Race against time to catch a serial killer before he takes his last victim. Didn't want to stop reading this story You're trying to figure out who the serial killer is and the connection between the victims at the same time seeing how close the police are discovering the truth but the killer is always a step ahead.

This one was not for me unfortunately. I got 10% through and was still not interested in the story. I struggled to make it past the prologue to be honest.

Woah! Another gripping thriller which kept me hooked. John Mars has a way of writing horrific thrillers which I am always fascinated about. Loved this as well. But "the one" still tops the charts from Mars for me.

In Her Last Move we meet DS Becca Vincent, against the backdrop of a series of apparently unrelated killings in London. Becca soon teams up with the super recogniser Joe, and with his eyes and her brains they soon zone into the possible killer and the motive behind the killer. I must honestly say, I loved each and every word of the book, but did not like the ending part (no spoilers I promise). It didn't go the way I would have liked it to go!!
Nonetheless, a brilliant novel by a talented author!

Review: Her Last Move by John Marrs ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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I loved this book! I read The One by the same author (amazing book if you haven’t read it already), and it’s one of my favourite books. And this thriller is equally as amazing 😍 it follows the story of a killer seeking revenge to the emergency services after his traumatic past. I loved all of the character build ups, and so many shocking things happened at the end (I won’t spoil it). Thank you @netgalley for letting me reviews this book!

Written by John Marrs — It’s great to hitch up with an unfamiliar name, isn’t it? Especially when the book you read is so good! Her Last Move may be John Marrs’ fifth standalone thriller but it’s the first to have made a blip on the CFL radar.

This is an author who thrives on the dark and twisted, so prepare for something a little out of the ordinary. The opening few paragraphs all seem so run of the mill though – a man is standing on a London underground platform, waiting for the next train. He’s passing the time by reading the posters on the wall opposite, trying to bring his feelings under control as we keeps an eye on a fellow commuter – a tall, overweight plasterer called Stefan Dumitru. Sadly it’s the end of the line for Dumitru, who is destined to die under the wheels of the next train. It also signals the start of a blood-soaked, demented journey for the man who has just completed his first kill…

Also on the platform is DS Becca Vincent, on her way to work when work lands right in her lap. She’s first at the scene and keen to stay with the investigation, but she’s going to have to prove herself to the bosses before they will agree. We soon learn Becca has a tragic past, a young daughter with Downs syndrome and a mother who is getting tired with taking on all of the childcare responsibilities. She needs to spend more time with little Maisie, but the draw of a big case is just too tempting for Becca.

So far, DS Vincent sounds like oh so many other female police officers to feature in crime fiction, but Marrs is quite a spin doctor and little by little he manages to create a character who stands out from the rest. Talking of outstanding protagonists – meet DS Joe Russell, a member of another Met Police unit who is about to join Becca in the hunt for a killer whose strike rate is alarmingly fast. Joe is a super recogniser, someone whose brain has built-in facial recognition that’s better than any computer. And yes, CFL fans, this is a thing and actually exists within the Metropolitan Police Force.

At first Joe is called in to trawl though hour upon hour of CCTV and spot faces, but his role grows exponentially as the murder investigation team realises how useful his skills can be to them. He’s teamed with Becca and the pair have a rocky start to their partnership but gradually a mutual respect for each other’s skills melds them into a top class twosome.

Meanwhile, we’re given glimpses into the twisted mind of our killer, someone who is living an ordinary life when he isn’t committing extraordinary acts of cruelty. Be prepared for some gruesome crime scenes as this story unfolds. We don’t know who he is or what is driving him to such evil deeds, but there’s something strangely compelling about him.

Marrs has an easy style that grips right from the off. His depictions of London are so lifelike you can almost scent the exhaust fumes and his characters leap off the pages. You’ll enjoy following the minutiae of their lives, discovering the private worries, joy and sorrows behind their professional personas – and believe me, this bunch have them in spades! Get ready for scenes that’ll turn your stomach, alongside those that may require a tissue or two on this roller coaster ride of a read. I’m off to search out Marrs’ previous books and I suggest you do too.

For more quirky, cop-driven crime we suggest Holy Ceremony by Harri Nykänen or why not give Roxanne Bouchard’s We Were the Salt of the Sea a whirl?

Thomas & Mercer
Print/Kindle/iBook
£3.98

CFL Rating: 5 Stars

Not the first of his books I've read and this new addition just goes to show he is still hitting it hard out of the starting blocks. Pulled in from the very beginning.

A thrilling rollercoaster ride.

True to form, John Mars has written another thrilling rollercoaster ride for fans of really gritty crime drama! ‘Her Last Move’ drew me in from the beginning and had me on the edge of my seat right up to the finale!

We are introduced to Detective Becca Vincent, who has to juggle her career aspirations with her difficult home situation. Becca has been instructed to investigate an extremely high profile case after two grisly murders occur within the space of two days. It becomes clear that there must be a link especially when even more depraved murders unfold.

Becca is asked to liaise with Joe, a ‘super recogniser' from the Met, who has honed his powers to recognise a vast number of people's faces. His talents prove to be rather useful in this complex investigation. The psychotic murderer is working through his ‘list' so who will the next victim be? The detectives have a race against time, so will there be a satisfactory conclusion, to save the last person on the list?

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Her Last Move' so top marks John Mars! Just a word of warning, this is not for the faint-hearted.

Galadriel.

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of this book to review

I DNF'd this one; it failed to capture my attention. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book for review.

This is my first read from John Marrs and it won't be my last. DS Becca Vincent is on the hunt for a killer hell-bent on revenge in the most gruesome of ways. She enlists the help from DS Joe Russell, a "Super-Recogniser" with a photographic memory of faces.

Great writing with a unique story line for a police procedural. The story is told in 3 different perspectives, Becca, Joe and the killer. We get a glimpse of their lives and the demons they are still struggling to overcome. This is one of the few books that had a genuinely shocking moment for me and I was gripped.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for a copy of John Marrs' "Her Las Move" in exchange of an honest review.

I think it's safe to say John Marrs is rapidly becoming one of my favourite writers. After The One I was expecting something good but it's fair to say I was expecting more of the same. But this was completely different, far more rooted in reality. So what did I love about it. First off a strong female lead who isn't seemingly indestructible, secondly a gay man whose sexuality is just a fact and not a convenient plot point or a 'lets stick a gay character in for diversity' plus a downs syndrome character which for my own reasons is nice to see in a novel. And then the killer....his logic and reasoning for the killings is slowly unveiled and is frighteningly understandable except....well actually you'll have to read it to understand the except part.

This is great novel with some fantastic plot twists and surprises. Due to been ill I ended up half reading and half listening to the audiobook so I can also highly recommend the audio reading of this as well.

This story grabbed me from the beginning. The female lead in this story was a bit "pity me" type but I'm sure many mothers who try to "have it all" may feel the same way. (I was a stay-at-home mom, luckily.) I really liked her "partner", Joe.

All the characters had their flaws but were trying to manage the best they could. The suspect was definitely flawed beyond repair, obviously. I definitely didn't see the ending coming.

Overall, this story was a 4 star read. I enjoyed the writing, it flowed very well for me. I will be checking out any other thrillers/suspenseful books by this author.

I really like John Marrs and enjoy his writing style but this one couldn’t hold my attention.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Detective Becca Vincent is racing around the clock to find a serial killer roaming the streets of London. Will she find him before it is too late...or will it be her last move?

The story takes place in London, where a serial killer is at work. The murders are deliberately planned and gruesomely implemented. As the numbers keep rising, it becomes clear that the murders are far from random. It is up to detectives Becca Vincent and Joe Russell to connect the dots and apprehend this menacing sadist before it is too late. However, the killer is determined that he will not stop until he reaches the culmination of his master plan. The problem? Becca Vincent is part of it.

Becca and Joe must use every bit of intelligence and cunning that they have in order to find this killer. If they cannot put together the puzzle in time and stop him in his tracks, Becca may just find herself next on his list.

John Marrs has done it again. His twists and turns had me constantly guessing, and just when I thought I had pieced together everything, the plot would twist in an entirely different direction. Not one for cookie cutter mysteries, his thrillers are always taut, suspenseful, and nail-bitingly delicious. I already am on the lookout for his next novel!

This is the second book I have read by John Marrs.....Please tell me some of you have read his books?! Awesome!
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He hides in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment. Each kill is calculated, planned and executed like clockwork.
Struggling to balance her personal and professional life, young DS Becca Vincent has landed the biggest case of her career – and she knows that it will make or break her. But how can she identify one face in a sea of thousands? With the help of Police Super Recogniser Joe Russell, she strives to catch a glimpse of the elusive murderer, but he’s watching her every move.
Time is not on their side. The body count is rising, and the attacks are striking closer and closer to home. Can Becca and Joe uncover the connection between the murders before the killer strikes the last name from his list?
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This book......Amazing!!! I haven't been getting as much time to read as I normally do so it's taken a bit longer but wow! I loved it! I couldn't get my head around what was happening but the twists just kept coming! I really don't want to say much more as I will definitely give something away....!! But go read this....😍 I promise you'll enjoy it!
I am hoping I get approved for the Netgalley of The Passengers 🤞

This might be the most depressing crime fiction novel I’ve ever read. In Her Last Move, DS Becca Vincent and Joe Russell are on the task force look for a serial killer with ever-changing methods and an elusive motive, while dealing with their own personal issues. Her: an adopted daughter she has no time for and can’t connect to. And him: a missing sister whose ghost is coming between his marriage.

It took a while for me to get into this one because I found the writing protracted and a bit heavy-handed when it came to trying to explain the characters. Perhaps that’s because it’s a standalone novel. Perhaps it was to up the emotional reactions to the ending. I don’t know. But the flow just wasn’t as smooth or engaging as I usually gravitate towards.

This criticism only applies to the personal side of the story, because the crimes and darker aspects of the novel seemed to take place off-page, almost like an afterthought - the reader was only told about them later. It didn’t feel as though these big, dramatic murders were given the right amount of attention or emotional relevance.

Typically, I’d like to see some kind of balance between the two aspects of crime fiction. Pull back on the personal descriptions and dial-up the crime aspects so that we’re getting the best of both worlds, and are brought in fully to the investigation and the people doing the investigation.

This book focussed pretty heavily on the characters and their home lives, and so there was a feeling of imbalance to the story. By the 50% mark, things started to pick up in terms of speed and interesting events, but I still found the chapters too wordy.

Overall, though there was a very dark and emotionally heavy theme running through this book. I did not leave this reading experience with any kind of satisfaction even though there were no loose threads in the end. Rather, I had a feeling of being down and mopey. A bad book? No. The killer was interesting, albeit occasionally annoying, and his motivation for his evil deeds was believable, both in the psychotic aspect, but also in a real-world way. It was tangible and true. But I found the important points that brought the whole story together so sad and depressing that any suspense or thrills were totally lost for me.

I’ve heard good things about John Marrs so I’ll try another one of his books.

Another amazing book from this author!

Although this is a new genre for this author, the story plot was brilliant, well thought out and will take you on a roller coaster ride of suspense and drama. The story twists and turns and will take in directions you never saw coming and will keep you guessing until the very end.

The characters are well developed, with enough detail to make you feel you have a either a love or hate relationship with each.

This is a definite must read book.

Another brilliant book from John Marrs. Full of plot twists and shocking turns that you don’t see coming. I was invested right until the very end. The ending to this book was something of a shock it typical of John Marrs style. Once you start reading you won’t be able to put it down.

Although this novel starts with a bang and the plot is a good one I was not convinced by the two main police characters - Joe Russell, a 'superrecogniser' with the police and DS Becca Vincent - their backgrounds seem to be awkwardly introduced and they are both such fractured characters that it doesn't ring true. As the story progresses, and it is a good story, the characters suddenly seem to act out of character to help the action move along which didn't sit well with me. Towards the end of the book everything seems to suddenly come to an end. Very readable but not his best.
Many thanks to Netgalley/John Marrs/Amazon Publishing for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

If you are sensitive or your imagination can play tricks on you, don't read this book. Fast paced thriller full of scary moments.