The Devil Comes Calling by Annette Dashofy

The third instalment of the Detective Honeywell series. Discover what happens when Matthias' past catches up with him

As a fan of Louise Penny and Ann Cleeves, the blurb for this one had me sold.

This is the first Annette Dashofy novel I've read, but it's the third novel in the Detective Honeywell series. There are many references to the earlier stories and, for a first-timer like me, they help to give background to the characters and how relationships have developed in previous stories.

In short, the novel is a well-crafted police procedural with interesting characters. Matthias Honeywell's past comes back to haunt him through several characters in this story. But alongside that, his relationship with Emma develops.

There are many different threads through the plot that could be red herrings or could be linked to the main story. These keep you interested as the investigation progresses.

My favourite character was actually Detective Cassie Malone, Matthias' partner. I hope her role expands in future novels.

My only reason for making this a 4 rather than 5 stars is that I'm not used to reading crime fiction set in small-town America. As a result, I found it harder to relate to the setting than in a Louise Penny or Ann Cleeves novel.

That is entirely my personal preference - it's just not the kind of book I'd normally read. For fans of character-based crime fiction, without graphic violence, it's still an enjoyable read.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK /One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.