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3no7's review
5.0
“The Last Scoop” opens with a brutal murder in the past, and that event drives the entire story that follows. Clare Carlson deals in lies for a living, all sorts of lies, and her job is to catch people in their lies and expose those lies to the world; she is a television news director. The story that follows is a first person narrative by Carlson talking to readers as if in a documentary, talking in carefully crafted sentences. Her tone is casual but formal with carefully crafted sentences that use precise details to lead the reader in a specific direction. Clare Carlson is a complicated person with two separate sides and many secrets. There are also casual, more personal segments that are friendly and informal, as if she is talking to a friend and sharing little stories.
Belsky crafts a narrative-driven investigation that allows readers hear what Carlson says to people and what they say to her. Interspersed are her opinions. Carlson begins her search when a person from her past, a newspaper editor from early in her career, is murdered. She feels compelled to tell the unfinished story that he has been chasing. The problem is that she does not find a “big story,” just a series of individual pieces of information and events that might or might not be related. Thrown in the middle of this is an agonizing story from her past; she determined to keep this a secret, at least for now. The pace is fast; this is TV news after all. Events transpire quickly, but the puzzle that this story becomes does not emerge as Carlson expects. When the pieces fall together and the picture finally becomes clear, readers are just as astonished as Carlson.
“The Last Scoop” is a story with complex elements. Events from the past are brought together in an unusual way, and the resulting story is both appealing and gripping. I received a review copy of “The Last Scoop” from R. G. Belsky, Oceanview Publishing and Goodreads. It is part of the “Clare Carlson Mystery” series, but new readers will be able to easily follow along; any needed background information needed is included within the current narrative. The entire series is easy to read, and the characters are both complex and dynamic.
Belsky crafts a narrative-driven investigation that allows readers hear what Carlson says to people and what they say to her. Interspersed are her opinions. Carlson begins her search when a person from her past, a newspaper editor from early in her career, is murdered. She feels compelled to tell the unfinished story that he has been chasing. The problem is that she does not find a “big story,” just a series of individual pieces of information and events that might or might not be related. Thrown in the middle of this is an agonizing story from her past; she determined to keep this a secret, at least for now. The pace is fast; this is TV news after all. Events transpire quickly, but the puzzle that this story becomes does not emerge as Carlson expects. When the pieces fall together and the picture finally becomes clear, readers are just as astonished as Carlson.
“The Last Scoop” is a story with complex elements. Events from the past are brought together in an unusual way, and the resulting story is both appealing and gripping. I received a review copy of “The Last Scoop” from R. G. Belsky, Oceanview Publishing and Goodreads. It is part of the “Clare Carlson Mystery” series, but new readers will be able to easily follow along; any needed background information needed is included within the current narrative. The entire series is easy to read, and the characters are both complex and dynamic.
thatswhatshesreading's review
5.0
I'm just going to start off by saying that this is the first book I have read from the author, and though this is the third book in the series and I honestly never felt that I was missing anything by starting with this one, there is information in this story that will clearly spoil events from the first installment. If you are not bothered by that or have no intention of going back, then by all means, this is a fantastic read and you will not be disappointed. But if you are like most people and need to start from the beginning, go pick up those books first and then read this one.
Not that that's out of the way...
Wow! This was intense! After the death of her mentor, Clare begins looking into stories that he was working on which may have in fact contributed to his possible murder. There is a lot to unpack with the plot, so it's definitely best to just go into it for an amazing thrill ride, packed with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end! Short, suspense filled chapters keep the pace moving at breakneck speed, making it incredibly difficult to put down. You will not be disappointed!
"A big story always made everything better."
What struck me the most was Clare's character. She is immensely flawed with a lot of emotional and personal baggage; however, she is quite likeable and often more relatable than those surrounding her. She is incredibly skilled at her career as a journalist and completely dedicated to the profession to the detriment of everything else. She chases stories to forget about her problems much like an addiction. She carries many secrets that would dramatically compromise her journalistic reputation and integrity if ever publicly revealed, yet she uses her position as a journalist to keep tabs on those secrets. It's quite interesting to watch, especially once she does finally let her guard down.
Much like a police procedural walks readers through the process of criminal investigations, this story provides insight into just how the news gets its scoop! And don't forget to check out the "Author's Note" at the end for added perspective!
This intricate mystery is thoughtfully and skillfully plotted with a smooth flow towards the ultimate reveal that becomes even more clever when you think about just how disparate everything initially was. Convoluted and conflicted relationships unravel into a satisfying conclusion and should not be missed!
Many thanks to Partners in Crime Book Tours and the author for providing me with an advanced copy of the book. This is my honest and thoughtful review.
annarella's review
5.0
This is the first book I read in this series and was surely be the last.
It was a gripping read that kept me on the edge till the last page.
I loved the well thought characters, the plot that kept me hooked is well crafted, the solid mystery.
The author is an excellent storyteller and I loved his style of writing and how he tells the story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It was a gripping read that kept me on the edge till the last page.
I loved the well thought characters, the plot that kept me hooked is well crafted, the solid mystery.
The author is an excellent storyteller and I loved his style of writing and how he tells the story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
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