The Long Call

by Ann Cleeves

Minotaur Books

Publication Date : September 3, 2019

Pages : 384

Synopsis From Publisher :

In North Devon, where two rivers converge and run into the sea, Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church as his father’s funeral takes place. Once loved and cherished, the day Matthew left the strict evangelical community he grew up in, he lost his family too.

Now, as he turns and walks away again, he receives a call from one of his team. A body has been found on the beach nearby: a man with a tattoo of an albatross on his neck, stabbed to death.

The case calls Matthew back into the community he thought he had left behind, as deadly secrets hidden at its heart are revealed, and his past and present collide.

An astonishing new novel told with compassion and searing insight, The Long Call will captivate fans of Vera and Shetland, as well as new readers.

Every avid reader of crime fiction needs a book which serves as a pallet cleanser. A book which contains less gore and a more than average amount of heart. I have a few go to authors which serve this purpose but I am always on the look out for new pallet cleansers. In The Long Call I found an additional go to series for a lighter, less gory, feel good crime fiction story. 

On the normally peaceful shores of Devon, the body of a young man is found. With no  identification the police rely on the only identifying feature; a tattoo of an albatross. Detective Inspector Matthew Venn and his investigative team are assigned to the case. The body is later identified as Simon Weldon. While Weldon has a sorted past, Matthew and his team learn Simon was trying to put his past behind him. Could his attempts at forgiveness be the cause of his death? Or did Simon’s past finally catch up with him? 

The Long Call begins with an ending. Detective Inspector Matthew Venn is attending his father’s funeral when the book opens. Although this is a sad moment for Matthew, it is also in a way a new beginning. He now has the opportunity move forward with his life unhindered by guilt or he can go on with the guilt as well as unanswered questions. Before he can decide he is called out to a crime scene. In starting The Long Call with a funeral, Cleeves used this opening scene to remind us that endings can be sad but they can also be the start of something new. 

The ability to connect with characters is essential to enjoying a book. Relating to the characters of The Long Call will not be an issue for readers. These characters are lovable and enduring. The Long Call is book one of Two Rivers series. The characters we meet will leave a lasting impression and readers wanting to know more. It maybe a little unrealistic but I am hoping to meet most of the characters in The Long Call in the next book.

While reading The Long Call I noticed parallels between Matthew and Simon. They both are under the weight of guilt and shame. While Matthew and Simon were on different sides of the law, their end goal was the same. They were both hoping to redeem themselves. These parallels gave  the story an emotional complexity which was just as compelling as the central mystery. 

If I had to choose one word to describe The Long Call it would be enjoyable. Readers will love the characters, be enthralled with the central mystery, and left impatiently waiting for the next installment of the Two Rivers series. 

Murder and Moore Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars