Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my free and honest review. What a great, detailed mystery this book is, with amazing characters. This is not the first book in this series so I have some catching up to do and I am happy to do so. This tale of suspense and mystery keeps you guessing and wanting more.

Freelance photographer Emma Anderson is still looking for her sister Nell. She asks Detective Matthias Honeywell for help. When a decomposing female body is found in an abandoned warehouse with Nell's driver’s license, Emma is devastated. But Emma gets a bombshell phone call & struggles to proceed. A wedding at a posh hotel & a hotel maid may help Emma find out what Nell was up to.

Enjoyed this mystery with its twists and turns, family dedication, good police work. Didn’t feel I missed out much by not reading the previous book.

Rounding up from 4.5 stars

Second in Annette Dash of the new series set in Erie, Pennsylvania. While the main POV is Matthias Honeywell, an Erie police detective, Emma Anderson, a woman looking for her missing sister, has an equally strong role. When a body is found in an abandoned warehouse, it's a strong possibility that it her sister. An excellent mystery with plenty of surprising twists and turns. As always with Dashofy's books, the three dimensional and engaging characters are outstanding. Of course, it can be read as a standalone, but Emma's backstory grounds the plot and you would be missing some of the nuances of the characters.

To address something I have seen mentioned in other reviews, yes this is the second book in a series. And yes, there are mentions of people and events that took place in the prior novel (at least I am assuming they did as I did not read the first book). However, that did not make me feel confused at any time while reading this one as this seemed to be it's own stand-alone story. I will say, it did make the relationship between Matthias and Emma seem a bit rushed just because coming into this story now I missed the build-up that I assume happened prior to this.

However, I did have a few other issues with this story, the main one being that I really never felt any real sense of urgency whatsoever. Not when Emma gets an unexpected phone call that leaves her reeling. Not when the police starting finding new leads (even if they were themselves excited about it). Not even during the final "showdown" with the person responsible. It just felt very lackluster. Don't get me wrong, this one did keep me reading, but more so because I was waiting for that "moment" that made me eager for what came next. Unfortunately, for me, this story never quite got there.

That being said, what saved this story from being a 2 star read, was the surprise twist at the end. I will admit that I am a sucker for a good (believable) twist, and this one caught me completely off-guard. I would probably pick up the next in the series (if there is a next) just to see what happens and whether or not I feel that urgency that I look for when reading a thriller/suspense novel.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

A extremely addictive, twisty book which kept me interested all the way through. Very reminiscent of L J Ross books which I enjoy. I look forward to reading more by this author. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

A clever mystery and a great addition to the series. I really like the characters and enjoy peeling back the layers on Matthias. I’m looking forward to the next installment.
Many thanks to Harpercollins UK and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Plunged straight into a crime scene, it took me a while to orientate. It's the second book in the Detective Honeywell series, and I wish I read the first book. When I got into the story, I enjoyed the complex characters, particularly the dynamic between photographer Emma and detective Matthias. The mystery is convoluted and keeps the reader immersed in the investigation. The setting is atmospheric and integral to the story. I like the characters, the twisty mystery and the setting.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

While I enjoyed this book, I did find the pace to be a little too slow for me. The book never felt like there was a sense of urgency. In many ways, that pulled me out of the narrative because everything felt like it was moving so slowly.

I was not drawn into this story like I had hoped to be. That’s not saying I didn’t enjoy parts of it. But, not a favorite read for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A good, atmospheric and slow building thriller that kept me hooked and guessing. Great characters and an adrenaline fuelled second part
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is the second book in the Detective Honeywell Mystery series. I would personally recommend reading ‘Where the Guilty Hide’ first as a storyline arc carries over to ‘Keep Your Family Close’. The first half of the book slowly builds toward the engrossing second half. Detective Matthias Honeywell is such a complex character and it’s been interesting to see the various facets of his personality revealed. Emma Anderson has taken a while to warm up to, mostly due to her often prickly personality and keeping secrets even when she wants help. This book is very much a character driven addition to the series. The family drama with Emma and her sister and the budding relationship between Matthias and Emma are equally as important to the story as the murder investigations. There are plenty of blind alleys in the death investigations to keep you guessing! This is a well written, entertaining series!

When her desperate search for her sister ends with a decomposed body, this young woman will join with the police to find out why her sister died and who killed her. The two main characters, the sister and the police investigator, keep the story moving and keep the clues just far enough apart that I changed my conclusion every couple of chapters. Another great mystery/ thrill in Annette Dashofy's library of titles.

Photographer Emma‘s sister Nell is missing and although she’s scared to get a call that she died from a drug overdose, it will be detected Honeywell who comes to tell her the grim news. Emma‘s sister isn’t the only case on detective Honeywells case pile he is also called when someone finds a decomposing body in a basement and linked back to a local bar that has convenient ties to the dead man. When he went to notify Emma about her sister things started getting interesting between the two and he scared her going home well and we didn’t get a chance to start but little does he and Emma know that finding the dead body is just the beginning. This is the second book in the Detective Honeywell Mysteries and with the exception of previous story cues this definitely reads like a great thriller mystery I am no stranger to a net dash of his stories and have enjoyed everyone I have read including this one. In the first book I wasn’t the biggest fan of Emma but I truly started liking her in this book she seems more approachable and much more likable I also love the relationship between her and the detective and thought the mystery “that I thought I solved it but totally didn’t” was a really good one. I think anyone who loves crime mysteries will enjoy this book that can totally stand on its own I do believe reading the whole series gives a fuller picture but it’s not necessary this is a great story and one I definitely recommend. I want to thank Harper Collins UK, one more chapter and Net Galley for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

INVESTIGATIVE THRILLER

Annette Dashoffy has just released Keep Your Family Close (A Detective Honeywell Mystery, Book 2). In my opinion, she has outdone herself in writing this dynamic investigative thriller! Matthias Honeywell is a well-thought-out character who is easily believable, and someone readers will want to root for. His job is never easy, as he always sees the worst of humanity, but he works to see justice served.
P
Honeywell’s world collides with freelance photographer Emma Anderson when a Driver’s License belonging to her missing sister turns up at a crime scene. She has been searching for her sister to no avail. Dashoffy uses numerous twists and turns throughout this plot to keep readers engaged and guessing what might come next. She has planned plenty of mayhem, malice, and murder. I like that she let Honeywell and Anderson work together to solve this case instead of working separately. The big question remains: what will they do with the information they discover?

I was provided a complimentary copy of this novel by the author/publisher and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own and without influence.

A complex mystery for Detective Matthias Honeywell and his team, Detective Brad Frazier and Detective Sergeant Cassie Malone. A man is killed outside a local bar and they believe it must have been someone he knew as the shooting was up close and personal. At the same time, Emma Anderson has been searching for her sister, Nell, who is missing. She continues to hold out hope that her sister, who has had issues with drugs, is still alive. When a woman’s body is found in a warehouse, is it Nell? She relies on her friendship with Matthias to keep informed about her sister’s case. The team also have another case involving a missing woman who had worked at the same bar as Nell. Is there a common denominator between the two women? Emma learns that her sister is alive, but then who is the woman from the warehouse? Will the team finally get a break in the case that will lead them to the killer or killers? received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

I chose to read a free eARC of Keep Your Family Close but that has in no way influenced my review.

Keep Your Family Close is the second book in the Detective Matthias Honeywell series. I was immediately drawn to this novel due to the creepy looking cover and in all honesty, I really can’t help myself when it comes to mysteries set in the US. Particularly when they’re set in a location I haven’t, in a literary sense, visited before. Keep Your Family Close is set in Erie, Pennsylvania so that was a big ol’ tick in my book. Unfortunately, because I don’t pay close enough attention and because I was just too darn excited when I saw this book, I didn’t realise it was the second book in the series. We’ve all done it, I’m sure. Picked up a book that’s partway through a series without realising that these characters have been on many adventures prior to you discovering them. Often it doesn’t really matter and you can play catch up pretty quickly. Other times, it’s more of a struggle and that feeling that you’re missing out on something that’s gone before just doesn’t shift. I’m afraid I felt very much out of the loop with this book. The past is of course touched upon, but for me, the detail was missing. I was able to cobble together the barest of bones but was I right? Only those who have read the first book in the series will be able to confirm that for me. I felt throughout the entire book that I had missed something vitally important in the moulding and shaping of Emma Anderson’s character and sadly, that’s the main thing I’ve taken away from reading Keep Your Family Close.

However, I think this is very much a case of me not being the right reader for this particular novel. Looking at the other reviews, there’s so much love for this series so just because this one wasn’t my cup of tea, it doesn’t mean it won’t be yours. I really liked the location. I thought the author brought the streets of Erie, PA to life. I liked the pace of the novel, slow and steady to start but building to an exciting and thrilling conclusion. And I thought the overall storyline was good. The handsome and dashing lead detective falling in love with the female protagonist wasn’t particularly my thing, nor was the also handsome, supportive and overly protective male BFF trope. But they might be yours. In which case, check out the first book initially so you can get the full lowdown on what happened to Emma in book one first before you move on to Keep Your Family Close. All in all, I don’t think this was a book for me but I do ultimately seem to be in the minority there and I’m very happy with being on my tod.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Keep Your Family Close. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an advance copy of Keep Your Family Close, the second novel to feature photographer Emma Anderson and Detective Matthias Honeywell, set in Erie, Pennsylvania.

A decomposing body is found in the basement of a derelict building. Matthias is leading the investigation and is surprised to find Nell Anderson’s driving licence on the body. The news comes as a blow to Emma who has been looking for her sister Nell, a drug addict, for over a year.

I thoroughly enjoyed Keep Your Family Close, which is an engrossing read with plenty of twists and turns. The narrative is split between Emma and Matthias as both pursue their own enquiries, but always keeping in touch to keep the other updated. I like this as it allows the reader to guess along and get immersed in the case.

I like the way the novel is split between police procedural and Emma’s less orthodox, more emotional approach as it offers the reader the best of both worlds. I can’t say much about the content of the novel without spoilers as some of the twists come early and direct the rest of the narrative. The plot is relatively fast paced with the surprise early twist and plenty of developments to keep the reader turning the pages. There is never a dull moment with Matthias investigating an unrelated murder and a missing person that have the team puzzled. Emma is not involved in these cases as she is consumed with finding out who harmed Nell. The resolution is a surprise as there is little hint of it before the evidence starts stacking up.

I like Matthias and Emma as both are driven in their own way and that seems to preclude them acting on their strong attraction to each other, but they’re getting closer. They work well together, she’s more impulsive and better at communicating, but he’s the steady one.

Keep Your Family Close is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Detective Matthias Honeywell is called to the scene of a man shot in an alley near a bar. Sounds like a mugging on the surface, especially since his wallet is missing. Is it that simple? Or is there more to it than that? If it is a mugging, will they ever figure out who did it? Meanwhile, he’s also working on the case of a waitress who vanished while walking home from work one night. Will he get a break in that case?

Plus, Honeywell’s friend, Emma Anderson, gets a new lead on where her missing sister might be. The lead is a week old; will it lead Emma to her sister?

With so many storylines, it isn’t a surprise that I found this book to be a page turning. There was always something happening to keep me engaged. The characters were strong, and that drew me in as well. There was one part of the solution that bothered me, but all my questions were answered. Meanwhile, those who enjoyed the first book will be happy to hear the sparks between Honeywell and Emma are as strong as ever. Plus, we get to see some interesting growth in them and meet some great new characters. Since this is a police procedural, it’s a little darker than my typical cozy, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. This is a great second book in a series that will keep you turning pages.

This is the second book in this series. It picks up with Emma still looking for her sister. There’s some twists I didn’t see coming. It moves a little slow for me but ends with a bang. Already looking forward to the next one