Review: The Long Call by Ann Cleeves

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☆☆➹⁀☆ 5 stars ☆➹⁀☆☆

What It’s About:

In North Devon, where two rivers converge and run into the sea, Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church as his father’s funeral takes place. Once loved and cherished, the day Matthew left the strict evangelical community he grew up in, he lost his family too.

Now, as he turns and walks away again, he receives a call from one of his team. A body has been found on the beach nearby: a man with a tattoo of an albatross on his neck, stabbed to death.

The case calls Matthew back into the community he thought he had left behind, as deadly secrets hidden at its heart are revealed, and his past and present collide.

My Thoughts:

I love murder mysteries, and for a long time, I’ve been a fan of the television programs Vera and Shetland. I was delighted to find that Ann Cleeves had a new release available for review {insert fan girl squee}. Actually, I have to admit to not even knowing that the programs were based on books!

Inspector Matthew Venn, his partner, and his crack team of investigators are introduced in this initial book of the series. I loved how smoothly Ms. Cleeves swirled the private lives of her key players into this story. I cannot wait to see how Matthew’s very complex, conflicted character plays out in future books!

The various subplots are told in the present day. The third-person narrative serves the story well. The plot is perfectly paced (this is a police procedural, so set your expectations accordingly). Between the secrets revealed and red herrings along the way, The Long Call is completely engrossing and had me guessing to the end!