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 third in the Two Rivers series.
Fierce winds, dark secrets, deadly intentions.
When Jem Rosco—sailor, adventurer, and legend—blows into town in the middle of an autumn gale, the residents of Greystone, Devon, are delighted to have a celebrity in their midst. But just as abruptly as he arrived, Rosco disappears again, and soon his lifeless body is discovered in a dinghy, anchored off Scully Cove, a place with legends of its own.
This is an uncomfortable case for Detective Inspector Matthew Venn. Greystone is a place he visited as a child, a community he parted ways with. Superstition and rumor mix with fact as another body is found, and Matthew finds his judgment clouded. As the winds howl, and Venn and his team investigate, he realizes that no one, including himself, is safe from Scully Cove’s storm of dark secrets.
The series
Nestled between the rolling hills and rugged coastline of North Devon, Two Rivers introduces readers to a world where the tides of the sea mirror the tangled webs of human emotions and dark secrets. The series follows Detective Matthew Venn, a man whose return to his coastal hometown for his estranged father's funeral sets in motion a series of investigations that will force him to confront not only the mysteries of his cases but also the ghosts of his past.
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From the very first page of The Long Call, Cleeves draws readers into a community bound by quiet histories and unspoken tensions. Venn, marked by a difficult past and personal struggles, is an unusual but compelling protagonist. His investigations are as much about unraveling the complexities of human nature as they are about solving crimes. His approach to justice—methodical, introspective, and shaped by his own journey of self-discovery—creates a poignant and deeply human thread that runs through the series.
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Devon’s wild beauty, Two Rivers offers more than just crime-solving. It immerses readers in a world of complicated relationships, tangled loyalties, and emotional reckoning. Each book, from The Long Call to The Heron's Cry and The Raging Storm, peels back the layers of its characters, revealing hidden desires, buried regrets, and unexpected truths. The stories explore not only the investigation of crime but also the price of keeping secrets in a small town where everyone is connected in some way.
In the Two Rivers series, the line between right and wrong is often blurred, and the atmosphere is thick with suspense and emotional resonance. The settings, whether the tranquil beauty of the rivers or the stormy, windswept coastline, are more than just locations—they are characters in themselves, reflecting the emotional turmoil and the secrets lurking within.
For those who crave more than just a thrilling whodunit, Two Rivers delivers a deeply engaging exploration of identity, belonging, and redemption. With its richly woven plotlines, vivid sense of place, and a protagonist who feels as real and flawed as the world around him, this series is a journey worth taking—one that will linger long after the last page is turned.
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