Last Seen Alive by Joanna Schaffhausen

Last Seen Alive is the fifth book in Joanna Schaffhausen's heartpounding Ellery Hathaway mystery series.

Boston detective Ellery Hathaway met FBI agent Reed Markham when he pried open a serial killer’s closet to rescue her. Years on, their relationship remains defined by that moment and by Francis Coben’s horrific crimes. To free herself from Coben’s legacy, Ellery had to walk away from Reed, too. But Coben is not letting go so easily. He has an impossible proposition: Coben will finally give up the location of the remaining bodies, on one condition—Reed must bring him Ellery.

Now the families of the missing victims are crying out for justice that only Ellery can deliver. The media hungers for a sequel and Coben is their camera-ready star. He claims he is sorry and wants to make amends. But Ellery is the one living person who has seen the monster behind the mask and she doesn’t believe he can be redeemed. Not after everything he’s done. Not after what she’s been through. And certainly not after a fresh body turns up with Coben’s signature all over it.

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Ellery Hathaway series!
For book one, The Vanishing Season, click HERE.
For book two, No Mercy, click HERE.
For book three, All the Best Lies, click HERE.
For book four, Every Waking Hour, click HERE.

 

 

Book 5
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Apple Books  ~  B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  Kobo
Audiobook (US)  ~  Hardcover (US)

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Mystery

In the fifth installment in this series, you get to see Ellery back at it.

Since the last book, both Ellery and Reed have found different paths, but the cunning and sociopathic Coben is finding a way back into both their lives again.

Reed is still trying to keep Ellery safe and away from danger. He can't help it. It's in his blood. Despite knowing that Ellery can take care of herself, Reed can't help but feel that he's facilitated Coben coming back into her life.

Ellery is no shrinking violet. She wants to make sure that Coben sees that she's not broken. She beat him and is continuing on in her life. But the memories take over every once in a while.

As Reed and Ellery play Coben's cat and mouse game, you'll have to decide who the cat is and who the mouse is.

While you don't necessarily have to read these books in order, I highly suggest that you do. The relationship between Reed and Ellery is complicated and while I can understand their hesitance, it does sometime detract from the story. I wish that they would develop a different path, but it seems that they are destined for the path they were set on when Ellery was just a girl.

You won't be disappointed in this book. It has anxiety inducing scenes and when you face your fears, something unexpected always comes up.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars

This fifth book is probably the most exciting and the most disturbing book in the series. The initial premise still doesn’t quite work for me. Somehow the FBI approves and encourages a reality television show wanting to reunite a child survivor with the serial killer who tortured her. It leads to all sorts of drama for Ellery, but I found myself continually having to suspend my disbelief.

I did enjoy the tension and drama in this story. I’ve never been a huge fan of the slightly creepy relationship between Ellery and Reed, and I’ve been getting tired of the hot and cold nature of their relationship for a couple of books. Thankfully, this story introduces a whole new cast of characters to the series.

While this is an exciting, fast-paced action story, it isn’t the most carefully plotted psychological thriller. I loved the action sequences but found the twists either too predictable or entirely implausible. The story is littered with dead bodies and potential suspects. It’s a bloodbath that will appeal more to readers who enjoy a gory thriller than readers who want to untangle a psychological puzzle.

This feels like the end of the series, and I feel like I’m ready to leave the series here. Ellery has been a fascinating antihero and I’ve really enjoyed her journey.

 

 

JOANNA SCHAFFHAUSEN wields a mean scalpel, skills developed in her years studying neuroscience. She has a doctorate in psychology, which reflects her long-standing interest in the brain—how it develops and the many ways it can go wrong. Previously, she worked for ABC News, writing for programs such as World News Tonight, Good Morning America, and 20/20. She lives in the Boston area with her husband and daughter. The Vanishing Season is her first novel.

Connect with Joanna

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Last Seen Alive (Ellery Hathaway #5) by Joanna Schaffhausen to read and review.