As with all C.L Taylor's books,this was wonderful..I've not been let down yet! When a woman goes missing at a retreat her sister tries to find out what happened. Lies,twists,drama..what more could you want?!
A well earned 4 stars from me

Unfortunately I was disappointed by this one! I really wanted to love it, but it fell a bit flat. I loved the storyline and I was definitely intrigued. I was hooked very quickly and couldn’t guess what was going to happen. I didn’t predict the ending, but I just didn’t like how it ended. It felt like there were too many twists but none of them were very shocking, and because there were too many they kind of lost their effect! I didn’t really like any of the characters which made it hard to connect with them. I’m gutted that I didn’t love this one more as I’ve loved some of C L Taylor’s previous books. Although I was disappointed, I’m looking forward to reading this author’s future books.

What a story. It kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. All you want is for Fran to find the answers she is looking for.
Tom Wade didn’t seem to get a very long sentence for the deaths of two people, so you know there are unanswered questions.
I thought Fran was mad, going on a holiday run by the man she felt killed her sister. But I did understand why she needed to find out for sure.
There are some real, heart stopping moments in this book- not wanted to spoil the story- I’ll say no more.

Well worth a read. It’ll keep you on your toes.

Wow wow wow!!! I could not put this book down, it gripped me from the very first page until the very end!

I brilliant psychological thriller this book will keep you guessing, will draw you in and the twists will sneak up on you!

The story follows Fran as she tries to uncover the truth about her sister’s disappearance. The family have been told she committed suicide but her mother does not believe this. Fran is sent on a retreat to confront the man their mother believes knows the truth. What follows is a rollercoaster ride that will have you glued to your seat!

Absolutely brilliant.

Her Last Holiday is a slow burn of a thriller

Over two years ago, Fran’s sister Jenna disappeared whilst on a wellness retreat at the Malta resort of Gozo that went terribly wrong. Tom Wade, the infamous figure behind Soul Shrink Retreats, was held responsible for the disaster that happened and was sentenced to jail. Wade has now just been released from prison after serving his sentence for the deaths of two people, but he has never let on what happened to the third victim: Jenna. Determined to find out the truth, Fran books herself onto his upcoming retreat in a remote part of Wales – the first since his release – and finds herself face to face with the man who might hold the key to her sister’s disappearance. Will she find out the truth or face the same fate as her sister.

Alternating the viewpoint between the socially clumsy and outspoken Fran and Tom Wade’s manipulative wife, Kate, Taylor gradually sets the scene for the retreat in Wales and introduces the reader to the various participants. The story also regularly flashes back to the original retreat in Gozo two years before, and we learn through Jenna’s eyes what really happened then. Gradually the two plotlines come together in a surprising and tense climax.

Taylor is very good at creating credible, flawed characters who extrude doubt and uncertainty, but are able to rise above their fears when they need to. Her portrayal of the drab, but determined, Fran is very convincing and the minor characters are also well crafted. It takes a little while to come to terms with the shifting timelines and the large cast of characters from the two retreats, but Taylor steadily guides the reader through it and towards the end creates a nice sense of foreboding. Family relationships, especially between sisters and between mothers and daughters, play an important part in the novel and there is a lot of relationship angst and reflection for those who enjoy that sort of thing.

Some parts of the book do not ring true, but overall it is an enjoyable mix of mystery and domestic suspense. There are also some very good twists and I really liked the book’s final scene.

I really enjoyed this book! You always know with C.L.Taylor that your going to enjoy it.
I loved the character development and how the story kept twisting in different ways which kept you guessing what happened in Gozo.
I think they ending seemed a bit long. I’m not sure personally which bit i would remove but I found reading it I was thinking oh another chapter.

I was intrigued by the premise of this novel: a wellness retreat on the island of Gozo, meant to heal people suffering from trauma, becomes the setting for even greater catastrophe - the death of two people in a sweat lodge ceremony and the presumed suicide of another.

Fran’s younger sister Jenna has vanished, her blood and clothing found on a cliff edge. Fran, a delightfully prickly character who doesn’t believe in the psychobabble pedalled by guru Tom Wade, is consumed with guilt that she didn’t listen to Jenna’s problems and now won’t get the chance. When Tom is released from prison after serving two years for negligence in the Gozo deaths, she is horrified to learn that SoulShrink is organising another retreat. Urged on by her domineering mother, she signs up with the sole purpose of finding out what really happened to Jenna.

The story is told in two timelines: the first and second retreats in Gozo and Wales. There are three narrators – Fran, Jenna and Kate. Secretly married to Tom, Kate is the real force behind SoulShrink, unscrupulously exploiting the suffering of their clients for financial gain. Having suffered during the two years when Tom was in prison, she will stop at nothing to revive SoulShrink and regain her former lifestyle. Some of the clients are themselves suspect characters, any one of whom might have played a role in Jenna’s suspicious death.

Fran goes on a journey to discover the truths that many characters are hiding, and to overcome her own flaws. She is seeking not only knowledge of Jenna’s fate but also her own redemption.

It’s this kind of character development that makes a novel like this worthwhile, along with the tantalising mysteries solved.

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Two years earlier, Fran's sister Jenna attended a wellness retreat in Gozo but didn't return home. Something happened that caused the deaths of two people and Jenna to disappear. Celebrity wellness guru Tom Wade served a prison sentence for the deaths and is now a free man. Under pressure from his wife, he agrees to host another retreat; this time in Wales. Using an assumed identity Fran seizes the opportunity to try and discover what happened to her sister.

Her Last Holiday was highly entertaining. Fast-paced and gripping, I couldn't put it down until I discovered Jenna's fate. With dual timelines of Jenna in Gozo and Fran in Wales, I enjoyed how the plot slowly revealed its secrets yet still remained exciting and immersive.

Characters were fully developed and although not all were likeable, I was constantly guessing (and changing my mind!) who was responsible for Jenna's disappearance and why. I thought the story was intriguing and the writing flowed beautifully. I had to suspend disbelief on a few occasions, which really didn't bother me because I was so wrapped up in the story. I was thoroughly entertained and really enjoyed reading it.

Strong 3.5

I like the general writing style of the author, it’s straightforward and strikes the right descriptive balance.

I enjoy reading from different perspectives and time frames.

It held my interest in the main

It felt overly confusing at times due to multiple characters having changed their names!?

I’m not sure if it was because I had to abandon too much sense of realism, or because I didn’t particularly connect with a single character that the story as a whole didn’t resonate with me, with some storylines being red herrings or merely distractions

Having said all of that, I have heard that this author has written some very good books so it wouldn’t put me off reading another.

It wasn’t much of a wellness retreat in Gozo for Jenna when she never returned home.
Years later, her sister Fran is searching for the truth. She, too, goes to a retreat. Run by the same people. Do they know more than they are letting on? How coincidental that there are people there, that were on that retreat in Gozo. People hiding secrets, hiding identities.

This is an intriguing thriller, filled with suspense and mystery. Twists and turns will keep you reading.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read Her Last Holiday by C. L. Taylor.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This story focuses on Jenna and her sister, Fran. They have a tough, distanced relationship, and are 12 years apart age wise. Their parents are stiff upper lip types who rarely show emotion, but always present the best of themselves to the outside world. Jenna went on a SoulShrink retreat two years ago and went missing it Gozo, and the police ruled her disappearance as a suicide. On the very same retreat two others died in the outside sweat pool, and the leader of the group, Tom, was arrested and imprisoned for their deaths. 18 months later he is released and goes back to his wife Kate, who also heads up the retreats. Kate has been prepping for his release and is ready to go straight back to work, and get the business up and running again, but it takes 9 months to convince Tom to get back on board. The couple organise another retreat to Wales. On this retreat is Jenna’s sister, Fran, after much pushing by her mother, who doesn’t believe Jenna committed suicide, but that someone murdered her, and that someone is Tom. So, she makes Fran go under an anonymous name to get Tom to confess to killing Jenna. What could go wrong.

This story was brilliantly written, as always by this author. There were so many elements and separate storylines that brought everything together. I enjoyed the characters, and the fact that they’re aren’t all as they seem. I also enjoyed watching the change in Fran softening as time went on. It was a really easy read, and everything blended together so well. This story also dealt with many issues that many people face, which can only be a good thing. This was a brilliant thriller where you are sure you know who has done what, and then a few pages later you find out that you aren’t quite the detective you thought you were. I would highly recommend.

Really enjoyed the latest novel from CL Taylor. This pacey thriller will leave you wanting more until you reach the very end.

A retreat in Gozo goes horribly wrong with 2 bodies and a third missing. While the man running the retreat goes to prison, a family is left grieving for their missing relative and with many unanswered questions.

A few years later, on his release from prison, the Soulshrink re-launches his retreats, but questions remain unanswered.... can Fran get to the bottom of what happened to her sister?

I was gripped from the start and really enjoyed this novel. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Hooked already within the first few chapters and couldn't put it down. The writing style has you gripped and instantly feel drawn to some characters while some you feel wary about and don't trust them.

Fran wants to find out what happened to her missing sister Jenna as she doesn't believe she committed suicide on a wellness retreat. So she books herself onto a retreat ran by Tom, who has been recently released from prison for the deaths of two people on the retreat where Jenna was. All is not as it seems as Fran begins to uncover the truth. The story flits between both sisters versions from their childhood to the present day.

Couldn't predict where this was going and made an interesting read. Definetly a page turner. The ending didn't feel completely believable when you find out the why of what happened to Jenna but overall enjoyable.

I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book ws okay, I wish it had more cult-ish vibes like I thought. The wife is crazy and I felt so bad for the sister, Fran was not a very likeable character in my opinion.

The concept of this book really appealed to me and it did not disappoint. The book is told in the interesting way of each chapter taking us between Fran at the Welsh retreat in the present day, and Jenna at the Gozo retreat some years earlier as we find out what happened to her. It can feel like they are taking place at the same time as they run parallel with each other and I liked that. I did get a little lost at times as a character would start reflecting on a previous event, but this wouldn’t always be clear to start off with and I would wonder what was going on. But overall a gripping read as we get to the bottom of what really happened to Jenna with lots of twists along the way.

4.5 stars

Her Last Holiday is full of secrets, lies, deception and murder.

Some people are just nasty, some you love and some you are unsure about

Perfect!

Jenna has been presumed dead after a retreat 3 years ago and her sister Fran is going to a retreat held by the same people at the insistence of her not so nice Mum , to get answers to what happened to Jenna.

The story is told from then and now and it works so well as you follow the trail of clues as to what happened to Jenna.

Her Last Holiday is a hard book to put down as you just have to know what happened.

I am a big fan of C.L. Taylor and this book does not disappoint.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon Books Uk for a thrill of a read

Thank you to NetGalley, C.L. Taylor and Avon Books UK for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one; it's not exactly the fast paced thriller that I was looking for, but it was interesting enough to make me want to keep reading and see exactly what happened to Jenna. I really liked the idea behind the self help retreats and how everyone is so different and all of them are suspicious. I enjoyed the atmosphere and how the entire novel you suspect one character and then the twists lead you to the actual perp. I liked the different perspectives in this one and the back and forth. It really helped get the entire story and see which characters are up to no good. Definitely an interesting read!

Two years ago, Fran’s sister Jenna disappeared on a wellness retreat in Gozo that went terribly wrong. The man behind the retreats has been released from prison after serving a sentence for the deaths of two people. Jenna was the third victim, but no-one knows what really happened to her - or do they?

Fran wants to solve the mystery and books herself on to one of Tom’s retreats in a bid to uncover the truth about what happened to her sister.
So begins another rollercoaster ride of a thriller from an author expert in this field. The story is told by Fran in the present and Jenna in the past and we learn about their relationship growing up as well as how events gradually unfolded. The other characters on the retreat are very cleverly brought into the story and the reader is left wondering if anyone is who they appear to be. Lots of suspense and twists and turns to a slightly implausible ending – which lost it a star for me.
I would still thoroughly recommend the book – as I would any by this author!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance review copy.

I feel like C.L Taylor and I share very similar interests in true crime topics! Taylor has written so many books that I have really enjoyed and something I really admire is that they are all on different themes - she isn’t afraid to step out of her comfort zone and push to find a new way of telling an interesting story. Her Last Holiday really reminded me of a podcast I listened to recently called ‘Guru’ by Wondery which tells the true story of Arthur James Ray - a self help guru who went to prison after killing people in a sweat lodge as part of a retreat he was running. There is a lot of similarities here, with fictional Fran trying to find out what happened to her sister who disappeared at a similar retreat where others had died.

The story is split into pieces – we have a past and present timeline between the two sisters that alternates and then there is also a perspective from Kate who is dating the Guru himself. There’s a lot of twists and turns (I’d expect nothing less!) and quite a few surprises that I did not expect throughout. The flashbacks could have gotten confusing but this is not the case here with assured writing which keeps the pace up throughout. We got a lot of background into the drama happening at the past retreat but I would have perhaps liked to see a little more build up to the sweat lodge and the experience itself as it’s not really spelt out what in particular causes the characters to die.

Our main character Fran is interesting – she is a no-nonsense teacher in her 50s who is posing as her retired mother in order to access the retreat. Although some interactions with her were quite refreshing as she struggles to navigate social conventions, I felt like this could have been pushed further in places. I kept picturing her as around 30 years old instead of 50! It perhaps doesn’t help that her sister is so much younger than her though.

At least two characters are pretending to be other people in the book and this does sometimes make things confusing. There are times when a character is yelling the other person’s real name outside their door which I thought was a little unrealistic as anyone could have heard them. In the ARC that I was given there are also some major mistakes where a character refers to someone as the wrong name to a character that would have had a large reaction if they had known the truth. This made the prose jarring as I was first shocked they had given the game away or slipped up but then there is no reaction from the other person so it seems to have just been a mistake in the editing – I have flagged this to the publisher and hopefully it will be fixed by the time of publication.

Overall Her Last Holiday is a gripping read and another great read from C.L Taylor – I look forward to the next one! Thank you to NetGalley & Avon Books UK for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having read other books by this author, I was looking forward to this one .........however it was not great. I felt that the characters had little to support interest, and the search for the missing sister did not ring true.
Sorry but it was not for me, I finished it but only got a modicum of pleasure from it