The Raging Storm sees the return of DI Matthew Venn in another excellent police procedural by Ann Cleeves.

Wonderfully descriptive writing keeps the pages turning and there is an excellent murder mystery to solve which has a number of twists and turns.

The author has created a superb series with The Raging Storm a worthy addition

Definitely recommended.

4.5 rounded up

Two Rivers #3 DI Matthew Venn

Legendary sailor and TV personality, Jem Roscoe blows into Greystone, Devon during a September gale. He rents a cottage and says he’s there to meet someone, but he’s very mysterious and cagey about it. As a consequence, he interests and intrigues the small community and despite being an outsider, he soon becomes part of it. When he disappears, they’re at a loss. Later, following a distress call to the lifeboat, a body is found in a dinghy in very rough seas. Matthew and his partner DS Jen Rafferty are sent to Greystone to investigate.

Quite apart from the fact that Ann Cleeves always creates good mysteries, one of the standout features of her many books is her exceptionally good characterisation. Whilst Matthew Venn may not be as immediately appealing as Vera Stanhope or Jimmy Perez, he is undoubtedly fascinating and possibly her most complex character to date. He carries burdens from his past which still impact him to this day, he’s not the most patient person on the planet, nor is he exactly a bundle of joy, but then if you’re investigating murder, you probably wouldn’t be! He is without question a dedicated and good detective and his sidekick Jen is a good foil for Venn, as is Matthews partner, the easy-going Jonathan. Jem Roscoe is a source of fascination too and is quite enigmatic. All the many characters in this mystery are well portrayed and easy to picture.

I love the atmosphere, the author creates here and I think she’s almost excelled herself! The small, remote, rather bleak community creates an atmosphere all of its own, there’s an intriguing awkwardness and reticence that’s very interesting. There is some distrust too as some locals are members of the Barum Brethren and as an ex member, Matthew Venn is a source of some suspicion from those quarters. There seems to be either misdirection or a wall of silence to contend with in this difficult case.

In addition, there’s stormy weather especially at the start, which creates unease and adds to the building tension. There is an excellent sense of place too, there are some terrific descriptions of the area, which provides scope for some exciting scenes.

The plot is carefully constructed and well thought out, there are secrets by the lorry load and many twists and turns in the complex storytelling. Whilst the pace is not exceptionally fast, I think it suits and matches both the place and the situations. The solution is a bit Christie-esque in some ways and it has certainly got Agatha convolutions! I like it!

Overall, I have no doubt this is another best seller to add to the many in the authors back catalogue.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan McMillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

If you’ve read the previous Matthew Venn books by Ann, you know you’re onto a good thing. In his latest case, Venn and his team must solve the murder of a well-known sailor and adventurer. He’s been living in a village in Devon, filling it with a little bit of celebrity, much to many peoples’ delight. Not everyone though, considering he’s murdered. Venn is his usual meticulous, overthinking self but the village stirs childhood memories and his time with the Barum Brethren. When the village is cut off, leaving Venn and Co relatively alone, will they realise their lives are as much in danger as Jem Rosco’s? I’ve always found Ann’s books to be nicely paced; enough to guide you but also uncovering some red herrings.

Suspicions Abound..
The third outing in the Two Rivers series of mysteries featuring Detective Matthew Venn, Devon set, is about to throw up a perplexing and difficult case for the detective. A celebrity descends on Greystone but his subsequent prompt disappearance causes no real concern - he is known for that after all. When a body is discovered, attitudes soon change to shock but it doesn’t end there. It’s not long before suspicions, secrets, rumours and accusations abound in that tight knit community. An immersive and compelling entry to the series once again with a credible and well drawn cast, an intricately crafted plot and a perfectly painted backdrop.

Best by far in this new series,twisted and complicated Venn has his work cut out to unravel it all. Characters are coming to life.

Ann Cleaves at her best yet again.

Devon coast murder mystery, or murders. Confluted storyline that only Ann knows how to deliver perfectly.

Shows how grudges can be held for years.

The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves

I love this series ( Two Rivers) and couldn't wait to read The 3rd outing of the character DI Matthew Venn who I find his back story a fascinating read.coast
Set mainly in the village Greystone on the Devon coast a call comes in of the discovery of a body , D.I. Venn is sent in to investigate during terrible weather which just adds to the atmosphere of the story .
Ann Cleeves seems to set her series along different coastlines in the UK and she has such a way / infinity with the sea that you feel you are able to see the area she is writing about.
Loved it.

Book 3 in the Two Rivers Series and Detective Matthew Venn is sent to Greystone, Devon to investigate the murder of Jem Rosco. But this is not somewhere Matthew wants to be. As a child he was part of the Barum Brethren, an insular religious sect that he left many years ago. Well written with a great plot; there is also a lot of story based around some of the detectives, particularly Matthew and DS Jen Rafferty.

Briefly, after arriving in the village Matthew and some of his team are stranded when the weather turns bad with trees down and electricity out. As they look into Rosco and his past it soon becomes clear that he’s unpopular despite his celebrity status. The investigation doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere and then a second body is found…

This is a good police procedural with some well fleshed characters. I find Matthew rather dour and difficult to warm to and it seems that his upbringing maybe partly responsible for that. The twists and turns in this were so good. I was completely fooled, and that doesn’t often happen. A very enjoyable read.

4.5⭐️

Another very good book from Ann Cleeves, it had everything and it was an easy book to get into, I can’t wait to see what’s next

I enjoyed the previous books in the Matthew Venn series and this was also enjoyable though i found my self less engaged with the characters and am not sure why.
It is a traditional thriller as the police team work through the clues and come to their conclusions. It feels quite real, and i hope that they work and care this way during a real investigation.
The case is closed but i did wonder if there is a cliff hanger left at the end - looking at Matthew’s relationship.
Recommended

Another great book from Anne Cleeves, intriguing and a great ending. Interesting characters developing well and back story learning more about Matthew. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

You can never go wrong with thriller/mystery, for me. It is and it will remain my favourite genre to read because it's just so easy for me to get lost within the story and forget the world around me.
Ann Cleeves' The Raging Storm was no different, and though I haven't read the previous instalments on this series, it was all very easy to catch up on - the intricacies of the relationships between characters, in particular, and how they navigate amongst each other. The culprit was a bit of a surprise for me, seeing that I was pretty much in the dar during the entire book - there are instances where I can guess who did it right at the start, others where I grow suspicions along the tale, sometimes right, sometimes wrong, but with this book, I could make no heads nor tails of the entire thing. For me, as a reader, this is not detrimental, quite the opposite, because it makes me eager to learn the truth at the end.
All in all, I've really enjoyed this novel, and will want to read more from the author.
Thank you NetGalley and Pan McMillan for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are my own.

It's not just the weather which is stormy in North Devon.

Local celebrity Jem Rosco turns up in Greystone in the midst of bad weather. When he disappears again, the locals think nothing of it, because that's what he's like.

But when, in the middle of a raging storm, the lifeboat is called out under false pretences, and discovers a body in a dinghy anchored at Scully Cove, there's pause for thought.

Matthew Venn and the team are called in, but get trapped in the village in the worsening weather.

How are they going to get to the bottom of this one?

Another great addition to the series

Another great read from Ann Cleeves. Matthew Venn is a gentle but tenacious detective. This is the third book in the series. The competition between his team, scouser Jen Rafferty and Ross May, for Matthews approval continues. Jen is dedicated and tolerant of Venn way of working. Ross is young, impatient and ambitious.
The plot have lots of twists and turns but I didn’t feel I ‘lost the plot’ so to speak. There are a couple of situation that I’m sure will be developed in the next book.
I know Devon well, especially the North Coast, I will look at it slightly differently after reading this book. Trying link the places mentioned both real and imaginary next time I visit.
I eagerly await the next book.

I started reading this not realising it was book three in a series that I haven't read before. However, as with Cleeves' books it doesn't really matter, you still get to know the main officers Venn, Rafferty & May. I really enjoy her style of writing, it's very easy to read with lots of overlapping characters and twists.
Personally I found Venn & May to be rather annoying, unlikeable main characters, but I did like Rafferty and the additonal chapter narrator Mary. I don't want to give too much away but I found the ending/reasons for murder rather silly. This wasn't my favourite Cleeves book but still an enjoyable read.

This is the third book in this prolific writer's Two Rivers series set in North Devon and featuring detective Matthew Venn. This atmospheric and well plotted tale of murder is set in the very remote community where he grew up as a member of the Barum Brethren. The first body is discovered in a boat anchored off a headland with no clue as to how it could have got there. As the weather worsens the plot thickens as there are more deaths. An absorbing and thoroughly enjoyable mystery.

The Raging Storm is the third book in Ann Cleeves Two Rivers series,and something slightly different from the previous two.
Most of the action takes place in the remote and insular fishing town of Greystone on the North Devon coast, where the Barum Brethren cult that D.I. Matthew Venn was part of as a child hold sway.
When a hoax call to Coastguards is made to lead them to a dead body Venn is sent from his local patch ,and his comfort zone, to investigate. With bad weather cutting the village off and a rising body count this is almost a "locked village mystery" as Venn delves into the complex personal histories and relationships of locals that have lived in the town for most,or all,of their lives.
This is an atmospheric and entertaining book,with the morose and insecure Venn seeming out of his depth away from his regular Barnstaple area stamping grounds and his loved ones.
More than a touch of "Agatha Christie" about this episode and as with all of Ann Cleeves books that I've read it's highly recommended.

The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves is a gripping and atmospheric addition to the Two Rivers series, featuring the tenacious Detective Matthew Venn. Set in the stormy coastal village of Greystone, Devon, the novel takes readers on a thrilling journey filled with mystery, suspense, and a touch of local legend.

When the enigmatic Jem Rosco, a sailor and local celebrity, goes missing and is later found dead in a dinghy off the coast of Scully Cove, DI Matthew Venn is faced with a challenging case. As someone who has a complicated history with the village and its Barum Brethren community, Venn finds himself grappling with personal emotions that cloud his judgment.

Ann Cleeves expertly weaves together the elements of a small community, superstition, and the unforgiving forces of nature. The stormy backdrop adds to the tension and isolates the village, heightening the sense of danger and urgency for Venn and his team.

The author's descriptive prose vividly captures the rugged beauty of the coastal setting, immersing readers in the atmospheric landscape. Cleeves skilfully constructs a web of secrets and suspects, keeping readers guessing until the final reveal.

The character of DI Matthew Venn continues to be a compelling and multi-layered protagonist. His internal conflicts, as well as his dedication to seeking justice, make him relatable and engaging. The supporting characters are well-developed, each contributing to the intricacies of the plot.

The Raging Storm showcases Ann Cleeves' mastery of the crime genre, combining a compelling mystery with a richly portrayed setting and complex characters. The suspenseful narrative, combined with the atmospheric backdrop, creates a sense of unease and intrigue that will keep readers captivated until the very end.

Overall, The Raging Storm is a thrilling and immersive crime novel that fans of Ann Cleeves and the Two Rivers series will thoroughly enjoy. With its well-crafted plot, atmospheric setting, and compelling characters, this book is a testament to Cleeves' skill as a storyteller and a must-read for any crime fiction enthusiast.

thoroughly enjoyed this book. What's not to like with Ann Cleeves? A clever story , well-told with plenty of twists and turns on the way to the ending. A well written and enjoyable crime novel . Ann Cleeves at her best

This is the third in the Two Rivers series - I read number one but not the second. As I was aware of the detective team and their relationships this did not prevent me enjoying the story. Matthew Venn is forced to face his Barum Brethren upbringing as the case brings him back to Greystone with the mysterious disappearance of Jen Rosco - a local celebrity returned for an unknown purpose. His death is followed by a second around Scully Cove. Local superstitions and rumours make determining fact from fiction hard and Matthew’s judgement is coloured by his emotional response to one of the main suspects.

I did not expect the conclusion - it felt a little convoluted but still interesting.

I will certainly be happy to read further books from this series.