The Long Call

The Two Rivers Series, Book 1

By: Ann Cleeves

Narrated by: Ben Aldridge

Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's Summary

An instant New York Times best seller!

From Ann Cleeves - best-selling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows - comes the first in a gripping new series, told with deep compassion and searing insight.

“Ann Cleeves is one of my favorite mystery writers.” (Louise Penny)

A People Magazine Best Book of Fall 2019

In North Devon, where two rivers converge and run into the sea, Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church as his estranged father’s funeral takes place. On the day Matthew left the strict evangelical community he grew up in, he lost his family, too.

Now, as he turns and walks away again, he receives a call from one of his team. A body has been found on the beach nearby: a man with a tattoo of an albatross on his neck, stabbed to death.

The case calls Matthew back to the people and places of his past, as deadly secrets hidden at their hearts are revealed, and his new life is forced into a collision course with the world he thought he’d left behind.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books

©2019 Ann Cleeves (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

Excellent story and narration

I’m not sure what the complaints are about the narrator but I thought Ben Aldridge did a superb job. Loved meeting Matthew Ben . I look forward to book 2!

Interesting story

Story was slow at first..very slow even.. But then it picked up and was very interesting overall. Narration was very good. I did wonder why female dialog often sounded like a question being asked even when not a question. Maybe it is a dialect interpretation?

Excellent story, intense characters

Enjoyed this book in all ways. Very much looking forward to more in this series.

Ann Cleeves’ Best

I loved the book. Matthew Venn was such an interesting character as were the supporting characters - Jen, Gaby, Caroline, and the brave Lucy. The North Devon backdrop was described in such a way to make me want to visit someday, and I think I will - it’s now on my bucket list. Ben Aldridge’s narration brought this compelling story to life and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Perfection!

Originally read this book in print when 1st released. Rereading before Release of 2nd Book in series The Heron's Cry . This time I chose audio. Narration is perfection. Read by actor that is to play Main Character in upcoming tv show of The Long Call.

i love how Ann Cleeves makes setting part of the story. This time it's North Devon. The Long Call also introduces Detective Matthew Venn. He's quiet, introspective, and sometimes unsure of social settings. Interesting backstory of leaving his parents strict evangelical religion. I'd definitely read a prequel of how he became the man he is today; good at his job and happily married. You get some of that here but you know there's more to the story.

I also like Sergeant Jen Rafferty. She's the total opposite of her boss. Fiery personality. Divorced from abusive husband with teen age children. It makes for a good team.

I've Preordered Book 2. Excited to see where the story goes.

Rabid Ann Cleeves fan but this series doesn’t do it for me.

I have voraciously read or listened intently to every Ann Cleeves novel up till now but I have to agree with other listeners than Matthew Venn is not a compelling main character in any way. The narrator here also sounds bored and he poorly interprets female characters as well. Something is off in the plotting which is Ann’s strong suit. Lacks tension and drive. And her descriptions of place which are generally poetic and quite striking fall flat here.

Couldn’t Stop Listening

This is a true page-turner. A gripping, fast moving, fascinating storyline. I’ve listened to all Ann Cleeve books and this ranks as one of the most enjoyable. I just finished it and immediately started it again to piece it all together. I’ve never done that before.

Disappointed

I really enjoyed Cleeves's Shetland books but the same can not be said about this one. The author certainly knows how to write engagging and interesting novels but that ability is not on display in this book. I was disappointed enough to return the book without finishing it (not a common experience for me).
The narrator was OK but I found his range pretty limited.

Very disappointed

Took me a while to warm up to Vera, another of Cleeve’s quirky characters. So as I was struggling to put up with the horrible reading, while hoping to like these new character, kept telling myself to be patient.
That hope never came true. Ended book with a big Pffff!

Nothing likable here.
And the narrator sure didn’t help.

Entertaining and uplifting

This is the kind of book, with engaging characters and a satisfying ending, that proves that there are still good writers with good stories to tell. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.