When Last Seen

WHEN LAST SEEN is the second in Brenda Chapman’s excellent Hunter andTate mystery series , following the successful series 2022 launch in BLIND DATE. The story begins with the disappearance of three-year-old Charlie, who vanished from his parents’ yard during a moment of maternal inattention. Detective Liam Hunter leads the police inquiry, and once again he unofficially exchanges info with investigative reporter/podcaster Ella Tate. Meanwhile a Chinese exchange student is also missing; that investigation is nearly stalled, but unsavory details are emerging. The plot gets more complicated from there, with multiple twists, red herrings, high-octane suspense and finally —after ramping up the high-wire tension— a satisfying ending. I highly recommend this book, along with the first in the series! And watch for more.

4 stars!

This book had all of the elements for a great thriller: lots of twists, a page turner and overall great dynamics and relationships between the characters.

I had a hard time putting this one down and found myself thinking about it in between reading sessions. I did not read the first book in this series, but I don't think that took too much out of my reading experience. I didn't have a hard time following along at all.

I also loved that this author is from Ottawa and this book also takes place in Ottawa, I loved hearing references of my city from a book!

I would recommend this one to friends and I will also be checking out other books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

Great story about a missing child. The case is like an octopus with leads pulling in many different directions. Each lead touches on unsavory characters, or the darker sides of those closest to the child. Hunter is an honest cop that is friends with Tate, a podcaster with the ability to read people. Tate is able to get answers that seem beyond normal police channels,. The two are able to work together to draw the leads together, find connections between people and crimes, and propel the investigation to a startling conclusion. The interplay between Hunter and Tate is genuine, and it is nice to see a relationship that is traditionally taboo but not romantic or exploitative. They are a great duo, and the story is quite the thriller!

This is the second outing for Detective Liam Hunter and Tru-Crime podcaster Ella Tate.
It's a steamy summer's day in Ottawa when three year old Charlie McGowan goes missing. A moment of inattention by his very pregnant mother and poof, he's gone. Hunter is assigned the case and begins working flat out to find the boy. But Charlie's not the only one missing. Nine months earlier a young foreign student disappeared after attending a party hosted by a notorious gangster. Leads have dried up. No one wants to talk to the police. As Hunter and Tate begin to look into Charlie's disappearance some startling information appears in the student's case. Are they linked? It's up to Hunter using police methods, and Tate her journalism approach to discover the ugly truth behind both disappearances.
An excellent 4 star read. Well written, interesting characters and setting. Will definitely read more of her work. Thank you for the ARC copy Netgalley.

Full of twists and turns, When Last Seen is the second outing for Ottowan crime solving duo Hunter and Tate, and it certainly delivers what a good mystery should; red herrings, false leads, oblique clues, high stakes, and interweaving stories of crime and betrayal. Particularly liked the introduction of Sara, the elder half-sister of missing Charlie's, as a mirror of Ella who is made in her image as a sort of amateur PI, and hope we might see more of her in future titles.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this ARC.

Many thanks to both Ivy Bay Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of When Last seen.

Expected publication April 1, 2023

When Last seen is a riveting tale of a missing child, family jealousy, mysterious business dealings, and the deepest sort of betrayal. Not to mention twisty plotlines!

I very much liked true crime podcaster Ella Tate, as well as Detective Liam Hunter. They were quite the good team. Hands down, my favorite character was Sara, the teenage wannabe P.I.! It took me a wee bit to get into the story, as there were quite a few characters to keep track of in the beginning. The more I read, the more interesting the different narratives became. I was quite satisfied with the conclusion!

A 3-year old child goes missing - wandered off or abducted? A Chinese student goes missing - accidental or deliberate? Detective Liam Hunter and his team are baffled because there are no leads whatsoever. His friend Ella Tate, podcaster, is also on the case and the two work together within reasonable police-not police boundaries. Family dynamics, dodgy business men, gangsters all add to a twisty and well-written story. The two main characters work well together and, so far, none of the "will they/won't they" romantic aspects - long may that last..
For once I did not see the end coming which is always a bonus for me. Descriptions of place are good and you get the feel of a sultry, stifling summer in Ottawa; I also like Sara, half sister of the missing toddler and curious teenager with a future methinks. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

If you want a book where you will never see the ending coming, this is the one! An cleverly written thriller, it's got so many original characters who are so realistically crafted. There are twists and turns galore. I did think it was a but slow to start but once I got a handle on who was who and started caring about their stories then i was absolutely hooked. This is the kind of book that you give up sleep to read just one more chapter. Highly recommend

Great story. It's #2 in the author's Hunter and Tate series, but reads fine by itself. Love a good mystery.
A true crimes vibe throughout. I love true crime podcasts and Ella Tate is a true crimes podcaster in this book. This was an easy ready. This story easily pulled me in and I finished the book pretty quick - you just wanted to find out what who why when and where. Highly recommend this mystery/thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and Ivy Bay Press for the eARC. All opinions expressed are of my own.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Ivy Bay Press for an advance copy of When Last Seen, the second novel to feature Detective Liam Hunter of Ottawa’s Major Crimes Unit and podcaster/freelance journalist Ella Tate.

There is a bad feeling when three year old Charlie McGowan disappears from his back garden. With most of the team still involved in the hunt for Chinese exchange student Meilin Hanon who disappeared nine months ago it falls to Hunter to investigate Charlie’s disappearance. At first glance there would appear to be no connection between the cases but as Hunter and Tate start to dig deeper links begin to emerge.

I enjoyed When Last Seen, which is an engaging read with some big twists, well, maybe not twists, more surprises and likeable characters. It is told from various points of view, giving the reader a wider perspective on events, and because all these voices have a contribution to make it’s not as distracting as it could be when they change.

I like the logic of a police procedural where A leads to B then as many letters as required to solve the case. This novel is a good example of that where the disappearance of a child leads to a host of other crimes, unsavoury characters and secrets. I was quite impressed by the way the author got from start to finish using this logic. The telling of the novel is low key with little in the way of action scenes until an explosive finale, but it steamrolls through lies and prevarications relentlessly. I like the timely reveals and turns that keep the pages turning and the reader speculating. I must admit that the perpetrator’s identity came as a surprise to me and I liked that.

Hunter and Tate are a good combination. He is the detective and she is the journalist. They both have access to information the other doesn’t and I like their decision making in what to share, it’s interesting. In this novel we shouldn’t forget girl detective Sara McGowan, Charlie’s 17 year old half sister. She has been doing her own investigating and has several big contributions to make.

When Last Seen is a good read that I can recommend.

Riveting Canadian mystery!

A three-year-old child’s disappeared! In the Crystal Beach neighbourhood near the banks of the Ottawa River. Anguish and pain! Charlie McGowan is the half brother to Roddy and Sara from a previous marriage. An AMBER alert is issued.
Charlie’s father David has a roving eye and seems to be unable to resist playing around.
Detective Liam Hunter and his partner Julie Quade are investigating this and an earlier disappearance of an Asian student, last seen partying at an escort’s party. Liam’s gut feeling is that Charlie’s disappearance is personal.
Wouldn’t it be strange if the two were linked someone joked? It may or may not be beyond the realm of possibility.
Ella Tate is a podcaster and journalist. She’s known to Liam from a previous case.There’s an air, a current of sympatico between them. Liam helps her occasionally and she aids him.
With this case Ella is soon deeply involved. She identifies with Sara, understands her. Ella interviews Sara’s father and step mother Ginger about their missing child, in part due to the number of followers her pod cast reaches.
There’s a lot happening here. Sara disappears for three days at one stage. Her reasons why are completely understandable. It’s hard to take on board how at risk she is. Where that risk is coming from is frightening.
Inside work, Liam has his suspicions about another officer, Kurt Auger, and his work ethic. Auger, newly recruited from another department has his eyes on a top job. It turns out he’s a sleaze, although that hadn’t been picked up when we left.
Set in Ottawa, this is a slick and comprehensive police thriller. Fast moving and intriguing it all comes together with a move I didn’t see coming.

An Independent ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

4 1/2 stars. I really enjoyed this, and now I want to read the first book in the series! Recommended.

The first book I have read in this series but good as a stand-alone. A solid four star read. Great premise. Well written. Good characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing but I felt the ending a bit rushed. I definitely would read her next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Yes! This book was a great quick read for me. I loved the team work and chemistry between detective Hunter and podcast/crime reporter Ella. Although this is the 2nd in a series, I didn’t feel lost in the least reading it without the prior book.
I enjoyed the multiple point of views and found the character development gave me just enough to want to keep reading this series. There are many characters who I felt connected with and want to continue to learn about. This particular story had multiple cases that weaved together at the end to create a really satisfying ending for me. I did not see it coming, but I highly appreciate the way everything resolved at the conclusion. Thank you netgalley for the arc!

The hardest part is not knowing…

Ottawa is baking under a July heatwave when the Homicide and Major Crimes Unit is called to help track down missing three-year-old Charlie McGowan. This is the second missing person case in nine months — a university exchange student never made it back to her Carleton University residence from a downtown party in November.

At first, the two disappearances appear unrelated, but as true crime podcaster Ella Tate and Detective Liam Hunter dig deeper into both files, unsettling relationships begin to emerge. Evidence, however, remains frustratingly out of reach as the clock keeps ticking and concern for both missing victims takes on a heightened urgency.

And then Liam Hunter gets a call that a body’s been found on the Ottawa River Parkway …

Sheer perfection. I couldn't put this story down. Will recommend to others.

A child has gone missing in Ottawa, It is the second missing person case, and Detective Liam Hunter has to find the missing child as soon as possible. The University Exchange Student that disappeared still has not been found, and all leads have dried up.

Podcaster, Ella Tate also investigates and interviews family and friends in order to solve the case.
Secret relationships, shady business dealings and discontented staff that could be taking revenge are all investigated.

This is an excellent police procedural, there are so many twists and turns, and I was totally wrong as to who was the guilty party and why they took the child.
Loved the plot and subplots and the intertwining of relationships. I could barely put this book down, and am looking forward to reading more of Brenda Chapman's books.

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

CW: child abduction

As per usual with Chapman, there is never quite a way of figuring out who is the responsible party, or how the different narratives play out and connect at the end.

I found I was completely enraptured and had a hard time walking away from the book without knowing what was going to happen next!

I love the dynamic of Hunter and Tate, figuring out their new relationship without their former friend / colleague in the mix.

4.5

I don’t usually gravitate to mysteries, but this book changed my mind! What an engaging read from start to finish — there are several twists that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat. We follow Ella, a podcaster, and Detective Liam who are looking for 3-year-old Charlie who has gone missing. The characters are fleshed out well, and the dynamics were intriguing. I kept trying to guess, but honestly everyone was so suspicious! I couldn’t put this book down - highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Ivy Bay Press for the eARC.
This book ticked all the boxes for me, I loved it!
The two central characters, true podcaster Ella Tate and Detective Liam Hunter are on the hunt for 3-year old Charlie McGowan who was out of sight for a few minutes before disappearing. Days pass and there's no sighting of the boy and Ella and Liam are getting desperate and losing hope.
Such a great mystery: no unnecessary graphic scenes, very likeable and well fleshed-out characters, with a few baddies who are interesting (one a sociopath) and not likeable at all of course. The story pulled me in and didn't let go, plus the setting of Ottawa was special to me, having family there.
Highly recommended!

Rdy to post

When Last seen - Brenda Chapman

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this novel.

This story begins when a couple's young boy goes missing, when the boy's mother turns her back for a few minutes as he is playing in the family's front yard.

The layers to the story are revealed one-by-one, like the layers of an onion.. You first learn that the marriage was a second marriage for the husband, who was with his first wife for decades. Eventually, he left her for his current wife (a much younger version, he met her at work where she was an admin assistant).

Along with different issues added to this story to make the perfect storm, add a rookie cop, a newspaper reporter who has a well-meaning neighbor (my favorite character Tony).

Put on your seatbelt and prepare for an interesting ride toward the book's conclusion!

Until next time, keep in mind that a monkey only lets go of one branch - when he has reached out and grabbed another... ;)😘

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A recommended read, full of twists turns and suspense.

I highly recommend this novel. The plot was enticing and a great mystery. I appreciated the characters and the exquisite writing. I must say, the author kept me intrigued with this storyline.

To all the mystery lovers, this is a great choice. You will not be disappointed.

Complex, compassionate, and smart.
Many thanks to Ivy Bay Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed reading this thriller. It has relatable characters & an unpredictable storyline. I highly recommend reading this one!

Ottawa is baking under a July heatwave when the Homicide and Major Crimes Unit is called to help track down missing three-year-old Charlie McGowan. This is the second missing person case in nine months — a university exchange student never made it back to her Carleton University residence from a downtown party in November.
At first, the two disappearances appear unrelated, but as true crime podcaster Ella Tate and Detective Liam Hunter dig deeper into both files, unsettling relationships begin to emerge. Evidence, however, remains frustratingly out of reach as the clock keeps ticking and concern for both missing victims takes on a heightened urgency.
And then Liam Hunter gets a call that a body’s been found on the Ottawa River Parkway …

First off this is book number 2 in the Hunter and Tate Mysteries and I admit that I had not read the first book .There were references from the previous books but When Last Seen can be read and enjoyed without read the first book.

The story was well plotted with twists.I just couldn’t put this one down and I did end up staying up very late.

If you are from Ottawa you will recognize lots of areas mentioned in the book.

I will be purchasing a copy of this book and the first book as soon as I can.

I do very much recommend When Last Seen by Brenda Chapman.

I give this 5 out of 5.

"When Last Seen" by Brenda Chapman delivers a gripping narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats with a blend of suspense, mystery, and a touch of true crime intrigue.

Set against the backdrop of an Ottawa heatwave, the story kicks off with the Homicide and Major Crimes Unit tackling the disappearance of three-year-old Charlie McGowan. The urgency intensifies as this becomes the second missing person case within a short span, the previous one involving a university exchange student. Chapman skillfully paints the tension and urgency of the investigations, creating an atmosphere that simmers with anticipation.

The narrative takes an interesting turn as true crime podcaster Ella Tate and Detective Liam Hunter join forces to delve into the perplexing cases. The seemingly unrelated disappearances start to unravel unsettling relationships, adding layers of complexity to the mystery. Chapman adeptly builds suspense, making it challenging for the reader to put the book down.

One of the strengths of "When Last Seen" lies in its ability to keep the audience guessing. The author weaves a web of clues and red herrings, ensuring that the elusive evidence remains just out of reach. This creates a sense of frustration that mirrors the characters' own struggles, amplifying the overall tension in the story.

The turning point, marked by the discovery of a body on the Ottawa River Parkway, adds a chilling dimension to the plot. Chapman masterfully navigates the emotional impact on the characters, creating a palpable sense of unease that lingers throughout the narrative.

The characters, especially the dynamic duo of Ella Tate and Detective Liam Hunter, are well-crafted and contribute significantly to the novel's appeal. Their partnership adds depth to the storytelling, providing a compelling human element to the unfolding mystery.

Chapman's writing style is crisp and effective, maintaining a brisk pace that suits the thriller genre. The dialogue is sharp, and the descriptions are vivid, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the atmospheric setting of Ottawa during a heatwave.

"When Last Seen" is a four-star thriller that excels in building suspense, crafting intricate plotlines, and delivering a satisfying resolution. Brenda Chapman skillfully captures the essence of a true crime investigation while keeping the narrative accessible and engaging. For fans of mystery and suspense, this book is a compelling choice that will leave you eagerly anticipating the next twist.