Her Last Words - Carolyn Arnold

 Her Last Words - Carolyn Arnold

Publication Date:  Nov. 17, 2023

She read

Mystery writer Felicity Kelley is murdered just as she is about to reach the pinnacle of her success; her most recent book is to be made into a film.  Her last phone call which went unanswered was to Detective Amanda Steele. The mystery deepens when it seems her death is a copy cat of the MO of the serial killer in her book.  Feeling guilty about not calling Felicity back, Amanda, along with partner Trent, relentlessly pursue the killer.  Was it a jilter lover, a jealous colleague, a stalker, a serial killer?  And what does it have to do with the murder of an intern in the publishing business fifteen years?  

This is yet another of Arnold’s fast paced, engrossing police procedurals. I read it in one day, long into the night, because I could not put it down.  Arnold knows how to capture and maintain her readers’ interest. I love the repeating characters, especially Amanda who, despite an earlier tragedy in her life, is a strong, capable, independent female and I find the camaraderie between her and Trent quite entertaining. 

This is the ninth in the Prince William County (VA) Detective Amanda Steele series.  Although I have read quite a few of them and have enjoyed seeing the repeating characters and relationships change and grow,  I think this would work well as a standalone.  The author does a nice job of filling in background information, including Amanda’s past history and references to some other cases she has worked.

A word about the author:  Carolyn Arnold has written more than thirty books featuring five series and spanning different genre including strong police procedurals, cozy mysteries, and adventure novels. 

Thanks to #netgalley and @bookouture for the ARC.

*****