Last Seen Alive: A Mystery

Joanna Schaffhausen

Jan 2022 · Ellery Hathaway Book 5 · Sold by Minotaur Books

About this ebook

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.

Ratings and reviews

I became a fan of Joanna Schaffhausen when I read her debut, The Vanishing Season, and she hasn't disappointed me a single time. Oh, and that debut was also our introduction to Ellery and Reed. And Bump, we can't forget Bump, the hound has been a big part of Ellery's life and he definitely has a way of getting what he wants. I've enjoyed every book in this series; they've all been gritty, suspenseful, and downright addictive. So, they've all been good, but this fifth book absolutely knocked it out of the park. The series has followed Ellery and Reed, and there's been a continuing storyline from the start–Francis Coben, the monster who changed both their lives, the monster who brought them together and tore them apart, the thing that Ellery has been trying to get past since she was a young girl. Ellery's history with Coben has been at the forefront of her life and shaped everything she's done. So, with all that in mind, I hope I'm not revealing too much by saying that I feel like everything was leading to this book. This is the one I've been waiting for since the beginning. And it was everything I expected. It's dark, jarring, and a little gory, but it's also Ellery's coming into her own story, so to speak. I finished the fourth book in this series a little worried about things on the personal front for these characters. There was so much left up in the air - actually, there was unfinished business all the way around. Things kind of come full circle here, and while I'll be disappointed to not get more Ellery and Reed, this book feels like the end of the series to me. There is an open-door scene in this book, which surprised me, but with Ellery being the way she is along with everything happening around them, that scene was more than just an on-page bit of steam. Really, it wasn't even what I'd call steamy. Instead, it helps to show where these characters are mentally and emotionally. With that, I've come as close to spoiler territory as I'm going to, so I'll just finish with Last Seen Alive is another gripping, fast-paced book in a series of gripping, fast-paced books.

Wow and oh, my! Fans of dark mystery/suspense thrillers will not want to miss the fifth book in the Ellery Hathaway series. It can most certainly be read as a standalone, but real fans of the series will want to read all of the books. Ellery was a kidnapping victim of a psychopathic serial killer, Francis Coben, when she was a young teen. She is also the only one who survived, thanks to her rescuer, FBI agent Reed Markham. Her past is inextricably wound around her survival and Reed, but she wants to escape her past completely and just be the Boston police detective that she currently is. That is easier said than done since in this book Coben insists on an audience with Ellery in order to release the locations of other bodies. His strange proclivities with his victims make the violence that is described graphic and very disturbing, so this book is not for the faint-hearted. It is fast-paced and written with characters that are convincingly realistic (in Coben’s case, horrifyingly so). Ellery is a strong female protagonist and Coben is the most evil serial killer since Hannibal. The plot is complicated but well-written in a way that made it totally engaging. The action was intense and scary at times, especially the more absorbed I got in the story of Ellery coming to grips with her past and seeking closure in her life. The tension mounted throughout the story, with flashbacks to Ellery’s time in captivity and all of the horror that evoked for her. Fans of hard core mystery and suspense thrillers want to devour this book as it takes a close look at the past and the future that Ellery wants to have. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martins Press (Minotaur) via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

What a great read. This is the 5th in this series and keeps you hanging on from start to finish! I have fast became a big fan of this author and can’t wait to see what else she has to offer. You cannot go wrong reading any of her books.

About the author

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. She is also the author of The Vanishing Season, No Mercy, All the Best Lies, Every Waking Hour, and Gone for Good.