Ellery will prove herself courageous when she agrees to face the man who has dominated her life since she was 14 and he kidnapped her. Serial killer Francis Coben has agreed to provide information on his 17 other victims if Ellery will face him in prison. This is book #5 in the series, but it's easily read as a stand alone but you'd miss the character/ story development that has brought this meeting to a head. The story is dark and tension filled. Ellery will face the monster of all of her nightmares. When the story takes an unexpected turn, readers are drawn into the nightmare with her. Great story.

Last Seen Alive is book 5 in the Ellery Hathaway series continues the story of Detective Ellery Hathaway and FBI Agent Reed Markum. These are not stand-alone books and should be read in order to fully grasp the intention and background as each book lends itself to the next.

Someone witnessed a kidnapping that occurred 14 years ago but remained silent. Abigail Hathaway’s life story was no longer private following her survival from abuse and captivity. Francis Michael Coben took pleasure in abducting and torturing young girls in Chicago until he was successfully put behind bars. Abigail Hathaway was the girl who was found and survived. There were books and movies made about her life and experience.

To escape the attention of her past, Abigail “Ellery” Hathaway becomes a patrol officer in the quiet town of Woodbury in MA. Her brother Daniel who was sick with leukemia died 6 months after she returned home. Her father had abandoned the family and left her feeling abandoned when she needed support the most. She was saved by now FBI agent, Reed Markham, who was only a newbie when he became determined to find the abducted girl. He received a lot of praise and notoriety after the girl's safe return. The relationship between Ellery and Reed is one filled with intense emotion and complications which are revealed over the course of the previous books.

Presently, it's been 17 years since Coben was locked up in a prison for life on death row in Terra Haute for his tortuous killing spree of young girls. Although Ellery and Reed parted ways, his work for the FBI brings him back to Boston where Ellery now works. It seems that Francis Coben is playing games by offering to provide information. "He's been locked up for seventeen years now. Life on death row in Terre Haute is torturous in its isolation and tedium. Coben's decided to cook up a little excitement for himself. So, he whips out his pipe and plays the one tune he knows will us all to the dance. I'll give up the missing girls," Detective Reed tells TV reporter, Kate Hunter. Yet, again, Ellery is asked to assist with the interview which enrages her since she just discovered evidence a "Coban"-like killer, a copycat. The last thing she wants is to provide a psychopath an avenue to receive more attention. With the possibility of obtaining information regarding the other missing girls and possibly a clue to the new copycat killer, she agrees to talk to Coban. There's always a risk when meeting up with a sociopathic killer and this time proves to be risky than before.

Neither police officer Ellery Hathaway or FBI Profiler Reed Markham will ever be able to forget what brought them together. Ellery suffered brutally at the hands of vicious serial killer, and barely survived and Reed was able to save her life. It is now fifteen years later and Reed gets a letter from the killer himself, Francis Corben. If they want to know where the bodies of multiple victims are buried, then Reed must bring Ellery to the prison where he is on death row to speak with him in person.

Finding closure for families is important for both Ellery and Reed, so they reluctantly agree to Corben's request. Meanwhile, it is soon learned that Corben has information that he shouldn't considering the terms of his imprisonment. Then considering the media has never once let up on Ellery and Reed's story is always a cause for concern.

When a new victim is discovered with nothing short of Corben's signature, Ellery and Reed find themselves in a race against time when it comes to striving to find the new killer, all while keeping the media at bay. I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every book in this series and do wonder if this makes the final book for Ellery and Reed. Count me in for more, or bring me more Detective Annalisa Vega titles and I will be a happy camper.

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This was a great read. I had a hard time putting it down and was left with a bit of a book hangover afterward. Definitely recommend.

This series does not disappoint. I love all of them. I don't think they need to be read in order but Last Seen Alive drew more on past events than any of the previous ones so it might be best saved for last. Lots of action and great storyline.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This one kept me interested from start to finish. I liked the characters, I enjoyed the ending. I did see some different parts coming but it didn't take away from the story. A solid 3.5 stars.

Ooommmgggggg. This book.. this was a brilliantly fun ride and the writing blew me away. For it's genre this book defn stands out and will leave you reeling from the ending!.

Ellery continues on her quest to find bodies of murdered victims of Francis Coben. He will give up locations if he can see her once again.

The fifth novel featuring Ellery Hathaway and Reed Markham is complex and satisfying, and it feels (unfortunately for fans) like a final chapter. Things get complicated as Ellery decides whether to assist in obtaining information from her former captor, the famous serial killer Francis Coben. While Coen rots in prison, a new victim is killed with his M.O. Coben says he’ll help, but only if he can talk to Ellery. The press is pushing for this meeting to happen in a dramatic televised special. Familes of Coben’s never-found victims are clamoring for help. Ellery finds out what she can handle, and the investigating officer Reed is right there to support her, despite her having ended their personal relationship. A strong sense of danger helps keep up a fast pace in this compelling novel. I don’t know whether the author plans more books in this series. If not, she is ending on a high note.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital advance review copy.

I love her books and even though this is part of a series, it can serve as a stand-alone as there is enough context. Ellery has endured a horrific kidnapping that left her scarred--both physically and mentally. Reed is the FBI contact who was once a boyfriend but now, who knows what could happen? Her captor, Coben is in prison and has lots of "fans" but when she agrees to see him, things begin to go wrong. He describes "the beast" within and that by itself is scary enough, but when other women disappear, we realize there is more to the story than just a serial killer in jail. Kept me reading until the end with lots of great characters and thrills; maybe read with the lights on!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Last Seen Alive is the 5th book in the Ellery Hathaway series, but there's sufficient context provided in the story where it could be a standalone book. However, the entire series is excellent so I recommend reading the first four in the series to get the full background on the characters and storyline.

Ellery Hathaway and Special Agent Reed Markham are back in the 5th installment of the series. This time, they must confront serial killer Francis Coben who tortured Ellery as a teenager until she was saved by a young agent Markham. Coben has been toying with Reed and is now dangling the one thing that may be able to re-ensnare both Ellery and Reed - the locations of all of the bodies of the young women who couldn't previously be located. Coben has sent a message to Reed - bring Ellery to see him and he'll give up the locations.

The public, the families of the victims, the media, and the FBI are all yearning for Ellery to agree and Coben to give up his secrets, but nothing with Francis Coben is every as simple as it's presented to be. Things become even more complicated when a new body drops - with Coben's criminal signatures all over it.

This read like the final entry in the series, and I hope it's not as Ellery and Reed are compelling characters with a complex and fascinating history and Schaffhausen's world building around them has made for an incredible series.

Excellent book, and great characters. Believable, and keeps you guessing. I highly suggest it.
Thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for the advanced copy.

This was not an unputdownable, edge-of-your-seat, “can’t go to sleep till finished” type of book, but it was enjoyable and it was worth definitely worth the read. All in all, a solid read if not life altering. But do we always need those? Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC opportunity !

I was nervous that I would be lost as this is the fifth book in a series. But I was able to keep up just fine. This book was incredible, such a thriller with perfect twists and turns! I plan to go back and read the previous four books right now!

I became a fan of Joanna Schaffhausen when I read her debut, The Vanishing Season, and she hasn't disappointed me a single time. Oh, and that debut was also our introduction to Ellery and Reed. And Bump, we can't forget Bump, the hound has been a big part of Ellery's life and he definitely has a way of getting what he wants. I've enjoyed every book in this series; they've all been gritty, suspenseful, and downright addictive. So, they've all been good, but this fifth book absolutely knocked it out of the park.
The series has followed Ellery and Reed, and there's been a continuing storyline from the start–Francis Coben, the monster who changed both their lives, the monster who brought them together and tore them apart, the thing that Ellery has been trying to get past since she was a young girl. Ellery's history with Coben has been at the forefront of her life and shaped everything she's done. So, with all that in mind, I hope I'm not revealing too much by saying that I feel like everything was leading to this book. This is the one I've been waiting for since the beginning. And it was everything I expected. It's dark, jarring, and a little gory, but it's also Ellery's coming into her own story, so to speak. I finished the fourth book in this series a little worried about things on the personal front for these characters. There was so much left up in the air - actually, there was unfinished business all the way around. Things kind of come full circle here, and while I'll be disappointed to not get more Ellery and Reed, this book feels like the end of the series to me. There is an open-door scene in this book, which surprised me, but with Ellery being the way she is along with everything happening around them, that scene was more than just an on-page bit of steam. Really, it wasn't even what I'd call steamy. Instead, it helps to show where these characters are mentally and emotionally.
With that, I've come as close to spoiler territory as I'm going to, so I'll just finish with Last Seen Alive is another gripping, fast-paced book in a series of gripping, fast-paced books.

Thrilling return to the event that changed and shaped her world where the media has lined up to interview the serial killer that kidnapped and tortured her when she was fourteen. While he dangles an offer with info about one of his presumed victims, he wants to see Ellery ...his only victim that survived. Only some of the info leads to another.missing girl from only a week. Is it a copycat? Exciting fast read.

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!

Joanna Schaffhausen is one of my favorite authors. This series is also one of my favorite series. Ellery is fantastic and her life is a mess, but I enjoy watching her grow and mature. This book was just as good as all the others. 5 stars 10/10 would absolutely recommend.
This book felt like it might have been the last of the series, and I hope it isn't cause I want to continue to read about Ellery and Agent Markham. Brilliant, Incredible, This author is a auto-buy for me, I don't even read the synopsis anymore just pre-order and buy them.

This is the 5th in Joanna Schaffhausen's mystery series featuring Ellery Hathaway and FBI Agent Reed Markham.

As a teen, Ellery was taken and brutalized by serial killer Francis Coben. She was eventually rescued by Reed. Ellery changed her identity and trained as a police officer, but later reunited with Reed.

Now Coben (on death row) offers to reveal the location of the bodies of his 8 victims IF Reed brings Ellery to him.

Little do the authorities know that Coben has a long game and is pulling the strings as events evolve to a violent conclusion, yet one that finally gives some piece of mind to Ellery.

Have I had Last Seen Alive on my nightstand for a while? Yes. Have I been excited to read it? Yes, but I also just didn’t want it to end. Those of you who love a good series will understand.

Can you read any of Joanna Schaffhausen’s Ellery Hathaway series as a stand-alone? Sure, and I’m sure you will love them, but, in order to truly appreciate it, you have to follow Ellery’s journey.

In order, the series is The Vanishing Season, followed by No Mercy, All The Best Lies, Ever Waking Hour, and then Last Seen Alive.

Thanks to @minotaur_books for my copy of Every Waking Hour and Last Seen Alive and to @joannaschaffhausen for crafting one of those characters that you can’t help but become attached to over the course of a series. I’m sad Ellery’s story is over, but I’m already loving Joanna’s next series with Detective Annalisa Vega!

Link to 4/4/2022 Instagram post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb7mHfyL7TO/

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to preview Last Seen Alive.

This is a series book and I have read a few of them. The local of Boston and deep characters sets the series apart

Enjoy this series but sometimes predictable.

3.5 starS