This is my third or fourth book from the talented Ann Cleeves, and I finally put my finger on why I adore her work so much. Her work keeps me guessing, but not in a non-stop twists and turns way. It really does feel like a puzzle that you're sorting out along with the investigators, and you have to think outside the box to understand the suspects and their motives.

This story introduces readers to a new investigator, Detective Matthew Venn. I loved where the author took this character. First, he is nothing like Vera Stanhope or Jimmy Perez. Matthew Venn has a quietness about him, and he seems to follow the rule that it is better to listen than to talk. But while Matthew has found some peace in his life, his past is not without strife. When our story starts, he's lingering outside the funeral of his father. He wasn't invited by his mother and he stays removed from the funeral due to the family's strict religious beliefs that cast him out in the past. But Matthew has moved on, and been successful in both his professional and personal life. He's found love with his husband, Jonathan, and his introduction to the reader is partially brought by the job transfer that allowed him to move back to North Devon. 

This story starts with the murder of a man down on his luck. When one woman goes missing, the detectives are puzzled. But then another woman disappears in a crowded shopping area. All have a connection to a local community center, The Woodyard. So many secrets and so many suspects send investigators on a wild chase. 

This story is a slow burn but does have a good amount of action throughout, and it never veers into feeling outlandish or unbelievable. 

If you already enjoy Ann Cleeves, you'll like this book. But if you also enjoy a well-developed cast of characters trying to solve crimes in a small village by the sea, you'll love "The Long Call".