Detective Matthias Honeywell #2, Erie City Police, Major Crimes Unit.

Mattias is investigating the murder of a man whose body is found in an alleyway, in addition to a missing person case of Gillian Watson. Emma Anderson is a photographer at ErieLIVE and is desperately searching the city for her missing sister Nell, who is a drug addict. Does she have a lead from barman Zeke? Two missing girls - is this a coincidence or are they connected in anyway? Mattias has a lot on his mind and Emma is rarely far from it. When a piece of evidence is uncovered he asks for her help but it soon becomes clear they are entering dangerous realms.

This is another enjoyable read from Annette Dashofy who has created some really interesting characters here. I really like Mattias, he’s quite deep but fascinating and I enjoy the obvious chemistry between him and Emma, which both of them try to deny. There is a complex “dance“ going on here! There is equally strong characterisation of Mathias’ partner, DS Cassie Malone, who is on leave at the start of the book, her place being temporarily taken by somewhat judgy Detective Frazier. He does grow on you as the book progresses! Also, very likeable is Emma’s best friend Eric Baker from her hometown of Washington, everyone needs a loyal friend like him.

As for the plot, it’s safe to say it’s fast paced and an ever changing scene. There’s plenty going on that keeps you glued to the pages. The mystery element of the girls and the murder is a good one, and the author cleverly leads readers up some blind alleys, as guesses are made as to who the shadowy figure is behind the events. Along the route to the conclusion there are chills from some characters they meet and interview, lies by the dump truck load and plenty of emotion in between. It becomes a rollercoaster twisty read with a surprise at the finale.

The author creates just the right tone and atmosphere in the Erie City setting. It’s a varied city and the locations chosen perfectly match, blend and enhance the plot. They are described so well so you can easily visualise the action.

Finally, I’m already eagerly anticipating number three of this character driven mystery/thriller series which I recommend to fans of the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, One More Chapter, for the much appreciated orc in return for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the copy of Keep Your Family Close by Annette Dashofy. I found out too late that this is book two in a series, but maybe that explains why it was so hard to get interested in the characters, and the writing didn’t engage me. The book started to get interesting about 50% in, but it never really took off, even though the story was pretty good. The end was a big surprise, so you will probably love this book if you like a shocking ending. There's also a hint of romance if you like that.

This is the second in a police procedural series set in Erie, both the city and the lake.
Detective Matthias Honeywell is back to investigate the shooting and apparent mugging of a man near the bar the man was drinking at.
Also back is Emma Anderson, a suspect in his previous case and his will-they-won't-they love interest. She's still looking for her missing sister.
Their paths cross again both personally and professionally.
I guessed the twists in this one, but it was still an enjoyable read.
The series is settling in, and I hope we see more of Honeywell's sidekick, DS Cassie Malone, in book three.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

Keep Your Family Close by Annette Dashofy is a gripping, suspenseful crime thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The author expertly weaves a complex plot full of twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the end.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, and the story is filled with emotional depth. Dashofy’s writing style is engaging and keeps the reader hooked from start to finish.

Overall, Keep Your Family Close is a must-read for fans of thrilling and suspenseful crime novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for allowing me to read and review this book.

This talented author has written a page turner. Realistic characters keep the story moving quickly. Red herrings make guessing the ending difficult. A whodunit from page one. Even the title is intriguing. Murder and mystery. Enjoy. Thanks to Netgalley.

Life on the streets of Erie, Pennsylvania is detective Matthias Honeywell's beat, and much of what he sees can be unrelentingly grim. What lies below the surface, unseen, even more so.

Matthias is currently occupied fighting off his slow but steadily growing attraction to Emma, who is in much the same position. Denial is not always a sustainable strategy, but at the very least, it can help delay what is underway. Not mention, it allows the reader to enjoy watching the gradual development of their relationship.

Beyond that, Emma's desperation to find her sister Nell, a drug user, fuels much of her day to day existence. When a body is found with her sister's ID on it, Emma must face up to the reality of what might have happened to Nell.

Meanwhile, Matthias is challenged by some of the cases on his plate. A gunshot death, a missing woman, and now, new developments in Nell's case that bring Emma to the forefront of his mind once again. Disentangling the hidden connections will yield answers, but they may not be welcome ones...

This is a terrific follow up to the first book in the series, and Dashofy delivers a story that will quickly draw readers in. Matthias and Emma are easy to care about, as are some of the other characters you meet in these pages, like Matthias' boss, who is in sync with his approach to things. An absorbing read.

Great book! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, Action, intrigue, mystery, revenge, murder, serial killer, great who done it, great plot twist, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle! I definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Keep Your Family Close is the sequel to Annette Dashofy's first Detective Matthias Honeywell book, "Where The Guilty Hide" .

When a badly decomposed body is found in a warehouse Honeywell finds evidence that strongly suggests it might well be photographer, and love interest, Emma Anderson's sister Nell, a search that played a key part in the previous book. While having an equal lack of success in another murder case Honeywell and his team are under pressure.

This is another entertaining and fast moving tale with Emma's search for her sister making up a far larger proportion of the story than the previous book. As investigations continue ,Matthias and Emma are still circling around each other reluctant to reveal their feelings.......with a third party complicating things. There are plenty of twists, an involving plot and interesting characters.

This is an excellent read but to get the most enjoyment out of this book I'd strongly recommend reading "Where The Guilty Hide" first.

Keep Your Family Close is a fantastic book. It is full of adventure and mystery. I could not put the book down. It is engaging and suspenseful. The characters are wonderful. They are relatable and have great depth. The mystery is complex with many twists to keep you guessing until the end. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it.

In Keep Your Family Close, the second in the excellent Detective Honeywell series, Emma Anderson, now a staff photographer at ERIElive, is searching the city for her missing sister Nell, lost to drug addiction. She thinks she has a lead when a bartender at a seedy tavern claims he recognized Nell from her picture on a missing person flyer. He saw her at a wedding that took place in a local upscale hotel. Matthias Honeywell is investigating the murder of a man whose body was found in an alley. He’s also looking for Gillian Watson, a young woman who vanished while walking home from work. And, because of a well suppressed attraction to Emma, Nell’s disappearance Is always on his mind. Slowly, links between all these three cases become apparent and a deep danger is revealed.

Keep Your Family Close is a character driven mystery that will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can. Emma and Matthias are dealing with rapidly growing feelings for each other that are becoming hard to hide. DS Cassie Malone, Matthias’ partner, is a strong character with an interesting backstory. Eric Baker is a new character that I hope will appear in the next in this superb series. And of course, there is Erie, the gritty, waterfront city that provides an atmospheric background. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and Annette Dashovy for this ARC.

Wow! Keep Your Family Close, the 2nd book in Annette Dashofy's new Detective Honeywell Mystery series is outstanding. As much as I enjoyed Where the Guilty Are, I loved the 2nd book even more. As one can expect of any book Ms. Dashofy writes, I was on the edge of my seat throughout and had to read it in one go. While I had at last two suspects on my list, including the right one, I wasn't sure until the killer was revealed. I appreciate that along with red herrings, Ms. Dashofy leaves builds a fair path to the real killer for me to work through. The emotional roller coaster and the twist and turns of the suspense left me wiped out in the end but so satisfied.
I became attached to the main characters in the first book and my affection grew thoughout this one. There is a dark overtone running through Keep Your Family Close, but Annette Dashofy offers moments of light to keep the book from bringing the reader down too far or for too long. That light is one of the reasons I can not only read her books in spite of the intensity but adore them. I am excited about the slowly growing connection between Emma and Matthias and look forward to watching it continue.
I loved Keep Your Family Closer almost as much as the Zoe Chambers series and suspect that once I have read a few more books, I will love the series just as much. Zoe and her friends are all mine but Emma and Matthias and to a lesser extent Kiri and Cassie are becoming mine, too.
Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for allowing me to read and ARC of this wonderful book. I loved, loved, loved Keep Your Family Closer!!!

#NetGalley #OneMoreChapter #DetectiveHoneywell #AnnetteDashofy #KeepYourFamilyCloser

Keep Your Family Close by Annette Dashofy
(A Detective Honeywell Mystery, Book 2)

So many mixed-up people, where do they all come from? Even more perplexing, how will all the falsehoods get sorted? Who is really to be feared, the scary-looking homeless people or the polished wealthy?
Matthias is frustrated by stalled cases, and Emma isn’t helping by keeping secrets, but a promise is a promise . . . though sometimes it perhaps ought not to be. Secrecy and misunderstandings are integral to so many classic tragedies. Then there’s the threat of romance hanging over their heads, though they both know better, or do they?
This is one of those wonderful books that steals one’s sleep, but so good that I didn’t even mind. I want to go visit Erie, Pennsylvania, and find Sara’s Campground. Meanwhile, I’ll be waiting and hoping for more books for more adventures with these delightful people.
Pub. date is in Dec., but meanwhile, you can read WHERE THE GUILTY HIDE and all the Zoe Chambers books.

Book 2 in this new series kept me up late learning more about the characters and the investigation.

Det. Matthias Honeywell has a new temporary partner, Det Brad Frazier while his boss and partner is on vacation. When Cassie returns the action heats up as her ideas are in line with Matthias'.

Thomas Jenkins murder by gunshots opens new links that include Emma Anderson. Their budding relationship is halted by another murder investigation. Finding Emma's missing sister, Nell, again becomes part of the story when a second murder is added to Matthias' workload.

The setting of Erie PA is a nice feature too. The plot twists keep coming and the new characters blend nicely with the original ones from book one. It was very hard to put this one down! Now to wait for book 3!