THE LONG CALL

5 stars out of 5

Would you believe this is my first encounter with this prolific author? It's true - but for sure it won't be my last. In fact, this book marks the start of a new "Two Rivers" series, and already I'm taken with the main character, Detective Matthew Venn of North Devon.

As with intriguing characters in most mysteries, Matthew is flawed; in his case, he long ago left his parents' precious fold - a religious group (cult) called the Brethren. For that alone, his parents essentially disowned him; the situation took a turn for the worse (if that's possible) when he married the love of his life, Jonathan, who manages a community that caters to people with disabilities.

So it is that he stands outside the church at his estranged father's funeral - intentionally unseen and with mixed emotions. As he walks away so as not to encounter his mother, he gets a call: There's been a murder at a nearby beach. An unidentified man has been stabbed. The albatross tattoo on his neck is the only clue, and it turns out the man is Simon Walden, a rather odd duck who not long ago secretly moved into a spare room with two local women who, as it turns out, have secrets of their own.

The plot begins to thicken when Matthew gets an out-of-the-blue call from his mother, who asks for his help: It seems the daughter of her best friend, a girl with Down's syndrome, has been "lost." That draws Matthew back to a place he really doesn't want to be - dealing with Brethren folks. Perhaps worse, because the girl spent her days at Jonathan's facility, Matthew must deal with a possible conflict of interest that would leave the investigation in the hands of his team members Jen and Ross (both complex characters in their own rights, but very capable detectives).

In an effort to avoid disclosing more than I should, my analysis will stop here, except to say that the action heats up near the end to the point that I was reluctant to put the book down. Already, I'm looking forward to seeing these characters again. Meantime, thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy. Well done!

The Long Call by Ann Cleeves (Minotaur Books, September 2019); 382 pp.