The Long Call (Two Rivers Book 1)

The Long Call is the No.1 bestselling first novel in the Two Rivers series from Sunday Times bestseller and creator of Vera and Shetland, Ann Cleeves.

In North Devon, where the rivers Taw and Torridge converge and run into the sea, gay Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church as his father's funeral takes place. The day Matthew turned his back on the strict evangelical community in which he grew up, he lost his family too.

Now he's back, not just to mourn his father at a distance, but to take charge of his first major case in the Two Rivers region; a complex place not quite as idyllic as tourists suppose.

A body has been found on the beach near to Matthew's new home: a man with the tattoo of an albatross on his neck, stabbed to death.

Finding the killer is Venn’s only focus, and his team’s investigation will take him straight back into the community he left behind, and the deadly secrets that lurk there.

As a huge fan of both the Shetland and Vera series of books, I had high expectations for Cleeves’ latest. She easily exceeded those expectations with The Long Call. Matthew Venn is a keeper. A stunning debut for Cleeves’ latest crimefighter -- David Baldacci

Had me hooked ― a promising beginning to another fine chapter in the Ann Cleeves story ― The Times

Clever, compassionate and atmospheric, with a great cast of new characters to love. I am already a Matthew Venn fan -- Elly Griffiths

A triumph that cements Cleeves' status as one of Britain's best crime writers ― Daily Express

Brilliant, thoughtful and deeply engaging -- Sara Paretsky, New York Times bestselling author of the V.I. Warshawski series

Brilliant - a page-turning and sensitively told tale, with a vividly evoked North Devon setting, a powerful emotional heft and a new detective hero in Matthew Venn who you will want to follow for book after book. Wonderful! -- Chris Ewan, bestselling author of Safe House

Ann Cleeves’ new series gets off to a terrific start with The Long Call – her native Devon is wonderfully evoked, and Matthew Venn is a very appealing new detective. Another sure-fire hit -- Martin Edwards, author of Gallows Court

Cleeves combines a flair for evoking sense of place with a thoughtful, complex plot ― Mail on Sunday

The troubled Venn is a great protagonist, and Cleeves may well have created her next top TV cop ― Heat

A traditional mystery of the best sort ― Guardian