Member Reviews

Stephanie’s never off duty! A body is found by a yacht but the motives unclear!

Perfect for those who enjoy
- Murder investigation fiction
- Hunting for the killer

With thanks to headline and NetGalley for an ARC of this book

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Well, Ellis Cobain is not a nice man and some could say he had it coming!

Enjoyable and well written, this is a summer must read!

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A 'whodunnit' with lots of twists and turns. Three women, all connected to one man, and all suspects in his murder. While I did enjoy parts of this book, I found it a bit repetitive in places and the ending just came out of nowhere and as a result just didn't have any impact. The reactions of the characters to that ending didn't seem remotely plausible.
It took a while to get going and therefore the pacing wasn't great with a rush at the end to finish it.
Saying that, I did enjoy parts of the book and will try again with one of the author's other books - perhaps this one just wasn't for me.

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Thanks to Headline books and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.
There is nothing that you can say when Rachel Abbott writes a book but wow!
This book just did not disappoint on any level which I thought it might given so many female characters. They all had very different personalities and you wanted to find out what the horrible Ellis had done to them. He deserved everything he got. He seemed to think that he was some sort of "god" that women always wanted. So glad that he got his come uppance. Sad twist though.

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Last Time I Saw Him - Rachel Abbott

Multiple timelines, a complicated web of deceit and betrayal and a shocking ending!

Fabulous ingredients for a rollercoaster of a ride which keeps you guessing till almost the very end.

It’s been great to see these police characters develop over the last little while in Rachel’s books - but I wasn’t prepared for how this one ends at all!!!!

Here’s to the next rip-roaring read!

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Ellis Cobain is by all accounts not a very nice man so when he is found murdered the police discover that there are a few people with motive but the big question is how did they get onto his yacht.
First time reading this author and discovering Stephanie King. I liked the characters and the book has a nice pace to it. Would definitely recommend and will be going back and reading the series from the start as although this could act as a stand alone book would like to know more about the characters

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Enjoyable and fast-paced story. Ellis is a very unlikeable character so it is no surprise when he is found dead on his yacht but all the suspects appear to have an alibi. Strongly depicted characters and tightly woven story.

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Another excellent thriller from Rachel Abbott. The plot centres around thoroughly dislikable slime ball, self proclaimed philanthropist Ellis Cobain. Nadia, a talented singer, performs regularly at a local hotel. Juliette and her husband, who is aiming to sign up Nadia, are staying at the hotel. It soon becomes obvious that both women have a history with Ellis and his poor dominated and neglected wife Celia, seems powerless against her husband. Once Ellis’s body is found, Stephanie King and Gus work to discover which of the women is responsible for his death.

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When Steph had a weekend away with her Mum she never expected to be back a few days later on duty, She is a detective and in a relationship with Gus whose also her boss.

Ellis Cobain is not a great guy despite the image he wants the world to see but one great thing about thrillers or crime novels. mysteries is unlike real life where the good guys often get killed the bad ones can be destroyed. Incase there is any doubt I don’t like Ellis I feel you may not either but he doesn't last long. It's a shame sometimes good guys or ladies die as well

Celia, Juliette and Nadia 3 strangers if you've read the blurb you know they didn't know each other till recently but they have one thing in common Ellis he's been well he's been Ellis to them mean cruel and generally vile. So when he's found dead these 3 obviously will be suspects and their stores or story is great this is one crime novel that you will love well I did I think it was brilliant. I loved the story the characters (well apart from Ellis obviously) Julliette and Steph are my 2 personal favourites their story is told really well not that the others aren’t but we hear a lot more from these 2 but you will get the full account of the others far not

So I can only give this 5 stars I loved every page and well read it you will hopefully see what I mean and love.

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I’ve read a few of Rachel’s books and have enjoyed them. This is probably my least favourite though. I found it a bit cliched and the writing somehow felt rushed.

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2.5 Stars

The Last Time I Saw Him is my first ARC review and my first book by Rachel Abbott, and I can see how she's amassed many loyal fans in the thriller genre. For the issues I had with this book, it was well written, with unique characters that all felt very different from each other with corresponding motives, fears, and secrets.

From the Summary: 'Celia, Juliette and Nadia are complete strangers with one thing in they have all been wronged by Ellis Cobain. When they meet at a boutique hotel on the Cornish coast, brought together by the blind arrogance of their tormentor, they realise what connects them and form a to blackmail him and free themselves from his grasp. But when he is discovered the next morning, murdered in cold blood, they are left scrambling. None of them knows who did it, and now they must desperately cover their tracks.'

The Last Time I Saw Him is the next instalment of the Stephanie King series, but I read this as a standalone and had no issue with missing out on character backstories, everything was well laid out for readers new and old of the series. My main issue with The Last Time I Saw Him was the pacing. The novel took a long time to get started, and it wasn't until the 50% mark that I found myself engaged by the book. For a while, the narrative felt like it was going around in circles without any real motivation to get to the conclusion. Unfortunately, the eventual 'who dunnit' didn't shock me too much, and the ending seemed a little strange and unfitting for one of the characters.

If you enjoy the Stephanie King series, then there is a good chance you'll like this one too. Rachel Abbott is a skilled writer, and this seemed more to be the case of this one just not being one for me.

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'The Last Time I Saw Him' is latest in the series of thrillers featuring Stephanie King and Gus Brodie. In this book they seek to solve the murder of Ellis Cobain, a rich but cruel, manipulative man. The main suspects are 3 women who each have a grievance against him.
I found the pace a bit slow and repetitive at the beginning of the book although it picked up further into the story. Following all the interviews and timelines about who was where and when required concentration. The sad event at the very end was totally unexpected.
This is not my favourite Rachel Abbott book but it is still an enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Headline and Rachel Abbott for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

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"Would You Keep a Secret for a Stranger, If It Meant the Blood Was on Your Hands?" is a title that grabs you by the throat, and the story within delivers on that gripping promise. Celia, Juliette, and Nadia are brilliantly portrayed characters, each with their own unique scars inflicted by the seemingly untouchable Ellis Cobain. The author masterfully draws you into their world, building tension as they not only grapple with their individual traumas but also the dangerous situation that binds them together.

The Cornish coast setting adds a layer of atmosphere, the beauty of the landscape juxtaposed with the darkness of the characters' secrets. The plot unfolds at a perfect pace, with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. The central question – who killed Ellis Cobain? – is cleverly interwoven with the deeper exploration of trust, betrayal, and the lengths we might go to for revenge or self-preservation.

This is a novel that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. It's a must-read for anyone who enjoys a suspenseful thriller with well-developed characters and a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

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Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have liked everything this author has written and this was no exception. Great storyline, great characters and had me hooked from the beginning.

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Enjoyed this booo. Found it a bit slow to begin with but then it gripped me! Lots of twists and turns! Thanks Net galley

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Great gripping thriller which involves the lives of 3 women Nadia, Juliette and Celia they don’t know one another but they all hate Ellis Cobain who is very arrogant and nasty. When Ellis Cobain is murdered they all have to keep a secret as anyone of them could have done it or is it them?

A real page turner I was gripped from the onset and the tension was excellent definitely recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC

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Ellis Cobain is a wealthy philanthropist on course for a knighthood, but behind his faultless public persona is a cruel and misogynistic man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Celia, Juliette and Nadia, all strangers to each other and united by their experiences of being wronged by Ellis, jointly plan a blackmail to teach him a lesson. But when he is discovered dead, the women find themselves under investigation for his death. One of them didn't follow the plan. All of them have a motive to kill. Who killed Ellis Cobain?

As a long time fan of Rachel Abbott, I was excited to reunite with one of my favourite characters, Detective Inspector Stephanie King as she unravels the tangled of lies surrounding Cobain's murder. The narrative follows the process of investigating the murder and questioning the suspects, demonstrating the steps of an investigation as well as flitting chronologically around the event and from different character's perspectives, which I love.

As usual, Abbott has a clever way of setting out a complicated web of events in an easy to follow narrative, gradually revealing the secrets of the story and ending with a breath-taking fast paced climax. Abbott isn't afraid to shy away from unexpected and uncomfortable twists in a story and this book has left me no less invested in DI King's story and future.

An unhesitant 5 stars.

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I really enjoyed 'Don't Look Away' featuring Stephanie King, so was keen to read a pre-release copy of 'The Last Tume I Swa Him' courtesy of NetGalley. Sadly, I was disappointed. This book was slow moving, repetitive and a bit boring. By the time I'd read about 50%, I actually didn't care 'who done it', I just wanted the book to get to the point. I skimmed chunks, just so I didn't give up completely, and did make it to the end.
The ending...why did I bother?

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Complex thriller full of complicated characters and complicated lives. Lots for the detectives to unravel.

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I found this book hard to put down. There weren't lots of murders, but the twists made me unsure which person was the murderer. I must admit the murder victim got exactly what they deserved in my opinion! The characters were written well. Some I sympathised with and at one point I had tears in my eyes. I read it as a standalone and I think it's a great read.

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