her on the sofa and put his arms around her again, stroking her hair away from her face as if she were a child.

Contrast Jonathan comforting a friend with Matthew’s dismay when he discovers Jen in the farmyard, waiting in the glomming to speak to Eve.

‘How is she?’



‘I don’t know. I haven’t talked to her yet. Jonathan asked for an hour with her, before I started the questions.’



Matthew felt a spark of fury. How dare Jonathan interfere with his investigation and order his staff around!



‘I was just about to go up.’ Jen seemed awkward, a child caught in the middle of rowing parents. It wasn’t fair, Matthew thought, to have put her in this position, to have compromised her authority. Jonathan had used his relationship with Matthew to get his own way.

Jen demurs that Jonathan “was just being kind,” but Matthew isn’t having any of that: ‘‘We’re police officers.’ He knew his voice was sharp, hard. ‘Not social workers.’” Who’s right—Jonathan or Matthew? There are often circumstances when police officers choose to use an oblique approach to interrogate witnesses, falling back on the old chestnut that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. The two men are unlikely to agree on this matter. Perhaps it’s as simple as opposites attract.

Jonathan is such a milk-of-kindness man. The Long Call introduced us to Matthew’s overbearing mother Dorothy. She is no prize but Jonathan asks her to have lunch with him and Matthew so they can celebrate her birthday. Surprisingly, she accepts and Jonathan creates a delicious and magical birthday lunch. Jonathan is the connective tissue between two damaged souls: Matthew left North Devon at age nineteen, in flight from the Barum Brethren, a small, harsh religious sect.

Who is behind the killings? The answer is surprising and complicated. For readers who haven’t yet gotten enough of the Two Rivers series, you can look forward to a four-part major TV series based on the books. It’s already in production!