A deadly trap. A ticking clock. How long until she has only one last breath? Jessie wakes to darkness, cold, and the rain beating down on her. She reaches out, and her hands meet hard stone.

This had a lot of potential but ended up falling flat for me. I think it could have used a bit more development.

Thanks to net galley and the publishers for this arc

I loved this book it was an easy read and I raced through it wanting to know if Jessie discovers the truth or is she hiding secrets of her own?


I will be looking for more books by PS Cunliffe to read in future
4 stars

I just could not get into the story and the characters at all for this one. I did not enjoy the storyline. I had to stop reading.

Thank you to Embla Books and Netgalley for the copy of One Last Breath by P S Cunliffe. This was a standard thriller that would be great for readers new to the genre. For me, there were no real surprises and the multiple timelines made it hard to follow the story.This was a decent read, it just didn’t knock my socks off.

Similar basic idea to a few other books. Well written with some intrigue, however I worked out the end about halfway through.

I found this one a bit too long. The twists towards the end were good. However, I feel I have read a few similar books were the main character returns to their hometown to investigate something that happened years ago. It was an ok read for me, it didn't have the 'cannot put it down' effect for me.

4+

Despite the many difficulties, including online abuse, Jessie returns to her hometown of Westhaven still seeking the resolution for the murder 15 years ago of her best friend, Amy Barnes. Jessie is a documentary filmmaker and is also drawn back because there’s been another teen murder. However, five days on Jessie’s life is now on the line, she’s at the edge of her limits, tiring, but determined to try to survive for the sake of her five year old daughter, Freya. Can she, will she, make it? The story is told principally from Jessie’s perspective, but also by her husband, Martin and includes transcripts from “Born Killer“, Jessie’s controversial documentary about Amy‘s murder.

This is another cracking read from PS Cunliffe, I could barely lift my eyes from the narrative! The varying timelines which fills in the knowledge gaps is very smoothly done, and also serves to increase the suspense of Jesse’s situation. The tension here builds and builds, as it’s a race against time and thankfully the author gives you the chance to catch your breath by backtracking to the earlier timeline. It becomes a rollercoaster of a read and like a rollercoaster, the pace rises and falls which is very effective. To say there are twists is somewhat of an understatement, there are twists upon twists, especially towards the end and a few are shocking and unpredictable. Some revelations make you sit up straight and inhale breath as they are so unexpected. There are lies and coverups that keeps you guessing and reading on, desperate to know and understand the truth.

The characterisation is good, the portrayal of the principal characters as adults and as teens feels authentic. Your question, you wonder and ponder on the reliability of the points of view, and this is a particularly enjoyable element of the storytelling.

If you like twisty mystery thrillers, this author is well worth checking out as I’ve liked both of the books of his that I’ve read.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Embla Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

* spoiler alert ** 3.5 rounded up to 4. One Last Breath by P.S. Cunliffe was quite the thriller. The story is mostly told from the main character's, Jessica's, point of view. The book goes back and forth from present to past. Jessica is a streaming producer who produced a streaming movie about her childhood best friend Amy who was found dead in a well in their home town. Jessica is now married to her childhood sweetheart and they have a little girl. Jessica goes back to her home town in light of some news. For most of the story, Jessica is in the well. So we go back to the events leading up in the previous 5 days then to the distant past.

All in all, it worked out well. Lots of twists and a great ending. The author is talented to come up with the last twist. I enjoyed this and would highly recommend it. Thank you to Embla Books and Netgalley for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it. I cannot say more about the story without totally giving away the entire plot.

One Last Breath by P S Cunliffe.
This book is a rollercoaster of a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last. With a wonderful blend of intricate plot twists and a surprise ending, this novel is a must-read for any avid fan of suspense and mystery.

The narrative is well done, with good character development and suspense that grabs the reader right from the opening scene. However, one aspect that might pose a slight challenge is the shifting tenses between the past and the present. At times, navigating these transitions requires an extra moment of brain power, as it demands careful attention to keep track of the timeline. I had to go back a few times to remember what tense I was in.

Despite this occasional challenge, the story's characters are well developed, each with their own hidden agendas that keep you guessing WDI. The author's ability to skillfully manipulate the reader's expectations is where this novel truly shines. Just when you think you've unraveled the mystery, a new twist emerges, sending the story in yet another unforeseen direction.

The ending is a testament to the author's talent, delivering a conclusion that is as shocking as it is satisfying. The unexpected revelation at the end is a stroke of brilliance, it left we with a sense of shock that I did not figure it out earlier! It also ends on a cliffhanger that is as much a relief as it is a delight!

One Last Breath is a testament to the power of a well-crafted thriller. Despite the occasional tense navigation challenge, it was a wonderful thrilling ride! I liked how the author effortlessly played with the reader's perceptions, delivering a story that challenges and surprises at every corner.

Overall, I enioyed this book. The mystery and build up of tension kept me hooked. Definitely recommended.

Great book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one!! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, Action, intrigue, mystery, murder, revenge, a fantastic who done it, great plot twist, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle!! I definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I feel like I just read this book. Seems to be a theme lately for characters to return to their home town to investigate a murder from when they were teenagers. And lo and behold if they don’t all have huge secrets they have kept for years. The book itself was fine. Written well. Maybe a little long. But the plot is overdone to me. Previous book by author was out of the park. This wasn’t as good to me.