THE RAGING STORM

4 stars

I've read and enjoyed the first two books in this series featuring North Devon Detective Matthew Venn, who's an intriguing character beyond the mind he uses to solve crimes. Not only did he leave the cult-like religion to which his parents adhere, but he found and married the love of his life, a pleasant and capable chap named Jonathan. This time around, he's back "home" in Greystone, the land of his childhood and still home to many of the super-religious Brethren - who basically tossed him from the fold in a very public manner years ago.

So it with a bit of trepidation that Matthew leaves Jonathan and heads to Scully Cove, where the naked body of a local man Jem Roscoe, who's gained fame as a sailor is found abandoned in a dinghy. Blood found in the bathroom of the place Jem was staying offered proof that the death was no accident. From that point on, Matthew and his team battle nasty weather, but while the suspect list grows almost by the day, the investigation turns up little to no real evidence. The story actually moves rather sluggishly - mirroring, perhaps, cases that happen in the real world - until closer to the end when a second dead body turns up. This one - an individual who is at least under consideration as the culprit - may well be a suicide; but Matthew's keen instincts, and the keen investigative skills of his team including Jen Rafferty and Ross May, prove otherwise.

Meantime, Matthew is a bit concerned about his relationship with Jonathan, who's clearly got something on his mind he wants to share, but the murders don't leave much down time for heart-to-hearts. By the end, though, both the murders and Jonathan's dilemma are known to readers, with one of them providing fodder for the next book. All in all, it's another enjoyable reading experience, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me once again with a pre-release copy for review.

The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves (Minotaur Books, September 2023); 392 pp.

THE HERON'S CRY

4 stars out of 5

After reading the first book in this series, "The Long Call," a couple of years ago, I've been eager for more about the star of the show, North Devon Detective Matthew Venn. He has an intriguing background, leaving the cult-like religious life of his parents and getting married to the love of his life, Jonathan (no doubt distancing himself even farther from his already disapproving parents). Out on his own, he's become an exceptionally competent investigator, and he's back with a new adventure that has his entire department scratching their heads and puts his relationship with Jonathan to the test.

One of his most trusted underlings, Jenn Rafferty, gets a call from Venn way too early the morning after she drank way too much at a local party - one at which a local physician and patient advocate, Dr. Nigel Yeo, had indicated he had something to discuss with her. Apparently, he gave up trying and left; so when Venn tells her the good doctor has been murdered - by a shard of glass from one of his daughter's works of art - she's both disturbed and mortified that her inebriation got in the way. The body was found within a community of artists at which his daughter has a studio that's owned and run by a very wealthy man - and where Jonathan manages a group that caters to people with disabilities (in fact, Jonathan is a good friend of Eve, the dead man's daughter)

Needless to say, several in the artistic commune are suspects, including the rich guy - and the story weaves its way through the possible connections that hopefully will lead to identifying the killer. But then, another body turns up - a man who was murdered in a similar fashion with a similar weapon. With this one, the possible motive is even more elusive than the first. But slowly and methodically, Venn and his team unearth clues that lead in an unexpected direction - leading up to an exciting end (and a couple of causes for optimism in Venn's personal life). All told, it's another entertaining adventure, for which I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Bring on the next!

The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves (Minotaur Books, September 2021); 400 pp.

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.