Final Victim is the 6th and best book in the Detective Megan Carpenter series. The book opens with Megan getting a call from Nan, the receptionist at the police department. She is letting her know that Wallace was there looking for her. Megan's blood goes cold, Wallace is her stalker and has been sending her messages for months. Before she can figure out what he wants, they get a call that a torso and a head have been found, in two different counties. The dead body belongs to a female police officer from another county. This investigation is going to require a lot of cooperation. Megan's partner, Ronnie is on vacation, but the Sheriff calls her and she quickly returns to help. As they investigate they find many other cases similar to this one and realize they have a serial killer. Megan is sure it is Wallace, but doesn't know who he is or why he would be doing this. Meanwhile, someone has been in her apartment. Is she safe? Can she tell the team about her stalker?

This is my favourite Detective Megan Carpenter book so far and it sounds like it might be the last one. I hope not. This is a twisty tale with a lot going on. Ronnie and Donna (IT from one of the other counties) are both whizzes on the computer and they are able to find all sorts of information. It soon becomes obvious that the killer is some sort of vigilante as all the victims are dirty cops. Megan is worried about keeping her friends and colleagues safe, as she is sure this has something to do with her past. Megan needs to stop trying to be a hero and do everything herself, as inevitably, it puts her in danger. I did figure out who Wallace was and I was right, but as the reader it was obvious as we get his POV at times. With a great cast of characters, a great setting and crime and superb police work, the case is solved but to what end. The ending was surprising, and I hope that I'm not right thinking this might be the end of this series. If you enjoy a good police procedural with a team approach, but one MC who is the center of the story, I recommend this book and series.

This was phenomenal I was genuinely confused throughout the entire book. It kept me guessing who was being honest and I loved it.

Final Victim is the 6th book in the Megan Carpenter series. The story picks up from where book 5 ended with Megan receiving a chilling message from someone from her past. Like most fictional detectives, Megan has ghosts in her past. However, her past is darker than most. Anyone from her past looking for her is nothing bad news. The story takes a grim turn with the discovery of the body of a detective. Soon, it becomes clear to Megan and her partner, Ronnie, that they were dealing with a psychopath who was hell bent on causing pain and destruction.

I’ve always enjoyed Megan’s personality. Her quirkiness and wit add to her uniqueness. Her darkness is compelling especially given her line of work. Other support characters in the series such as Ronnie and Dan are also quite well developed and complement the development of Megan as a character. I like that they give her a more human perspective and add some softness to her otherwise tough personality.

This was a complex case that had Megan and her team scratching their heads. I was able to guess the identity of the baddie before the reveal but this didn’t take away my enjoyment of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed this instalment. It was dark, fast-paced, twisty and utterly captivating.

This book is number 6 in the Megan Carpenter series. I am a huge fan of Gregg Olsen's writing. I have loved his true crime books. I can say that you can read this as a standalone but. i recommend you read his others as I think they are fantastic. Highly recommend.

First off, thank you NetGalley for this arc.

My biggest miss with this was my own fault in not realizing it was a middle-of-the-series book and I had to do some digging after starting it to have the full idea vs just what the book was telling me. There were a lot of references to past cases/previous books and I did struggle with that.
Aside from that, this was my first book by Gregg and I do look forward to knocking some of the others off my TBR.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7161887891

Disclaimer: I read this as an advanced copy but was not compensated for review.

I am a massive Gregg Olson fan, however this was my first book from him not detailing true events. I had some hesitation as you do reading a book from a new author, but I was surprised to find it was as exciting as reading Olson’s books for the first time. The writing held me captive, the details that he uses to set the scene and build the story’s complexity is unmatched. Now I almost exclusively read Agatha Christie books in my teenage years. I’d say Christie offered a sense of familiarity where Olson’s stories are more of a polar plunge. It’s shocking, scary, and the cold stays on your skin long after you finish. As you begin to unravel the details you begin to see the invisible thread Olson uses to string along your psyche. Unparalleled, Olson. I will forever be a giant fan.

A scary and disturbing novel with a very likeable and capable police team! Megan has to determine if recent crimes are related to her past. The plot remained scary even though I did guess a few things! The conclusion was a clever and intriguing end! 4 stars

When the body of Detective Susan Dupont is discovered lying across the dividing line of two counties, Detective Megan Carpenter is immediately called to the scene. When the victim's body is examined they find a sharp piece of metal lodged in her eye.

Twenty-four hours later, retired Detective Riley Denton is found dead at home. He fell down the stairs and had no enemies so why would anyone want him dead? But Megan feels sure there is a link to the deaths and there is only one person she can trust with her theory.


Calling in her partner Detective Ronnie Marsh, they piece together a link that places Megan at the centre of a deadly plot. As they race to find the killer, a string of murder victims going back years starts to emerge. And when Megan discovers how the murders are linked, she has to finally accept a dark truth she has spent her life running from.

Great Read.

Full disclosure: I read the first 3 books in the series and I skipped the last couple. If I had my time again, I might have skipped this one too but I read the whole thing. I found it really confusing, even with having read the first few, so I don't recommend reading this book as a standalone. The recaps of previous events in Megan's life might just frustrate you as much as it frustrated me..... Some authors are just better at doing this in a series. This particular author has overcomplicated things.

Megan Carpenter is a mess and a compulsive liar. There were very few positive aspects of her personality, to be honest. However, she is being stalked by someone called Wallace. Wallace is clearly trying to unnerve her, and it works.

When a headless body is found with one part of her in one county and the rest in another, it gets very complicated, very quickly. Who is this woman and why did someone hate her enough to kill her, especially in the way that they did? Turns out, she was the last in a connected string of murders...

Anyway, Megan is trying to figure out how to solve this complicated case, as well as keep herself and her friends and boyfriend safe.

I knew pretty early on who the "baddie" was and I wondered how it was all going to end.

I give this book 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

This is the 6th book in the series but is able to be read easily as a standalone!

Megan has become a successful cop, but will her old life as Rilee come back to haunt her? She received messages and visit from a stalker named Wallace who she is determined to find as she believes he is responsible for a string of murdered cops. The twists in this book will keep reading until it's done and anxiously awaiting if another book will be released.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC!

Final Victim, by Gregg Olsen, is the sixth and latest addition to his terrific Megan Carpenter series! This is a dark psychological thriller and, as usual, Olsen delivers a compelling, exciting story!
Megan is a sheriff’s detective in Port Townsend, Oregon. She carries with her terrible memories of trauma from her childhood, and now she is laser-focused on bringing to justice predators and killers. This episode finds her forced to remember and deal with feelings about her serial killer father and her unreliable mother as a new serial killer shows up in her jurisdiction, possibly being Wallace, a stalker who has menaced her in the past.
I find Olsen’s writing and the complexity of his plotting perfectly suited to this dark subject matter. There is plenty of action and suspense as the story unfolds, with gruesome discoveries and much angst for the detectives who have to stop the killer. Megan is edgy, sardonic, and comes across as world-weary, yet her character has just the right notes of commitment, introspection, and sensitivity in her quest for redemption from her past actions.
This is a gritty, sometimes graphic, police procedural that can be read as a stand-alone, but I recommend seeking out the earlier entries in the series for a richer experience and understanding of the nature and history of Detective Megan Carpenter!

Thank you to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Megan hunts killers, she used to be one so she's good at it. When she was a killer it was to rid the world of despicable bad people. She has changed and now is with law enforcement hunting the bad legally. However, now a killer is after her and is willing to kill those close to her to hurt her before he gets her. She is worried for those close to her and has to be careful in her search to find him first. Megan is somewhat of an enigma. For the first time in her life she has friends, she has bridged to gap between herself and her brother and loves her job. She is excellent at finding serial killers, pedophiles, and all sorts of scum. Megan is also afraid of her past being found out, The people she works with are highly skilled at research that if focused on her it could destroy her life.
I like the idea of vigilantie killer turned great detective spin and hope she doesn't get found out now that she is doing it the lawful way. She has character and grit and even though she was born of serial killers she is human and learning to love.
This is a long book but very much worth it. The writer, Gregg Olsen is very talented and his writing style is intelligent and easy to read with real emotion. I enjoyed this book and will look for the previous books plus any new ones he writes.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this opportunity to read and review this is my honest opinion.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the chance to read Final victim (Detective Megan Carpenter series) by Gregg Olsen. This is the 6th book in the series, and someone is threatening Megan with her past. As she begins to investigate the murder of a police detective, and then another, it starts to appear to Megan that they are connected to her past. As she continues she realizes that the killer may not just be coming for her, but those she loves. I really enjoy the characters of Megan, and her partner Ronnie, who with the help of Megan has grown into a fantastic detective.
I have been a fan of the this series since the first book, and I found this one just as fast-paced and thrilling as the others.

The prologue was intriguing, but the first chapter overwhelmed me with too much backstory too quickly. I struggled to connect with Megan and found myself disengaged from the narrative.
Frequent references to past cases, friends, and murders felt irrelevant and distracting, almost like intrusive advertisements for previous books. Instead of adding depth, they disrupted the flow of the current plot.
I had difficulty connecting with any of the characters, including the protagonist—a police detective with a complex history involving a past murder, a new identity, and a stalker. While her background is certainly intriguing, I didn't feel invested in her story.
The narrative improved as the story progressed and the focus shifted away from excessive backstory. However, repetitive reminders about established relationships, such as the frequent reiterations of the protagonist's rocky reunion with her brother Hayden and details about her boyfriend Dan, continued to feel clunky and unnecessary.

Detective Megan Carpenter is something else. I love her. She doesn’t work in black and white, and I think that makes her a better detective. She’s got a past that she hides from everyone, and it constantly comes back to bite her.

As much as she tries, she can’t not form bonds with people. Her friendship/partnership with Ronnie is everything. And she does love Dan even if part of her doesn’t want to. She thinks she’s not worthy of real relationships because of her past, and she’s afraid to put people she cares about in danger.

I really hope there will be more books in this series.

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

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

In "Final Victim", the sixth installment of the Detective Megan Carpenter series, Gregg Olsen delivers another pulse-pounding crime thriller. Detective Megan Carpenter returns with her sharp instincts and relentless determination, ready to tackle another perplexing and dangerous case.

The story begins with the discovery of a chillingly staged crime scene, setting the tone for a narrative filled with suspense and unexpected twists.

As Carpenter delves deeper into the investigation, she uncovers a trail of victims, each connected by a sinister thread. Olsen's mastery of pacing and plot development ensures that the tension never lets up, making it nearly impossible to put the book down.

Detective Carpenter is a compelling and complex protagonist, whose personal struggles and fierce dedication to justice add depth to the narrative. Her character development continues to evolve, and readers will appreciate the layers of vulnerability and strength that Olsen skillfully portrays.

The novel's atmospheric writing vividly brings the settings to life, from the eerie crime scenes to tense interrogations. Olsen's attention to detail and ability to create a sense of foreboding enhance the immersive experience. The supporting characters are equally well-drawn, each contributing to the intricate web of intrigue and danger.

"Final Victim" is an exploration of the human psyche and the lengths to which one will go for revenge and redemption. Olsen's ability to weave together complex storylines with emotional resonance makes this book a standout in the genre.

My Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Highly recommended for fans of crime thrillers and suspenseful mysteries.

Gregg Olsen's "Final Victim" is a gripping and thought-provoking read that will leave you eagerly anticipating the next chapter in Detective Megan Carpenter's journey.

Book #6 in the Detective Megan Carpenter series by Gregg Olsen, a favorite author who has multiple excellent fiction and nonfiction titles to his credit. This book could easily be read....and enjoyed....as a stand alone; but as in most series, the development of the characters and the community in which they live is enriched by reading the books in order. Megan is a police detective now but her past has been filled with events that placed her at odds with the police. Her actions were needed to stay alive and sane. Just as she is starting to feel safe and build a life that includes friends and family, the past intrudes again. Told in two POVs, you learn her story as she sees it vs the killer that is hunting her as she hunts them.

Gregg Olsen is a must read author for me who I have recommended many times. His books feel like "you are there" as the characters pull you into the pages with them. Once you've read one of his books, you'll quickly look for more.

Final Victim by Gregg Olsen offers a thrilling and suspenseful crime novel. With themes of dark secrets, trauma, and redemption, along with a strong and relentless female detective, Final Victim is a must-read for those who enjoy a fast-paced and gripping story.

Final Victim is the sixth book in the Detective Megan Carpenter series. When I picked it up, I didn't realize it part of a series, let alone the sixth installment. However, I'm happy to report that it works well a stand-alone novel. The author provides sufficient backstory making it easy for new readers to follow along. Also giving one the compulsion to go and read the previous books

The protagonist, Detective Megan Carpenter lives a life associated with murder.  At the start of Final Victim readers see her working 0n her own.  Her partner has taken personal time to spend with family.  Despite the previous case taking a toll, Megan dedicates herself to working and taking down murderers. So, the murder of a fellow detective in a brutal fashion, sees her making it her mission to stop the killer.  Megan thought she would work the case on her own. However, as parts of the victim's body were found in two different jurisdictions, working on her own was not an option. Throughout the course of the investigation, they discovered the death of another detective. A death which initially ruled as an accident was in fact murder. Further investigations revealed that both murders were connected.

Combined with this new case, Megan is facing a personal challenge of her own. A challenge which involves a stalker and if not dealt with will derail the life she has built has Megan Carpenter. She can't risk the secret about her past coming to light. This led to her struggles with navigating the lines between her professional and personal life. A situation which worsens with her working with new people and the return of her partner. The fear of revelation of her past life intensified when the connection between her stalker and the murders came to light.

The stalker's POV added an extra layer of suspense to the story. From his perspective readers see his morbid fascination with Megan.  He goes out his way to ensure she's always looking over her shoulder with his chilling messages and his attacks on the people close to her. Throughout the story the reader faces the challenge of identifying not only the connection between the stalker and the murders but also his connection to Megan. Uncovering the truth proved an exciting and thrilling experience.

If you enjoy well-crafted police procedurals, then consider adding Detective Megan Carter series to your reading list.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book in the Detective Megan Carpenter series by Gregg Olsen. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Detective Carpenter is called to the scene of the brutal death of a detective from another jurisdiction, with the body lying across two county lines. Then just a day later, a retired detective is found dead in his home. Megan is sure that there is a link between the deaths. She works with her partner, Ronnie, to investigate and Megan finds herself in the middle of a deadly plot. They find even more linked murders and Megan must face some hard truths about her past before they blow up her life.

I'm a big fan of this series and while I would encourage starting at the beginning, Olsen gives plenty of details to understand the important parts of Megan's history. I love the relationship between Megan and Ronnie as Megan has slowly allowed herself to get close to people. This is a great police procedural and I'm anxiously awaiting the next book to find out what happens after that ending!

New York Times, Wall Street Journal & Amazon Charts bestselling author, Gregg Olsen has written a gripping crime thriller full of suspense. It’s fast-paced & has an interesting plot in another exciting installment in the Detective Megan Carpenter series!

Thank you, Gregg Olsen, Bookouture, & netgalley for my early gifted copy! All opinions are my own.