by Ann Cleeves
Part of Two Rivers
First published 2019
Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church where his father's funeral proceeds without him. Years ago, when Matthew abandoned the strict evangelical community that raised him, his family cut all ties. As he prepares to leave North Devon's coast, where two rivers meet the sea, his phone rings. His team has discovered a corpse on the nearby beach. The victim bears an albatross tattoo on his neck and died from stab wounds. The investigation forces Matthew back into the religious community he fled. He must navigate relationships with people who rejected him while uncovering secrets that connect the murder to his past. The case becomes personal as Matthew confronts both the community's hidden darkness and his own unresolved feelings about the family and faith he left behind.
Genres: mystery, crime, adult, adult-fiction, thriller, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotionally-complex, gritty, introspective, suspenseful
Tropes: hidden-secrets, past-catching-up, personal-case, return-to-hometown
Setting: North Devon, coastal beach
Period: contemporary
376 pages · Hardcover · Minotaur Books
Content warnings: abuse, murder, violence