The Raging Storm

Now a major ITV series starring Ben Aldridge as Detective Matthew Venn

By: Ann Cleeves

Narrated by: Jack Holden

Fierce winds, howling seas and deadly secrets await in The Raging Storm, the latest mystery featuring Detective Matthew Venn from Ann Cleeves, the number one bestselling author and creator of Vera and Shetland.

When Jem Rosco – sailor, adventurer and local 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. The residents think nothing of it when Rosco disappears again; that’s the sort of man he is.

Until the lifeboat is launched to a hoax call-out during a raging storm and his body is found in a dinghy, anchored off Scully Cove, a place with legends of its own.

This is an uncomfortable case for DI Matthew Venn. He came to the remote village as a child, its community populated by the Barum Brethren that he parted ways with, so when superstition and rumour mix and another body is found in the cove, Matthew soon finds his judgement clouded.

As the stormy winds howl and the village is cut off, Venn and his team start their investigation, little realizing their own lives might be in danger. . .

Now a major ITV series, The Long Call, starring Ben Aldridge.


Praise for the Matthew Venn series:

'Matthew Venn is a keeper' - David Baldacci

'Had me hooked . . . a promising beginning to another fine chapter in the Ann Cleeves story' - The Times

'A triumph that cements Cleeves’ status as one of Britain’s best crime writers' - Daily Express

'Clever, compassionate and atmospheric' - Elly Griffiths

'Cleeves combines a flair for evoking sense of place with a thoughtful, complex plot' - Mail on Sunday

'A traditional mystery of the best sort' - Guardian


What readers are saying about The Raging Storm:

‘Absolutely brilliant, Ann Cleeves at her best’

‘The twists and turns, challenging relationships within the community, mixed with a huge dose of superstitions surrounding routines around the sea, makes for a brilliant novel’

‘In my opinion, Ann Cleeves ranks among the top crime writers. She consistently delivers classic murder mysteries by balancing diverse characters and rich settings to create unique stories every time’

‘The setting in this is so integral to the plot that it could almost be a character in its own right’

‘Cleeves creates a strong sense of tension which pushes you on. The plot is a true mystery, littered with clues and red herrings, and the end is a brilliant revelation’

Critic reviews

A modern version of a classic English detective novel

As a huge fan of both the Shetland and Vera series of books, I had high expectations for Cleeves’ latest. Matthew Venn is a keeper. A stunning debut for Cleeves’ latest crimefighter (David Baldacci on The Long Call)

Had me hooked — a promising beginning to another fine chapter in the Ann Cleeves story (The Times on The Long Call)

Clever, compassionate and atmospheric, with a great cast of new characters to love. I am already a Matthew Venn fan (Elly Griffiths on The Long Call)

A triumph that cements Cleeves' status as one of Britain's best crime writers (Daily Express on The Long Call)

Brilliant, thoughtful and deeply engaging (Sara Paretsky, New York Times bestselling author of the V.I. Warshawski series on The Long Call)

Ann Cleeves’ new series gets off to a terrific start with The Long Call – her native Devon is wonderfully evoked, and Matthew Venn is a very appealing new detective. Another sure-fire hit (Martin Edwards, author of Gallows Court, on The Long Call)

Cleeves combines a flair for evoking sense of place with a thoughtful, complex plot (Mail on Sunday on The Long Call)

The troubled Venn is a great protagonist, and Cleeves may well have created her next top TV cop (Heat Magazine on The Long Call)

A traditional mystery of the best sort (The Guardian on The Long Call)

Evocative and gripping – an absolute triumph (Daily Mirror on The Long Call)

My favourite of this series so far!

Loved the story. Loved the old fashioned who dunnit mystery of it all. And very little about the religious sect he was born into.