Have enjoyed all the previous books in this series and this one hit the mark. Plenty of suspense throughout and likeable characters. Look forward to the next one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Detective Amanda Steele listens to a message left on her phone whilst she was travelling. When she rings back the phone is answered by another Detective who tells her that her caller has been murdered. Amanda takes over the Case as she feels she owes it to Felicity. the victim, who was a famous author. What appears to be a stabbing is not as it seems> All Felicity's research for her next book has been destroyed, This was an intricate story and I did not guess the identity of the killer.

Thanks to Carolyn and NetGalley for allowing me to read Her Last Words before the publication date.
This is the 9th book in the Detective Amanda Steele series.

Returning from a vacation in Florida with her partner, Logan and adopted daughter, Zoe, Amanda receives a voicemail from author Felicity Kelley, asking to speak to her in person. The message does not seem urgent and she decides to wait until the next day to call Felicity.

When she does call, she is surprised when the phone is answered by her colleague, Detective Fred Hudson, who tells her that Felicity has been murdered and immediately jumps to the conclusion that Amanda is a suspect.

Although she is not due back to work for several days, Amanda is determined to take over the investigation, much to Hudson’s annoyance.

Although it is a very easy read, there are plenty of red herrings in the plot which keep the reader engaged.

Her Last Words by Carolyn Arnold was just as great as the other books in this series. I love all the characters and they are so well written. So many twists that kept me guessing to the end, I couldn’t put this book down till I finished it. Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my arc.

When Detective Amanda Steele is called to the brutal murder scene of successful local author Felicity Kelley, her blood runs cold. Because Amanda not only knew the victim but was the last person Felicity called moments before she was murdered. Plagued with guilt that she never answered, Amanda is left wondering whether she could have prevented the murder and vows to catch the killer in Her Last Words (a Detective Amanda Steele Book 9) by Carolyn Arnold.

I love this series. I had a hard time putting this book and other books by Carolyn Arnold down. Once you start the story, you are engrossed and taken on a wild adventure with well-developed characters, a gripping storyline, and a gripping and addictive crime thriller.

I love the covers of these books as they capture the essence of the story's mystery.

Her Last Words is an excellent police procedural with surprise twists and turns that keep you glued to the pages.

I highly recommend this series and this author. Her Last Words is a great addition to the Amanda Steele collection.

#HerLastWords #NetGalley @bookouture

Her Last Words is the first Carolyn Arnold novel that I have read. This novel is the 9th in the Detective Amanda Steele series. Her Last Words does function very well as a stand alone novel. Arnold manages to provide just enough gentle reminders of Steele's background story to bring new readers up to date about her past, while not creating an overload of detail.

Her Last Words is very good and does hold the attention of readers. The plot slowly unwinds with just enough plot information to keep readers interested, while also making sure that putting down the novel and going on to something else is just about impossible. The plot works well, with just enough hints to help readers think they might have the answers, without actually giving away too much detail. The characters in Her Last Words are well written and interesting. None of these characters are so detailed that the reader becomes distracted by a possible killer. and while the guilty party is not a surprise if readers are paying close attention to the hints, the denouement is still just enough of a mystery solved for most readers.

Her Last Words is very much a successful police procedural. Arnold clearly knows how to write a successful murder mystery. A big thank you to Arnold and to her publishers, Bookouture, for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely enjoyed this novel, very much. I will certainly recommend it to friends and to my book club. Thank you to NetGalley for helping me find another publisher and author to enjoy.

A killer, a missing novel, and a playing card are a few of the elements in Her Last Words by Carolyn Arnold. This engaging police procedural is the nineth book in the Detective Amanda Steele series and it packs a punch. 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.

Even though homicide detectives Amanda and Trent aren’t the initial detectives at the scene, they head to the crime scene when Amanda finds out author Felicity Kelley is dead. Felicity had called Amanda yesterday when Amanda and her family were on a plane coming back from a Florida vacation. When a Queen of Hearts playing card is found at the scene, speculation begins on whether the murder is an imitation of Kelley’s most recent novel. However, that is only the beginning of trying to identify a motive as well as the killer.

Amanda doesn’t get much down time and has zero hobbies. She hates being idle and feels guilt and regret while trying to balance her family and work lives. Amanda’s flaws and struggles made her seem realistic. Trent is loyal, funny, and always has Amanda’s back.

The author brings action and intense moments to the novel. The story built a little less suspense into the story line. Despite this, the plot is intriguing, full of chasing down leads and interviewing suspects and witnesses in anticipation of identifying the killer. Additionally, there are also threads of her personal life and dealing with loss and grief.

This fast-paced novel is full of a sense of urgency. However, the murderer was a little too predictable. The author weaves murder, relationships, family dynamics, grief, bullying, and more into a finely crafted tale.

Overall, this novel was engaging, entertaining, and a solid police procedural. I can’t wait to find out what is next for Amanda and Trent. I recommend this series 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 October 17, 2023.

Detective Amanda Steele rarely takes vacation... but the one time she does, she receives a call from a local author who is requesting a call back. Amanda is familiar with her, as she solved the murder of the author's sister. When Amanda calls her back after her flight, one of her fellow detectives answers the phone and states that Felicity Kelley (the author) has been murdered. Amanda, as always, needs to be involved and enlists her fabulous partner, Trent, to assist in the investigation. Felicity's newest novel has several parallels to the murder that Amanda and Trent must sort through whilst navigating the publishing world. Fantastic read - as always! Ms. Arnold has created such a realistic and deep character - it's a treat to watch her grow with each novel. Thank you to Bookouture for an advanced reader of this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

Her Last Words (Detective Amanda Steele Book 9) by Carolyn Arnold There is murder and mayhem along with suspense, revenge, a serial killer, and some wild twists and turns A police protocol in which every aspect of the inquiry disclosed in investigating the clues and solving the murders, Surprised at the reveal of the murderer and their motivation. Amanda and Trent are two very genuine and engaging personalities who work well together. Great addition to the series.

Thank you to the author, Bookouture. and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book

Love loved this book! Amanda and Trent take over a murder case that has all the markings of being a serial killer. I like the dynamics of the characters. Amanda is strong and capable of juggling a daughter and a wonderful man, Logan in her life. Trent and Amanda have a great working relationship and together they must find this killer or could it be killers? I enjoyed this read and could not put it down! Thank you NetGalley and publishers Bookouture for this ARC this is my honest opinion. As always Carolyn Arnold writes a winner I can't wait to read more of her books!

i may have stayed up all night reading this i have read the amanda steele books from the beginning so excited was not the word and honestly this book did not dissapoint. i was gripped from the bwginning and i got the killer completely wrong in my head i was sure it was pointing too someone else.
i love amandas relationship with logan and zoe and how she tries too balance work and family life also her partnership with trent and how they bounce of each other and the fact that if amanda sets her eyes on a case shes getting it..

Very realistic and interesting characters. Fast-paced plot that kept me thoroughly engaged throughout. Suspenseful and thrilling! Enjoyed every page of it!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

This is a very good read. It started off well and I was immediately drawn into the story which really grabbed my attention and interest quickly. Carolyn Arnold can really connect with her readers in my opinion as I feel I know and like both Steele and Stenson and am always rooting for them. I think this is a very engaging and absorbing read, it is well written, flows easily and I loved being back in the world of the two Detectives and following their investigation as they chase all leads. The story takes place over a short time period which complements it and the author creates so much tension, thrills and suspense through her writing here. The pacing is great and absolutely perfect in my view. I like that the plot went off in a direction I didn't expect, this had me wondering what will come next and making me eagerly turn the pages on my kindle. I did guess who the murderer was, not the why and all becomes clear in the last part of the book which for me, became a very thrilling, moreish read which I couldn't put down as I was desperate to know how everything would end. If you like police procedurals I think you'd enjoy this book although if you're new to this author I'd suggest you read the series from the beginning to get to know the characters and their histories from the start. Recommended.

4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I enjoyed this book. It is a police procedural, every detail of the investigation is given. I do wish it moved a little faster, and that more character details were given. I don’t really feel like the characters are really fulled out. I was surprised by who the killer ended up being. #HerLastWord #NetGalley

Detective Amanda Steele is called in from her annual vacation to investigate the murder of an author, Felicity Kelley, who had called Amanda while she was in the air.
The murder seems to have been based on Felicity's best selling crime novel when a folded Queen of Hearts playing card is discovered in Felicity's mouth.
Amanda and her partner, Trent, unravel clues, and discover that Felicity was doing research on a fifteen year old cold case. The murder of Naomi Chapman. But her research notes have disappeared, burned or taken by her killer.
Could she have discovered who murdered Naomi Chapman?
Soon, there is a third murder, with similaraties to the first two.

Amanda is a seasoned detective, very methodical and follows her hunches.
Trent, her partner is just as determined to solve the homicides, they make a terrific team.
I enjoyed this book, it flowed well and came to a satisfying conclusion, with all loose ends explained.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

The terrible sense of “what if” pervades this fast paced mystery. What if she had responded in time? This adds to the sense of reality which can sometimes be lacking in books featuring strong protagonists - but here we have someone who seems human, flaws and all.

A Well-Crafted Murder Mystery Unfolds in the Latest Detective Amanda Steele Novel.

In this latest installment, Detective Amanda Steele faces a chilling case with close personal ties. When a familiar author reaches out for help, Steele is away and tragically unable to respond before murder strikes. Driven by guilt and duty, Steele takes charge of bringing the killer to justice.

The murder scene eerily resembles the author's own bestselling crime novel, casting suspicion on a wide pool of suspects. As Steele digs deeper into the victim's connections and dealings, she uncovers a hidden murder connected to the murdered authors work.

This book has all the ingredients - drama, action, secrets - to keep mystery lovers hooked cover to cover. My thanks to NetGalley for an early preview copy of this gripping crime fiction novel.

Carolyn Arnold is a favourite of mine so was excited to read this one. Omg what a thrill of a read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Twisty and full of suspence. I was on the edge of my seat. Gripped from start to finish. Read in one sitting. Couldn't put it down. Definitely recommend. 5*

I enjoyed this detective case! They did a great job of following the clues and solving the murders. Fans of murder mysteries will sure enjoy this one!

Unfortunately crime happens every day and sometimes detectives have to leave cases unsolved because they run out of leads and end up in a dead end street. It must be frustrating to know they have to let a culprit get away with what they have done, not being able to bring closure for the family and friends of the victims.

There can be another reason too why cases become cold cases. The detectives are focused on one angle and neglect other points of view, thus letting everyone down including themselves.

Cases happening in Amanda and Trent's jurisdiction don't have the time nor opportunity to turn cold, because they take every little detail and put it under the microscope and. They keep on digging until they hit pay dirt.

In the meantime it seems like Amanda has found peace in her personal life as well and I am happy for her. I can't stop thinking though she is with the wrong person. Not that he is not good to her. On the contrary. But I would enjoy to see her with someone else. :)

I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for this dynamic duo. The are as fabulous as the series is. This is another suspenseful story and I hope the author still has a lot of cases for them to solve. 5 stars

Thank you