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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
The second novel in the DI Matthew Venn series which began with The Long Call returns us to the seacoast of Devon in The Heron’s Cry.
Frank Ley’s investment abilities made him uncomfortably rich. He has been buying up failing properties and businesses to improve the lives of individuals and their communities. He rents out workshops to artists, two of whom live in the upper story of his home. His niece and family run the dairy and farm.
Frank is not approved of by all. Some think that ‘rural gentrification’ is not an improvement.
Policewoman Jen is invited to one of Frank’s informal parties where she meets Nigel Yeo who wants to talk to her, but Jen had too much to drink that night.
It was the last time Nigel was seen alive. The next morning, he was found dead in his daughter’s workshop on Ley’s property. Matthew and his team of Jen and Ross spend the next week chasing down the murderer, dealing with two more deaths along the way. To complicate matters, people involved include close friends of Matthew’s husband Jonathan.
My favorite part of the series are the characters and the portrait of the entire community which includes the privileged to struggling farmers and shop owners, and hippie, artsy folk. The village is deluged with tourists during the summer months, escaping the heat and attracted by the beauty of the seaside.
Matthew was raised in a religious community called The Brethren; he retains the quiet sobriety of the community. As a gay man he was no longer accepted, and it caused a breach with his family. His husband reaches out by inviting Matthew’s widowed mum to dinner on her birthday. Jenn is a harried single mom of two, and Ross has never warmed to Matthew, plus he has ambitions–and a troubled marriage.
Cleeves is a master of her craft, her characters beautifully drawn, and the convoluted turn of events kept my interest.
I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
Frank Ley’s investment abilities made him uncomfortably rich. He has been buying up failing properties and businesses to improve the lives of individuals and their communities. He rents out workshops to artists, two of whom live in the upper story of his home. His niece and family run the dairy and farm.
Frank is not approved of by all. Some think that ‘rural gentrification’ is not an improvement.
Policewoman Jen is invited to one of Frank’s informal parties where she meets Nigel Yeo who wants to talk to her, but Jen had too much to drink that night.
It was the last time Nigel was seen alive. The next morning, he was found dead in his daughter’s workshop on Ley’s property. Matthew and his team of Jen and Ross spend the next week chasing down the murderer, dealing with two more deaths along the way. To complicate matters, people involved include close friends of Matthew’s husband Jonathan.
My favorite part of the series are the characters and the portrait of the entire community which includes the privileged to struggling farmers and shop owners, and hippie, artsy folk. The village is deluged with tourists during the summer months, escaping the heat and attracted by the beauty of the seaside.
Matthew was raised in a religious community called The Brethren; he retains the quiet sobriety of the community. As a gay man he was no longer accepted, and it caused a breach with his family. His husband reaches out by inviting Matthew’s widowed mum to dinner on her birthday. Jenn is a harried single mom of two, and Ross has never warmed to Matthew, plus he has ambitions–and a troubled marriage.
Cleeves is a master of her craft, her characters beautifully drawn, and the convoluted turn of events kept my interest.
I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
medium-paced
Ann Cleeves’ 30+ books have been translated into twenty languages. She is wildly popular in the UK and throughout Europe, and two of her book series have been made into multi-season television series, another into a movie. Somehow, I’d never heard of her.
I enjoyed The Heron’s Cry immensely, which I received as a review copy from NetGalley and the publisher. I wish I would have read the first book in the new Two Rivers series, The Long Call (now on my TBR list), but The Heron’s Cry was fine as a standalone. The characters were richly drawn, and the plot was twisty and suspenseful. 4 stars.
I enjoyed The Heron’s Cry immensely, which I received as a review copy from NetGalley and the publisher. I wish I would have read the first book in the new Two Rivers series, The Long Call (now on my TBR list), but The Heron’s Cry was fine as a standalone. The characters were richly drawn, and the plot was twisty and suspenseful. 4 stars.
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.
Struggled to get going with this one but when finished was good
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A pleasant read.
Much thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of the new Two Rivers mystery.
It was wonderful to go back to this cast of characters with a new mystery involving a number of violent murders and suicides (past & present). The mystery was secondary to the character driven plots. Matthew, his husband Jonathan, and his fellow officers are wonderful and it's terrific to see their characters grow and develop. I was also happy to see Lucy (from the first book) back at the community center and helping solve this mystery.
Overall, it was not as compelling as the first book, The Long Call, (which was AMAZING) but still kept my interest and I loved the twists and turns and clues. Highly recommend this series to any mystery fan!
It was wonderful to go back to this cast of characters with a new mystery involving a number of violent murders and suicides (past & present). The mystery was secondary to the character driven plots. Matthew, his husband Jonathan, and his fellow officers are wonderful and it's terrific to see their characters grow and develop. I was also happy to see Lucy (from the first book) back at the community center and helping solve this mystery.
Overall, it was not as compelling as the first book, The Long Call, (which was AMAZING) but still kept my interest and I loved the twists and turns and clues. Highly recommend this series to any mystery fan!
I love this new series by Ann Cleeves. This is book 2 and the characters are growing individually and as a team. Great variety, good puzzle (sad issues), well paced, great atmosphere. Looking forward to book 3.