I love the Gina Harte series and this is as good as ever. The auto joe develops her character further and I like the fact that recurring characters are included in the story. A fantastic whodunnit that I couldn’t put down

This is actually book no. 6 in the series, and it was the first one that I read by this author. There is definitely no problem reading it as a stand alone.
My rating is actually 3.5/5 rounded up since it was an enjoyable read.
I liked the detective, Gina Harte. She is interesting because of her mysterious past, likable because she wants justice for the victims and relatable because she has family troubles. And her story weaves interestingly with the case. Though sometimes I was annoyed by her "lack of time" to call her daughter.
The case developed interestingly, from the murder of a brides made at a wedding reception and layers of evidence coming to light.
The twist at the end was a surprise that I did not see coming, and I think was pretty good. Though for those who want to try to guess the murderer from the evidence, it will not be possible without the last pieces of the puzzle.
A very enjoyable read. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy in exchange for my honest opinion. .

I can't believe this is already the 6th book in the Gina Harte series. They are so well written, that time literally flies by when you read them! I love a good cop story, and couldn't get enough of this one.
The book starts of with a wedding, except it is not all love and goodness. One of the bridesmaids are found dead, and soon it seems as if nothing is as it seems. There is twists and turns throughout the book, and I didn't suspect the killer at anytime! Highly recommended for anyone who loves a good book that keeps you entertained from beginning to end.

Mind….blown!

What I love most about Carla Kovach’s novels is that, even though I have learned to expect the unexpected in regards to her storylines, the author STILL manages to catch me off guard with the shock element. Even if I wasn’t expecting it or it was deemed unexpected, the situations written about in this book were off the chart. Some may say that I don’t even have a word to describe what they were….and they would be right because I do not!

Holly is a very naive character and, even though that’s not always a bad thing, her naivety didnt really help her this time as she found herself losing the will to live….literally. Because of the way she lived her life (in secret), the truth behind her murder took a long time to make itself known as nobody had the answers to the questions Gina Harte and her team put to them.

Holly wasnt the only unlucky one in this storyline! If you’ve read the other books in the series you’ll know that Gina herself hasn’t had luck on her side at all, but for once I’m not actually meaning her!

The suspense behind this novel was exceptionally well done and didnt falter until the very end. I thoroughly enjoyed the sense of unknown that made itself evident throughout the chapters, meaning that I couldnt second guess a thing….even if I wanted to.

Just like many other psychological thrillers, the storyline takes it’s time to warm up, however the conclusion was more than worth the wait and showcased Carla Kovach’s twisted, unsavoury and utterly fascinating mind. A job well done.

They were right - I really didn't see that ending coming! What an enthralling addition to the DI Gina Harte series this proved to be, it definitely keeps you guessing ..... yet all the clues are there once you know what to look for.

The 'Awesome Foursome' are four young women who have been close friends since their school days but at the wedding of one of them, Kerry, another is found murdered. The victim is Holly Long and this is the story of the investigation into her death by DI Gina Harte. Gina and her team are in a race against time to bring the perpetrator to justice but there will be more victims before they do so . . . and Gina's daughter is also in danger....

This is an intriguing story, with well developed characters, plenty of secrets and so many twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing. With drug dealers, liars, secrets and surprise revelations this is a superbly crafted crime thriller and highly entertaining read. If you enjoy crime thrillers, don't miss this brilliant series! I can't wait to read more from this talented author and to discover just what happens next in the life of DI Gina Harte, especially in her relationships with both her daughter and Briggs.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

This is the second book in this series I have read (so clearly have not read them in order! In fact I have read number1 which I gave 4 stars and this is number 6). Anyhow, I have absolutely found an author and series I LOVE. The way I feel about these books I would automatically buy the next and the next and the next without reading the synopsis first.
But why? DI Gina Harte is a very likeable detective. With a tentative relationship with superior officer DCI Briggs, a very troubled relationship with daughter Hannah and a damaged past thanks to an abusive marriage, Gina is so clearly a real woman doing a good job but struggling with a work life balance.
The plot is fast paced, tense, and so so readable. I did actually twig who the culprit was but that is probably because I have become quite a seasoned reader of this genre. However I did NOT predict the ending so for me there was sufficient doubt throughout and enough of a surprise to keep me feverishly turning the pages.
I also enjoyed finding out more about the different personalities of the bride and her bridesmaids and the odious males in this story, Avery, landlord of Cleevesford public house The Angel Arms and wannabe Elvis singer Robin Dawkins.
I felt extremely sad for Cass, girlfriend of 'Elvis' who so desperately wants to be included but suffers from incredibly low self esteem. In fact that is very much a theme throughout the novel, that of our need to be loved and cherished but what can happen when we find ourselves mixed up with others who have a very different idea of what love is.
In some ways reading this book is a stark reminder for women everywhere to love themselves first and to get out of a relationship immediately if it feels wrong.
There was so much suspicion cast on the males in this book, husbands, a boss and those with previous convictions, all of which created a need to try and guess whose murky past or present behaviour was indicative of 'The Killer'.
I cannot recommend this book enough and if I wasn't such a scaredy cat I would love to be a part of DI Gina Harte's fabulous team.

The wedding was a big affair. The bridesmaids looked great in their green dresses. As the evening wore on things got a bit out of control with gatecrashers, people the worse for drink & in one of the bedrooms one of the bridesmaids lies dead! Detective Gina Harte was enjoying some quality time with her daughter Hannah & grand-daughter so it doesn't go down well when she is called on to attend the scene! Before long there is another dead bridesmaid. What is happening to this group. One thing is for sure, there is not going to be any time to be with her family! Gina wishes Hannah hadn't decided to get friendly with a particularly obnoxious man, especially as he might be a suspect.

I've enjoyed all the books in this series & this one was no exception. I let myself be led up blind alleys & never guessed the killer- no change there with this author! Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

"The beast has escaped and it was never going back in its cave now, he was more than just a player - he had an urge."

Secrets, lies, betrayal, and a killer seduced by darkness; a perfect storm that leads to brutal murder in this compelling thriller.

When Holly Long is found brutally murdered at her best friend’s wedding reception Detective Gina Harte and her team are called in to find her killer. Her family and friends seem bewildered that anyone could hurt her, but Holly was harbouring a secret that threatened to ruin the lives of more than one of the wedding guests. The question is, which one silenced her before she could tell?

I’m a big fan of a book series, especially in crime fiction. One of the things I love about them is that when you pick it up you know what you’re getting. Whenever I pick up a book in this series I know I’m getting a gripping, well-written, readable thriller with some violent murders thrown in for good measure. Her Last Mistake certainly lived up to those expectations and it was great to be back with Gina and her team.

In this installment Gina is struggling with the fact that Briggs knows the dark secret she’s kept for two decades and the fear that she will lose herself if she opens up even more and relinquishes the control she’s kept all this time. And for Gina, losing herself means losing the ability to do her job and punish those who hurt others. It was good to see her wrestle with her vulnerable side during this book as she wrestled with relying on and confiding in someone else after so many years of only having herself for those things. I’m really rooting for her and Briggs though and would love to see Gina get her happy ever after.

Carla Kovach has a talent for writing twisty crime fiction full of relatable characters and villains that send a shiver down your spine. I can honestly say that the mysterious killer in this book made my skin crawl more than any other that she’s written. His penchant for sadistic sexual thrills and murder mixed with the ability to charm those around him made him someone incredibly dangerous and hard to find. The chapters from his point of view were so well written that at times I felt sick and was covered in goosebumps from how much he creeped me out.

Her Last Mistake is a dark, twisty and disturbing thriller that is hard to predict. I flew through it in just a day, hooked by the tension-filled plot and the need to know the killer’s identity and was on tenterhooks right until the pivotal moment when all was finally revealed. I would recommend this book and the previous installments in the series to anyone who enjoys a well-written thriller.

The Detective Gina Harte books are really good, so I was very excited to get this one. Her Last Mistake is a great mystery. I was able to figure out a couple of the smaller twists, but the big twist at the end was excellent! This is a great addition to an already suspenseful series.

DI Gina Harte is called in to investigate the murder of Holly Long. Holly is a bridesmaid at her best friend's wedding. She was found in her room brutally murdered. Nobody knows why exactly this has happened to her. She's been acting odd for the past couple months according to some that know her, but she didn't deserve this. DI Harte has to piece everything together to figure out what has happened. Just when things begin mounting in Holly's case, there's another murder who also happened to be a bridesmaid with Holly. Who is killing all the bridesmaids and why? With a growing suspect list, and the bridesmaids being picked off one by one, someone is hiding in plain sight.

Her Last Mistake is a fast paced thriller. I couldn't put this book down. I would suggest reading the other books in this series so you don't feel lost with DI Harte's background, although it's still a great book on its' own!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

Her Last Mistake opens to the wedding reception of Kerry and Ed Powell. Kerry is one of Holly’s closest friends, which also includes Lilly and Francesca. Together, the four girls have called themselves the “Awesome Foursome’ since school days. During the party, the man Holly has been secretly seeing tells her he wants to talk to her. She’s hoping he has finally come to terms with some news she has shared with him so she does as she’s asked and goes to the meeting place. The reader is never given the man’s name, so we have no idea who is approaching her when she is attacked and killed.

Detective Gina Harte’s daughter, Hannah, and granddaughter have recently come to visit for a little bit and have made plans for the week. But when DCI Chris Briggs calls Harte asking her to put her vacation on hold for the case the relationship that Gina was attempting to repair with Hannah becomes strained again.

During the course of the investigation, Holly’s three friends, their husbands, and families of Holly’s become a main focus to the police investigation. I found their dynamics to be very interesting and how envy and jealousy plays a part. As I read through the story, the phrase “keeping up with the Joneses” continually entered my mind, which then reminded me of the politics of middle school. As I tossed over each of these characters in my mind, I began wondering if in the character’s complexities that there were parts of their emotional make-up that never matured past that age. But, there are additional players too – such as the party crashers that keep reappearing at odd places throughout the story and a girl named Cass who seems a bit uncertain about herself and obsessive too. In fact, a good amount of the story focuses on Cass as she tries to reconnect with a lost friend.

The story was a very pleasant read and a nice way to pass the time. What did bother me a little, however, is something surprised me and that I wanted to point out: The Description. The summary indicates that Holly was someone everyone hates. That they bad-talked her a lot behind her back and then completely stopped talking once the investigation began. As a result, I expected an over the top character that everyone hated for various reasons and was just someone they put up with due to connections or money or 100 other reasons. Upon reading the description, I thought to myself “Ohh… I can’t wait to find out what she’s done that makes everyone hate her so much.” But truthfully, I did not actually find this to be the case at all and I kind of felt a little deceived by the description. Holly dies too early in the story for you to ever get the sense that people hate her and gossip about her constantly. Then, when she dies I never had the overwhelming impression that individuals didn’t want to talk about the murder because they didn’t want to look guilty. I mean some, yes. But in my view, if they didn’t want to talk it was because they didn’t know who did it or weren’t really sure what they might be able to provide. They seemed to act like regular characters/individuals. If anything, they felt more unemotionally detached than I thought they should be, which again made me think about middle school politics and friendships at that age.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was one of those that went real fast once you started, which are definitely my preferred type of books. Nothing worse that struggling with a book and forcing yourself to read through it. I did have a general sense of who was responsible by the time the ending came around, but it didn’t stop my enjoyment of the story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced reader copy and opportunity to provide an honest review.

Someone is killing the bridesmaids! It all starts with the murder of 25-year-old Holly Long -- found dead in her room after the wedding reception at Cleevesford Manor.

This is the 6th in a long-running series featuring DI Gina Harte. The police have many suspects to chase down and they are kept very busy during this investigation. Lots of red herrings and quite a few characters to keep straight. Gina barely has time to deal with any of her personal issues, as always, and even Hannah, her daughter, finds her mother again unavailable. Will Harte and her team find the villain in time to prevent more deaths? NO SPOILERS

Fast paced and easy to read in a single sitting; I anticipated most of the twists but found a few surprises along the way. It's important to have read the previous installments as I feel you'd be a bit lost without knowing Gina's backstory. She's the typical female detective in this genre -- a messed up personal life but a good cop. I plan to continue with the series.

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

Thank you to net galley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary advance reader copy of this book in return for review based upon my honest opinion.

I enjoyed reading the series, this book was kind of like catching up with an old friend and seeing what they were up to. Although this is the sixth book in the series, I feel that you would not need to read the rest of the series to enjoy this book, it would be a good book on its own but it’s a good series, check them out if you haven’t.

Gina Harte is trying to enjoy quality time with her daughter, Hannah and granddaughter, Gracie when duty calls, murder takes precedent over vacation time, Hannah is very upset, and stomps off. When Gina gets to the scene, she discovers a dead bridesmaid, as she tries to solve the case, it leads back to some of the usual suspects, as she gets closer to solving the crime, the crime may be getting closer to home than she likes. Can she solve the crime and save her relationship with Hannah. What about the deep dark secrets she holds, now that she has shared some of them with someone, is her load lessened or will it come back to bite her. What about Briggs, where, if anywhere is this going? Can’t wait for the next book!

Great series with enjoyable, flawed, human characters. Lots of action, had me guessing right up to the end.

thank you for the opportunity to read this book and I really enjoyed it, i started this series at start of lockdown and ita kept me same, love this author and her style of reading and will defo look for more another one of my favourites now!!!

The first book I have read in this series, I am desperate to go back and read the rest! The story was fast paced, while Gina Harte and her team tried to find out what happened to Holly. I read this in a couple of days, I could not put this down. Exciting, absorbing, engrossing! You will love it!

This is an absolutely fantastic read. I absolutely must look up the rest of this series because I haven’t been able to put this one down. It’s a great read by a highly talented author.

Carla Kovach’s new mystery thriller, Her Last Mistake is an exhilarating, shocking read! Struggling with drama within her family and haunted by her past, DI Gina Harte is presented with a chilling new case. Holly Long, Francesca Carter, Lilly Hill and Kerry Powell, collectively known as the Awesome Foursome, have been close friends since their school days and are celebrating at Kerry's wedding reception. What should be a night of joy and great merriment soon turns to tragedy and shock when Holly is found by one of her friends, dead in her hotel room. Who could possibly have wanted to kill Holly?

As I became embroiled in the thickening plot I couldn't put this novel down, and I just had to keep turning those pages. Feisty and down-to-earth, Gina is a brilliant Detective Inspector. The supporting characters were an interesting assortment; some I liked, others I wasn't so keen on, but they all had a valuable contribution to make to the story-line.

The great pacing by Carla Kovach also aided my enjoyment of the story. I suspected several of the characters, yet as is often the case, narrowing them down to just one proved to be quite challenging and I failed to identify the actual perpetrator. Told from differing points of view, the story twisted and turned throughout the chapters, optimising the tension levels as the story propelled its way towards the revealing denouement.

If you love a good detective series and a dark thriller with plenty of surprises and misdirection, then Her Last Mistake is for you. I confidently recommend this novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Detective Gina Harte is back! I love this series. Gina’s new case is interesting, complex with lots of suspects as usual. A bridesmaid is murdered at a wedding reception(shudders). Gina has to solve the case and hope that it is just a one off. Nothing is ever so easy though, right?

I loved Gina in this book. She’s is a great MC.I have always liked her but the previous book in the series had me a bit worried about her life having too much drama. However, Her Last Mistake gave me the Gina that had me rooting for this character in the first books. She is strong, astute and as always, a great detective. She isn’t one dimensional though. The author shows her soft, vulnerable side which was just as interesting to read about. It made the case personal without taking away the focus from the investigation.

This case had my head spinning. I had 3 main suspects and kept switching from one to the other. Each new piece of evidence had me changing my mind. In the end, I was wrong and I am glad that I was. The reveal was quite a surprise. As usual, the author managed to deliver an unpredictable, twisty story that had me captivated and managed to surprise me at the end.

Her Last Mistake is a great addition to the Detective Gina Harte series. The book can be read as a standalone. I think the author does a great job of providing enough background information about the characters to help new readers catch up. However, watching the characters grow and develop with the series is worth reading the books in order.

I definitely recommend this series to fans of Crime Thrillers. Twisty and utterly compelling, Her Last Mistake by Carla Kovach is not to be missed.

I've read several books in the series now and they all have a kind of sameness to them. There's a lot of repetition--we read about a murder, then Gina and crew get to the scene and repeat everything that happened during the murder, and then there's a post-mortem, where we rehash it again. Multiple folks are hauled in for questioning, and sometimes they're arrested, at which point we have to give them the full right to silence. Every time. And I'm sick of Hannah's whinging. Girl, grow up.

Thank you to bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via netgalley. I am a HUGE Gina Harte fan and I was very excited to dive back into this world. This is the 6th Gina Harte book but you could read them as a standalone. Personally I would recommend reading all the books so you can get a better understanding of some of the relationships.

Gina Harte has caught another terrible case. Holly Long has been found dead in her room at Cleevsford Manor. It's her friend's wedding reception. As always Gina throws herself into the case. She is determined and works herself to the bone trying to find the killer. Gina has been through a lot and each new case takes its toll too.

I feel for Gina's daughter Hannah but I do think that she could be more understanding. I wish they could have a better relationship.

This case is full of suspects and dead ends. Gina has no evidence, too many suspects and more dead ends than a girl in (COVID-19) lockdown. Carla kept me on the edge of my seat right to the very end.

This was another excellent instalment of the Gina Harte series! I miss the characters already!

This is a brilliant series but each book could be read as a standalone. Full of suspense with plenty of great characters I was kept guessing right up to the end. I did not see the ending coming.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.