When your past comes back to haunt you...

Crime thriller and police procedural, the second in a series featuring Detective Inspector Zac Boateng of the Lewisham Major Investigation Team. An old colleague is found dead -- a suspected suicide. Then another. And yet another. Three dead cops, all from the team that had responded to a 999 call years ago when they were all new to the police force. Obviously the deaths are murders, and Zac knows that he's next on the list because he was there that night as well. Something happened inside that house years ago and someone wants them to pay for it.

This is rather slow moving and also involves a concurrent unrelated investigation into hate crime in the area. I knew almost immediately who was behind the killing of the cops, so the reveal came as no surprise. I had enjoyed the first book in this new series, BRING HER BACK, so had wanted to follow up. I know there's a third in the works. The character of DI Boateng is rather stereotypical of male detectives -- strong silent type family man. Zac carries a lot of guilt (from events related to the first book) and with what happened to cause a killer to come after him in this book. Some interesting themes in the book include police welfare (psychological counseling and all-t00-common problem of police suicide) and the unique use of the drug, succinylcholine, a paralyzing agent.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Detective Inspector Zachariah Boateng gets a text from his old friend Troy McEwen wanting to talk about old times, Zac immediately goes to see him but finds him dead. It’s written off as a suicide due to Troy’s mental health issue but Zac knows the truth. There’s a secret he’s been carrying round with him for almost twenty years, a secret only a few people knew including Troy, and it looked like it was coming back to haunted him.

So this is the second in the DI Boateng series and can be easily read as a stand alone, something I can attest to having not read the first myself.

This is a really dark, fast paced and gripping read, with the tension never really lets up and will have you turning those pages!

There are two stories in the novel, the first is Troy’s suicide which leads Zac to encounter fiery journalist Faye Rix who accuses Troy of having ties to organised crime. The second and more minor of the storylines is to do with racially motivated killings which is what he’s supposed to be investigating.

Boateng is a really fascinating character to read. He’s tortured by the death of his young daughter Amelia, in a gangland shooting, he refuses to back down and will not give up which makes him bend the rules quite a bit. What was more unusual was he was happily married to Etta which frankly makes a change that the usual divorced/murdered and is looking for their killer back story you usually get.

I have to be honest I did figure out who the murderer was but Chris Merritt did have me doubting myself! There was also a little twist in the end that I would never have seen coming in a million years!

I’d recommend this to anyone who loves a police procedural with a diverse cast of characters that doesn’t let up the pace throughout. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

What Can I say..... Thank you to my favourite publishers Bookouture, Net Galley and the author for a ARC Copy for an honest review....

What a great read ! Tense, suspenseful and thoroughly gripping from first page to last!

What if you made one mistake and it came back to kill you?

Detective Zac Boateng’s old friend, Troy McEwen, is found dead in his home. The official verdict is suicide. But Boateng believes it was murder. And he thinks he might be next on the killer’s list.

If Troy didn’t take his own life, then who did? As he investigates, Boateng discovers a link to an incident from decades earlier. Mistakes were made that day. Lives were lost and secrets kept. Until now…

As more people who were there on that fateful day are found dead, Boateng knows that the killer is closing in on him…

A tense, fast paced procedural full of mystery and several very good twists. It held my attention throughout and I raced through the pages, I was desperate to know the details of the 1998 incident…and also kept guessing the killer, a compelling and gripping thriller. The story and
characters are very realistic and police procedures are skilfully accurate, the pacing excellent and the twists unexpected, although I did guess correctly near the end....’

A great collection of characters, from the police officers to all the suspects... A very intelligent story

Thank you for a great book, do I wait for number three, or read number one ?

Another great Police Inspector to follow, alongside Angela Marsons and Robert Bryndza books.

Well, it is official, I think I have found a new detective that I might just love a little bit. Detective Zac Boateng is up there with Bosch, Cross to name some of the greats. One of thing that I did adore about him is that he is not your typical type of detective, in the fact he is happily married and has a family, albeit suffering a loss of his daughter, but he has a wife who supports and loves him dearly. I love this! (Not the loss, but the commitment to each other) He is, however, your typically flawed detective, with a lot of baggage he needs to let go off. So many secrets he is keeping, mainly the one that could get him killed…. what happened in 1998? Why are people dying because of it? Want to know…. well you will need to do something very special...you ready…. read the book 😊

Zac is restless, his friend has committed suicide, but Zac can’t accept it, especially as hours before Troy text him asking him to pop over to discuss “back then”. Seriously stop teasing me already especially with so many people in potential danger! What happened? In Zac’s mind it is murder and as he discovers more information to another case he is working on, it links back to Troy’s death. Someone is watching Zac, and watching him keep secrets…but who? Someone with an invested interest in the case that is for sure.

I love Jones too, so naïve, still young in the teams’ eyes and apparently being a girl doesn’t help! She cares and worries about Boateng, whilst having to deal with some weirdo who happens to be working in their office, I mean seriously what do you want? Always watching…. because that wouldn’t freak anyone out would it!

I sound like a broken record lately, I keep picking up books, getting enticed by them, throwing everything at them to discover they are part of a series! Doh! And then I tell you I am going to go back and read the others in the series…. guess what! I am telling you the same here. I wish I had read the first book in order, (it does my OCD no good!) because I would have learned Zac’s past encounters and friends, leading us to the present day. So, bear with me whilst I have more reading to do and more reviews to share with you!

Chris Merritt can add me to his list of fans, as I loved this book, the plot, characters and most of all his writing. I found it easy to follow and to read and I couldn’t put the book down, even when I was tired and wanted sleep, so sign of a terrific book!

So, when can I read the next one??

4 Cracking Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is the second book in the Zac Boateng police procedural series, but it can absolutely be read as a standalone... I did not read the first book and I was not lost at any time... I’m sure I missed some character background, but it was not necessary to the story...

Sometimes I struggle with police procedurals, there is too much procedural and not enough character development... I thought this book had a really good balance of both... and bonus Zac is a healthy well-adjusted character without an addiction.... additionally he is married with children.... The one thing that does haunt him though is the murder of his daughter, and I would think anybody would be haunted by this police or not...

Zac’s longtime friend Troy is murdered... I always get excited when a character has the same name as one of my children, however not so much when he is the murder victim! The murder is made to look like a suicide, but Zac is not convinced and believes he might be next... what happened in 1998? And why are people being killed 20 years later? Well you will need to read this book to find that out!

This book was perfectly paste and well plotted with the perfect amount of twists to keep you guessing... and of course as in 94% of the books I read I did not see that ending coming, I really would be the world‘s worst detective ever!

Recommend to fans of the police procedural with a strong well developed male detective...

*** many thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

Brilliantly written mystery that kept me engrossed from the beginning. The author did a great job of creating a scene that I could visualize and the characters were well developed.

Oh my goodness, what a fantastic opening!!! I have to say that my timing for reading 'Last Witness' was unbelievably shocking as the way which Troy was found deceased, was very close to home on a personal level. It probably should have done, but it didn't put me off continuing to read the book at all, in fact, it made me more intrigued about what was going to happen throughout the rest of the storyline.

'Last Witness' is such a heart in mouth, fast paced and chilling read which kept my jaw on the floor, and my bottom on the edge of my seat. I'm not even going to give my opinion on certain parts of the storyline, as I really do think that you should read this book with the least amount of information beforehand. Trust me, the shock factor is amplified big time.

Zac is such an extraordinarily complex character and to be honest, you can't really blame him for that. If you have read the first book in the series, you would be able to understand more. However if you haven't, don't worry though as 'Last Witness' can be read very well as a standalone. Zac's complexity is weirdly endearing, even though I don't think that we would ever be able to fully understand his personality, even if the author wrote another ten books with him at the forefront of the storyline. That isn't a bad thing by the way, at all!

'Last Witness' is definitely a read which will raise your heart rate, lower your oxygen levels, and make your skin crawl. Hell, I heard a noise outside and literally jumped off the bed!

Chris Merritt is an amazing author who creates such magnetic and well-rounded stories, paving the way for his readers to be able to lose themselves in and unknowingly become an extra in the book. I really enjoyed 'Last Witness' and I cannot wait to find out what happens in Zac's life next time - what a corker of a book this is!

This was my first Chris Merritt book and I missed the first in the series, but I picked this book up and didn't feel like anything was missing. I am defy looking forward to more books from Chris

It seems ages since I read the first book in the Detective Zac Boateng series, but really its only been a short time. Its been such a pleasure to walk through the pages of the Last Witness with Boateng, playing Detective through my own imagination, interpreting the secrets, the lies, the clues in my own fanciful way, occasionally becoming sullen when I get it wrong, but hey who doesn’t.

Okay so I have established that the Last Witness is a second book for Boateng, so how about we have a wee look into what Boateng got involved in this time.

Never the crime of the century but unbeholden to Zac the death of a old friend Troy McEwen, would embroil him and his family in a past investigation, which could ultimately cost him his life. Troy has apparently committed suicide but Zac believes that his friend was murdered, as the days pass more people he knew are being found dead, each one with a connection to the past, the lies that were told, the secrets covered up, the individuals who died that day. The past is hurtling towards Boateng at an almighty speed, he believes he is next to die, can he find out who is responsible before he is the next target and protect his family.

I still really like Boateng even if he has past misdemeanours which throw a different light on him, but at the end of the day we have all made mistakes, okay maybe not as serious as Boateng’s but they are there. There is something about Boateng as a character which warms we to him, he is cool, calm and collected to some extent but becomes a different man entirely when his family are involved, nothing will get in his way of protecting them.

As for some of the other characters, there was one I really wanted to punch, when you read Last Witness you will know who I mean, a self centred individual who thinks nothing of being a complete and utter (insert rude word here).

Well Chris you have definitely produced another exceptional piece of work, one I couldn’t let go of, the pages turned at a slower pace for me this time as I wanted to savour the story, read between the lines, trying to decipher where you were leading Boateng, to see if I came to the same conclusions. Detective work I just don’t think is for me, yeah I caught onto many of the clues but I still didn’t catch the bugger at he end, 1-0 to you Chris.

My thanks go to Bookouture, Chris Merritt and Noelle Holten for the advanced readers copy of the Last Witness in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. Been a pleasure to be part of the Blog Blitz today and I hope to welcome the next Detective Zac Boateng very soon.

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY! Eeee. OMG! Ahhh! Where do I start? I have a new favourite author. Chris sure knows how to write a belter of a book! After reading and loving Bring Her Back this was a must read for me without a doubt.

I was so impressed, gripped, hooked and immersed. I don’t have the words to describe how much I loved this book! Which is why I awarded five stars and would highly recommend to you all. Last Witness is brilliant, cleverly written and could possibly be heading into my top 20 of 2018 if theres a spare spot. I am loving this authors work and his book covers.

Thrilling, clever and an unexpected outcome I didn’t see coming… What’s not to love? I cannot wait for more by this author. Thank you for writing another fantastic book! A real page turner a book that won’t let you go until you’ve finished it.

This is shaping up to be a really good series of books. Chris Merritt has just been added to my list of favourite authors. Zac's old friend Troy,has committed suicide, or has he? A great plot, lots of tension and fast paced. Read it and make up your own mind. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy. Reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and Facebook.

What happened in 1998 that is apparently causing deaths now? DI Zac Boateng certainly has his suspicions when good friend Troy McEwen is the victim of an apparent suicide. Boateng doesn't believe this for one minute. He is certain that it was murder. But, he is alone in his feelings, and as he goes about trying to prove that he is right, and to apprehend the murderer, other deaths begin happening. There are definite links, and Boateng is sure that it all relates back to 1998. He was involved then, so does that indeed put his very life at risk?

Boateng is flawed, although he is a wonderful family man. He does a superb job of going off the cuff when it comes to investigating what he is sure is murder. He goes even further with connecting it with other deaths that are suddenly occurring. Watching him work while Detective Sergeant Kat Jones works separately at first getting to the bottom of things captured my attention. Last Witness was chock-full of intrigue and kept me on my toes. There were twists and turns and a lot of confusion for me as a reader to try and identify the true killer. There were red herrings for sure and it was a true crime thriller written in a captivating way.

Although this is the second book in the Zac Boateng series, it read perfectly well as a standalone. There were references that I am sure related to the first book, but in no way did it affect the integrity of this title. I may have missed the first book in the series, but I definitely will be back for the next one, especially since the riveting conclusion has gotten me excited. So, in all, this was a thrilling mystery that was a terrific read.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was my first Chris Merritt book and I missed the first in the series, but I picked this book up and didn't feel like anything was missing. This was a fast paced and exciting Cop Thriller.
Detective Zac Boateng loses a good friend, supposedly suicide, but he doesn't buy it. No one believes him so he must find the truth himself.
I fell into this story and finished it in two days.  After getting through this book so fast I really want to read more. I may have to go back and read the first one. The writing style was quick and to the point without a bunch of extra stuff but still draws you in and excites you.
This was a great Cop Thriller!
A must read.

This was my first Chris Merritt book and I missed the first in the series, but I picked this book up and didn’t feel like anything was missing. This was a fast paced and exciting Cop Thriller.
Detective Zac Boateng loses a good friend, supposedly suicide, but he doesn’t buy it. No one believes him so he must find the truth himself.
I fell into this story and finished it in two days. After getting through this book so fast I really want to read more. I may have to go back and read the first one. The writing style was quick and to the point without a bunch of extra stuff but still draws you in and excites you.
This was a great Cop Thriller!
A must read.

Last Witness is a fast paced heart pounding crime thriller. This author is new to me and I certainly enjoyed the writing style. Highly recommend this book.

This is another gripping read from Chris Merrittt.
Zac gets a text from an old friend asking him to go and and see him. When he arrives he finds his friend dead, with a shotgun in his lap.
Zac knows that Troy would not kill himself but everyone else sees it as suicide so the case is closed.
Never one to give up easily, Zac pursues his own enquiries.
Soon another friend is found dead, again it was made to look like suicide, but still no-one will back him up.
We are told the deaths are to do with something that happened in 1998 but it isn’t until later in the story that we find out what happened.
I really felt Zac’s frustrations and when everything comes to a life or death situation, they have to listen.
The hunt is then on for the murderer and whilst I had my suspicions, I didn’t realise the reasons for the killer’s actions.
This is a great read and I look forward to the next one.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

The authors ability to keep you guessing is the true highlight of this book. We all make mistakes that we regret! What consequences do we face for keeping those mistakes a secret? Tying together all the people involved without revealing too much is a talent that this author has mastered. Looking forward to the next installment.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant read. I read this book in one go. I had to know the outcome. Suspense builds and builds throughout this book. There is suspense and a really good plot right up to the end. This book is very cleverly written and I will definitely be looking out for more books by Chris Merritt.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This is the second book in the D.I. Zac Boateng series. It can be read as a standalone, but it does make sense to read the books in order to fully understand the storyline. Zac hears from an old friend, Troy McEwen. It’s been a long time since he’s last heard from him, but when he goes to meet him he finds Troy dead from a gunshot wound. It looks like suicide, but Zac isn’t so sure and begins an informal investigation into his death. This uncovers a link to something that happened years ago, and Zac begins to wonder whether he could be next!

I read the first book in the series and enjoyed it. DI Zac Boateng is one of those characters that immediately draws you in. He’s seems to have a track record of investigating cases ‘off the record’ and I love that he’s not afraid to bend the rules for something he believes it right.

The storyline gets you hooked right from the beginning and is cleverly written to disguise who done it! There are many red herrings and wrong turns, and I genuinely didn’t work it out until well into the book! It is an action packed thriller, filled with tension and suspense, which flows at a really good pace. There are some great characters in this series and I can’t wait until the next book to find out more about them! This book’s ending lines it up nicely for book #3 to continue!!

The Prologue set the seen brilliantly leading me to want to read the book. It was an enjoyable read with an excellent ending. I read Last Witness fairly quickly intrigued to find the outcome of the investigations. Bookouture seems to have several crime/thriller writers who produce fabulous plots that are well written, believable, and page-turning.