Last of the Magpies

A great end to the Lucy Newton storyline. My only grumble is that it could have been longer. I would have loved to read more from Lucy's diary/real book, perhaps this could be a tale of its own! Given it was short it was predictable - as there weren't enough characters to become suspicious of but definitely a read for fans of the books.

I missed book 2 in this series but received Last of the Magpies from NetGalley. I remembered being astounded by The Magpies when I read it. After all how many of us suffer with bad neighbours! I'm glad I read this part of the series, though I need to read book 2 and then re-read this one. Then I think I can understand it all completely.

If you haven't read the Magpies, I'd advise you to do it in order to follow "The Last of the Magpies"..... oh WOW poor Jamie and Kirsty are still reeling from what happened on Mount Pleasant not wanting to relive it all over again but with the thought of a podcast blogger dangling that she might be able to help in the search for Lucy, despite the police and the whole country keeping a lookout for her, how could she succeed where they've failed!!! What a belter and a great way to bring such a dramatic spine chilling series to an ending, hats off to you Mark Edwards ,you've a warped imagination ha ha.... although I would have liked to know what Lucy alluded to with her reference to the prisoners who picked on her, I guess you've left that to our imagination!!!

Talented writer of psychological thrillers Mark Edwards has always thought fondly of his first novel ‘The Magpies’, published in 2013, as the novel that launched his career as an author, enabling him to give up his day job and commit his time to building up his catalogue, popularity and fan base full time. So much so that in 2018 he wrote short a story called ‘A Murder of Magpies’ continuing the story of Lucy Newton, the infamous serial killer. This novella, to be published later on this month and entitled ‘Last of the Magpies’, completes the trilogy with a spectacular and thrilling finale.
A year after evil and amoral Lucy Newton miraculously escapes through the woods, leaving Jamie and Kirsty Knight to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Jamie is approached by True Life Crime Podcaster Emma who wants to tell the story from his point of view. The police investigation and indeed the hunt for Lucy Newton has frustratingly virtually come to a standstill. Jamie, now split from his wife, has been unable to return to Freemantle whilst Lucy is still running free. Instinctively he feels that he doesn’t want to help Emma, but with Lucy’s book release recounting her warped version of the events freely available, he eventually agrees to be involved with the Podcast so that at least Lucy’s version is challenged by the truthful account of what happened at Mount Pleasant.
Paul, left in a coma after Lucy’s duplicitous actions, is recovering but has chosen to leave the country, travelling and getting as far away from the place as he can. Emma hopes to track him down for her Podcast, keen to talk to any of the witnesses who knew Lucy well. She visits Kirsty who wants nothing to do with it. She is living with her daughter and building a new life after her marriage split with Jamie. They don’t see each other, both getting on with their lives, but not quite truthful about how they feel after their divorce. Emma asks Jamie to try to persuade Kirsty to come on board, feeling that it is in her interest to cooperate. Emma is driven to find out where Lucy is hiding and ensure that justice is done at last.
What happens next is at the heart of this short novella, filled with twists and turns, thrills and spills and blind alleyways. All is not as it seems to be at first, and the novella is action packed and absorbing. Mark Edwards is a fantastic storyteller and his characters are relatable and true to life. This is the ending that Mark’s fans have all been waiting for and I’m sure they will enjoy it. I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Amazon Publishing through my membership of NetGalley. These are my own honest opinions without any outside influences.

The last of the magpies by Mark Edwards (The Magpies 3)
Thanks @netgalley @markedwardsauthor and @amazonpublishing for my ARC
Publication date 30th April 2019
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So yeah I received this book today and stopped everything I was doing to read it. I had a wee glance over ‘A Murder of Magpies’ too as I had read it last year. My word. I didn’t think Mark Edwards could get better but he does. This is the third and last instalment of The Magpies series and it could not have went better. Don’t want to give too much away for any Magpie fans out there. It’s amazing and gripping and suspenseful and the BEST ending to an absolutely fantastic series. I love Jamie and Kirsty!! I’m sad it’s over but hey I hear he’s working on his new book 😊highly recommend this series. Begin with The Magpies, then A Murder of Magpies and then this. Amazing xxx

O have never read a book written by Mark Edwards that was anything short of great and this one is no exception. This is the follow up to his first book, The Magpies. You can read this one as a standalone but it is definitely more interesting if you know the background. I would give this book 10 stars of I could it truly is that good!

Last of the Magpies by Mark Edwards is the third and finale instalment of his Magpie books. It follows the story of Jamie, Kirsty and Lucy to its conclusion.
This book like the second instalment is a Novella and a very quick read. I would suggest that you would need to read the other books in the series first as I don't think this book would work as a stand alone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved every book in this series and was really bereft at the end of this one knowing there will be no more. It’s a fitting end to a great story and great characters and I have enjoyed the journey

Twelve months ago, Jamie Knight walked straight into Lucy Newtons trap. Both Jamie and his ex-wife Kirsty barely survived. Jamie has now teamed up with a podcaster to track down his nemesis.

You will have to read the first two books in this series before you an read this one as it can't be read as a standalone. It's just a novella, so,it will take the average reader about an hour to get through it. In this third instalment, Jamie and Kirsty are still trying to get over their ordeal that happened in Mount Pleasant. With the police getting nowhere in their search for Lucy, could a podcaster help where the police have failed? I'm actually quiet sad that this is the end of this series.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas & Mercer and the author Mark Edwards for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the afterword, Mark Edwards writes about how personal The Magpies was to him. It was the novel that allowed him to live of his writing, so publishing this third and last installment was bittersweet for him. It is also sad for the readers who have followed Jamie and Kirsty's adventures, since we've seen the characters grow (Kirsty's transformation from scared victim to badass heroine was my favorite, even if Jamie is still kind of a wuss). This was not the ending I was expecting, but it is a good way to finish the series. There are several twists that left me reeling, and I cringed and cheered along with the characters. I'll miss them, but I'm happy with the way Mr. Edwards left the story.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Thomas & Mercer!

Last of the Magpies.... Nooooooo!! Mark Edwards, thank you for writing 2 more short stories to round out the incredible story of The Magpies but I am sad that it is over now. Magpies was the first of your books that I read and loved and this final installment was wonderful. My only complaint being that it was too short!! Yes I know it is a short story but I was still wanting more!

Lucy Newton is still free and Jamie and Kirsty still live in fear. Jamie has stayed in the UK, unable to return to Australia while Lucy still hasn't been caught. Kirsty is trying really hard to move on with her life and wants nothing more to do with anything - including the podcast that Jamie has found himself involved in. I loved reading the extracts from Lucy's secret memoirs - that could have been a book on its own! A satisfying conclusion to a fantastic series - bravo Mark!

Thanks to Amazon Publishing, Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.

Have really loved all of the magpie trilogy was totally sucked in from the first, my only complaint books 2 & 3 were way too short, yes I know they were short stories but I wanted more! Loved them, read them you won't be disappointed.

This is the third and final book in the ‘Magpie’ series . It’s a Novella and so is a short read . You will need to read the first two books to have an understanding of what is going on . For me this was an excellent finish to this series and I read it in one sitting .

I have read the first of the Magpies books but didn’t realise there was a second and this one is the third. I would definitely recommend reading them in order because I was a little confused as times which I suppose means this wouldn’t really work as a stand-alone. A neighbour terrorised Jamie And Kirsty And this Book is about them hunting her down to get revenge. It’s a short story so it’s a really easy read but does feel a bit rushed in places. It’s enjoyable enough and there’s some suspense but it almost feels like there’s not enough time to get into it before it’s finished.

I loved the first two books in The Magpies series and was so glad when I heard there was another to finish off the series. Lucy is still at large and Jamie can't rest or move on until he knows where she is and gets justice, He would love to have Kirsty by his side to face this but is it too late!!
Loved the ending a very fitting ending to this trilogy

I am going to assume you have read the first two books. If not, please don't read on as this book follows on from them and this review might spoil things. Also, it's not really a book that can be read stand-alone so... off you pop!
If you're still with me, you know what you are getting into with Lucy Newton. She's on the run after escaping the authorities but Jamie just can't let her go and get on with his life. As long as she is out there he can't relax. Even if she's not tormenting him, someone else is probably in danger. After all, leopards don't change their spots. In this, the last instalment of the story, Jamie teams up with a true crime investigative podcaster to try and find her and end thing once and for all. But he needs Kirsty's help... will she be there for him? And will they finally triumph over the evil that is Lucy Newton?
This book brings the story to the right end. And that's all I'm going to say. You've read the first two books, you know what you're in for. I will however mention that throughout this relatively short book, there are chapters from Lucy's own "unedited" memoir. The contents of which are rather shocking and illuminating and go a long way to explaining some stuff.
Once you've got to the end of the book and had a bit of a lie down, please do read the afterward where the author explains a few things about the original Magpies book. It's worth a read in itself!
All in all, a sad day as this journey is finally over but a happy one too as it's a cracking book and closes things out for all involved.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Twelve months ago Jamie and Lucy walked straight into Lucy Newton’s trap, they barely survived. Now, with the police investigation into Lucy’s disappearance going nowhere, Jamie teams up with a true crime podcaster to track down his nemesis.

This is the the third and final part of The Magpies. It is a short novella so is very quick and easy to read. You will need to read the first two parts before this as it won’t work as a standalone read.

I enjoyed reading the final instalment of The Magpies. Thank you to Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the third and final part to the Magpies.
You will need to read the two previous books as it won’t make sense as a standalone.
I enjoyed this book more than the last one, it really tidied up what happened to Lucy, Jamie and Kirsty and ended the series well.
If you haven’t read The Magpies go and read it so you can read this book too. Loved it.
Defiantly recommend the series

Mark Edwards is one of my favourite British authors, so I was delighted to get a copy of this book which is a conclusion to The Magpies.
This is a fast paced, short book that follows up on his first bestseller. It was an enjoyable and quick read that is a must for anyone who has read the original book.

Jamie and Kirsty were in a relationship when Lucym a psychopath almost destroyed them both. Lucy had done her research and knew that Kirsty was an arachnophobe, something she used to torture her. Lucy has escaped from police custody twice and is now in hiding. Now apart, Jamie can’t settle until Lucy has been caught. The police operation has been scaled down however a journalist who has a reputation for finding people would like to do a series of podcasts on the case. when Emma goes to chase up a lead she gets more than she bargained for. Oooh!! As ever Mark quickly and carefully draws the reader in and gives a sense of tension and urgency between the pages. This is a novella dn the last in the magpie series (it will stand alone but why miss out on the others?). Brilliantly written as ever from the master of words and psychological thrillers. I very much look forward to the next Mark Edwards book.
(links when published)

This is the final instalment of a trilogy by the hugely popular Mark Edwards which began with The Magpies and continued with A Murder of Magpies. (I wasn’t actually aware of the latter till now, so thought I’d better read it before reading this one. It’s pretty short - a novella, really, as is this - so didn’t take long.)

There’s no doubt that Mark Edwards’ books are a light, easy read and a page turner (or Kindle swiper?), and seem to be adored by large numbers of people. I enjoyed The Magpies well enough when I read it, though didn’t really find it stood up well to re-reading a few years later. In that book, young couple Jamie and Kirsty are terrorised by their neighbour, Lucy, who turns out to be... well, spoilers, I guess. A Murder of Magpies continues the story and was OK, though predictable and very slight (and with a completely gratuitous sex scene which seemed to serve no purpose whatsoever), and Last of the Magpies rounds things off, with Jamie and Kirsty going up against the evil Lucy one more time. Again, the story feels very slight, and the “podcast” angle feels like it’s just been thrown in to sound current, with no real bearing on the story.

We do get a bit of Lucy’s back story here, via an unpublished manuscript, but it really tells us nothing, other than that she was basically born evil. Nothing happened to make her that way; she’s just a bad ‘un and really a bit of a cartoon villain.

It’s an unpopular viewpoint, probably, but I just don’t feel there’s enough in this story to spin it out to a trilogy (borne out perhaps by the fact that the second and third instalments are both novellas rather than full length novels). Nasty Lucy just
isn’t that interesting and neither are Jamie and Kirsty. I couldn’t bring myself to care about their relationship. Other characters felt under used.

In summary, The Magpies was a good enough read but I feel Mark Edwards should probably have left it there. Nevertheless, I read all three and will no doubt continue to read whatever he produces next - his books are just such an easy read that there’s something hard to resist about them.

I've followed the author Mark Edwards closely for a while now. In fact the first book if his I read was The Magpies. Where we first meet Lucy Newton, what a fantastically chilling character she is. 
In this book we finally see what happens in the end to the three main characters of these books. At the end of the first two I was left wondering what had happened to them and how their lives will be after what they'd been through. 
This book was relatively short, as was the middle book (A Murder of Magpies) but that doesn't mean it was short of any action. From the get go the book focuses solely around what happened to Lucy and where she is now. Of course I knew at some point during the book she would appear again but I wasn't expecting her to appear under the circumstances she did. After already spending two books finding out about Lucy and learning about how sick and twisted she is there was still a few little surprises thrown at me. She is definitely one of the most intricate and fleshed out characters I've ever met. I finished this book in a matter of hours because (as with all Mard Edwards books) I was dying to know what happened in the end. 
When the book finished I was sad to realise this is the last I would see of the amazing characters in the book but I'm also looking forward to what's coming next. 


Overall a quick and thrilling read with a great conclusion. 

Would give this books 5 stars of course

"Last of the magpies" is the third and last instalment in The Magpies series, bringing a satisfying conclusion to the story. Some things felt a little bit rushed, but that's understandable being this a novella. All in all, I've enjoyed this series pretty much.

Thanks to Netgalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Thomas & Mercer for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow what a book.
This book really brought all of the Magpies series together. It gave the reasons, the past of Lucy what drove her to do the things she did. Shocked about Paul but understood why he just disappeared.
I started this book at 7pm was working behind a bar at the time and finished by 10pm kept me gripped to the end.
Loved the way Kirsty and Jamie handled Lucy at the end and how they finally got back together

I only have one complaint with this novella, it's the last one in the series! The Magppies was my first foray into Mark Edwards' writing and each book he writes gets better. I enjoyed this final segment and look forward to more of his writing.

Mark Edwards' short stories pack just as much of a punch as his full length books and I adore that about them.

Last of the Magpies is the third edition of the Lucy Newton story and it's addictive, fast paced and I stayed up way past my bedtime because I just couldn't stop reading it.

Lucy is one of the best written villains I have ever come across and while I'm sad that this is the last book we will get about her, Last of the Magpies is the perfect conclusion to the story.

It's really hard not to like anything he writes and this was no exception. It amazes me how his books can leave me wanting more.
This doesn't work as a standalone.

First you need to know that it would be better to read The Magpies to fully enjoy this latest by Edwards. This is the conclusion of that book. It was nice to find out what happened to the characters long term. Maybe Mr. Edwards will think about dropping in on them from time to time.

Excellent! I love all of Mark Edward's books but I have a real soft spot for The Magpies. I think because we could all fall foul of bad neighbours, it is scarily realistic. The things that happen to Jamie and Kirsty grow worse and worse with this awful sense of dread throughout the story. This is the third book in the series and it wraps the story up nicely. We also get to find out more about Lucy's past and if possible she is even worse than I remembered in the first book. I would urge anyone to go back and read all three books in the series if they haven't already done so.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Mark Edwards for the chance to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Mark Edwards has fast become one of my favourite writers with his chilling psychological thrillers now being a must read for me. So, I was filled with an eager, yet nervous, anticipation before reading this conclusion to his sinister Magpies trilogy.

The gang are all back one last time. Lucy Newton is still missing after her dramatic escape following the terrifying events in Shropshire a year ago. Her victims, Jamie Knight and his ex-wife Kirsty, are still tormented by their experiences and struggling to move on knowing she could strike again at any time. Frustrated that the police appear to be idly sitting by waiting for Lucy to make a mistake, Jamie decides he has to take action. So when his friend suggests talking to true crime podcaster Emma Fox, he agrees in the hope that she’ll be able to do what the police haven’t and Lucy will soon be safely behind bars. Kirsty is taking a different approach. Having seen multiple therapists and tried various ways to try and exorcise herself of the demon of Lucy Newton, she is still haunted by her and decides to sever the small amount of contact she still has with Jamie in the hope that it will help. But the pair are thrown back together into a final showdown with Lucy that they will all be lucky to survive…

Wow! This was a spectacular end to a series I’ve enjoyed. Written from multiple points of view this book spends a lot of time focusing on how Lucy’s nefarious games have affected Jamie and Kirsty, and their struggle to live their lives in the knowledge their tormentor is still out there, biding her time. Lucy’s point of view is for the most part given in the form of the unedited version of her memoir, which is far more damning than what was published. Reading the unfiltered inner-workings of this psychopath’s mind was truly chilling. In Lucy this author has created a villain who if she were real would be up there with the best known psychopathic killers of our age. Those chapters terrified me.

Now let’s discuss the twists (no spoilers I promise). I thought I’d got it sussed but boy was I wrong. The final quarter of the book had me unable to tear myself away as the tension reached its pique and all bets were off on the fates of our main characters. Most of all I loved that as we spent most of the story only knowing about Jamie and Kirsty in the present so that when Lucy’s whereabouts were revealed I had the same jaw-dropping sense of shock that the characters did.

Last of the Magpies ended this trilogy on the high note it deserved. You need to read the previous two books before reading this one for sure as even though it does a great job of catching you up, you’ll be lost without being able to have your memory simply jogged about past events. A quick but brilliant read I would recommend this, and the series, to anyone who loves a well written psychological thriller.

This is the 3rd and final book in the trilogy 'Magpies'. I loved the first book and not so much the second but this one was a fitting climax to a very good series.
Jamie Knight and his ex-wife just about survived when they walked into Lucy Newton's trap. Twelve months on with the police making very little progress on Lucy's, Jamie decides to join forces with a true crime pod-caster to track down his arch enemy. It may be harder to get Kirsty to forgive him for his past errors and join the team to hunt down Lucy.
You will really need to read the previous two books in this series to get a full understanding and satisfaction. This 100 pages climax is a good read and a very decent climax.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved the Magpies series and was eager to read the finale. I finished it in one sitting.
This is a short but gripping single that wraps up the events from the previous two books and bring us to a satisfying ending.

This is not a stand alone and the books should be read in order to appreciate this unique story; The Magpies / A Murder of Magpies / Last of the Magpies.

Thanks Netgalley, Amazon Publishing, and Mark Edwards for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

The last of the Magpie trilogy, and it easily lived up to the previous 2 stories. When I finished all I could say was OMG OMG OMG!!

It was fantastic to see what was going on in the lives of Jamie and Kirstie. Shocking to see Lucy hasn’t changed in the slightest, and is still the scheming, conniving evil woman she always was. With a few new faces, and an old face returning, this is one you won’t want to miss.

Thank you Mark Edwards.

The last one.. I'll miss the characters, but a very satisfying ending. The Magpies has always been a great read am glad the author continued with the story.

The end of this fabulous trilogy!!

Twelve months ago, Jamie Knight walked straight into Lucy Newton’s trap. Both Jamie and his ex-wife Kirsty barely survived. Now, with the police investigation into Lucy’s disappearance going nowhere, Jamie teams up with a true crime podcaster to track down his nemesis.

But can Jamie persuade Kirsty to help? Can Kirsty forgive him for his past mistakes? And who, if anyone, will survive the final showdown?

Usually I would write my own version of the blurb but on this one I'm not going to so the author's blurb is above, you will just have to read it for yourself, but make sure you read the others in this fabulous series first as you won't understand the story otherwise. This final instalment is a novella and I read it in a couple of hours, the author grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and dragged me straight back into the lives of Jamie, Kirsty and Lucy to find out how this dramatic series would come to an end and Mark Edwards certainly does dramatic well. This was a very fitting ending to the Magpies story which included extracts from Lucy's memoirs, and I have to admit to feeling a little sad that it's all over, whether it ends on a happy or sad note is for you to see, highly recommend this great trilogy.

I'd like to thank Amazon Publishing, Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for the auto approval. I will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.

This novella brings a conclusion to the story of Jamie and Kristy (along with some other characters) from The Magpies. I am so glad the author continued the story. It was fast paced and exciting all the way through. Anyone who read and enjoyed Magpies should read A Murder of Magpies and this one. You won't be disappointed!
The author's note at the end is interesting too. Mark Edwards is one of those approachable authors who enjoys interacting with his readers.

Sad to see this series come to an end. But great to know what happened and ended with a bang. Felt a little rushed but still an enjoyable read. Another great book from this author. Will he waiting patiently for his next.

I was extremely excited to get approved for an ARC of this via NetGalley! This has been an anticipated read for me as I love the Magpies series. Loved it!

WoW..................Noooooooooo.........Last of the Magpies by Mark Edwards was Just a OMG read and sadly his last of The Magpie instalments. There are 3 books in this series and everyone has been a Brilliant read.
I have so enjoyed these books. My only complaint is - it was too short but a brilliant read. This book follows the story of Jamie, Kirsty and Lucy to its conclusion.


Thanks to Amazon Publishing, Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.

When I received my copy of this book it immediately went to the top of my TBR pile. I have to say that The Magpies is one of my favourite books, and I loved A Murder of Magpies too, so reading this was top priority!

I will say first of all that this does not read well as a standalone. You really do need to read the first two books in the series - in fact if you haven't read them then why not?? This is the final showdown between Kirsty, Jamie and Lucy and is a novella, so a quick read, but there is a lot packed into it. This time we get an insight into Lucy's past through an unseen manuscript of her memoir. As always with Mr Edwards books, it is brilliantly written with a couple of great twists, and is a fitting end to the Magpies story. My only complaint is that it was too short!

It was also nice to read Mark Edwards thoughts on the trilogy, and it's great to hear that The Magpies is as special to him as it is to his fans. All good things must come to an end and I'm quite sad, but looking forward to seeing what Mr Edwards produces next.


Thanks to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and Mark Edwards for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Mark Edwards, and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

The series that first pulled me into the web of Mark Edwards’ writing is finally coming to an end. Perhaps one of his most eerie psychological thriller series, The Magpies, pushed an unsuspecting couple—Jamie and Kirsty Knight—to the brink. After a harrowing few pieces, this novella seeks to tie it all together. After their horrible experience at the hands of their neighbour, Lucy Newton,, Jamie and Kirsty are no longer on speaking terms, having gone their separate ways. Jamie is still trying to bring closure to things, made all the more difficult when Lucy escaped from prison in a past story. Now on the lam, Jamie seeks to find her, trolling through the various fan sites that have arisen, parsing through the comments of the ‘Newtonites’ to find the woman who has wreaked such havoc. Jamie turns to a podcaster with much experience bringing justice in a world where knee-jerk solutions appear to be the norm. As Jamie and Emma Fox begin their trek to find Lucy, the official story remains untold, at least from the victims’ perspective. Lucy published her tell-all, citing innocence, which the public devoured in short order, but Jamie has yet to really seek to tell his version of events. When he approaches Kirsty with the idea, she is anything but happy, even though she would love nothing more than to put the Lucy narrative to rest. When Emma follows a lead and falls off the grid, Jamie cannot help but wonder if she has finally found Lucy. Now it’s time to decide, follow the digital breadcrumbs and potentially face Lucy, or ignore it and hope Lucy truly does disappear forever? The choice is surely not easy! Edwards does well with this finale, though using the novella format, he may have inadvertently rushed things and left series fans a little deflated. Still, I’d recommend this one for fans of the Magpies collection, if only to get a sense of closure.

Mark Edwards does well with his writing, usually able to pull the reader into the middle of things from the get-go. His Magpies series seems to have garnered the most fame for him, as I have seen scores of people speaking about it and anticipating new work on the subject of Lucy Newton. He’s gone so far as to reference her in his other work, for the attentive reader. With this piece, Edwards must not only tie-off loose ends, but also work to deliver new information to keep the reader hooked. Working with the Jamie Knight and Kirsty characters, their past pain and anguish is less of a discussion point here, but rather the attempt to get closure. The reader has little time to really see what they have been doing to bide their time since the last instalment, as it would seem trying to bring normalcy is the sole item on the agenda. Lucy Newton’s character finally gives us some of the context series fans have been searching for. Edwards injects unpublished chapters of her memoir into the novella, offering backstory about her childhood and courting by Chris Newton. While brief and sometimes only tangential, the curious reader can learn something here and is able to find a nugget or two on which to feast. The story flowed well and seemed rapid, taking the reader on quite the ride in a short time. That being said, I almost would have liked more meat, more spine-chilling action as things progressed to a final reveal, where all is decided once and for all. I cannot say more, for it would spoil things, but perhaps the haste to get this to readers left Mark Edwards churning out something swiftly between projects, rather than a stunning and mind-blowing psychological thriller we all expected. Still, it was enjoyable, with its short chapters and teasing about the backstory of Lucy Newton.

Kudos, Mr Edwards, for a great finale. Maybe I am alone in my criticisms, but it does not detract from the pleasure I have for this novella and series in general.

I absolutely love Mark Edwards and the first magpie book was one of my favourite books of all time - sadly this didn't deliver for me, not believable and just rather poor

Review
Thank you to @netgalley Mark Edwards and the publisher for this arc of Last of the magpies.
I was thrilled to be approved to get an advanced copy of this book, having read the first two books in this series I was counting the days until this was released.
This book did not disappoint! I read it in one day as really wanted to see how this story ended. My mind was a little rusty on the story, but the book brought it all back, so cleverly written.
You need to read magpies and murder of magpies before this, they are great books.

I just love Mark Edwards books so was looking forward to reading this last instalment of the magpies series. I wasn’t disappointed although I wish the book was longer as I read it in a few hours. Although it can be read as a stand-alone I would recommend you read the first two books in the series first so you can get the background of the characters and the references to previous things happening will make more sense. It was a great fast paced storyline with a couple of twists that turn it into a great book. I highly recommend all of Mark’s books.

Years after his book, Magpies, was published, Edwards answers questions left hanging at the end of the first book. Jamie Knight and his ex Kirsty survived their close encounter with Lucy Newton, but the police are no closer to tracking her down. Undeterred, Jamie joins forces with a true crime podcaster to find Lucy

Thank you to Net Galley, the publishers and Mark Edwards for an ARC copy.

Twelve months ago, Jamie Knight walked straight into Lucy Newton’s trap. Both Jamie and his ex-wife Kirsty barely survived. Now, with the police investigation into Lucy’s disappearance going nowhere, Jamie teams up with a true crime podcaster to track down his nemesis.

But can Jamie persuade Kirsty to help? Can Kirsty forgive him for his past mistakes? And who, if anyone, will survive the final showdown? Featuring extracts from Lucy’s secret memoir, Last of the Magpies brings the trilogy to a shocking conclusion.

A quick short story, a 100 pages but a nice conclusion to the "Magpie story" with even in this short story still a few twists and shocks.

I guess the only compliant I have is maybe the story was too short.

I did enjoy reading Mark Edwards own story of his enormous success with self publishing "The Magpies", it's success, then finding a publisher. How one book gave him the financial freedom to become a full time writer which was good news for us readers!

I read The Magpies a few years ago and loved it. Mark Edwards is now my go to author. I read whatever he brings out when it is released.....or so I thought. I realised my mistake after I had started this book. I forgot that I had not read the second novella in this series. Saying that I found it very easy to pick up the thread of what had happened in the previous novella. I really enjoyed the story and thought that it was the right decision to have this as a novella rather than a full novel. I was a little disappointed with the ending as I had thought he had made a brave decision with the ending and then at the last minute it changed. As always I will be buying whichever novel comes out next.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read the latest book in Mark Edwards’ Magpies series. I remember being blown away by The Magpies when I first read it several years ago. It rekindled my love for reading so I have a lot to thank Mr Edwards for. Last of the Magpies brings the story of Jamie, Kirsty and The Dark Angel Lucy to a close. It is a fairly short story but it doesn’t disappoint. We meet some new characters, as well as some old. I’m sure everyone who has read the previous two books has their own ideas of how they’d like the story to end. Although it’s not the ending that I wanted, it’s actually the perfect ending to a fantastic trilogy.

Wow wow wow I absolutely loved the magpies and enjoyed a murder of magpies so when I saw that the 3rd instalment was available I jumped at the chance to read it.
And it did not disappoint, filled with the same terrifying, page turning tension that the other books were, this final instalment just got better and better. Sad that it is the end, but what an incredibly thrilling end to a brilliant trilogy.

Twelve months have passed since the frightening trauma that Jamie and Kirsty dealt with at the hands of Lucy Newton, and although she is on the run, Jamie just cannot let her go.

This novella really concludes the story and brings everything to a close.
I can’t praise Mark Edwards enough, 5 stars simply brilliant.

A quick read, this provided a great conclusion to the Magpies series. If you haven’t read them all yet, you probably should. Mark Edwards’ writing is - as always - fantastic and gripping.

This is the last book in the Magpie trilogy.
If you haven't read any of this series why not?
Have you been in HIBERNATION???
I last met Lucy Newton when she escaped from the police yet again. I love this series, a female serial killer and one evil psychopath that is Lucy Newton. This woman takes great pleasure in ruining the lives of others she deems weaker than herself. In other words anyone is fair game. This read starts off slowly, gradually reeling the reader in then WHAM!!!! All I can say is WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER. I loved this book and a fitting ending to a fantastic series. An easy five stars and so Highly Recommended.
I would like to thank the author, Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Really enjoyed this last instalment of the magpie series. The magpies was the very first Mark Edwards book that I read and it made me want to discover more of his work. Really liked the way that this book tied up all the loose ends

It's time to say goodbye to Jamie, Kirsty and Lucy. 12 months ago Jamie and his then wife, Kirsty were caught up in Lucy's sickening trap.
Time has moved on but they can't, because is still out there. Can Jamie get Kirsty to help him and will any of them survive the final meeting.
Thank you so much to Mark Edwards for bringing this tale to a fitting end. Wonderfully written, as always. With characters I've grown to love and 1 I've learned to hate. I needed closure lol and I got it.
I'd highly recommend you to read Y he Magpies, if you haven't already and then be sure to follow it up with Flight of The Magpies and lastly Last Of The Magpies.
My thanks also go to Netgalley for my advance copy.

This is a lovely novella which brings everything together so well. Although the book could still and alone for best understanding of the characters and why they act the way they do things you really need to read the previous two books. I love Mark as an author and have read all his books! He always has lots of unexpected twists with a totally macabre and disturbing story. This book is yet another OneDrive f hI s great books..

I absolutely loved The Magpies, it's one of my all time favourite books. This novella tied everything up perfectly. The ending ..... WOW couldn't have asked for better ending. AMAZING

A short, but satisfying way to end this story. Although only 100 pages long, it still manages to pack in the usual tension and twists while topping it off with a neatly tied bow!
I especially enjoyed the inclusion of excerpts of Lucy's unpublished manuscript, giving an insight into her crazy mind and how she started out on her vindictive journey!

This novella is, as the title implies, the end of the author’s trilogy, and you definitely need to have read the two previous instalments for this one to make sense. The first is a full length book, and was the author’s first solo novel, whereas the next two are short but complete novellas. This was a satisfying end to the story of Magpie Lucy Newton as you really don’t know how it’s going to work out.

A year after Lucy escaped from the police after her attempt to exact vengeance for the death of her husband failed, Jamie and Kirsty are still estranged, dealing with their trauma in different ways. When a leading True Crime podcaster, Emma, persuades Jamie to help with a story about Lucy, he hopes it will help track her down since all police efforts have failed, but the hunt will put them in danger once more...

The advantage of a novella in this situation is that the story is pared down to the essentials and you can quickly get the gratification of finding out what happened, and Edwards has achieved this by cutting out all the angst of the first book and getting straight into the plot. A surprising amount happens for a 100 page book and we get a couple of twists and a full resolution of the story arc. There was the same suspense and dread, and Lucy is as evil as ever - and we get excerpts from her unpublished memoir that reveal that she has literally been that way since childhood.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review. Last of the Magpies is published on 30.04.19.

A few years ago I read Mark Edward's "The Magpies" and enjoyed it. A lot. But even if you have no idea what this bestselling psychological thriller is about, you will be able to enjoy the Kindle Single - a short but gripping spin off the original story. This is nothing more than a teaser, albeit absorbing and claustrophobic and, reading in between the lines and alluding to the original story, somewhat terrifying.

Recommended if you are looking for a brief read with a view to get the original book.

Wow, although a Novella, it sure packs a punch. I loved how quick this all came together. I had difficulty finding #2 of The Magpies series in order to read about what happened next but Mark has this uncanny way of recapping what's gone on before.

I was dying to know how this last one was going to end. What would happen between Jamie and Kirsty? Will they get back together IF they survive this latest ordeal. It makes it unputdownable!!

At just over 100 pages this was a perfect read to finish off the day in bed with. As it is the final chapter in the story it makes sense to read the other two books first and so it really wouldn't work as a standalone.
There is something pretty compelling about this series; caught up in the lives of two ordinary people whose whole world came tumbling down the day they became neighbours with Lucy Newton. Mark Edwards has a brilliant talent for making the ordinary somewhat extraordinary as well as terrifying.
In Last of the Magpies, we follow Jamie and Kirsty's final quest to rid themselves of the psychopath who ruined their lives. Perfectly plotted and interspersed with chapters from the secret unpublished manuscript from Lucy, it was a chillingly satisfying conclusion to the story. I was, however, left with a desire to read all of Lucy's manuscript, it would have made for a dark read that's for sure!
Mark nails it again with his character portrayal and while as a novella it doesn't give you the chance for too many suspects to be added to the mix, it is pretty easy to imagine yourselves in their shoes.
Full of the twists and turns that we have come to expect from this author, Last of the Magpies, is a cracking twisted tale and a perfectly executed ending to the series.
My review will be published on my blog on 25th April

An action-packed, adrenaline rush, satisfying conclusion to the ‘Magpies' series!

As some of you may recall, ‘The Magpies' is my least favourite Mark Edwards book, and the only full length novel of his that wasn't a five star read for me. Still, I enjoyed it enough to want to find out how it all ended for Jamie, Kirsty, and Lucy, and there was no way I was going to miss the chance to read a Mark Edwards story. I went in thinking this was a full length novel, but when I looked down and realised I was at 11% and only on chapter three, I concluded this wasn't the case, so just to clear up any misconceptions, ‘Last of the Magpies' is an 100 page, 16 chapter, novella.

I have to say, I really enjoyed this one, and it even made me nostalgic for ‘The Magpies'. Lucy's first draft auto-biology (her real story) chilled me to the bone, and also served to nudge my memory regarding the plot of the first two installments, because it's been a year since I read ‘The Magpies'. A character from ‘The Lucky Ones' made a cameo appearance, which I own, but haven't yet gotten around to reading, so I'm really fired up to read that one now. The podcast aspect of this one had me particularly enthralled.

I must admit, I teared up a bit when it ended. Fans of this series, and Mark Edwards in general, will devour this one.

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Amazon Publishing UK – Thomas & Mercer, and Mark Edwards for the e-ARC.

3.5 stars. This was a short, but satisfying end to this story. After the events of the last book, Lucy Newton is still at large and Jamie can't get over what has happened or move on from Kirsty. After he agrees to participate in a podcast about Lucy, things quickly escalate and we finally get a resolution to the havoc Lucy has caused in their lives. Recommended to anyone who has read the first two Magpies books.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher’s and Mark Edwards for my arc of The Last of the Magpies.

I really enjoyed book one in this series but can’t help but feel like it should have been left at only one book. The Magpies was full of suspense and intrigue and I understand that the author persevered with the series because fans wanted more but I think books 2 & 3 sort of ruined that suspense, sometimes a good thriller is better because questions are left unanswered. The Last of the Magpies felt a lot like a retelling of A Murder of Magpies just with different characters following the same plot line. I think the fact that they are short stories/novellas too means that the author was also unable to think of anything else to create the suspense resulting in a short story just to tie it off for those who wanted answers.

A good and fitting end to the Magpies trilogy. Maybe not quite as gripping as the first two, but still a very enjoyable read. Beautifully written as always by Mark Edwards, this conclusion is a short but satisfying read.

If you haven’t read any of this fabulous trilogy before you really should! Viewed as a whole this series of books is storytelling at its very best. Highly recommended.

Lucy Newton is missing after the events in Shropshire and Jamie will not let that go until he knows where she is. I personally don’t blame him for being like a dog with a bone. Lucy has made his life hell.
I loved the little insights I got to the full extent of Lucy’s early derangement and how her life developed from then onwards. I would love to read her side of the story…go on Mr Edwards, you know you want to… Lucy’s autobiography would be brilliant…
Knowing the lengths Lucy will go to manipulate people for her own means, I knew not to trust any one that Jamie and Kirsty came into contact. But this put me on edge all the way through. Who would be the one to turn on this ill-fated couple? It was like creeping around a darkened maze, not knowing what I’d find round the next corner.
I was seriously impressed by the lengths Kirsty went to recover from Storm Lucy. Kirsty has become a fighter, she’s determined not to be caught out by her nemesis again. I really couldn’t do what she’d done with spiders even though my fear is so much less than hers but then again, I’ve not been through what she’s faced…
Mr Edwards has wrapped up the trilogy brilliantly in this novella. I’ve loved the journey, no matter how traumatic it has been for Kirsty and Jamie. Thank you Mark for continuing this story a little further than you originally intended. You’ve made this reader a happy lady!

Whilst this was an enjoyable enough read, for me, I was left a little underwhelmed. The Magpies was just amazing and kept up the tension all the way through. Whereas this final installment felt a little bit too predictable and didn't have any of the tension. Nice to get a final conclusion to the tale though.

The Last of the Magpies is the third and sadly final thriller in Mr Edwards's Bestselling Magpies trilogy, and even though it is only 100 pages in length it packs a real punch. Of course, with the new characters, the depth is a little lacking but that's to be expected for a short story. That said, the cast from previous books return with a vengeance and their development deepens with each turning of the page. As final climaxes go this is an exciting and pretty shocking one and it is as well written as anything Edwards has written prior. Short, sharp and compelling to the bitter end.

I read a great deal of crime fiction and enjoy the genre immensely but there are only a few rare gems out there that will remain with me; this is one such page-turner. The multiple points of view, with each being told from a different character's perspective, was a fantastic way to both build a suspenseful atmosphere and allow us to see the bigger picture. The taut beautifully executed plot, flawed memorable characters, superb pacing and the explosive, satisfying conclusion all combine to create a tense and nail-biting tale. Readers of this incredible series will not be disappointed. I am already pondering what Edwards will produce next. Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for an ARC.

I loved this book and would highly recommend it to all. It has a great story line, brilliant main characters and is a real page turner. I couldn't put this book down.

Short and punchy, Perfect for my lunchbreak and an end to the Lucy saga.
The Magpies is probably my favourite book by Mark Edwards, and I can see why he continued the story with 2 short sequels, however neither of them can hold a candle to the original book. This didn't quite have the same feel to it, as The Magpies, I feel like it could have been left where it was and was left a little underwhelmed by the storyline in Last of the Magpies, I felt it was cliche and predictable.

Well it was with a little sadness that I read this final book about Lucy Newton.

Lucy is an evil character I don't like but a very realistic and unique one that really grew on me. Likewise Jamie, her victim, he blames Lucy for destroying everything he cared about he lost his home, his girlfriend and his unborn baby daughter. On the other side Lucy blames him for the death of her soulmate. It was always going to be an edge-of-your-seat showdown.

I wasn't disappointed. The author made an excellent job of tying up all the loose ends and bringing in some interesting side stories and entwining them all together in one short adrenaline pumping book that I was unable to put down.

Scarily realistic, this is a brilliant read and well worth the 5 stars

A great end too great series. Well written. Make sure you read the books in order. Very enjoyable. One of the best authors around

Last of the Magpies is the final book in this trilogy. This review will be somewhat different for me ... I'm actually reviewing all three books at the same time.

THE MAGPIES .... this is a gripping psychological thriller is which the monsters are the next door neighbors... a nightmare that could happen to anyone.

A MURDER OF MAGPIES .... Takes place 5 years later. Jamie has lost everything, but the person responsible for all the murder and mayhem has been identified.

LAST OF THE MAGPIES .... this is the chilling conclusion that features extracts from a secret memoir. The killer is on the run ... and Jamie may be in the cross-hairs. The ending is shocking.

This is an exceptional trilogy (although there are cliff hangers from the first two books), well-written and packed with lies, secrets, twists and turns. Do yourself a favor and start at the beginning ... you won't regret it.

Many thanks to the author / Amazon Publishing UK / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Great book, not as gripping as Magpies, but it was a great end to a great series. I finished it in a few hours, as it’s not a very long book, but it also kept me reading and turning those pages!

Another terrific read from Mark Edwards. I was looking forward to his book with great anticipation having thoroughly enjoyed the two previous books in the series and it certainly did not disappoint. This is a quick read, but there is a lot packed into it.

This is the third book in the Magpies series and I would recommend reading the series in order starting with The Magpies followed by A Murder of Magpies . This is because the same central characters appear in all three novels and the story lines between the three books are connected. A short but fitting ending to the Magpies story.

Thank you.

5 Stars

Thank You to NetGalley, Mark Edwards, Thomas & Mercer and Amazon Publishing UK for giving me the oppertunity to read this AMAZING novella the final installment in the Magpies series.

You will have to read the first two book in this series to fully understand what is going on in this one. I am so disappointed that this story has come to an end, but oh my what an ending it was!!

Well done Mark Edwards for giving us readers yet another AMAZING read. Although this is classed as a novella it does not rake anything away from the story, if anything I think it makes the story better as Mark had to make the story exciting, fast paced but believable. Again i can not say this enough, Mark has done an amazing job with this and I LOVED reading it. You are already one of if not my my favourite authors and you keep surprising me with your work. I can not wait to read more of your books (I still have a couple on my list to read :))

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes Mark's books and has read the first two, also to those who like reading psychological thrillers, and mysteries.

A stunning ending to the Lucy Newton trilogy. A gripping story with lots of twists and turns. I would never have guessed the outcome..

Great ending to the trilogy. I would suggest that you have to read the first two books beforehand (which are both great!)

The final installment of the Magpies trilogy and to be honest I wish I has stopped at the end of book one.

Book one was fab, I loved it and really got into the story line. Book two and three for me have been meh, somewhere along the way the characters have got wet around the edges, the plot lines predictable.

I also dont understand why two and three weren't combined seeing as they are only one hundred pages each.

My advice if your diving in, keep those expectations low.

I was a little disappointed that this wasn't a full book, as it would have made more sense that way, and not been so unfulfilling. I mean, he did what he was going for, by finishing up the story of Jamie, Kirsty and Lucy but it just leaves the reader wanting more. It felt like a hastily thrown together., all tied up with a little bow type of ending, Without any spoilers, I'm glad it ended the way it did, although it felt somewhat cheesy and the justice brought to Lucy was a little underwhelming. I did like the story, I just feel the author is capable of so much more - that's what we've come to expect!

We had to get to the end sometime. I've been following the story of Jamie, Kristy and Lucy for several years now and this was a quick short story to pick up the pieces. Obviously The Magpies is my favorite, but I am so happy with certain things that happened...no spoilers....that this was good too!

Warning: You NEED to read the other two first!

LAST OF THE MAGPIES is the final frightening conclusion to the #1 bestseller The Magpies by Mark Edwards. I definitely recommend that you read the books in sequence, to follow the storyline.

The books in the series include:
The Magpies (Book 1)-Full length novel
A Murder of Magpies (Book 2)- Novella
Last of The Magpies (Book 3-Conclusion)-Novella

It follows the story of Jamie, Kirsty and Lucy to its conclusion.

Twelve months ago, Jamie Knight walked straight into Lucy Newton’s trap. Both Jamie and his ex-wife Kirsty barely survived. Now, with the police investigation into Lucy’s disappearance going nowhere, Jamie teams up with a true crime podcaster to track down his nemesis.

But Jamie needs Kirsty’s help to hunt down Lucy, but can Kirsty forgive him for his past mistakes? And who, if anyone, will survive the final showdown? Featuring extracts from Lucy’s secret memoir, Last of the Magpies brings the trilogy to a shocking conclusion.

This 100 page novella is a very good read with a satisfying ending.

Many thanks to the author, Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley for my digital copy.

Pulse pounding, short, fast burning conclusion to the Magpies trilogy. While I'm sad it's over, this book definitely did the series justice. Jamie & Kirsty finally get their final run in with the sadistic, psychotic serial killer Lucy that ruined their lives over the course of the last two books. I love the way this book tied in the current true crime craze, from podcasting to possible book deals, and brought it all to a climactic crescendo. This book absolutely delivers. Great read!

The third book in The Magpies trilogy and just as thrilling as the previous two.
The conclusion wasn’t quite what I was expecting or hoping for but the author made up for this with one final twist.
I will miss The Magpies but always enjoy this author’s work and look forward to what he has up his sleeve next.

Omg what a follow up!!! Could not wait to get to read this and without doubt it lived up to my expectations. Super follow up on the lives of Jamie Kirsty Lucy & Paul with twists and turns I didnt see coming. My only negative is that I've finished it! Bravo!

Mark Edwards has done it again! Truly one of the best authors, loved to be able to read the follow up of Lucy Newton. Lots of unexpected twists and turns. Absolute fan for life of this inspirational writer. Wish I could give more stars

Good to read the final book in the trilogy and see a final conclusion. I enjoyed this read. This is a good author who doesn’t disappoint.

Years ago Jamie Knight walked into Lucy Newton’s trap
Can Kirsten forgive for his past mistakes
I had an ARC

Superb conclusion to The Magpies! Mark Edwards ups the action in the Last of the Magpies and keep you guessing until the final page

Some things are just better left alone...

This last shortie tying up the Magpie trilogy was another disappointment. Like book 2 [book:A Murder of Magpies|37773690], there was just too much crammed in to a short time frame which made the whole plot highly unrealistic and hard to become invested in the protag's plight.

Another problem I had, same as book 2, is that the main draw for me has always been the well crafted antagonist Lucy. But she was demoted down to second string it feels like, and without her, this never really captured the intensity of book 1 [book:The Magpies|17726978].

I’m still a huge fan of Edwards and eagerly await his next new work, but I'm hoping he stays away from shorties for awhile.

ARC provided by NetGalley

A really good ending to a series that has sent shivers down my spine multiple times. Lucy has been a brilliant character to read about. An evil manipulative person who needs to be locked away for everyone's safety. Mark Edwards really knows how to write a memorable thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I have waited for this for so long and couldn't wait to read it. It kept me up until the early hours last night as I had to finish it - and did I not see that coming! Wow, not what expected. I won't give any spoilers, but there is one character from The Magpies I had completely forgotten about and oh does he reappear. If you've read the Magpies you must read A Murder of Magpies (no2) and then Last of the Magpies if you want to complete the story. I won't give anything away, but Lucy is back, but not as you'd expect and there are things you just won't see coming. It's great ending to the trilogy and really deserves 5 stars.
Review has also been posted on Goodreads

I did enjoy this book, but I was a bit lost, as I’d not read the others in the series and wasn’t to sure what was happening. I think I’ll read the others in the series and do a full proper review on Amazon when I’ve read them back to back.

I didn’t realise that this book was the last one in the series!!

My thanks to Netgalley and Mark for the ARC.

I've read a number of books by Edwards and this one met my expectations. As always, Edwards delivers a gripping, fast-paced story that brings this series to an end. I'm already curious to see what this author comes up with next.

To be completely honest I didn’t care for all three of the Magpie books. I requested this because it was Mark Edwards, he’s a great author. I also didn’t realize this was a novella and an extension of the original story. So I went back and read the first book, unfortunately I wasn’t impressed. I didn’t like the characters at all! I’m not one that necessarily needs to like the characters but Jaime was so weak and continued to be weak throughout these books. I found him to be annoying. I also didn’t like Lucy as a villain. I just found these books kinda ridiculous. Edwards said the first book was one of his first stories that he wrote, he definitely got a lot better!

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant! I’m sad that this tale has come to an end as I’ve really enjoyed it. The story is just as gripping as the first two books, and the ending didn’t disappoint. Highly recommended.

What a fabulous conclusion to the magpie series. I wizzed through this just because I needed to know the outcome. I was invested in Jamie and his campaign to get his revenge and demons laid to rest. I was invested in Lucy and her outcome.
Intense and hard hitting is how I would describe all 3 books however this by far managed to crush the other 2 into insignificance!
Fast becoming one of my all time favourite authors.

I want to start out by saying that I'm a huge fan of Mark Edwards and although some of his books I've not enjoyed as much as some others I've got some favourites in there too, I believe he has a real talent for writing thriller novels and keeping the reader engaged the entire novel which is hard to do and he does it perfectly. One of my favourite novels he's ever written is The Magpies and so when I saw there was two little sequels I needed to read them right away so I was pleased when I got approved for this arc. You should not be reading this book if you haven't read the magpies and I suggest you read the magpies because it's such a great book, with that being said let's go into my review on this final book.

The pros on this book was getting to see the characters again, Lucy is such a messed up character and I just wanted to see her get sent down for what she had done but there are cons to this book, I feel that although this happens in real life people becoming weirdly intrugued or in love with crazy killers, I felt like this was at times unbelieveable as it happened twice and I just knew it was happening again in this book because of the previous book and was suspicious from the get go.

With everything being said and gathering all my thoughts I think they are worth reading if you love the magpies however to me it really doesn't add much to the story and the magpies is gold on its own.

I will be reading more by this author because I believe he is very talented.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and Mark Edwards for the opportunity to preview this finale to the Magpie trilogy.

It’s a good read that summarises the series well and needs to be read in conjunction with the first 2 books. It’s also a novella, so, a quick read.

Mark Edwards is such a good author and the storyline flows well and is fast paced.

Good to have an ending to the Magpies tale.
Short story that didn’t have the same thrill as the initial book but a welcome conclusion.
Looking forward to Mark’s next adventures.
3.5 stars

Crikey, what a read. In this book we truly see Lucy and how her mind works. This could be read as a stand alone but as the third in the set still leaves you begging for more.

Last of the Magpies

This short book is an epilogue to the Magpies series by Mark Edwards.

Its now a year since Jamie and his ex-wife Kirsty nearly died at the hands of serial killer Lucy Newton. Lucy escaped police custody and has been on the run ever since. The police investigation has come to nothing but for Jamie his nightmare continues, knowing that Lucy is out there, somewhere, means he cannot bring any closure to his traumatic ordeal. When a true crime podcaster asks for his and Kirsty’s stories as part of her new true crime podcast series he is reticent at first but then decides to go ahead, however convincing Kirsty who has been battling her own terrors will be difficult, if not impossible. He’s made a lot of mistakes, has Kirsty forgiven him yet?

However, when they do start looking into Lucys disappearance they get more than they were expecting. Lucy is still in the country and they manage to track her down for a final showdown – but who they can trust is a different matter.

This is a great conclusion to the Magpies and it moves fast to get to a gruesome end. Its well worth a read if you’ve read the other 2 books, but even on its own it’s a readable book and worth the time.

I love Mark Edwards and really enjoyed his magpie series. I was worried that a third instalment might be drawing it out but I was happily mistaken. This book was just as gripping and I read it in an evening (an impressive thing when you have 2 under 2!). Some of our favourite characters returned, and it made for an exciting ending to this mini series.

The author wrote a thriller that started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

I've read a couple of Mark Edwards' books and quite enjoyed them so thought I'd try this one. It's the third in a trilogy about Lucy (a serial killer) and how she has effectively ruined the lives of Jamie and Kirsty who in the first of the trilogy, The Magpies, meet her through being her neighbours. The Magpies was reasonably good especially when Lucy and her then husband were being just very bad neighbours which is why I think it resonated with so many people.

I haven't read the second in the series so found parts of this a little difficult to follow. It's very short and in my opinion adds nothing to the original book. Everything that happens is very predictable. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC,

Twelve months ago, Jamie Knight walked straight into Lucy Newton’s trap. Both Jamie and his ex-wife Kirsty barely survived. Now, with the police investigation into Lucy’s disappearance going nowhere, Jamie teams up with a true crime podcaster to track down his nemesis.

But can Jamie persuade Kirsty to help? Can Kirsty forgive him for his past mistakes? And who, if anyone, will survive the final showdown? Featuring extracts from Lucy’s secret memoir, Last of the Magpies brings the trilogy to a shocking conclusion.

I've read most of Mark Edwards' books and just love his writing style. The way he writes a story is so realistic and that's what's most frightening, and also why he's one of my favorite authors. This one didn't disappoint me either! It was a great conclusion to this series and I loved the author note at the end of the book.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of #LastOfTheMagpies
Pub Date: 30 Apr 2019

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley!!

This is the conclusion to the Magpie series. And in my opinion it was a fabulous conclusion.

You absolutely should read the other b ooks in the series before t his one in order to fully understnad what has occurred.

Id hate to give away any spoilers, but just know this book is fantastic.

The Last of The Magpies – Mark Edwards

I came across Mark Edwards through Netgalley and I’ll be honest I haven’t been disappointed yet. He’s a natural storyteller (although I dare say he’d say differently). I personally believe that these could have been written as two slightly longer novels.

This is the third book in the trilogy involving the Magpies following on from A Murder of Magpies and it’s been a roller coaster of a ride. These absolutely need to be read in order; there is far too much background into the psyche of the main protagonists to start anywhere but with the first book The Magpies. I have to say there are some weird ass people out there and I would check out your possible new neighbours before signing on the dotted line.

When we begin this instalment we find that the adorable Lucy Newton is still at large and that Jamie and Kirsty are still living in fear. While they are working their hardest the police are getting absolutely nowhere. After being persuaded into joining forces with bolshie Pod caster, Emma he realises that the two of them just aren’t going to be enough. Jamie decides that he need help to find Lucy and the only one that can really do that is Kirsty but first he must make her accept his apologies over his mistakes from their pasts.

The characters in this book are disturbing in more ways than one. Neither Jamie nor Lucy were what I’d call likeable, Jamie slightly more than Lucy. Kirsty should have run a mile in the opposite direction from Jamie and then I suspect her life would probably have been so very different. Jamie is weak and in my opinion gives Lucy the blame for running his life, far much more than she deserves. Whereas Lucy appears to be as mad as a box of frogs.

I really can’t say too much more without giving away too many spoilers and that would be a shame.


Read for an honest reciew. Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Publishing

I’ve managed to read the other titles in this series. They were all very good. This one is the best so far and sets the bar even higher. The different twists and plots sustain interest and with the good pace of the book retains the reader to the end. Highly recommended.

Even though this book was the last in the series and I had not read the previous ones I got hooked. I can see why this series was so popular. I easily got caught up and was fully invested in the characters, I found myself hurting for Jamie, how lost he felt without the love of his life Kristie. I also could feel Kristie's pain of not being able to put the past aside and get on with her life.

The serial killer Lucy was one screwed up girl. Even though she didn't make much of an appearance in the book you were able to get a look into when this all started for her. As a young child her father could see the type of person she was going to become. Her great Aunt encouraged it even! How crazy is that??

This book was a quick read but a worthwhile one! If you like twists and turns you will love this book/series.

The Magpies has always been my favourite of Mark Edwards books and this final instalment was a fitting tribute to what has been a great story with brilliant characters. It was just the right length and kept me interested throughout. Really pleased with the ending!

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC, which I have enjoyed reading.
I have read the other books in the Magpie series and enjoyed the final volume in the series which meant the readers knew that Lucy would finally be imprisoned and that Kirsty and Jamie would also have closure and be able to move on with their lives.
Excellent ending to an enjoyable series.
Highly recommended.

thank you for allowing me to read this book. it was very easy to read. i enjoyed the story line and the characters. look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
This was the perfect ending for The Magpies Trilogy. It was short and to the point but still answered any remaining questions and I did not want to put it down. Mark Edwards is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. 5 stars!

Last of the Magpies is the 3rd book in this excellent series the last 2 being novellas.It brings to an end the story of Lucy,Jamie and Kirsty.With it only being a short read i will not go into detail suffice to say as with all Mark Edwards' books it is a superb ending to a superb series of books and it goes without saying really that you do need to read the other 2 books first ! I look forward to Mark's next book with anticipation as he hasn't failed to deliver yet.

I really like this author who writes fact paced mysteries full of good characters and are always plot driven keep you guessing reads
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

I'm so sorry - I really wanted to enjoy this book, as I enjoyed the Magpies immensely. Sadly, I found it really hard to get into. impossible to feel any empathy with the characters, and all in all rather rushed.

This final instalment in The Magpie books did not fail to disappoint- my only gripe is it was too short!
We return to the same characters seeing where life has taken them and when Jamie tracks down ex Kirsty about final writing a book things turn from bad to worse. The usual great twists and a great ending

EXCERPT: The room smelled of dust, like it hadn’t been cleaned for a long time. If this was Paul's parents house, where the hell were they? There was a churning sensation in Jamie's stomach and his mouth was so dry he wasn't sure if he would be able to speak. A memory seized him, a memory of the time he had entered Lucy and Chris's flat,searching for evidence. He remembered what he had found there. The CCTV system. The spectacles from Lucy’s victims. That night had changed his life forever, and a wave of dread crashed over him as he realised this could be another night like that one. That, after tonight, things might never be the same.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: Twelve months ago, Jamie Knight walked straight into Lucy Newton’s trap. Both Jamie and his ex-wife Kirsty barely survived. Now, with the police investigation into Lucy’s disappearance going nowhere, Jamie teams up with a true crime podcaster to track down his nemesis.

But can Jamie persuade Kirsty to help? Can Kirsty forgive him for his past mistakes? And who, if anyone, will survive the final showdown? Featuring extracts from Lucy’s secret memoir, Last of the Magpies brings the trilogy to a shocking conclusion.

MY THOUGHTS: While I generally love Mark Edwards writing, I am not this series biggest fan. I always felt that I was on the outside looking in, that I was being told what happened rather than living through it as it happened. Not something I am accustomed to feeling about Mark's writing.

I felt that the whole thing was a bit OTT, that everything was too extreme, almost as though it was written for shock factor rather than a good plot development. Sorry Mark, but I far prefer all the other books that I have read by you to this series.

THE AUTHOR: Mark has sold over 2 million books since his first solo novel, The Magpies, was published in 2013. Since then he has topped the bestseller lists several times. His other novels are Because She Loves Me, Follow You Home, What You Wish For, The Devil's Work, The Lucky Ones, The Retreat and In Her Shadow. He has also published A Murder of Magpies (a short sequel to The Magpies) and six books co-authored with Louise Voss.

Mark lives in the West Midlands, England, with his wife, their three children, two cats and a golden retriever.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Last of the Magpies by Mark Edwards for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my webpage

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

The last in the trilogy of the Magpies. I loved the first book and have sadly come to the conclusion I should have left the series alone at that. In the first I was totally absorbed in the story and really believed in the torment and psychological havoc wreaked by Lucy in her victims. In the subsequent books I felt she became a bit of a caricature of a baddie.

#LastOfTheMagpies #NetGalley
#Markedwards. The last installment of the magpie saga and it did not disappoint. Mark you have a gift, the way you bring your characters to life, you instantly are able to connect with them. The way you build momentum is amazing. Great conclusion.

Of all the series I’ve ever read, this truly has to be the best ever ending! Last of The Magpies is, as usual, masterfully written, and one of those books you can’t put down, but on the other hand, you don’t want to reach the end because you can’t bare it to finish.
Although Jamie and Kirsty are no longer together, they are forever linked by the horrors of their entwined history and the scars left behind by Lucy and Chris.
The whole story flows perfectly, and you’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat reading a lot of it with one or two surprises along the way.
Mark Edwards wrote this with his heart on his sleeve, and you can feel the genuine affection for the main characters, yet manages still to show the evil embodied in Lucy.
Another bestseller for sure

I really enjoyed this trilogy. My sense of terror was ignited with the first and I just had to know what happened next. Sad this is the final one but a great way to finish

With thanks to the Author and Publishers for ARC in return for an honest review

Follow Edwards series to completion. This final book is worthy of the series. An author worth following .

This is the conclusive chapter in the "Magpies" trilogy, written by one of the true master of the psychological thriller genre, Mark Edwards. Unfortunately, when I requested the book on Netgalley I didn't know that this book was part of a series and as a result I cannot evaluate "The Last of the Magpies" in a fair and thorough manner. The truth is that after reading this one I am earnestly thinking of going back to read the first two novels, never mind knowing the grand finale.

Nevertheless this is an intriguing novella of about 100 pages that bears the author's trademark characteristics as far as the gloomy, suspenseful atmosphere and the well fleshed-out characters. Sadly, due to my ignorance of the first two books I couldn't have a proper oversight of the protagonists' character arcs, much to my frustration. The pacing is fast and the plot unravels in such a way that the reader can keep up with what's happening, leaving no plot holes or room for misinterpretations.

My only advice is to read the first "The Magpies" and "A Murder of Magpies", the first two books in this trilogy, and then devour the finale of the saga. Mark Edwards proves once again that he is a trustworthy, stable value in the psychological thriller genre and his work is well worth checking out. This is a solid 4/5 stars and I strongly suspect that I would give a majestic 5 star rating if I've read the books in their right order.

This novella is the perfect ending to Mark Edward’s Magpies trilogy. It’s a quick, easy read with larger-than-life characters ranging from likeable young podcaster, Emma, to the deliciously evil Lucy who’s been Kirsty and Jamie’s nemesis for years. We learn more about Lucy through the unseen first draft of her book, which - unlike her published novel - tells her true story. It makes for chilling reading.
Emma is young, spunky, determined and breaks all the rules. I really enjoyed her. She has a podcast about criminal cases and has successfully helped the police in the past. She helps Jamie try to track down Lucy who escaped custody after finally being arrested in book two.
Lucy is your archetypal villain. Evil to the core, she finds her victims’ weak spots and uses these to terrorise and manipulate them. In this book, we see Kirsty taking steps to ensure she manages to control one of her deepest fears, one that Lucy has preyed on in the past. She’s also been working on her self-defense skills and strength. Jamie could also have done with a bit of strength building in the meantime, but he’s such a genuinely nice guy that I forgave his weaknesses.
This short book will keep you racing through to see what happens next. It’s suspenseful, surprising, clever and great, great fun (provided you don’t mind a dose of sheer evil, death and gore). It’s not a standalone, and the Magpies books should be read in order. I suggest you read one after another, as I did. The second two are novellas, making the entire series very quick to read.

I wish I had read the first two books in the series before I read this one! Now I need to go back and read them, which will clarify a lot, I am sure. Nonetheless, this was a gripping ending! Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this novel.

Last of the Magpies by Mark Edwards is the third and final book in The Magpies series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.



Series Background: (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Jamie and Kirsty thought they had found the home of their dreams until the downstairs neighbours started to torment them. Chris and Lucy Newton made their lives hell. Kirsty eventually left, but Jamie’s pride took over. He refused to give in. Eventually he discovered that the Newton’s had bugged their apartment, and videotaped them. He also discovered that Lucy Newton was responsible for 18 deaths in the long-term care facility in which she worked. A scuffle with Chris lead to a fire in the flat, resulting in Chris’s death, but not before Jamie had all the evidence he needed to put Lucy Newton behind bars. However, on appeal, Lucy was freed, and again Jamie and Kirsty were drawn into her world. Again, Lucy was apprehended, but escaped custody before even hitting jail.


My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
It’s been a year since Lucy escaped custody, and Jamie is still obsessed. The police have not had any luck in finding her, but Jamie feels he cannot move on until she has been dealt with. Kirsty is handling things much better. Her torture by Lucy has made her stronger, and she is doing everything in her power to take control of her life.

Emma is a podcaster who has had luck tracking down people who don’t want to be found. She and Jamie decide to work together to find Lucy. Kirsty ends up being dragged in again.


My Opinions:
I loved this series. Please….this is a series…Do not read this as a stand-alone book.

Each installment has quickly sucked me in. Thankfully this is another short read, so I didn’t have to set it down.

I think Mark Edwards created wonderful characters. The Lucy/Jamie rivalry expanded in this one, and the characters all stepped up. Continued to love the direction the author took the plot, and although I wasn’t surprised by the final twist, it was well done.

This book is again about revenge….and justice….

I think the author ended the series well. I will continue to pick up any book he writes.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas and Mercer and the author, Mark Edwards, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Last of the Magpies in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I thought this book provided a good read. The storyline was well thought out and written with well developed characters. Can always count on this author for a gripping tale to while away the hours.
Well worth a read.

Say it isn't so Mark, say it isn't so!

Well, like all good stories, they have to come to an end. In many ways, I'm happy Mark (I think by now after all his books I've read, he wouldn't mind me using his first name) decided to conclude this story, but I have to be honest, I'm sad it's over.

I'm glad to see that he brought closure to our beloved characters, Jamie, Kirstie, Paul, and even Lucy. Maybe it isn't what we expected, or even hoped for, but it wasn't our story to tell. I think maybe the most unexpected, was Paul. Unsuspecting Paul... that's what he will forever be known as.

Alright everyone... it's time to "Move on. Live your life."

I hope that Mark doesn't stop here with creating series though. I think he has an even better one in store for us, but he just doesn't know it yet!

I want to thank NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and especially Mark Edwards for allowing me the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my review.

I loved this book as expected. I just love Mark Edwards. Even though I didn’t read the previous books in the series I definitely want to. I became curious about the characters and loved the connections between all of them. They definitely seemed to go through an ordeal with a serial killer. Loved the ending. Thanks to netgalley for allowing me to review this book.

Interesting and intriguing story, which kept me guessing till the very end. In really liked the main characters Jamie and Kirsty

Finally we get to find out the end of the story of Lucy Newton! The Magpies was my first Mark Edwards novel and although I have read several more since this story will always stay with me so getting to read the conclusion to it was going to be a necessity in my life.

In true Edwards style he builds the background of the story and you wonder where he will take you and as always he doesn’t disappoint you!

Wow! what a fantastic end to the Magpies story! if you have not read these, I recommend you do! Another fab book written by Mark.

Closure to story of Magpies. Loved every single book in this small series and this one wasn't an exception. I could read about Lucy and her evilness for years. However it was good to have a proper closure to the story as I've become quite invested in their lives since I read The Magpies couple of years ago. Love writing of Mark Edwards and always enjoy his books.

The Magpies was one of the best and most memorable books I have read. This however wasn't quite as good but nice to have a closure to the series.
Highly recommend you read the previous two books before reading this one.

We had to get to the end sometime. I've been following the story of Jamie, Kristy and Lucy for several years now and this was a quick short story to pick up the pieces. Obviously The Magpies is my favorite, but I am so happy with certain things that happened...no spoilers....that this was good too!

Warning: You NEED to read the other two first!

The fantastic conclusion to The Magpies. I’ve loved both sequels to The Magpies but I’m a little disappointed it’s the end! Lucy was a great character and knowing her story is finished is sad! Because, let’s be honest, we all love an evil antagonist and she pretty much tops them all!

I feel Mark has done the last ‘Magpies’ book justice. A fabulous ‘end’ to what has been a rollercoaster of a journey for the main characters Jamie and Kirsty.

I’ve read most of Mark Edwards’ books and looking forward to his next psychological thriller Here to Stay.

I LOVE Mark Edwards’ books, and this was a great conclusion to The Magpies story. I so look forward to Edwards’ books, and I didn’t even know there was a second Magpies book coming out, so it was great to get a copy. This short story did not disappoint and my only criticism is that it wasn’t longer! Can’t wait for his next book!

Loved this conclusion to The Magpies. It ties up all the ends and brings the story to an end (sadly). Even if you've not read The Magpies you can follow what's happened to the characters previously in this novella. You may however be by the end be wishing you'd been recommended the Magpies to read, so take my advise and do just that first.
Being a Novella it quickly gets to the action but loses nothing in the fast pace of the story,
The Magpies and the two following stories would in my opinion make a fabulous TV drama, so I do hope that some wise person has optioned the rights.
Mark Edwards, keep you the good work. I'm off the check out your other books.

Thank you #NetGalley for the copy.

I really suggest that you read the first two books in the series. There is a lot of references you won't understand, and you wouldn't really appreciate the true evilness of the neighbor from hell, Lucy. This was the perfect ending to a brilliantly written series, and I can't recommend it enough. Really, just do it, you will thank me later!

Brilliant end to the trilogy!
A little predictable but none the less still kept me gripped. And thoroughly enjoyed!

I love this author. And this was read quickly as another addition to his first book. I’m not going to spoil it by saying what happens but you’ll love this. Just make sure you read his other book’s first so you are reading in sequence.
4/5 on Amazon and goodreads.

Really enjoyed this short catch up with the characters from Mark Edwards' series. It packs a fair bit into a short plot and ties things up nicely.

Absolutely enjoyed from start to finish, u didn't want the book to end. Highly recommended, if you like books that keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat.

Just wonderful. I love Mark's writing, and I adored The Magpies. This definitely lived up to my expectations. Thrilling from page 1, highly recommend all of his books but particularly this and The Magpies!

I do like the way Mark Edwards seems to have a pattern of doing trilogies that reveal more about previously loved characters. A great little read.

Last of the Magpies is engaging and captivating. It grabs you from the beginning and does not let go until the very end. This psychological thriller has very well-crafted characters. Overall, it was a pleasure reading Last of the Magpies.

Synopsis: Twelve months ago, Jamie Knight walked straight into Lucy Newton’s trap. Both Jamie and his ex-wife Kirsty barely survived. Now, with the police investigation into Lucy’s disappearance going nowhere, Jamie teams up with a true-crime podcaster to track down his nemesis.

Brilliant conclusion to this series,for me would of been better to have a book two of The magpies instead of two short stories so the book could of been longer and just as good as the first book.highly recommend I'm left wanting more books of this type from mark Edward's looking forward to his next book.