The Last Close Call by Laura Griffin immediately captivated my attention. The story unfolded at a rapid pace, accompanied by intricate details that added depth to the narrative. Although I yearned for a deeper exploration of the personal aspects in the conclusion, the ending still managed to provide a gratifying resolution.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this title!

In The Last Close Call, genetic genealogist Rowan Healy teams up with Austin detective Jack Bruner to catch a serial rapist and murderer who has been terrorizing the state of Texas.

With a great balance between suspense and romance, The Last Close Call is another winner from Laura Griffin! I know our patrons will love this stand-alone novel as much as they love her perennially-popular Texas Murder Files and Tracers series. As one of the hottest names in romantic suspense (and one of my personal favorite authors), I will wholeheartedly recommend this book to our patrons and am already looking forward to Liar’s Point. 5/5 stars.

Book was excellent. Rowan Healy is very talented genealogist and she is approached by Homicide Detective Jack Bruner. He’s got a serial case that really could use her help with. He’s certain she can help him. His friend tells him Rowan is the best.
She makes sure he knows she does it her way. It starts from the beginning.

So much more to come. Lots of twists and turns.
Must buy. Coming out October 24, 2023

Laura Griffin has done it again! This book is so well written, and has such depth of emotion in each character that they come to life for you as you read.
As detectives investigate a cold case that is heating up way too fast and try to bring down a serial criminal that has been at his trade far too long, Laura introduces us to the newest tool in the investigators toolbox. DNA Genealogy.
Tick-tock, the clock is ticking as a race against Time to stop this criminal before he strikes again.
If you like Police Procedural’s/Romantic Suspense, Laura Griffin has written the book for you.

3.5 ⭐️

A once dormant serial rapist comes out of hiding and back onto the streets of Austin. Detective Jack Bruner teams up with a private genealogist, Rowan Healy, to finally capture the man that has been terrorizing the city. Rowan is reluctant at first, not wanting to be back in the dark side of police work, but is quickly drawn into chasing justice and closure for her clients and Jack’s case victims.

This book does move at a slower pace but I found the investigative aspect of the story a little more believable because of this. Detective work in reality often moves slowly and sometimes frustratingly, and while I normally prefer fast paced thrillers, this procedural for what it is worked for me.

Romance isn’t essential to a crime thriller but I admit I did really enjoy the developing romance between Jack and Rowan and felt it added just that little bit of spice to the story without overwhelming the plot.

Enjoyable quick crime story with a romantic element that’s worth the read!

I enjoy police procedurals, so I had high hopes for this story. Sadly, it fell flat for me. The chemistry was lacking with the romance angle, and it was something I could have done without. The mystery, overall, was solid, but it wasn't enough to stick with me now that the final page has been turned.

A serial rapist who has been dormant for a few years returns to Austin and soon escalates to murder in San Antonio. Det Jack Bruner enlists the help of genetic genealogist Rowan Healy to try and identify the UNSUB and capture him before he strikes again. I really enjoyed the police procedural part of the story as they hone in on the suspect; however, I could have done without the romance between Jack and Rowan as I didn’t feel they had any real chemistry. My first book by Griffin, overall this was a solid mystery and I’d read her again.

For years, a serial sex offender has haunted Detective Jack Bruner. The rapist seems to be a ghost, leaving little to no evidence behind and disappearing for long stretches. Now, he has come out of the woodwork again--only now he's moved cities. It takes some doing, but Jack convinces his fellow law enforcement officers that this is their guy, and that the offender is escalating. When a woman ends up brutally murdered, this becomes clear. Jack enlists the help of Rowan Healy, an accomplished forensic genealogist. Rowan tries to stay away from police cases, sticking with the private sector, but one of the rapist's victims was a friend. Her research leads them to the doorstep of a woman who has lived with a terrible secret for many years--and to the backyard of a killer. Will they uncover the West Campus Rapist before he kills again?

So, the story here's pretty straightforward, and all over Griffin's pattern: cop asks for help but won't give away anything beyond the basics; the love interest knows her stuff but can't keep her nose out of official business. I liked both Rowan and Jack, but there was no chemistry here. A big fuss was made of Rowan's girl group too, but though the reader is introduced to them, even those relationships seem a bit lacking. Over all, The Last Close Call (cunning title, I like it) is worth the read, but it won't keep you on the edge of your seat or up all night.

The absolute best! I know I say this after every Laura Griffin book I read and review, but honestly, Laura Griffin is just that good. Murder and solving violent crimes aside forensic genealogist Rowan Healy and Detective Jack Bruner have become one of my favorite couples. I don’t know what it is or how it happened but the last chapter sharing where Rowan and Jack are in their life, left me with the biggest smile. I don’t know what it is precisely there’s just something about the way Griffin writes that makes me feel comfort in murder.
~Tanja

*** Thanks you to the Publishers and to Netgalley for providing with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***
A typical serial killer thriller with a detective main character and the woman that helps him with her unique genealogy skills. A decent read, but a little slow at times.

This was a well plotted story with good pacing and a likable couple. The genetic research angle provided an interesting new aspect to the series.

3.5 stars.

I really became fascinated by forensic genealogy during my law school wrongful convictions class where we discussed the Golden State Killer and the ethics of forensic genealogy. I knew I had to request this one when I saw that the female lead was a forensic genealogist. It's such a fascinating area in cold case investigations. With that being said, I didn't find the mystery in this book all that compelling/suspenseful. Maybe it's because we didn't get the killer's POV or because the cat and mouse game with the killer was sort of stale?

I did like the characters, Rowan and Jack. However, I felt there needed to be a bit more development of the characters and of the romance. The romance felt kinda thrown in there and I didn't really understand why the characters were romantically attracted to each other - beyond the physical attraction.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. The story did keep me engaged while on the treadmill. If you're wanting a romantic suspense to bring to the beach or to keep you preoccupied, then I would go ahead and pick this one up.

Holy crap this book was very enthralling. It hooked me from the very first chapter and kept me hooked the entire time!