Faced with a mysterious case which could have repercussions on his own family, Detective Matthew Venn must tread carefully as he investigates the murder of a man killed with a shard of glass in the second instalment of Cleeves’s Two Rivers series.
The Heron's Cry is the second novel in Ann Cleeves' Two Rivers following her Sunday Times bestseller, The Long Call.
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. His daughter Eve is a glassblower, and the murder weapon is a shard of one of her 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 finds himself treading carefully through the lies that fester at the heart of his community and a case that is dangerously close to home ...
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
ISBN: 9781509889686
Number of pages: 400
Weight: 620 g
Dimensions: 242 x 162 x 41 mm
Testing our wits against the twisted plots of Ann Cleeves' novels is only one of the pleasures they afford, and The Heron's Cry bristles with her customarily keen sense of locale. - Financial Times on THE HERON'S CRY
The Detective Matthew Venn, an austere character unable to shake off repressive Brethren upbringing, doesn’t yet command the same affection as of Vera or Jimmy Perez (Shetland). However, human nature is as perceptively dissected as ever and the denouncement to this gripping tale is properly surprising. - Country Life
This well paced murder mystery cleverly builds the tension to an unexpected climax that you’ll never see coming! - My Weekly on THE HERON'S CRY
As a huge fan of both the Shetland and Vera series of books, I had high expectations for Cleeves’ latest. Matthew Venn is a keeper. A stunning debut for Cleeves’ latest crimefighter - David Baldacci on THE LONG CALL
Had me hooked – a promising beginning to another fine chapter in the Ann Cleeves story - The Times on THE LONG CALL
In Matthew Venn, Ann has created a complex, daring, subtle character . . . an emotional thriller, where lives are exploded and perceptions twisted and shattered. It is a brilliant achievement of quiet dread and explosive secrets. - Louise Penny
Clever, compassionate and atmospheric, with a great cast of new characters to love. I am already a Matthew Venn fan - Elly Griffiths on THE LONG CALL
A triumph that cements Cleeves’ status as one of Britain’s best crime writers - Daily Express - Daily Express on THE LONG CALL
Brilliant, thoughtful and deeply engaging - Sara Paretsky, New York Times bestselling author of the V.I. Warshawski series on THE LONG CALL
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, on THE LONG CALL
Cleeves combines a flair for evoking sense of place with a thoughtful, complex plot - Mail on Sunday on THE LONG CALL
The troubled Venn is a great protagonist, and Cleeves may well have created her next top TV cop - Heat Magazine on THE LONG CALL
A traditional mystery of the best sort - Guardian on THE LONG CALL
As ever, Cleeves’ richly evolved setting and characters are as satisfying as the clever whodunnit plot - Daily Mirror on THE HERON'S CRY
An incredibly atmospheric thriller, full of complex characters and gripping twists that have you hooked from the start, from the writer that gave us Vera Stanhope - Yours on THE HERON'S CRY
Detective Matthew Venn returns, embroiled in another gruesome case involving many suspects and a victim that hits closer to home than is comfortable . . . - Radio Times
Written in Cleeves’ trademark engrossing style, The Heron’s Cry will keep you guessing till the end - Heat
Ann Cleeves chills readers to the bone with this sleek, atmospheric thriller - Womans Own
The second Matthew venn book is another good one. The writing is as ever very good and Ann's grasp of character is excellent. Venn is an interesting creation and I like the team around him. Jen in particular is... More
Very skilfully plotted book by this accomplished author. Matthew, her newest protagonist is a complex character with an unusual upbringing. As this story unfolds we learn more about his childhood and see how that... More
I have read and enjoyed many other books by Ann Cleeves in her Vera and Shetland series, but Matthew Venn was new to me.
This is the second book in this series, and while it displays the author’s usual skill in...
More
Please sign in to write a review
Would you like to proceed to the App store to download the Waterstones App?