A psychological thriller told from different points of view including three women with varying degrees of contact with Ellis Cobain who’d been mentally cruel to each of the three women and then the point of view of the DS investigating Ellis’s murder. An interesting book that shows how manipulation changes people’s rational behaviour. A few good twists and I was left guessing until the end.

Stephanie is a detective, and the story starts out with her taking a weekend trip to a sea side hotel in Cornwall. A week later, her significant other Gus (also a detective) calls her back to the hotel to help solve what looks like a murder.
There are three women who had been at the hotel, all having ties to the victim. The story jumps between all four women and their perspectives and motives leading up to the murder. You don’t find out who the killer is until the very end, with one more twist to the plot to finish the story.
This story was just ok in my opinion. I was not that surprised by the killer, and I felt it was a little drawn out. The twist at the end made me so sad for where this series will lead, and was something I did not see coming.

Having read a few of Rachels previous books and loved them I was eager to read this

Boy I loved it. Couldn't put it down. The only trouble I need t read the previous ones in the series now

Thanks for the opportunity to review

THE LAST TIME I SAW HIM - I found this a wordy but interesting and intriguing mystery. Good characters and interesting story lines made for an almost immersing read. Just a bit too wordy to keep my glued to the pages. Source: Netgalley. 4*

A dead body is discovered on a yacht and there are three suspects: Juliette, Celia, and Nadia. Each of these women knew Ellis and were somehow wronged by him so of course suspicion falls on them. Told from a "now" and "then" perspective, the novel details how each of these women came to know and hate Ellis and of course what really transpired. And we all know how truly dangerous women can be when they are pushed to the breaking point! It's a fast-paced thriller that kept me guessing until the end!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Another story about a horrible man that women inexplicably fawn over when it’s so obvious he’s terrible. This seems to be one of the current trends in thrillers and it’s not my favorite, as you can see. I’ve read every book by this author and I was hoping for more, some type of twist on it or something, because she’s brilliant and can do better than this. Every similar story tries to paint the woman/women in a sympathetic light but there’s just no excuse anymore for being so blind to someone’s faults just because they’re wealthy and attractive. Women are better than this.

So there’s no surprise that the man in question ends up dead and all THREE women obsessed with him are suspected to be involved. They’re all pretty unlikeable, too. Celia is the pushover wife, Nadia is the manipulative singer and married Julia who is the quickest to realize her mistake of getting involved with him while collaborating as a designer for his property.

The conclusion of the story is definitely shocking but for the wrong reasons. It’s more than just solving the murder, it’s also the consequences of doing so. And was justice served? Nowhere near like it should have been. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the actions of these women lead to even more tragedy and their accountability? Well.

The story certainly made an impact on me and it wasn’t like it was hard to push through and read, as it was a definite page-turner. I just hope the next book is more satisfying, a unique story that doesn’t read like so many others. And one that doesn’t leave me wishing all the main characters would have suffered more!

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel Abbot is an author that i haven’t heard of so i was excited to snag this arc. This book starts out really slow, i mean… really, really slow. It started picking up and it went full speed once it did. The whole thing got tied together and came full circle which definitely made it worth while.

Three women have been wronged by a selfish, egotistical man. When they meet up unexpectedly at a Cornish hotel, they discuss ways of ending his hold over them. Though they don't trust one another, they perfectly execute a plan to discredit him; and then he turns up dead. DS Stephanie King, and her partner seek to uncover the truth -- no easy task when everyone has a motive, and everyone is lying to the police.

Though this book is a part of a series, it stands alone just fine and I did not feel disadvantaged by not having read the previous titles. The characters of the three women, and the two men involved, are well developed; the police team, less so, even though the series revolves around DS Stephanie King. Perhaps the earlier books give more insight into what makes her tick.

Some parts of the book seemed to drag, and Juliette's mindset is reiterated almost to the point of annoyance. The ending has one of the women acting completely out of character, and includes a tragic event that added nothing to the story line and left the reader rather deflated. Other than this, it is an enjoyable read and I would choose to read additional books in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is how to write a thriller with multiple POVs! Tense, sad and unexpected occurrences. The murderer took me by surprise I must say, but the unexpected death took my breath away. Rachel Abbot is such a talented author and I always enjoy her books.

Ellis Cobain is a detestable human being, who manages to taint, spoil and even destroy the lives he touches. A self proclaimed philanthropist who thinks nothing can touch him, a narcissist in every way.

When three women meet by chance and discover how their lives have been destroyed by Cobain, there seems to be one simple solution, but will they carry out the dreaded deed or is that a step too far?

This is a first from this author for me and I did struggle to get ‘into’ the book. Once the plot moved along I enjoyed it more, and the ending was well executed.

All in all an ok read, though I know I’m in the minority for not liking it more. I’m sure this blip was down to me, as I expect the book will be well received.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Three women in this case.

Ellis Cobain has made some enemies in his time. Three of them happen to be staying the coastal Cornish hotel he's staying in. One, just happens to be his wife.
Celia, his wife
Julia, a designer
Nadia, a singer
All three have a bone to pick with Ellis and find themselves together when he discovered dead on his yacht.
All three have an alibi, but as we uncover over chapters- all three have motives.

This reminded of an Agatha Christie novel, but very modern. It moved at a fair pace once the murder was discovered. It is also my first Stephanie King novel. I was unaware of her character prior to this read, but find her likeable and someone I would enjoy reading about again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review prior to the August 15 2024 release date

Ellis Cobain is a narcissist, a wealthy philanthropist and an all round nasty arrogant man.
“I don’t know about you two, but I’d think we’d all be better off if he was dead.”
Three women with little in common except each was wronged by Ellis Cobain: the wife, the lover and the ex-lover meet by chance at a boutique Cornish hotel and hatch a plan to blackmail Ellis, but the plan goes wrong and he is found dead on his yacht. Who really killed him? DS Stephanie King had coincidentally met two of the women the previous weekend and found some strange quirks in their behavior. The police investigation is led by DS King’s boyfriend DCI Brodie.
The first person POV is not that of DS King but of Juliette, an interior designer and one of the three prime suspects, who had cheated on her husband with the manipulative Cobain and very much regrets it.
The blackmail plot is quite intriguing with three strangers working together towards a common goal, a little reminiscent of the classic ‘Strangers on a Train’. Will all three be able to keep their nerve as the police investigate?
The story starts slowly but the pace and tension ramp up as the story progresses. There is plenty of mystery, twists and intrigue to keep the reader turning the pages.
Thanks to the author, and NetGalley for providing me with this free ARC, for which I leave a voluntary review.

Juliette Dalton joins her husband at a romantic hotel high above the coast of Cornwall. Her idyllic stay becomes disturbing when she meets her former lover, Ellis Cobain, at a hotel party, a stark contrast to the hotel's romantic setting. She fears she will once again come under his dominating control, which will destroy her life and her marriage. When she unexpectedly meets two women at the hotel who had similar experiences with Ellis, they get together to expose him and set up a plan to get him out of their lives forever.
Soon, their plans for revenge turn into tragedy, and Juliette is now under investigation for murder. As things come to a devastating end, her life as she once knew it has been destroyed.

WOULD YOU KEEP A SECRET FOR A STRANGER, IF IT MEANT THE BLOOD WAS ON YOUR HANDS?!
Good book! This book had suspense, murder, mystery, secrets, intrigue, action, a bit of a who done it and some crazy twists and turns! The story was very interesting and had me glued to my kindle! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

The Last Time I Saw Him by Rachel Abbott is a psychological thriller that explores the complexities of toxic relationships and the desperate measures people take to break free. The story centers on Juliette Dalton, whose seemingly perfect marriage is unraveling. After a fateful encounter with Ellis Cobain, a charismatic but dangerous philanthropist, Juliette's life spirals into chaos. The author blends tension and suspense as Juliette is joined by two other women from Ellis's past. Together, they form an alliance, determined to expose Ellis's true nature. As their plan takes a dark turn, the story evolves into a gripping murder investigation. The author’s knack for creating multidimensional characters and intricate plots will keep readers hooked until the very last page.

This is the first Rachel Abbott book I’ve read and whilst Sergeant Stephanie King is clearly an established character this this read as easily as a standalone but I’m sure fans of the series would equally enjoy it. This was a great murder read set in a small hotel and it becomes increasingly clear that several of the characters had reason to want the victim dead, I liked the multiple perspectives on this so you could see how the investigation was proceeding but also get into the heads of the suspects and events leading up to the murder. The ending was quite a shock with several unexpected turns and I’ll be very interested in reading the next book.

Steph accompanies her mother for a weekend at an exclusive hotel. She witnesses a woman being groped by a man when her husband's back is turned.
The man is Ellis Cobain, who is found dead on his yacht a few days later.
Three women, who claim never to have met each other before are all connected to Ellis, and Steph, who is in law enforcement, has to investigate who had the best reason to kill Ellis.

This is a very twisty novel. There are obsessions,secrets and lies which have to be unraveled, things are not what they seem on the surface.
The reader will be kept rapt right to the end of the book.
However, I found the loss of one of the characters very sad.

Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

The Last Time I Saw Himby R. Abbott, published by Storm Publishing, is part of the Stephanie King World.
A thriller of its finest full of unexpected twists and turns had me in suspense from tart til the very last page. I fellinn insta love with story and characte´rs.
Blurb: Celia, Juliette and Nadia are complete strangers with one thing in they have all been wronged by Ellis Cobain. A wealthy philanthropist on course for a knighthood, Ellis' public persona is bulletproof - but lurking beneath this veneer is a sinister side that only the women closest to him have seen.
When they meet on the Cornish coast, brought together by the blind arrogance of their tormentor, they realise what connects them.
But when he is discovered the next morning, they are left scrambling. None of them knows who did it, and now they must desperately cover their tracks.
Will they keep each other's secrets? Will one turn on the others, when any of them could be next?

Thank you to Netgallery and the publisher for this ARC. The publication date is the 14th August! Where do I begin?! Another fantastic nail biting thriller by Rachel I adore this authors writing style she always keeps you guessing until the very last line!

This book was a twisty plot with many twists and turns that kept me engaged until the very end! Overall, I’d highly recommend this book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars!