The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves

THE RAGING STORM by Ann Cleeves is the latest Matthew Venn novel following The Long Call and The Heron's Cry). As this title indicates, the environment of North Devon (with stormy days and often treacherous tides at the seaside) is once again a key feature in building atmosphere and suspense. Inspector Venn and his colleagues, Ross May and Sergeant Jen Rafferty, are out to investigate the death of around-the-world sailing phenom, Jem Rosco. A local boy made good, Rosco had moved back recently to a small village where its inhabitants (local schoolteacher, taxi driver, magistrate, landowners, tavern keeper and so on) are now suspects in his death. Venn quietly leads the investigation, focusing on the many past relationships (several characters were at school together or romantically linked) along with current tensions and jealousies. With plenty of twists and strong character development, THE RAGING STORM received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly (“Cleeves’s fans and newcomers alike will be hungry for the next entry.”).