Wow. I couldn't put this book down. I am impressed that this was a debut novel.

Roxane Weary, a private investigator who fell off the rails after the death of her father, used to be good at finding things. "Objects. People. Answers. Whatever needs to be found." When she gets a call from Danielle Stockton she only answers to stop the ringing from intruding on her extremely hungover silence. After Danielle tells her why she is calling - her brother Brad is on death row for the murder of his girlfriend Sarah's parents and possibly Sarah who has been missing 15 years and his execution date was set - she decides to meet with her to appease her empty bank account.

After looking into Danielle's story a little bit, it seems like she was grasping at straws to find some way to save her brother, but it is undeniable to Roxane that something isn't right about the case. She starts digging into the history of the town and starts to see some connections between Brad's case and a couple of other cases from the past. When another local teenager goes missing, she is determined to find her, much to the annoyance of the town police.

I really loved that Roxane was so flawed. I felt that her alcoholism was realistically portrayed, as was her bisexuality. I am glad that this is the first of a series and I will be eagerly awaiting it's sequel.

This book was SO good. Roxane Weary is a private detective. Her father was a police officer killed in the line of duty. They had issues that were obviously unresolved. Roxane gets a case of a missing woman gone for a decade. The woman's parents were killed in a double homicide on the night she went missing and her boyfriend is on death row convicted of the murders.

Roxane clearly has an issue with alcohol but an uncanny instinct when it comes to finding things. She's bisexual and has a few different relationships and problems in each. I absolutely have to read another book starring her. This book sucked me right in. I didn't want any distractions including sleep. Roxane is the kind of woman that doesn't give up once she cares. I totally relate to being like that. Her relationship with her brother Andrew reminded me of my brothers and I.

I'm hoping I get to come along on Roxanes next case and glimpse more of her complicated life. Kristen Lepionka has a winner with the main character.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Kristen and the publisher for allowing me to review this eARC.

Roxane Weary is reeling after the death of her cop father in the line of duty. Despite the fact that they didn't agree on much of anything, she is trying to fill the hole in her life by working too little as a private detective and drinking too much. When her brother Matt sends a client her way, she reluctantly takes the case, Her client is convinced that her brother who is on death row and within months of his execution for killing the parents of his girlfriend is innocent. And no one has seen the girlfriend since the night her parents died.

The client is convinced that she saw Sarah, the girlfriend, at a gas station in Belmont where the crime went down sixteen or so years earlier. Roxane goes to try to find out if it was Sarah. She meets with Brad, the boyfriend, who is still proclaiming his innocence and refusing to implicate Sarah in any way. Roxane's investigation draws the attention of the Belmont cops who don't want to even consider that Brad might be innocent.

Roxane keeps getting rousted and harassed by the cops. However, she has found that there was another murder similar to Sarah's parents. A young mother named Mallory disappeared and was later found wrapped in a tarp. She was killed with a knife after being sexually assaulted. Roxane becomes even more interested when she learns that her father had investigated this unsolved murder.

The plot was interestingly twisted and Roxane was an intriguing character. Personal details of her life added depth to her character and to the story. Her relationships with her father's partner and an old girlfriend add complications as does her relationship with her family.

This one was a real page-turner. I couldn't put it down until I reached the conclusion.

The Last Place You Look is book one in a dark and gritty mystery series driven by an extremely flawed, yet likeable heroine.

Roxane Weary is dealing (or more like not dealing) with the aftermath her revered Police Officer father’s death. Roxane, a struggling PI, is barely holding it together, existing mostly in drunken states. She has pushed those who are closest to her away and is hanging on by thread.

When she takes on a case that seems hopeless, she doesn’t realize how it will change her life, as it brings her closer to her father and forces her to come to terms with who she is.

Roxane’s character is what makes this book shine. She is a strong, intelligent female protagonist, but she’s also supreme mess that I couldn’t help but root for. Not only is her personal and professional life a mess, her love life is equally messy and adds an interesting layer to her character.

I highly recommend The Last Place You Look-- Roxane’s character is intriguing and the mystery held my attention. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series and seeing how Roxane’s character develops.


I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is exactly how I like my mysteries. It's a shame mediocre books like Into the Water will soar the charts this year, when books like this probably won't get the attention they deserve.

The Last Place You Look follows private investigator - Roxane Weary - as she attempts to solve a fifteen-year-old case and, possibly, save an innocent man from death row. It doesn't look good; in fact, the guy looks guilty as sin, but Roxane needs the PI money. However, her digging into small town secrets and a buried past unearth something bigger than she'd ever imagined. It's just so damn compelling.

The real strength of this book is Roxane herself. I adore mystery/thrillers that make you care about the investigator and their private life just as much as you care about the whodunnit. Roxane is bisexual and juggling two unhealthy relationships, one with a man and the other with a woman. She also has a drinking problem that is starting to affect her work.

Roxane's messy, imperfect life makes her all the more interesting. She's set up as someone I would like to read more about - not just to see her solve crimes and get her hands dirty, but because I care about her. I'm really glad to hear there are more books planned for this series.

Some of the reveals are not difficult to guess, but I've said this maybe a hundred times: the best mysteries are those where it doesn't matter if you work out who did it. And here, it doesn't matter. The story stands strong without leaning heavily on its reveals; it is so much more than its outcome.

So if you like small town mysteries, charmingly screwed-up private investigators, cases that expand and get bigger and bigger, and a touch of weird phone calls and creepy houses, I would highly recommend this book.

Tana French aside, it's easily the best mystery/thriller I've read in a while.

Roxane Weary is good at finding things. She always has been. So when she's hired by Brad Stockton's sister, Danielle, to find Brad's teenage girlfriend, Sarah, she doesn't think it will be a difficult case. Danielle is convinced she spotted Sarah at a gas station--despite the fact she disappeared fifteen years ago. Meanwhile, Brad is in jail--set to soon be executed--for the brutal murder of Sarah's parents the night Sarah disappeared; the prosecution also alleged that Brad killed Sarah as well. Brad did not put up much of a fight in his defense, but Danielle refuses to give up. Roxane quickly becomes caught up in Sarah's story and finds ties between her disappearance and other girls in the seemingly idyllic town of Belmont-- as well as connections to cases worked by her father, a police officer.

This is just a great book. It's easy to read and funny, albeit dark and sad at times. Roxane's dark, sarcastic humor is perfect. She gives off a Kinsey Millhone type vibe, if Kinsey was a functioning alcoholic with major Daddy issues. She's a complicated character (a complicated, real, female character - so refreshing!). She's bisexual (so wonderful to see reflected realistically in a novel). The other characters are well-formed and range from awful to sweet, but they support Roxane and the story perfectly.

As for the plot, it draws you immediately and keeps you constantly guessing, wondering what people know, who is telling the truth, and what's the actual story. I actually didn't figure this one out, so kudos to Lepionka. There are a few amazing "aha" moments that basically made me gasp. The town of Belmont is creepy and dark, and you'll find yourself completely wrapped up in its twisted, sad characters.

It looks like this is the first in a series, and I couldn't be happier; I can't wait to see where Roxane is headed next. Definitely recommend this one to mystery and thriller fans alike.

"The Last Place You Look" kept me turning the pages to find out what happened to Private Investigator Roxane Weary and the cast of characters in this dark, intriguing world Lepionka built around Columbus and Belmont, Ohio. Roxane Weary is pulled out of her lethargy and grief over her father's death by a client in need: the client's brother is going to be executed for murders he says he didn't commit in two months, and the client thinks she saw one of his alleged victims at the gas station. Along the route, Roxane is led down many wrong--yet very convincing and fun to read--paths, until she finally discovers the truth in a riveting climax. I enjoyed watching the plot unfold, and seeing Roxane struggle to overcome her complicated grief over her father's death. I also appreciated that Roxane had both a male and female love interest--something you don't get to see too much in mysteries! I can't wait to see what will happen with Roxane in future books.

I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Written by Kristen Lepionka and published by Minotaur Books New York in 2017, “The Last Place You Look” is a story about Roxane Weary, the daughter of a former police detective who had died nine months earlier while still on the job as a detective with the Columbus, Ohio Police Department. She is now working as a private investigator in that city.

Roxane has a problem. His name is John Barleycorn. Like her father, she likes her whiskey — too much. It is affecting her life, but she struggles on. Her latest case is an investigation commissioned by the sister of an innocent death row inmate who is scheduled for execution in just two months. Roxane starts turning over rocks, sometimes literally, and is amazed at what she finds. Unfortunately, she has intruded onto the turf of a small suburban police department, and she is not treated kindly by them.

Roxane stumbles and bumbles through her case, ultimately solving it. The suspense builds to a crescendo near the end of the book, and the ending is climactic. Roxane is not a likable person, and is an anti-heroine in most senses of the word, but she eventually gets her job done.

The book is a relatively easy read. The author does a very good job of telling the story, and the dialogue is credible. Some lesbian and straight sex is to be found in the book, but not to an obnoxious or offensive degree. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy crime and detective novels.

The Last Place You Look is a bold and intriguing novel. Reading it for me was so much fun because I was so immersed in the story that I felt like it was ME who was solving the mystery. And to think, this is a debut? Are you sure? It reads like a seasoned author wrote it. I honestly couldn't recommend it more!

PI Roxane Weary is still hurting from her cop father's recent death when she's asked to investigate a death row inmate's murder conviction by a friend of her brother. It's been fifteen years, but the small town of Belmont holds a lot of secrets and no one wants Roxane anywhere near--especially the police.

This is a good, solid first novel and I will definitely look forward to the next one in the series. Set in a fictional town near Columbus, OH.

THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK promises a mystery that will solve a long-ago double murder and possibly get a man off of death row. Author Kristen Lepionka’s voice is one that’s savvy and smooth, one you want to listen to, and the mystery set up is compelling and urgent. After all, no one wants to see an innocent man—if he is innocent—suffer the death penalty.

Roxane, our down-on-her-luck-and-drowning-herself-in-whiskey detective, is a great main character to follow: she’s got baggage, and she’s got a heart, but does she have the skills to solve this dead-end while she’s grieving? Plus, the clock is ticking.

So friends, readers, humans, I’m happy to report that THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK does not disappoint! This is one that mystery lovers everywhere need to read. Plus, it’s set in Ohio—part of America that can get ignored for say L.A. or NYC—and it’s so nice to read a book with a bisexual protagonist where her bisexuality isn’t the point of the book. THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK is refreshing, with a plot that twists, and a protagonist that you’re rooting for!

Last tidbit. It’s a little thing, but it’s super endearing: Roxane tells us what’s she eating often enough to remind us that we eat three or so meals a day, and I’ve wanted to try almost every meal!

I was lucky to get an ARC from NetGalley, but I’ve still preordered THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK. I want this one on my bookshelf forever!

Oh and I can’t wait for Roxane’s next case!!

This review will be posted on Goodreads and on Amazon.

Very much a detective novel, this book was kind of all over the place in the topics it covered but was a solid read.

One of my initial thoughts about this book was "wow, this chick drinks all the time." Thankfully, while this started off as overtly descriptive, it turned into an interesting facet that allowed Roxane to grow up a little bit throughout the novel. I never really gained an appreciation for her, however, and though she was sympathetic and tough, she simply never resonated with me.

I liked that her two major relationships never turned the novel into a romance but had plenty of elements of adult relationships. They were rather different in nature but each again had her maturing a little and contributed to her backstory. I really loved that she was bisexual but that she didn't have to talk about it.

More so than the mystery itself, this book was driven by the relationships. She also formed a cool friendship with Shelby, a teen who managed to be caught up in the drama. It was definitely more a detective novel, but the parts I mainly cared about were by far these relationships.

This book aptly demonstrated all the problems that can happen with corruption in the government and was quite alarming at some points but hopefully could serve as a wakeup call.

I'm not over the top about this book and am not likely to read the sequels, but it was a fairly solid detective story.

Top notch Crime fiction right here, really addicting debut, totally engaging main protagonist and a story that is twistier than my arthritic aunt but still entirely authentic and utterly believable. Absolutely fell in love with the writing style that just perfectly tells a beautifully plotted story.

I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Kristen Lepionka, and Minotaur Books of New York in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all, for sharing your hard work with me.

I have really enjoyed this protagonist, Roxane Weary, and look forward to more novels featuring her.
If John D. McDonald had had women PI's, she would be a feminine Travis McGee - a little hard, a little scarred, and a mindset that fully understands bad guys. This is a fast read, with lingering echoes of dialog and plots. Bring them on, Ms. Lepionka! We need more of Roxane.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Its my first by Kristen Lepionka and I will certainly be looking out for more. The story kept me engaged right throughout the book, I couldn't wait to see what happened and had a hard time putting it down. Excellent book!

I loved the modern noir feel of this book, I really liked Roxane and her determined, stubborn way of shaking things until something useful falls out. Roxane is a bad-ass and she is definitely the woman you want in your corner when it all goes south. While I am not the biggest fan of book series with the same detective (exceptions being Lawrence Block and Jonathan Kellerman), The author is great at building suspense and letting the reader feel Roxane's frustration--I actually felt claustrophobic during the jail scene. I will definitely be tuning in for any further adventures of Roxane Weary. (Please let there be further adventures)

I knew I was going to love this book right from the first paragraph when protagonist, PI Roxane Weary answers the phone from the carpet underneath her desk. Roxane hasn’t been coping well since her father’s death and has been using alcohol to drown her feelings of loss, anger and ambiguity. But now she has a client, and she needs the money, so Roxane takes a case trying to save a man two months away from his date with the Needle. Brad Stockton’s sister is sure her brother is innocent. Convicted of murdering his girlfriends parents after the murder weapon was found in his vehicle, there seems little doubt of his guilt. But his sister claims to have recently seen Brad’s girlfriend, Sarah Cook alive and well. Police had always contended that Brad had murdered her and dumped her body somewhere. But if she’s really alive, why hasn’t she come forward? Finding links to some of her police officer father’s last cases, Roxane finds herself in over her head, but like her father, she’s not about to quit. As more missing girls are connected to the case, she digs deeper into the small town’s past. angering the wrong people and putting her own life in jeopardy. Please, please tell me that Roxane will return in another book. This one was so good, I didn’t want it to end, and I’m still thinking about it days later