Top Notch!
4* from me. I knew I was going to enjoy this book from the very first page. A gripping, page turner of a read. Would highly recommend. My thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

Last Seen Alive was outstanding and the best book I have read this year so far. Another great book by Claire that sucked me in and spat me out with several hours lost. It was so fab I could not put it down. Loved the twists throughout. Have a read you won't be disappointed.

This was one of my favourite books I have read this year. The story was easy to get captivated in. The format of the way the story was written and told was really well done. A really subtle story showing two very insecure women who on the surface are very different but at the same time very similar in more than one way. It kept you wanting more throughout the book and if anything that was how I was left feeling with the ending of the book, which is my only criticism as I felt this was the only thing that let the book down. I felt a little conned feeling that the book had actually been written with the hope that it would be picked up and adapted for a tv drama Apple Tree Yard style, and the ending certainly lends itself to a series 2. All in all though a enjoyable read.

This is the first book by Claire Douglas I've read but it definitely won't be my last. Normally when I read a book I can guess where the plot is heading and what's going to happen next, within a few chapters. Not with this book, the twist in chapter 28 was one I didn't see coming, at all and I thought it was such an ingenious idea for a story, but it didn't stop there... and just when I thought she had neatly wrapped up all loose ends with a pretty bow and happy ending... she went and wrote that ending!!! ...I mean seriously?!?! Without spoiling it, I promise it is well worth a read, you won't be disappointed.

I really enjo0yed this book. It was addictive, couldnt put it down. Great storyline. that has you hooked. Great characters and you know from the beginning its going to be a great book

I loved this book and shows how past mistakes come back to haunt you. Great twist of the ending. I would recommend this book to other readers and thank the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to review it.

Beth has been in an abusive marriage and escapes to Thailand where she meets Karen whilst travelling. They meet up with some more backpackers but when they both fall for the same man things spiral out of control and seemingly ends catastrophically for the girls in a hostel fire. The book jumps forward a few years and we meet up with Beth, now known as Libby, who is happily married to Jamie as they are off on holiday to Cornwall, they need some time to recover from Libby"s recent miscarriage. They have been offered a house swap, which is very far removed from their own modest flat in Bath. However strange things start happening in the house and they eventually return to their own home where it becomes clear that they have been subject to an identity theft. Things go from bad to worse, they discover a dead body in the garden and become murder suspects. Jamie and Libby"s marriage becomes rocky and trusting each other is an issue as it becomes clear they both have secrets in their past. Jamie"s ex, now a single mother, is living with his family and this adds further tension. The book continues to twist and turn, just when you think things are going to work out something else happens. It's an engaging story throughout and demonstrates that it's a tangeled web you weave when you practice to deceive. I enjoyed the book, very easy to read.

There are so many twists in this story. I found myself rereading parts of the book to try and work it all out. It is a very cleverly written plot and I did not see the twists coming at all. I read this book in one sitting. I was intrigued from the start and wanted to know why the house swap was going so badly. Claire Douglas is definitely a brilliant author and I look forward to reading her next book.

Very interesting story about two girls/women trying to change their lives for the better, whatever the cost. Both have done things in the past they not want to get out. Abuse, poverty and the hope of a better future brings both of them on the brink to destroy the other one. I liked the story a lot. And, depending on which of the girl’s pov I read, I could understand their actions, sympathized with them. What I don’t like are open ends. And this one has a big one. Just when I thought everything was sorted out and things was lightening up, came another blow. And this time there is no solution to the problem. I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK!

Wow! What a read! I sat on the edge of my seat for the first half of this book as if I was on a roller coaster ride. That feeling of insecurity knowing something is lurking about to happen, that eerie sensation of uncertainty just waiting to get to some sort of plateau that you can breath and contain yourself. Libby is a school teacher and has been through a rough patch recently so when an opportunity to go away presented itself it seemed perfect. If something is too good to be true…..?Things start happening that Libby’s husband Jamie puts down to Libby’s recent events until he finds out for himself. A very well written and thought out plot. Prepare to freak a little! A brilliant read.I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Libby and her husband Jamie are offered a houseswap for the week. They can't believe their luck when they accept and arrive - it seems like they've hit the jackpot in trading their tiny little flat for a huge mansion in Cornwall, but weird things keep happening and going wrong, and they soon realise that all is not right.

This is a really well written book in terms of plot - there are so many twists and turns and surprises, that I'll admit I did start to get a little lost at some points, and spent a lot of time wondering how and why certain things had happened. It's all tied up really well in the end - very clever.

As much as I thought the plot was clever, and the characters very well written and developed, I found myself struggling a little with this book. Although the characters were very well written, I found that I really disliked them and at times found them quite annoying. I did enjoy enjoy the book, but I certainly wasn't hooked. I definitely wasn't expecting the storyline to go the way it went.

If you like thrillers, then by all means give this a read, but maybe don't rush it to the top of your reading list!

This is a "can't put it down" read - I read it in one day.

With more twists and turns than one of Blackadder's "twisty turny things", this is a compelling read. The plot keeps the reader in suspense, and just when you think you've got a handle on things, it twists again. The book builds up genuine tension in places and fuelled my over active imagination - I felt a bit scared at times just reading it!

This would be an ideal book to tuck into your holiday luggage!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read it, in return for my honest review.

Last Seen Alive is an excellent thriller with plenty of twists and turns.Libby and Jamie embark on a house swap from Bath to Cornwall which they hope will go some way to healing their somewhat fragile marriage.But Libby is hiding some big secrets from her past and when these secrets start to reveal themselves Libby's life starts to fall apart in spectacular fashion.As her past comes back to haunt her she can find nobody to believe her story not even Jamie her own husband.As the story continues all is revealed with a brilliant ending which had me thinking weather Libby deserved all she got ?? A brilliant 5 star read from Claire Douglas,more of the same please !

Wow! Wow! Wow! Such an amazing psychological thriller. The book of the year, by far, so far.
If you like your thrillers with a twist you will love this, as the twists just keep coming. As for the major one, a little more than half-way in, what can I say. I never in a million years saw that coming.
To outline the plot would just involve too many spoilers, but basically it's about Libby and Jamie Hall being offered a house swap, with their little two bed flat in Bath and a large Cornish mansion!
Of course it's not that simple with events from the past turning up here and there.
I've read many books of this type already this year, and I never thought anything would beat "Here And Gone" by Haylen Beck but this one goes straight to number one. I read this in a single sitting, it was just totally impossible to put down.
I've never read anything by.Claire Douglas before but am now going to seek out everything she has ever written!
If you only read one psychological thriller this year, or just want something to relax with on the beach, then this is simply the ONE book you MUST read.
Absolutely outstanding!

Libby Hall, the school teacher who saved a child from a burning building, should be revelling in her new-found hero status. Instead it has brought back memories of what took place nine years ago - the last time she saw her friend, Karen, alive. So when she has the opportunity to put it all behind her and undergo a holiday house swap with a couple in picturesque Cornwall, it seems like the ideal way to solve the problem. All is not what it seems, however, and soon Libby feels that she is being watched and she begins to mistrust even the person closest to her - her husband, Jamie. Just what is happening to her and is it linked to the terrifying events of nine years ago?

From the start, I was suspicious about the circumstances behind the house swap. It was plain to see that the couple had been targeted but we do not find out why or by whom until much later in the book. Although Libby and Jamie are spending time in a spacious house in the vast Cornish countryside, the author has created a setting which is extremely claustrophobic and unsettling as we learn to anticipate that something untoward is about to happen. There were several times when I was urging Libby to trust her instincts and get away from a potentially dangerous situation and I could understand the reasons behind her falling suspicious of her husband as he tried to convince her that all was well.

In books of this genre, you become accustomed to there being a twist involved and, indeed, there was one in Last Seen Alive. I was convinced that I had the plot all worked out, only to find that I could not be more wrong! There was a certain point in the book where I had to completely reevaluate everything I thought I knew, making me think carefully about everything that I had already read. Just when I thought I finally had it all worked out, another curveball was thrown, making me gasp once again!

I thought that the previous book from the author, Local Girl Missing, was good but Last Seen Alive even manages to eclipse it! A gripping, claustrophobic delight of a book that I cannot recommend highly enough.

Last Seen Alive tells the story of Libby and Jamie. After a stressful few months, it’s a welcome relief when a note comes through their door suggesting a house swap. They jump at the opportunity to escape to The Hideaway, an idyllic, spacious home by the beach in Cornwall, but all is not as it seems. Their relaxing getaway is soon turned on its head when they discover a taxidermist’s studio in the basement, find bloody clothing in the garden and Jamie becomes very suddenly ill from the food left for them in the kitchen. Worst of all, Libby is convinced someone has been in the house…

The strange events at The Hideaway are just the start of Libby and Jamie’s troubles. It soon comes to light that they both have secrets from before their marriage and someone is intent on digging them up. Can their relationship survive? And who is behind it all?

Last Seen Alive is intriguing from the very first page. Full of twists and turns, a suspense builds up throughout the first half of the book. At the midway point, there is a big reveal, but we soon learn that we still don’t know the half of it.

I was initially disappointed that there were no potential leads for me to follow in the first few chapters, meaning I was unable to make any guesses about who was behind the potentially life-ruining events affecting Libby and Jamie. This was quickly pushed out of mind though, as I became completely gripped by Claire Douglas’ skilful writing and slow unveiling of information. She kept me on my toes up until the very final twist and, oh my, what a twist it is!

Last Seen Alive is a gripping novel and as fiery as some of it's themes.

Having read both of Claire Douglas' previous books (and enjoying them both) I was excited for this and it didn't disappoint.

When Libby and her husband Jamie are offered the chance to house swap from Bath to Cornwall it comes at exactly the right time. With past memories and recent events putting Libby under strain this is exactly what she needs...until she arrives in Cornwall to discover it's not the respite she was hoping for.

This is a truly gripping story, it keeps you guessing and surprises you in all the right places.

If you're after a truly unputdownable read for the summer then this is it!

Thank you NetGalley for my copy!

Wow, such a good read.
Many twists and turns, not knowing where they would lead. Very well written. At first I was disappointed in the end but this is one of those books that stays in your head after finishing it and I came to the conclusion there could be no other end. Brilliant book, the characters were so realistic and I was in all the places visited!

Libby and her husband Jamie are offered the chance at a house swap; their cozy 2 bedroom flat in Bath, for a gorgeous house in the middle of nowhere overlooking the sea in Cornwall. A holiday couldn't have come at a better time for them. Libby was caught up in a fire at the school where she teaches, and branded a hero after rescuing someone kids. Although she hated all of the attention and it brought back some unwanted memories of a fire at a backpackers hostel in Thailand that Libby was caught up in ten years ago. Jamie has set up his own I.T consultancy firm and needs a break from the stress. On top of that Libby suffered a miscarriage a few months ago, so the pair need some time away to put some of the stress, tension and anxiety behind them and get their marriage back on track. The house swap couldn't seem to have fallen into their laps at a better time. Or does it all just seem too good to be true...

Although the house is absolutely stunning and looks like it belongs in a high end interior design magazine, odd occurrences keep happening. A man seems to be following them and taking photos. Was an incidence on a cliff top really an innocent push? Is Libby suffering ptsd and overly paranoid and anxious? Is Jamie being honest with her? Are the owners of the stunning house what they seem to be?

Initially I thought this was going to just be another ok so-so thriller. However, and i can't disclose why without spoiling anything, my opinion totally changed at around the 50% mark and it became more than I thought it would. I can't say much more for fear of spoiling anything! It's one one those thrillers you're best going into blind - the less you know about it the better, and the more you will enjoy it. Last Seen Alive is a speedy read; chockablock full of tension and edge of your seat moments; a gripping thriller which is well worth a read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin U.K - Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.