When it comes to police procedural stories, Robert Dugoni’s Tracy Crosswhite series is among my absolute favorites! And while “One Last Kill” is the series’10th installment, it doesn’t disappoint. It’s a riveting, suspenseful page-turner that I was hard-pressed to put down!! From start to finish, I was drawn into the intricate web that this author spun, pulling me in deeper and deeper with each word I read.

Despite the new struggles Tracy faces at work, she continues to strive for an appropriate work-life balance. Her dedication to her job and her family, coupled with her steadfast loyalty to those within her inner circle, makes her character not only likeable, but multi-dimensional. I found the dynamic between Tracy and her long-time nemesis, Captain Johnny Nolasco, especially compelling in this book, as they begrudgingly team up to solve a 25-year-old cold case involving a serial killer that had eluded capture.

The mystery surrounding the cold case in “One Last Kill” is both intriguing and gripping. Admittedly, I was able to deduce the serial killer’s identity long before the big reveal, but I did waver in my resolve, never quite certain if I had it right. Regardless, it did not detract from my overall enjoyment, as I found myself utterly enthralled right up until the very last page. It’s little wonder that Robert Dugoni has become one of my top “go to” authors.

One Last Kill – Robert Dugoni

I was SO excited to see another Tracey Crosswhite novel and I could not wait to get my hands on it! Needless to say, it did NOT disappoint!

Cold case Detective Tracey Crosswhite is just settling into her office after a vacation weekend, when she receives a summons to see the Chief. The Seattle Times is reportedly getting ready to release a series of articles on the Route 99 serial killer – a killer who terrorized the Seattle area some 25 years ago, claiming 13 victims, before mysteriously disappearing, never to be identified. The leader of the task force at that time was none other than her nemesis, Johnny Nolasco. Now, ordered to work the case as the Chief looks for damage control, Tracey must set aside her dislike for Captain Nolasco, as she attempts to acquaint herself with the case. Nolasco is none too eager to work with Tracey either, as he grudgingly makes contact and begins to share details. Tracey learns that of the 13 victims in total, 9 were marginalized women – prostitutes and others neglected by society, before the killer turned to more productive members of society. The only thing in common – the women all had the same symbol carved into their shoulder.

As Tracey familiarizes herself with the case, she learns that the Task Force at the time had five potential suspects, none of which panned out, and one victim, a prostitute, had yielded DNA, although DNA profiling was in its infancy at the time. Being as good a place to start as any, Tracey works on getting the DNA run. When the DNA comes back with a match, the team is elated – but Tracey isn’t so sure… Meanwhile, she and Nolasco work with an uneasy truce, and she begins to appreciate the enormous pressure he and his team must have been under as the media ramps up the case once more. Told between then and now timeframes, the reader also gains some understanding into Nolasco’s character, the cop that he was, and his future aspirations that were dashed over this case, as he and Tracey work to unearth a stone cold killer.

This is a great read, and pure genius on the author’s part, forcing these two characters to set aside their differences to work together! While the storyline is a bit farfetched – and I’m not sure I cared for the resolution at the end (that’ll make more sense when you get there), I loved the interplay between these two top characters and the likelihood of a truce in future endeavors – although honestly, the prior byplay between Tracy & Nolasco was a great source of amusement for this series! I cannot wait to see how the relationship is characterized in future novels!! A great read & love, LOVE this series!! Thank you Netgalley!!

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley & Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an objective review. Do you love to read?? Visit netgalley.com and start reviewing books today!!

My blog will post on 9/26/2023

I always enjoy reading the Tracy Crosswhite series. This one was another fun installation. My reasoning for it only being 3 stars was the first 60-70% felt very slow to me. Then when it picked up and we learn more about the DNA relationship, I couldn’t put it down.

Tracy Crosswhite is reopening the investigation into Seattle’s Route 99 serial killer. After thirteen victims, he stopped hunting and the trail went cold, stirring public outrage. Now, nearly three decades after his first kill, Tracy is expected to finally bring closure to the victims’ families and redeem the Seattle PD’s reputation. Even if it means working with her nemesis, Captain Johnny Nolasco.

So we are now at book number 10 and this series is still going as strong as ever. Great to see that all our favourite characters from this series return again in this book, who would have thought that Tracey and Nolasco would end up working together unison, does it seem they can now trust each other? it may take some time but the potential is there for them to become a very strong duo in crime related cases.

I never get tired of this series and this is due to the strong plots presented in Robert Dugoni's books. I would highly recommend this series to any other readers, I would start at the beginning with book one, then you are able to see the journey Tracey has taken and how her career has progressed to the seasoned detective she is now. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions are my own.

I just could not get interested in this book. Plot was too slow. Characters were okay. Some books are like that.

This is one of my all time favorite series! Tracy is back and what a return! This one wraps things up on the trilogy in the series. It blew me away! We get all the answers as things are masterfully woven together. While also allowing each story to act as a standalone. I was hooked from the beginning and didn't mind losing sleep because I had to know everything! Excellent read.

This is the latest story in the Detective Tracy Crosswhite series and it's just as good as you'd expect. Tracy is working on the cold case of the Route 99 serial killer who was never caught and hasn't killed in 25 years, and the timing is no coincidence. The Chief of Police, Marcella Weber, instructed her to reopen this particular case because the media is planning an anniversary update that will make the Seattle police force look bad, having never brought the killer to justice. Now she needs to work with the head of the task force from years ago, who is none other than Captain Johnny Nolasco. If you're a fan of this series, then you know how hard this is for both of them!

They can barely stand each other and now they have to work closely together in order to finally solve the case. So of course, there's a lot of griping between the two and Nolasco is certain that Tracy is out to prove his inadequacy. She just wants the killer found so that the victims' families can get closure. It's not surprising that they uncover high-level corruption and endless concerns with how the original investigation unfolded. But how can they get past that now, decades later, when it wasn't possible before? And will they be able to do so with both of their jobs intact?

It's a fast-paced read and a fun change-up that Tracy is working with Nolasco and not any of the usual detectives. We learn more about his character and he almost elicits sympathy at times. Unlike Chief Weber, the character you love to hate. She's just as awful as ever, only caring about making herself look good. The ending is definitely believable, but that doesn't mean it's satisfying! But that's good because it's realistic that everything doesn't wrap up nicely in a picture-perfect conclusion. If that was the case, Tracy would have no one to go after anymore and what would be the fun in that?

One Last Kill is the 10th installment in Robert Dugoni's Tracey Crosswhite series; this is best read after "the Last Line" and "What She Found." Detective Tracy Crosswhite is currently demoted to the Cold Case unit and before the 25th anniversary of the Route 99's killer's last kill, Tracey is told by Chief Webber to do the impossible. Find the Route 99 serial killer that Captain Johnny Nolasco couldn't and solve it alongside him. Crosswhite and Nolasco start the hunt for the killer, who has been dormant for nearly three decades. If the killer is not dead or incarcerated for another crime, will their press conference about their investigation bring the killer out to finish whatever they started? Pick up "One Last Kill" to find out!

How I ended this book with warm feelings toward Nolasco shows the author's adept skills with character development. The ending may not be what people like, but it seemed fitting for Detective Tracey Crosswhite's integrity. It wrapped up loose ends from the two previous works. As always, Dugoni has written another superb novel that is easily read within one setting because one simply cannot set the book down!


Thank you #NetGalley , #RobertDugoni & #ThomasandMercer for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Fans of the Detective Tracy Crosswhite series, by Robert Dugoni, will welcome the 10th installment, One Last Kill, where Tracy, who was demoted to the Cold Case Unit in a previous political scandal case that was covered up by powerful politicians, is called in to Chief Weber’s office and told that she must re-open the Route 99 Serial Killer case where 13 women’s bodies were discovered, all with angel wings carved in their left shoulder. The case is over 25 years old, and is still unsolved. At the time there was a task force that was unsuccessful in solving the case. Johnny Nolasco, who is Tracy’s Nemesis, is assigned to work the case with her. Tracy knows that the Chief is getting revenge because Tracy exposed corruption in her office and knows too much. As Tracy investigates, she forces herself to work with Nolasco and uncovers facts that weren’t brought forth or were ignored by the task force. This puts Nolasco’s job on the line.

As usual, Dugoni does an excellent job of developing his characters. Tracy is well-loved and readers always want her to win. However, there is the political aspect of these novels where the rules don’t always apply to those in power, and Tracy isn’t treated as the hero she is. The supporting characters are also like real people, good and bad, and readers will be upset by the unfair treatment and press releases that cover up corruption.

The story is very good and includes ups and downs, particularly where Tracy and Nolasco’s relationship is concerned. The story is believable, especially where the political aspects in the police department since those same things are happening in politics today.

All told, this is an excellent addition to the series, and readers will anticipate the next one where hopefully some corrupt politicians will be punished.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

ONE LAST KILL by Robert Dugoni
This is Book #10 of the Tracy Crosswhite series – Tracy is a cold case investigator. She s reopening the Seattle Route 99 serial killer case. He stopped killing after the 13th victim. Tracy is expected to close this case along with Captain Nolasco who was the lead detective years ago – he dares her to find the killer. They have to work together even though they don’t want to – they have to review and revisit the case details along with cover ups of the case. They are not only fighting to find the killer but there are people fighting behind the scenes –people who don’t want them to know the truth but find a killer. This is another one of Robert Dugoni’s stories that you can’t put down and have to stay up late to finish it. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced reader and another fantastic read of Robert Dugoni.

Great book with a fantastic plot and great characters. Easy to read and entertaining police procedural with a lot of politics, and great tactics to manage this.

Another great book in the Tracy Crosswhite series. Tracy works cold cases and this one is 25 years old. As soon as Tracy starts investigating the murders start back. It’s a race with her nemesis Captain Johnny Nolasco to find the killer. This could be read as a standalone but the whole series is fantastic. I highly recommend this book and series.

This is the newest entry in the Tracy Crosswhite series and another great book. I strongly advise you to read book #9 before starting this one.

Tracy's office nemesis Johnny Nolasco features in this installment and his storyline is a bit of a surprise to those who have followed the series. He and Tracy have a lot of history, none of it good.

I like to read a book cold, knowing nothing, so I won't rehash the plot. Just read it! And the rest of the series, too.

Wow… never thought I would ever think warmly about Johnny Nolasco!

One Last Kill is a sort-of continuation of What She Found (book 9). While you CAN read this as a standalone, it will contain spoilers from What She Found. Also, the case from book 2, Her Final Breath, was referenced several times so make sure you’ve read that one too.

I received a free ARC ebook of <i>One Last Kill</i> from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Robert Dugoni has done it again. This thread, tenth in the Tracy Crosswhite series, presents Tracy in an unenviable position - she is forced to partner with her former boss and nemesis, Captain Nolasco, to work on a series of unsolved murders. Twenty-five years earlier, Nolasco had headed a task force seeking the arrest of a serial killer dubbed "The Angel of Death." No arrests were made and the brutal murders stopped. Now bad publicity and an angry chief of police has placed Crosswhite and Nolasco in the line of fire.
Dugoni manages to present familiar characters with new aspects of their personalities. thus avoiding any sense of repetition. Series readers might think they know all about Nolasco and his pettiness toward Tracy but there is so much to be discovered.
<i>One Last Kill</i> is a great whodunit.

This is the tenth book in the ‘Tracy Crosswhite’ series by author Robert Dugoni. This thriller is an excellent addition to a very good series that still feels fresh. Robert Dugoni writes really well and he is an author who rarely disappoints. I enjoy reading all his series as well as the standalones.

Tracy Crosswhite reopens the investigation into Seattle’s Route 99 serial killer, a case that has haunted her for decades. With thirteen victims and no leads, the trail went cold, causing public outrage and damaging the reputation of the Seattle PD. Now, nearly three decades after the first kill, Tracy is determined to bring closure to the victims’ families and redeem the police department’s reputation, even if it means working with her nemesis, Captain Johnny Nolasco.

Interesting chemistry between Tracy and Nolasco and together they form an uneasy alliance. Much to Nolasco’s annoyance they revisit old leads while pursuing new evidence. But what they uncover is a web of high-level corruption and cover-ups that are as dangerous as the killer himself. Despite the risk of being exposed, Tracy and Nolasco refuse to give up, and they soon find themselves on the hunt for the twisted truth behind the killer’s motives, his disappearance, and his chilling comeback.

Excellent characters and Dugoni’s writing is top drawer making this book an very good read.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't realize going in that this was part of a series. On the plus side, you can read this book without having read any of the Tracy Crosswhite series. That being said, I felt a little left out and didn't feel like I knew the character as much as others did. I'm going to have to try the Terry Crosswhite series from the beginning and maybe try this book again.

I felt as though the ending was sort of predictable. I didn't love that at the end, the killer was dead. As a positive, the author did keep me very engaged throughout the entire story and I did come to enjoy Terry as a character. I also loved that there's some humor in the story!

I LOVE how this author weaves a story. His characters literally step off the pages. You know an author has done there job when they can make you feel so strongly about a story and it’s characters. I have never been one to reveal spoilers. I’m struggling with not revealing it here. But I will not.

Tracy Crosswhite is such a bada$$. I love how she digs in and gets to the root of the crime. And man I need Weber to get hers because I despise her. I didn’t think I could despise a character more than Nolasco but I was wrong. So wrong. Oh don’t worry I still find him to be an a$$ but Weber really is a creep.

Since the short story this story thread has been running through multiple books. And Dugoni did a great job pulling you deeper into it all in this book. The twisted webs, crooked characters and Tracy being forced to work with someone that has treated her so poorly made for a crazy epic story. I have to say I was mad how the end was twisted and left those who deserved to go down in a ball of flames once again go free.

I also love that she is so loyal to her I met circle. I can’t wait to see what’s next Snd fingers crossed that certain characters get what they deserve. If you love a great crime thriller like Lisa Regan, Debra Webb. Wendy Dranfield and Charly Cox…this author is a must read.

A great new addition to the Tracy Crosswhite series although it can be read as a stand-alone. This hooks you from the first page with dual timelines, great humour and an interesting mystery. Although it was slow at times, I can see how this would reflect a real police procedural so in a way it added to the affect of the reality of solving a crime and the suspense. Overall a really strong mystery thriller.

2.5 stars, rounded down to 2 stars, because the ending ruined everything.

Good News!
You can fully read this book as a stand-alone, even though this is the 10th book in the Tracy Crosswhite series.

SUMMARY:
This is a story about Detective Tracy Crosswhite. One day she gets an assignment to solve a 25-year-old cold case file known as Seattle Route 99 serial killer, who has killed more than thirteen people in the past. All of his victims were women who were raped before he killed them. After being stopped for two and a half decades, he comes back to his hunting grounds. To solve this case, she's teamed up with her nemesis, detective Nolasco. The lead detective of the original task, and together they need to catch this killer that Nolasco failed to catch before, then bring closure and justice for the victims' families.

👁️‍🗨️<This story told in third person POV

🕰️There is Dual Timeline in here
-Past (1993-1996)
When the murder happened
-Present (2020)
When they reopen and reinvestigate the case.

MY THOUGHTS:
📌 Despite my low rating, In the future I still want to read the whole series, starting with the first one😋.

📌 I'm a sucker for serial killer theme books; I read a lot of them, whether they're fiction or non-fiction. Well, the synopsis of this book is right up my alley. So I picked this one, but as I read it, it failed to meet my expectations. I felt like I was too familiar with his MO, and I've read it somewhere.

📌 There is a character named Nolasco; he is Tracy's partner in solving this cold case. At first, I didn't really like him. His vibe was like a bad guy and totally corrupt police, but as I learned about him, his past, and how he changed at the end, somehow it warmed my heart. I found myself secretly rooting for him.

📌 This book is funny; some of the dialogue made me laugh. The humor portion is perfect for this book.

WHY IT DIDN'T WORK OUT FOR ME:
⚠️ There was mention of a famous case and the actual name of a criminal known as Ted Bundy (for people who don't know him, he is known as a cold-blooded serial killer who raped and killed many women, and this is a real case). To me, I don't think it is necessary to mention the actual criminal's name in a fiction crime book. I was a bit taken back when I read his name in this book.

⚠️ Some chapters are boring and slow.

⚠️ For other people, the twist might be unpredictable; however, to me, it's just NAH (very predictable). The reason behind his killings was just a family drama, which didn't hold up to my expectations. I thought it would be something more grand😂.

⚠️ But the main reason why it didn't work out and why I decided to give 2 stars when I actually wanted to give 3 stars is because of the ending.

SPOILER AHEAD, YOU BETTER BACK OFF
At the end, our killer was dead, but a person who is the whole reason behind his killing was set free and allowed to walk away from this whole mess he caused. And they think it was the best decision because of one reason and that is FAMILY. 

What kind of bullshit is that?

I mean, knock, knock, hey! You're the trigger, the cause, the reason—how could he just walk away like that? Family, my foot! This piece of sh** is every reason why people lost their families to another sick bastard!

That's why I gave it 2 stars.

CREDIT:
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.