Softly Calls the Devil by Chris Blake

From a serving New Zealand police officer and Ngaio Marsh Awards double finalist comes a gritty crime novel with authenticity. Matt Buchanan is the sole charge constable in sleepy Haast on the West Coast, after turning his back on life working for the police in Auckland. Life is peaceful, and he is content with keeping their beautiful corner of the world safe. But then his much-loved predecessor is found murdered, and everyone’s peace is shattered.

Other personalities in the small town suddenly look suspicious, and it all seems linked to a cold case from 1978. A sinister murder-suicide, where the bodies of the parents were found, but not the body of their daughter. A journalist comes to town, sniffing around, as tensions rise and there are more deaths, this time of a former forest ranger and a local hermit, and Matt discovers remnants of a cult. What do all these people have in common? What is really going on here?

As Matt follows the leads, he puts himself and others in grave danger, including a woman he has started seeing. Softly Calls the Devil is a dark, heart-palpitating police procedural with well-crafted characters and a fabulous sense of place. It’s an intense read that looks at the darker side of life, but it’s not without hope, as Matt finds himself deeply immersed in this perplexing case that keeps getting more complicated.

Reviewer: Karen McMillan

Echo Publishing