Ellery and Reed team up again after a TV crew's planned interview with Coben brings some new evidence to light. This was really good, as is the entire series. Coben himself finally makes an appearance in this book and Ellery confronts him on several occasions. Ellery and Reed are both such great characters, and I hope there will be more of this series. 4.5 stars.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and #NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Wonderful series with phenomenal characters.

I love this series and I'm wondering if this is the last book. I hope not, but I fear it is, regardless, this is another excellent installment in the Ellery Hathaway/Reed Markham storyline. In the last book, Ellery broke up with Reed distressing me greatly, but now Reed has to contact Ellery again because the monster she barely survived as a young girl, thanks to Reed, has requested a meeting with Ellery. Francis Coben killed at least sixteen girls, but others were never found and that's the bait to get Ellery to show up. And a body has turned up with Coben's signature which adds to the mayhem. This is a twisted plot as Ellery and Reed work together to figure out the clues and plenty of red herrings. If you've read the other books in this series, then you have to read this one. If you haven't read the other books yet, you definitely need to start at book one and you won't be sorry. Joanna is one of my favorite authors.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC for an impartial review.

Schaffhausen is the master of serial killers thriller. The characters are captivating without being overly described. Each dialogue has a purpose and is concise. Character's development is with every character; not hit or miss. This book was a part of a series; however, I did not know this when I began to read this story. It does read like a stand-alone book. However, it's so great that I will have to read the rest of the series in order to see where it all began. It is very strange that the relationship between Coben and Ellery is more convincing than between Ellery and Reed.

Coben has a strong voice and came across as a convincing serial killer just by the dialogue. I can picture this series being made into a mini tv series or even drag it out and make it into an annual season tv show.

Ellery's character I see her more as a strong victim rather than a cop. At least, that's what Schaffhausen wants us to see Ellery as. Ellery is very likable and down to earth even if as a reader there's no want to connect to her character if you haven't been in her shoes. However, there is a certain for a lack of a better word, connection to her.

Thank you to St. Martian's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

I read one book in the Detective Vega series and really enjoyed it. I was determined to read more of this author’s work. Even though I had never read any of the Ellery Hathaway books, I had no trouble following the plot as well as the complex relationship between FBI agent Reed Markham and Ellery.

A TV producer wants Ellery to confront and interview the serial killer that had once abducted and held Ellery captive. He has been in prison 17 years and several sets of parents have never had closure with where their daughters were buried after presumably being murdered by this killer, Francis Coben.
The intent was to make a TV show where Ellery has a chance to discover where the rest of the missing girls are.

More murders take place and it appears that Coben has outside contacts that he is manipulating like a puppeteer. When Coben escapes, Hathaway and Markhan have to move quickly before the bodies begin to pile up from Coben’s rampage.

This book moves fast and you will find yourself engaged and plowing through to the end. It is suspenseful and you will not always know the twists that are coming.

Thank you to Netgalley, author Joanna Schaffhausen and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to review this book. In the last book in the series, the story comes full circle. This story takes us back to the beginning and we witness Ellery coming to terms with everything that has happened to her. FBI Agent Reed Markham is by her side for it all. As the sole survivor of a well known serial killer Ellery struggles to deliver justice to the victims families while fighting her own demons. Another multifaceted mystery with twists and turns you won’t see coming. Even though it’s part of a series this does well as a stand alone novel, although to get the full picture I would recommend reading the series in order. Although I will miss Ellery and Reed this was an extremely satisfying end to the series. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys crime fiction and mysteries. I can’t wait to read what’s next from this author!

Joanna Shaffhausen has finished off her remarkable Ellery Hathaway series with her best book yet. Ellery is forced to confront the monster who tortured her as a young girl and continues to haunt her nightmares. Shaffhausen is a skilled, intelligent writer and the plot has many different layers, making it an overall phenomenal read and the perfect conclusion to this amazing series.

This is such a phenomenal series! It is dark and horrifying and oddly optimistic and creepy and magnificent all at the same time. Ellery is one of my favorite female protagonists of all time. Her unfailing ability to carry on, despite every parade of horribles thrown at her, is both believable and superhuman

This is a true survivor's tale, wrapped in a serial killer-detective-thriller package. The characterizations are brilliant, the plot and pacing are second to none, and the ability to weave fear and the possibility for redemption into one coherent narrative (across multiple books, no less) is impressive to say the least... The stories are always difficult to read, because they are graphic and violent and aggressive - but they are also filled with an amazing resilience that is so uplifting that it makes the dark bits more palatable.

I hope Schaffhausen keeps reading Ellery books for a gloriously long time!

3.5 stars

In this 5th book in the 'Ellery Hathaway' series, the police detective confronts the serial killer she escaped from years before. The book works fine as a standalone.

*****
At the age of fourteen, Ellery Hathaway was abducted by a sadistic serial killer who raped her, carved her up with a knife, and shut her up in a dank, putrid closet. Ellery was on the point of death when she was rescued by FBI Agent Reed Markham.

Hathaway and Markham's names have been linked ever since in articles, books, and movies about the perpetrator, Francis Michael Coben, who murdered at least 17 girls. The publicity adds to Ellery's distress, because people are constantly approaching her to ask questions and stare at her scars. Nevertheless, Ellery goes on to become a Boston police detective, and sometimes works on cases with her rescuer, Virginia-based Agent Reed Markham.

Years after the rescue, Ellery and Reed begin a personal relationship, but their 'hero and victim' status - and the constant pointing, staring and gossip - poison their romance. So with Ellery working in Boston and Reed working in Virginia/Washington, the investigators maintain a distance unless work brings them together.

Coben, who's been on death row for almost two decades, has always been suspected of having more victims than were found, and the missing girls' families are in limbo and suffering. Prompted by a reality TV producer, Coben now offers to provide information about a missing girl named Tracy Trajan on the condition that Reed and Ellery visit him in prison.

The encounter would be filmed for a true crime television show and give Coben the attention he so badly craves. Reed is willing to do the interview but Ellery refuses until the aggressive smarmy TV people and Tracy's parents pressure her into agreeing. During the prison visit Coben makes it clear he has unfinished business with Ellery, and she's glad he's sequestered from the world. Or is he?

A killing near Boston has all the earmarks of a Coben murder, and Ellery and Reed suspect Coben is the puppeteer for a copycat. The detectives make it their business to determine who the copycat is and how he/she communicates with Coben. Once the investigators figure it out, things take a dramatic and dangerous turn.

All this is very hard on Ellery, who's been trying to get out of the limelight and get on with her life. It's tough on Reed also, who feels guilty for not having caught Coben sooner. Reed doesn't feel like a hero and shies away from the public adulation.

We get a peek into the detectives' personal lives when Ellery visits her mother in Chicago, plays with her basset hound Speed Bump, and liaises with her Boston Police Department partner Dorie. For Reed's part, he visits with his daughter Tula and cooks delicious meals.

There's plenty of suspense and surprises in this page turner as well as blood and gore....so not for the faint-hearted. Recommended to readers who like thrillers, especially Ellery Hathaway fans.

Thanks to Netgalley, Joanna Schaffhausen, and Minotaur Books for a copy of the book.

THE BOGEYMAN HAS RETURNED!

LAST SEEN ALIVE is the fifth book in the Ellery Hathaway series. This is a series of mystery, suspense, crime novels featuring Ellery Hathaway.

Though I know this is a continuation of a series, I was not lost for even one minute. This story will stand on its own, but I *really* wish I had read the previous books. The characters are too intriguing, too perfectly flawed, and too real to not want more.

Children are told that if they don’t listen, the boogey-man will get them. Girls don’t outgrow the frightening beasts the same way that boys can. We are always vulnerable

Ellery’s personal boogeyman has returned!

Chillingly real suspense that had me sneaking away for another chapter as often as possible throughout the day. I could not put this down!

Reading about a fictional serial killer allows me to indulge my own curiosity in the subject in a safe place. I loved my Criminal Justice class in college because I want to know “why.” Stories like this help me look for more whys…and to realize that sane people will never understand the crazy ones’ rationalizations.

Note: While I received this book as a gifted ARC via NetGalley, my opinions are my own and are given freely.


Title: LAST SEEN ALIVE
Series: Ellery Hathaway #5
Category /Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Recommended for: 18+
Grammar/editing: received as an unedited ARC / errors excused
Received from: St. Martin’s Press

This is the first book I've read in the Ellery Hathaway series (thanks netgalley and Minotaur books!) , but I'm certainly going to return and read the others!

As a young teenager, Ellery was abducted by a serial killer, and since then has been known as "the one who got away." When a producer and his group want to run a feature on the serial killer in prison (there has already been many movies and books), the killer only wants to talk to Ellery, and promises to reveal more about his earlier exploits.

This book had a lot of suspense and was hard to put down. Ellery is such a strong character - she is indeed damaged, but that makes her seem more realistic. The other main character, Reed, an FBI agent, is also strong, and a good match with Ellery.

I'd recommend this book to people who enjoy thrillers, and who aren't too squeamish.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

When I requested this, I didn't realize it was a part of a series. (Definitely going to have to go back and read the rest now.) Regardless, this was easy to follow as a standalone. The story moved at a good pace making it hard to put down.

Boston detective Ellery Hathaway met FBI agent Reed Markham when he pried open a serial killer’s closet to rescue her. Years on, their relationship remains defined by that moment and by Francis Coben’s horrific crimes. To free herself from Coben’s legacy, Ellery had to walk away from Reed, too. But Coben is not letting go so easily. He has an impossible proposition: Coben will finally give up the location of the remaining bodies, on one condition—Reed must bring him Ellery. Fifth in the series, this story carries on the relationship between these two complicated characters in a believable way. Suspenseful and highly entertaining. Hoping for 6th outing. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

If you’re looking for suspense, a truly delightful pair of protagonists, and a serial killer story that won’t leave you feeling tired of the same old tropes – Last Seen Alive is the book you’ve been looking for.

This book may be the fifth in the Ellery Hathaway series from Joanna Schaffhausen, but whether you’re an established reader or just discovering the series now, you’ll have no problem jumping right in. Naturally, as someone who has really enjoyed these books, I have to – and gladly do – advocate for starting from the first book – but the prologue here establishes enough background for newcomers.

Ellery Hathaway is the only survivor of a notorious serial killer, and has since worked on multiple cases with the FBI agent who rescued her from his clutches, Reed Markham. Last Seen Alive, though, begins with them apart; at least until it becomes clear that the same man whose monstrous nature first brought them together isn’t satisfied to stay in the past.

Taking a classic storyline, turning it on its head, and then writing it absolutely beautifully is no more than I should have expected from this author, but I was still blown away by just how good this book is. Joanna Schaffhausen has written the series in such a way that this feels like a natural climax; we know these characters, we know the story so far, and the events of this novel not only fit in to the story, but take it further and somehow take it to even further heights.

I’d also be remiss not to point out that there’s also a welcome deviation from the “serial killer as twisted genius” trope. Recently, we’ve seen more media embracing a more victim-focused approach; this series has done so all along, but it’s taken even further in Last Seen Alive. It’s always refreshing, but it does require a balance to be struck between those considerations and the entertainment value of the story. This book could serve as the masterclass on walking that line – the pace of this electrifying novel never once dipped.

An absolutely excellent book, Last Seen Alive deserves to be seen as the benchmark for the thriller genre – Joanna Schaffhausen is quickly establishing herself as a major voice, and I’ll be here waiting for whatever she does next.

Although this was the first book I’ve read in this series, I was soon up to speed and completely enthralled by the storyline. Schaffhausen keeps us on our toes a d staying up late to finish the story. I look forward to going back to the first book and reading the entire series from the beginning!

An "unputdownable" thriller with engaging characters. Boston P.D. detective Ellery Hathaway was abducted by serial killer Francis Coben when she was 14, but thanks to Special Agent Reed Markham, she was "the one that lived". Coben has been on death row ever since, but the public's fascination with serial killers has made it impossible for Ellery to get away from her past. Now, Coben has contacted Reed and is offering to disclose the location of additional victims, but only to Ellery, in person, on camera as part of a new story about his crimes and legacy. When a new victim with a current connection to Coben turns up on Ellery's turf, she realizes she has to meet the monster to catch the killer. The story is fast-paced with enough red herrings to keep you guessing. The characters are multidimenstional and well-developed, and the trajectory of the relationship between Ellery and Reed is as nail-biting as the main plot. I highly recommend this entire series

The author hit it out of the ballpark again with Last Seen Alive. I am a huge fan of the Ellery and Reed series, and each one is better than the last. This book was phenomenal. The final showdown between Ellery and her captor, it kept me guessing until the end. The writer is so descriptive that I could actually picture the scenes in my head. If this was made into a movie, Nancy Grace would definitely need to play Kate. I am sad that the series is ending as I've come to enjoy the characters so much and would have loved to read more about Dorie and Ashley, for example.

After the previous book in the Ellery Hathaway series, I was left unsatisfied with the ending. I was afraid that Joanna Schaffhausen was done with Ellery and intended to leave her in limbo.

I'm happy to say that wasn't the case, and Last Seen Alive was a wholly satisfying read!

Thanks to St Martin's Press for providing an ARC via NetGalley.

A while back, I was first introduced to one of Joanna Schaffhausen's books, which was one of the previous books in this Ellery Hathaway series, and ever since then, she's become one of my favorite authors and an auto-buy one too. This thrilling conclusion to the amazing Ellery Hathaway series did not disappoint, it was one of the best wrap-ups of the end of the series that I've read.
I could not put this book down. I was already invested having read all of the previous books in this series and thrilled when I was gifted an ARC from the publisher to read and review! Once I started this book, I didn't stop reading until I was done and I devoured this last book in the series within a few hours. I still find myself thinking about it and wanting to read it again. I'm thinking it may not be long until I reread the whole series because why not - it's an awesome story and Joanna Schaffhausen is a fantastic author.
Having read the whole series, I can't tell. you for sure how it would go if this was your first book, but I think it could be read and mostly understood even if it was your first Ellery Hathaway book. My opinion, though, is why only read this one when you could read and get even more out of the story with having read the entire series. Trust me, this is one series you don't want to miss out on.
In this conclusion to the series, we find Ellery continuing to work on living a normal life, trying to date normally without her past causing problems and both she and Reed are still trying to move on without each other. The chemistry and romance between these two is both sweet, swoon-worthy, and a bit more steamy than I like to read at times.
They come together again working a case and this time, they're both main players as the case ties into Coben, who had abducted, tortured, and tormented Ellery when she was a child. It's a rollercoaster ride reading through this book following how they try to handle and deal with things as they go through this experience with Ellery agreeing to meet and talk with Coben in hopes of discovering more information on the other girls who Coben killed and Ellery ends up finding and accepting herself and things to finally hopefully find a happily ever after. Some of the best parts of this book were of Ellery going through healing and doing work on herself to get to the place where she is willing to try to give herself a real chance at happiness and living a full life again and committed to doing her best to stop giving Coben any power or control over her anymore. Also, Reed is ever the hero, swoon-worthy, caring, patient, and kind while trying to help Ellery, give her space, and still learn from his own mistakes as well.
This is one series you don't want to miss out on and this book is, I think, perhaps my favorite of the 5 in the series. Make sure to have this on your list, pre-order it, or buy it as soon as it comes out, and while you're waiting for this to come out, you could read the previous 4 books so you're ready for this one if you haven't already.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press-Minotaur Books for letting me read and review this unputdownable and amazing book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

This was my first Ellery Hathaway book, but I liked it. You get a little back story so you are not lost. I would like to see more of Ellery and Reed.