Death stalks a North Devon community

The Long Call (Two Rivers #1) by Ann Cleeves        



A complex mystery set in North Devon in an area near the mouth of the estuary, where the Taw met the Torridge and flowed into the Atlantic. Detective Matthew Venn has taken up a position in the community of his childhood. An unforgiving upbringing governed by the strangling strictures of the ultra conservative religious community he was part of formed him. As the story unfolds Cleeves sets the scene with what seems like disjointed events that will all have relevance as situations unfold coalescing into a fascinating end. His father's funeral Matthew views from afar, a stabbing, a missing girl with disabilities from the center that Matthew's male partner is in charge of, confrontation with the church leader, a powerful backing of the center, the backer's daughter and her housemate a talented artist. Add to this a couple of interesting detectives assisting Matthew and all will  mesh to make a surprising whole. The very complexity of this mystery on several levels makes it a great read.
As an avid fan of Shetland and Vera I'm looking forward to where Matthew Venn might go in the future.

A St. Martin's Press ARC via NetGalley

*****

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