The last weekend by Laura Disilverio.
A terrible accident. A killer among friends.A woman risking everything for answers.
A very good read with good characters. I didn't expect that. 4*.

Thank you to NetGalley and Midnight Ink for this reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

A girls' weekend goes wrong but nobody knows who the culprit is. Well, somebody knows but they haven't confessed. 10 years later an invitation arrives in the mailboxes of Laurel, Dawn, Ellie, and Geneva for another girls' weekend with Evangeline, the victim of the last time they all got together. Initially, each woman doesn't think she will go but ultimately each woman goes for differing reasons but seeking all of them seeking closure. At first, the weekend starts off surprisingly well but it soon takes a dark turn when a body is discovered. One has to wonder if these girls' weekends are cursed. In a deja vu of 10 years earlier, the whole cast of characters gives repeat performances with each other and the police. Except for this time Laurel is determined to not leave their vacation spot until the culprit is discovered and held accountable.

I really liked this title. I liked the planning and execution DiSilverio put into the crimes committed that gave the story its foundation. I like how she created and developed each character. It had a subtle feeling of Clue and that made it feel fun to me even though it was not a fun weekend for the women. It had enough small changes to the usual suspense story that it felt different and fresh. DiSilverio has written cozy mysteries (which I have a fondness for) and a YA Dystopian series but this is her first non-cozy suspense title and I really liked it. I hope she writes more.

A twisty tale that will keep you guessing until the very end. Unpredictable characters with secrets and supsense that will keep you wanting more. I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author.

I received this from NetGalley for an honest review, I don’t know how long ago, and I finally was able to read it.

This is about a group of friends who receive an invitation to meet up at a bed and breakfast that they all last stayed at 10 years before, where one of the group was shoved off a balcony and the guilty party was never brought to justice. Each of the suspects are now looking to figure out what happened that last weekend (sorry, couldn’t help myself) and perhaps patch up old friendships.

This story was interesting and very predictable, unfortunately. I knew most, if not all, of the twists and it just didn’t excite me as much as I hoped it would. All in all, a great story to read though.

“It had started with such promise and ended in tragedy, suspicion, and a police investigation. Horrible.”

Five young women, former college roommates, are the stars in this novel. The best of friends, they visit a country inn annually. Until… the unthinkable happens and one of them is gravely injured. Evangeline Paul survived her fall from the fifth floor balcony, but was paralyzed as a result. Now, the women seldom keep in touch. The tragedy put them all under suspicion by the police and has put an indelible blight on their friendship.

The story, for the most part is told through the eyes of Laurel Muir. She is divorced, and a successful lawyer. Recently she has been appointed as a judge. In her late thirties, she longs for a child and a life beyond that which her career provides. Ten years have passed since she and her former college friends visited “Chateau du Cygne Noir“. Now, surprisingly, she receives an invitation to once again visit the inn in North Carolina along with her four friends during the first weekend of September.

Besides Laurel, the other women include Dawn Infanti (a gay artist), Ellie Ordahl (a married mother of college age sons), and Geneva Prost (a pregnant African American television reporter from Chicago).

The women have all received the trademark tangerine envelope with held an invitation to the inn. And, despite the decade that has passed since they last visited, they all accept Evangeline’s invitation. They find that the inn has recently been sold and is to be turned into a nursing home. The caretakers, Mr. and Mrs. Abbott, have been let go and this is their final guest booking before they leave the inn permanently. It really is “the last weekend“.

Now in a wheelchair, Evangeline seems to have turned her life around. She says that a miracle cure from Mexico has enabled her to perhaps walk again. She is engaged to be married and wanted to share her happiness with her old friends.

“Strange, that, how “lasts” could happen without any fanfare or notice; they could be over and one with before you noticed their significance.”

Another tragedy mars their reunion. This time Evangeline is dead. The women are all under suspicion. Sheriff Judah Boone is leading the investigation. The women all have motives, but “all of their motives were dusty with age”. Laurel takes it upon herself to aid in the investigation. Before their stay ends, many of her friends will be put in dire peril.

MY THOUGHTS

This is a classic ‘whodunit’ mystery. A closed setting with limited suspects. Many motives to cast suspicion on them all. The setting was atmospheric and the characters quite engaging.

Perhaps I’ve just read too many similar novels, because though I find it difficult to pinpoint just what left me less than enthusiastic, it was for me just a ‘mediocre‘ read. I think this has a lot to do with the fact that I cottoned on quite early just who the guilty party was – though to be fair, the author did include a plot twist near the end that I did not anticipate.

I think this book will be enjoyed by many who like a suspenseful mystery with a dash of romantic suspense.

Many thanks to Midnight Ink who supplied with a digital copy of this novel via NetGalley.

3.5 rounded up for NetGalley

"A terrible accident. A killer among friends.

A woman risking everything for answers.

Every year for a decade, five college friends spent a weekend together at the atmospheric Chateau du Cygne Noir. Then, tragedy struck.

Ten years later, Laurel Muir returns to the castle for the first time since the accident, hoping to reconnect with her friends and lay the past to rest. When a murderer attacks, it rips open old wounds and forces the women to admit there’s a killer in their midst. The remaining friends make a pact to unearth the truth, but suspicion, doubt, and old secrets threaten to tear them apart. Unsure who to trust, Laurel puts herself in harm’s way, risking it all for friendship and long-delayed justice."

YAS! Old secrets, a new murder! I'm so easily sold on certain books.

Laurel is just about to become a judge, but she accepts an invitation to spend the weekend with her old college friends. The five of them used to gather every year for a retreat at Cygne castle. It stopped nearly a decade ago when when a tragedy occurred. After the police investigation of that weekend, the girls mostly went their separate ways.

Now they are gathered in the same place the original accident occurs, and before long a murder occurs. Was the original accident REALLY an accident? Is one of them a murderer? What is happening?

It was a standard premise for a murder mystery novel, though the setting was lovely. Laura DiSilverio wrote an atmospheric mystery, and parts of it were quite engaging.. For a relaxing mystery on a dark summer night, this is a good choice.

This was a very interesting suspense and mystery book that once I picked it up I could not put it down until I know who the murderer was. I highly recommend it.

I downloaded this book because the synopsis appeared to be one I would enjoy. The twists were ok and the writing set the scene well. All things considered this book has a bit of suspense in it and even though I did not love it, it is worth a read.

My review was published at All About Romance on 10/24/2017. https://allaboutromance.com/book-review/that-last-weekend-by-laura-disilverio/

A review on Amazon stated that this is like a Christopher Pike book for adults and I couldn't agree more! I also loved Christopher Pike as a kid and I know exactly which book they are referring to! But enough about Pike and more about DiSilverio. This is my first time reading Laura DiSilverio, which I am pretty ashamed of, because it seems that she has some really great books. But this is why I love Netgalley because I get to be introduced to great works and authors like Laura. This book does get off to a slow start, but keep at it. The story quickly picks up and keeps you engaged in the mystery and suspense throughout! Highly recommended!

This book was better than I thought it would be. Stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it. The only thing I didn't like about it was when the pregnant woman got attacked. I will check out other books from the author.

First off I loved the cover. Secondly that reveal that a character was alive totally had me mind boggled. I loved this fast paced suspense fest. Everyone has a secret. Everyone is a suspect. This one kept me guessing right up until the end.

Show me a book with a dark and foreboding castle on the cover and I'm already half-way hooked. This novel brings inseparable college friends back together for a reunion weekend, recreating the event where one of them was nearly killed ten years ago. Almost immediately, there are moments of suspicion, aggression, mysterious disappearances, and everyone becomes a suspect. I couldn't put this book down.

Five college friends meet to renew their acquaintances after a ten year break from their yearly visits to a bed and breakfast. But then there were four. Who committed the murder? And, are the others in danger? This mystery combines intriguing characters with an interesting plot line. An enjoyable read!

This book was a little different than others I've read from this author. More along the psychological suspense than the cozy that I've read from her--but it was good. Lots of twists and turns and things from the past--it's reminiscent of the old fashioned murder mystery books. I like that its a stand alone as well--not everything needs to be a series. I would definitely recommend this.

This was a decent suspense. The plot kept me immersed and the characters were flushed out. I felt that there were some loose ends not quite wrapped up.

Loved the premise of the book and the characterisation; the plot wrapped up rather quickly...left a few "ends" untied.

How well do we know our closest friends? How well do we know ourselves? How well can we sleep after we have done something bad, utterly evil? So many questions and so many choices for answers.

Five friends become four, become three. And it is not ‘Than there were none’ by Agatha Christie but a similar point. Everything is connected and interconnected in this live. One evil deed becomes two and many just to cover up the very first evil.

The Last Weekend was supposed to be a closure, a good bye, a weekend of revelations and admissions. However, five grown up women could not be honest even with themselves…

It all ended badly and in so many ways.

I would have wanted to say that this book is a light ‘train ride’ read, but it is not. Having read it, I am still thinking about it. I am still reasoning with myself: what would I have done in similar circumstances? What constitutes a good friend? How far should we go in our forgiveness?

Figure out for yourself. Enter the castle

A group of friends, accidents, mystery and suspense. The summary for this book caught my attention.
The book starts with a chapter on each of the friends. They receive an invitation to return to Chateau du Cygne Noir and all seem to react very distressed. It is nice to get a look into every character but it disturbed the pace of the story and I noticed I lost some attention. Next most of the book is told from Laurel and Geneva. This made me feel that those introductions in the beginning were not really necessary. Though it was nice to try and puzzle along I missed the real tension. There were some scenes that could have been spooky but it failed to grip me.