The Dying Light

A Detective Matthew Venn Novel

by Ann Cleeves

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Book 4 of Two Rivers

Pub Date Sep 24 2026 | Archive Date Sep 17 2026

Pan Macmillan | Macmillan

General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers

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Description

From New York Times bestseller Ann Cleeves comes the fourth Two Rivers mystery, in which Detective Matthew Venn and his team must solve a mysterious death in a luxurious holiday home.

Detective Matthew Venn is called in to investigate a puzzling death. The body of a young woman has been found in the swimming pool of a lavish holiday home in North Devon, and her best friend is missing. The property, Tide House, belongs to Paul Armstrong—a rising political star, a fact that quickly draws intense media scrutiny.

As a scorching heat wave rages and further tragedy strikes, Venn and his team begin questioning a community brimming with secrets. The dead woman and her friend had been spotted at a nearby music festival the day before, an event which brought locals and outsiders together. Some of whom may have been more connected with the Armstrong family than initially thought.

Caught between a powerful family's secrets and a powder keg of local tensions, Venn must navigate a treacherous path. Knowing that the real answers lie not in what people say, but in the silence that they keep.

From New York Times bestseller Ann Cleeves comes the fourth Two Rivers mystery, in which Detective Matthew Venn and his team must solve a mysterious death in a luxurious holiday home.

Detective...

Advance Praise

Praise for The Dying Light:

"As always, Cleeves is strong on atmosphere, and she crafts well-rounded characters whose overlapping secrets form an engrossing puzzle—developments in the personal lives of Venn’s investigators land with the same sense of occasion as bombshells about the victims’ lives." —Publishers Weekly

PRAISE FOR THE TWO RIVERS SERIES:

"Cleeves's true strength lies in her descriptions of the natural world, gorgeously captured." —The New York Times

"[A] well-plotted novel of unremitting suspense." —Wall Street Journal

"Cleeves' acclaimed Shetland series may be history, but her newest detective—buttoned-up, gay, married, ex-evangelical Matthew Venn—is a righteous successor." —People

"A surprising denouement moves this character-based mystery to the top tier." —Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW for The Raging Storm

"The third in Cleeves's award-winning series is an atmospheric police procedural that builds on the other books while introducing fascinating suspects." —School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW for The Raging Storm

"Cleeves crafts a devilishly intricate mystery that will surprise even seasoned genre fans, and Venn remains an appealing lead every bit as memorable as the author's Vera Stanhope or Jimmy Perez. Cleeves's fans and newcomers alike will be hungry for the next entry." —Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW for The Raging Storm

"Cleeves provides a complex mystery full of surprises. This character-driven exploration of people's darkest flaws is a sterling example of Cleeves' formidable talents." —Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW for The Heron's Cry

"Well-crafted...Intricate plotting, complex characters, and rich atmosphere...New and existing fans will be pleased." —Publishers Weekly on The Heron's Cry

"A wonderfully engrossing, by-the-book police procedural lush with Agatha Christie-esque atmosphere and intrigue." —Booklist on The Heron's Cry

"The plotting is complex and intriguing, the location comes alive, and the resolution satisfies...Fans of Cleeves lamenting the end of the Shetland series will find much to love in her new characters and setting." —School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW for The Long Call

"Fans missing detective Jimmy Perez will find a worthy successor in the equally complex Venn, who presides over an excellent mystery in this series kickoff." —Kirkus on The Long Call

Praise for The Dying Light:

"As always, Cleeves is strong on atmosphere, and she crafts well-rounded characters whose overlapping secrets form an engrossing puzzle—developments in the personal lives...

Available Editions

EDITION	Paperback
ISBN	9781529077803
PRICE	CA$25.99 (CAD)
PAGES	400

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