I think this book has a lot of potential. I am not really a fan of police procedurals in general, so at some points this one was quite boring to me, but overall it was an interesting mystery. Dectective Patterson was also an interesting character to read about, in a genre that is often filled to the brim with the same cardboard-cutout macho main characters. I think if you're looking for a fast-paced mystery, this is a good one to try.

a really enjoyable, gripping read, however I really disliked the main character, He came across as an arrogant so and so.

This book hits the ground running in a fast and furious story of a serial killer evading capture by Superintendent Ray Paterson and his team in South London. Paterson is young, extremely wealthy and on a fast track to the top, while his two sergeants are complete opposites. DS Dave Jordan is a solid old school detective who has mentored Ray whilst DS Johnny Clocks is loud-mouthed and brash but a loyal friend for life if he likes you. Between them they make a good team and there is some nice interaction. The plot is excellent. Someone is killing women by half strangling then slicing them up and carving words onto them. What message is he trying to send and to whom? I very much enjoyed this story as it raced along to a shocking finale. At first I wasn't keen on the main characters but found I had really grown to like them by the end and I am now looking forward to reading the next book in the series "The Lost Children".

Thankyou to NetGalley, Joffe Books and Steve Parker for the opportunity to read a copy of Their Last Words in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I found the storyline to be well thought out written. It was a fast paced thriller with plenty of twists and turns until you get to the very end. I thought it was a great read.
Definitely well worth a read. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for this arc.

I really liked this story! The plot was a nice fast pace and twisty enough to keep my attention throughout. Yes, it was gory and graphic with language to match. But as I was looking to escape from "real life" for a while, it was just right for me. I found the characters believable if not all were particularly likeable (Ray) but they did "grow" on me.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This was a fast-paced, well-written crime thriller and police procedural -- the first in a new series featuring Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson. He's a wealthy playboy, recently promoted to head his first murder squad case -- and the victim is a young woman, savagely mutilated with a word carved into her chest. He and his team, based out of Bermondsey, South London, barely get started on the investigation when another victim is found. They have a serial killer to hunt. Thankfully, Ray has a good group to work with, including a friend who's helping him learn the ropes, DS Dave Jordan.
As they delve into their jobs, even calling in a behavioral analyst, it becomes clear that this killer has an agenda, and their inability to find and apprehend this monster will cost the department dearly. NO SPOILERS.

What an absorbing read! I could not put this down and was absolutely glued to the pages, gripped by the twists and turns and the grisly details. The characters were depicted quite clearly and the dialog and actions of the team seemed so believable and realistic. The chills and tension kept escalating and the narrative paced perfectly to draw out maximum suspense. I loved it! If you enjoy a gritty police procedural with characters that are more unique than typical in the genre, this is the book for you. I cannot wait for the next novel by this author and highly recommend this one. Sign me up for an ARC now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. This debut screams for a follow-up and I'm so glad I had the chance to get in at the beginning of what I'm sure will be a great ride for this obviously talented author who has the chops to write what he knows!

Thanks to Joffe Books and Netgalley I received this great book.

It is a great book because A) it is British, full of nice slang and good strong characters; B) it is fast-paced with new surprises in almost every chapter; C) the reader gets to know the 'bad guy' quite well - or not - and D) all of the above and more.
There is crime, viscious crime. There is hatred and politics and lots of rain. But there is also strong friendship, insights and love. It is very well written with superb insights. You cannot call it a 'nice' book and sometimes it is really gloomy but it is all very real.
I hope to read more of this author in the near future.

Excellent story. Wonderful characters and plot line. I really enjoyed it. I would recommend this book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for this partnership.

It all starts when a mutilated corpse is found with a word engraved in its pulpit. Detective Paterson who wants to take the galon investigation and soon another corpse will be found. He immediately thinks of a serial killer.

A thriller filled with suspense and twists. I immediately hooked on the captivating story and characters. Can wait to read the book two.

So, I may just be a month behind on this review. So sorry! Sometimes life happens. This story gave me the creeps. Truly, shivery, shakey, OMG, wth type of creeps. It took me awhile to read. Thing is that books don't normally do this to me. Maybe I was just in an odd frame of mind. Hey, it happens! Would I recommend this book? Honestly, for me it was weird and almost feverish. So, no. I'm not sure I'd recommend this book. I do plan on reading more from this author, and coming back to this story in particular in the future. My thanks to Joffe books and Netgalley for this arc.

A fantastic read. Thoroughly enjoyed this and it is not something I would usually pick up. Will look for more from this author in future.

Steve Parker, a retired police officer, sets the story in an area of London that is nestled on the banks of the River Thames. His main protagonist - Ray Paterson - is an interesting lead, who does not encompass the stereotypical 'cop' we've come to expect from our literature. He isn't a hard, cold man smoking forty cigarettes a day, who's hard up and struggling with life.
Paterson isn't instantly likeable. But, by the end of the novel I came to admire and care for this character, something I didn't expect to do earlier on. His supporting characters, DS Johnny Clocks (AKA Timex) and DS Dave Jordan were a little muddled together for me at first, but I soon came to love them in different ways.
It is evident that Steve Parker writes from experience; the plot, settings and characters have an authentic feel, and there is a level of detail that a novice would not be able to add. At times the plot is gripping and fast paced, with an undeniable number of surprising plot twists and surprises, but there were also moments where I felt it was a little slow, and a little unnecessary. I also found the murderers 'history' to be typical and predictable.
Overall, I've enjoyed the novel and I would certainly read more books about Ray Paterson and the crimes of London he's chasing down.

3.5 🌟🌟🌟

A very gruesome serial killer thriller. lots of action, strong characters, violence and swearing. Having said that, the story line was good and the police were a mix of good and bad! Not for the faint hearted but I would read more by the same author. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Amazon, Facebook and Goodreads.

I liked the conflict between the two detectives. That was a bit different from the usual detective plot line. The nature of the riddles with the victims demise was also interesting.

I really, really enjoyed this book - it was well written and it completely captivated me. I am a massive crime fiction fan and I love reading book from new authors to me and this one was a complete delight for me.

The characters are really well developed, I loved what we got to see of their personalities and their interaction within the story was great - they gave it an added extra for me. The plot flows very well and the setting was perfect.

No hesitation - five stars from me and I am really looking forward to seeing what he releases next - very highly recommended!!

Very good crime story with depth and plot. Right from the beginning hooked to each find. The pattern of a serial killer

What a wonderful & terrific, & creepy story! I LOVED THIS!
Everything about this book spoke to me. It was everything I look for in a crime/mystery.
And DS Paterson was a fabulous character!
This book freaked me out(in a good way).
This book creeped me out(in a good way).
This book kept me in suspense from page one.
I can't recommend this one enough!

The book starts off with us being introduced to DSI Paterson, who is one flashy DS driving around in an Aston Martin and wearing a Rolex watch. The first body he investigates is a horrific scene where the young lady has been murdered and mutilated in such a grotesque way that it shocks all the officers already there and also Paterson himself.

I really got into this story very quickly with the murders as they were done in such a way that you would assume it was personal, or the killer is some deranged character who will kill more and lead the police on a merry chase, so I knew I was going to be in for a good ride with Paterson as he and his little team investigate everything.

I also really liked the fact that the book is set in London, which makes a change for a Joffe book as most of them are set up North in quaint little villages and towns, instead of a major city, especially somewhere with such a rich history as Bermondsey.

As with any good book there was one or two main characters I didn’t like, namely Clocks, but his character was written in such a way that I knew I wasn’t supposed to like him until he proves himself to be a really good police officer.

This is a brilliant introduction to both Steve and the series that I can highly recommend it to everyone. It also makes a change that I am starting a series from Book 1 as most of the time I join a series part way through.

Simply the thriller I've read in ages.
Its easy to say that the characters are a bit stereotypical - the young, rich, upwardly mobile Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson; old fashioned DS Dave Jordan; loud mouthed , obnoxious DS Johnny Clocks - you get the idea. The fact is that the story telling is so well written and fast paced that the characters become more rounded as the plot progresses.
Extremely realistic with some graphic violence and some very good, funny and foul mouthed dialogue, this book has everything you could want. It's very rare to read a book that falls into the " can't pit it down" category, but this one fits that bill exactly. Congratulations to Steve Parker for a stunning debut novel and I hope the follow up is soon with us. Do not miss this book.

Their Last Words an intriguing edge of your seat Serial killer thriller was exceptionally written! It is full of twists and turns that will keep you saying wow. The character development is excellent. Each character is unique they each bring something to the table. I definitely recommend it.