A review by kansas_girl
The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 

The Heron’s Cry is Ann Cleeves second installment in the Two Rivers Series, featuring Detective Matthew Venn, and she is well on her way to fulfilling the promise of the first of this series. Atmospheric and engaging, this sequel to The Long Call further explores the intriguing character of Matthew Venn, still working through his personal insecurities, who is nonetheless insightful, brilliant and completely in control of his team of quirky investigators in a North Devon police department. A gruesome murder at an artists’ conclave brings Venn and his team into a world of convoluted relationships, interwoven with the suicide of a young man with mental insecurities. Cleeves’ plots are always complex and thoughtful, with characters who are deeply realized even as minor figures. With this novel, Cleeves is at the top of her game—subtle, mesmerizing, and sophisticated.