I received an advance copy of Last Seen Leaving from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. I loved Syd the main character. She is a blind district attorney on the case to find her missing ex-fiance. Syd is a strong and charismatic main character.

I can usually figure out who the killer or the bad guy is but I wasn't able to with this book.

I hope Lea writes more books with Syd.

Thriller set between America and New Zealand featuring an adventurous blind heroine. Good characters,hope to read of them again.

I was extremely disappointed in this book. I had loved a previous book from Ms. Lea and was excited to see what she didn't with the concept of a blind attorney doing some investigating. So many of the characters were caricatures: the mother-in-law was a consummate bimbo, Syd had such a huge chip on her shoulder I was amazed she didn't fall over. There was no depth, just surface stereotypical characters. Even Walt, the gruff police detective was a comic book version of a cop. And then there is the plot. No real set-up for Syd and her situation. Sure it comes in through bits and pieces throughout the story but by then it feels like an after thought. At one point, I decided that this book tried to be two different contrasting genres: a nice cozy with the struggling newly-blind attorney and a hardened spy thriller with international espionage. But, just like Miss Marple would never jet off at a moment's notice to New Zealand, neither should Ms. Shaeffer!

This book is about a woman named Syd who's recently lost her sight. A former DA (we get the sense she was fired, but it's not really revealed), she now has a struggling law practice. She was left at the altar by a guy named Frank who appears to have no merit whatsoever. But, when Frank's mother appeals to her to find her son who has not returned from a trip to New Zealand, as planned, Syd jumps on a plane to find him.

Throughout this book, I struggled with whether Syd's actions were realistic--would someone who is totally blind really take off alone across the world to find a guy who dumped her? Am I being intolerant to think she should have at least taken her assistant with her? Am I not giving blind people enough credit for being self-sufficient? I guess, had Syd been someone who was blind for a long time, I wouldn't have found this so hard to believe. But, even she is struggling with her situation, and I think this shows in her actions--she's trying to prove that her blindness hasn't changed anything. So, I guess I can accept her actions based on that premise, now that I've finished the book. But, I have to admit it bothered me while reading.

Otherwise, it was an adequate mystery. There were enough possible suspects that it made the story line interesting, if only Syd hadn't been so gullible at times.

I can’t really rate this because at 7% in I’m calling it quits. I am starting to realize the warning signs when something’s not for me. This may turn out to be great but when I read that a mother receives her son’s finger delivered to her and she throws it out, after wrestling the ring off, because she “doesn’t want that thing in her house” I need to stop. I don’t mind a quirky character but is there anyone that would seriously be so stupid? If there is then I don’t want to read about them. Sorry.

Last Seen Leaving by Catherine Lea has everything you want in a suspense novel. I did not know what to expect as I have not had the opportunity to read anything by this author just yet. The blurb sounded great so I gave this one a try. I am so glad I did. This reminded me of a television sermon that used to be on pbs many years ago. I was so entranced by the storyline that time just flew by. Syd Schaeffer was a well known attorney and had a great life. She was to get married and settle down until something terrible happened. Her eyes became infected and she lost her sight. While things were falling apart around her she is still struggling to keep her law practice alive. Frank, her fiancé turns up dead and a ransom note is left. The killer does not want the police involved. Can Syd figure out what happened? Does her blindness enhance her other senses? Will she be the next one to die? The story has a great ending that I did not expect and the author does an immaculate job of writing with great detail of surrounding areas. As though you are blind and need information about what is around you. I also loved the characters and the build up to each ones appearance in the story. I recommend this book completely.


Thank you netgalley as well as the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

5+ stars ⭐️ out of 5

This was a very unique mystery. Sydney Schaeffer, former New York District Attorney, is now blind. She suffered a rare viral infection which caused her to lose her sight. Syd has opened her own law practice with the help of her good friend Leonie. She knows the difficulties that she now faces, being blind, but is determined to get as much of her life back as she can. Syd is asked by her former fiancé’s mother to find her son, Frank Spinelli. Frank was on a business trip to New Zealand and he has not returned. Syd leaves for New Zealand to begin the hunt for Frank and finds herself in danger. Syd’s friend, Detective Walt Vander, sends his friend Nelson Stuckey to intercept her and urge her to return home. Of course, Syd has no intention of returning home…not until she finds Frank. Will she find Frank? Will she survive with Stuckey’s help? This book makes you aware of the many difficulties the blind must face every day. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to give an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Catherine Lea has become a master storyteller. In Last Seen Leaving (Brakelight Press, 2018) she tackles a unique and very difficult protagonist, and succeeds nicely. Syd Schaeffer, former assistant District Attorney, has been blinded by a rogue virus. Her promising career has become little more than a subsistence practice, fed the occasional case from Walt Vander, a police detective. Syd suspects that even the cases he refers are from a sense of pity.
All that changes when her former fiancé disappears in New Zealand. He’s been caught up in an international tug of war over plans to retrofit the targeting software on an A4 Skyhawk, and apparently kidnapped. Syd is determined to not only solve the case, but to travel alone to New Zealand and solve it in person, over the objections of both her assistant and Walt Vander.
Lea describes the hurdles encountered by Syd at each step as though she has personal knowledge of the constant obstacles visually impaired persons must overcome routinely. She makes the reader aware of just how difficult every move can be.
If the telling is done well, the plot is even better. Without becoming so convoluted that the reader needs a program to tell the good guys from bad, Lea weaves an intricate thread, all the while giving Syd the correct doses of pluck and luck to move the storyline along at a good pace.
U.S. readers will find a few words here and there (e.g., lorry) that are not in use in America, but none that need be looked up. In fact, their use often blends right in with the location. All in all, this is a good one. Catherine Lea has once again stepped up her game.

The way the story was written reminded me of the old type crime novels. Detective novels from the 40’s and 50’s. The characters were real, sometimes funny and foolish while taking berthing serious. It was an enjoyable read