Member Reviews
Schaffhausen’s latest Ellery and Reed adventure take us to Las Vegas where Reed seeks to uncover the truth about the murder of his mother 40 years ago. As always, the writing is superb, the plot flow is excellent and the mystery is a wrought with suspense. I can’t wait for the next on the series!
Many thanks to Netgalley, Minotaur Books and Joanna Schaffhausen for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This series just keeps getting better. I really enjoyed how this one delved into Reed’s background. Great plot and lots of twists, had me guessing til the end. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Another good read in the Ellery Hathaway series. Really did not expect what happened in this book but enjoyed it nevertheless. Hope there are more to come.I received an advanced reader copy of this book which in no way had any effect on my enjoyment of this book. Really enjoy this series.
Great addition to the series with another skillful plot and great characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.
This is a really good series, well written, characters i've come to care about. I read this series in order, though it doesn't have to be, i think the first book was my favorite, but this one is very good. we get the see the growth of the characters, prickly as she is and of course for good reason and of their relationship, i figured out the final twist just before it happened but didn't take away from the story. the emotions feel real in this story which often isnt the case, that the mystery is stronger than the depth of characters. will keep reading this series . it is a 4.5
Thank you to Minotaur books for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
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What I loved: The characters in this series are well written. They have trauma, they have redemption, but they are real. The mystery was interesting and though I got some of the ending, I did not get both parts! The last "twist" made it for sure. I loved getting a deeper look into Reed's character.
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What I didn't: Not a huge fan of the thing between Reed and ellery. I understand the attachment, but I hope their relationship does not become the front and center plot of any book.
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Who should read this: Those who like a good mystery without theatrics or unreliable narrators. Just straight up mystery here!
Great addition to the Ellery Hathaway series. A strong, suspenseful read that I couldn't put down. I've grown so fond of Ellery and Reed! Delving more into Reed's present and past, and positioning Ellery as the one who helps him, deepens the story.
I don't know how, but this series just keeps getting better! In the eagerly-awaited third-in-series, Schaffhausen ups the ante yet again, this time bringing Ellery and Reed together to explore their most significant case together: the murder of Reed's mother forty years ago... The story line hooked me from the description; Schaffhausen's writing sealed the deal once I started reading and throughout much of it I literally couldn't put it down.
The character development in this series is incredible. Schaffhausen has done a magnificent job creating wholly damaged, wholly three-dimensional characters that you cannot help but find yourself rooting for - even (especially?) when their decisions are obviously self-destructive. These characters are all damaged - life has thrown the worst it can at many of them, but their ability to ride out the damage and emerge on the other side (albeit battered and dented) with a sense of the importance of survival, even when it seems impossibly difficult, is both impressive and inspiring. Add to that well-paced and perfectly balanced action, mysteries long-thought unsolvable, and clues hidden in the most unlikely of places and the result is a near-perfect mystery/thriller that grabs you by the throat, throws you against the wall, and forces your eyes open even when you think you'd do anything to look away...
I really enjoyed the opportunity to explore Reed's family in this one, as well as to get a peek behind the curtain at Ellery's own family history. There's so much potential for future storylines expanding on both of these sets of relationships - as well as the continuing intertwining of Reed and Ellery's lives - and I, for one, cannot WAIT to see where things go from here. It's tough to imagine how Schaffhausen could keep besting herself, but given the successful way she's navigated those waters so far, I don't doubt that she will!
It seems I got my wish, a third book in the series that ties up a lot of loose ends but leaves an open door for more adventure from Reed and Ellery. They do not need to be read in order, and can be read independently, but it would enhance your knowledge of characters and situations to have done so.
Nothing to say but read the jacket cover for a description and read a fairly paced mystery and enjoy it. This is definitely the best book so far, but I enjoyed the other 2 books. Thank goodness Ellie is lightening up a bit, sometimes her reactions are more of a spoiled.brat than a wounded 'warrior'. She can remain a hard core character without being a brat.
Great book it will keep you guessing even though you may have a pretty good inkling of 'who dunit'. Enjoy!
I received this book as a complimentary copy for an unbiased review. Thanks to the author,publisher,and NetGalley for the ARC.
Terrific as a standalone but even better as part of the Ellery Hathaway series, All the Best Lies by Joanna Schauffhausen is an excellent suspense and murder mystery. I have read the first book in the series (The Vanishing Season and found it was very very good!) I missed No Mercy, which is the second book but plan to track it down and read it. See, the main character, Ellery is fascinating. She survived the horrific abduction and rape that made her famous and channeled her experiences into survival. She becomes a cop, but in this novel she is suspended while being investigated for a shooting.
The man who rescued her so long ago, FBI Profile Reed Markam asks for her help this time in solving the mystery of his biological mother's mystery more than forty years ago. This novel escalates quickly at times....and there are ohter times where you see Reed and Ellery methodically going through evidence to track down clues to who the killer could be.
There are many surprises in this novel and the plot kept me up reading way too late last night to finish the story. I am hoping there will be another book in the Ellery Hataway series very soon! Author Joanna Schaffhausen is great at including details from previous books so that the reader who starts with All the Best Lies is not lost if he or she has not read the other books. I really like that because I hate feeling like I am left out of the details. She also doesn't explain it in an annoying way if that makes sense.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Joanna Schaffhausen, and publisher St Martin's Press for this digital advanced reader copy for me to devour and enjoy! As always, my opinions are my own.
Once again, when I requested this book I was unaware that it was part of a series. I found it a bit frustrating (my issue not the book) that I had done this yet again. With that said, being book 3 did not detract from the story. There are a few references of characters that I had not met but it did not take away from the story.
If you are looking for a good mystery, then this is your book. I would, however, recommend that you check out the first two books in the series.
My thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for this advanced readers copy. This book is due to release in February 2020.
My type of book watching a character grow. This book is fast paced with a great plot. Read it in 4 days and I can't wait for the next in the series.
I absolutely love this series featuring FBI agent, Reed and Ellery, the woman he rescued from a serial killer in book 1. Now he is searching for his biological mother's killer as she was brutally murdered years ago and the case has gone cold. With Ellery in tow, he re-interviews witnesses and wonders why the police didn't investigate further. Because Cammie was an exotic dancer in Vegas, there's a question about why they didn't dig deeper. Lots of suspects, many twists up until the very end. I've really liked the developing attraction between Reed and Ellery as they navigate their odd relationship. Hopefully, this isn't the end of the series as we need to see more from them!
All the Best Lies (Ellery Hathaway #3)
by Joanna Schaffhausen (Goodreads Author)
M 50x66
Lou Jacobs's review Dec 01, 2019 · edit
it was amazing
Great, fantastic and incredible ... this best describes Schaffhausen's three novels involving her signature characters ... Ellery Hathaway and FBI profiler Reed Markham. I've had the pleasure of reading all three in close proximity. The third can certainly be enjoyed as a standalone, as the writer seamlessly supplies the necessary back story. Reed was instrumental in freeing the teenaged Ellery from the clutches of the notorious serial killer, Francis Michael Coben. Although she escaped with her life, she was left with far reaching scars ... emotional as well as physical .. as a result of her brutal and heinous captivity. Ellery has persevered and become a respected but certainly not conventional police officer.
Reed has always been haunted by the knowledge that his birth mother, Camilla Flores' murder has gone unsolved. But now being informed that the Las Vegas Police Department is officially closing the cold case ... forever ... spurns him on to personally investigate. At the same time, one of Reed's beloved three sisters ,on a whim, requests that all the siblings submit a swab of DNA in search of distant ancestry. Reed learns that his father, state senator Angus Markham, is actually his biological father. This naturally implies that his father indulged in other activities other than fund raising on his frequent out of town trips. Unlike the first two books, Reed now enlists the help of Ellery on his quest to uncover the truth. Will this destroy not only his father's reputation , but also the lives of his beloved sisters and second mother?
Reed and Ellery invade Las Vegas and step on lots of toes in uncovering multiple well hidden motivations and dangerous forces surrounding Camilla's brutal stabbing and bludgeoning murder.
Schaffhausen weaves an intriguing thriller brimming with unsuspecting twists and well hidden bread crumbs that lead down a path to a breathtaking conclusion. The narrative is laced with witty dialogue and events suggesting the possibility of a romantic liaison between our sleuths. Schaffhausen is firmly entrenched on my "must read" list of authors.
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press / Minotaur Books for providing an Uncorrected electronic Proof in exchange for an honest review. (readersremains.com)
I received this book from Net Galley for an honest review.
This is the third book in this series from Joanna Schaffhausen and does not disappoint!
After reading the first book in this series I knew I wanted to read more. I immediately requested books 2 and 3. The heroes are each flawed in their own ways, but they work off each others vulnerabilities well.
They are written well and the pair continue to evolve. The stories keep you guessing right up until the very end.
Looking forward to another!
I love when a book keeps me guessing until the end. I often figure out the ending way before it is revealed, but this book has several surprises along the way.
I saw that there are other books with these characters and I have added the to my "to be read" list. I want to know more about Ellery's story.
Ellery and Reed!
The best crime solving duo ever!
This book!!!
The twist is shocking!
Amazing!
Unforseen!
I give it well deserved stars and a strong recommendation!
After a really good book 1, and a less than great book 2, Vanishing Lies was a great book 3 in a series about an FBI agent searching for the truth about his dead mother. While it wasn’t too hard to figure out who the guilty party was, the book took me through a winding path to get there, with a few fake outs. The best part was that unexpected twist at the end. Worth it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Lucky me - I was able to read all 3 of the books in the series in 3 days and what a great thrill ride it has been! My only regret in devouring these this fast is that most horrible of fates: waiting for the next installment to be written and appear on my shelf.
Former policewoman Ellery Hathaway (she's on leave) and FBI agent Reed Markham are at it again. Their partnership takes them on many trips, but this one is very personal to Markham. Over 40 years ago, his mother was murdered while he lay in a crib in another room. Camilla Flores was only 19 when she died and her case was never solved. Based on some recent information that Markham received, this investigation just might cost him everything. Despite knowing the possible price, he and Ellery head to Las Vegas to see what they can stir up. It doesn't take long before these two are stirring up all kinds of trouble. NO SPOILERS.
I love this duo, they are fun and infuriating all in the same sentence! The stories are good even as sometimes quite far-fetched in terms of reality vs real things they could get away with, but I enjoy the writing and the fun of trying to solve the case and point the finger at the bad people before they figure it out. I know that no one will be surprised that the newly divorced Markham and Ellery might have a "thing" developing and I'm eager to see where this goes. I have to say, however, that the conclusion was indeed a bit of a twisted surprise and I definitely did not like that character!
I'm so glad that I was able to read these back-to-back and I look forward eagerly for the next book. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend.
Wow! The third book in the Ellery Hathaway series was almost impossible to put down! I have read the first two books and cannot recommend them highly enough, but reading them is not necessary to understand the story in this third book in the series. The plot was gripping, involving FBI agent Reed Markham taking time off from his job to find out who killed his Puerto Rican mother forty years before. In his quest for the truth, Reed finds some other truths that are hard for him to accept. He asks suspended Boston police woman Ellery Hathaway to accompany him on his journey to Las Vegas to try to ferret out the facts about Camille’s death. Ellery deals with her own family problems in the book, although her problems are kind of an aside to Reed’s discoveries that are almost staggering. Joanna Schaffhausen does a masterful job of weaving an intricate plot that keeps getting deeper until at last, at the bottom of a long well, the truth is revealed. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Reed and Ellery better, especially the background about Reed’s family. This is a tale of love of family and sacrifice as well as the pursuit of truth and justice that has been delayed for four decades. I appreciated the intriguing plot, the well-woven characters and the mystery within a mystery that kept me guessing. The past if part of the present in this spell-binding tale of self-discovery. Fans of suspense and thrillers will really enjoy this book!