Title: The Heron’s Cry by Ann Cleeves
Two Rivers Series Book Two
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
New York Times bestseller Ann Cleeves returns with The Heron’s Cry, the extraordinary follow-up to The Long Call, soon to be a major TV series, alongside her two hit TV shows Shetland and Vera.
North Devon is enjoying a rare hot summer with tourists flocking to its coastline. Detective Matthew Venn is called out to a rural crime scene at the home of a group of artists. What he finds is an elaborately staged murder–Dr Nigel Yeo has been fatally stabbed with a shard of one of his glassblower daughter’s broken vases.
Dr. Yeo seems an unlikely murder victim. He’s a good man, a public servant, beloved by his daughter. Matthew is unnerved, though, to find that she is a close friend of Jonathan, his husband.
Then another body is found–killed in a similar way. Matthew soon finds himself treading carefully through the lies that fester at the heart of his community and a case that is dangerously close to home.
DI Matthew Venn returns in The Heron’s Cry, in Ann Cleeves powerful next novel, proving once again that she is a master of her craft.
Review:
The Heron’s Cry by Ann Cleeves is a multi-layered mystery with an incredibly well-developed cast of characters. This second mystery in the Two Rivers series can be read as a standalone but I HIGHLY recommend the first book well.
Detective Sergeant Jen Rafferty is enjoying an evening gathering at her friend Cynthia Prior’s home when she is approached by Dr. Nigel Yeo. She enjoys their chat but she knows she has had too much to drink to have a serious discussion with him. Unfortunately, Jen will regret this discussion when Nigel is found murdered the next morning by his artist daughter Eve. The murder weapon seems to point to something personal, but why would anyone want to kill Dr. Yeo?
Detective Inspector Matthew Venn finds it difficult to keep this investigation from spilling over into his personal life. His husband, Jonathan Church, is friends with Eve and he wants nothing more than to comfort the grieving young woman. And although the current investigation is barely underway, Matthew is also still struggling with his strained relationship with his mum and his exit from a cult-like religion.
A second murder muddies the investigation somewhat but there is no mistaking the same person is responsible for both deaths. Nigel worked as the director of an advocacy group for patients of the NHS. He was currently trying to find answers about the suicide of a very troubled young man. As Matthew follows Dr. Yeo’s footsteps over the few days before his murder, he makes a shocking discovery. But how does this new information fit with the second murder? And after a stunning disappearance, Matthew, Jen and overly ambitious Detective Constable Ross May are in a race against time to save this person’s life.
The Heron’s Cry is a compelling mystery with complex characters and an engrossing storyline. Matthew is a work in progress as he continues to consciously change some of his embedded behaviors. Jonathan is a breath of fresh air who is caring, laid-back and quick to forgive. Some elements of the investigation give Jen reason to reflect on certain aspects of her own life. The close relationships, oppressive heat wave and small-town setting add tension to the investigation. With unanticipated twists, Ann Cleeves brings this suspenseful mystery to a pitch-perfect conclusion. Old and new fans of the Two Rivers series are going to absolutely love this latest installment.
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