No one in Heppleburnhas a bad word to say about Alice Parry . . . but here she is, murdered in her own backyard on a bitter St David's Eve. When Inspector Ramsay starts asking questions in the village, a more ambiguous picture begins to emerge. Even among her neighbours, Alice Parry's helpfulness had sometimes misfired. And after her death, tension tight as a clenched fist grips the uneasy village. Meanwhile, the suspects keep rolling in, as Heppleburn'sfriendly neighbourhoodkiller continues his nasty work . . .

Ann Cleeves is the author of over thirty critically acclaimed novels, and in 2017 was awarded the highest accolade in crime writing, the CWA Diamond Dagger. She is the creator of popular detectives Vera Stanhope and Jimmy Perez, who can now be found on television in ITV’s Vera and BBC One’s Shetland. The TV series and the books they are based on have become international sensations, capturing the minds of millions worldwide. The Heron's Cry is book two in her Two Rivers series featuring Devonian Matthew Venn. The first book in the series, The Long Call was published to critical acclaim. It is currently being adapted for television.

Ann worked as a probation officer, bird observatory cook and auxiliary coastguard before she started writing. She is a member of ‘Murder Squad’, working with other British northern writers to promote crime fiction. She lives in North Tyneside near where the Vera books are set.