Ross sneered, seemed about to say something cutting about artists or communes, then thought better of it in front of the boss. He was learning. When another murder occurs with someone connected with farm and the murder weapon related with Eve, it confuses the minds. What was the connection between those murders and why the killer insist using art works-glasses of Eve to take lives of the victims? Now, Jen was at that stage when she knew she’d had enough to drink, but she couldn’t quite stop. Her ex-husband had always said she had an addictive personality, the words spoken with a sneer and an edge of pity, just before giving her a good slap, and then blaming her for provoking him. This is an uncomfortable case for DI Matthew Venn. He came to the remote village as a child, its community populated by the Barum Brethren that he parted ways with, so when superstition and rumour mix and another body is found in the cove, Matthew soon finds his judgement clouded.

Ann Cleeves mystery is a slow burn with an acute attention to details. She continues to develop the characters with such care, allowing the reader to bond and form lasting relationships that will only continue to grow in upcoming books in this series. The victim, Dr. Nigel Yeo, seemed to be a good man, who was trying to right wrongs. Before too long there is another body and maybe some past deaths might be connected to the present deaths. This is a very slow burn and the team does their foot work, while the list of suspicious people grows by the minute. Guilt is a theme that is a big part of this story. Guilt about the past, guilt about what was done and not done, and trying to find the guilty party/parties for past and present wrongs. No one wants to suspect friends or relatives of friends, everyone feels defensive, and there are just not enough hours in the day and night to solve these crimes while giving the home front the attention it needs. The number one Sunday Times bestselling series featuring Detective Matthew Venn, from author and creator of the Vera and Shetland series, Ann Cleeves. If you are looking for a thriller, you're in the wrong place. But if you enjoy a well crafted murder mystery, I can wholeheartedly recommend The Heron's Cry. And, while it is possible to read this as a stand-alone, you will miss out on vital information about relationships and character development. This was an enjoyable and solid detective story with the team racing all over to discover why and who the killer was. The story allowed glimpses of the teams personal lives but not enough to take away from their non-stop police work. It was fun and entertaining trying to figure out who the killer was and why, so there were quite a few unexpected turns and a few twists that kept my attention. I enjoy reading books by Ann Cleeves and I will look forward to reading more written by her in the future.

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The other character I must mention is a young woman named Lucy who played a central role in both books. She is my favorite character in fiction right now and I only wish she had a bigger profile. Cleeves has introduced a character with Down Syndrome who is not only a functioning member of society (imagine that! note sarcasm) but is instrumental in solving the cases due to her sharp observation skills and excellent memory. I cringed a little when Cleeves introduced characters with “learning disabilities” in the first book. I worried that they would be portrayed condescendingly, as is often the case. However, Cleeves focused on highlighting Lucy’s abilities, not her “disabilities” (by who's definition, I ask) and made her a well-rounded character with hopes and dreams and feelings just like everyone else. My only complaint in this book is that in every single scene Lucy was in, it was mentioned that she had “learning disabilities” or “Down Syndrome”. I mean…come on, we get it, let’s move on. The coastal community in North Devon provided an insular, small town atmosphere, which I tend to enjoy in my Mysteries. I loved learning all about the town's secrets; the underbelly of an otherwise picturesque place. Every community has things they would prefer to keep from the outside world. Dr. Nigel Yeo, the victim, is a dedicated public servant, a loving father and valued member of his community. It's perplexing as to why anyone would want him dead. 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 Eve is a close friend of Jonathan, his husband. The Heron’s Cry was a good, but not great, follow up to The Long Call, the first book in the new "Two Rivers" series by Ann Cleeves. I really enjoyed The Long Call and was hopeful for the second book but unfortunately it didn’t quite live up to the first for me. Despite this, I will still read the next in the series because the cast of characters has woven their way into my heart.

Another sweltering month in Charlotte, another boatload of mysteries past and present for overworked, overstressed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. DI Matthew Venn and his entire team have a difficult task ahead trying to solve these murders and unearthing the lies in the community. This is a case that presents problems personally as Matthews husband, Jonathan, is good friends with Dr. Yeo’s daughter. Yeah,’ Jen said. ‘Sure.’ She thought he might be suggesting a date and was flattered, almost excited, but it seemed he had something more formal in mind.Ann grew up in North Devon but in 1987, Ann, her husband Tim and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. Ann has worked with libraries her entire career and was even appointed as a National Libraries Day ambassador in 2016. Ann Cleeves presents her second book in the Two Rivers Series. The Heron's Cry can definitely be read as a standalone. But get in on the ground floor with her first book in this series, The Long Call. Get cozy with these characters now as I see a nice future as this series begins to unfold.

I hope it goes without saying that you are never, ever alone if you need help with suicidal ideation or emotional crisis. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline number is 1-800-273-8255. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline fields calls 24/7 for anyone with suicidal thoughts or who are in crisis. You could also get US help by texting "HEAL" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. This character-driven exploration of people's darkest flaws is a sterling example of Cleeves' formidable talents."The judging panel consisted of Geoff Bradley (non-voting Chair), Lyn Brown MP (a committee member on the London Libraries service), Frances Gray (an academic who writes about and teaches courses on modern crime fiction), Heather O'Donoghue (academic, linguist, crime fiction reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, and keen reader of all crime fiction) and Barry Forshaw (reviewer and editor of Crime Time magazine). Praise for The Long Call:'As a huge fan of both the Shetland and Vera series of books, I had high expectations for Cleeves' latest. Like the first book in the series, the detectives are just as interesting as the mystery. DS Jen Rafferty, a single mother with two teenagers, struggles to be a good mom while doing her job and partying after work; DC Ross May, who has lofty ambitions, chafes at being assigned (what he considers) boring, mundane police duties; and DI Matthew Venn struggles with the aftermath of growing up in a religious sect. Matthew left the sect and married his husband Jonathan, which was hard for his parents to accept. A rapprochement with Matthew's mother may be on the horizon however, since Jonathan invited her over for a birthday lunch....and she agreed to come. Had me hooked . . . a promising beginning to another fine chapter in the Ann Cleeves' story' - The Times DS Jen Rafferty is letting her red hair down at her friend Cynthia Prior’s party, she has a brief discussion with Nigel Yeo and though she’s had a few drinks she realises he’s got something on his mind. The following day Nigel is found dead at the studio of his artist daughter Eve, which she rents on the property of wealthy Francis Ley. This is the start of a dramatic series of events that challenges the North Devon team of DI Matthew Venn.