The Devil to Pay is the eleventh book in the series about Detective Mike Green. This was my introduction to the series, as I haven't read the prior books. However I had no difficulty in appreciating the novel, although a familiarity with the prior books would fill in some of the gaps about Det. Green's history.

The story opens with Mike Green parked in a desk job that he finds tedious and routine. He misses the thrill of the chase and the tension of unravelling serious crimes. HIs daughter Hannah is now a constable, who responds to a domestic violence call in a wealthy urban neighborhood. She walks away from the call with a bad feeling and the sense that there was more to the story than she heard, but not having any evidence or an actual complaint from the partner, she must let it go. A little later, the husband from the call goes missing and is eventually found brutally murdered.

There was a great deal about this novel that I enjoyed - it was action-packed with a quick pace and I really enjoyed the setting in Ottawa. Since I've been there several times, it was nice to read a novel with a familiar setting. The characters were very believable and interesting, although I can see why Hannah would give a parent a few grey hairs! My only frustration was not knowing the final outcome of the court case and some ambiguity about which guilty party actually brandished the murder weapon. Even that, however, is very realistic and reflects the fact that these serious crimes are messy and don't often end in a satisfying way.

This is a solid read by a Canadian author and I would be happy to recommend it. Many thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for providing me with a copy