A new detective series featuring fast tracked Detective Inspector Bernie Noel in her first major crime investigation. A five-year-old child is snatched from the park in the small village of Otterfield and the close-knit community is reluctant to help. As the team processes various leads, the disappearance of another little girl twenty-five years earlier increases the pressure on them. With slow progress and threats of bringing in another team, Bernie must discover the family’s secrets and the reasons for the community’s unwillingness to assist. Then tragedy strikes again, further complicating the investigation and raising the tension until the climax of a resolution. You can now add Joy Kluver to the must-read crime thrillers, with this worthy four-star rating gripping police procedural. With thanks to NetGalley and the author for a preview copy for review purposes. All opinions expressed herein are freely given and totally my own.

Last Seen grips and enthrals from the moment you pick it up. This is a riveting and compulsive, tense police procedural with more than enough to sink your teeth into. Kluver's characterisation is effortless and superb and the realistic suspense with a plethora of twists, turns and misdirection thrown in for good measure. The plotting is intelligent and precise, the dialogue true to life and the surprises plentiful and I found myself racing through the pages. It's a propulsive, fast paced affair with scintillating suspense and one I highly recommend.

Brilliant read. One of the best detective books i have read in ages. Great storyline and sub plots leading us on. Great characters in Bernie and Dougie. Can’t wait for the next instalment.

Last Seen is the first in the Detective Bernadette Noel series and is intriguing both in terms of the mystery and as an introduction to characters I am looking forward to following in the future.
Bernadette - Bernie - is keen to prove herself, having spent two years in the accelerated programme to become a Detective Inspector and as the novel progresses it becomes clear that she was forced to leave the Met and move to Wiltshire following a case which resulted in her and her family receiving death threats. I know the county quite well and thought the sense of place was rendered superbly, demonstrating a real motivation to establish immersive authenticity. When a young girl is reported missing, Bernie knows a successful outcome would be a significant boost to her career but conversely, failure will result in her superiors and colleagues questioning whether she was ready to lead such a high-profile investigation. I think it's vital to have a strong introduction to the main character and that is certainly the case here. Bernie is grieving the very recent loss of her beloved grandfather and the insights we are given into both her personal and professional life are fascinating. Joy Kluver reveals enough about her to ensure she feels a well-rounded, believable woman while holding enough back to keep readers wanting to discover more..
She appears to already be developing a close bond with her Major Crime Investigation Team and I particularly like the friendship she has with her shrewd Detective Sergeant, Kerry Allen. Meanwhile, her fast-tracked Detective Constable, Matt Taylor has almost as much to prove as she does and it's clear he has the potential to be an essential asset to her team. These three have undoubtedly formed a relationship built on mutual respect and trust but the newest member, DS Dougie Anderson is a far more perplexing addition. Although there is definitely a spark between him and Bernie, it still remains to be seen whether he would be good for her. He is a brilliant character; utterly infuriating one minute, then an important ally the next. I have no idea what sort of person he'll ultimately turn out to be and there are concerning revelations about him here but I'm keen to see how his character is developed in the future.
One thing that can't be disputed is their combined resolve to discover what has happened to missing five-year-old, Molly Reynolds, or their desperate desire to find her unharmed. The mystery of her disappearance is gratifyingly compelling and there are several false leads and red herrings to hoodwink detectives and readers, along with brief, puzzling glimpses into the mind of the kidnapper, However, it's the response of the local community which is most baffling, adding further dark intrigue to this absorbing story.
Joy Kluver never rushes the plot, allowing the investigation to develop at its own pace but cleverly introduces a deadline for Bernie which exacerbates the sense of tension that so clearly drives the team, it becomes almost palpable at times. Although we don't see much of Molly here as she is snatched very early in the novel, I was impressed by the care taken to ensure she and her distraught parents are never overshadowed by the various interactions in the MICT. Bernie might be determined to quash any lingering doubts over her ability to lead such a case but tries to be mindful that the family are always the most significant people, regardless of what else may be happening.
I loved Last Seen and was engrossed from start to finish; such a well-crafted, thrilling and moving debut surely marks Joy Kluver as an author to watch. I can't wait for more!

Last Seen storyline is gripping, addictive and captivating. It has suspense, tension, mystery, researched police procedural, almost like you are there in the book. I was absolutely hooked from the first page to the last. I was pretty surprised and had a complete shock while reading all those twists and turns and I didn't knew the quilty one almost until the end. It is promising first installment of a series focused on Detective Bernadette Noel and I can say it is a good start and I hope it will be a long series. I enjoyed reading it and I recommend it to everyone who likes to read police procedural and Angela Marsons books.

Absolutely brilliant. Thrilling. Absorbing. Transporting. I was engrossed and did not want it to end while at the same time racing through the pages. Just wonderful. Please read this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Joy Kluver for the eARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Last Seen is a fabulous debut novel from Joy Kluver.
The characters are strong, well-rounded and believable.
A gripping, steady paced plot, with a few heart-pounding moments.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. Hopefully we’ll get to know more about DI Bernadette Noel in a sequel?!

I’d definitely recommend, and look forward to the next instalment (hopefully!)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. I have been looking forward to reading this one for a little while.

This book is the first in a new series and is Joy's debut book! Bernadette Noel is a newly promoted DI and has caught quite the case! We got some good hints at Bernadette's past but I am very eager for more. I can't wait to see more of what happened to Bernadette in London. I also can't wait to see what happens to her in the future too. She is a strong character. She is very good at her job and is extremely determined.

I loved Kerry and Matt. I think they are such a good support to Bernie. There were also quite a few characters that I wasn't sure about and I look forward to seeing what happens with them in future books. Bernie moved to start over and keep a low profile I'm concerned for Bernie's welfare now that her location can be easily be found. She was on national TV which is not exactly low profile.

The case was quite a tricky one. A missing 5-year-old is always a high profile and high-pressure case. When you throw in a village that doesn't want to help it just became almost impossible for Bernie and the team. The book was well-paced and well written.

Joy had me hooked from the prologue and there's just enough of a tease to keep you reading chapter after chapter. I read this book mainly in 2 long stints. I just couldn't break away.

I am shocked that this was Joy's debut book and I can't wait for what I know will be an excellent series. Joy is a very promising writer who I think will go from strength to strength.

Detective Bernadette (Bernie) Noel is a former Met Police officer and, at first, it’s not clear why she has transferred out of London to a Wiltshire town where the pace of life is decidedly slower. Nonetheless, she soon faces a major investigation when a five-year-old girl, Molly, goes missing from a local park.

Keen to get search parties organised, she is quick to start door-to-door enquiries with locals in the area, only to find them unwilling to get involved in the search. Mystified as to why none of them are interested in a child’s life, she pushes on. When they find a child’s fleece and a pushchair in the bushes with no prints or DNA other than the child’s, it becomes obvious that this was no random abduction.

Whilst this is going on, we learn a little more about Bernie’s past. Having just returned from a family funeral, she seems concerned that her whereabouts as the lead investigator will have revealed her identity. But to whom? On top of that, she fears a hand-delivered note may mean that they have already found her? But who is looking for her and why?

Struggling to move the case forward, Bernie soon finds her position leading the case is at risk. This only fuels her determination to find Molly, with or without the villagers’ help. Aided by a strong team who have the same goals, Bernie is able to double-down and slowly but surely the pieces begin to fit together. But can she find Molly before she is made to step aside?

The investigation soon raises questions about Molly’s family which seems to link her disappearance with another case many years before. As the secrets are revealed, the reason behind the villagers’ reluctance to help becomes known – and it’s a cunning and clever twist, though not one that sits comfortably with Bernie and her team. How can people leave a child’s life in danger as some sort of payback for past events? It is most curious and fascinating.

This story has a compelling mystery at its core but it is the strong cast of characters who carry it through to its conclusion along with family drama, intriguing backstory, and great teamwork and dedication from Bernie’s colleagues.

An excellent start to a new series. I’ll be back for more.

A child goes missing in the park. Bernie is called to investigate. No one nearby will talk to her. The small community seems to not even care about a child missing.
Bernie eventually starts to unravel what is going on now and what happened in the past.
This was an okay book. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters and got confused a few times. But overall a decent read.

This was a great police procedural. It's a gripping mystery with lots of twists and turns that kept me hooked. I'm looking forward to reading more.

A wonderful debut from a new author who I will definitely follow in future. A complicated case with a new DI in a new village with lots of twists and turns to keep you interested all the way through. A great start to a promising series!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

Last Seen is the first book in the Detective Bernadette Noel series and it has got off to a promising start. The story was a bit of a slow burner for me but I did enjoy it and I look forward to reading more in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

A kidnapped child and no one forthcoming to help the police or the family. A good premise but a very slow narrative with not much happening in the first half. Once the cold case is linked, the plot becomes fast and the conclusion is rushed. The lead character has no likeable attributes, which may improve down the series. The police investigation is sloppy except in places. The characters have potential to develop in future books.

This is the first book in a new series.

I was totally hooked from the start and I didn't want to put it down. The intricate plot along with the numerous twists and turns kept me guessing until the end.

Bernie is a great character and I can't wait to read more about her and her team.

Highly recommended.

Detective Bernadette Noel is a new DI and new to a small English village after relocating from London. She is leading up a difficult case of a missing child and the higher ups aren’t convinced her leadership skills are up to the task. In addition to the pressure of the case, Bernie has some issues in her personal life that are making it hard to concentrate on the case. Details aren’t given, but I assume it will be expanded on in future books. It looks like there could be some complications in the romance department, too, since sparks were flying between Bernie and one of her colleagues. Bernie is an interesting character and I look forward to seeing how she grows in her job and in general.

The case is interesting with lots of twists. It doesn't’ make sense why nobody in the village where a five-year-old girl disappears is willing to help out and Bernie wants to know why. I like the details included about the investigation as the detectives look for clues and follow up on leads while trying to solve the case. There is much room for improvement on how the team works together, but there are quite a few likeable characters in addition to Bernie. I like the way both DC Matt Taylor and DS Kerry Allen work hard and are respectful to Bernie. I really enjoyed the book and would definitely read more books by this author.

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Bookouture. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

Note - I received this digital arc for free as a courtesy of Net Galley and Bookouture publishers in return for an honest feedback.

Rating - 4/5

Last Seen by Joy Kluver is the first book in the Detective Bernadette Noel Series. The catch line in the book cover of ' A little girl is missing. So why is no one looking for her?' was what made me pick this psychological detective thriller up despite the decision to take a short sabbatical from reading detective thrillers for a while. And I m totally glad that I didn't leave this one out !! For a debutant author, this book is simply a gem that just cannot be missed !!

Newly instated to the area ,DI Bernadette (Bernie) Noel is assigned her first case as a newly promoted DI with the Wiltshire Police - the case of a missing five-year-old girl named Molly Reynolds. But the catch here is that no one in the area of Ottersfield or the nearby Marchant seemed intrigued, concerned or even helpful to the police in finding the child. Bernie and the team are at a loss as they see every lead turning out to be a dead end. Until Bernie discovers an old case, gone cold 25 years back to have striking resemblance and a close link to the disappearance of Molly. The story is all about how Bernie resolves to finding a closure to both the cases in time before things take a drastic turn for the worst.

The story was a complete roller coaster and the twists and turns in the 358 pages book made it practically impossible to even gauge the gender of the culprit till more than half of the story was complete. The suspect list was simply growing, jumping from one person to the other and close to the end , it was possible to anticipate the probable culprit. It was so appealing !! The characterization was relatable however at times, I did feel the character sketch of Bernie and DS Anderson ( A potential romantic angle who has a past ) could have been strengthened a bit more as at times, it felt a little out of place trying to understand the background or gauge the reason for their behaviors. Many a times, instances from Bernie's past were quoted but quite vaguely. I understand it may be potential lots for the future books in this series however it would have been nice if the character foundation was a bit more stronger. ( the only reason why I rate this book as 4 stars !! ).The characterization for the rest was perfect with the right amount of details. This is the first detective thriller that I have read in a while where in the rapport of the DI with the forensics is okay-ish and not so chummy or buds with. And things like this made the plot seem super realistic.

The narrative was written from a 3rd person perspective with occasional chapters written from the culprit point of view. In fact the last chapter too was written from the culprit perspective - the marvelous highlight here is that till the second last chapter, there was always a little lack of clarity on who is the kidnapper but the epilogue sorts it out for good. Profane language usage is borderline to moderate. The language is quite simple to read and understand which is why this book is perfect for all readers aged 15+.

Rest assured the book is a fabulous read. So looking forward to read more from this series.

The book releases on March 26, 2021. @netgalley, @bookouture, Feel free to add me on Goodreads, Edelweiss and Book Sirens for more reviews.

Last Seen by Joy Kluver is the 1st book in the Detective Bernadette Noel series, and it is off to a great start. When a little girl goes missing, no one in town will help look for her. I found this book to be fast-paced, and like a roller coaster ride with surprises around every curve. This book has a well developed plot and characters. I strongly recommend this book and series to all mystery lovers, like me. You won't be disappointed. Looking forward to reading more books by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This is the first book I have read by this author. It is her debut novel and also the first book in the 'Detective Bernadette Noel' series. I'm hoping that she will continue to expand this series as I really enjoyed it. This book had everything you could possibly want in a psychological thriller (and then some!). For being a first time author I would day that Joy Kulver knocked it out of the park! Keep up the good work!

I chose to read a free eARC of Last Seen but that has in no way influenced my review. My grateful thanks to Bookouture for an early copy of the book and asking me to be part of the blog tour.

Last Seen is Kluver's debut novel and what a cracking start it is! It was a joy to meet DI Bernadette (Bernie) Noel - new to the area and newly promoted - as she took on her first case with Wiltshire Police, the desperate search for a missing five-year-old child. This is a very assured debut from an author to watch!

Shy and sensitive Molly Reynolds has been warned about stranger danger by the adults in her life. But that doesn't stop her from being snatched from the local park, mere feet from her mother's turned back. New to Wiltshire Police, DI Bernie Noel, is tasked with finding the girl and reuniting her with her family. But Bernie's search is hampered at every turn by the folk of Ottersfield who seem uncaring, uninterested and reluctant to take time out of their busy schedules to help find the child. Why would a village react like that? Bernie and the team are at a loss. Every lead turns out to be a dead end. Until Bernie discovers the disappearance of another child twenty-five years earlier. Are the two cases connected and will Bernie find Molly in time...?

I really liked DI Noel who came across as a very relatable, very real character. Not only has Bernie got a challenging case on her hands but the author hints throughout the book of a troubled past which intrigued me. There are references to Bernie's life in London and a case which still visibly haunts her. And all of this on top of the search for little Molly! The reader also gets to discover more about Bernie's family which isn't all sunshine and rainbows (pretty normal then!). These well-plotted layers add up to a very likeable new detective who I'm looking forward to spending more time with in the future.

The characters who form Bernie's team are also well-written and I felt they all contributed to the story. DS Kerry Allen has a heart of gold but won't take cr@p from anyone. Matt Taylor is a young, ambitious detective constable who personally, I liked the most. I hope he features in future books. Although he's not officially part of the team (he should be!), Sergeant Alan Turner was just wonderful! And lastly, we have DS Dougie Anderson who I couldn't work out (I don't think I was the only one!). He seemed totally obnoxious one minute, only to turn sweetness and light the next! I think DI Noel and DS Anderson have a very interesting future ahead of them, although fingers crossed it's not a romantic one! 

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Last Seen is a compelling read featuring an intriguing new detective. I loved the secrets, the deceit and the small town apathy Bernie finds in Otterfield. Normally, when a child goes missing it's all hands to the pumps, but not in this case and the reasons behind the residents complete lack of interest kept me turning the pages. It's a great start to a new series and I'm excited to see what is in store next for DI Noel and the team. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Last Seen. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.