This series keeps getting better with each book. This story starts with a mother and her daughter being held captive. The question is who is holding them and why? Detective Steele becomes involved when a shallow grave is found in the park. Buried in it are a mother and daughter, along with a stuffed elephant. As Steele and Detective Stenson follow the clues, another grave is found.

As the story progresses, you feel as if you are right there with the detectives following the clues and surprises that turn up. There is also a change in the dynamic between the detectives and their temporary boss. For some reason she isn't riding the detectives quite the same as on the previous case. Then there is a twist involving her at the end.

I started reading this series beginning with Book 4 and have really been enjoying it. Her Final Breath is the seventh and one of my favorites so far. It works fine as a standalone for those new to the series. It's easy to connect with the main character, Detective Amanda Steele. She is a great detective and single mom. Her work partner, Trent Stenson isn't always at his best in this installment, but is still a character I really like. This book also gives the reader a chance to see a different side of their boss Sergeant Katherine Graves, and get to know her a little better. 

This is a tense and suspenseful book. Amanda and Trent are investigating the murder of a woman and her daughter and realize another mom and daughter could be in immediate danger. The story includes dark elements of abuse, but is handled in a respectful way. I was engaged in the story and didn't want to put it down until the very end. I recommend this book (4.5 stars) and this entire series.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Bookouture at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

4.25⭐

Detective Amanda Steele returns in another gripping police procedural. That sees her and her partner Trent hunt for a killer whose victims are mothers and daughters.

And it's a case that hits close to home for both detectives.

As Amanda has recently adopted a seven-year-old girl called Zoe after losing her husband and daughter Lyndsay in a car accident and Trent has an aunt who is living with a violent man.

And violence goes to the heart of this case. As the victims' home lives had been devastated by physical and mental abuse.

And when all the evidence points to a victim's husband, both are quick to act.

But when more bodies are found, they realise they're dealing with something far more sinister.

And with plenty of twists and turns, lots of detail and an engrossing storyline. Her Final Breath was an enjoyable, well-paced read. That I'd recommend to crime fiction fans everywhere.

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

a fire
dead body found in a park

just a normal day for amanda steele and her partner trent, they get called out to examine the crime scene when the call goes out that there is more than one body.... a mother and her daughter, identification is made and a trip to the husband soon has the hackles rising on both their back....

its a fellow colleague one they have never worked with but as they question him further they realise there is more going on with him and just as they go to arrest him another cry goes out as another mother and daughter are found in the same park, in exactly the same conditions as the first two...

there is something else at play here

not a bad read that kept me guessing till the end...

A shallow grave in a public park holds a shocking discovery. Detective Amanda Steele and her partner get the case. Then another grave in the same park has the same shock inside. Can they solve their case before more graves are made...The ending is a shock!

This is the 7th book in the detective Amanda Steele series and while you don't have to read the rest of the series I want to. I want get to know Amanda better and find out how she got to where she is.

This was a tense and gripping book I couldn't stop reading. There are trigger warnings for domestic abuse. The men depicted in this book are NOT nice, and the stories are shocking, will make you angry, and have you biting your nails during the rescue mission. BUT Amanda Steele and her partner Trent Stenson have so much passion for finding justice and doing what's right and saving the victims. The slight cliff hanger ending (of a side story) has me wanting more and I must say I'm looking forward to book 8. All in all a most enjoyable suspenseful book I would recommend.

👩‍👧Plenty of suspense😯

I found the writing in this whodunit good, with no slow points or pauses, just all-out investigating as a killer targets vulnerable woman with young daughters in Northern Virginia. I definitely had no clue about the killer until all is revealed late in the story before an exciting, action end. For all the tragedy and victims, the story had no gore and ends on a surprisingly upbeat note. It was just a bit frustrating that abusive, controlling husbands keep popping up and don't seem to face any consequences.

I definitely like this series and will keep following it.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Excellent police procedural with a good balance between the detectives private lives and the murder investigation. Sometimes one can overshadow the other, but this was well thought out and written.

This is part of a series but can be read like a standalone.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an arc of this story.

Her Final Breath by Carolyn Arnold is a very highly recommended procedural and the 7th novel featuring Detective Amanda Steele.

A dog walker reports a fire made in Prince Park by a group of teens. When the firefighters arrive, one of the teens end up stumbling upon a body in a shallow grave. Prince William County Police Department Homicide Detective Amanda Steele is called and she contacts her partner Trent Stenson as well as others, including department Sergeant Katherine Graves. The team uncovers a woman and a child. They quickly identify them as Jill Archer and her daughter six-year-old Charlotte, who were reported missing the previous week. The autopsy reveals Jill was abused and the . When Amanda and Trent talk to Jill's husband, Roy, he seems very shifty and is immediately the main suspect - until another grave is uncovered in the park of another mother and daughter.

The opening scene where we learn that a woman and her daughter are captives somewhere, provides a sense of urgency in the narrative when combined with the bodies in the park. Clues are logically uncovered and discovered while leads are followed up on in an intelligent manner. The women could be the recipients of domestic abuse, or someone could be targeting mothers and daughters. The latter explanation is even more frightening than the first and Amanda and Trent know they need to find the culprit before another mother and daughter are killed.

This is an excellent procedural. The writing is great, the novel is well plotted, and the tension rises with each new discovery. Although this is the 7th novel in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. For those already familiar with the series, this new installment will be a welcome addition to their story. New readers are provided enough backstory to understand events from the past and the effect of this case on both Amanda and Trent. All the main characters are fully realized, likable, and experience growth, even a surprising development to Graves character. Her Final Breath is a perfect choice for those who like procedurals.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Bookouture via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and Amazon.

Her Final Breath is a heart wrenching thriller, police procedural that has woven together in a twisty fast paced read relationships with family, working relationships, spousal abuse, ptsd that had my heart pounding and my heart hurting. Some of the aspects of this story has stayed with me and still haunt me. Find a corner, turn on the lights and open Her Final Breath. Thank you for the arc. I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. #Herfinalbreath #detectiveamandasteele #carolynarnold #Bookouture #Netgalley

A gripping crime thriller. Tension is high and tempers are hot when a woman and child are found dead with long term signs of abuse. When it appears the husband is not the killer after another woman and child's bodies are found, Amanda and Trent desperately search for clues.
I like the realism of Amanda trying to balance her home and work lives, and the changing dynamics of the team members.
It was nice seeing another side to Sargent Graves. I'm looking forward to their next case.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC

Her Final Breath by Carolyn Arnold is the 7th book in her wonderful Detective Amanda Steele series. I am a big fan of Arnold, having read most of her books, and I love this series, which continues with another great addition. Her Final Breath was fantastic, with me unable to put the book down.

Amanda Steele, our heroine, is a homicide detective in Dumfries, Virginia Police Department. The story begins when a dog walker discovers in a local park the bodies of a mother and daughter, buried in a shallow grave; bringing Amanda and Trent (partner) to the gruesome scene. The mother and daughter are identified by a missing persons case, Jill Archer and her daughter, Charlotte. Seems the husband, who is a police officer, reported them missing. When they interview the husband, both of them become suspicious of him; especially after the autopsy show multiple bruises, that were new as well as old. Just as Amanda and Trent plan arrest the husband, another grave was discovered with a mother and daughter. As they investigate, it seems there is a serial killer, with the them being women from abusive homes, and another grave is found. Who is murdering women and their daughters?

Both Amanda and Trent are able to find a poor video of a possible murderer, but cannot identify him. They begin to visit the areas, and interview people who knew the last two victims, and find out that another woman and her daughter are missing. Amanda realizes that time is of essence as they race to the climax to find Leanne and Gracie before they are killed.

What follows is an exciting, suspenseful, intriguing, tense mystery, that kept me unable to put the book down, as this was a mind-blowing thriller. I always liked how Amanda and Trent made great partners, though in this one, his anger on the abusive treatment of women, was a bit out of control. I also began to like Graves, Amanda’s boss, as she was a bit strict, but cooperative. The last third of the book was intense and exciting, and to say too much more would be spoilers.

Her Final Breath was another fantastic crime thriller that held our breath throughout. Amanda is a great heroine, and a fantastic detective. Her Final Breath was so very well written by Carolyn Arnold, which is the norm for this author; as I am loving this series. If you like mystery thrillers, police procedural, then you need to be reading this series.

Detective Amanda Steele book 7
.

When the team are called to a local park the ME makes a horrifying discovery. Not only is there a woman buried in a shallow grave there is also a young girl buried with her.

Who are they? Who would do such a dreadful thing? When the results come back from the autopsy there are clear signs this poor woman was beaten over a long period of time. But her Husband only reported them missing a few days before. Building a case of domestic violence against him the team are on the verge of arresting him for murder when another grave is discovered.

This is a heart wrenching case that hits close to home for more than one member of the team.

Can they put their personal feelings aside to catch the killer before he strikes again?

I loved this book and flew through it in one sitting. I can't wait to read the next one in this brilliant series.

Carolyn Arnold brings suspense, action, and intense moments to Her Final Breath , a gripping police procedural and crime thriller that is the seventh book in a series. The setting largely takes place in Prince William County in northern Virginia and features Detective Amanda Steele. Amanda, a seasoned detective, is partnered with Detective Trent Stenson.

Amanda is the first detective on the scene when a dog walker finds the bodies of a mother and daughter in a local park. After identifying them, Amanda and Trent soon learn they were reported missing last week. However, something seems off when they interview the husband. Did a domestic argument escalate or is something else happening in this community?

Amanda continues to balance work and family. Last year, she adopted a young girl from a previous case, Zoe Parker. Her support system is great and very much needed with her time-demanding job. Amanda’s flaws and struggles made her seem realistic. She shows growth and depth as the story progresses, and readers continue to get more insight into Trent in this story as well as Sergeant Graves. Trent is loyal, funny, and always has Amanda’s back. Readers learn more about Graves’ background and her actions become supportive of the team in this story.

The novel builds suspense in a way that pulls readers into the lives of the characters. As usual, Arnold starts with an outstanding prologue that grabs readers’ attention and a first chapter that adds to the drama. The plot is intriguing, full of chasing down leads and interviewing suspects and witnesses in anticipation of identifying the killer.

The angst and sense of urgency felt by Amanda and Trent as they tried to make sense of the circumstances kept me turning the pages. The descriptive narrative transported me into the terrifying world of the victims and the investigators. I enjoyed how the author twisted the plot points and provided unpredictable moments in the story. These twists and surprises keep readers on their toes. The author weaves murder, relationships, families, respect, domestic violence, and more into a finely crafted tale.

Overall, this novel was thought-provoking and engrossing with tension that almost felt alive. This is the tenth book that I have read by this author. I can’t wait to find out what is next for Amanda and Trent. I recommend this to those that like police procedurals and crime thrillers with relatable and likeable main characters.

Bookouture and Carolyn Arnold provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently expected to be February 17, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

The first time I have read this Author but I enjoyed the style of writing. A solid four star read. Great premise. Good characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing Would definitely read the next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

I received a complimentary electronic ARC of this excellent mystery novel, book #7 in the Amanda Steele series by Carolyn Arnold, from Netgalley via Noelle Holten of Bookouture, the publisher, and from the author. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read Her Final Breath of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. As always I am pleased to recommend Carolyn Arnold to friends and family. She writes compelling police procedural mysteries with personable characters and a deeply buried mystery. This series is set in the Prince William County Sheriff's Office and the small towns in that neck of Virginia's woods. Her Final Breath is stand-alone, but as in most series, the tale is richer when consumed as a whole.

One of three teenage boys having a drink fest in the wee hours after midnight in One Triangle, Virginia's Prince Park accidentally trips over the weather-exposed foot of a woman buried in a shallow grave. A little dusting by the crime scene folks uncovers a second victim, a young girl 5 or 6 years old hugged close to the woman's side. They are obviously mother and daughter. There is no ID.

As usual, Amanda and her partner Trent Stenson shuffle along nicely for the most part, and this crime scene just keeps expanding when a dog-walker discovers another grave, this one with an exposed hand wearing a nice diamond ring. Soon the woods are full of searchers and cadaver dogs and Amanda and Trent are playing catch-up with their victim's history and life choices, trying their best to find a common denominator among the victims. The women all show bruises acquired over the last couple of weeks before their deaths, and all victims are killed when their neck is snapped, breaking their spinal cord. It is agreed by all that this method of killing both the women and their daughters takes a special kind of creature. The women all have a background of being abused by their partners, with broken bones and hospital visits over the years. The bruising and rib breaks could hark back to their husbands, but Amanda is pretty sure the victims are being held somewhere for a time, and the bruising is from that situation. The girls are not harmed until they are murdered along with Mom. Moms and daughters are reported missing several days or longer before their time of death.

There is obviously a single killer, which clears some of their prospective perpetrators. Unfortunately, it minimizes the clues that point to their number-one suspect and leaves them with the need to turn him loose and start over. And murdered mothers and their daughters just keep turning up.

What an intense story!
I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book. Another gripping Detective Amanda Steele story. Carolyn Arnold has a way of pulling me into each and everyone of her books.
Her Final Breath is book 7 in the series and I encourage you to read each one in order. There is so much backstory to the characters that you need to know about in order to understand their personalities and motivations.
Main characters, Amanda and Trent, have their hands full as they try to figure out who is kidnapping and murdering young mothers and their little daughters. Trying to track down each and every clue is weighing heavy on them as they keep hitting dead ends. Following proper protocol is getting harder and harder to do.
The subject matter within the story is domestic abuse which is a tough subject for sure. Carolyn Arnold brings awareness and sensitivity to this horrific issue that many go through.
If you haven’t read this series before….I highly recommend it. As I said before, this is a great series that should be read in order. Can this be read as a standalone? Yes, it can though I will say starting from book 1 is the route to go.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and author, Carolyn Arnold, for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I could not put this down. I read the entire thing in just a few hours, and I will probably go back and read the series from the start.
Amanda and Trent make a great pair, but I have questions, having not read the others.
Why does Amanda's daughter call her Mandy and not mom?
Are Trent and Amanda going to get together?
Where can I get the creativity to write something so compelling?
Great mystery. I definitely felt the heavy emotions of the detectives. And I really wanted to see the next morning with Amanda and Graves.
I received a copy from Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This is the seventh in the Prince William County Detective Amanda Steele series; it is the second one I have read.

When a mother and child are murdered and found buried in a local park, Amanda and her partner, Trent, are on the case. Were they the victims of the mother’s abusive police officer husband or could there be a serial killer afoot? And why is their acting supervisor behaving a bit mysterious and out of character?

This was an engrossing, fast paced read; I didn’t want to put it down!. Arnold knows how to capture and maintain her readers’ interest. I like the main characters in this series and enjoy seeing how their relationships change and grow. Attention was shed on the devastating effects PTSD as well as the frustrations in addressing spousal abuse. My only hesitancy about this story was that the abusive husbands interviewed all seemed to be carbon copies of each other.

This could easily be read as a standalone. I enjoy Arnold’s books and have added them to my list of must read series featuring police procedurals and strong, capable female protagonists.

This is another excellent read in the Detective Amanda Steele series. The author pulls you in right from the first chapter with her writing style. I like the developing characterisation, especially Sergeant Graves, and I look forward to reading more about her. The subject matter of domestic abuse is always a difficult read but handled with sensitivity. If you haven't read this series yet, I can highly recommend it and this can be read as a stand alone. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.