Loved this - my first experience of this writer and immediately we were introduced to some likeable, realistic characters in an intriguing investigation. I shall definitely be reading more.

It took me a little while to get into this book, but once I did. I couldn’t put it down. This is a great page turner, I needed more and more. I didn’t think I’d be able to come back to read this book, because for me it started off slow, but i am really glad that I went back to it.

This was an enthralling and addictive read, it looks like another fantastic series to put on my to-read list. The pace was ideal, the story interesting, and the finale great. It is well written making it easy to get into, with characters you will remember. I hope to learn more about them as the series continues..

This is a quick easy book, the short chapters alway help me to keep reading uninterrupted. I frankly can't wait for the next one. Hunt sure knows how to captivate you and keep you under her spell for the duration of the novel!

I would like to thank Arlene Hunt, Bookouture, and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gripping, thrilling, and captivating! Last Goodbye is a fantastic book for any fan of thrillers or murder mysteries!

This was the first book I have read by Arlene Hunt and I was impressed. It was an easy read and was very well written. This book pulls you in from the very beginning and is a great page turner through the book, keeping your interest as you are reading more wanting to find out what is to happen next.

There is a killer on the loose that seems to have an interest in killing couples. The women are dressed and posed in a certain way after being murdered and the murderer likes to leave bouquets of yellow roses at the murder scene. Who is the murderer? Detectives Quinn and Malloy are out to find the murderer before they strike again, but where do they look first? What is the meaning behind all the yellow roses? And why only couples?

This book will have to reading late into the night, in search of finding out what will happen next and if the murderer will strike again!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Bookouture for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Really good introduction to two new detectives! Albeit a bit choppy and trying to find the series feet, its well worth it to get stuck into this new world. Roxy is challenging and a brash young sergeant who is moving quickly up the ranks. Eli is the boss and hiding many a secret! Do i sense a bit of sexual tension between the two? Apologies if that is wrong! I couldn't gauge their ages haha

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Totally enjoyed the introduction to Detectives Eli Quinn and Roxy Malloy of the Garda. This first in a new series featuring those characters and the others on their team was fast-paced and absorbing. I read it in a single sitting as the police procedural developed and they worked the case.

A serial killer is out there targeting couples -- but it appears as if it's the woman who's the main focus. The murders are staged with champagne and yellow roses. Complicating the two cases they've identified as being those by the "sweetheart killer" is another homicide with different aspects -- dissimilar enough to make them all wonder if they are looking at two different killers. Dogged investigative techniques may help them but there are many other factors at play and politics involved.

The reader doesn't get to know much about the characters in this novel, and I look forward to their development in future books. I'm sure they have some interesting backstories though we only find out a few snippets here and there. The narrative shifts around a bit between the players, even giving the point of view of the killer and the reasons used to rationalize the murders.

Definitely will want to read the second book as the writing was crisp and the characters and action believable. Although Eli Quinn has a second in command in DS Miranda Lynn, he's taken on Roxy Malloy to his team and it appears as though she will be more his partner in the future.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Loved it! Book one of what I think will be a great series. Can't wait to read more. Interesting characters and a plot to keep you guessing right to the end.

Definitely for Patricia Gibney fans! Another great detective thriller with creepy plot twists throughout! Yellow roses, broken hearts, homicide, stories unraveling… all make this story a mystery you keep turning pages to figure out!
We are instant fans of Detective Quinn and his desire to solve this murder mystery! We give Last Goodbye 4 ⭐ for its fast paced, edge-of-your-seat detective story quality! Thank you Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for our honest review! We ❤ Bookouture authors!!

I absolutely LOVED it, it was brilliant – a superb pace, loved the story and that ending was great!!

I sat and read it in one sitting before bed, then wished maybe I’d read it in the day as my head was reeling!

The writing style for the story was superb and I love how the author managed to draw you in. I certainly wasn’t able to put it down and had to know how it all ended!!

Five stars from me for this one – very, very highly recommended!!

There is a killer on the loose targeting couples. The bodies are left posed with yellow roses as the calling card. As the body count rises, detectives try to catch the killer before he or she strikes again. Detectives Eli Quinn and Roxy Malloy are working this case. Quinn has been on the force for a long time. This becomes apparent in the way he handles the case. He is keen on catching the killer but is also aware on the need to play ball and not just within the unit. Roxy is new and eager. Unlike Quinn, she is yet to learn the workings of the homicide unit. However, she is a good detective with good instincts and she is determined to get the job done.

Readers get to follow the story through multiple narrations, and they are quite a number. I like the fact that we get to meet the victims and know a little bit about them. This narrative style enhanced my connection to the story and the characters. The multiple narrations were quite easy to follow and they interspersed well creating a mix of masterfully crafted characters and an addictive story-line.

I enjoyed reading this book. It is well-written and quite captivating. The case was complex and the mix of characters, memorable. I can’t wait to see how the characters of Roxy and Quinn develop as the series progresses. This is a brilliant read which I recommend to all fans of crime thrillers.

A promising start to a new series! This one doesn't let too much on about the main characters, and I'm hoping to get more from the next book. We do find out a little about their past, but I'd love to know more about what they get up to when they aren't at work and what drives them to do what they do. Lots of characters and names to keep track of in this one, had to look back a few times. This book came with some chills and a good amount of surprises. A great quick read with short chapters, it's easy to get through in a day... which is good, because you might not want to put it down! Most of the characters are described quite vividly and I found them easy to picture in my head, which I loved. Without giving anything away, I will say that the author managed to connect "The Wolf" to some real life people, which made him all the more alarming... the entire story more alarming, in fact.

Someone is stalking and killing lovers in their prime... leaving behind a scene complete with champagne and flowers. What could have been the perfect romantic night ends bloody, and the body count is growing. Struggling to make sense of the tableau and connect the victims, time is running out to find what the tabloids are calling "The Sweetheart Killer".

Eli Quinn has a lot of experience on the force, and is a bit jaded. Nevertheless, he is a great officer and has a solid history. Roxy Malloy is the new kid, only in her twenties and promoted to sergeant on a probationary basis. She's a bit stand-offish and a rule-follower, eager to succeed and put the bad guys away where they belong. She is a strong woman and certainly not one to let any sexism from her co-workers slide. Together, they may end up making a formidable team. I think they will balance each other out nicely and learn from each other as the series goes on.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

Now I mean really where have all these writers been hiding, lurking in dark corners waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce, well in my case I think that’s where Arlene Hunt has been. She certainly stuck it too me with Last Goodbye, a fantastic opener to the Detective Series surrounding Eli Quinn and Roxy Malloy. A douzy of a thriller with a whole load of criminal intent.

As you can see above I have a penchant for Arlene’s new series, lets see why…….

From the get go Arlene had me, the opener, that first chapter, I mean really when someone writes in that kind of style you know something bad is going to happen and inevitably it does. Holy moly it did, it hit me square in the face like a bolt of lightning and from then on in I knew this book would control my waking hours.

DS Malloy has only been a DS for a short while, a 6 month probationary period hanging over her head, she wants nothing better than to make it, show her worth, Roxy’s opportunity arises in the shape of her first homicide. Roxy has a side kick Cora who is totally different to Roxy, a chalk and cheese partnership. The case that Roxy and Cora become part of looks likely to be linked to two double murders under investigation by
Detective Quinn, under duress Roxy and Cora join Quinn’s team, the friction between the two becomes palpable at times but eventually the ice thaws and he can see promise in Roxy, even if they both tackle the investigation in different ways.

The more the story unfolds the more we discover about the mind of the killer, his reasoning behind his need to kill, the women he kills and the ramifications of killing the women. As we progress to the end of the book at an extraordinary speed I don’t know how many times I wanted to put the brakes, hold back, rewind and take things slower but there was absolutely no chance, the pull and lure becomes too much. The book is done, its over, there is still ample opportunity to expand into future writings about Quinn and Malloy, and boy am I looking forward to it.

Thanks go to Bookouture, Arlene Hunt and Noelle Holten for the advance readers copy of Last Goodbye in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion and I think I did the Last Goodbye justice. Thanks Noelle for allowing me to be part of the Blog tours x

Last Goodbye is the first book in a new series by Arlene Hunt featuring detectives Eli Quinn and Roxy Malloy. It is a chilling crime novel that will keep you gripped. Arlene Hunt’s writing has a hugely addictive quality to it and I will certainly be keeping an eye out for her books in the future.

Set in Dublin, when a couple are found murdered in their home, in hair-raising circumstances, it reminds detective Eli Quinn of previous, unsolved murders which took place months before and he fears that the killer will strike again. The killer has left a bunch of yellow roses and a card with a broken heart. Are they sending a message to the police? The killer is dubbed ‘The Sweetheart killer’ by the media and the police know they will have to act quickly before another body is found.

Last Goodbye is an excellent, solid police procedural. It has a really intriguing premise: a killer appears to be targeting people in love, but for what reasons? Straight away I had to know more about what this book was going to be about and I was instantly hooked. Arlene introduces us to some great characters in Eli and Roxy. At the beginning of the book I did think that I wasn’t going to like Roxy, I think this was due her thoughts on working with a younger detective, Cora Simmons and she seemed a very reserved character who preferred to work independently. But as the novel progressed she was a character who I became invested in, especially as she tried to make her voice heard in her attempt to get justice for the victims.

I haven’t read a book by Arlene Hunt before, but she has definitely impressed me with Last Goodbye, there were some jaw dropping scenes in this book and she really made me feel for her characters. I can’t wait to read more from her. This is a brilliant start to a new series. Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the advance review copy and to Noelle Holton for inviting me to take part in the blog tour.

"Today I reclaim my biological right. Today I stamp my will on the world. Today I will reclaim the Imperative."

Arlene Hunt's Last Goodbye is a heart-pounding thriller that follows two rookie officers in the Irish Garda, Roxy and Cora, in their quest to find a serial killer. The pace of this book is intense in a good way; you can almost feel the clock ticking as detectives race to stop the killer before he or she kills again.

There is a serial killer on the loose in Dublin, one who is targeting seemingly happy couples. He or she leaves a distinct calling card: yellow flowers and champagne. Because of this, the killer gets nicknamed "the sweetheart killer" by the press. Roxy and Cora are initially assigned the case, but then kicked off of it by a more senior detective, Eli Quinn. Roxy, eager to make her mark as a newly commissioned sergeant, pleads to be put back on the case under Quinn. Roxy can be gruff and blunt, but her rough edges are smoothed out by her empathetic to a fault and sometimes blundering partner, Cora.

Roxy has a nose for crime, perhaps due to the fact that her father is a criminal and in prison. Though forced to work under Quinn and therefore limited to the information he provides to her about the case, Roxy sniffs out suspicious aspects of the case immediately. Roxy argues that some of the serial killer's cases seem different from one another, leading her to believe that there is a copycat killer. Quinn shrugs off Roxy's suggestion. Headstrong, Roxy follows her intuition only to discover that the killings are much more complex than the police wish to admit. Is Quinn hiding something? Are the police involved in a coverup?

There were so many things I enjoyed about this book. First off, the author is great at creating believable characters with intriguing but not preposterous backstories and histories. Despite some of the characters' serious flaws, I still wanted to know what their motivations were and what was going to happen to them. Second, there are scenes in this book where you absolutely cannot put this book down. The scenes are vividly described and paced in such a manner that the reader is kept on the edge of their seat wanting to know what is going to happen. I read a lot of suspense and this type of intense pacing is really difficult to pull off for most authors.

Because of the way it is artfully written and organized, this book will be of interest to readers who aren't merely into police procedurals. Readers who enjoy suspense, psychological thrillers, suspense, and murder mysteries will definitely want to pick up this book.

Thank you to the author, Arlene Hunt, the publisher, Bookouture, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of Last Goodbye.

The Last Goodbye is a roller-coaster of a book. It is fast paced, intriguing and had me glued to the pages so much so, that I read it in one sitting. The plot is filled with twist, turns and a few red-herrings. The characters of Quinn and Malloy are realistic and completely different from one another. You get to see both sides of policing, the old and the new.

I also loved that we also get to see inside the killer head too, a man who calls himself The Wolf. The chapters told from the viewpoint of The Wolf give us greater detail as to why he kills and his methods. It is a little scary to think how much preparation he does before killing his victims and how he justifies the killings to himself.

This is a how a great thriller should be written. It was totally addictive and I didn’t want to reach the final page. I now look forward to reading more in the series.

I love a book that from the very first chapter I am privy to the working mind of a killer. His inner thoughts that scream to be obeyed and the persona that he shows to the outside world. His disregard for human life is very obvious in those first few pages. His almost disgust at the affection of the young couple that only have eyes for each other and the loathing of a homeless man only after a few coins towards a bed for the night. The Wolf, as he is known in the story, is a patient predator. After all he has had a life time of reasons that have got him where he is now.
This is the first book in a new series for Arlene Hunt which is set in Dublin under the radar of DI Eli Quinn and DS Miranda Linn with newly promoted DS Roxanne Malloy and her team player, Cora Simmons raring to prove their worth. Malloy’s first case is one that will leave the scene forever imprinted on her mind because of the sheer over kill that has taken place. The yellow roses and champagne a way for the Wolf to mark the territory as his own. Malloy knew this case was going to pull a lot of interest but when it is linked with a similar murder a while ago it falls back to Quinn. With both of them wanting to keep the case a truce of working reluctantly together is formed.
As the story builds so does the body count. Each scene extremely gruesome and vicious. The chapters dip from present day back to the Wolfe and his childhood, teen years and his life now. It did make me feel for the boy his was. He has become the man that his past made him. I have to say as far as the investigating team goes they are a pretty mixed bunch, feisty, unpredictable, unconventional and all together pretty neat! Quinn, Malloy and both their side kicks seem to cover every angle. This is a tense and fast pace read that made me curl into a bit of a smaller ball on the sofa than normal. A perfect ending for the story and new beginning for a brilliant new team on the clock.
Really looking forward to the next book, no doubt, another vicious killer living amongst them in Dublin.
I wish to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly

This is the first book in the new series featuring Detectives Eli Quinn and Roxy Malloy and set in Ireland. I absolutely loved reading ‘Last Goodbye’ but more about that in a bit.
It took me a little while to warm to the character Roxy Malloy. She just seemed to be one of those characters that would be a good two shoes. She has recently been promoted and she attends a murder scene and starts to investigate the case, which is her first murder case since her promotion. Of course she is eager to do well and make a good impression. She does rub some people up the wrong way with her methods and the way in which she speaks to them. Malloy is feisty, she is determined, she isn’t afraid to fight her corner, she strives to be the best police officer that she can be and she wants to achieve justice for the victims of crime. Malloy knows that she isn’t popular but it doesn’t seem to matter to her. Malloy does not take too kindly to being told that the case is being taken off her and taken over by a detective team, who are already investigating a case, which shares many similarities with Malloy’s case. Malloy insists on transferring with the case as she is desperate to see this case to its conclusion and to be seen as being successful in her first murder case since promotion. She eventually gets on okay with Detective Eli Quinn, although at first their relationship is rather frosty. She doesn’t want to give the case up and equally he doesn’t want anybody outside his squad to have anything to do with the case. A compromise is reached and eventually Quinn and Malloy do get on quite well. Quinn seems to be a bit more laid back in his personality and he does seem to be the sort of boss you would want to work for, as he mucks in to take his share of the workload and he won’t ask anybody to do anything that he wouldn’t do himself. Quinn has your back and will fight your corner for you if you are under attack. Quinn is also a determined police officer. He also wants a successful resolution of this case and to see the perpetrator behind bars. Will Detectives Malloy and Quinn solve the case and apprehend the perpetrator before any more lives are lost? Will Malloy permanently want to work with Quinn? Well for the answers to those questions and much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves as I am not going to tell you.
As soon as I read the synopsis for this book, I just knew that I had to read it and soon. I love a good police procedural and I have a particular soft spot for the Republic of Ireland, which is where ‘Last Goodbye’ is set. I have Irish heritage and my cousin lives in the Republic now so reading this book made me feel closer to her. From the moment I picked this book up, I was hooked and reading it became an addiction. I originally picked my Kindle only intending to read a couple of chapters. Twenty eight chapters later and I was still reading. I became totally wrapped up in the story and in the police investigation. The story in this book hits the ground running and maintains the pace throughout. The author’s writing style is so realistic that I got a real sense of the intensity of and the urgency of a murder investigation with the need to find the killer before he or she strikes again. The characters and the story became alive and I really felt as though I was a fly on the wall of the investigation room. Reading ‘Last Goodbye’ was much like being on a slightly scary and slightly unpredictable rollercoaster ride with lots of twists and turns. There were a few times where I felt my heart rate increase and I had to hold my breath in anticipation of what was going to happen.
In conclusion, I absolutely loved, loved, loved reading ‘Last Goodbye’ and I wholeheartedly recommend this book to other readers. I can’t wait to read further books featuring the detective partnership of Detectives Malloy and Quinn. Here’s hoping that we don’t have too long to wait. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Wow, wow, wow, wow, and WOW! 'Last Goodbye' had me in its clutches from the very first page, drawing me in like a cold drink on a summer's day before I even had time to think. I didn't just read Arlene Hunt's novel, I devoured it (I think reading 37% of the novel in less than an hour is testament to that, don't you think?).

There was just something rather special about this book and, despite finishing it 24 hours ago, I still haven't been able to put my finger on what that is. It just is an exceptionally special novel which made me feel as though I was under investigation, never mind the fact that a killer was at large of course! My hands felt obstructed, my forehead was damp, and my arms were covered in goosebumps - if that is not proof of a brilliant read, I have no idea what is.

Thank goodness for being single is all I can say after reading this! A killer was drawn to couples in 'love'. They were drawn to females, and they were drawn to killing for their own personal gain. Well, the dead person ended up being given flowers but I don't suppose that counts seeing as they're dead, but y'know!

I could tell straight away that Detective Quinn was a man to watch. Not because he was underhanded, but because he seemed to know a lot more than he was willing to divulge. Intrigued? I was! Having taken the newest recruit, Malloy, under his wing, Quinn is determined to show Malloy a few tricks of the trade. However, seeing as Malloy is a force to be reckoned with herself, personalities looked like they were going to clash sooner rather than later.

I would love to be able to talk about the part that shocked me the most, but seeing as it would be a humongous spoiler, I will refrain from doing so. All I will say is, once you begin this book, do not stop reading as the best is yet to come. Seriously! 'Last Goodbye' started with a bite, yet finished with a gash.

For me, Arlene Hunt ticked every single box and I have a feeling that this book is just the start of a fantastic series. I cannot WAIT to sink my teeth into book two if it's anything as brilliant as this one is.

Shocking, thrilling, fast paced, and extremely addictive, 'Last Goodbye' will leave you wishing you had to do anything else but say goodbye.

My review is written with thanks to Noelle at Bookouture for inviting me on the blog blitz and for my copy of the book via Netgalley.
When a young couple is found dead in their home, Detective Eli Quinn is called in to investigate. He quickly realises this is the work of a serial killer, as it is the second double murder in the space of a few weeks and both times, the killer has left a bunch of yellow roses at the scene. Quinn and his team must work around the clock to find the perpetrator. Can they do so before the killer strikes again?
Last Goodbye marks the beginning of a new series featuring Eli Quinn and Roxy Malloy. Whilst Quinn remains somewhat of an enigma throughout this novel (I hope we get to learn more about him as the series continues), Roxy is determined to shine. She's one of the youngest officers ever to be promoted to sergeant, so she's smart and ambitious, but still has a certain innocence that is not present in some of her more jaded colleagues. She believes she can learn from Quinn, so I look forward to seeing how their partnership will grow over time. Roxy also has an interesting back story involving her father, which could also bring out some secrets in future.
There are several chapters in Last Goodbye told from the perspective of "the wolf" - the killer. The wolf is one sick, twisted and disturbed perpetrator, and the insight into the thoughts of the killer added intrigue for me, as I wanted to know who could possibly plan and execute such terrible crimes. The team are not short of suspects, and the plot is planned perfectly to allow for plenty of twists and red herrings - a must have in any police novel. Last Goodbye is ultimately a race against time, and I was on the edge of my seat hoping the detectives would catch the killer before the death count rose any higher.
I look forward to reading the next instalment!

What a Brilliant book Last Goodbye (Detectives Eli Quinn and Roxy Malloy Book 1) by Arlene Hunt was. It Needs more than 5 stars for this book
I've never read any of her books and I will be reading more of Roxy Malloy's books in the future. From the first page I was Hooked and my house work etc stopped until I finished this amazing book. I found this book hard to out down, it was gritty, with lots of twists and turns which will have you hooked.
Arlene opens her book with a brilliant beginning, ‘The woman’s body lay on the bed, hair fanned out in a golden halo, blue eyes open. On the table stood an unmistakable sign: a bouquet of bright yellow roses...’
You then meet DI Eli Quinn and Acting DS Roxanne Malloy of the Dublin Gardaí. I loved these 2 main characters and found them likeable. The killer strikes again and has left another bunch of yellow roses. Between the thorns is a little card with the image of a broken heart. Will DI Eli Quinn and Acting DS Roxanne Malloy catch the killer before he strikes again?

I cannot wait to read more by this author! I’m now a big fan!

Thank you, Arlene Hunt, Bookouture and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review

Reviews Left on Goodreads, Amazon UK and my FB page.