What a tangled web these characters find themselves trapped in! I just love the dynamic between Steph and Gus and I loved getting to know some new characters on Gus’ team! I hope we get to see them more in the future!
As always, Rachel writes books I can’t for the life of me put down!

A solid read. 3.5 rounded up to 4.

A twisty whodunnit that made me come up with multiple theories. The Last Time I Saw Him kept me turning the page to find out more about the murder, who Ellis was, and ultimately, who the heck did it. I found the end needless, and did not enjoy it, but that could be because I was not invested in Stephanie King, and this is part of a series. In the end, if you are looking for a fall thriller, this is still a good option.

Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Rachel Abbott for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Last Time I Saw Him. A woman’s scorn is a dangerous thing. Three women scorned is a killer.
This is a series book but stands alone well. A man who is truly no good and has wronged lots of women gets his comeuppance and there are many suspects to choose from.
Lots of twists and a good mystery.
3 stars

Ellis is indeed a vile man and the three women who have the most to gain from his death are distinctive in their different personalities and potential motives.
With plenty of twists and turns and suspicion cast initially far and wide the outcome of the investigation is surprising and the detective work to get to that point solid and very readable!

Three women, all connected to an abusive man, are staying at the same hotel at the same time. DS Stephanie King also spends the weekend at the hotel with her mother and observes the women and the man, not realising they may be connected. DS King and DCI Brodie investigate when a suspicious death occurs, and her previous observations prove helpful. There are many layers to this story and its characters. No one is what they seem on the surface; there are complex moral dilemmas between the law and justice, and whilst the women may share a common purpose, they differ in degree and what they want. The themes of domestic abuse are often explored in crime fiction, but this story adds something unique. I like the characters' complexities, the moral dilemmas and the twists that keep you reading.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This book is an engaging read with enough intrigue to keep you guessing until the end. While some twists may seem predictable, the book keeps readers on their toes with surprising developments. The novel explores the tension between moral righteousness and legal justice, highlighting the often ambiguous line between what feels right and what is legally correct. A solid and quick read that I found hard to put down.

I think this may be my favorite ARC I read in August. Holy moly, it was so good. I'm a sucker for a good whodunnit and feminine rage.

I didn't realize that this was the fourth book in a bigger series but I felt like I was able to follow along just fine. I loved Stephanie's character and will definitely be reading the first books in the series.

The Last Time I Saw Him has three women all with motives for killing one man: Ellis Cobain. I didn't want to put this one down. It was fun seeing everything unravel and come back together. The twists were great and plausible and the characters likeable. It was extremely well written and difficult topics explored with sensitively.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review :)

"The Last Time I Saw Him" by Rachel Abbott is a compelling psychological thriller that revolves around a police inquiry into the homicide of Ellis Cobain, a wealthy philanthropist discovered deceased on his yacht. The narrative is presented through the viewpoints of three significant female characters—Juliette, Celia, and Nadia—each possessing distinct motives and connections to the deceased. The text is rich in character exploration, delving into the intricacies of their lives and interpersonal dynamics, while depicting Ellis as a predominantly unsympathetic figure.

The novel is intricately woven with elements of misdirection and suspense, as the central character, Detective Stephanie King, unwittingly becomes embroiled in the investigation, which complicates the case and uncovers the interlinked destinies of the women involved. As the narrative progresses, the evocative backdrop of the Cornish coastline amplifies the tension, culminating in a sudden and thrilling resolution that astounds readers. Although the pacing fluctuates, particularly in the midsections, the storyline ultimately resolves in a gratifying and unforeseen twist that consolidates the various plot elements. While certain elements, such as the narrative construction and character equilibrium, may pose challenges to readers, the work remains a riveting mystery that highlights Abbott's narrative skill. Enthusiasts of complex whodunits will find "The Last Time I Saw Him" to be a noteworthy contribution to the Detective Stephanie King series. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

I started off absolutely loving this book. The suspense was perfect, I loved the 3 women’s stories, and the mystery of what actually happened had me frantically turning pages. If you read this as a stand-alone, you may enjoy it more. I read the other Stephanie King books and had the backstory of her life and relationship so the ending ruined the book for me. I felt that one thing was so unnecessary and cruel. If that moment was left out of the book, this would be a clear 5 stars. Everything about the book was perfect except the last 2 percent.

I love Rachel Abbott books and this was no exception. This is part of the DS Stephanie King series (4 of 4).
Set in a luxurious hotel, it has plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing who killed Ellis Cobain, though I was expecting it to be someone completely different in the end.
Stephanie’s character is very likeable and realistic. Big twist at the end that I can guarantee you absolutely won’t see coming until it’s upon you.
5⭐️ from me

A suspenful read with 3 women who have a grouse against one man with a veneer of perfection and on track to knighthood. Which one of these women is responsible for the ultimate revenge?

Lots of intrigue, fast-paced, and thrilling, this book was exciting to read. The pacing was correct, the intrigue was plentiful, and the motive was warranted.

#netgalley #TheLastTimeISawHim

How far would you go for a stranger?

Three women meet at an exclusive hotel. One woman is in mentally abusive relationship, one has made a mess of her marriage, and the other could be breaking a marriage apart. These three women come together to help each other get out of their predicaments which are all tied to the same person, Ellis Cobain.

As I enjoyed the setting of this novel and the storyline, I felt the interactions between the three women were a bit frustrating at times. I absolutely did not see the twist coming at the end of the story AT ALL. Overall, I did like this book, which was out for publication on August 15, 2024.

Thank you to Net Galley and Storm Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Time I Saw Him
By: Rachel Abbott

4 Stars

Sergeant Stephanie King never expects to be investigating the hotel she and her mom had just vacationed at. When a big-name guest is found dead the week after her stay, she finds herself back and on a very interesting case filled with murder, secrets, and lies.

I won't lie. At the beginning of this book, I was a bit lost. It felt almost like I had missed a previous book. Once the pieces started to fall in place, it all became clear, and the story got a lot more interesting. It combined mystery, danger, and thrills with a dynamic group of characters. By the end, I was shocked. This story was twisty and fun to read and had a shocking ending that I never saw coming.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

Detective Stephanie King is investigating the murder of Ellis Cobain a man with several enemies.
A story that kept me entertained and guessing until the end. Book 4 in the series I will look forward to reading more in this series.

Enjoyable enough romp set in a luxury hotel where a dead body is found just off its coast in a luxury yacht.

The man, who was staying at the hotel with his wife, is not a very nice man. With a couple of affairs under his belt and his wife metaphorically beaten to a shell by her husbands constant put downs and control, there are plenty of suspects.

Despite the heavy subject matter this has a real cosy thriller vibe to it and it zips along quite nicely. Surprisingly it spends more time with the female suspects than it does with police(Stephanie King arf arf) but it does have a lot of storytelling to do and a rather complicated and contrived plot to unravel.

It kind of loses its way a little at the end and perhaps is too long for its own good but it didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the overall experience.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author Rachel Abbott for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Last Time I Saw Him. My review reflects my honest opinion. Three women find themselves at a beautiful resort at the same time. Celia Cobain,married to the very wealthy, yet controlling and obnoxious philanthropist Ellis Cobain, is there with him. Juliette Dalton is there with her husband, Russell, a lawyer hoping to sign a contract with a singer performing at the resort. Nadia Shariq is the singer. The women are united in their hatred of Ellis Cobain- each for their own specific reason. The Last Time I Saw Him is the fourth book in Abbott's Detective Stephanie King series; the first I have read. It was a rather slow read for me as I did not like any of the three women; in my opinion their characters lacked depth- they were either self-centered or very weak. However the novel is well crafted, the investigation, realistic, and while it was just an OK read for me I will pursue other books by this author. 3 stars.

I loved this book! I haven’t read anything by Rachel Abbott before but I will definitely be adding more of her novels to my to be read pile. There were so many twists and turns

There were only four main suspects for the murder of a totally obnoxious philandering bully, with loads of money from the death of wife No 1. All four have strong motives, all four lie through their teeth to each other, the police and themselves. DCI Gus Brodie brings in DS Stephanie King to help in the investigation as she and her mothers were having a 'spoil yourselves for once' week-end and had some insight to the, now, suspects. Stephanie is the main character definitely and works well with Gus (also her life partner now) and the rest of his team - gradually teasing out the inconsistencies and links. Plenty of red herrings and I changed my mind about the perpetrator several times, wrong on most of them. Neatly tied up but ending a shock. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

The Last Time I Saw Him by Rachel Abott

I really enjoyed this book. The story was a slow burn and I was mildly disappointed with the ending. A man is dead and the suspects involves 3 women. I hadn't realized this book was part of a series but I quickly liked Sergeant Stephanie King. I just cannot fathom the unfair ending.

This was a good story about 3 women who have been dealing with a very nasty man who was in one or another manipulating them. This man is suddenly found dead and of course they are all suspects but why? That’s what we get to find out and it’s twist after twist at the end.