Ann Cleeves is well known for her popular Shetland Island mystery series, featuring Detective Jimmy Perez and her Detective Vera Stanhope mystery series, set in northern England.
This book starts a new series for Cleeves, set in North Devon, and featuring police investigator Matthew Venn.
*****
Detective Inspector Matthew Venn of the North Devon police grew up in a family that belonged to a small, strict religious sect called the Barum Brethren.
Matthew rejected the order's beliefs when he was a teenager, and was shunned by the congregation, including his parents. Now Matthew's father has died and his mother doesn't want him at the funeral, saying Matthew's marriage to a man gave his father a fatal heart attack.
Matthew is lurking near the doorway of the church, listening to his father's funeral service, when he's called to a crime scene.
A body has been found on the North Devon beach, close to where Matthew lives with his husband Jonathan Church.
The stabbing victim is identified as Simon Walder, a troubled man who was renting a room in the home of two friends, Caroline Preece and Gaby Henry. The women took Simon in as an act of charity, and tell the police they were looking forward to Simon leaving when he got on his feet.
The police discover that most people acquainted with Simon have a connection with the Woodyard Centre - a community resource with a restaurant, art classes, nature lectures, cultural activities, charitable operations, etc. The Woodyard Centre also has a day center for adults with learning disabilities.
Simon worked as a chef in the Woodyard Centre's restaurant, but he didn't socialize and kept himself to himself.
Simon's connection with the Woodyard Centre presents a conflict of interest for Matthew, because his husband Jonathan is the Centre's director, and people he knows - including the leader of the Barum Brethren - is on the Board of Directors. Nevertheless Matthew continues making inquiries with the help of his detectives Jen and Ross. Jen - who Matthew considers his best investigator - is the hard-partying single mother of two teenagers;
and Ross is a married 'man's man' who's anxious for recognition from the boss.
As the investigation proceeds, the detectives learn that Simon kept a lot of secrets, and many people in town are reticent about their connection with him. To add to the mystery, a learning disabled woman named Lucy Braddick, who goes to the Woodyard Centre every day, says Simon had been taking the bus with her, chatting and bringing sweets....which was a change in his routine and demeanor.
Additional crimes - including two abductions - add to the mystery in North Devon, and Matthew struggles to solve the case before he's forced to recuse himself.
In addition to creating compelling characters, Cleeves includes the North Devon landscape and ambiance in her story, which is a great pleasure for armchair travelers and adds to the book's atmosphere.
I enjoyed this debut novel in Cleeves' new series, and look forward to reading future books featuring Matthew Venn.
*****
Detective Inspector Matthew Venn of the North Devon police grew up in a family that belonged to a small, strict religious sect called the Barum Brethren.
Matthew rejected the order's beliefs when he was a teenager, and was shunned by the congregation, including his parents. Now Matthew's father has died and his mother doesn't want him at the funeral, saying Matthew's marriage to a man gave his father a fatal heart attack.
Matthew is lurking near the doorway of the church, listening to his father's funeral service, when he's called to a crime scene.
A body has been found on the North Devon beach, close to where Matthew lives with his husband Jonathan Church.
The stabbing victim is identified as Simon Walder, a troubled man who was renting a room in the home of two friends, Caroline Preece and Gaby Henry. The women took Simon in as an act of charity, and tell the police they were looking forward to Simon leaving when he got on his feet.
The police discover that most people acquainted with Simon have a connection with the Woodyard Centre - a community resource with a restaurant, art classes, nature lectures, cultural activities, charitable operations, etc. The Woodyard Centre also has a day center for adults with learning disabilities.
Simon worked as a chef in the Woodyard Centre's restaurant, but he didn't socialize and kept himself to himself.
Simon's connection with the Woodyard Centre presents a conflict of interest for Matthew, because his husband Jonathan is the Centre's director, and people he knows - including the leader of the Barum Brethren - is on the Board of Directors. Nevertheless Matthew continues making inquiries with the help of his detectives Jen and Ross. Jen - who Matthew considers his best investigator - is the hard-partying single mother of two teenagers;
and Ross is a married 'man's man' who's anxious for recognition from the boss.
As the investigation proceeds, the detectives learn that Simon kept a lot of secrets, and many people in town are reticent about their connection with him. To add to the mystery, a learning disabled woman named Lucy Braddick, who goes to the Woodyard Centre every day, says Simon had been taking the bus with her, chatting and bringing sweets....which was a change in his routine and demeanor.
Additional crimes - including two abductions - add to the mystery in North Devon, and Matthew struggles to solve the case before he's forced to recuse himself.
In addition to creating compelling characters, Cleeves includes the North Devon landscape and ambiance in her story, which is a great pleasure for armchair travelers and adds to the book's atmosphere.
I enjoyed this debut novel in Cleeves' new series, and look forward to reading future books featuring Matthew Venn.
Thanks to Netgalley, Ann Cleeves, and Minotaur Books for a copy of the book.
Rating: 3.5 stars
I have not read any of Anne Cleeves' books, but this might be a good time to try as this is a new series. Sounds like an interesting read with some great characters. Nice post, Barb.
ReplyDeleteThank you Carla. 🙂🌸🥀
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