Libby Hall never really wanted to be noticed. But after she saves the children in her care from a fire, she finds herself headline news. And Horrified by the attention. It all reminds her of what happened nine years ago. The last time she saw her best friend alive.

Which Is why the house swap is such a godsend. Libby and her husband Jamie exchange their flat in Bath for a beautiful, secluded house in Cornwall. It's a chance to heal their marriage - to stop its secrets tearing them apart.

But this stylish Cornish home isn't the getaway they'd hoped for. They make odd, even disturbing, discoveries in the house. It's so isolated - yet Libby doesn't feel entirely alone. As if she's being watched.

Is Libby being paranoid?

What is her husband hiding?

As the secrets and lies come tumbling out, is the past about to catch up with them?

Great book

In the beginning I found this book to be a little slow and difficult to get into. However the characters were believable.

When Libby and Jamie swap to the house in Cornwall, I found myself very frustrated with Jamie, I disliked the lack of empathy he showed for how Libby was feeling. This annoyance grew when you realised the relationship he had with his ex and how this affected Libby. Overall I didn’t like him at all.

Libby on the other hand was a great character and I found myself empathising with her, right up until an enormous plot twist that I didn’t see coming.

This story was very well thought out and made me gasp in a few places. Once I got into the story, I couldn’t put this book down. The ending was brilliant (I won’t spoil it).

My final thoughts are that this is a great book and will be enjoyed by anyone who likes mysteries or psychological thrillers.

This was a great read, told from two people's perspectives. Good storyline with plot twists that kept creating lingering suspicions in your mind about whether everyone was who they actually appeared to be, would recommend!

Claire Douglas generally writes the type of books that I like to read. And in my opinion, this is her best one yet.

Libby and her husband Jamie have had a rough time of things lately. So when a leaflet drops into their letter box offering a house swap, they both think it's a great idea and a chance to have a break from everyday life. A stranger offers them a week at their house in Bath, in exchange for a week in their small flat, claiming that its location is perfect as their daughter will be in a nearby hospital undergoing treatment. But things don’t turn out as expected, and their stay in Bath is marred by strange people and even stranger events. And things don't improve on their return home.

Personally, I find the idea of a house swap a little bit far fetched, but apparently this has been quite the thing over the past few years. I couldn't imagine strangers in my house, having access to and using my personal things. But anyway, you'll need to get your head around this concept if you're going to read and enjoy this book.

Many of the characters in this novel have issues. Libby has trust issues, and a history that's a tad strange. Her husband, Jamie, is a little bit too dismissive of her concerns for my liking, and his friendship with an old girlfriend is also on the strange side. The ex girlfriend was odd to say the least, living with Jamie's parents and generally hanging around. All of this makes for a fairly gripping read, one where you keep trying to work out who you like and who you don't, and never being quite sure of how you feel.

With lies and secrets around every corner, and with a plot that kept me guessing, this was a book that I really enjoyed. Yes, some of the events are a little bit far fetched, but I suppose that that's the case with a number of psychological thrillers and so that didn't bother me much. I thought this was a really good read and I'd definitely recommend it.

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Mrs Vicki Gower's review
Feb 13, 2018 · edit

it was amazing

I really enjoyed this book, a nice easy to read psychological thriller, with lots of twists, which keep you on gripped and on the edge of your chair. I would really like to read more Claire Douglas novels, and would recommend as a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Could not put this book down! I absolutely loved it!!
This is the third book from Claire Douglas and the second I have read. The first was Local Girl Missing which I loved as well.
This novel takes you on a journey of suspenseful twists and turns where nothing is at it seems.

This one tells the story of Libby and Jamie Hall who are in desperate need of a break away from it all after an eventful few months so, when a leaflet drops through their door requesting a house swap they jump at the chance. What happens next is anything but predictable.
Most definitely recommend!

This book hooked me straight away and I could not guess what was coming next. The story of Libby and Jamie begins with the house swap. All is not what it seems in the beautiful house in Cornwall. The story swings between the present and snapshots of what occurred in Thailand. More details follows and the main lead does not look very good. The husband Jamie seems to be hiding something as well.
Claire Douglas has written a book with such twists and turns that you cannot even guess what would be the end. But a thrilling read it and i enjoyed it very much. I shall keep an eye out for more books from the author. Thank you Net Galley and the publishers for letting me have ARC to read and review.

Did not expect the way the book turned out. Keeps you gussing.

After reading 'Local girl missing' and giving it 5 stars I was looking forward to reading this one. It didn't disappoint. Very well-written and flowed beautifully, keeping my interest all the way through.

I can't wait to read 'The Sisters' from the same author.

Highly recommended with a full 5 stars again from me.

This book grabbed me from the first page and I was thoroughly enjoying it (whilst still fairly convinced that I knew the ending!) Boy was I wrong! I was totally surprised by the ending and really impressed. A fantastic read. I was kindly sent a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Superb tale of loss and redemption. Hauntingly beautiful. Will stay with you.

Libby and her husband arrange a house swop - their little flat for a house in Cornwall- but this book is not about a nice holiday its terrifying, really tense.
Far from finding a peaceful idyll Libby starts to make horrifying discoveries in the house. She feels watched. She has a secret. Has someone found out? Is her husband telling the truth?
The plot is full of unexpected twists and you are never sure who is telling the truth.
Clear your diary. You won’t be able to put this grippingly claustrophobic psychological thriller down

I was hooked to this story. It was unputdownable and had lots of twists and turns. I just wish it would have gone on for longer. I loved it

5* for this brilliant psychological mystery thriller Last Seen Alive by Claire Douglas.

Libby Hall, a teacher, rescues some children from a fire at the school but this brings back troubling memories and she feels she needs to hide, to escape from everything for a while. By chance, someone drops a flyer through her door asking for a house swap and this sounds a great idea. The chance for Libby and her husband Jamie to exchange their tiny Bath flat for a beautiful haven on the wild Cornish coast, and heal their fragile marriage following the fire and her miscarriage.

But the house unsettles Libby and she gets the feeling that someone is watching her, following her, tormenting her and maybe knows her secret about what happened all those years ago in Thailand on the night when her travelling companion was last seen alive.

This book grabbed me from the first page and i devoured it in only a few days. I couldn't put it down and couldn't wait to get back to it and find out what secrets Libby was hiding, whether she was actually being followed or was she being paranoid, and what her husband Jamie was being so secretive about and was her whole world about to crumble because of what she did.

The book is written from Libby's point of view and you are only given little snippets along the way of what happened in Thailand 9 years ago when she was travelling with her friend Karen Fisher. However half way through the book it starts Part 2 Thailand and that is when we get the back story. I liked Libby originally, but as Part 2 started i saw a different side to her and realised all is not as it seems and there were plenty of shocks and surprises to come. All the hints and bits of information started to fit together and you get a lovely surprise when the final piece of the puzzle is revealed.

The ending for me was great and just when you think it is over, Claire Douglas hits you with a brilliant epilogue which shocked and pleased me immensely. This has certainly put me off the idea of ever taking part in a "simple house swap" but made me want to read more from a new author for me, so thank you Claire Douglas.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Libby and her husband are offered the opportunity of a temporary house swap. Their small flat in Bath for a wonderfully large luxury home in Devon'
They cannot believe such an opportunity that has landed in their lap until strange things start to happen in the house..and they discover not everything about their dream home is all it seems.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Highly recommended, with many twists and turns and red herrings throughout. I awarded 4 stars rather that 5 only because I would have preferred a less open ended conclusion.

This was a very good, clever, well written story, that kept me guessing and getting it wrong. Some very good, well described characters who were easy to relate to. Great build up to the conclusion with a twist in the tail. I loved it!

What starts out as an apparently straightforward telling of a mystery story, tHis book gets more satisfyingly complex as it goes along. The twists and turns kept me guessing all the way to the end, with the final devastating twist a master stroke.

Wow! What a brilliant story. I have read and reviewed all Claire’s stories so far and she has never let me down. This was brilliant! I was hooked. I honestly did not want to put it down. What a cleverly written story. I also love the cover.

Last Seen Alive is written well, fast paced and contains short chapters which are split into three parts. I highly recommend this story to you all. Very twisted story towards the end. Very impressed and cannot wait for Claire’s new book coming out Summer 2018. Last Seen Alive is a gripping story you will want to devour in one sitting. A book that will not disappoint.

Last seen Alive – by Claire Douglas
This book is a fantastic book, that keeps you on your toes and makes you keep page turning to find out what is going to happen next. Libby has been having a difficult time and when a letter is pushed through her door about a house swap, she and her partner decide to get away from it all and take up the offer. Hoping for some time out, rest and relaxation, things start to go horribly wrong. Why does Libby feel threatened? Lies and danger come to the fore and we begin to find out things about Libby’s past. This book has a brooding and menacing feeling that builds as the plot goes along, keeping you on the edge of your seat.
I can’t give away too much of the plot suffice to say it is genuinely shocking, and a great read. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good thriller.

I did enjoy reading this, but it wasn’t the best book. Somewhat far fetched from the start. I also didn’t feel anything much for any of the characters.
Still, it passed s few hours pleasantly enough.