Monday, January 24, 2022

Last Seen Alive

Title: Last Seen Alive
Author: Joanna Schaffhausen
Published: January 25th 2022 by Minotaur Books
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 320 pages
Genre: Police Procedural
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for an opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Ellery Hathaway #5

First Sentence: Prologue: Her mother had warned her not to go to the window.

Synopsis: Boston detective Ellery Hathaway met FBI agent Reed Markham when he pried open a serial killer’s closet to rescue her. Years on, their relationship remains defined by that moment and by Francis Coben’s horrific crimes. To free herself from Coben’s legacy, Ellery had to walk away from Reed, too. But Coben is not letting go so easily. He has an impossible proposition: Coben will finally give up the location of the remaining bodies, on one condition—Reed must bring him Ellery.

Now the families of the missing victims are crying out for justice that only Ellery can deliver. The media hungers for a sequel and Coben is their camera-ready star. He claims he is sorry and wants to make amends. But Ellery is the one living person who has seen the monster behind the mask and she doesn’t believe he can be redeemed. Not after everything he’s done. Not after what she’s been through. And certainly not after a fresh body turns up with Coben’s signature all over it. (Goodreads)

My Opinion: Suspense/Thrillers/Mysteries always have that moment, the moment you know is coming, which was foretold by a snippet early on, and you knew there was more to the story. A tiny scrap from the subplot, yet you knew it had meaning. About three-quarters of the way through this novel, the gut-punch happens.

Ellery Hathaway is a series to be read from start to finish. Each book recaps a small portion of their previous encounters; yet, there is not enough depth for a new reader to understand how far Ellery and Reed have come.

Take your time with the series, enjoy the nuance and journey, and by the time you get to this novel, you will appreciate what they have both endured.

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