Mae fy mhen i'n dal i droi ar ôl gorffen hwn, stori afaelgar am dair dynes sydd oll ag un broblem yn gyffredin, Ellis Cobain. Yn fuan ar ddechrau'r nofel nid yw Ellis yn broblem iddynt bellach, heblaw am achos ei farwolaeth yn amlwg. Gyda'r chwyddwydr ar y merched am resymau gwahanol, ac ar ambell gymeriad arall hefyd, roedd yn anodd iawn ceisio dyfalu beth yn union ddigwyddodd wrth i'r stori ddatblygu. Cymeriadau apelgar ac sy'n gwneud i chi deimlo drostynt wrth i'r penodau neidio o un cyfnod i un arall, ac o un cymeriad i'r llall. Yn bersonol byddai wedi bod yn ddefnyddiol pe byddai teitl y bennod yn rhoi rhyw syniad o ran pwy oedd dan sylw, gan ei bod yn hawdd drysu rhwng pawb, yn enwedig ar y dechrau. Er hynny, roedd y stori yn datblygu'n gyflym ac yn gwneud i rywun ddyfalu bob munud beth ddigwyddodd a beth oedd am ddod nesaf. Mae fy nghalon yn dal i guro'n gyflym ar ôl y diweddglo annisgwyl! Gwych!

My head is still spinning after finishing this one, a gripping story about three females, all with the same problem, Ellis Cobain. Early on in the story Ellis is no longer a problem for them, apart from the suspicions regarding his death of course. With all three under investigation for various reasons, and a few others in the mix too, it was very hard to try and guess what exactly happened as the story developed. Appealing characters that make you empathize with them as the chapters bounce from one period to another, and from one character to another. Personally I would've preferred a title or something at the start of the chapters to note who's perspective we'd be getting, as it was easy to mix between the characters at the start. Apart from that, the story was fast-paced and kept me guessing at every turn regarding what had happened and what would come next. My heart is still pounding after the unexpected ending! Fantastic.

My first time reading @rachelabbottwriter and I wasn’t disappointed. I loved it.
#TheLastTimeISawHim is book #4 in the DS Stephanie King series but is easy to follow with enough back story to enjoy as a standalone too. I look forward to reading previous books from the series.
It’s a gripping mystery thriller with a tense storyline and unexpected twists that keep you guessing till the end. I was hooked from the start and couldn’t put it down.
The story is set in a hotel on the Cornish Coast where three women, Celia, Juliette and Nadia complete strangers to each other find they have one man, Ellis Cobain in common. Together they planned to get revenge but then Ellis is found murdered. Which one of the women killed him?
It’s told in the present day and flashbacks through multiple POV’s. I liked this authors writing style which is detailed and nothing is quite as it seems. It’s brilliantly written with great realistic characters.
Overall an enjoyable page turning read. Definitely recommend if you enjoy this genre.
With thanks to #NetGallery @headlinebooks for an arc of #TheLastTimeISawHim in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 15 August 2024.

A gripping thriller!

Three women, entirely unconnected, find themselves at a Cornish boutique hotel at the same time as wealthy entrepreneur Ellis Cobain, known to all and admired by none. Rather, they regard him as a bit of a creep with a sinister side. When he turns up dead, murdered in cold blood, A previous guest, Detective Stephanie King and her boss, Gus, return to the resort to investigate and begin to unravel a knot of clues and connections.

Well, here's a book to keep you on your toes! So much going on that I suspected everyone of everything at some point or another and was astounded to find out what actually happened. This is a novel to get absorbed in, and a thoroughly enjoyable read. Five stars and my recommendation.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This was a decent thriller that had many twists and turns. It was my first time reading Rachel Abbott and I thought she did a good job. If you like Sally Hepworth or Liane Moriarty, you will enjoy this book.

3.5

—


Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

********


If you are interested in seeing more of my reviews and other content feel free to connect with me here <3:

https://linktr.ee/bookreviewsbyjules (links to my Instagram, Goodreads, TikTok, Storygraph, My blog and Substack newsletter, etc)

If you are a publisher or author who has questions about my reviews (as well as questions about my stats, reach or engagement), please free to email me. I am also open to requests for book reviews from authors or publishers. Thank you again for taking time to read my review, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Celia and her husband Ellis are enjoying some time away from the kids, Juliette and her husband Russell are staying at the same hotel to see Nadia perform with the aim to sign her.

Ellis is found dead in his yatch. Did someone kill him?
Celia, Juliette and Nadia are strangers, or are they?

This is a really good crime book- plenty of twists. Just about on the slow side.

I’m a bit fan of Rachel Abbott’s books, and whilst this wasn’t my favourite, I still really enjoyed it and got completely sucked in!
Loved the setting for this book and could really imagine it in my head. The main characters were both relatable in aspects but also loathsome and perhaps this is why I didn’t love it as much as her other books.
A good plot and nice twists along the way - I didn’t guess the outcome but it didn’t spoil it for me!

This was the fourth book in a series, but I did not realise this until I had finished reading it. So I would definitely say it is more than good enough as a stand-alone thriller.
Stephanie is spending some time with her mother at a luxury hotel on the coast of Cornwall. One evening Stephanie notices the interaction between several other guests.
The following week Stephanie is back at the hotel on a totally different matter. It is here that she notices the odd interactions she witnessed while holidaying with her mother will provide her with much needed insight.
This was a tense and twisty who dunnit with a well-paced plot.
Told in the present day and through flashbacks we get to see the threads connecting the guests to each other.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

The fourth in the Stephanie King series and this time Steph is supposed to having a relaxing break with her mum at a fancy hotel, but it doesn't take too long until it goes wrong and she has to put her detective hat back on. There are three other women at the hotel who are all linked to one vile man who soon turns up dead, but are any of them responsible?

A good instalment in the series, but maybe too many POV's!

Although the 4th book in a series, this story is easy to read as a stand alone. I read the first in the series, but missed the next two.
Rachel Abbott portrays Ellis Cobain well - he comes across as a self-opinionated cruel man who no-one likes. His death leaves plenty of suspects as he is selfish and controlling, using and abusing people with no sensitivity. There are twists and turns galore as the story is told from several points of view. This causes a little bit of repetitiveness but it doesn't detract from the story. A definite page turner.
Three and a half stars rounded up to 4!
Many thanks to Netgalley/Rachel Abbott/Headline for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

A fabulously written gripping story that was a pleasure to read. I would absolutely recommend this book, it was brilliant

My first book of this author and I have a feeling not the last one. From the start author grips your attention and keeps you invested into solving this mystery of this guy Ellis. All these people have a reason to be a suspect but who actually is the one to blame? I enjoyed how she gave small details and allowed me to be a detective myself.

Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for allowing me and early copy to enjoy.
This was my first book by Rachel Abbott that I've read. I didn't realise upon requesting that it was book 4 however it read perfectly as a standalone.
The story begins with three women, their only connection, one man Ellis Cobain.
One is his wife, one is his current Mistress and one his ex Mistress. Ellis is a narcissist. They get together and plan to blackmail him, but instead he ends up dead on a yacht....who did it?
This book had me gripped from the start, with a fabulous ending. Rachel Abbott is a a great crime writer!

This is the first I've read any of Rachel Abbott but certainly won't be the last if this book is anything to go by. I had no idea it was the fourth in a series so it does read well as a standalone.
It is a really well written book with many twists turns. Extremely wealthy philanthropist Ellis Cobain is found dead aboard his luxury yacht amid suspicious circumstances. Very quickly it becomes clear that three women, Celia, Juliette and Nadia, who have no previous connection all have good motive to kill Cobain. They may have motives but they also have solid alibis for the time of death which baffles the police.
The story cleverly looks at each of the suspects and their links to the victim and what they were up to leading up to his death. The suspense is palpable throughout even when the killer becomes quite clear.

4/5 ⭐

🛶 At a boutique hotel on the Cornish coast, strangers Celia, Juliette and Nadia cross paths. They have little in common — the first, a former actress, the second an interior decorator and the third, a talented singer; but all have been tormented by the wealthy philanthropist who's expecting a knighthood, Ellis Cobain. Only they know that behind his public persona is an evil, controlling man who preys on women. So when they realise who connects them and what they have to lose, they come together to blackmail Ellis and free themselves from his grasp. But things take a dangerous turn when he is discovered dead the next morning. Not knowing who did it, they are now desperate to cover their own tracks.

🛶 This thriller put me on the edge throughout the 400 pages and kept me constantly guessing who the actual killer is! All the main characters were so unique, and each chapter reveals a slither of their personality. I found myself truly rooting for the women despite their individual flaws, because the author does a brilliant job in conveying the raw truth of their respective experiences with Ellis. The boutique sets a good backdrop for the plot and complimented the twisty, thrilling and eerie energy. My only wish is that the ending was slightly different. That truly shocked me and slightly disappointed me but because the plot was so good for the first 90% of the book, it was still a strong read for me.

A gripping thriller that keeps you guessing till the end. Ellis Cobain is murdered, the suspects all have a reason to want him dead but which one is guilty? Plenty of twists along the way. This is my first Stephanie King book but not my last. Thanks to Headline and Netgalley for this review ARC.

Told from a few different perspectives, with an ending I hadn’t foreseen.

After a weekend away with her Mum, Stephanie King has had to return to the boutique hotel in order to investigation the murder of Ellis Cobain. Will her people watching observations over this weekend aid their investigations?… Only time will tell.

Another great read from Rachel Abbott.

I like the books with this detective, Stephanie King. You get a lot of story with the other characters and King has a gentle touch with them.
I liked this story of a horrid man being killed with a few alternative suspects.

The 4th in the series of the Stephanie King thrillers.

The book hooks you from the very first page. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. I couldn’t put it down. It has all the elements that really do make for the perfect thriller, it’s tense, has twists and turns throughout, I would definitely recommend.

I always look forward to Rachel Abbott books and was really pleased to receive this advanced copy. Rachel is an excellent storyteller but I was a little disappointed with this book. I did enjoy it overall but I found some of the scenarios a little far fetched.
Nevertheless, it is a definite 4 stars.

The difficulty of reviewing this book with objectivity is that we’re supposed to not like the murder victim who was a thoroughly odious man and the world (obviously I appreciate this is a fictional character) is a much better place without him. What intrigued me was that although there were a limited amount of suspects, the author keeps the reader from working out what had happened. We get the police perspective, we’re drip fed the suspects stories and thoughts by a clever use of timelines mixed with up to date events. Just when you think you’ve worked it all out another chapter turns that thinking around. Overall a great read but one that should be read in as few sittings as possible so you can keep the threads fresh.