Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for my ARC of this book. Thought this would be better but I really don't like the main character

3/5

📚 ARC Review

Last One To Die (Detective Nikki Cassidy 2)
By Dana Perry
Viper, 2nd April 2024

Ohio-based FBI agent Nikki Cassidy plays a chilling game of cat and mouse with a killer in this second book to feature the detective.
After discovering the body of a teenager, the strong and forceful Nikki sees similarities to the murder of her sister 15 years earlier. What follows is an engrossing, masterful story with a marvellous depiction of Nikki, who comes up against the misogynistic Chief of Police.

Through many twists and turns and fascinating investigative processes, I was completely drawn in and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. There is excitement and energy throughout this thoroughly enjoyable book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Bookouture and Dana Perry for providing an eARC via NetGalley; this is my honest review.

Book 2 in this series. A decent read which made me jump right into the 3rd book. Nikki and her team head back to her home town to solve another murder, again how does the killer connect it to the death of Nikki’s sister so many years before.

This book is the second one in the series. The main character in this one was so unlikeable I was worried she was going to make me stop reading! Thankfully it didnt and I enjoyed this one as much as the other books.

Loving this series , and can't wait to read more of it , there's something about it that has me hooked .

I really love FBI Agent Detective Nikki Cassidy. This is book 2 in her series. This book opens with another missing girl and another body. How is this girl connected to Caitlin, Nikki’s murdered sister? Nikki thought her sister’s death had been avenged, but someone is making her think that her sister is still out there, or at the very least, her sister’s killer. Whoever did kill Jessica is trying to get under Nikki’s skin. We follow Nikki’s journey to find Jessica’s true murderer.

I always fly through Dana’s books and this one was no exception. I could read a new Nikki book every week.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for my ARC of this book.

This book feels/reads a lot like the previous/first one. Same subject, same town, same issues with the police chief, visited the same places, repeated the same things about her sister, same theme that there is a patsy, & that the killer is someone close… #LastOneToDie #NetGalley

The first book in this series was good, I was eager to start the second. The second book was fast paced and it was a standalone that explained any repeat characters nicely.

Some twists and turns kept me guessing, I thought I knew who it was multiple times and was wrong. I didn’t always care for the MC in both books, but it left room for growth and character development.

Dislikes:
It began to feel repetitive. I know most police/FBI series will feel this way but the mention of her sister over and over didn't make sense until the end.

MC Nikki’s relationships with the men in both books have no depth. The relationship building could have been written better and not have appeared out of nowhere.

Final Thoughts
This is a series that I did enjoy and am invested in. I did feel like the final cliffhanger has me off to read book three now, lol. I need to know!!

My thanks to #NetGalley #Partners In Crime Tours and ‎#Bookouture for an advanced eBook.

Review posted to Goodreads and Amazon

This book was a real page-turner! The plot unfolded at a breakneck pace, throwing twists and turns my way that kept me guessing the culprit until the very last chapter. I found myself particularly drawn to Nikki Cassidy. Her unwavering determination to uncover the truth behind the murders resonated deeply with me. While I agree there was room for further development of her character, Nikki's drive and compassion made her both dynamic and incredibly personable.

This Nikki Cassidy novel was utterly engrossing! I found myself completely captivated by the story, unable to tear myself away from the pages. It was a total sleep-depriver – I devoured it in just a few nights. The suspense was masterfully built, keeping me guessing at every turn. Now, I'm impatiently waiting to dive into the next installment of the series and see where Nikki's journey takes her next!

Like the first book in this series, I was quickly turning pages. It didn’t drag, and it was a standalone that weaved the earlier happenings nicely into this story.

Nikki’s sister, Caitlin, became an unsolved mystery fifteen years ago. Now another girl is dead. The circumstances have the same feel as her sister’s murder. Nikki can’t walk away. She has to solve this mystery for the newest victim and her sister Caitlin. Has her sister’s killer returned?

As I mentioned, this story like the first moved right along. It wasn’t hard to quickly become involved in. Some twists and turns kept me guessing, and though I didn’t always care for the MC, it left room for growth and character development.

My Concerns
Like my concerns regarding the first book, these are small.

First, it began to feel repetitive. At this point, it was small, but I was noticing it.

And this concern is a little larger: I didn’t feel Nikki’s relationship was meaningful. I would like to have seen it have more depth and not appear out of nowhere.

Final Thoughts
Without a doubt, this is a series that I liked and felt invested in. I was excited to reach for the third and final book in the series. I didn't feel like it was a cliffhanger, but there were some questions still to be answered.

My thanks to #NetGalley #Partners In Crime Tours and ‎#Bookouture for an advanced eBook.

Book 2 of the series about Detective Nikki Cassidy is a crime procedural that does not disappoint. The pacing of the storyline kept me turning the pages. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. Detective Cassidy is written like a more seasoned law enforcement officer. She still has flaws, she is human, but remains likeable.

Though this can be read as a standalone novel the author does resolve some of the plot points that were left unresolved in the first book Starting the next book in this series tomorrow.

There was less regurgitation from the other two books in this one but I still felt like the author was trying to make it a standalone as well as part of the series and I feel you can either have it one way or the other.
It was an easy read. There was quite a few characters so I did have to write things down to remember who was who.
The ending with that cliffhanger though would probably make me read another if there was one.

Last one to Die is book two in the Detective Nikki Cassidy and is wrrtten by Dana Perry. I have been really been enjoying this series. This book we see FBI agent Nikki discovering a 14 year old murdered and she is brought back to when her sister was murdered, and how that case is still unsolved.

Once she starts to dig into the case there are some things that pop up that surprises Nikki. Jessica was very unhappy at home. She took off a few days before her murder. The interesting piece is the killer emails Nikki. The killer taunts her. "There are more victims, Nikki. Can you stop me?"


Oh, I was drawn in within the first few pages. I absolutely loved the first book and the second was a home run. Fast paced, full of twists and turns we are deep into the head of Nikki. Haunted by her sisters murder - and the fact that it is unsolved. Could this case be linked?

Thank you to the author, publisher and Partners in Crime tours for allowing me to read a copy of this book -- all thoughts are my own.

The Last to Die is the second book featuring FBI agent Nikki Cassidy. This one picks up pretty much right after the events of the first book. Once again, she heads back to her hometown to find a missing girl. I would not say this works as a stand alone. It definitely spoils things in the first book. Of the three out so far, this one is my favorite. Mainly because I did NOT call that ending. I was totally blindsided and I loved it. I also felt like I go to know Nikki more in this one. It's a quick read and one I couldn't put down. I highly recommend it!

The second gripping book in this series. Liked it as much as the first. Nikki is a well drawn character and your with her every step of the way. Well plotted and look forward to the third book. Thanks to Bookoutre and Netgalley for a review copy.

What an incredibly thrilling series this is! Love love love this gripping book and series. Very highly recommend to anyone looking for a transporting, wonderful read.

FBI agent Nikki Cassidy is approached by a grieving mother to solve the cold case of a murdered teenage girl that may be connected to a recent murder in another small Ohio town.

When Cassidy agrees to take on the 20 year old case of a murdered teenage girl, she finds herself back in small town Ohio asking questions about the past. While investigating, she receives a call from the police force from her own hometown with a new victim and a personal note claiming that Nikki herself will be the murderer’s ultimate victim. With help from her team at the FBI and some new players from small town police forces, Cassidy is forced to hunt down and outsmart another serial killer.

Despite the fact that I had some serious de ja vu while reading this book, it was still a decent read. I continued to be irked by the author’s writing style, repetitiveness, and awkward, oddly off-putting romantic encounters, but found the plot to be compelling. Maybe I’m just a basic reader, but the revelation of the killer’s identity was a genuine surprise to me and that always makes me inclined to have a more positive overall impression of a mystery. I’m planning to continue this series to find out what happens next with Agent Cassidy and her FBI crew. ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5/5)

Favorite Quotes:

That’s what happens when you dig into the past. You can never be sure what you’re going to find back there.

There are no boundaries for evil. It could be found anywhere.

“Did anyone ever tell you that you’re overly critical and sometimes just need to keep your mouth shut?” “A few people.” “You should listen to them.” He smiled.

Gilmore was a remarkably unremarkable man. Somewhere in his forties, thin, balding, dressed in drab clothes, no real charisma of any kind when he talked.


My Review:

This was an unpredictable, action-packed, twisted, and busy tale that kept the little pea in my brain hopping and my neck in knots. I had a hard time putting this one down, even when I had to, and I certainly did not see this ending coming. Dana Perry is definitely perfecting his craft.

The second book in a series, this book picks up from where The Nowhere Girls left off. When another girl's body is found, Cassidy finds herself again contemplating the facts surrounding her sister's death years ago and questioning whether it could be the same killer. The pace is somewhat slow at first, in large part due to rehashing of the back story from the previous book (this probably would have been less bothersome if I hadn't read them in rapid succession.) However, the pace definitely picks up as the story unfolds – with plenty of twists and a totally unexpected resolution. Overall, an enjoyable read with a closing hook to keep you reaching for the next book in the series.

FTC disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This has not affected the content of my review.

The second book in the Detective Nikki Cassidy series has her wondering and questioning more and more about what happened to her sister Caitlin.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.