Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers Canelo, and the author for the eARC of this book. This is the second in the DI Jan Talantire series set in Devon and Cornwall.

Jan and her team are called out to Bodmin Moor to the scene of a horrific crash. Joy riding teenagers have crashed a stolen Mercedes killing everybody but one young girl. She was pulled from the wreckage by an elderly homeowner and is clinging to life. The homeowner thought he saw someone running away but it's discounted as he was very shacken up by the scene and his heroics in rescuing the one girl. Then a missing person call comes in. A young girl, and friend of the accident victims, has been reported missing by her mother. It doesn't seem possible that she was in the car and walked away. But, if not in the car, why was she on the scene and where is she now.

It's a book about secrets and lies, and Jan's team must cut through them all to discover the truth. An excellent book. 4 out of 5 stars.

A truly entertaining read. I flew through this and read it in less than a day

Perfect for an autumnal evening

Thank you for the opportunity to review

This is book 2 in a promising new series featuring DI Jan Tallantire, who is a very engaging character. The team dynamics were good and the book is packed with atmosphere and tension until the end. The Cornwall setting is beautifully described by the author, it was easy to imagine oneself being on the moor. The pacing was steady throughout, with a bit of a cliffhanger ending, in that Jan's boss has disappeared off the scene in dubious circumstances, which leads nicely into book 3 in the future. I really enjoyed the read and would recommend to lovers of police procedurals. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

A brilliant follow up to the first book in this series, featuring DI Jan Ballantire.

When a group of teenaged joyriders crash on Bodmin Moor, Jan is straight on the scene. With one dead and others sustaining life changing injuries, it is initially thought to be a tragic accident. But when another girl, who is thought to have been in the car, is reported missing, the investigation ramps up.

I loved this tense and atmospheric mystery, Jan is a well developed character. Her determination and empathy make her very relatable and I enjoyed the sub plot around her personal life as well, one that looks to be continued into the next book.

The setting of Bodmin Moor is beautifully described and the plot is flawless, engrossing and very cleverly thought out with some brilliant twists.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Nick Louth and Canelo for an ARC in return for an honest review.

The Last Ride by Nick Louth is book 2 in the DI Jan Talantire police series. There was a tragic car accident, when a stolen car is driven at speed and crashes on the southern edge of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall.
DI Jan Talantire is the first responder on the scene and is able to see the serious injuries of the very young passengers. Then a worried mother turns up and states that her teenage daughter is missing. This statement also dovetails with the sighting from the elderly householder, whose property the vehicle crashed into, of him seeing a teenage girl fleeing the scene.
There is a very tense and gripping story of who was in what car, when the vehicle crashed and where is the missing girl, Jade? Many twists and turns, lies and deaths before the truth is known.
Highly recommended

Part of a series featuring Detective Jan Talantire. Complex story with loads of suspects and plenty of twists.

teenagers, auto-accident, missing-persons, catastrophic-accident, Cornwall, procedural, grand-theft-auto, riveting, suspicion, office-politics, due-diligence, law-enforcement, deceit, families, investigations, teamwork, crime-thriller*****

There was a catastrophic accident involving teenagers, drugs, and an immovable object. The first person on scene was a 98 year old WW2 hero who was directly responsible for saving one girl's life and providing information about the aftermath. Devon & Cornwall DI Jan Talantire was first officer on scene because she was staying nearby and heard the sounds indicating a need for her to grab her medical and photographic kits and call in all those needed. There were one dead and three more in critical condition. But there was one more who seemed to have vanished. Pressured by the missing girl's mother, the police finally got into the game, but the one in charge turned out to be the grandstander who was a bad personal experience in her in DI Talentire's past. The diligence and all of the personal rabbit trails made this another of the author's riveting crime novels.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected advance review copy from Canelo via NetGalley. Thank you! Avail Nov 07, 2024

I am normally not a fan of detective novels, but the beginning caught my attention so I stuck with it. I ended up enjoying it and thought it was well paced and I could see a clear picture of the accident scene and overall setting of the book.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

The Last Ride by Nick Louth is a tense and atmospheric crime thriller that grips readers from the first page. Set against the haunting backdrop of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, this novel is the second in the Detective Jan Talantire series, following the success of “The Two Deaths of Ruth Lyle.”

The story kicks off with a catastrophic car crash involving a group of teenage joyriders in a stolen Mercedes. DI Jan Talantire arrives at the scene to find a tragic accident, but the mystery deepens when a worried mother reports her daughter, Jade, missing. Jade was last seen with the joyriders, but her whereabouts remain unknown. As Talantire delves into the investigation, she uncovers a web of secrets and lies that challenge her detective skills and her resolve.

Louth’s writing is compelling and evocative, capturing the eerie beauty of the moor and the tension that permeates the small town. The plot is meticulously crafted, with twists and turns that keep readers guessing until the very end. One of the novel’s strengths is its focus on the “why” rather than just the “who,” exploring the motivations behind the crimes in a way that adds depth to the narrative.

DI Jan Talantire is a well-developed protagonist, whose determination and empathy make her a relatable and engaging character. I can't wait to read more of her adventures. Her interactions with her team and the townspeople add layers to the story, revealing the complexities of small-town dynamics and the personal stakes involved in the investigation.

The novel also touches on themes of justice, redemption, and the impact of past traumas, making it more than just a straightforward crime thriller. Louth’s ability to weave these elements into the story without slowing down the pace is impressive, ensuring that readers are entertained and moved.

The Last Ride is a standout addition to the crime thriller genre. Nick Louth’s masterful storytelling and keen eye for detail make this a must-read for fans of detective fiction. Whether you’re new to the series or a returning reader, this novel delivers a thrilling and satisfying experience.

Good story
Keeps you guessing right to the end.
Very enjoyable.
I would say I prefer the DCI Craig Gillard series
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review

This book is a book two in a series but I read it as a stand-alone so I think I did it’s some context that would have helped made this book better. It was still crazy and interesting starting off which a car accident with five children. It was fast paced and entertaining

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

This is the second book in this series featuring DI Jan Talantire set in Devon. It is an excellent police procedural with the emphasis on the process of detection. After a slow start the character of Jan Talantire is growing on me. The plot is tightly controlled and full of twists and the book is very well-written. A very entertaining read.

This book is one wild ride! The plot starts off with a major car accident involving five kids in a stolen car. The car appears to have lost control and flew into the greenhouse of an elderly man. From the beginning, there are major twists and turns that kept me guessing from chapter to chapter. The crimes start to pile up, as do the suspects, especially when a missing girl is identified as having also been in the car, but was not at the scene.

This was Nick Louth at his best! Cannot recommend this book enough. Characters were developed, although not all likable! The plot flowed quickly and smoothly, and kept me reading all night long. A must read.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

It's every parent's nightmare. Your child goes off with their friends and doesn't return. On the edge of Bodmin Moor, DI Jan Talantire is the first to arrive at the scene of a devastating crash where the home owner says he saw someone running from the scene. When a worried parent comes searching for her missing child, who isn't amongst the victims, the accident suddenly becomes so much more.

Trying to piece everything together Jan and her team are forced to work under an arrogant SIO with whom she has had a complex and negative relationship. As everything begins to become clearer can she prevent more heartache and make an arrest before more people die and her reputation is shattered forever?

Book one in Nick Louth's new series was excellent and this is an absolutely brilliant second outing for Jan Talantire. I love police procedural fiction but only one or two other writers can hold my attention in the way this author does. I was nowhere near guessing whodunit and loved all the behind the scenes disruption going on. More please.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Canelo, but the opinions expressed are my own. I loved this from beginning to end. One of my top reads of the year; gets 5 stars without a doubt.

I am a fan of Nick Louth and have read all of his books. It took me a while to get into this book but I really enjoyed the complexity of the case. It probably reflects the work police teams have to undertake to solve crimes. I look forward to the next one in the DI Talantyre series. A good read.

The Last Ride by Nick Louth was a tense mystery. I really like DI Jan Talantire and her team.

On a midsummer’s night, a stolen car packed with teenagers crashes at high speed on the southern edge of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. DI Jan Talantire arrives at the scene to find the crash victims.

It appears to be a tragic accident until a worried mother turns up at the accident scene. Her daughter, Jade, a friend of the joyriders, hasn’t been seen since the previous night. The account dovetails with the statement of the householder, who claimed to see a girl running near the crashed vehicle the moment he emerged.

I would recommend this book; solid mystery with solid writing and good characters.

#TheLastRide #NetGalley

A standalone crime thriller by Nick Louth author of the DCI Craig Gillard series that I enjoy. This is a well crafted thriller that held my attention from early on in the book.

The novel is set in Bodmin Moor in Cornwall and start with a , the novel opens with a catastrophic car crash involving a group of teenagers in a stolen car. The first indications are that it is a tragic accident but further investigations by DI Jan Talantire discover that one girl, Jade, is missing and may have fled the scene.

I found the novel quite atmospheric and found it easy to imagine the Cornish landscape as DI Talantire races against the clock to unravel the truth. Questions start to build, was Jade a victim or a witness and why did she not hang around after the accident. The story is well paced and along with the usual twists and turns kept me guessing.

DI Jan Talantire is an interesting character and is determined to solve the mystery using her sharp inquisitive mind. Many readers may not be familiar with this author but in my opinion is well worth a try if you are looking for entertaining well thought out crime novels.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Canelo for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Ride is the second in the Jan Talantire series by Nick Louth. I have not read the first yet, but enjoyed this so much I intend to go back and rectify that. And there were no problems with it working as a stand-alone. This is a well done, well thought out police procedural with an engaging main character.
The story begins with a car accident. A car filled with teenagers careens off the road at a high rate of speed. Four are trapped inside, one deceased and one girl flies out of the car. But was there another teenager there? An elderly witness saw a girl walking away from the scene. And a 17 year old girl has been reported missing by her mother.
Jan was an interesting character, dealing with a fraught family relationship, an incoming boss that she shares bad history with and a questionable reputation within the ranks (thanks to the same officer). As with the best police procedurals, the team was an important part of the story and definitely added to the depth of the story.
The story moved at a nice steady pace until ramping up the tension and pace at the end. Louth totally took me by surprise with the who and why. I appreciated that Jan’s revelation was only part of the ending. Finding concrete proof was the real issue.
My thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for an advance copy of this book.

Literally never get a bad book out of Nick Louth, I haven't read any other Talentire books but I've read all his "body books" - this one was great, gripping from the start and interesting all the way through. Unskimmable.

The Last Ride is the second book in the DI Jan Talantire series, following up the brilliant “Two Deaths of Ruth Lyle” with another meticulously plotted mystery. I beta read this for the author back in April, then got the final ARC version from NetGalley - it’s deeply satisfying to both find my name in the credits and see the changes that I and the other betas had suggested put in place. This works fine as a standalone and there are no spoilers for the previous book either.

Devon & Cornwall detective Jan Talantire finds herself first on scene at a horrific car crash, where a group of teenage joyriders have lost control of a stolen Mercedes on a remote stretch of road along Bodmin moor. Then Jade, a friend of the accident victims, is reported missing by her worried mother and Jan cannot see how she could’ve walked away unhurt and just disappeared - or did she?

One of my favourite things about this author’s crime fiction is that the Why is usually more important than the Who - the crimes committed are for reasons that make sense at the reveal, rather than just featuring crazy serial killers. I enjoyed this even more the second time round, knowing who the guilty party was and seeing how clever the misdirection is. I really like Jan and her team, and there is an intriguing subplot about Jan’s past relationship with her predatory Commanding Officer which is set to play out over the next couple of books. I have a high bar for thrillers but this gets an easy 5 stars from me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the advance review copy. The Last Ride is published on November 7th.