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siani's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
crazygoangirl's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I enjoyed Cleese’s’ Vera Stanhope and Shetland series, but her new Two Rivers series with detective Matthew Venn is not a favourite.
I read the first book in the series a few years ago and found its protagonist Matthew Venn rather too formal, self-contained and introverted for my liking. Reading the second book in the series, The Heron’s Cry, did nothing to change my mind. Matthew is still formal, bland and hung up on trivial details of police procedure. We are told he’s a good detective time and time again but I saw no sparks of genius in his investigative methods. Jen Rafferty and Ross May, who both work for him, were flawed and felt more authentic.
I listened to this in parts on Storytel and didn’t like the narrator at all! His voice was alright but his narrative style especially for Venn was very flat and tedious. It made me like Venn less than I could have. The plot wasn’t bad. A series of deaths occur in Venn’s precinct that seem tied up to a couple of suicides in the past. Nigel Yeo, head of an organisation looking into the workings of the NHS, is brutally killed with a shard of glass from his daughter’s vase. Matthew and his team must work hard and fast to find the motive and stop the killer.
Surprisingly, I felt Cleeves’ writing lacked atmosphere. I’ve never had that complaint with her other two series, but I missed the sweeping descriptions of weather and geography of North Devon. The series could have been located anywhere in the UK, and it wouldn’t have made a difference to me. I felt it lacked local colour and flavour. The plot was alright but the writing and characters were so lacklustre that I wasn’t invested in the story or the fate of the characters. It felt like Cleeves’ heart wasn’t in the story or in Venn.
Disappointing read from an author I have liked before. I don’t think I’ll be continuing this series. I’d rather re-read her Vera and Perez books.
I read the first book in the series a few years ago and found its protagonist Matthew Venn rather too formal, self-contained and introverted for my liking. Reading the second book in the series, The Heron’s Cry, did nothing to change my mind. Matthew is still formal, bland and hung up on trivial details of police procedure. We are told he’s a good detective time and time again but I saw no sparks of genius in his investigative methods. Jen Rafferty and Ross May, who both work for him, were flawed and felt more authentic.
I listened to this in parts on Storytel and didn’t like the narrator at all! His voice was alright but his narrative style especially for Venn was very flat and tedious. It made me like Venn less than I could have. The plot wasn’t bad. A series of deaths occur in Venn’s precinct that seem tied up to a couple of suicides in the past. Nigel Yeo, head of an organisation looking into the workings of the NHS, is brutally killed with a shard of glass from his daughter’s vase. Matthew and his team must work hard and fast to find the motive and stop the killer.
Surprisingly, I felt Cleeves’ writing lacked atmosphere. I’ve never had that complaint with her other two series, but I missed the sweeping descriptions of weather and geography of North Devon. The series could have been located anywhere in the UK, and it wouldn’t have made a difference to me. I felt it lacked local colour and flavour. The plot was alright but the writing and characters were so lacklustre that I wasn’t invested in the story or the fate of the characters. It felt like Cleeves’ heart wasn’t in the story or in Venn.
Disappointing read from an author I have liked before. I don’t think I’ll be continuing this series. I’d rather re-read her Vera and Perez books.
emreads8's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
erista's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
livres_de_bloss's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
I’m not connecting with this series as much as Vera. I really struggle to care for the cast and have found the book to suffers a bit from pacing issues.
I was looking forward to reading this after early reviews said we get to know Matthew a bit better in this book but I didn’t find that was the case. We spend more time in his headspace but it sure doesn’t help his likability or make him feel any more flushed out as character. Matthew and Jonathan’s relationship really bothers me… they don’t feel like they can approach/communicate with each other. They’re awkward together and they don’t say what’s on their minds. How can you have a marriage where you’re afraid to be open with your partner?
Ditto for Ross and Mel.
These characters don’t have the personality that made Vera so wonderful nor the same community feel of Shetland. While the Devon area is a character unto itself, it’s not compelling enough to outweigh the rather flat characters, formulaic plot, and slow pace of the story.
I’m not connecting with this series as much as Vera. I really struggle to care for the cast and have found the book to suffers a bit from pacing issues.
I was looking forward to reading this after early reviews said we get to know Matthew a bit better in this book but I didn’t find that was the case. We spend more time in his headspace but it sure doesn’t help his likability or make him feel any more flushed out as character. Matthew and Jonathan’s relationship really bothers me… they don’t feel like they can approach/communicate with each other. They’re awkward together and they don’t say what’s on their minds. How can you have a marriage where you’re afraid to be open with your partner?
Ditto for Ross and Mel.
These characters don’t have the personality that made Vera so wonderful nor the same community feel of Shetland. While the Devon area is a character unto itself, it’s not compelling enough to outweigh the rather flat characters, formulaic plot, and slow pace of the story.
krobart's review against another edition
3.0
See my review here:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2022/08/01/review-2001-the-herons-cry/
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2022/08/01/review-2001-the-herons-cry/
antiopelle's review against another edition
5.0
Okay, so, let's be clear: Vera will always be my top detective. She is my bestie, she tops Poirot, Sherlock or Miss Marple easily in my books, period. Later, as a pensioner, I will drive around in my Range Rover, wearing waterproofs and a silly hat. There, I've said it !
But detective Venn surely is a very fine addition to the literary policeman and Two Rivers is a series based on character development, rather than being action and fast paced storytelling, and I love Ann Cleeves for that. The background of the Brethren, where Venn comes from was intriguing in book 1, and is now lightly touched upon but it stays a very interesting point of view.
Are you looking for a perfect fall read? Don't hesitate and start with [b:The Long Call|43263552|The Long Call (Two Rivers, #1)|Ann Cleeves|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1551047656l/43263552._SY75_.jpg|67142367] if you haven't already.
But detective Venn surely is a very fine addition to the literary policeman and Two Rivers is a series based on character development, rather than being action and fast paced storytelling, and I love Ann Cleeves for that. The background of the Brethren, where Venn comes from was intriguing in book 1, and is now lightly touched upon but it stays a very interesting point of view.
Are you looking for a perfect fall read? Don't hesitate and start with [b:The Long Call|43263552|The Long Call (Two Rivers, #1)|Ann Cleeves|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1551047656l/43263552._SY75_.jpg|67142367] if you haven't already.