I really enjoyed this book all the way through. It had a really good plot, great main characters and really keeps you hooked on the plot. I would highly recommend this book.

I read this for a blog tour. .

I enjoyed this, the shocking ending was just juicy enough to be very satisfying. I would have liked more about the mysterious bookshop run by the enigmatic Mr Holmes.

I was obviously delighted that there was a dog in the story, it always makes things better.

The mystery of the woman's body found in the grounds of a former care home for girls, and the way it all links to terrible things that happened in the past is interesting, especially as there's several red herrings thrown in, leading Katie astray.

Another excellent thriller in this series, it kept me on the edge till the end.
Great character development, a tightly knitted plot, a solid mystery that kept me guessing.
The plot is well thought, full of twists and turns, and you never know what will be next.
A highly entertaining and gripping read that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Last Girls Alive by Jennifer Chase is the fourth book in the Detective Katie Scott series, set in Pine Valley, California. Katie suffers PTSD from her time in the armed forces as a bomb disposal expert with her dog Cisco (now on the K9 unit). They experienced quite a few tours in Afghanistan and she now does her best to control the PTSD and gets on with her job in Pine Valley as a Detective.
Contractors are excavating the site of an old girls home to turn it into high end homes when they discover a body of a young woman buried in a pit.They call the police and the case falls to Katie and her partner Deputy Sean McGaven. Katie is well aware a girl has been missing for five years and presumes it is her.The site was a home for troubled girls and Candace lived there when she ranaway, never to be seen again. Upon the M.E examining the body it turns out that it is her sister, Carol, not Candace. Then a tattoo is found on her body, one that has been done post-mortem, a strange calling card.Then, the next day, another body is discovered, with the same tattoo, giving Katie and Sean a case that will test them like no other has done yet.
Told primarily from Katie's point of view which let me get right into the story. There are a few times we flash back to the killers childhood but we keep with Katie and see how the PTSD is threatening to take over her life and logic, I really felt for this woman who is battling demons not many people can even imagine never mind understand.The inclusion of Cisco is so lovely, everyone loves a dog! Especially a helpful one. I can tell from the quality of this book that the author is experienced in all facets of crime and police procedures, this shines through and gives the book realism and authenticity.
She also keeps up the twists and turns within the story making the tension ramp right up and creating a great conclusion. Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the book to enable me to write this review today

Another police procedural with a raised body count. This brought Katie and her trained dog Cisco to investigate when bodies of girls started turning up.

With a past in Katie’s life about a disappearing friend, she took each case personally and worked hard at it. This too had her determination stamped on every page. With PTSD and other problems, she managed to work hard to get to the killer.

This book had more about her personal life and backstory rather than the investigation which slowed the pace quite a bit. More suspense and twists would have made it thrilling. Nevertheless, with Deputy McGaven by her side, she was soon brought to track, and they raced to get to the killer.

Overall, the story was interesting and quite a quick read. My favorite was Cisco, I loved him. He captured my heart.

4.5 stars

This is the fourth book in the Detective Katie Scott series by Jennifer Chase.

Detective Katie is back! They begin to investigate a dead body on the grounds of a former children’s home. They think that this body is related to a cold case she and her partner are working on.

This case really triggers Katie as she reflects on the death of her parents and how she is still conflicted about committing to a relationship to her fireman beau.

This is definitely a great mystery. It turns you up and down many roads and puts a ton of red herrings into our path. Plus, you learn a lot more about her partner, Sean McGaven and I feel like he is expanded greatly in this book. As always, Cisco the dog is just a wonder to behold. Love all the scenes where he is featured.

This is a story you need to pay attention to. Remain focused and you will love this book too. If you need more of a backstory, go back and read the first three books in this series. That won’t be wasted time since all those books are wonderfully written, especially book three that features Katie’s uncle.

Great series worth digging into!

If you like police procedural/detective fiction, mystery, or thriller, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Edge of your seat suspense does not get any more terrifying than Jennifer Chase’s latest Detective Katie Scott thriller: Last Girls Alive.

When the body of a young girl is found buried in the grounds of a former children’s home, Detective Katie Scott thinks that she might finally find closure to a cold case that has haunted her for years. Five years ago, Candace Harlan had run away from Elm Hill Manor and had never been seen again. Katie is convinced that the girl in the grounds is Candace and she hopes that once her suspicions are proved right that the people who miss her the most and have never stopped hoping for a more positive outcome can finally find peace and will be able to move on with their lives. However, the shocks look set to keep on coming for Katie because the girl in the ground is not Candace. What happened to Candace? Who is this girl? And could she be connected to Candace?

The victim is very similar to Candace and Katie realises that chances are that the killer mistook her for Candace and murdered her by mistake. Determined to bring the depraved killer of these dead girls to justice, Katie begins to look into the history of Elm Hill Manor and ends up rattling past sins, old skeletons and devastating secrets that have lain hidden for years and years. When she tracks down the last six residents and carers of Elm Hill Manor, Katie thinks that she is finally getting closer to solving this perplexing mystery. But nobody will talk to her and nobody seems to remember anything. When a second body is found murdered in a very similar way, it becomes abundantly clear that this was no random attack, but a planned killing whereby a twisted killer is picking off the last girls of Elm Hill Manor and cruelly murdering them.

Why are these girls being targeted? Who would want to kill them when they had been through so much already? Katie will not rest until she finds out what really happened on the grounds of Elm Hill Manor and puts this vicious killer behind bars. But will she be successful in her search for the truth? Can she protect the remaining Elm Hill Manor girls? Or is Katie already too late?

Jennifer Chase’s Last Girls Alive is a tense rollercoaster ride full of shocks, twists and jaw-dropping revelations that will chill readers to the bone and keep them gripped throughout. Last Girls Alive is a nail-biting thriller that grips and terrifies as the redoubtable Katie Scott finds herself tailing a dangerous killer who will stop at nothing to achieve their twisted ends.

Brilliantly paced, engrossing and impossible to put down, thriller fans will love Jennifer Chase’s Last Girls Alive.

Last Girls Alive by Jennifer Chase
Detective Katie Scott #4

Katie Scott is a cold case detective that seems to find herself working current murder cases…or so it seems in this book. She is called to see if the body found is the person she was looking for and though the body resembles the missing woman it is not her. Since she is already on the case, she is tasked with continuing the investigation. One dead body leads to another which suggests a serial killer, perhaps, and an interesting police procedural begins. Will Katie and her partner find the killer?

What I liked:
* Katie: an army vet, K-9 handler, human of Cisco – her K-9 partner, PTSD sufferer, excellent detective, a bit of a loose cannon, dedicated to finding the bad guys, girlfriend of Chad and niece of the boss.
* McGaven: a good man, dedicated to his job, boyfriend of Denise, Katie’s work partner, cares about people, dedicated to his work and those he cares about.
* Chad: did not see much of him but seems a strong support, loving partner, good listener, excellent person and perfect for Katie
* The story, plot and writing
* Wondering about how Dorothy Sullivan will impact the police team as she takes on her new job as undersheriff.
* Having a look at the killer’s backstory and motivation
* That the killer is eventually caught
* Wondering what will happen in book 5

What I did not like:
* The corrupt cop, foster care manager, and killer – all were slimy, wicked, evil people
* Knowing that young women are taken advantage of by those that are supposed to protect them

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Book Description:

Half-buried in the muddy earth and surrounded by puddles of water lies the naked body of a beautiful young girl. Her pale skin looks like porcelain in the early morning light. Her fragile arms bent and crooked like a broken doll.

When Detective Katie Scott is called to the discovery of a young girl buried on the grounds of a former children’s home in Pine Valley, California, she’s hopeful it’s the end to a devastating cold case she’s been working on. No one has seen Candace Harlan since she ran away from Elm Hill Manor five years ago. Her death will be a tragedy, but it will also bring peace to those who miss her most. But the girl in the ground is not Candace.

The victim is almost identical to Candace in every way, but fear grips Katie as she takes in the black ink that decorates the girl’s back—a terrifying message tattooed on her skin after she drew her last breath.

Forcing down traumatic memories of losing her own parents, Katie is certain someone mistook this poor soul for Candace, and that this crumbling home for lost girls is at the heart of this terrible crime. She sets to work digging into the tragic history of the owners who lost so many children of their own and tracking down the last six residents and the staff who cared for them—but no one wants to talk, let alone remember.

The next day, as second girl’s body is found down by the creek at high water, the same words etched into her skin. Katie’s worst fear is confirmed: someone is picking off the last of the Elm Hill girls one by one. But what does the tattoo mean? And what monster would target these innocent girls who have already been through so much?

Katie must dig deep to confront her own fears and protect the vulnerable—but as the body count rises further, will there be anyone left to save?

An absolutely gripping, dark, and totally unputdownable serial killer thriller that will keep you racing through the pages all night long. Fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh will read in one sitting!

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Last Girls Alive ' by Jennifer Chase.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 7th October 2020

This is the first book that I have read by this author. This is the fourth book in the 'Detective Katie Scott' series. Although this is part of a series it can easily be read as a standalone although I will probably read the previous books to get to know Katie's past more.

I was originally drawn to this book by its intriguing colourful cover and interesting sounding blurb. I was also drawn to the the book as the write up read that fans of Melinda Leigh will read in one sitting. I'm a big fan of Melinda Leigh so wanted to see if it loved up to the promise. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 57 chapters. The chapters are medium in length so ideal to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Katie. I enjoy books written in third person with several protagonists as it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters.

This book is based in California, US 🇺🇸.

Wow!!! What can I say about this page turning, nail biting crime thriller!! It was absolutely fantastically written and had me completely hooked from the first page until the cliffhanger (of sorts) ending that leaves you wanting more. Fantastic descriptions that really painted the picture throughout and put me in the book.

The storyline itself was unique, fast paced and filled with nail biting suspension. It was packed with action and very importantly the storyline was believable. I loved the twist at about 80% and I would never have guessed the perp so definitely bonus points there, nothing worse than working out the perp and you're not even half way through the book!! It kept me hooked throughout and I cannot wait to read more in this series, not only the ones after but the ones I have yet to read. I have found another top author to follow for sure!!

The characters were well defined and realistic. I loved the fact that there was a strong female role model, being female myself. Katie is definitely a very likeable character who is suffering ptsd and is a force to be reckoned with. I loved her relationship with her partner Gav who is also another great character. I cannot wait to read more about the them all and follow their relationships!!

Overall a nail biting, suspense packed action crammed thriller that keeps you on edge.

Genres covered include Romance novel, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Hardboiled, Noir Fiction, Psychological Fiction and Police Procedural.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Melinda Leigh, C. Taylor, Carol Wyer and Angela Marsons.

364 pages.

This book is £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED IT!!! ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews

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Author Bio:

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and best-selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells.

In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers.

@JChaseNovelist

Buy Links:
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Apple: https://apple.co/2W0Vhly
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3gHgkS1
Google: https://bit.ly/2Ck152u

This was a first for me in this series and it won't be the last. Had me gripped from the beginning to the end.

Loved the partnership and relationship between the two main characters (Katie and Sean) and of course the wonderful cisco.

A solid police procedural seeking justice for the victims.

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Last Girls Alive’ by Jennifer Chase in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fourth in her Detective Katie Scott series set in Pine Valley, California. I read the first two books in the series though still need to read Book 3. Yet there wasn’t any problem as I was soon up to speed.

When the body of a young woman is discovered in the grounds of a former children’s home in Pine Valley, Detective Katie Scott is hopeful that it’s the end to a devastating cold case that she’s been working on. It’s been five years since Candace Harlan ran away from Elm Hill Manor and while her death would be a tragedy, it will also bring closure. However, it turns out that the victim is not Candace, even if almost identical. In a sinister twist words have been etched onto her back.

Kate starts to dig into the tragic history of Elm Hill Manor and seeks to track down its last six residents along with the staff who cared for them. Yet no one wants to talk, let alone remember. Then the body of another former resident of the Manor is found with the same words etched into her skin....

This was another solid police procedural from Jennifer Chase providing a compelling mystery and plenty of nail biting action. Katie is an appealing lead, fighting the ghosts of her past while seeking justice for the victims. Adding to my enjoyment of this series, is Cisco, her loyal dog that had served with her in a K-9 team in Afghanistan.

I plan to read Book 3, ‘Flowers on Her Grave’, while waiting patiently for Book 5.

Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I’ve read the other books in this series and was super excited to see what Detective Katie Scott is going to get herself up to this time.
As usual Detective Scott puts herself in situations that have my heart in my mouth. She regularly puts her own life in danger to solve a case and this time is no different. Katie will do whatever she needs to, to solve the case. It was nice to see Katie opening up more in this book about her PTSD and the struggles she faces. It shows how far she has come from the first book.
This case, in particular, has a lot of information but not a lot of leads. Jennifer does a great job of keeping the murderer hidden from the audience with only snippets of what is going through their mind. It’s a real tease and a great way to keep the suspense up. There’s a lot of edge of your seat moments that will keep you turning page after page after page.
I look forward to seeing what new way Detective Scott can put herself at risk next!

Still reeling from her last case, Katie get’s called to a new crime scene. Working cold cases at a very successful rate, she hopes that this find of a body of a young girl will help her close another one. But this girl isn’t the one missing and Katie's work has just begun.
The arrival of a new under sheriff is worrying Katie and being reprimanded for her actions from the last case Katie is on thin ice. She needs to be careful how to proceed forward och this just isn’t easy for her.

This is the most fascinating book I've read lately. Jennifer Chase is an extraordinary author; she will grab you and suck you right into "her world". Katie is a great detective who is still having issues because of her stint in the Army. Katie is bound and determined to find the killer of the young girls! Fantasticly written with amazing characters. Definitely a must read. Enjoy!

The body of a young girl is discovered on the property of an abandoned children's home. Katie Scott is called in, thinking the body belongs to the subject of a cold case, but it turns out to be a different dead girl. When a second body with identical markings appear nearby, also related to the children's home, Katie finds herself in a race to find out who the killer is and trying to keep the remaining girls attached to the home alive.

Jennifer weaved together an enticing story from beginning to end, with just enough suspense and action to keep me engaged; I ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting because I had to know who the killer was! Katie Scott is a brilliant detective with a mind for profiling and case solving. She has some emotional baggage from her time in the Army, but this makes her a more relatable character and I think is part of what drives her on to be suc ha good detective. This was my first book by Jennifer Chase; her writing style of action, suspense and thrill was enjoyable and it was a quick read. I was not able to pick out the killer from the get-go (always a plus) and am still not quite sure I follow the threads Jennifer laid to get us to the discovery, but that might say more about me than her writing. I give it 3.5/5 stars.

Last Girls Alive is the 4th instalment in the police procedural series featuring Detective Katie Scott. Having followed this compelling series from the start I was keen to jump straight in and read this next superb instalment.

The book starts with a chilling prologue that immediately had me hooked. In Pine Valley, California, Katie is working on a cold case when she is called to the grounds of a former children’s home. When Katie arrives at the former Elm Hill Manor site she finds the body of a young girl there, but it does not seem to be linked to her cold case. Candace Harlan ran away from Elm Hill Manor five years ago but the girl in the ground is not Candace although the victim is almost identical to her, down to the inked message tattooed on her back. Following another death, and now certain that Elm Hill Manor is central to the cold case, Katie and her partner, Deputy Sean McGaven set about finding the killer.

Once again, Katie brings her warming and personable attributes to this thrilling story, though she remains troubled. This novel was a fantastic, solid and well-balanced police procedural that had me glued to the pages and I didn't want to put it down as I was desperate to know the outcome of the story. The exciting plot was clever, gripping, and wonderfully paced, as Katie embarked on an exhilarating mission to solve the case. I continued to be impressed by Jennifer Chase’s stylish writing and masterful prose that elevated the novel above that of traditional police procedurals. A spellbinding, highly recommended read.

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

Cold-Case Detective Katie Scott is back in the fourth instalment of her series. This time a body of a young woman is found at the demolition site of an ex children’s home. The girl looks identical to one of the residents who went missing five years ago. Etched into her skin are the words ‘raccoglitorre di cacciatori’ meaning ‘hunter-gatherer in Italian. However, tests confirm that it isn’t the missing girl but her sister.

Katie is sure that the young woman’s body won’t be the last and sure enough, another body is found with the same words etched into her skin. She is also an ex-resident of the children’s home. Someone is picking off the girls one by one, but who would want to murder these girls who have been through so much in their short lives already?

Having read the first three books in the series and thoroughly enjoying them, I couldn’t wait to start on this book. Detective Katie Scott is ex-army and saw a lot of deaths, including those close to her. As such she has been left suffering from PTSD which seems to have escalated in this story, possibly due to the events in her last book ‘Flowers on Her Grave‘ which included her Aunt being murdered and her Uncle arrest for it.

Katie has some coping techniques as well as a wonderful partners McGaven. She has been warned though by powers higher up that this time she follows the rules and no going off on her own to solve the cases as she has done in the past.

What I love about this series is that you get to read chapters from the killer point of view and get an insight into why they kill. Being able to connect with the killer in my opinion always makes the chase and the case that bit more exciting.

The plot was well researched and executed. The pace felt fast throughout and I was left intrigued at the end of each chapter enough to want to continue onto the next. It was hard to put it down at times. Plus I’m a believer that short chapters heighten the atmosphere of thrillers.

Last Girls Alive was enjoyable, though I would have liked to have seen more Cisco (Katie’s dog) and her Uncle. It is a fascinating police procedural novel that had me second-guessing every clue. It is suspenseful and exhilarating and I now can’t wait for book five.

Another great book in the Detective Katie Scott series.
A girls body is found during some building work near a former children’s home.
At first Katie thinks it’s a girl whose case she has been looking into from a few years before but the forensics don’t match.
Another girl is then discovered and it seems they both had links to the children’s home.
Katie is struggling with this case and also her past and it soon all catches up with her. Chad is there for her and tries to get her to take it easy but soon Katie and McGaven are in danger again.
This is an action packed crime thriller with lots of different threads that all come together brilliantly in the end.
I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Last Girls Alive, the fourth book in the Detective Katie Scott series. Cold case detective Katie Scott is called out to a building site at Elm House where a body has been found, a body that looks like her latest cold case victim Candace Harlan who disappeared from the same Elm House when it was a foster home five years earlier. When a 2nd victim is found that connects to the foster home Katie is left wondering whether someone is killing the last of the girls from the Elm House foster home. I love this series, and enjoyed this latest book. Katie works well with her partner Deputy McGaven, and we learn more about her military tours of Afghanistan, her PTSD and panic attacks. And of course there is Cisco, her former IED sniffing dog partner is always there in the background!

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Last Girls Alive’, the fourth in the Detective Katie Scott series written by Jennifer Chase, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Detective Katie Scott and Deputy Sean McGaven of the Pine Valley Sheriff’s Department are called out to Elm Hill Mansion, the grounds of a former foster home for girls, when the naked body of a young woman with a tattoo in Italian ‘hunter-gatherer’ on her back is found buried in mud. The body looks very much like Candace Harlan who was one of the last six girls to be kept at the foster home. When the body of another of the girls is found, Katie is involved in one of the most complex cases she’d had to deal with, tracking down the remaining girls and locating staff who worked at the foster home.

‘Last Girls Alive’ is a gripping and nail-biting thriller with a well-written plot, lots of excitement, tension, drama, and twists and turns. I thought I’d guessed the identity of the killer from the possible suspects but as usual I got it completely wrong so by the time the identity was revealed I was taken by surprise. Katie and McGaven make such a good team that I’ve really enjoyed reading about them and catching up on Katie’s relationship with Chad which made her all the more real rather than fictional character. Although I’ve read that this is the last of the four-book series I do hope we get to meet with Katie and the members of Pine Valley Sheriff’s department again soon.