Wow........ what a thrilling roller coaster of a read I enjoyed the twists and turns and the edge of your seat moments this was a fantastic thriller

3.25 stars. This seemed to move quite slowly for most of the book, before things began to fall into place. What was slightly annoying was the tendency to keep calling some characters by their full names over and over in close succession - like they’d decide they needed to interview James Derenby, so could Dan ring James Derenby to make an appointment to meet in James Derenby’s office? Unfortunately this wound me up so that the first half or so of the book felt a bit of a slog. Overall it was a decent mystery, but having read two DI Blood books now, I don’t think I’ll be pursuing any more, apologies to the author.

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review. Apologies for the delay in providing this.

This is book three in a crime series. The plot is realistic and not too gory. The characterisation is very strong. It is well plotted and full of secrets

Really enjoyed this book and its many twists and turns. I've read so many missing people books lately and am getting slightly jaded on that gentre but I really liked this one and it kept me wanting to read.

Okay. I completely DNF’d this. I tried but this is not doing anything for me. Sorry!

Thanks to Netgalley! Hoping for a better read next time!

Terrific police procedural which forms part of a series, although it stands alone, too. The story is gripping and demonstrates how many sides of a person there are. I liked that the story was not too straight forward, allowing readers to speculate as the mystery was slowly solved.

Last Seen Alive is the third instalment in the Detective Inspector (DI) Isabel Blood series and, after really enjoying the other two books, I couldn’t wait to get started on this one!

The series is set in the fictional Derbyshire town of Bainbridge and the novel’s main protagonist is DI Isabel Blood, wife of Nathan and mum to Kate (who lives in nearby Wirksworth), Ellie and son, Bailey.

When marketing manager, Anna Matheson, 36, is late to collect her five-month-old son, Benedict, after attending a 60th anniversary party at the sweet factory, Allwood Confectionary, where she works, her best friend and babysitter, Lauren Talbot, is very concerned and phones the police at 1am.

Anna is a single mum and drove to the work do as she doesn’t drink. She’s reliable and never late. She was due home at half 11 but there’s no sign of her anywhere and she hasn’t called and her mobile phone is switched off.

As the police investigate Anna’s private life and question her mum, friends and work colleagues, there’s still no sign of her and it’s beginning to look like the worst has happened. There are some interesting connections amongst the work force at Allwood and Anna is hiding some secrets herself.

This was another gripping and well-paced police procedural from the author and I really enjoyed the way the cleverly plotted investigation slowly unfolded, with its dead ends and confusing elements, before things eventually came together and the case was solved. It’s an engaging and satisfying read and I raced through it in a few hours.

The story was very entertaining, with some intriguing revelations and surprising twists and turns. I had several theories about what had happened, as we met various suspects and learnt more about their relationships to others, but didn’t predict how it would all turn out.

I really like Isabel Blood – she’s dedicated to her job, methodical and thorough, and seems quite normal for a police detective, with a lovely husband and children. She has an interesting past, which adds another dimension to her character’s story.

Overall, I’m really enjoying this series with its good old-fashioned police work and I hope it won’t be too long before there’s another case in Bainbridge to solve! I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next and how things develop with the main characters.

Another brilliant instalment of DI Isabel Blood.
The team are investigating the disappearance of Anna, following a works party and she failed to pick up her young son from the babysitter.
The team are trying to piece together her last movements and the mystery of the baby's father.
Many twists and turns as the missing person case becomes a murder case, and the plot thickens with who is who.
Great read.

Part of a series featuring DI Isabel Blood,but works as a standalone. A young mother goes missing and is found murdered,Isabel and her team must work hard to find the muderer. Goog characters,plenty of twists.

I love the DI Isabel Blood series and this was another brilliant instalment.
Anna goes missing after a works party she organised, leaving her young baby without a parent. Isabel and her team set about investigating her disappearance and eventually her murder after her body is found.
After many twists and turns the suspect list widens. DNA evidence shows people aren’t who they think they are and highlights the lengths families will go to to keep secrets hidden.
Can’t wait for the next instalment.

I finished this book with that lovely feeling you only get when you discover that it is part of a series and there are more for you to read. Even though I worked out who the killer was about 60% of the way I really enjoyed this book. I think Isabel is a great character. I loved that she was older than the leading characters in many police procedurals, I mean how realistic is it to make DCI at 30. I also liked that she has a regular family life and good relationship with her superiors, and I thought the dynamic between her and her team was great. It was also great to have a dead body without all the gratuitous gore you often have to wade through. This is book 3 in a series but there are absolutely no spoilers so it can easily be read as a standalone but I guarantee it won't be the last Jane Bettany book you read.

The third novel in the series but my first read by this author. When single mum, Anna, disappears after a work event everyone is worried. The enquiry soon becomes a murder enquiry. Secrets from her life start to surface along with a few shocking revelations. I loved trying to guess suspects involvement and their possible motives. An explosive ending highlighting the lengths some people will go to keep things secret. Absolutely loved it.

When Anna fails to get her son from the babysitter after a work party. This is not typical of Anna to disappear.
Cameras outside could not pickup her exit from the car park. What happened to Anna? This is was a good suspenseful , good and quick book.
Thanks to HQ digital, netgalley, and the author in exchange for a review
Published April 15th 2022.

Haven’t read any of this authors books before but I will be doing
Loved this from the first page and couldn’t put it down
Very well written
Plenty of twists
Thanks NetGalley

Nothing to complain about for this well researched and well written book. It’s a police procedural laid out in a timely manner and including some very interesting characters. Slight spoiler alert here - what happened to the dog?

All I can say is Wow what have I just read as this book will stay in my head for quiet a while, it has everything you would look for in a book, loved it ..

Really good police procedural. I did not know this was the third book in a series, and it can be read as a stand-alone book. I liked the way the crime portion of the novel was balanced with the personal life of DI Blood. Has a lot of twists and turns, just what you want in a detective novel. You will not be able to guess ‘whodunit’ with this one.

When Anna doesn't return to pick up her baby son after a works dinner her friend soon gets in touch with the police. Anna is very reliable, punctual & would never abandon her baby. Anna worked for a local confectionary firm. She had hinted that there were going to be big changes afoot. She had been seen at the factory on CC TV as the party came to an end but had never been seen to leave. Searching revealed nothing. When DCI Isabel Blood & her team investigate they find that opinion on Anna is divided the more they look into her life the more of a mystery she becomes.

Although this is the third in the series I found I got into it with no difficulty. It was a good read that kept me guessing. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this boo

Totally enjoyed this book and will have to search out the previous ones now! The story line was gripping from the start and all the characters were so well described and believable. DI Isabel Blood is the type of police officer I love. She’s clever, caring and professional, but with the usual type of problems at home that we all have at times – a 30-year-old son who has moved back in, a missing dog etc. Her team of detectives are so normal and likeable, and Jane Bettany writes so well that you feel like you know them all personally. Lots of twists and turns with the necessary shock at the end. A great read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

So, I’m a day late in writing this review- but that’s the trouble with Bank Holidays, Mondays become Tuesdays and…well , here I am.

I’m not a fan of series of novels, but this one totally stands alone- and I enjoyed it.

I liked the setting- not London but Derbyshire. I liked our female detective- she was credible & human but did not dominate the story with her personality, on top of which I was intrigued by the story.

Everyone can be suspected, as everyone has a secret, but there were enough twists to keep me hanging on to the end.