I completely enjoy Luanne Rice’s mystery stories. This one is no different. While the first chapter and the way the characters came together seemed a little unrealistic, Last Night was a quick, entertaining read. I would call it more of a mystery than a thriller. But good solid beach read!

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Disclaimer: I am Rhode Island born and raised, so I think a lot of my love for this comes from the setting. Without recognizing the places and towns, I don't know that the book would have had such an impact on me.

If you read The Shadow Box, you'll recognize a few of these characters. The names didn't mean anything to me from the synopsis, but the quick reminders in the book were helpful! I liked that it was the same characters, but not a series. Tom and Conor are genuinely good guys, so it's nice to have them around.

I liked the overall mystery, but the ending wasn't really a shock to me. I didn't fully have it figured out or anything, but it was more of a "yeah, that makes sense" shrug than a jaw dropping reaction. I liked the character development in some of the villains, and the way it all came together.

The only real issue I had was CeCe. I'll be honest, I don't know any six year olds (or many children at all for that matter), but are they actually as smart as CeCe was? She was coming up with things in her head that I don't know that I would have even thought of and I'm old. It seemed a little unrealistic and the chapters that were more from her POV had me rolling my eyes a bit.

This mystery will quickly transport you to the cold, blizzard-filled dark night when artist Maddie Morrison is murdered along a trail by the Rhode Island hotel where she has just purchased a suite to take refuge in during her difficult divorce. To amplify the tragedy of her death, her daughter CeCe was with her, may have witnessed the murder and is now missing. Hadley, Maddie's sister, arrives shortly after Maddie goes missing. Conor, a detective, has just arrived as a hotel guest and jumps right into action. Storylines start to both come together and unravel as the mystery is solved.

Luanne Rice has written another winner. Last Night is well written with great character development. I recommend this book. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review

I selected this book based on the publisher’s gripping description and enticing book cover. Before this read, I had not heard of Luanne Rice. If I had, I would have known that I am not her market, but she has many loyal fans. I now realize her books made it to the Hallmark channel, which explains a lot. They are cozy. The narrative style is no-frills telling. The characters are so darn sweet and polite that they even behave themselves under extreme duress. None of this mirrors real-life behavior or dialogue, but many readers do not want that. She also educates the reader by inserting information such as having Coast Guard Commander Tom explain to his State Police Investigator brother Conor that a key chain made of foam is floatable. Or describing the make, length, engines, and safety features of Tom’s boat. More concerning for me is the narrative thrust. Central to this story is a child who is undergoing a horrifying and traumatic experience. For me, that is not entertainment.

This book is available for pre-order. It will be released on February 1, 2024.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

This was my first Luanne Rice novel, and I thoroughly enjoy it. Initially, I was attracted to the setting -- a murder mystery at a grand hotel in Rhode Island during a blizzard. It proved to be the recipe for my perfect read -- atmospheric and suspenseful. Tension in the story increased the further I got into the book. I enjoyed learning about Ocean House and the mystical imagery of the paintings and poetry. Loved the characters, especially Conor, the Rhode Island State Police detective. I look forward to reading more by Luanne Rice.

I received an advance reading copy from Thomas & Mercer through NetGalley, and all opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.

(Reviews posted on Goodreads and Barnes & Noble. An Amazon review will be posted at time of publication. Thank you for the advance read!)

Maddie Morrison is a famous artist staying at the Ocean House in Rhode Island with her 6 year old daughter Cece. She is hoping to hide away there and escape a difficult divorce. A blizzard in raging, Maddie and Cece go out for a walk before Maddie’s sister, Hadley, is due to arrive. Hadley arrives, but Maddie and Cece have not returned. Hadley goes rushing out in the blizzard to find them. As she runs out, she passes Conor Reid and his girlfriend Kate. The couple are very concerned and follow her. Conor is a detective from Connecticut. The characters are interesting and well written. I especially liked Conor and Kate. The story alternates POVs, flows pretty nicely and held my interest throughout. I liked the book overall, it had some flaws but was an enjoyable quick read. I give the book 4 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. It is due to be published Feb. 1, 2024.

This story instantly hooked me. The setting was described so clearly that I was able to perfectly visualize it as if I was right there. The story is suspenseful and kept me guessing. Perfect East Coast escape!

Set against a Rhode Island shore backdrop amidst a ferocious blizzard, this intriguing murder mystery will pull you in right from the very first page and have you guessing right up until the very end. Readers familiar with Luanne Rice’s other novels will undoubtedly recognize some of the characters that grace the pages of this book, which I personally found delightful!

During a very special getaway with his girlfriend Kate, Detective Conor Reid finds himself suddenly embroiled in the puzzling murder of a renowned artist, Maddie Morrison, along with the disturbing disappearance of her young daughter, CeCe. Maddie’s sister, Hadley, is an integral part of this story, determined to piece together the final moments of her sister’s life and to help locate her missing niece in the process. The blizzard certainly complicates matters—not to mention, the investigation itself—but CeCe is a clever little girl who unwittingly leaves some “breadcrumbs” along the way for Conor to follow.

While well written with a captivating storyline, I found some aspects of this story confusing since they were never fully developed, which did detract slightly from my overall enjoyment; hence, the four star rating instead of five. Still, “Last Night” was another good mystery delivered by this author, and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

I was thrilled to get my hands on this ARC! I was particularly interested in this book as I live in the Southeastern CT/RI area. One of my favorite places, the majestic Ocean House, is the setting in this mystery. I was immediately drawn in right from the beginning, all the twists and turns kept me glued! I couldn’t put this book down. The author did an excellent job of storytelling. I also enjoyed the New England connections throughout the book. Will be purchasing a hardcopy of this book when it’s released on February 1st! Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a very good book by Luanne Rice. Many twists and turns and trying to figure out what happened and a limited time to figure out where the child went.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

Last Night by Luanne Rice is an easy-to-read book that is easy to get into and difficult to put down. This is not my typical genre, but I was looking for something different to read and it had been years since I've read anything by Luanne Rice and wanted to revisit her writing. I enjoyed this story line and searched for more books by the author, which led to me to see that there was another book written with some of the same characters. I will be reading that book soon. It's not necessary to read the other book to understand and follow this one. If you are interested in mystery/murder/whodunnit books with a female relationship perspective, you will enjoy this story. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is that there were some parts of the tory that could have used a little more development, but on the other hand this allows the story to be a quick read.

A blizzard has a tendency to disrupt lives and to force layers of frozen camouflage upon the landscape. But what lays beneath is a most frightening thing.

Hadley Cooke is meeting her sister Maddie and Maddie's daughter, CeCe, for a Christmas celebration on the Rhode Island coast. They're staying at the famous Ocean House bedecked with floor to ceiling Christmas decor. Maddie is a renowned artist and Hadley does nature murals with Maddie's ex-husband, Johnny.

When Hadley arrives at Ocean House, she is given a note from the front desk from Maddie. Maddie tells her that she and CeCe are out for a walk before dinner. But it is well over an hour and Maddie and CeCe are not back yet. The weather is taking a turn for the worse with a blizzard upon them. Hadley decides to follow the path in hopes of spotting the two on their way back. But what she does find almost stops her heart. Her sister is dead covered in snow and there is no sign of CeCe.

Rapid action takes place. Detective Conor Reid of the Connecticut Major Crimes Squad is staying at the hotel with his girlfriend Kate. He runs to the aid of Hadley. Soon Detective Joe Harrison is called in an the search for CeCe is a top priority.

Luanne Rice creates a hive of possibilities here. We'll follow CeCe and her captors as this storyline unfolds. Why would anyone want Maddie dead? Why would they take an innocent six year old as well? And we'll meet up with a stack of suspects whose lives are tangled up together. It's up to Conor and Joe to fit the pieces together before it's too late.

Last Night is well written with an interesting storyline. The world of art will take center stage with cunning individuals on the peripheral. Toss in some greed and desperation and you have the very seeds of Last Night. An entertaining read for sure.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest reivew. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to Luanne Rice for the opportunity.

Back in my university days, I fell hard for the books of Luanne Rice( it was all because of Follow the Stars Home) and they pretty much held me in their grip until my mid-20s. So I guess it was with nostalgia that I saw this title and decided to take a trip down memory lane. Without even reading the synopsis. Imagine my surprise to find out that Luanne Rice isn't just a contemporary romance author but has evolved to put some suspense into her tales.

I was very pleasantly surprised

In the middle of a Rhode Island snowstorm, a woman's body is discovered, her daughter kidnapped, and several characters find their lives wrapped up in the mystery.

There were many character perspectives and a good number of suspects to keep me entertained and invested in seeing the book through to the end. I liked the book but I wanted more of Conor Reid as he was the most intriguing character to me.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was intense and heartbreaking. Hadley's famous sister is dead and her niece is missing. Trying figure out the murder and kidnapping will open up so many secrets and deceptions. Great characters, fast pace and a true page turner. Very enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
It is strange that one of my last books to be shelved in 2023 isn't out until February 2024 but let's generate some buzz, shall we?

Back in my university days, I fell hard for the books of Luanne Rice( it was all because of Follow the Stars Home) and they pretty much held me in their grip until my mid-20s. So I guess it was with nostalgia that I saw this title and decided to take a trip down memory lane. Without even reading the synopsis. Imagine my surprise to find out that Luanne Rice isn't just a contemporary romance author but has evolved to put some suspense into her tales.

I was very pleasantly surprised

In the middle of a Rhode Island snowstorm, a woman's body is discovered, her daughter kidnapped, and several characters find their lives wrapped up in the mystery.

There were many character perspectives and a good number of suspects to keep me entertained and invested in seeing the book through to the end. I liked the book but I wanted more of Conor Reid as he was the most intriguing character to me.




Expected Publication 01/02/24
Goodreads review published 15/10/23

#LastNight #NetGalley.

Maddie Morrison is found murdered in a blanket of snow and her daughter CeCe is missing. Finding her killer and her daughter leads to a lot of people with motive but there are those who don’t seem to have a reason but the trail leads to them.



Thanks to Luanne Rice and Thomas and Mercer for this book!

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. I generally enjoy a faster paced book, but thought this was a good read!

A beautiful, talented artist and rich woman - an aging and no longer relevant actor - their intelligent and clever daughter, and a determined detective. These characters make for a terrific thriller by one of my favorite authors, Luanne Rice. The setting is the northeast coast at a msyterious hotel during a snowstorm which adds interest to the story and provides barriers for the detective and the perpetrators. All and all a terrific read.

One of my favorite Luanne Rice novels, which says something because they’re all great reads! This one has such a compelling plot that is rolled out in a steady stream of reveals, and as always, I love all the New England connections in the novel! This one would pair perfectly with a snowy day, a crackling fireplace, and a cozy blanket. A perfect winter thriller!