Annette Dashofy Interview By E. B. Davis

 

“I got tired of waiting on karma.” Loc 6248

“Criminals fall into one of two categories. Brilliant or stupid.” Loc 410

Annette Dashofy,

 

“Two bodies. One male, approximately fifty years old. One female, mid-twenties. Both shot execution-style, with one bullet to the back of the head.”

 

When a murderous ghost from Erie City Police Detective Matthias Honeywell’s past appears unexpectedly, his investigation into a double homicide in a quiet residential neighborhood gets increasingly complicated, and puts everything and everyone he cares about at risk – including photographer Emma Anderson.

 

Emma’s first day as the crime beat photographer for ErieLIVE wasn’t meant to see her photographing the scene of her predecessor’s murder, and with ties to the victim as well as a deadly fire that follows in the wake of the crime, she fears she may also be in the killer’s sightlines.           

                                                                        Annette Dashofy

The Devil Comes Calling is Annette Dashofy’s third book in the Detective Honeywell Mystery series. For me, this was a “wow” book. It led me gently, then smacked me. Emotionally charged, it portrayed two parent/child relationships—from one extreme to the other—love and hate. One mother belatedly redeems her daughter. The tale also shows why Detective Honeywell is who he is. Parents are transformational, which isn’t always a good thing, but strengthens character for those equipped to deal with adversity. Honeywell passed the test. But it impacts Emma and his relationship.

 

This book will be released on November 7th, just in time for the holidays. It’s a bargain priced at $2.99!

                                                                                                                 E. B. Davis

 

There are a lot of connections among the characters in this novel. Is Erie, PA a small town?

 

The definition of “small town” varies depending on who you’re talking to. Erie has a population of just under 93,000 and is the fifth most populous city in Pennsylvania, but compared to New York City or Los Angeles, yeah, it’s a small town.

 

Matthias and Emma both seem preoccupied and obsessed; Matthias with his father, Isaiah, and Emma with Russ Carlisle, a killer who messed with her sister. Part of each of them are living in the past or with the past. Are they out of touch even though they seem comfortable together?

 

Matthias and Emma are both haunted and wounded by their pasts. Since I first conceived this series, I’ve felt that both suffer survivor’s guilt. It’s been an underlying theme for the stories. In the first two books, the focus was on Emma’s past. This one shines a light on Matthias’s tortured history, but Emma has yet to resolve her inner demons. I don’t see these battles with the past as putting them out of touch. In fact, in both cases, their histories connect them and give them a greater understanding and appreciation of one another.

When another photographer leaves ErieLIVE, Emma fills her spot. Emma’s used to working on her own, but now she’s partnered with a journalist. On an assignment, Emma finds Matthias, who is a detective on the case. She realizes that having information could help Matthias, and yet, when he confides information in her, it puts her in a sticky situation with her new professional partner. How does she handle the problem?

 

It really is a sticky situation. Emma wants to believe that merely being a news photographer, not a reporter, means she shouldn’t have a conflict of interest with dating a cop. But Matthias shares information “off the record” and she also learns things about Preston that may impact the investigation, so she’s constantly put in a position that tests her loyalties … which are, of course, with Matthias. But she soon learns that telling him unsubstantiated rumors and her own suspicions might mean throwing her colleague under the bus when he may not deserve it.

 

I’ve heard of BOLO and Amber alerts, but what is an ATL, and are there other alerts we don’t know about?

 

ATL means Attempt to Locate. It’s a type of bulletin the police can issue to other law enforcement officers. In this case, they don’t have enough evidence for an arrest warrant, but they need to keep track of where this person is, so they specify they only want information on his address or the make and model of his car. They do not want him to be pulled over or detained. They only want the information to be relayed to them. Honestly, I hadn’t heard of it either until a police detective friend of mine suggested it for this situation.

 

“His biggest talent in life is figuring out a person’s weakness.

Their greatest fear. And playing on it.” Matthias assessing his father, Isaiah. Loc. 5709

 

After spending twenty-five years in prison for killing his wife, Matthias’s mother, Isaiah comes to Erie and insinuates himself into Matthias’s life. Isaiah says he wants to reconnect with Matthias, but he lies about him, transferring his own characteristics and actions onto Matthias. Isn’t that the definition of narcissism, and since he’s a killer, a narcissistic   psychopath?

 

Pretty much, yep. Isaiah is one nasty dude.

 

Does Detective Sergeant Cassie Malone ever use her superior rank on Matthias to her advantage?

 

Cassie has a lot of respect for Matthias, but she’s willing to remind him who’s in charge when need be. And since he’s hardly objective where his father’s concerned, she definitely needs to keep Matthias in line. Or try to.

 

Why doesn’t a revolver leave casings?

 

With a revolver, the bullet casing remains in the cylinder when the gun is fired. After all the rounds have been discharged, the shooter needs to empty the cylinder and reload. A semi-automatic pistol, on the other hand, ejects the casings.

 

In Colorado, was Havana Carlisle’s death ruled a homicide?

 

The powers that be in Colorado ruled her death as accidental. A skiing accident. Conveniently, the only “witness” to the accident was her husband, Russ. Matthias has been trying to get evidence that Russ was actually responsible for the death for quite a while to no avail.

 

Cassie likes to play with suspects. Is this a ploy or does she get her kicks messing with them?

 

She doesn’t get her kicks from it—unless she can get them to slip up and admit to lying. That definitely brings a smile to her face.

 

Why did Darcy’s parents dislike Preston?

 

They were fiercely protective of Darcy and believed Preston was dangerous and would harm their daughter. Also, I don’t think there was anyone they felt was good enough for her.

 

Although the first two murders looked like professional hits, there was inconsistent evidence confusing them. What didn’t seem professional to Matthias and Cassie?

 

Tossing the murder weapon where it was too easily found, for starters. The murder just feels too sloppy to be professional. While there are a number of suspects, none seem cold and calculating enough to be (or hire) a hit man.

 

Emma becomes suspicious of Boze, another journalist, because she’s learning from her past mistakes of trusting the wrong people. But when Isaiah lies to her about Matthias, she doubts Matthias, at least temporarily. Why?

 

It’s a kneejerk reaction for her. She trusts Matthias, but she had trusted another man in her past only to find out the hard way that her trust was misplaced. She questions if she’s doing it again. Thankfully, she does come to her senses relatively quickly when she thinks back on all Matthias has done to prove himself to her.

 

Cassie researches the money. Matthias researches relationships. Is this typical in their partnership?

Not necessarily, but Cassie knows Matthias isn’t fond of being stuck with financial reports. If she was annoyed with him, she’d definitely assign him that task and take the rest of the investigation for herself.

 

When you plot, do you have a general outline and then get more specific as you write? Do you make a series arc?

 

I’m a bit of a hybrid plotter/pantser. I know who the killer is and his/her motive, so I basically know the ending. I know a few of the plot twists I want to include along the way. But beyond that, I outline a few scenes or chapters ahead and then just write. As for a series arc, I do have a pretty good idea of how the characters will grow and how the end of one book will be the beginning of the next. But that’s for however many books are under contract rather than for an entire series, because, well, I don’t know how many books that will end up being!

What’s next for Emma, Matthias, and Cassie? 

 

The fourth, No Stone Left Unturned, (December 19^th released date) Detective Honeywell Mystery focuses on Cassie Malone’s family when Matthias must race to find out who shot Cassie’s much-loved husband.