What readers think of The Long Call, plus links to write your own review.

4.5

Reputation, weak link, atonement….

The Woodyard is a combo day centre/ community hub that includes A- level students and those with learning disabilities. Woodyard’s purpose is to “provide a glorious community, bringing people together.” A board of trustees runs Woodyard , with Jonathan being the general manager. Woodyard has paid employees as well as many volunteers.

Now a volunteer has been found murdered and a Woodyard attendee has gone missing. Parents expect Woodyard to be a safe haven , where their children should be safe and protected. It should not be a place where horrific things happen.

Detective Matthew Venn and his team are only finding stray leads. “Things are getting complicated. Too many coincidences. Too many people circling around each other, without touching. No real evidence.” One thing is crystal clear — all these stray leads seem to lead back to Woodyard.

A first time reader of this author! I saw Ann Cleeves at a local author event last month. Although she talked about The Raging Storm, I decided to also get book #1 to meet the characters. I will be reading # 2 and #3 next!

Consider me a new fan of this author!

Kept me guessing! Didn’t know who to trust or who to believe! Surprise ending. I recommend!

Very descriptive writing.

Follow the money!

This was a recent Christmas gift. My wife thought I would bask in a Devon setting having emigrated thence over 50 years ago. I was familiar with Cleeve's work through the truly atmospheric 'Shetland' series. Her Devon debut is a stumble; nothing evokes the more metropolitan milieux of the county (I'm a Plymothian at heart; North Devon always seemed only slightly more civilized than Cornwall). The book is bereft of Devon dialect other than "maid" a few times. I wasn't expecting 'Poldark lite' but Devonians DO still say "Ow be ee?" "Wareby gwain" and so on, and archaic talk still flavors pubs, which are notably absent from this book. I was raised buying and selling fish, and Cleeves is quite oblivious to the nuances of coastal Devon.
Politeness reigns as it certainly doesn't in Devon; no-one says "well I'm buggered" or "bugger me". When I began at Cambridge my fellow students were appalled at my regionalisms. Devonians did and do resent retiree newcomers with money and attitude, as well as the tourists who support the County economy. That facet is mostly missing as well. Bottom line? If you choose to set a series in a really distinctive English county, get it right. I'm about to embark on the series second book; maybe Ms. Cleeves is learning to embrace Devon culture. I hope so.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this upcoming mystery. Overall, it fell flat for me. I didn’t find the mystery story that compelling and yet still felt it was wrapped up rather quickly towards the end. The main character is a detective and I hear this is going to be a new series. I’m not that interested though in reading more about him. I found him rather irritating. Well, all books are not made for all. I’m sure readers of British mystery series may like it.

Have to agree with previous reviews. The book was bland and pro Woke. Anti-Christian as well. Deliberately casting Christian characters in a negative light while any gay character is sweetness and light.

Very disappointed after the Vera series. I found the main character Venn totally bland and thought Ms Cleeves was going 'Woke' in making him have a husband. Not a believable character. Not one of her best, she should stick to the excellent Vera.