November 2019 Main Group Read - The Long Call, by Ann Cleeves

[Beth]

Am at the 50% mark. Anyone else started it?

[Mary]

I was able to get an advance copy of this so I actually read it a few weeks ago. I enjoyed it and will post in the thread when time permits (hopefully this weekend).

[Icewineanne]

Just got my copy but have 2 others that need to be finished. Hoping to begin reading after next weekend.

[Beth]

I am a fan of Anne Cleeves so was looking forward to this new series. The book was OK for me, but this series will certainly not be my favourite and, for me, is no where near the quality of the Vera or Shetland series.

I disagree with the critics who note that the book was written "with Cleeves' characteristic gift for locale...", this one could have been anywhere with a street and river. I didn't feel that her usual flair for setting showed itself in this book.

Similarly, I never got much of a sense of the characters, except to form the opinion that the detective, the main character, was emotionally unstable, unsure of himself at home and as a detective; in general, he was too "whimpy" for me to like.

The story, unlike her usual books, plodded on and I found it easy to put the book down! It just didn't work for me.

[Chris]

I read it in hardback from my local library a while ago. It's okay, but the locale could easily have been researched from online maps. I don't think Matthew is going to be my new fave detective - poor chap smacks too much of 'gotta have a gay lead to show how woke I am'. James Patterson (or should that be Howard Roughan)'s Murder Games - now retitled Instinct to tie in with the TV show - did it better (and earlier).

[Icewineanne]

Finished this last week & really enjoyed it. When I first learned that Matthew was gay, I wondered about Cleeves’ need to be ‘au courant’, and also questioned her ability to write in that voice.
And I thought she might be writing a gay story with a mystery, but that turned out not to be the case here. This ended up being a straight forward whodunit with everyone hiding something. Matthew is likeable, with a great partner, no bad habits. It will be interesting to see how he changes (or not) in future books.

[Beth]

I agree with you Christona. I remember saying the same thing about location in the first book of the Shetland series!

And yea. The lead character just didn't work for me. I found him too insipid for my liking as a lead.

[Beth]

Icewineann ... I didn't find Michael at all likeable. Not dislike able. Just.... Neutral, nondescript, whimpy, insipid.....

I think the idea of a gay relationship is bold for Anne. I think my old, heterosexual, age likely makes it really difficult it for me to identify with this character.