Review: Softly Calls the Devil by Chris Blake

 In Softly Calls the Devil Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Blake writes what he knows and it comes across as authentic, gripping and menacing.

Softly Calls the Devil is set in a small town on New Zealand's wild West Coast. Matt Buchanan is back in uniform and enjoying the small town atmosphere. When retired policeman Gus asks Matt to look into a case from the 70's he wasn't prepared for what he would find.

When a murder and a suicide rock the whole town Matt is suddenly thrust back into CIB mode.

Softly Calls the Devil is a brilliant piece of noir crime; dark and intense with a side of New Zealand humour thrown in. I wasn't prepared for how dark this story became nor how realistic the plot is. Once you start reading there is no turning back. Softly Calls the Devil is compelling and fast paced with a few twists to keep your attention.

Blake keeps the prose spare which enables the story to progress at a fast pace.

Softly Calls the Devil is gritty and dark; not for the squeamish.

My only small problem with this novel was the occasional colloquial New Zealand language caused me to sometimes have no idea what was  going on.

It made me realise how Americans must feel reading Australian books. 😄

My rating 4.5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Content: Torture

               ritualistic killing

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 4th November 2025

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Pages: 352 

RRP: $34.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher