The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves

THE HERON'S CRY by Ann Cleeves (The Darkest Evening) is another intriguing mystery, this one features Detective Matthew Venn and is set in rural North Devon. It is a bit dark, with multiple suicides and murders, but the suspense is maintained throughout this complicated plot and readers will likely be surprised at the outcome. Shockingly, Dr. Nigel Yeo is found stabbed to death with a piece of glass from his own adult daughter’s art. Subsequent events add to an intricate web of connections and Venn and his team, impulsive Jen Rafferty and young Ross May, work together to establish motive and opportunity. As Cleeves notes, Venn appreciated speculation: "Our job is all about What If? No harm creating a number of scenarios and seeing if the facts fit. The danger comes when you twist the facts to fit the theory." THE HERON'S CRY received a starred review from Kirkus (“character-driven exploration of people’s darkest flaws is a sterling example of Cleeves’ formidable talents”) and is likely to become an ITV TV series soon.