The Long Call is a mystery/crime novel by Ann Cleeves, the author of the Vera and the Shetland series.   Ann Cleeves is a master storyteller, writing procedural detective books with well-developed characters and complex  lives.    For much of the book, the pace is slow and the small team of detectives in rural Devon follow possible leads, without much success.   As readers, we are invited to figure out the whodunit, but linking the possible clues is elusive for the investigation team, and for us.   The key is to find out more about the backstories, secrets, and connections of the central characters.   Ann Cleeves is very good at this type of writing and we are invited into the homes of the lead character Matthew Venn, a married gay man, his partner Jonathan, who runs the venue which is the main focus for a murder and two abductions, various community leaders who had a history with Matthew’s family, and community members who know separate parts of the previous events which may be relevant to the crimes.   Her characters are complex and the motivations for past events and current crimes are tainted with sorrow, regret, loss, and fear.    There are no good guys and bad guys; there are just normal people coping, making mistakes, covering up, and trying to live their lives in spite of what has happened, hoping to move to a better place, but fearful of being found out.    Modern social issues are skillfully blended into the narrative, told with sensitivity and without judgement.

We are introduced to Mathew and Jonathan, Detectives Jen  and Ross, and various characters of the area villages.    We will be invited to return for another book in the series, and to the television adaptation already underway.   Ann Cleeves  is a reliable author and we recommend her books. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars4.5