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nm_young's review against another edition
4.0
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I really like this book . It’s a very enjoyable story, but just short of epic. Certain areas may not be as fulfilling as they could have been. I’m not quite as captivated or blown away, but still had a great experience. I’d recommend this book to others and continue reading from this author. I would probably re-read it.
I really like this book . It’s a very enjoyable story, but just short of epic. Certain areas may not be as fulfilling as they could have been. I’m not quite as captivated or blown away, but still had a great experience. I’d recommend this book to others and continue reading from this author. I would probably re-read it.
jannenemarie's review against another edition
3.0
It was a good book but I figured out the killer before it was revealed.
simonrtaylor's review against another edition
5.0
Captain Patti O’Shay investigates a serial killer in post-Katrina New Orleans. His last known victim: her husband.
Spindler avoids the clichéd lone wolf cop, instead introducing us to the Malone dynasty. O’Shay’s late husband was also a policeman, her nephew is her depute who himself is dating a female cop in charge of a separate investigation. The extended family and friends that make up O’Shay’s private and personal life make a refreshing change. Each family member has their own life and is a distinct character in their own right. The extensive use of italics to reveal the characters’ thoughts peels back another layer of a well-rounded cast.
Very impressive is the backstory told and untold behind every family member. Often things are just alluded to or hinted at, but it shows Spindler has created complex characters. Unlike many books which start with a load of clean slates who begin to experience the plot, Spindler’s cast actually have lives pre-dating the book, past experiences and relationships that have formed their characters as they are.
The interrelationships of the wider cast are written excellently. In a genre which is so heavily plot-based, Last Known Victim has a fantastic amount of character-led drama. During the many twists, the reader is as interested to see the impact on a relationship, the reaction of an individual, as to the impact on the case.
The plot has been thoroughly thought through and, as the date and time stamps at the start of each chapter reveals, carefully planned without seeming at all forced or contrived. If it does get a little repetitive in parts, there are enough twists to cancel that out. Every time the reader thinks they’re a step ahead, they’ve solved the case, O’Shay and co. catch up, only to reveal that it’s yet another red herring thrown in to confuse you. It’s the original “that’s what they want you to think” scenario. No matter how clever you are, Spindler is cleverer. Is the conclusion one curve ball too many? Perhaps.
Writer’s craft is only noticeable when it’s bad. Good writing style is unnoticed by the reader, too engrossed in the story to care. But Spindler’s style is so good, so exquisite, that the reader can’t help but observe the skill and care that has woven together the characters, plot and scenes so masterfully.
Having said that, for some reason spaces have frequently been omitted after closing speech marks, and also before people’s names (particularly, but not only, Yvette’s). Perhaps it’s the result of abuse of a Search & Replace function, but Mira should rectify this for future prints because poor editing on the publisher’s part shouldn’t distract the reader from the author’s masterpiece. (And, as an aside, if they haven’t spoken to Coca Cola about a sponsorship deal for the volume and detail of product placement, they should!)
So a little bad grammar and maybe a chapter too far with respect to the ending, but this book deserves no less than five stars. Not for perfection, but because Spindler has done more than just outline a clever plot or hammer out some characters. She really has, in Last Known Victim, told a story. A story of so many lives, complex and unique, interconnecting and their personalities blending, complementing, clashing. With style, skill and wit, Spindler invites you to open the pages and not just read, but step into another world.
Spindler avoids the clichéd lone wolf cop, instead introducing us to the Malone dynasty. O’Shay’s late husband was also a policeman, her nephew is her depute who himself is dating a female cop in charge of a separate investigation. The extended family and friends that make up O’Shay’s private and personal life make a refreshing change. Each family member has their own life and is a distinct character in their own right. The extensive use of italics to reveal the characters’ thoughts peels back another layer of a well-rounded cast.
Very impressive is the backstory told and untold behind every family member. Often things are just alluded to or hinted at, but it shows Spindler has created complex characters. Unlike many books which start with a load of clean slates who begin to experience the plot, Spindler’s cast actually have lives pre-dating the book, past experiences and relationships that have formed their characters as they are.
The interrelationships of the wider cast are written excellently. In a genre which is so heavily plot-based, Last Known Victim has a fantastic amount of character-led drama. During the many twists, the reader is as interested to see the impact on a relationship, the reaction of an individual, as to the impact on the case.
The plot has been thoroughly thought through and, as the date and time stamps at the start of each chapter reveals, carefully planned without seeming at all forced or contrived. If it does get a little repetitive in parts, there are enough twists to cancel that out. Every time the reader thinks they’re a step ahead, they’ve solved the case, O’Shay and co. catch up, only to reveal that it’s yet another red herring thrown in to confuse you. It’s the original “that’s what they want you to think” scenario. No matter how clever you are, Spindler is cleverer. Is the conclusion one curve ball too many? Perhaps.
Writer’s craft is only noticeable when it’s bad. Good writing style is unnoticed by the reader, too engrossed in the story to care. But Spindler’s style is so good, so exquisite, that the reader can’t help but observe the skill and care that has woven together the characters, plot and scenes so masterfully.
Having said that, for some reason spaces have frequently been omitted after closing speech marks, and also before people’s names (particularly, but not only, Yvette’s). Perhaps it’s the result of abuse of a Search & Replace function, but Mira should rectify this for future prints because poor editing on the publisher’s part shouldn’t distract the reader from the author’s masterpiece. (And, as an aside, if they haven’t spoken to Coca Cola about a sponsorship deal for the volume and detail of product placement, they should!)
So a little bad grammar and maybe a chapter too far with respect to the ending, but this book deserves no less than five stars. Not for perfection, but because Spindler has done more than just outline a clever plot or hammer out some characters. She really has, in Last Known Victim, told a story. A story of so many lives, complex and unique, interconnecting and their personalities blending, complementing, clashing. With style, skill and wit, Spindler invites you to open the pages and not just read, but step into another world.
hugbandit7's review against another edition
4.0
Another good book from Erica Spindler. This is set in New Orleans like several of her books, in fact these are some of the same characters. And one character, Stacy Killian, moved from Dallas in the See Jane Die book to New Orleans.
As always, I never figure out who did it and it is always a surprise because it is someone you would never guess, or at least not until the end when things are wrapping up!
As always, I never figure out who did it and it is always a surprise because it is someone you would never guess, or at least not until the end when things are wrapping up!
heather_warby's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
4 STARS
I will be rereading this book when I read the series in order and will write my review then.
I will be rereading this book when I read the series in order and will write my review then.
monique1316's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kingfan30's review against another edition
3.0
The whole concept of this being a family of cops rather than the on my own lonely cop is a concept that i don’t think I’ve come across before. At first the thought in italics was a little distracting, but I soon got used to it. I’ve read a few books by this author now and while you know what your going to get, they are entertaining quick reads, although I don’t think they will ever blow me away.
kmrose's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book until the ending. It jumped around too much, trying to shake any guesses the reader might have about who the killer was, but there was still a good amount of suspense, so overall it was a decent read.