I didn’t realise there was a book prior to this but it really didn’t matter. This was a fast paced and gripping book that I really enjoyed. I’ll look out for the next book from Alison Belsham.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

This is the follow up to the Tattoo Thief which I loved and I loved it just as much!! A page turner, five stars from me

A fascinating story that keeps you involved from start to finish. You have to keep reading to find the answers to the questions. Definitely recommended to those readers who enjoy reading this type of book.

It's great to see Marni Mullins again! I know Francis Sullivan is the main man, but I'm delighted that Marni is back too.

This is the follow up to The Tattoo Thief but can easily be read as a standalone. It's set in one of my favourite places, Brighton, and has a character called Suze (great name) in it - what's not to like!

Seventeen year old Tash Brady storms out of a nightclub following an argument with her boyfriend and heads towards home. Hours later he finds her with horrific injuries and a tattoo on her back. Her death sparks a murder investigation headed up by DI Francis Sullivan. And the chief suspect is Tash's boyfriend, Alex Mullins, who just happens to be Marni's son. And Marni and the DI have history.

Sullivan is a really interesting character. Promoted young, he's not always popular with his subordinates, particularly Rory. He has a solid Catholic faith and a strong moral compass. But tattoo artist Marni gets him hot under the collar.

I love Marni. She's feisty, fierce and full of attitude. She has a fair amount of baggage, some of which is teased out here in a charged sub plot. She has a pretty low opinion of the police and her feelings about Sullivan are...complicated. But it's fair to say she's far from impressed when the team get her son in their sights.

Is it wrong that I have a thing for Thierry? I've had it since the first book - I think it's the bad boy/French accent combo that does it!

As well as the current action, we see a few snapshots of a young girl of a young girl growing up in the 80s and 90s, which I found really intriguing. Sad too. Back in the present, the team struggle to get ahead, not helped by a bit of in fighting. And Francis is distracted by things happening away from work. Tension builds as they start to put clues together. I was rooting for the team, although at times I wanted to give Rory a good shake!

Her Last Breath is nerve-racking throughout. Quite gruesome in places - Belsham doesn't shy away from the bloody details - and a bit icky in others. The denouement had me holding my breath, I just couldn't read fast enough, and whilst I was thinking along the right lines, the reveal was a shock for me.

This story is chocked full of action, with added spadefuls of jeopardy. And it's all done with brilliantly drawn characters who have real emotional depth. Characters that I'd like to have a drink and chat with. That's skilful writing. I devoured this book and just can't wait for the final part of the trilogy.

Her Last Breath is the second instalment in Alison Belsham's Brighton based Sullivan and Mullins series, featuring DI Francis Sullivan. Even though I haven't read the first book, The Tattoo Thief, I dived straight in anyway as the story outline sounded appealing... and I'm so pleased I took the plunge! There were shades of book one in Her Last Breath, which took me a bit of time to fathom.

Marni Mullins and her son, Alex are tattooists. Marni is married to Thierry, though their marriage is troubled, and she is a witness in a current court case brought about from prior terrifying events.

When a young woman is brutally attacked and maimed, a tattoo is found on her back, along with some other nasty wounds. The woman, named Tash, later dies in hospital and at first, the doctor is confused as she had previously been responding to treatment. The post mortem revealed that the tattoo was the cause of death. Key elements of the crime require Marni's involvement with the case that DI Francis Sullivan finds himself investigating. When a young woman disappears, Detective Francis Sullivan and his team fear a serial killer is walking Brighton's streets...

I revelled in the highly suspenseful writing of Alison Belsham, and I could really feel the frustration and determination of the team coming through. Francis Sullivan was an excellent protagonist, and the level of emotion he displayed made him extremely endearing. In addition to the investigation, there was a great deal going on in his personal life that made things even more difficult for him.

The narrative skipped seamlessly between Francis, Marni, Alex and a girl named Aimee, who from the summer of 1982 onward, was experiencing an increasingly horrific childhood.

Her Last Breath was a gripping cat-and-mouse tale by an author who masterfully teased out all my emotions, and this is a series which can only grow all the more compelling with every instalment. Once I have caught up with book one, I'll be ready to look forward to book three!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Orion via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Really enjoyed this book its the first I have read from Alison Belsham and it won't be the last .
Its a real "Who dunnit" I wasnt sure who did it till the end which is unusual for me
The nature of the crime is awful and also keeps you asking "Why?"
George, the detective, is a very likeable and you just want him to catch the killer
Great Read

Her Last Breath is the long awaited sequel to Alison Belsham’s Tattoo Thief released last year. A young girl is attacked, badly beaten, and newly tattooed on her back, she dies twenty four hours later in hospital. After a second girl disappears Detective Inspector Frances Sullivan finds himself in a race against time to stop the killer killing again. The problem is the main suspect is Alex Mullins, son of Marni Mullins, who he had an affair with the previous year. Fast paced, gritty and intelligent, this is a book that takes hold and doesn’t let go.

Her Last Breath is even better than The Tattoo Thief, and that was a huge five start read. Alison Belsham has an even more warped killer, and an original way of killing the victims, a bit gruesome at times, but let’s be honest that makes for a more addictive read. The tension builds and I found myself reading and turning the pages faster and faster in a state of anticipation as to who the killer was. The plot is complex, with many layers that seem disparate, but as the book progresses and builds momentum, these threads knit together to reveal the spine tingling conclusion.

I always like revisiting characters and it was good to see DI Sullivan and Marni Mullins back. After their previous affair there is now a coolness between them, a sense of mistrust that only builds when Marni’s son is the main suspect. Marnie already has a deep mistrust of the police after serving a jail sentence many years ago. She feels betrayed by DI Sullivan when he thinks her son Alex is the killer, to her it feels personal.

DI Frances Sullivan is a character I felt great sympathy for. He is the youngest DI in the police and his lack of experience is something that is thrown at him frequently. His boss DCI Bradshaw has no faith in him, either does his Sergeant Rory Mackay, and both collude behind his back seeming to undermine him at every possible opportunity. A well as his problems at work he has family problems. His mother and sister both have MS, and with his mother in hospital he is feeling the pressure. His sister doesn’t think he is around enough, putting work ahead of his mum, and she needs support as she has no one to help her. It is no wonder he is feeling stressed and second guessing some of his actions. I admire the way he does keep the calm, exterior when underneath he is fuming.

Her Last Breath is even better than The Tattoo Thief, and I never thought I would say that, I was blown away by the first book but this is the next level up. A complex and intelligent plot line, a dark and twisted killer, and great characters make for a fantastically compelling read, I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

I was interested to read Her Last Breath since this well paced thriller is set in my hometown of Brighton. I find it an extra bonus when the action takes place in streets that are familiar to me, although a little eerie!! It adds to my overall enjoyment and this thriller was no exception.
This is the second book in a series featuring detective Francis Sullivan and local tattooist Marni Mullins. Like other reviewers I do think it probably helps you to appreciate both characters more if you have read the first book(which I hadn’t!) though by no means essential. I think if you do read in sequence then their backstory would make more sense.
I’m not sure I particularly warmed to either of these two characters, although I did feel some sympathy towards Francis, who as someone promoted at a young age over and above more experienced officers, he faces an uphill struggle to get some members of his team on side. Yet he is dogged and determined and stands firm in his convictions which are admirable traits. Like all good fictional detectives, his job comes first, to the exclusion of a personal life, although you do get an insight into his personal feelings/emotions in the scenes featuring his sister and mother.
When Tasha Brady is found barely conscious having suffered an horrific attack, her boyfriend Alex Mullins is definitely in the frame for what turns out to be murder. He is portrayed as an easy convenient suspect especially when one of Tasha’s friends becomes the second victim of this killer.
And so begins the race to catch whoever is guilty for these gruesome killings before he/she can strike again.
Told from multiple perspectives I found this to be an engaging read although unfortunately it was way too obvious to guess the identity of the serial killer. I wasn’t too sure about the inclusion of the whole Marni, Paul, Thierry triangle except perhaps to pave the way for any development in the relationship between Marni and Francis in the future.
Overall I do think Her last Breath is well written, quite gruesome in places and nerve wracking at certain points. The events leading up to the revealing of the killer’s identity were tense and gripping and certainly held my attention. Reading this you do get a feel for the seedy side of this seaside city, perhaps proving why it’s a popular choice for the setting of crime/thriller novels.
Definitely worth a read, in my opinion, and look forward to future instalments in this series.
My thanks as always to the author and publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in the DCI Francis Sullivan series and my first read although having read and thoroughly enjoyed this one and with references to the previous case, I just have to go back to the beginning!

This series is set in Brighton and kicks off right from the getgo…. Tasha Bradley rings her boyfriend, Alex to say she has been attacked, both Alex and his mum rush out to find her, it’s a bloodbath, how has she survived…. Although she makes it to hospital, she dies shortly afterwards which eventually comes to light that was as a result of a poisonous tattoo that had been inscribed on her back!

All clues lead to Alex, the boyfriend, however, his mother Marni, a tattoist (who has had previous dealings with Sullivan and nearly romantically also!) will do anything to prove his innocence…. Sullivan must also keep her sweet as she is the prime witness in a current court case and doesn’t want to jeopardise the outcome.

Sullivan has a lot of personal issues at the moment as well, a strained relationship with his sister due to his lack of want to see their ill mother and trying to focus on the case…. Can he put his personal life to one side and decipher what is going on before its too late… as the body count is rising… who’s next and why?

A brilliant police procedural series and delighted to have stumbled onto it… these are my favourite genre and always on the look out to add to my never ending collection… I look forward to more in this series.

A great crime thriller they had me racing through the pages.
I’ve not read the first book in this series and didn’t feel that I was missing out on anything, so this can be read as a stand-alone.
Sullivan is called to help when a girl is found fighting for her life in the early hours of the morning. She’s brutally stabbed, but it’s the tattoo that takes her life.
Soon another woman is found in the same position and again there’s nothing that can be done to save her.
Sullivan and the team interview Alex who was the boyfriend of the first victim, and whilst Rory thinks he’s the killer, Sullivan is not so sure.
There’s a real race against time at the end of the book, which I loved.
I’ll definitely be reading more of this series as I liked the pace of the story and Sullivan is a great character.
Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This was quite a breath stealing ride with connections so deep amongst the characters that it took me time to get to know them.

A different concept, death due to poison in the tattoos. A new murderer in town who abducted women, drilled their hands and feet and tattooed their backs, which caused their deaths within 24 hours. It was upto DI Francis and tattoo artist Marni to get to the truth.

My first book by author Alison Belsham, though second in the series, there were shadows of the first book in this which took me time to understand. The investigation section was written in a suspenseful manner. I could feel the frustration and determination of the team as more girls got taken. Francis was great as the protagonist, the emotions he showed were endearing. It was his intelligence which solved the case in a rocking finale.

Though the cops were a bit rigid in their outlook, I realized that the author had portrayed this part realistically as most do take easy way in real life. The writing was complexed yet easy to understand. In spite if not knowing the characters, it was easy to get to know them. A lot of personal information was written in which gave me the feeling of a thriller more than police procedural.

Overall, a fun read.

After reading her last book The Tattoo Thief which blew me away and was an easy five star read. I was hoping for more of the same and boy did I get it!!!! This read ticked all my boxes. Read in one sitting only putting it down when needs must. Tension and suspense which had me glued to my seat. Chilling and atmospheric which gave me chills, graphic and laced with plenty of heart in your mouth moments. The first book put me off tattoos and this one has put me off them for life!!!!. A MUST READ and so highly recommended.
Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC.

Alex and Tash have a row in a club, she leaves and starts to walk home alone…..but someone has followed her.

Early morning, Alex receives a call from Tash, she’s been attacked, so he and his mum, Marni, race to find her.

What they find is horrific, Tash has been stabbed, mutilated and tattooed. She’s rushed to hospital and seems to be ok, but she then dies as a reaction to something. The tattoo ink had been poisoned.

As Marni is a tattooist and Alex knows about the art too, he is suspected of the attack….But, Detective Francis Sullivan isn’t so sure and that’s not just because he’d once been close to Marni.

When another woman is found with the same injuries and dies the same way, the race is on to catch the killer.


This is really an edge of your seat thriller, fast paced, great characters and a gripping plot to keep you on a knife edge throughout. Brilliant.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.

The Tattoo Thief #2
Tasha Bradley had been brutally attacked and dies. A strange tattoo was found on her body. Her boyfriend, Alex becomes the prime suspect. Soon the death toll rises.

Detective Francis Sullivan has been tasked with the job to investigate the mutilated murder of Tash Bradley. The murders share a link to tattooists. The story is told from multiple points of view. The pace is fast with a gripping storyline. There is references to the events that happened in the first book in this series. Marni Mullens and her son, Alex are tattooists. Marni is already a witness in a current court case. Marni will do anything she can to prove her son's innocence. I have not read the first book in this series but it did read well as a standalone.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author Alison Belsham for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review. Really disappointed with this one; I don’t usually request books in a series I haven’t read but this one intrigued me enough and I will say it works well as a stand-alone. The concept and particularly the killer’s MO are fresh and I enjoyed them, but the plot felt too inconsequential and with too many holes or unanswered questions for me to really enjoy it. The characters themselves were okay, but any depth added to them felt superficial and ingenuine so I really struggled with seeing them beyond people on a page. Nice ideas, I just feel there was no impact or real substance.

A gripping and entertaining thriller that kept me on the edge till the end.
I liked the well plotted story, the fleshed out and interesting cast of characters and the setting.
The mystery was solid and it kept me guessing.
It's the first book I read in this series and won't surely be the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

A good detective story. Set in Brighton, this is a second outing for DCI Francis Sullivan. I didn’t realise when I started the book that this was number two in the series. The author Alison Belsham is able to give you enough back story that it doesn’t matter if you haven’t read it. The story is told from the different views of the characters in the book.
DCI Sullivan has a lot on his plate. His mother is dying and he’s struggling to split his family and work life.
Marni Mullins is a tattoo artist with her son Alex.
Alex is on a night out. He argues with his girlfriend and she storms off. Only to suffer at the hands of a sadistic killer. Soon Alex is their prime suspect.
DCI Sullivan must tread carefully as Marni is his prime witness in a current court case.
Soon the death tally starts to rise.
One clue was given early on so I suspected who did it. However, I couldn’t figure out how or why.
A good solid 4 stars. Well worth a read.
#herlastbreath #netgalley

#HerLastBreath #NetGalley
Perfectly plotted psychological thriller.
Being second in the Francis series, its a great novel featuring great cast of characters which are here to thrill you, to entertain you, to make you think about serial killers. A young woman is attacked and left fighting to survive in hospital, the police are pulled into a race against time to save her life. But just 24 hours later, she dies and a deadly tattoo is discovered on her body
Narration of the story is excellent and flawless. Characters are at their peak. I think no other novel give competition to this one.
I would definitely recommend it to everyone.
Thanks to NetGalley and Trapeze for giving me an advance copy of the book.

Her Last Breath by Alison Belsham is the second book in the Francis Sullivan police procedural series and it is an excellent read.

Despite not having read the earlier book I had no problems following the main storyline or the back story as this is interwoven into the narrative

The book itself is well paced and very enjoyable

Recommended

Having read The Tattoo Thief in one day and absolutely loving it, I had Her Last Breath on pre order as soon as it was available and eagerly awaited its publication. Was it worth the wait…that is a big resounding yes from me and once again I found myself devouring the book in a day (much to my OH’s disgust…as apparently it is not acceptable to disturb his sleep until after midnight by reading in bed)
Once again we are back with DI Francis Sullivan and his team as he tries to find out who is behind the murders of several young women in Brighton. When the first victim turns out to be the girlfriend of Alex Mullins, Sullivan is thrown into the path of Marnie Mullins as Alex is her son. Although nothing happened, he is acutely aware of the attraction between them, so he is not best pleased when Alex becomes their prime suspect (at least in the eyes of some of his team and his boss). He also needs to keep her on side for her testimony in the trial of the killer from the first book (no spoilers here in case you have not read The Tattoo Thief). If the increasing body count was not enough for him to deal with, issues in his personal life are leaving him torn between his duty and commitment to both his family and his job, which do leave him a little distracted at times and ripe to be undermined by his Sergeant.
I can understand why they were only looking at Alex, he really didn’t help himself as like most teenagers he became surly and uncooperative when cornered, so not the sign of an innocent man as far as the police were concerned…plus he knew all the victims.
This is a fast-paced book that keeps your attention from the start. The attacks on the girls are gruesome and their suffering whilst short lived is excruciating so this book may not be for the feint hearted (personally I love a book that has me going eugh and ooo in equal measure). As they race to find piece together the evidence you are taken along for the ride to identify the killer. I have no problem in admitting that I didn’t have a clue right until the end and some of the events even left me reeling.
Although this is a sequel, there is enough history in this book to work very well as a stand-alone. My only warning with this is that if you read this book first it does contain spoilers for what happens in the Tattoo Thief so you may want to start with that one. Alison Belsham has produced another absolute corker of a book and I am so looking forward to the next in the series and begin my stalking of Amazon awaiting the day I can put it on pre order