Joanna Schaffhausen (https://www.joannaschaffhausen.com/) is the author of eight novels. Every Waking Hour was published in 2021 and is the fourth book in her Ellery Hathaway series. It is the 76th book I completed reading in 2023.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R.

Ellery Hathaway is a new Detective with the Boston Police Department. Her relationship with FBI agent Reed Markham has been developing. Because he rescued her years before when she had been kidnapped, they have a special connection. When 12-year-old Chloe Lockhart disappears from a park, the case resonates with Hathaway.

Lockhart just walked away one afternoon while at the park. Her wealthy family has no idea why or where she has gone. Hathaway must follow a winding trail of clues. She is not surprised to find that the Lockhart family has secrets. She is surprised to find that they had lost an earlier child.

Did the Lockhart girl run away from overprotective parents? Was she kidnapped? Had she been groomed by a predator and enticed to leave?

I enjoyed the 8.5 hours I spent reading this 331-page mystery. I had the opportunity previously to read the first three books of this series: The Vanishing Season, No Mercy, and All the Best Lies. All four books in this series have been excellent mysteries. I like how the book ends with a good plot twist. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4.4 (rounded to 4) out of 5.

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Although I read this as a stand-alone, I truly enjoyed the story. I think I will go back & read the other books in this series. I highly recommend this book by Joanna Schaffhausen.

After surviving a serial killer’s abduction as a young teenager, Ellery Hathaway is finally attempting a normal life. She has a new job as a rookie Boston detective and a fledgling relationship with Reed Markham, the FBI agent who rescued her years ago. But when a twelve-year-old girl disappears on Ellery’s watch, the troubling case opens deep wounds that never fully healed.

Chloe Lockhart walked away from a busy street fair and vanished into the crowd. Maybe she was fleeing the suffocating surveillance her parents put on her from the time she was born, or maybe the evil from her parents’ past finally caught up to her. For Chloe, as Ellery learns, is not the first child Teresa Lockhart has lost.

Ellery knows what it’s like to have the past stalk you, to hold your breath around every corner. Sending one kidnapped girl to find another could be Chloe’s only hope or an unmitigated disaster that dooms them both. Ellery must untangle the labyrinth of secrets inside the Lockhart household -- secrets that have already murdered one child. Each second that ticks by reminds her of her own lost hours, how close she came to death, and how near it still remains.

An interesting mystery with many intersecting story lines. I like the alternating POVs. I will definitely look for more of Joanna's novels in the future.

Today’s #bookstagramgalentinesday prompt is favorite female character. I’ve been thinking about this one for a while. How could I ever choose just one favorite? 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

There are just too many badass women in fiction, but the one thing that makes me absolutely love a character is when she’s a survivor. When she’s beaten the odds and emerges stronger.

So after some thought, I decided to showcase my current favorite female character, Ellery Hathaway. Not only is Ellery a female police office, but she’s also Victim Number 17 of fictional serial killer Francis Michael Coben, the only one who survived.

Have I grabbed your attention yet? Definitely be sure to check out Joanna Schaffhausen’s @joannaschaffhausen Ellery Hathaway series, and be on the lookout later in 2021 for her new Annalisa Vega series. I can’t wait!!!

I am so completely hooked on this series at four books in! I . Let's start off with the fact that this is book four ,The author does a good job of catching you up if you haven't had the chance to read the earlier books but I just feel like you would really be missing out - especially when it comes to understanding Ellery as a character. Everything that she has gone through in her life has led her to where she is "today" as this book begins. I like that Ellery's world is opening up a bit even if she doesn't feel like she is ready for it. We saw more of characters from previous books and I hope that continues because it means Ellery is finally starting to move on more from her past. The ending made me a bit sad (but I understood)…

Ellery Hathaway is back, this time as a rookie police officer who cannot escape her horrific past. When twelve year old Chloe Lockhart goes missing, will her mother's past history come back to haunt her? Will Reed Markham, the FBI agent that saved Ellery, become professionally involved despite having a personal relationship with Ellery?

There is a lot going on in Ellery's personal life in this novel, especially regarding Reed and her half sister. The novel is well balanced, giving readers glimpses into both the personal and professional aspects of Ellery's daily life. The main plot line involves a family with tragic history, giving the novel a background that takes the present story deep into past. As always with the Ellery/Reed novels, the author does a good job of showing the investigative process. Although the novel gives a barebones review of Ellery's past, I would recommend readers new to the series start at the beginning.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of Every Waking Hour by NetGalley and the publisher, Minotaur Books. The decision to read this novel was mine and mine alone.

Every Waking Hour is suitably titled if for no other reason than Ellery and Reed are incapable of turning off and taking a real break. Of course, if you've followed the series, you'll already know how completely dedicated these two are. This fourth book gives us a missing persons case combined with a cold case, and things do get complex and twisted, but it seems nothing's too big for this pair. There's also a bit of romance, or maybe an attempt at romance, and not everyone is on board with Reed and Ellery being a couple. Things do take a bit of a melancholy turn on that front.
One of my favorite things about this series is the combination of the personal and the case. At this point, I feel like I know Ellery and Reed - well, I know Ellery as much as we're allowed to know her. She's a product of her past trauma, which is both what drives her and what keeps her from moving forward. Reed is seriously smart and between his talent for piecing things together and her raw instinct, they make a formidable force. I will say that I'd recommend starting at the beginning of the series to get the most from each book. The cases are different, but there are so many layers to these characters that you won't want to miss any of them.
As far as this fourth Ellery Hathaway book, the case is riveting and keeps you guessing, and the characters are just as intriguing. All in all, another well-written, suspenseful addition to the series.

RATING: 4 STARS
2021; Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Press/Vibrance Press
Narrators: Seth Podowitz & Danielle Gensler

In the fourth instalment, Ellery and Reed are trying to make it as couple. Ellery has a new job and partner in Boston. Ellery and Reed take his young daughter to a fair when a young twelve year girl goes missing in the crowd. Ellery and Reed see this happening on their watch and dive into the case. Reed is supposed to be on vacation with his daughter, but cannot help getting involved. This one makes his ex-wife more irritated with him. Ellery seeing parallels to her own case takes it personal. As the two work on the case together grey find that their relation is being tested. Will they find the young girl and survive as a couple?

What I enjoyed about the first book was the case weaved with personal life. You have these two flawed characters that come together...or trying to be together. They both have baggage, but they seem to make one another feel safe and normal. I am happy to see this series will continue with book 5 next year. In the meantime, Schaffenhausen has a new series coming out later in August. I am looking forward to another strong female character.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

I don’t read a lot of thrillers, but I do love a mystery and Schaffhausen delivers a really good one in this book. Although this is the fourth in the Ellery Hathaway series, this is the first one I’ve read, and the author does a good job of filling in the backstory of Ellery and Reed Markham, which is so interesting that I am going to try to go back and read the first three books in this series. A child abduction forms the major part of the book, but readers will assume that an old unsolved case has something to do with this new one. I did guess some of the solution but not all of it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is such a great series. I really appreciate that although there are continuing story lines, her books work well as a standalone as well.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

There isn't anything I don't like about this series.

As the series progresses, the characters grow and expand adding new depths to their characterizations.
Ellery is still a badass cop doing whatever is necessary to save the victim but is beginning to grow emotionally with help from her boyfriend Reed Markham. Reed who is an FBI agent is going through his own family issues.
These two just work together, both on and off the case. There is a great balance between their work lives and personal lives which often are intertwined, really adding to the complexities of the storyline.

Great series to start if you haven't already!

Ellery Hathaway is trying to have a normal life. She's attempting to become a police detective in Boston. She's even trying to have a relationship with Reed Markham. But then Chloe Lockhart, a twelve-year-old girl, goes missing, and the case threatens everything Ellery has tried to build. Ellery has many scars--physical and emotional--from her own kidnapping. Is sending a former kidnapped child out to find another the right thing to do? Every moment that Chloe is missing reminds Ellery of her past--and how much she wants, needs, to find Chloe.

I just love the Ellery and Reed series so very much. Book number four is yet another excellent entry. There are two parallel case running, and both keep your attention. I love the tension between Reed and Ellery and how well so many present-day cases can tie back to Ellery's past. She's damaged, yes, but so strong. This is a compelling read, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading. And, the epilogue, oh my gosh! What a cliffhanger!

I cannot recommend this entire series enough! 4 stars, and I cannot wait for book #5.

Hello, my name is Arianna and I am obsessed with the Ellery Hathaway series.

Every Waking Hour is book four in the series and while you can enjoy it without having read the previous books, believe me, you will want to go back and read the first three so you can really understand Ellery and Reed's backgrounds and history and how it adds to the story.

Schaffhausen is able to perfectly blend a single case mystery with the personal stories of Ellery and Reed. The case this time, is a kidnapped 13 year old girl. This naturally brings up emotions and memories for Ellery and she has to face her past and how it impacts her role as a detective. The case is so well plotted and fast-paced, grabbing you from the beginning. There are lots of layers, secrets and twists and the character development is natural and rewarding for regular readers of the series.

And can we talk about that ending!!? What a way to keep you on the edge of your seat!

This is a favourite series of mine and one I recommend to all mystery lovers.

Thank you to Minotaur books and Netgalley for the gifted book.

This was the first time I have read a book by this author and I enjoyed it so much that I was happy to find more of her mysteries. Although I don’t usually care for stories about lost or kidnapped children this one got me hooked in the beginning.

This was the fourth in a series and I did not read the first three. I did really enjoy this one though and was able to follow along no problem.

A young girl is kidnapped and her parents are very worried. The mother, already lost a son years earlier the crime was never solved. Ellery, had been kidnapped at the age of fourteen also so she takes this case personally. She will do whatever it takes to ensure that Chloe is safe.

This book takes you on lots of twists and turns. It is well written and the plot is great and easy to follow. I Thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are all well developed and very likable.

This was the first book I read in the Ellery Hathaway series & I really enjoyed it! Even though there are three other books prior to this one, it wasn’t hard to pick up on the relationship and history that Ellery and Reed shared. I thought the story was interesting and suspenseful, and even though the book ended in the cliff hanger, I really enjoyed it. I look forward to reading the previous three books, as well as the next in the series whenever that should be!

I loved this book. I love this whole series and I was so excited when I received this book.

This is the 4th book in the Ellery Series, and it just keeps getting better. This book follows Ellery a Boston detective as she searches for Chloe a lost 12 year old girl. Is she lost though? or did she run away? Can Ellery and FBI Agent Reed Markham find her in time? This also explores the idea of Ellery being in a relationship after her tramatic history. I am enjoying watching Detective Ellery grow as a person in these books.

This one really races you around it is super fast paced and I could not put it down. There is the current missing girl, but there is an older unsolved crime that twists its way through this story. The writing here is so good. I could feel the panic in some of the pages. Joanna Schaffhausen is very quickly becoming my new favorite author.

10/10 would absolutely recommend.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was so well written I was hooked on page one and couldn't put the book down! It was like watching a tv crime show. I loved the strong characters that also had fears and flaws. The emotional connection between Ellery and Reed was fantastic. I liked that they worked together to solve this missing child case. This is book four in the series, but it was fine to read as a stand-alone because there were enough details about the background of the characters. The plot was so full of plot twists and turns. You never knew what was going to happen next. I highly recommend this book to lovers of mystery/thrillers! You won't be disappointed!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The 4th installment of Joanna Schaffhausen's Ellery Hathaway series has our favorite team mystery solving team (Ellery and Reed) returning to Boston where Ellery has been hired by the BPD and is trying her very hardest to toe the line (for once). What starts as a fun weekend vacation, turns into a mystery a when a girl goes missing from The Common and it becomes clear that there is more to the case than a simple run away teen.

As always, Hathaway is a loose cannon in the very best way and Reed is the ever-stable FBI agent/ knight in shining armor. This particular iteration was interesting because it addressed directly some of the criticisms myself, and many others have had with the main relationship of the series.

Additionally, it's somewhat of a hobby for me to read books set in Boston, and I was suuuuuuuper excited about the small plot point that happened in Roslindale. Roslindale never gets a mention! Awesome!

As always, I would absolutely recommend this series to folks who don't mind a somewhat unlikable narrator and those who are ok with a bit of violence on the page.

I am so completely hooked on this series at four books in! I really cannot get enough of it and these characters! Every book in this series has been a page turner that I could not set down and this book was no different. Let's start off with the fact that this is book four and a bit hard to share my thoughts on without sharing spoilers (but I shall do my best). I do think that this is a series best read in order if possible. The author does a good job of catching you up if you haven't had the chance to read the earlier books but I just feel like you would really be missing out - especially when it comes to understanding Ellery as a character. Everything that she has gone through in her life has led her to where she is "today" as this book begins. And she just cannot run from her past and how it still effects her life which makes the case she gets drawn into investigating that much more personal for her. I flew through the pages of this book. I just needed to know how it was all going to end. I like that Ellery's world is opening up a bit even if she doesn't feel like she is ready for it. We saw more of characters from previous books and I hope that continues because it means Ellery is finally starting to move on more from her past. The ending made me a bit sad (but I understood) until it didn't because I was like WHAT?!? And now I'm just sitting here pining away for the next book in this series....because gah! Yep, it that ending left me with no words and I NEED book five ASAP! Do yourself a favor and pick this series up soon but start with The Vanishing Season because reading them all in order is completely worth it!

Bottom Line: This book was everything that I've come to expect from this series in the best of ways. A personal favorite mystery series of mine for a reason!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. Honest thoughts are my own.

CW: Missing child, death of a child, serial killer, cancer