You know a book is exceptional when you struggle to put into words just how good it was! Just a few pages in I was so absorbed, I found myself putting off things I should have been doing just to squeeze in an extra chapter! I always get excited when I see a new release by Helen Fields but this really was the best yet! I wasn’t even terribly sad I couldn’t catch up with Luc and Ava.
The plot is perfect, a young girl’s missing, and private investigator Sadie is trying to piece together the circumstances and her whereabouts. From the start you are plunged into the atmosphere of Mull Island, a place that seems to both haunt and consume it’s inhabitants. A place where tradition and custom rules. A place totally alien to an outsider. You feel instantly that Sadie, not part of the police and not part of the community is on the back foot and under threat. It builds a tension that backs up the plot to perfection and presents a toe curling read.
The graphic imagery, the horrors that surround the girls of the island and the hints of witchcraft and long lost legends still preying on the characters makes for a haunting and powerful read. I absolutely LOVED the commentary of the island spaced throughout the novel; it was perfect. Making sure that the island became a character in itself, almost stalking the people.
The cherry on top was that I was genuinely mystified all the way through. I couldn’t guess or have seen the ending coming. I would never have anticipated the twists, turns or imagined the outcome. The conclusion to the plot was both horrifying, and twistedly beautiful. It was the most fitting and perfect tribute to conclude the events on this almost magical island.
I really can’t wait to see what Helen Fields has in store for us next, each story is so expertly executed, just when you think it can’t get any better it does!

Not overly sure about this book, quite complicated at the end and didn't have the out come I liked or expected. Thrilling and kept my interest

I was absolutely gripped throughout this book and didn’t put it down until I finished it. So many twists and turns, a fascinating read and an ending I just didn’t see coming. Such an emotional end that has left me feeling sad and empty.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

Thanks to the author, Net Galley and Avon for the preview of this book. Helen Fields is a new author to me and I am so excited to read her backlist
This is a very fast moving, suspenseful murder mystery with excellent everything. The writing is outstanding and kept me absorbed from start to finish. My favorite part was the main character. The degree of character development in this fantastic plot driven novel was quite amazing. I love Sadie Levesque and the unique angle she has being an expert on missing teenagers. Her insights and growth were the best parts for me personally.
The setting on the bleak Isle of Mull in Scotland made me shiver as I read. The American family there was so obviously out of place and the villagers straight up scared me. I had a feeling of dread throughout. I appreciated the author’s note at the end of the book where she explained how untrue this is in real life. I totally felt like the island was its own character and the people were just part of it.
Body after body, all young and female, are found. The building tension was palpable as I rooted for Sadie while all the time knowing everything and everyone was pretty much against her. There are so many unlikeable characters in this book that it made me bond with her completely. I didn’t even trust the pathologist or helpful journalist.
Although I did guess who the bad guy was, there were enough other twists and turns to keep me on the edge of my seat and the ending gutted me.
Great read! Highly recommend.

A cracking standalone story from the amazing Helen Fields!

A family whose daughter is missing calls in outside help in the form of a PI. Recently moved to the island, the family are not much liked or understood by the locals. This family equally has its own share of big secrets!

A missing person case soon escalates into three dead, and old murder case with similarities, several suspects wrongly accused and more than one who is capable of murder.

The ending though…My head is swimming with multiple emotions. Why Oh Why Helen did you do this to me!!

4 Stars - Cracking Quick Read

Publication Date: 1st September 2022

Thank you to #NetGalley, #AvonBooksUK and #HelenFields for an ARC of #TheLastGirlToDie in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for the chance to read The Last Girl To Die.

Another absolutely brilliant book from Helen Fields, that was really easy to get into and lots of clues to get you guessing and questioning everyone.

Such a sad and shocking ending, and I liked how it wasn’t so predictable.

Ooh a great psychological thriller that had me wanting more as I read it and the ending did not disappoint either…

Huge wows! What an exciting book full of surprises. I loved the mix of legend and atmospheric island. The Isle of Mull was the perfect location for this story and Sadie was the perfect investigator. What a gutsy protagonist!

I found myself comfortably slipping into the the story from the first chapter and the characters brought everything to life. The cave gave me the heebie-jeebies and I don’t think I’ll ever look at seaweed in the same way again.

‘The Last Girl to Die’ had me instantly gripped. Hell fire - I lost sleep and bit my nails down as the tension ramped up. If you love murder mysteries and thrillers, you have to read this book. Fabulous!

A book that kept me up late into the night could not put down.Well written tense chilling another terrific read by this author#netgalley#avonbooksuk

Breathtakingly brilliant from the stunning scenery of Mull to the complex characterisation of the locals, myth, legend and folklore to the inherent evil lurking beneath the surface.
I absolutely loved the contrasts between the tight knit locals along with their underlying contradictions of welcoming kindness and deep suspicions about strangers. The way they rely on strangers as tourists but also fear their judgement and lack of understanding of their deep rooted traditions. The narrative is emotive and all engaging and I got swept along by the tide of it, quickly finishing the book in a day because I needed to see where it ended. Excellent descriptions and comments on life are interwoven into the story as ever and I found myself nodding enthusiastically the sentiments as I thoroughly identified with them. I second guessed only a fraction of the twists and turns this time and the ending left me stunned and numb but also spiritually slightly calm but I can’t say much more without spoilers. Exquisite read and I can’t really recommend enough.

I enjoyed this domestic drama set on a small island Very character driven and well written. Lots of surprises. So many twists and turns

Drastic Downward Spiral…
Moving to the Isle of Mull means a new life for the Clark family. Nothing, however, is quite what they expect. When Adriana Clark goes missing their hope of starting again soon begins a drastic downward spiral. With her body later discovered in distressing and bizarre circumstances the danger is hideously apparent. What secrets is this island holding? Atmospheric, pacy and compulsive with often grotesquely credible description and with a compelling narrative. The final denouement, when it arrives, is nothing less than jarring.

The Last Girl To Die by Helen Fields

In search of a new life, sixteen-year-old Adriana Clark’s family moves to the ancient, ocean-battered Isle of Mull, far off the coast of Scotland. Then she goes missing. Faced with hostile locals and indifferent police, her desperate parents turn to private investigator Sadie Levesque.
Wow - this book is so good , I could almost imagine myself on Mull watching the story unfold.!
I really felt the hopelessness of emotions of Adrianas parent when she went missing and was right along side PI Sadie Levesque in her quest to solve her disappearance.
An edge of your seat thriller .

A standalone from Helen Fields. Adriana Clark is 16 years old and her family has recently moved from America to the Isle of Mull, Scotland. Adriana has gone missing and local police have not been able to find her. The Clark family calls in the help of private investigator Sadie Lavesque. Sadie searches the island and finds Adriana’s body, her mouth has been filled with sand. It turns out another local girl met a similar end 40 years ago and the killer was never found. Is it the same killer, or a copycat. When a second girl goes missing, police and Sadie try all they can to find out who is responsible.
A great book, but found the last few chapters took a different dialogue to the rest of the book and found it let the ending down.

This new novel from Helen (whose writing I adore) is mesmerising. It should be a move leading to a new life for the Clark family who relocate to the Isle of Mull, off the coast of Scotland. But when daughter Adriana goes missing, her parents, finding it difficult to fit into island life, turn to private investigator Sadie Levesque. At 16, Adriana should have had life at her feet… instead, her parents and twin brother are preparing for the worst. Sadie has news for her clients, not the best news, and is swiftly plunged into a mystery far beyond anything she’s before encountered. The islanders are not keen to chat with her and someone makes it clear that she’d be better off leaving Mull ASAP. Here begins a tightly paced plot that makes it clear that a lot can happen even in a small place, and there’s nowhere better for secrets to be hidden. Is it possible more victims will come? And where does Sadie fit in this deeply unsettling location?

An excellent stand-alone which was better than the latest Callanach book. There was suspense all the way through and I couldn’t guess them. The character had all the qualities to carry on as a series. Alas. The place added to the atmosphere of the story.

Helen Fields is a go to author for me, and this series is one of my favorites. I’ve developed quite the taste for UK authors and mysteries, and this author has always covered the bases for me. Sadie Levesque is a PI, hot in the trail of a new case. Sadie discovers a body the Police couldn't find, sparking an investigative murder mystery. The writing is atmospheric, detailed and descriptive. The level of detail and the depth of the investigation inevitably slows things down a little, a marathon rather than a sprint. As more bodies are discovered the threat and tension increases building to a powerful finale and resolution. Good read, and a respite from the authors excellent DI Callanach series. Pretty cool twist at the end.

An American family relocates to a close-knit, unwelcoming community on an island of Scotland. Their teenage daughter goes missing and the local police are not interested in pursuing the matter. The parents hire a specialist in teenage missing persons, who travels all the way from Canada. The book is people with an interesting cast of characters, but the biggest character is the island itself. Remote, forbiddding, atmospheric, tinged with superstitions and folkloric rituals. The investigation proceeds through twists and turns until a shocking ending. A gripping read.

This was such a good read. I loved the writing and I found the story so gripping and compelling to read. It was twisty, unpredictable and kept me guiessing the whole time. I will be looking for more from this author.

A new Helen Fields book is always a ‘must read asap’. I love her Perfect Series and One For Sorrow was one of the very best thrillers in years.

The Last Girl To Die sees Canadian private investigator Sadie Levesque called to the Isle Of Mull to investigate the disappearance of teenager Adriana Clark. Adriana's family are American, recent arrivals, 'off-islanders', exotic outsiders to the close-knit community whose traditions span centuries.

Sadie discovers a body the Police couldn't find, sparking an investigative murder mystery. The writing is atmospheric, detailed and descriptive. The level of detail and the depth of the investigation inevitably slows things down a little, a marathon rather than a sprint.

As more bodies are discovered the threat and tension increases building to a powerful finale and resolution.

My preference will always be for faster thrillers than murder mysteries, but I really can't fault it. The atmosphere, characters, investigation and character development are all excellent.

For an investigative murder mystery this is as good as it gets. The wistful, bleak atmosphere and the superbly constructed cast of characters will stay with me.

Definitely recommended, especially for fans of detailed, atmospheric investigations.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK