The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves

It is always exciting to see a listing for a new novel from Ann Cleeves, this fall it is The Raging Storm, the third in her Two Rivers series.

Ann Cleeves is well known for her mystery novels, the Vera Stanhope series, and the Shetland series, both of which have been made into television series. Read, and watched around the world.

The earlier books were set in Shetland and islands, and Northumberland. The Two Rivers series is set in North Devon, in the area around Barnstaple. Just by chance while reading The Raging Storm in Newfoundland this fall, we were in the midst of planning a trip to England – to the southwest Cornwall, Dorset, and Devon – including North Devon. I look forward to spending some time next year in the place where the fictional Matthew Venn and his husband, Jonathan, live and work.

The Raging Storm begins with a storm. The local volunteer lifeboat crew is out in response to a call about a boat in distress near Scully Cove. What they find is an inflatable boat with a naked body inside. No other boat in sight or anyone in distress. This is when Matthew Venn is called to investigate. All of this in the fictional seaside village of Greystone – where Matthew grew up with parents who were among the Brethren. A happy time for Matthew as a child, but a world he left in every way when older.

The story involves those who live in the village, and a man who has recently returned. Jeremy Rosco left when young, inherited a certain amount of wealth and made more. He became an adventurer, travelling the Amazon, sailing single-handedly around the world, a television celebrity. A man who may have made more than a few enemies along the way.

There is the local doctor, and his wife. A young mother of a chronically ill child. The older generation include the Commodore of the yacht club, a magistrate. His wife, and others of their circle who grew up with privilege. All of them become possible suspects when murder is believed to have been committed.

We also have Matthew Venn’s colleagues, including Jen Rafferty who is a single mother of teenagers, juggling life at home and work. Not so easy for her to drop everything at home and move into the Maiden’s Prayer, the local pub where the investigating team has set up shop.

What follows from first to last is a mystery novel that has all we expect – a cast of characters who are both realistic and interesting, a detective who has a few issues but is a decent person doing a difficult job. A certain amount of danger that may imperil the lives of the good guys.

There is more than one storm in The Raging Storm – all revealed at the end. After two previous novels we have come to know, and care for, Matthew Venn. Now we wait for the next!