The Heron's Cry (Two Rivers #2).

Matthew Venn series #2

by Ann Cleeves

Ann Cleeves-- New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows--returns with the extraordinary follow-up to The Long Call , in the Two Rivers series, soon to be a major TV series too.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.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Audiobook, Thriller, British Literature, Mystery Thriller

382 pages, Paperback

First published September 7, 2021

About the author

Ann is the author of the books behind ITV's VERA, now in it's third series, and the BBC's SHETLAND, which will be aired in December 2012. Ann's DI Vera Stanhope series of books is set in Northumberland and features the well loved detective along with her partner Joe Ashworth. Ann's Shetland series bring us DI Jimmy Perez, investigating in the mysterious, dark, and beautiful Shetland Islands...


Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.

While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.

In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.

For the National Year of Reading, Ann was made reader-in-residence for three library authorities. It came as a revelation that it was possible to get paid for talking to readers about books! She went on to set up reading groups in prisons as part of the Inside Books project, became Cheltenham Literature Festival's first reader-in-residence and still enjoys working with libraries.
Ann Cleeves on stage at the Duncan Lawrie Dagger awards ceremony

Ann's short film for Border TV, Catching Birds, won a Royal Television Society Award. She has twice been short listed for a CWA Dagger Award - once for her short story The Plater, and the following year for the Dagger in the Library award.

In 2006 Ann Cleeves was the first winner of the prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award of the Crime Writers' Association for Raven Black, the first volume of her Shetland Quartet. The Duncan Lawrie Dagger replaces the CWA's Gold Dagger award, and the winner receives £20,000, making it the world's largest award for crime fiction.

Ann's success was announced at the 2006 Dagger Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Hilton, in London's Aldwych, on Thursday 29 June 2006. She said: "I have never won anything before in my life, so it was a complete shock - but lovely of course.. The evening was relatively relaxing because I'd lost my voice and knew that even if the unexpected happened there was physically no way I could utter a word. So I wouldn't have to give a speech. My editor was deputed to do it!"

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).

Ann's books have been translated into sixteen languages. She's a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. Raven Black was shortlisted for the Martin Beck award for best translated crime novel in Sweden in 200

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Heron's Cry (Two Rivers #2) by Ann Cleeves

We are back with DI Matthew Venn, still dressing like an undertaker, DS Jen Rafferty, still drinking too much, and DC Ross May, still acting like he's better than everyone else, when deep down he's not feeling so secure about his life. There's been a murder and Jen spent time with the victim the night before, because the victim needed to talk to her about something, but she was too drunk for decent conversation. Everything is too close for comfort, with all kinds of connections between the various characters, confusing the picture and sending the team in too many directions.

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 story belongs to the characters and I've enjoyed how this little world is built. I look forward to more from this series, in the future. Will Matthew ever wear a wrinkled shirt, will Jen ever rise above takeout for her kids, and can Ross stop trying to climb the ladder and instead be happy to do the job he has now?

Publication September 7th 2021

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes! I enjoyed first book of Two Rivers series so much and I was looking forward the author’s bringing Matthew Venn and his team back sooner! My wishes came true!

Matthew with his lovely, artsy husband, resilient, exhausted single mother Jenn, ambitious, success oriented Ross are back again!

This time team searches of the murder of Dr.Yeo, public servant, the very same night at his murder tried to talk an important matter with Jenn at a party at Barnstable, her close friend Cynthia Prior’s house but Jenn was a little wasted to give her full attention. They ended up sharing their phone numbers to schedule a meeting. Now Jenn wonders if she drank less and listened to him that night, could she pretend the brutal murder?

Now Dr. Yeo is stabbed with a shard by vase made by her glassblower daughter Eve, lying on a blood pool at her studio at Westacombe Farm owned by Frank Ley, an economist who became more wealthy after his clear predictions about financial fallout and support the artist community of the farm with less charge of rent, promoting their work.

Eve expected to her father to come early at her studio, is the one who found him.

How an idealist public worker who recently lost his wife who were suffering from dementia can be a murder victim? What he got himself into to attract this kind brutality?

He was former doctor of North Devon Hospital who worked with a small organization represents patients’ views and experiences to the health trust, the governing body of the hospital.

Could his murder be connected with Mac Mackenzie’s suicide? It was the last case Dr. Yeo was searching if there is any misconduct or wrongly treatment to bring family closure?

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?

A vicious murderer is out there to haunt the peace of small town. Matthew and his team has long way to connect the dots and make sure bring the safety to his community.

I think I enjoyed to read the characters’ stories and their daily interactions more than learning more about the mystery.

I enjoyed see Matthew’s fight to separate his personal life with his job, trying to make peace with his past, tolerating her mother, learning to forgive her as Jenn struggle to form her personal life, friendships, paying more attention to her kids and ass-kisser Ross chasing the opportunities to climb the career ladder by being more irritating at each chapter.

Conclusion and the identity of the perpetrator were surprising.

I wasn’t wooed like the first book because the murder mystery part of the book didn’t pick my interest but I never get bored to read about detailed character depictions and back stories of this perfect built characters which feel like your acquaintances, a part of your family, your friends.

I’m giving my four mysterious, intriguing, small town murders, secrets, mental illness stars!
Looking forward to read more books of brilliant author of Vera and Shetland series.

So many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books For Sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ann Cleeves returns us to North Devon and her Two Rivers series featuring the play by the rules, always smartly dressed DI Matthew Venn, married to Jonathan, based at Barnstaple police station, with his team of Scouser DS Jen Rafferty, a single mom with 2 children, and the ambitious DC Ross May. It is summer, and a drunk Jen is at a party being thrown by her friend and magistrate, Cynthia Prior. She is approached by Nigel Yeo, who wants to speak to her in her professional capacity as a police officer, but she is clearly in no state to be of any help, so he leaves after taking her phone number. The following day, Yeo is discovered murdered by the broken pieces of a glass vase made by his artistic glassblower daughter, Eve, in her studio, she is part of the Westacombe Farm community.

This the start of a difficult and complex police inquiry that delves into the life of Yeo, who heads the North Devon Patients Together organisation which monitors local NHS Trusts. He had been looking at a complaint made about failings in NHS mental health provisions, which had resulted in a 19 year old man, Alexander 'Mack' Mackenzie, committing suicide. However, it is hard to work out what had so concerned Yeo that he has wanted to talk to the police, Jen is feeling guilty for being so drunk at the party, and no-one knows why Yeo should have headed out to Eve's studio in the early hours of that morning. As another murder with the same MO takes place, the Westacombe community come under closer scrutiny, the well known economist and philanthropist, Frank Ley, Eve, another artist, Wesley Curnow, and the farming couple of Sarah and John Grieve.

This is not a fast paced crime read, it is more rooted in the characters, location and a community we are beginning to become more familiar with in this series, such as the lovely learning disabled Lucy Braddick, now in a more independent living situation and working in the cafe at the Woodyard art and community hub run by Jonathan. Matthew is slowly starting to loosen up from his more rigid and logic driven persona, as he lets Jonathan more into his professional life, he is shocked to observe just how fragile and lonely his widowed elderly mother is, so much so that she is willing to bend her principles to get closer to him and Jonathan after years of estrangement. This is an engaging crime read with a great sense of location, but this is a series that may take some readers a little time to warm to. I understand that it is going to be made into a TV series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Heron's Cry is the second release in Ann Cleeves' Two Rivers series, following DI Matthew Venn and his team.

The first book in the series, The Long Call, was a standout Mystery for me in 2019, so I was highly anticipating this next installment.



Unsurprisingly, Cleeves didn't disappoint. This woman could teach a master class on writing an engaging Police Procedural.

This particular Mystery kicks off when Venn is called to a crime scene at a rural home occupied by a group of artists. A man has been killed, stabbed in the neck with a shard from one of his daughter's vases.



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.

His daughter, Eve, a glassblower, is particularly distraught, as is Venn when he discovers Eve is actually a good friend of his husband, Jonathan.

Of course, sometimes it seems everybody knows everybody in a small community.



The detectives discover a line of inquiry Yeo was following with regards to his work for the health ministry.

It involved the suicides of two young men and the possible failure of the health system in providing them adequate care. Could someone have been meaning to silence him?



When another body is discovered, killed in the same fashion, Venn and the team fear they may have stumbled across something larger than initially anticipated.

I really enjoyed my time with this novel. Being back with DI Venn and learning more about him and his team, it felt comfortable. Cleeves has created a great cast of main characters for this series. I enjoy how she includes a few different perspectives.



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.

I also enjoyed how this story incorporated a group of artists, randomly thrown together into a sort of communal living situation. That whole subculture feel was quite interesting.



I'm not sure if there are going to be more books in this series, but I truly hope there will be. I could picture this one running for a long time. If that's the case, I will be so happy that I got in on it early.

If you haven't had a chance to check out this series yet, and you love Police Procedural Mysteries, you really should. Now is the time!



Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I highly recommend the audiobook. It's completely absorbing.

I am definitely looking forward to more Ann Cleeves!

[Paula K · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Heron’s Cry is Ann Cleeves follow-up to her book, The Long Call, which is the start to a new mystery series set in North Devon and very well done. DI Matthew Venn and his team return when a murder takes place at the artist community that his husband, Jonathan, runs.

The characters are very likable. Cleeves spends a lot of time discussing the backgrounds of the characters and their relationships. Of interest is the difference in personality of Matthew and his partner, Jonathan. One being on the straight and narrow and the latter more relaxed.

I am a big fan of Ann Cleeves. Her Shetland and Vera series are well written and very enjoyable. Good news is that her newest series will also be brought to television.

4 out of 5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for the ARC of THE HERON’S CRY in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date - September 7, 2021
Review posted to Goodreads on 7/25/21

[Sandysbookaday (on indefinite hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: She could see the man now, and moved slowly towards him, frightened already of what she might find. He'd have responded to her shout, jumped to his feet, called out a greeting in return. Put his arms around her. And she was scared because she still had an image of her father, lying on her studio floor in a pool of blood.

There was blood here too, and a shard of glass, her glass, not green this time, but blue, was sticking in his neck. A blue vase had been shattered here - she remembered making it and giving it to Frank Ley as a present - and there were pieces of glass scattered across the bench, reflecting the single beam of the sun. Blood had spattered across the bench and as far as the nearest wall. She pulled her gaze back to the pieces of glass, which looked almost decorative in the shaft of sunlight, and wondered how they had got here - anything rather than look at (X), who was still and white, stark against the red pool of blood, already dried and dark in the heat - and was deciding she should phone 999 when there was a sound outside. The screaming of sirens and the thumping of boots, loud and rhythmic as soldiers' drums, on the uneven concrete, and half a dozen police officers ran in through the doors, yelling for her to get on her knees and put her hands on her head.

ABOUT 'THE HERON'S CRY': 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.

MY THOUGHTS: It has been said that Ann Cleeves is a master of her craft, and I am not going to disagree. She paints fluent pictures of her characters and their environs, drawing the reader into their dramas.

Matthew, despite his rank and his success in his role still suffers, at times, from a lack of confidence. He is logical and orderly, and can come across as cold and unfeeling, in direct contrast to his more spontaneous and warm-hearted husband Jonathan. This difference in their natures creates a few problems in their relationship in The Heron's Cry. Matthew is also ambivalent in his feelings about Ross May,a young man with great potential, but who is Chief Superintendent Oldham's prodigy and, often, his ear to the ground.

I like that we learn significantly more about Ross May and his wife Mel in The Heron's Cry. He came across as quite an unlikable character in the first book of the series, but in this, we see a lot of growth and he begins to shine, although Matthew continues to be wary of him and gives Jen Rafferty a lot of the responsibility that Ross thinks is his due.

The plot is superb, encompassing murders that appear to have no obvious motive, but are linked by method and weapon. This is not a fast paced crime novel, but one that is very much character driven. Several of the characters from The Long Call appear again - I was so pleased to see Lucy and her dad back - along several new characters.

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.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheHeronsCry #NetGalley

I: #anncleeves @panmacmillan

T: @AnnCleeves @PanMacmillan

#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery

THE AUTHOR: THE AUTHOR: Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.

While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.

In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Pan Macmillan via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real Rating: 4.5* of five, rounded down...you'll see why

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: While I'm a fan of Author Cleeves's writing, I'm also a fan of her mystery chops...the way a story comes together from the bits and bobs she makes it out of. In this entry into the Two Rivers series, DI Venn has murders and suicides and some extremely upsetting issues to deal with.

Oh, and his husband invited the Gorgon who gave birth to him, then rejected him for being queer, round to theirs for her birthday. Sunday roast, yorkie puds, cream-embellished birthday cake...champagne even!

How he didn't pass out from the stress I do not know.

But family drama is always good for a mystery. Put three families under stress and, well...it multiplies. In this book, in most approved Cleevesian fashion, we see Lucy and Maurice from the book before; we visit several beauty spots marred by tragedy; Jonathan goes whole-hearted and unthinking into best-friend mode when he should stop and think a minute; Matthew, well, he thinks himself into many corners and gets out when Jen and Ross need him to fix things for them.

And, in the end, when the deaths are finally apportioned to their causal agents, he's there to be thanked by those who have lived and cursed by those whose guilt was narrowly revealed. Jen, god bless her cotton socks, is a good friend. And Ross, a seriously bratty entitled goofball, might be salvageable yet. A bit like Sandy in the Shetland mysteries, it's not like he's a bad person just bad at self-control and self-reflection.

But possibly the most grim and revolting parts of this death-fest are not to be spoiled. I want y'all to experience the, to me at least, appalling and nauseating manner in which some people choose to conduct themselves without any prior warning. When you come across the information I'm referring to, you will know immediately. To my disgust, this is not something Author Cleeves dreamt up. It is a very real thing. It just...words can not do justice to the *fury* it inspires in me. I had to research the reality of it, and then re-write my review several times before I realized I can't say anything at all about it.

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.

Web searches for other countries return the same kind of information in seconds. Take that action before taking any other actions. Please. It can not be said often enough: That investment of mere seconds can do you no harm.

I'm sure there are many out there who, like me, very much appreciate the severity of the mental health crisis in the world today. This story is one that will cause a goodly number of its readers to think about issues that they might not wish to think deeply about...but really very much should. I hope the way the story is told will help you, if you're simply unaware of it, to process the delicacy of the hold many people maintain on their relationship to life. Please, even if you think you know, check on the reality of those in your orbit who strike you as troubled.

(And Ross gets off too easily in the end!)

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of Ann Cleeves and really enjoyed the first in this series. I’m equally happy with this, the second.
Matt and his team are investigating the murder of a man from a shard of glass to the neck. The glass being shattered from a vase made by his daughter and the murder occurring in her studio. Soon, there is a second murder using another piece of her glassworks.
I enjoyed the small community investigation where lines are blurred between friend and job, as everyone knows each other. This isn’t a fast paced story, but has some lovely in depth character development. I appreciated learning more about the various team members and found myself especially invested in Matthew and Jonathan’s relationship.
I was totally caught off guard by the resolution to the story. Cleeves definitely knows how to tell a tale and you can see why her books are continuously picked up as tv series. I’ll be looking for book three in the series and anxious to see them all come to screen.
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of the book.

[Beata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed Book 2 even more than Book 1.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Second installment in Cleaves newest series, and yes I'm still bummed that the Shetland series has ended. A little slower to grab me, I do admit I'm beginning to like this series more and more. The location of South Devon and all the artsy elements are proving to be of interest. Matthew, the lead, is still working through his insecurities but he's showing more improvement, awareness. His partner Jonathan, is my favorite, calm, artsy, plus he cooks. A good indicator one is becoming involved in a storyline is when one finds themselves mentally offering advice, a warning, to a character.

So more deaths, a few repeating characters from book one, and some new ones, red herrings, and more than one thread. Didn't guess the who in the who done it, was quite surprised, which was welcome. On a personal note, a peace offering on a personal matter and a possible chance for a new beginning.

ARC from Edelweiss

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in Ann Cleeves' new series featuring Detective Matthew Venn.

I guess one problem with being a local cop is that when a murder takes place the suspects, and maybe even the victim, could be people known to you. This is what happens to Matthew and his team when a body is found in a local glass blowing studio. The investigation becomes very complex with a second murder and many suspects.

I enjoyed the police work and I always appreciate this author's writing skills, but it is the characters that bond me to her books. I like Matthew but he is no Vera or Perez. However this is only book two. There is still plenty of time for him to grow on me. I look forward to the opportunity!

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

Ann Cleeves is well known for creating excellent characters (Jimmy Perez, Vera Stanhope) and she’s done it again here. All the police team are very good with the serious and rather buttoned up Venn, to the lively, single mum character of Jen and DC Ross May with his eyes on the prize of career advancement. They all fit together in an interesting and contrasting way and it works very well. Equally good is the comparison between Venn and his lovely, open, sociable husband Jonathan - yin and yang! I love the really diverse range of characters here, all are well crafted but I feel particular warmth and affection for lovely Lucy Braddick who has Downs Syndrome and plays a vital role in uncovering the truth. I especially enjoy how the investigation centres on and is integral to the community with the Woodyard Community hub run by Jonathan playing a vital role and how the issues of tourism and rural struggles are conveyed. The investigation is complex, the pace is good and has many a twist and turn with weather conditions being used really effectively to add to the intensity and tension. You really feel the frustration of the team as they work all hours to solve the ever expanding sequence of events. Whilst I’m not 100% convinced by the resolution as it’s maybe a tad convenient but it’s still good and it does feel plausible. I don’t think it’s necessary to keep repeating full names, which is done repeatedly with Venn and there’s repetition over his guilty feelings of his former membership of the Barum Brethren. Yes, got it!!!

Overall though, yet another good read from the author and I look forward to reading what happens next down in glorious Devon.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan McMillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[Rachel L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really not much to say about this one. I think I prefer Ann Cleeve's stories on screen more than reading her books. This book felt all over the place with the reveal at the end coming out of nowhere. It's probably just me though, many other readers really loved this book.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In this second book in 'The Two Rivers' series, Detective Inspector Matthew Venn investigates murders in an artsy community in North Devon. The book can be read as a standalone.



*****

Wealthy economist Frank Ley has a sizable estate, called Westacombe, in North Devon - with a large house and several outbuildings.





Ley wants to give back to the community, so he rents space to struggling artists for a nominal sum. Thus Westacombe houses glassblower Eve Yeo;



furniture maker/craftsman Wesley Curnow;



and a married couple named Sarah and John Grieve, who manage Ley's farm and run a small dairy. Ley is friendly with his tenants, and occasionally invites them to his home for drinks.



One morning Eve Yeo enters her glassblowing studio at Westacombe and finds her father - Dr. Nigel Yeo - dead, stabbed with a shard of glass from a vase she made.



DI Matthew Venn gets the case, and he and his colleagues - Detective Sergeant Jen Rafferty and Detective Constable Ross May - investigate.





Eve tells the detectives her father worked for North Devon Patients Together (NDPT), an advocacy group that represents patients' interests. At the time of his death Nigel was helping a family called the Mackenzies, whose teenage son had committed suicide. The Mackenzies feel their mentally ill boy was let down by the health trust that oversees North Devon hospitals, and Nigel was looking into the matter.



The police interview the Mackenzies, the health trust administrators, employees of NDPT, Nigel's neighbors, and residents of Westacombe, but no obvious suspect emerges. The situation escalates when another murder occurs - again with a shard of glass from one of Eve's vases. This is followed by a suicide, and Matthew knows he has to stop the carnage. This is easier said than done, because people have secrets, and they withhold information and prevaricate even if they're innocent of the murders.



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.



I enjoyed the book and recommend it to mystery fans.

Thanks to Netgalley, Ann Cleeves, and Minotaur Books for a copy of the book.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nature lovers turn to the Heron as a symbol of tranquility and peace. With its long majestic neck and legs, it holds court in the seclusion of marshes and wetlands. It strides soundlessly in the water.....but if it's been disturbed or threatened.....you'll hear a loud grating scream.

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.

It's June in North Devon and residents and vacationers are hitting the shore. Many are visiting the shops and the artisans' local village where they display their wares and crafts. Frank Ley, a successful economist, owns much of the property there and has invested in the majority of its real estate and artists. He invites these artists into his home even though he is more of a recluse.

Cleeves spins her storyline to spotlight DS Jen Rafferty who is off-duty and attending a party at the home of her best friend, Cynthia. She's introduced to Dr. Nigel Yeo who wishes to have a later conversation with Jen the next day. He seems preoccupied by something. But that meeting never takes place. The body of Dr. Yeo is found murdered the following day. And the circumstances of his death are unsettling. Particularly where and how he died.....

DI Matthew Venn will be on the scene. Extremely professional and regimental, Venn is the complete opposite of his husband, Jonathan, director of the community arts center. Jonathan is outgoing and almost everyone's best friend. That's why this becomes more personal as more bodies are found. Jonathan has connections to them. The deaths are brutal and not at all in line with a community that treasures the arts.

The Heron's Cry gives nothing away. Cleeves makes us worth hard sliding puzzle pieces together and then tossing them out. She is known for layering her storylines with many avenues that cross one another and then may veer towards a deadend. The Heron's Cry is a smart read that challenges the readers. Never spoonfeed me or hit me over the head with obvious clues. That's why you know you're getting "the good stuff" when you crack open any book by the talented Ann Cleeves.

I received a copy of The Heron's Cry through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Minotaur Books (St. Martin's Press) and to Ann Cleeves for the opportunity.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second in the Two Rivers series by Ann Cleeves, The Heron’s Cry saw Dr Nigel Yeo as the first murder victim, found by his daughter Eve with a shard of colourful glass embedded into his neck. Eve was a glassblower and her father had died in her workshop. Detective Matthew Venn was soon on the scene along with his Detective Sergeant, Jen Rafferty and while the scene was confronting, they got to work, calling in the rest of the team. When a second body was discovered, killed in the same gruesome manner, Matthew knew the race was on to find the culprit before more bodies were found.

I’m thoroughly enjoying this series – the setting in Devon, the intrigue and mystery plus the twists as we’re brought to the conclusion. Ann Cleeves writes a great mystery, and Detective Matthew Venn is an excellent character. Highly recommended.

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this character-driven police procedural. The Heron's Cry introduced me to the Two Rivers series by Ann Cleeves. I now plan to read the Long Call ( book 1 in the series) to learn more about her engaging new characters. Set during the tourist season in the vividly described town of Noth Devon, we follow a complicated and perplexing murder mystery. The people who populate the story are multilayered with flaws and foibles but engage the readers' interest. Members of the local police department are so well-written that they come to life on the page.

Having enjoyed the author's Vera Stanhope and Shetland books and their TV adaptations, I was pleased to learn that Two Rivers will continue as a series with plans for television.

The conservative, introverted, introspective, and compassionate DI Matthew Venn has had a troubled history. He grew up in a strict fundamentalist religious family that conflicted with his sexual orientation and desire to work in law enforcement. He is now settling into a comfortable home life with his husband, the sociable, outgoing Jonathan, who gives him the emotional support he needs. This well-written, complicated, puzzling mystery moves at a slow pace as Venn, and his team, DS Jen Rafferty and DC Ross May must painstakingly unravel the connections and motivations of many suspects.

There has been a murder in a rural artist community. A wealthy finance expert, Frank Ley, provided inexpensive accommodation to artists and craftspeople on his estate. The victim, Dr. Nigel Yeo, was a well-liked advocate for patients' rights and was investigating the NHS. He had been troubled by suicide within health care facilities. Detective Rafferty met Dr. Yeo the night before at a party on the night before his death. He approached her to discuss a problem, but she had been drinking too much to pay close attention and postponed the conversation. He has been found murdered in his daughter's artist loft. His daughter, Eve, produced glass-blown crafts, and he was stabbed with a piece of glass from one of her vases. Eve was a friend of Venn's husband, Jonathan, who runs an artist cooperative and is also involved in Woodyard, a workplace for disabled people. There has been a second murder by the same method. The author builds suspense and invests the reader in their effort to solve the case, full of twists, red herrings, and dead ends.

Recommended for readers who enjoy and admire Ann Cleeve's past books and those who like to follow a slow-burn intricate investigation and mystery with intriguing, well-developed characters.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 🌟
The Herons Cry by Anne Cleeves is the 2nd in the Two Rivera series, again I jumped into this first as I thought it was the first but wasn’t,anyway it didn’t detract my enjoyment Ms Cleeves knows how to write a slow burn crime thriller that keeps you turning those pages.


I won’t give a long review still not well but we have a murder or 2 which Detective Matthew Venn & his partner Jen Rafferty look into the death of Dr Nigel Yeo who was a very nice person so why kill him?
He was found on Westacombe farm owned by Frank Ley.


But when another body is found the injuries are virtually the same, it’s up to Matthew & Jen to find the truth before anyone else is murdered this was set in North Devon.i enjoyed this one looking forward to reading The Long Call down the track highly recommended.

[Luvtoread (Trying to catch up) · Rating 3 out of 5]

DCI Matthew Venn and his team are called to the scene of a brutal murder of a middle-aged man (Dr. Nigel Yeo) who was found in the workshop of his artist daughter. The area is an artist community and Dr. Yeo seemed to have no enemies and also the good doctor had been to a party the night before as well as Jenn a member of Matthew's team. There were a large group of people at the party so it will be tough job to sort through since there were a large number to have been the last to see Nigel right before he was murdered. Before long another body will turn up and they also attended this party and were a possible suspect but now a victim. The team will have to put their personal lives on hold and work around the clock before the killer decides to take another life.

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.

I want to thank the publisher "St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I do recommend this book and have given a rating of 3 SOLID 🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars (3 for the mystery, 4 for the characters)

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.

What I appreciate most about this series is that Ann Cleeves has introduced a slightly more diverse set of characters without resorting to stereotypes. The main detective, Matthew Venn, is gay, and while that’s of course a part of who he is, it doesn’t define him in the book. Cleeves has created a complex, quiet and very human character, who shows both weakness and strength. His relationship with his husband, who is lovely, has its troubles and irritations and beauty just like any relationship. Normalizing a homosexual relationship (nothing to see here, folks!) in mainstream fiction is important and it was refreshing to see.

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.

Where this book fell apart for me was in the mystery itself. Not much seemed to happen, we witnessed the same interviews with the same people over and over until Eureka! someone figured it out. And then when we find out who the villain is, they go full sociopath in their explanation of why they did it. I find this a somewhat lazy way to end a mystery…it’s a little too convenient and overused. But I will forgive the author for this because in spite of it, an ok book by Ann Cleeves is still better than many others and I will be first in line for the next installment. Thanks to Pan Macmillan for an advance copy via NetGalley.

[Veronica ⭐️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing
I loved Ann Cleeves' Shetland and Vera series. She has proven time and time again that she can write compelling stories. I think that is why I was so disappointed in The Heron's Cry.

I haven't read The Long Call so I can't say how this compares to the first in this new series.
The Heron's Cry is narrated through multiple points of view. I found the content repetitive with the three main detectives questioning the same witnesses, at different times, and getting the same answers then meeting back at the station and going over it all again.

I found the characters one dimensional (maybe I missed something by not reading the first book). I'm fine with flawed characters however to be reminded that Venn had a strict childhood and traumatic exit from The Bretheren every few chapters was overkill. Jen continually apologised over get drunk at a party and angst over being a bad mother. Stop  apologising!! You're a strong woman, be you!

The plot was boring and slow, even my 7 year old granddaughter was saying, 'give it up nan.' She was tired of my moaning.
I hadn't intended to be so scathing in my review but I wanted to convey everything.

What did I like? Jonathan, sweet gorgeous Jonathan, Matthew Venn's husband who was always thinking of Matthew and how he could make Matthew's life more pleasant. I also liked Detective Ross May and the little glimpse into his private life and his love for his wife.
Cleeves touches on the difficulty families face with a family member with mental health issues and the enormous burden it places on families when there is little to no support from hospitals.

I don't think I will continue with this series however I will be on the lookout for other books by Ann Cleeves.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Two Rivers series, and I enjoyed the first one and liked the detectives so I wanted to read this one. It is set in North Devon and Detective Matthew Venn and his crew are called to the scene of a murder at the home of a group of artists. The man who died, Dr. Nigel Yeo, had been stabbed with a piece of glass from a vase made by the resident glass blower, his daughter, Eve.

I like Matthew Venn as a character for his strong work ethic and interrogation skills. His husband, Jonathan, is an interesting guy and is artistic, calm, and caring - and he cooks too which is nice. Both Jenn and Ross are back in this book too. Jenn is a hard-working, single mom with great intuitive skills; and Ross is an ambitious brown-noser, but has good skills as well (and I liked the way he thinks of his wife, Mel).

There are several murders in this book and the investigation is both interesting and surprising. I couldn't guess correctly who the real threat was, and I liked that.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. This will be published on September 7, 2021.

[Maxine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspector Jen Rafferty is approached at a party by a man who wished to talk to her about something that was clearly bothering him.. Unfortunately, Jen had been clearly imbibing a bit too much and so he left without revealing what it was he wished to say. The next morning, the man is found dead at his daughter’s apartment in an artists’ colony. Detective Inspector Matthew Venn and his team are called in to investigate and, as they dig deeper into the man’s recent actions, it leads them to an online suicide group that may be, not only helping people deal with suicidal thoughts but actively encouraging them to kill themselves.

The Heron’s Cry is the second book in author Ann Cleeves’ Two Rivers series and it makes for a very compelling and, dare I say, brilliant, read. There are plenty of possible suspects as well as red herrings and twists and turns to keep the reader engaged.

But it is the main characters, who are well-drawn and complex as well as likeable, that keep the story moving.and it is Cleve's’ empathetic treatment of suicide and its aftermath that makes this one of the best mysteries I have read so far this year. A definite high recommendation from me.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

[Kathryn in FL · Rating 4 out of 5]

SOLID PLOT OF MYSTERIOUS DEATHS

Matthew Venn is the lead detective investigating the murder of the head of a patient advocacy group. He is a thorough, critical thinking lead detective in a little community located along the SW English coast. He is assisted by Jen, a divorced mom of two teens and Ross, married and fairly new to the detective bureau. Together they look for motives and witnesses.

The strong writing and pacing keep the reader fully engaged. Just as things seem to be coming together another murder is committed. The victims know each other but there is no apparent unifying force. Soon another death occurs and the overlap between the victims and the possible murderer is becoming more complex as the interconnectedness of a small village seems to point to people who may know important pieces without their understanding of its significance. Many interviews are conducted and the pressure to solve these murders is intensifying before yet another murder is committed. Throw in a few red herrings and we are running all sorts of plays on this field of mayhem.

This mystery had me guessing and I fell for the misdirection, although I wondered if I was being tricked I failed to see any other possibilities. I was extremely gratified as a result.

I am grateful to the publisher, author Ann Cleeves, and Goodreads for providing me with an interesting story for review in return for my honest opinion. The ARC was cleanly edited and presented.

My only negative comment is the redundancy in Ms. Cleeves writing when it came to the main character, Matthew Venn's sexual orientation. In nearly every chapter (50 in all), we are told that he lives with his husband, Jonathan and then given a rundown on what a great guy Jonathan is. Jonathan's role is modest in the story but he is given the spotlight frequently because of his connection with Matthew. This interrupted the flow of the story for me. This was especially true in the first quarter of the book, where he would be mentioned two or three times within a chapter, as Matthew's husband Jonathan, as if we would forget that Matthew was gay and that his spouse's name was Jonathan.

The author never repeated in the case of Ross's wife, Melanie. Nor in the situation of any of the other characters, who were married. One of the key character's Eve, is the daughter of the first deceased character, Nigel, but we didn't get reminded throughout the book that she was his daughter. Additionally, she had close, significant relationships with every murder victim thereafter. I wanted to tell the author, okay, we get it. Matthew and Jonathan are a couple, I promise not to forget. If you aren't one to loose patience over this quirk, I anticipate you will enjoy your time as you escape to this a tiny English village.

[Donne · Rating 4 out of 5]

DI Matthew Venn and his team, DS Jen Rafferty and DC Ross May are back as well as Matthew’s husband, Jonathan, who manages the Woodyard, a local community center for artists and the local residents.

The book summary introduces the primary premise of murders at a somewhat of an artist’s colony, called Westacombe, where the owner, Frank, an older, wealthy, entrepreneur, who rents rooms and studios to local artists as well as a family of farmers. The first victim, Nigel, is the father of one of the artists, Eve, a glass blower. The second victim is one of the artists, Wes, who is a bit of a player as well as a friend of Jens.

There are secondary storylines too. There is one regarding the suicides of former patients of local mental health facilities who were discharged because they were not deemed as requiring any further care only to have those same patients commit suicide shortly after they were released. Nigel, who worked for a patients advocate agency, was investigating these cases before he was killed. There is another secondary storyline that is about Matthew reestablishing his relationship with his mother, starting with introducing her to Jonathan. Lastly, there is another secondary story revolving around the marriage of Ross and his wife Mel.

Most of the story revolves around the investigation of the murders. Into the second half, the leads of the case lead the team to a suicide website that lures and encourages people to commit suicide. However, a resident has their own suspicions and comes to their own conclusion who might be the killer and they do their own investigating. The ending comes pretty quick after that with the team and the other resident in danger. OMG!!! The shocking reveal was absolutely bizarre and creepy! Didn’t see that one coming.

I guess I should mention a trigger warning that this story centers around the mental health of suicidal people as well as their families who were let down by the mental health services and agencies that were assigned to help. This story depicted the issues that the patients and their families struggled with daily and just how exhausting it was. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #TheHeronsCry

[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m rereading this book to refresh myself on the ‘Two Rivers’ series. It’s book two of four, and I must say I still enjoyed it. Ann Cleeves’ writing style is really captivating. She has a knack for painting vivid pictures of places, scenes, and characters, making the reader feel immersed in the story.



*Previous Review*

*Engaging*

DI Matthew Venn is on his way to a crime scene in a rural area of North Devon where a collection of artists live and work.

The body of a man is found at the very place that houses his daughter’s work. She is a glassblower and the murder weapon is a shard of glass used for her work. Sadly she finds him and is shocked beyond belief.

No one in the village can understand who would want him dead but unbeknownst to Matthew the victim worked out who killed someone whose murder was supposed to look like suicide. The victim had to be silenced.

Soon after there is another body using the same murder weapon and Mathew and his team are slowly trying to connect the pieces.

It’s not a fast moving plot but I still found it engaging and I enjoyed how Matthew who is so methodical and serious wrapped up the case.

[Shereadbookblog · Rating 4 out of 5]

How have I missed Ann Cleeves these past years? This is the first book of hers that I have read. It is the second in a series and I liked it so much I am going back to read the first one.

I read a lot of mysteries and found Cleeves’ writing to be a bit above a lot of the other authors. Well written, with good character development, Cleeves will have you guessing throughout. Stressing characters and plot rather than action or police procedural, this is an engrossing read that I didn’t want to put down. Although many of the repeating players had their own individual neuroses, I enjoyed all of them.

As an aside, I loved the description of North Devon and all the lovely gardens. Sigh!

If you are looking for a well written, character rather than action driven novel, I recommend The Heron’s Cry.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Ann Cleeves Detective Venn story. I adore Mathew Venn!

The Heron’s Cry is #2 in the Two River Series, a slow-moving, but intense police procedural series. I accidentally read them in the wrong order but still figured everything out! If you decide to read them I would suggest reading them in order because you really get to know the characters.

The Heron’s Cry begins with a murder after a dinner party in a tight-knit community. Matthew and his team are just getting started when a second person is murdered. Is there a serial killer on the loose? Could the murderer be a local or is it a summer tourist visiting the local beach?

Every time I thought I had the suspect nailed I was thrown for a loop. I totally did not guess the ending!

[BonnieM☂️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The theme of the story was interesting as well as the characters. There was really no main character as all were essential to the story. The flow of the story kept the reader interested with all the twists and turns to the plot until the end. I found that I couldn't put the book down near the end as I needed to know who the killer was. I plan to read the first of this series and look forward to all that follows. I have also enjoyed her Vera and Shetland series.

Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur Books and St. Martin's Publish Group for this ARC.