A solid romantic suspense from one of my favourite authors.
This was an exciting read. Unusually, the story included two seriously scary serial killers which doubled the excitement and suspense. Some aspects of the story were predictable, e.g. Alyssa, however the thrill of the unfolding story made up for that.
I felt like I'd missed the build up of attraction between Kate and Mazur. The romantic moment between them came very suddenly at 80% of the way through the novel and was solely for the purpose of creating a motive for the killer's actions after this point.
However, this was a quick, exciting read and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to friends.

This is yet another great mystery by Mary Burton. There are actually 2 spooky scary killers, one posing as a good Samaritan. The story is so well written, you feel as if you are right there with the Detectives. Im so glad Kate and Mazur are together. Loved the way Mazur would do anything for his daughter. You just have to keep turning the pages to see what happens.
I've read all Mary Burton's books and am anxiously waiting for her next best seller.
Read it, you will not be disappointed!

Years ago FBI agent Kate Hayden survived the shooting that killed her father, but now her past is coming back to haunt her when a copycat killer starts committing murders by serial killers that Kate has put behind bars. However, as her past comes back to haunt her, will she and Detective Theo Mazur be able to stop the killer, or will a killer finally beat her?

What a gripping, fast-paced, enthralling read Ms. Burton has delivered in this book where the start of this story had me hooked because of what's going on and had me wondering whether the killer would be caught because he seemed smart and meticulous. However, it was from the moment the hero was introduced into this story where things got really exciting and drew me in completely, because he's a good cop that has been through a lot and it's palpable he's going to go through more once FBI agent Kate Hayden becomes involved, as she's the best of the best and doesn't give up until she's caught whoever she's after, which is proven by her determination to help a teenage girl who has been through so much because of her abductor.

As for the dialogue, it was really intense due to the investigation and the hunt for the killer; the main characters back stories, especially that of the heroine; and the ending that had me on the edge-of-my-seat, as Kate does everything she can to beat the bad guys, even if it means sacrificing herself. Moreover, sometimes Kate comes off as a ball-busting and cold woman, but she's not. Really, she only acts that way to distance herself a little from the tragedies that come when people kill like the guy she's hunting. Kate is also resilient, courageous and I liked how determined she was to face her past, even if it means talking about the pain her father's death caused; the guilt she's lived with since that moment; and the rift it caused between her and he brother. Will she ever be able to forgive her brother completely?

While the hero, he's been through a lot in his life and it's made him the great father he is to his daughter; a dad that would do anything for his little girl. I also like how confident the hero was when it came to believing that they'd bring down the bad guy and his determination to protect the heroine, even though she excels at her job and doesn't need protecting. Yet, what I liked most of all about the hero was his determination to win the heroine over because she's good for him.

Overall, Ms. Burton has penned a worthwhile read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was off-the-charts; the romance had me hopeful that this couple would get their happy ever after, considering what happens at the end that left me concerned for the heroine when it came to the bad guys because of her past. However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up wonderfully, because of the decision Kate made when it came to her job and the decision the hero made when it came to his. I would recommend The Last Move by Mary Burton, if you enjoy romantic suspense or books by authors Kendra Elliott, Melinda Leigh, Toni Anderson and Debra Webb.

I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mary Burton does it again with this outstanding gripping read. She has a way to weave a story to where even though you have an idea of what is going to happen or who the bad guy is there is still enough mystery and suspense involved to keep you hooked until the last page. The characters are complex and intriguing and the storyline well written with events and answers unfolding at steady pace. There was nothing sedate in this book. There was plenty of mystery, suspense and even a bit of simmering attraction for the two main characters. If you love romantic suspense reads with strong lead characters, this book is for you; you will not be disappointed.

Kate Hayden works as a profiler with the FBI and has a PhD in Linguistics. She hunts the worst of the worst criminals, the diabolical, demented individuals who prey on the innocent. She was chosen for this life as the result of her own horrific tragedy in her youth; that still haunts her to this day. Because of her past experience it has molded her into the determined, strong, driven, standoffish and quirky agent she needs to be to do her best. She has no time for a personal life and is estranged from her family. Having to return to her hometown of San Antonio, Texas for the most recent case has her on edge for other reasons than her family. There is an eerie similarity to a previous case she worked and now has to determine the killer’s end game. Working with a new partner on the case, a detective transplant from Chicago, can they figure out the clues in time to find the killer and prevent another murder or will they be too late.

Theo Mazur is the new kid on the block. As a recent transplant from Chicago PD, he is a Homicide detective fielding his way through resentment and passive-aggressive colleagues. He is recently divorced, after losing an infant son to crib death, and follows his ex and their young daughter to San Antonio so he can still be a part of her life. Even though he is an outsider, he is confident with himself and his abilities and determined to get the job done. So when a new murder case falls into his lap, he wastes no time contacting the FBI, specifically Dr. Hayden, and requesting assistance. Upon meeting Kate, aside from being attracted to her, he realizes there is more behind her aloof façade than meets the eye and he is determined to find out what it is. As they work together, getting closer to the killer’s identity, they are unaware that he may be closer than they realize. As the final clues fall into place can Theo protect Kate and catch the killer in time before she becomes the next victim.

This is the first book I've read by Mary Burton, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I found the characters of Kate and Theo to be well developed and the story to be edge-of-your-seat intriguing. I definitely didn't see the twist coming; I foolishly thought I had it figured out! I must say that I'm a little baffled by the categorization of the book on NetGalley as General Fiction and Romance. In my opinion, this book falls squarely in the Mysteries/Thrillers category. Although there is a little romance, it is minimal; the suspense factor is what carries this entire book. And that suspense is very well done. I never became bored with the story; I stayed riveted from the first word to the last. I'm really glad I've found this new-to-me author; this is what makes NetGalley such a wonderful platform.

This is the first Mary Burton book I have read in a long time and she doesn't disappoint. Edgy and romantic with a twisted serial killer (aren't they all) the story is fast-paced, easy to read and the characters very likable - well the ones you're supposed to like anyway! Makes me want to start reading her books from the beginning.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and, last but not least, the author for this ARC.

The Last Move is Mary Burton at her best. FBI Agent Kate Hayden and Detective Theo Mazur are paired to catch what seems to be a copycat serial killer. While the killer is revealed in the story, there are twists and turns and a gripping ending that keep you hooked. The Last Move has Intense characters, scary and disturbed killers, and a little romance. This book is a stand alone, but I hope to see more of FBI Agent Kate Hayden in future books. Thank you to Mary Burton and Netgalley for an ARC of this book for an honest review.

The Last Move is a new standalone novel from popular romantic suspense author Mary Burton featuring a prickly but pragmatic FBI Forensic linguistics expert who is frequently called in to consult on complicated cases that need to make use of her skills to analyse the language employed by murderers, kidnappers and other unsavoury characters in order to effect rescues and arrests. It’s a very readable, well-plotted story that seems to be heading in one direction until the author pulls a handbrake turn and sends it beetling off elsewhere – and I was completely gripped by it throughout. On the downside, if you like a romantic suspense novel to have an actual romance in it, then you might be a bit disappointed, because while the story has romantic elements and ends with an HFN which clearly has the possibility of becoming more, the balance here is firmly in favour of the mystery and the romance is very low-key.

Seasoned detective Theo Mazur gave up his job at the Chicago PD to move to San Antonio when his ex-wife moved there with their teenaged daughter, Alyssa. He has just been called to the scene of a murder on the interstate – I-35 – which bears a number of similarities to other killings that were carried out on the same road over the past couple of years; the victim is a woman alone in her car, the car malfunctioned in some way, she’s been shot in the heart at point-blank range and the killer has left a video and a message on a burner phone for the investigators. More specifically, he leaves it for FBI profiler, Dr. Kate Hayden. Mazur recognises the M O of a serial killer nicknamed The Samaritan and puts in a call to his boss, who duly contacts Kate, the agent responsible for arresting and identifying him as one Charles Richardson. But there’s a snag. Richardson is currently in prison awaiting trial.

While the evidence linking Richardson to the Samaritan’s murders is strong, this new killing could completely blow Kate’s case out of the water, so she has to drop her current investigation – into a sick bastard who kidnaps young girls, keeps them locked in boxes and takes them out to repeatedly rape them before letting them die – and head to her home town of San Antonio, somewhere she’s avoided at all costs since the murder of her father ripped her family apart when she was just seventeen.

Though there was never any sign that Richardson had an accomplice, Kate is fairly certain that they’re dealing with either an acolyte or a copycat because, while this recent killing is very similar to the previous ones, the killer has deviated from his M O in his choice of victim. Gloria Sanchez was a successful and wealthy businesswoman, whereas the previous victims were younger and less affluent, usually working in the service industries. It’s only when another murder victim is found, this time displaying multiple stab wounds and the sort of mutilation that is the hallmark of a killer known as The Soothsayer that Kate and Mazur start to suspect that these murders aren’t their copycat’s end-game. By killing using methods used in some of Kate’s previous investigations, he is clearly taunting her, intending to draw her out in order to exact some kind of revenge.

The Last Move is a very well written, strongly plotted thriller and while the serial-killer-who-is-out-to-get-the-female-investigator plotline is a frequently used one, Ms. Burton nonetheless kept me engaged and eagerly turning the pages as Kate and Mazur uncovered a web of infidelity, lies and deadly, long-buried secrets that she cleverly links back to Kate’s past and the murder of her father. The author puts forward a couple of strong suspects for the murders, but even though I felt they were perhaps a bit too obvious and the reader is privy to some brief chapters from the killer’s PoV, we don’t discover his identity or motivations until Kate and Mazur do. There are plenty of twists and turns along the way and I was kept guessing until the final reveal.

While the romantic aspect of the story is not as strong as in some of Mary Burton’s other books, she does develop a terrific working relationship between Kate and Mazur, whose different skills and approach thoroughly complement each other. Mazur is an easy-going type whose open, friendly manner and frequently deployed humour belies that fact that he’s sharp as a tack and doesn’t miss a trick, whereas Kate is a little awkward and has to consciously work at behaving in a manner appropriate to the situation. She’s practical, forthright and sometimes abrupt to the point of rudeness; she keeps herself very tightly contained, but doesn’t hide the truth of her past from Mazur or the reasons being back in her home town make her so uncomfortable. I liked both characters; Kate for her straightforwardness and Mazur for his insight and humour, and they make a great couple. There’s one love scene fairly late on and we’re left with the impression that these two have the potential to make a future together. Fans of the author’s are sure to enjoy The Last Move, and given it’s a standalone, if you’ve never read her but enjoy romantic suspense novels where the emphasis is on the suspense, this book could be a good way to give her a try.

Grade B/4 stars

Mary Burton has done it again, and this time copycat serial killers become the thing of nightmares for FBI agent Kate Hayden. She gets called to a scene of a murder that brings the past to the forefront of this present case. Is Are these murders connected and does the person want to be found to make sure the torture is complete? or do they want to stay hidden in the shadows until everyone is gone? Thanks to FBI agent Kate and her temporary partner Mazur things start to become more complicated, ,and emotions start to become hard to ignore. Thank you NetGalley and Mary Burton for allowing me to read this book and write a honest review.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars
M/F Thriller
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

Kate Hayden is a linguistic FBI agent. She is amazing at her job and has caught a lot of bad people. However, she is still slightly haunted by the fact that she was a victim early on in life. She was stalked, harassed, and traumatized when someone in her life turned out to be a psychopath. When she finds herself hunting someone who is hurting women, she can't help but identify with the victims. She is tough, smart, and slightly closed off, but she gets the job done.

Theo Mazur is trying to be a good father to his teenage daughter. He has picked up and moved in order to be near her. His ex-wife is selfish and I really have a difficult time understanding how he was ever with someone who is such a shrew to both him and their daughter. When he is paired up with Agent Hayden, he sees what she's trying to hide, but also sees that when she lets her guard down, she's genuine and caring.

These two hunt for the bad guys and what they discover is that sometimes, if you let it, the good guys can win. I really enjoyed their banter and their relationship was very organic. I can't wait to see if they get more.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is yet another thriller from Mary Burton that I couldn’t put down until I finished it. And once again, I couldn’t quite put all the ‘whodunnit’ pieces together until the very tense final scenes.

Kate Hayden is wonderful as the FBI agent chasing a killer who is replicating murders she already solved. Her partner, recently transplanted homicide detective Theo Mazur is equally compelling as a recently divorced single dad trying hard to work with his new department. I loved the energy between these two – their personal lives quickly become as interesting as their investigation. I love the strong women in Mary Burton’s thrillers and Kate Hayden might be my favourite character yet.

The actual investigation had my attention from the start. I loved the twists, turns, and complications. The victims and the suspects are interesting and I think I suspected everyone at one point. As always, the pacing of this story is brilliant. It starts out tense and just gets more exciting.

I can’t praise Mary Burton’s murder mysteries highly enough. She’s currently my favourite crime/thriller writer and I look forward to each new book she writes.

The Last Move is a nail biting suspense where the smartest FBI agent is working to find a serial killer that is from her past.
Kate Hayden is a smart, strong female character that works hard for respect but works harder for the victims of the killers she puts behind bars. Mary Burton made Kate likable strong, and willing to face her fears even when it comes from her nightmares.
The story is strong with twist and turns readers of mystery and thrillers will enjoy. The author doesn't hide who the killer is but the motive starts to come together and readers will feel the rush of discovering the truth before Kate does.

With many suspense write that have the female lead as an FBI agent they always write her as unlikable to all but the one male lead who finds her amazing. This time is it was more in the protagonist head that she was unlikable, blunt, crass and the odd duck. The author wrote her charming, endearing and likable.

The Last Move is well paced. The romance /sex seemed a little oddly placed and I wouldn't call this a romantic suspense. It felt thrown in there with no purpose other than to have a sex scene in the book and show readers Kate can connect with someone.
The murders are graphic as well as the details of Kate's past.

This is a must read author for readers of thriller Mysteries.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Montlake for the chance to review Mary Burton's latest novel

The Last Move by Mary Burton.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
What a exciting book that grabbed me from the first page on. Non stop action as Kate Hayden is chasing two serial killers. This book had my heart pounding at times and is so suspenseful and did not want to miss anything. All you suspense readers will love this book and Mary Burton knows how to keep you in awe.

I just finished reading The Last Move and Mary Burton has done another great job with this mystery/thriller! I have read quite a few books of her's and they are all original, exciting and loaded with suspense and a dash of heat. This is the story of a FBI profiler that is after a serial killer. She also has a copycat serial killer in her hometown that she is being brought in to assist with. The local police detective will be with her every step of the way as they try to figure out what is fact and what is manipulation. This is a great book for all fans of mystery/thriller genre.

Kate Hayden is an FBI profiler specializing in forensic linguistics. She is blunt, direct, speaks her thoughts, struggles with small talk, doesn’t socialize, and doesn’t get close to people. I had a really hard time relating to Kate’s character.

Theo Mazur is a detective with the San Antonio police. He is a transplant from Chicago, moving to Texas when his ex-wife does so he can still be actively involved in his teenage daughter’s life.
A murder similar to a serial killer Kate has put in prison brings her to Theo’s attention. When the FBI is called in to further investigate, he and Kate are partnered.

The thriller part of this book is what kept me reading. Two separate cases going on, one more personal to Kate. Some parts were predictable, a few surprises and an interesting twist near the end.

The romance felt more tossed in as an afterthought than a true part of the story and felt awkward. I didn't feel their connection. No talk of sexual/health history and no birth control used or discussed.

The first half of the book moves slowly, filling in all the back story, picks up a little and moves faster the last quarter.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Serial killers are just not my thing. I have to be in a really off mood to enjoy those books. Just not there right now. Anyway, I have read and enjoyed other books by Mary Burton, but this one just isn't for me. I found both the hero and heroine to be distant, and the writing was disengaged. Neither the plot or the characters for the first half of the book grabbed me and made me want to get involved. The second half was better but I still felt disconnected from the characters and by then I just didn't care.

Catching monsters is why FBI agent Kate Hayden is an FBI agent. She goes non-stop at her job as if she can outrun the nightmares in her past. When she is contacted about a case whose details are spot on with a case she already has solved, Kate leaves another serial case in Utah to investigate this case in her hometown, San Antonio. This case has her perplexed. She already caught this serial nasty, or did she? Either Kate made a deadly error, or she’s got a copycat on her hands.

San Antonio homicide detective Theo Mazur is only 6 months on this job, but he has been a cop a much longer time. When he connects his case with Kate's older cases he contacts her. He admires her professionalism and seems to understand that there are dark things in her past that drive her. He wants to protect her and that puts him in the sights of an enemy who wants to destroy her. 3 1/2-Stars

This standalone story grips the reader from the beginning. It is a nonstop thrill ride as the action carries through the entire book and the suspense builds at a steady clip. The characters are complex and believable, the plot is full of twists, and there is just enough of humor. For me, I always say the hallmark of a good mystery is when I haven't figured out the bad guy until the author reveals him or her. This book was a great one, I had to read it straight through!

“When Love is betrayed, there is nothing to contain the demons.”

I have read pretty much all of Mary Burtons books so i was really looking forward to reading this one.

It is down as a standalone book but I’m sure you will agree after reading it that the potential and the amount of interest already a follow-up book would be highly anticipated.I love the characters in the book, they are well written and very likeable right from the get go.
The story line is faultless even if the “Who done it” ends up being fairly obvious but it doesn’t take away any of the drama and tension of the ending!

I would have read this in 1 sitting but my ME decided otherwise, but as soon as i had rested up a bit i was start back on the case 🙂

It is a real page turner and the fast pace continues from start to finish, peppered throughout with tragedy, heartache, sinister events and of course a good splash of romance!

FBI agent Kate Hayden finds herself playing a deadly game of chess with a killer who destroyed her life and family 17 years ago.
Homicide detective Theo Mazur is a fairly new member of the team in the San Antonio police force but is no rookie when it comes to the job.

A murder takes place on part of the interstate and it has all the hallmarks of murders committed by the serial killer known as the Samaritan. It was FBI agent Kate Hayden that brought him to justice and he is currently safely locked behind bars on death row.
Did Kate catch the wrong killer or is this the work of a copycat killer?

Detective Theo Mazur calls Kate away from her own on going hunt for a different serial killer who likes to abduct women and bury them in coffins. Kate had saved the last victim but the killer is still on the loose.

Now she must try to find whoever is behind the murdered woman who was shot in the interstate, it certainly seems to be the work of a copycat killer but then another body turns up killed in the same way as a different case Kate had previously worked on.
Now it is personal and whoever is behind the murders has made sure they have Kate and Theo’s undivided attention.

The partnership between Kate and Theo works really well and it was really great getting some of their back stories. It is through those glimpses into Kate’s past that draw you to her and what defines her character.

As i said at the start, i would love to hear more from both Kate and Theo and what the future holds for them both.

Disturbing, engrossing, and adrenaline pumping!

The Last Move, the latest novel by Burton, is a well-paced thrill ride featuring the tenacious and tough FBI agent, Kate, and the intelligent, patient homicide detective, Theo, as they join forces to hunt a serial killer with a penchant for reenacting the most heinous of crimes.

The writing is taut and tight. The characterization is well done. And the plot is a captivating police procedural with twists, turns, red herrings, family drama, deception, vengeance, depravity, murder and a smidgen of romance.

I have yet to pick up a Mary Burton book that wasn’t an entertaining, eerie, romantic mystery with exceptionally intriguing characters and The Last Move is no exception. And even though this novel is being billed as a standalone I sure hope we get to see Hayden and Mazur on another case sometime down the road.

THE LAST MOVE by Mary Burton.
The window is down, she wasn't a trusting type person, the glitter of jewelry not taken. Then a video on a phone is shown with a message to Kate Hayden. Kate is the final victim for this serial killer or is it a copy cat killer.
Mary has written a tight tension plot, the emotions and descriptions is very vivid. You are there working with Kate, is it the Samarian or someone else As the clues mount, you still have that unexpected ending. The plans of Kate how will that unfold.
Readers will enjoy and want to finish in one sitting, this new book by Mary Burton.Looking forward to the next thrilling book. Given ARC by Net Galley for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

4 1/2 stars

It’s been several years since I read a Mary Burton novel, so I was happy to have the chance to rediscover her writing with The Last Move, her latest standalone novel.

Despite the fact that the reader knows who the murderer is early on, surprises still unfold along the way in this well-plotted novel. Both Kate Hayden and Theo Mazur are talented and I enjoyed the way Burton wrote the characters so that you could see them dissecting crime scenes or characterizing the individuals they were interviewing.

While the romance in The Last Move is light-weight, I didn’t mind. Both Kate and Mazur have past painful incidents that (not romantic) that they are trying to heal from and they seem to see the pain in each other.

The title refers to chess, a game that both Kate and William played in high school. The novel is much like a chess match, with logic and strategic moves.

This is definitely a page-turner, but it’s the discoveries in the last quarter that make this novel so satisfying.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

On sale tomorrow from Amazon: The Last Move