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‘The Heron's Cry’ Chapters

illustration of a man wearing a bathrobe staggering in a hallway with another man in the background in a doorway

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Chapters 1-3

Jen had drunk too much. They were in Cynthia Prior’s garden, lounging on the grass, and it was just getting dark

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illustration of a man in jeans and T-shirt sitting on a sofa, resting his chin on his hand, looking at two men in suits standing in front of him, one writing in a notebook

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Chapters 4-6

Eve looked across the table at the red-haired detective with the nasal, grating northern voice and wished she’d just

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illustration of two people seated at a table looking serious, with a bearded man in a doorway in the background

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Chapters 7-9

Jen stood outside Westacombe Cottage, rang the bell and waited. The cottage was like something out of a child’s

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illustration of a woman in jeans and t-shirt and a man in business clothes holding suit jacket walking along the beach

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Chapters 10-12

Sally Pengelly was waiting for Matthew in the mortuary, gowned and booted. ‘Thanks for doing this so speedily

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illustration of a man in a suit standing near a desk and window looking at a diary, and a detail showing corner of a page with 8531 or 8537 written on it

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Chapters 13-15

On Sunday morning Matthew Venn woke early, as he always did. There remained the sense of unease that

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illustration of a woman and her shadow in the doorway of a large shed with two large doors and small windows, and part of a red car visible outside

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Chapters 16-18

Matthew left Lauren Miller's house in Appledore and drove back to Barnstaple. Dorothy Venn was waiting

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illustration of man and woman at kitchen table and man tapping on window outside

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Chapters 19-21

All the way back to Westacombe, Eve remained silent and still. Jonathan sat next to her in the back of the car.

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illustration of a man in a straw hat sitting on sun lounger, lifting a glass in greeting, and another man close by

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Chapters 22-24

The Sandpiper was closed all day on Mondays. ‘Our one day of rest,’ George said when Jen called to make an appointment.

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illustration of a woman wearing orange dress carrying large straw handbag walking down a street, and a man in the doorway of a tea shop looking in her direction

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Chapters 25-27

After dropping Janey Mackenzie in Instow, Jen Rafferty made her way back to the police station. She tracked down

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illustration of a grey heron on water with two men in the background leaning on picket fence and behind them a house with yellow light in windows against a purple sky

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Chapters 28-30

As he drove inland, towards the moor and Spennicott, the village where Frank Ley was considered an enemy,

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illustration of a woman, seen from the back, holding a metal pipe with a globe of molten glass at the end in a fiery furnace

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Chapters 31-33

Jen Rafferty got permission from Venn to go back to Westacombe to visit Eve Yeo. ‘I just want to check

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illustration of a white-suited figure with a gloved hand holding an envelope addressed in script to Detective Inspector Matthew Venn, and a pair on legs lying below in the grass

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Chapters 34-36

Jonathan woke early and had been for a swim before Matthew got up. It had become a ritual in these hot, heavy

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illustration of a man in a shirt and tie, wearing glasses with chin resting on his hand, sitting in a chair looking pensive

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Chapters 37-39

Ross found the whole Mackenzie family together in the Sandpiper. Venn had asked him to notify them of Frank Ley’s death:

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illustration of a man sitting on a desk with headphones on, beside a mobile with penguins and polar bears that is hanging from the ceiling

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Chapters 40-42

Jen stayed at home long enough to have breakfast with the kids. Since Nigel Yeo’s murder they’d all been working

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illustration of a young man rushing out of an office, his green tie flying behind him, office chair and pencil cup falling over

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Chapters 43-45

Jonathan was in his office, focused on spreadsheets and the minutes from the last trustees’ meeting, and didn’t realize

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illustration of two people walking in the pouring rain at night, one leading the way with a flashlight

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Chapters 46-48

Matthew Venn had completed his search of the attics when he heard footsteps echoing on the steps below him.

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illustration of two people sitting in a colorful room at a table beside a large window with a water view and two birds flying past

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Chapters 49-50

After breakfast, Matthew drove home across Braunton Great Marsh, past the pools rich with wading birds

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