I am always excited to read another Carolyn Arnold novel. She manages to hook me early and keep me flipping pages. I am just along for the ride, eager to go wherever the story takes me.

Amanda came home with more than fun after a night’s out. Too bad the romantic night she had anticipated is brought up short when a dead body is found on the bed they planned to use. Guess that would bring anyone up short.

Amanda is a detective , working homicide for the Prince William Sound County Police Department. Her first call is to dispatch, the second to her partner, Trent Stenson. Poor Trent. I feel the both have feelings for each other, but because they are partners, they fight the attraction.

Even though Logan is a suspect and Amanda is too close to be working the case, I know that won’t stop her.

The crime scene is too neat, too simple, all the clues lined up for them to see. They know crime is messy, complex.

Amanda is like a bulldog. She doesn’t give up until the case is closed. She may WANT to find the killer, but Trent NEEDS to solve the mystery. He has to find the answers, solve the puzzle.

Last Seen Alive is another success story for Carolyn Arnold.

I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of Last Seen Alive by Carolyn Arnold.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

I love love love this author and will read anything she writes. I absolutely adore this amazing series. And this book - wow! Just brilliant. Do read this series and especially this book.

LAST SEEN ALIVE is the sixth book in the Detective Amanda Steele series. I must say that LAST SEEN ALIVE was just as interesting as all the ones that came before it. LAST SEEN ALIVE may be the sixth book in the Detective Amanda Steele series and can be read as a stand-alone without any mishap.

But I don’t recommend it as I believe that if this is your first book in this series or especially if it is the first book by Carolyn Arnold that you have read then I don’t think it will be the last.

I like the way Carolyn Arnold writes. I like that all her stories start out with a bang and just picks up from there as the tension increases, builds up and up right up until the end throwing one secret after another at you that keeps you in suspense from beginning to end. Once you pick up a book written by Carolyn Arnold you have to expect to be there for a while as you are not going to be able to lay it down until that last page is read.

In LAST SEEN ALIVE Detective Amanda Steele is back and solving crimes. This time around Amanda hooks up with an old friend, an ex-boyfriend to be more precise. After a night out Amanda and Logan go back to his place for a nightcap. After entering Logan’s bedroom they see a dead body lying on the bed. The body belongs to Logan’s wife who he broke it off with a few years back.

All the evidence points to Logan being the killer. Amanda doesn’t believe he did it. She wants to help Logan by proving that he did not do it but is not allowed to as she is too close to the case. But Amanda being the person and detective that she is has no intention of letting Logan be framed for something he didn’t do. Amanda will do whatever it takes to prove Logan's innocents.

As with all of Carolyn Arnold’s books I highly recommend LAST SEEN ALIVE to all those murder mysteries, and crime-solving sleuths out there in bookland. Grab your copy of LAST SEEN ALIVE today and help Amanda find the real killer if that is Logan or someone else! What do you think? Who is the killer? What was their motive?

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. This is the 6th book in the series but all could be read as a standalone.

The prologue immediately grips you and makes you question what the hell has happened to lead to this. I love a book that really grabs you right at the beginning. I love being shocked and immersed from the off.

Amanda is a little too close to this case but her partner Trent is very good at keeping her objective. They work well as a team and have really learnt to trust each other the longer they work together.

Carolyn does an excellent job of building tension and causing you to be on the edge of your seat. I loved the flashbacks too. I think they add more depth to the story.

If you love a gripping and surprising police procedural then this is one for you.

Amanda bumps into an old boyfriend, Logan, whilst on a night out, the sparks fly and they decide to go back to his place. Just as thing are getting hot and heavy, they discover the body of his ex-wife on the bed - she is wearing a negligée and has been shot.

This doesn’t look good for Logan, who is protesting his innocence despite lots of incriminating evidence.

As Amanda and her detective partner Trent, investigate? It becomes apparent that Claire had a lot of secrets and a possible double life.

Amanda is also dealing with tension at work - a boss that clearly dislikes her and Trent possibly having some romantic feelings towards her.

This is the 6th book in the series. I’ve not read any of the previous books but this worked well as a story in its own right. This was a very enjoyable crime thriller.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

Disclosure. This is a review of an ebook I was sent for free. All opinions are my own.

This is the sixth title in the Detective Amanda Steele series.

Being a fan of this series, I was immediately hooked in by the prologue set a few days after the murder. The killer is spying on Amanda and he thinks she will drop the case if he threatens her daughter Zoe.

Rewind and the story begins with Amanda unexpectedly meeting up with former boyfriend Logan. They head back to his place, but there is a dead woman on his bed, wearing just lingerie. It is Logan’s ex-wife Claire who he claims he hasn’t seen since she left 4 years ago.

Is Logan innocent or being framed?

Sergeant Graves tries to keep Amanda off the case, but she goes to the top to get this over-ruled. Amanda and partner Trent then start following the clues.

Why did Claire have a false driving licence? Where had she been the last 4 years? What about before she married Logan?

So many twists to uncover before we reach that prologue point. And then, can Amanda keep Zoe safe and catch the killer?

A highly recommended exciting page turner. I didn’t want to put this book down.

Includes continuity references to earlier stories for those who enjoy reading the whole series but works well as a stand-alone read too.

Amanda Steele lands a very intriguing case, but it is a little too close to home for comfort....

After a night out and running into an old boyfriend, Amanda and Logan go back to his place - where they discover the body of his wife on his bed. This is shocking enough, but he hasn't seen her in years and has no idea where she has been in the meantime or what her past is all about.

It is up to Amanda to clear Logan of murder charges, and whilst she tries to do that, she needs to keep her daughter Zoe safe, and her heart safe as well.

So many things going on here and Logan's wife had a lot of secrets that need to be unpacked.

A good, solid police procedural.

4 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Last Seen Alive is book 6 in the Detective Amanda Steele series. Each book can be read as a standalone but you should read the series in order to get the backstory about Detective Amanda Steele.
When Amanda decides to spend some time with Logan, a man from her past, she stumbles upon something she would never have expected…..a dead body in his bed. Both Logan and Amanda are shocked as the woman is Logans wife he hasn’t seen for over 7 years. That’s not the only surprise that pops up. As Amanda and her partner, Trent, begin to investigate things get really confusing. But, Amanda is one determined, stubborn and relentless detective when it comes to solving a murder investigation. And, she will do all she has to do to solve this one.
I love Amanda’s love for Zoe and how she manages work and motherhood. Her relationship with Trent is intriguing me and I wonder where the author will take it? Amanda’s boss, Sgt. Graves, just makes me mad. I feel like she is hiding something?
Carolyn Arnold writes a great police procedural series with lots of twists and turns you are not expressing.
Should you read this series? Absolutely! If you are a reader of murder mystery, crime fiction, badass female detective….this is a series you need to pick up.

I have read all of the books in the Amanda Steele series. If you decide to read this series, don’t judge it on the first book, The Little Grave. After I read it, I wasn’t too sure how I’d like the series because that first book was more about Amanda’s grief than the mystery she was working on. Since then, she is dealing with her grief and has been able to move on, and she has become one of my favorite Carolyn Arnold characters. In fact, this is one of my favorite Carolyn Arnold books so far.

Amanda’s ex-lover’s ex-wife was found in his bed. Although others in the police force were quick to judge him, it didn’t make sense to me that he was the murderer since he brought Amanda home to hook up. Amanda makes a good case to her boss that she and her partner should be the lead on the case, and surprisingly, she gets what she asks for.

Amanda and her partner, Trent, work well together and have gotten to the point that they respect each other and often know what the other is thinking. They usually do well at following procedure, but when they don’t, they’re called out on it.

There are twists and other murders and many possible suspects. Every once in a while, there is a chapter that is narrated by the victim, which helped me understand some things before Amanda and Trent figured them out. It was a nice touch.

I definitely recommend Last Seen Alive. It does stand on its own if you don’t have time to read the complete series.

Last Seen Alive is another good addition to this series. Amanda is requested to work on a case where the main suspect is a friend/past lover who supposedly killed his wife. She keeps that relationship secret and as the case is being searched things get really tense. There's an interesting plot that keeps the reader guessing who is the culprit and flipping the pages to learn the ending.
I thank Ms. Arnold, her publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Last Seen Alive is the sixth book in the Amanda Steele series by Carolyn Arnold. WOW, I've been engrossed in this novel from the first page - before I knew it, I'd read 65% of it and it was 2:30am.

Logan had come back into Amanda's life but it all goes belly up when they find his wife, dead in his bed! He is charged with her murder but Amanda is adamant there is more to it - it seems staged. I was disappointed reading that Mandy was hooking up with Logan again, as I wanted her to connect with her police partner, Detective Trent Stenson!

I can't wait to read the next wonderful story Carolyn comes up with for Steele and Stenson to get their teeth into.

Book 6 in the Amanda Steele series.

When Amanda reconnects with Logan the last thing she expects is to find the body of his ex wife in his bedroom!

Logan swears he hasn't seen her in over 4 years but is he telling the truth?

I was hooked from that intriguing prologue and devoured the whole book in 2 sittings.

I love this series and this one will keep you guessing right to the end. And what an ending it was.

Can't wait for the next one.

I received a complimentary electronic ARC of this excellent mystery from Netgalley, author Carolyn Arnold, and publisher Bookouture. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read Last Seen Alive of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am always thrilled to have another novel culled from the incredible mind of Carolyn Arnold. She always gives us a special visit to the worlds she conjures up - and it is always an exciting trip.

Detective Amanda Steele is at her best, working alongside her partner Trent, as they run down the facts and complexities surrounding the death of Logan's wife and the similarities found in the series of art heists that have taken place in the area over the last 20 years. The trail of clues that follow the death of Logan's wife is drawing them deeper into a widespread criminal net that has remained hidden locally for many years. Will they find the answers before more bodies fall?

And it is interesting to have Logan back - he is a character I am pleased to revisit. The sixth novel in the Amanda Steele series, Last Seen Alive is a complete, stand-alone novel, but it is a compelling series when taken as a whole, and gains depth when taken together.

This is a great series by Carolyn and I really enjoy reading them. The twists and turns make the series even more enjoyable and Last Seen Alive was no exception.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Last Seen Alive' by Carolyn Arnold.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Carolyn Arnold, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 6th October 2022.

This is the fourth book I have read by this author. It is also the fifth book in the 'Detective Amanda Steele' series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously read 'Stolen Daughters' which I also highly recommend and is the second book in the 'Detective Amanda Steele' series 'The Silent Witness' which is the third book in the 'Detective Amanda Steele' series, 'Black Orchid Girls' which is the fourth book in the 'Detective Amanda Steele' series and 'Her Frozen Cry' which is the fifth book in the 'Detective Amanda Steele' series. Each book can be read as a standalone and I would recommend them all.

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching stunning cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'A totally compulsive crime thriller! Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine.' I am a huge fan of Angela Marsons so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Carolyn and if this is half as good as 'Stolen Daughters', 'Black Orchid Girls', 'Her Frozen Cry', and 'The Silent Witness' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).


This novel consists of a prologue and 39 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!


This book is based in Virginia, USA 🇺🇸


This book is written in third person perspective and the protagonist is Detective Amanda Steele. The benefits of third person perspective with are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.


What an ending and yet another epic read from the very talented Carolyn Arnold!!! Congratulations Carolyn on yet another page turner!!

This is an extremely well written book with vivid descriptions that will suck you straight into the storyline and captivated from beginning to end. The synopsis and cover worked perfectly with the storyline.


The storyline means that there is no problem with this being read as a standalone. I was absolutely hooked throughout, a true page turner from beginning to end. The storyline was in depth and packed with suspense, twists, turns, shocks and was an edge of your seat, nail biting and heart racing psychological thriller. I was absolutely hooked. I read this book in less than 24 hours and I'm looking forward to reading the previous books in this series as well as more to come. This series is extremely addictive and I cannot wait to see what the next "episode" brings!! It is one of the best books I have read this year and I really enjoyed and loved the ending!!! It is filled with suspense, tension, mystery, shocks, love, friendship, sadness, crime and everything you could ever want in a crime novel. I also loved loved what happened at the end.... About time you two!! However, at the same time it's heartbreaking as what they say is true and nothing can come of it at the risk of losing their friendship.. I'm gutted as they would make a perfect couple!! Who am I talking about? Well, you'll just have to read the book to find out won't you?!? I liked how Carolyn included chapters from Claire's perspective as it shows the readers what led to what happened and how she felt about what was going on. It also ensured there were no loose ends at the book and that everything was explained and tied up. It is one of my pet hates having loose ends at the end of a book so well done Carolyn!! I won't say more as not to spoil it for future readers. It is a true page turner that will leave you biting your nails on the edge of your seat with your heart racing. I loved the ending and I cannot wait to see what Amanda and Trent are going to do now!!!! Hope your busy typing the next one up Carolyn as I cannot wait!!!


Although this is the sixth book in the series you will have absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.


I loved meeting all the characters again who were all strong, well defined and unique. I have become completely invested in Amanda, Trent and Zoe through reading these books and they now feel like family that I miss when I come to the end of one book but am excited to see again at the beginning of the next!! .Amanda is absolutely whoop a## and I love seeing strong female leads in books. She has a background but will not let it pull her down and she is definitely someone I would love to have on my side. It has been so bitter sweet watching her bond with Zoe even more and watching their relationship develop and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. I've also enjoyed seeing Zoe's confidence growing book by book after everything she went through. They are fast becoming like family to me along with Trent and Malone who I missed in this book. I cannot stand Sergeant Graves who is a thorn in Amanda and Trent's side, has an attitude problem and in general is just a horrible cow. I hope Amanda digs something up on her and that we get Malone or at least a decent sergeant back really soon 🙏 Trent is another fantastic team member and they work perfectly well together. I would love to see more happen between these two amazing characters but only time will tell!! I love Rideout's (medical examiner) character and personality with his morgue humour and I also like Malone and see him as a sort of fatherly figure to Amanda. I'm hoping to see more of both of them in the next book as I missed them in this one. I am definitely looking forward to meeting them all (well almost all) again!!!

I could not praise this book enough and highly recommend. Carolyn I cannot wait to read more of your very successful work!!! I would also love to see this book turned into a movie. An absolutely addictive, compelling and gripping true page turner!!! If you have not read any books by this epic authour then you are seriously missing out!!!

Overall an absolutely captivating, engrossing page turner that is compelling and addictive!!!

Genres covered in this novel include Thriller, Mystery, Police Procedural, Suspense, Hardboiled, Organised Crime, Women's Detective Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Noir Fiction, Psychological Fiction and Crime Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Carol Wyer, Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni, Rachel Caine, Angela Marsons and ANYONE looking for an epic page turner .


320 pages.


This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle and £8.99 for paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!


Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.


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As with all of the Amanda Steele books, this one kicks butt. It has an interesting case and a good cast of characters. However, I was a little confused by the opening scene given where we left off with our characters last time. Difficult to explain without spoilers, but I didn't expect to find Amanda in that situation. It was distracting enough that I'm probably going to go back and re-read the end of the last book so I make sure I"m not misremembering. It just seemed like a weird interpersonal situation this time and that's not where I felt like it was headed. I get the intention, but it wasn't quite as well constructed as it usually is.

In any case, I loved this book and can't wait for the next!

Rounded up from 3.5

I can't believe we're already on book six of this fabulous series!

Amanda bumps into old flame Logan on a night out. Sparks fly between them and soon they're on their way back to his place. They get a nasty shock when they find his estranged wife dead in his bed. Logan is immediately arrested, but Amanda believes in his innocence, but her new boss doesn't believe her. After wrangling her way onto the case, it's up to her and her partner Trent to prove Logan didn't do it.

Last Seen Alive has plenty of tension running throughout, pulling me in from the very beginning.

Amanda is really the kind of detective that you'd want on your side if you were ever to find yourself on the wrong side of a jail cell when you were innocent. Her dogged determination to prove Logan's innocence, even in the face of so much evidence against him, is inspiring.

There were more developments on the romance front for Amanda in this book and I look forward to seeing where that's headed in future novels!

I felt the pace wasn't quite as quick and snappy as previous books, but there were still plenty of twists and turns along the way.

If you're looking for a well-written police procedural, then I would highly recommend Last Seen Alive or any of the other books in this series to you!

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

things are hotting up for amanda steele in more ways than one...she is about to get laid but a dead body in the bed puts that on hold

the hits just keep on coming for amanda and her intended one night stand, when the body of the woman is identified and the smirks from the other officers make for interesting talk around the station

this is a quick and interesting read and i cant wait for the next book in this series

What a riveting crime thriller,
With Amanda Steele's old boyfriend looking like a killer!
His wife disappeared several years gone by
So why is she on his bed and how did she die?

With evidence mounting, against her friend
Is what it shows the truth or just pretend?
Is he being framed or is he the killer?
To find out read this enthralling crime thriller!

With threats to Amanda's daughter, what should she do?
She works with her partner to discover what is true.
Be ready for plenty of surprises and twists galore
As this duo uncover more and more.

A great addition to this intriguing series and so
I have no hesitation in highly recommending you give it a go!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review
Of the complementary book for which I say thank you!

This is my first outing Carolyn Arnold. Last Seen Alive is set in Prince William County in northern Virginia and is the sixth book in the Detective Amanda Steele series. First there is a prologue. Spoken from the first person, whoever this character is, it’s clear they have sinister intentions. Then in the first chapter you are thrown into the drama as Amanda and old boyfriend Logan return to his home after an evening together, only to find the body of his wife, Claire, on his bed. Claire had disappeared and despite trying to find her Logan had no idea where she was. With things looking bad for him, he tries to enlist Amanda’s help to prove his innocence. More difficulties arise when the case is given to another investigative team. Will Amanda be able to give Logan the support he needs, or will she be forced to step back on this one because of her conflict of interest?
It's a twisty plot with moments full of surprises. The story balances Amanda’s private life with her career and the character development is first class. I was kept entertained from beginning to end with this read, never once did it flag. If you are a fan of well written crime novels, I can thoroughly recommend this one. Although this is the first book of Carolyn’s I have read, I now intend to check out the series and go back to where it all began.

I would like to thank Carolyn Arnold, Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC of Last Seen Alive in exchange for an honest review. Four well deserved stars.

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