3.5 stars - My first from this author! Such a good read, but I was hoping for a bit more. Maybe the character development? Interested in reading more from this author.

Last Day (genre- women's fiction/suspense)
Rating- 3 stars

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Full review on bookstagram to come.

I've never read a book from this author before, and now I understand why she's so popular - the writing in this was well-done, there was solid character development, and there was plenty of mystery and intrigue. So while I didn't love this book, it definitely won't be my last from this author.

This slow burn mystery/women's fiction novel was enjoyable overall, but some pieces didn't work for me, in the end. The plot moved along a bit too slowly for my personal preference, and seemed like it could've been condensed. At times, that prevented me from getting fully invested in the story. That being said, the relationships between the characters and the twists that the story took were fun to watch develop, and I wasn't able to guess the final outcome.

Luanne RICE is one of my favorite authors. "Last Day" is touching, suspenseful and will keep you reading all night long. Great novel, and worth the read.

Thank you to #NetGalley for this book.

I'm a big Luanne Rice reader but since she started writing mysteries I just cannot seem to get into them. I like that she writes about sisters and friends but this one just did not pull me in so I did not finish.

I was highly disappointed in this story! Luanne Rice has written better. This book was slow and bland. I rate this book a 2.1

Last Day by Luanne Rice is a murder mystery. A woman is found brutally murdered and painting is missing. The woman, Beth was in similar situation as teen but it was her mother who was murdered. Beth's sister Kate is the one to find her and it brings back all the horrible memories from that night in the basement. Detective Conor Reid was one of the officers to find Beth and Kate originally and he has now been assigned to find Beth's murder.

Last Day has… I really cannot think of one thing I liked about this book. I finished it. No this is not the worst book but I expected more from Luanne Rice so I am being more harsh. I figured out who did it as soon as I met them. None of the red herring really worked for me because they were too obvious. Kate seemed bland she really didn't have any characteristics and the detective has been stalking Kate and Beth ever since the basement. I expected more and I was disappointed.

2.5 stars because I don’t think this was a bad book but I expected more and because of that I was bored. I will round up as per usual. Thank you to NetGalley, Luanne Rice and Thomas & Mercer for the free copy. This was an honest review.

I have never read this author before but I will read her books again! This was a page turner and was pretty intense. You really need to pick it up and give it a read, because you will truly like I too. Thanks for the great book Luanne!

Family, friends, secrets, betrayal & murder. The Last Day is an whodunit that focuses on family and friends. While there is a big cast of characters, I found it easy to follow and enjoyed the multi-generational aspects to the book.

I was fully engaged through the entire read and Rice adds in lots of red herrings, tons and secrets and plenty of potential suspects. I also loved the location, which really was a character of it's own, and the book's focus on the art community.

This was my first read by Luanne Rice and I've already picked up my next one!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This tragic mystery is an absolutely fantastic book!! Written with panache, the characters make this story real. Luanne Rice's research for this novel throws it into a category of its own. The twists, the turns, the realism will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Plan on reading in one sitting because you will not be able to put this book down once you've opened the cover. Enjoy! 📚

This is a tear jerker and I really thought I would love this story. It was ok read but I was disappointed. Kate and Beth have had tragedy in their lives but Beth has moved forward, married and continues the family's art gallery business. One day Kate can't get in touch with her sister and finds her dead, murdered just like a previous family member. Now the same police detective is on the case and vows to catch the murderer for both. I think the story got bogged down and didn't stick with the murder. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Luanne rice never fails to draw me in.This book is so well written so involving a true page turner.Highky recommend this and all her novels.#netgalley#thomasmercer

This novel was a page turner and definitely got me hooked!
I love murder mysteries that keep you guessing, and this novel was definitely it!!

Luanne Rice is a marvelous contemporary writer and her narrative energy is unceasing. There was something to hold my attention on every page as the plot built toward the ending.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

What happened to Beth and Kate's mother? And what happened to the painting Moonlight? Now, many years later, Beth has been murdered. Her sister Kate, with whom she's had a distant relationship over the years (both emotionally and physically) steps up to work with Conor Reid to find the truth. Beth's husband Pete is a rat. For one thing, he has a child by Nicola and for another, he's just a rat! But, is he the murderer and did he take the painting? Where is it? All questions I know but this one has some interesting twists and I don't want to give spoilers. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fast paced thriller to take your mind off the news.

Last Day, a thriller by bestselling author, Luanne Rice, tells the story of Kate Woodward and her sister Beth Lathrop, who were tied up and gagged in the basement of their parent’s art gallery when they were teenagers; their mother was also tied up and gagged, while two persons stole a very valuable painting, Kate and Beth’s dad was in on the heist, and he went to prison. Their mother died, not having enough air to breath with the gag in place. Now, 20+ years later, Beth is found murdered, and the same painting is stolen again. Pete, Beth’s estranged husband, is the prime suspect, and Kate and her best friends are devastated. Years earlier, they had made a blood pact between the four best friends, part of which meant never keeping secrets from each other. The detective who was on the original case is determined to get to the bottom of Beth’s murder; he has been keeping tabs on the sisters for all these years.

Rice is a fabulous storyteller. Most of her novels have building suspense, women with emotional problems, a bit of romance, and plenty of twists and turns. Last Day is no exception. One of Rice’s strengths is her ability to develop her characters and make them very believable. The sisters and friends are developed so well, that readers will be able to picture them and relate to them as real people. Pete, Beth’s husband, is a total narcissist, and his actions are very typical; anyone who has lived with or known a true narcissist, will find him true to form; Rice has done her research, and readers want Pete to be the murderer. However, there are a few inconsistencies, and new characters who readers will suspect, such as Jed, who was Beth’s lover - the man she was supposedly going to leave her husband for. Pete has been having an affair with one of Beth and Kate’s friends, Nicola, and Nicola has had Pete’s baby. It’s almost like everyone is a suspect.

The story flows and will draw readers to the edge of their seats. Luanne Rice fans will love this novel, and those who are not familiar with her will also love it and want to read all of her previous novels. They are all stand alone books, so they can be read in any order. Highly recommended.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

This is absolutely the last time I trust the gilded ‘most awaited books’ or ‘books to read,’ or ‘top ten’ lists touted in major U.S./UK publications. This book as well as ‘When I was You’ by Minka Kent, which I had the misfortune of reading around the same time are a load of glorified toilet paper. Both had a bad story / mystery and irritating characters stretched out like a chewing gum for 400-plus pages. In this one, the classic opening pages that introduce a Chris Watts-like murder (I was reading a book on him this week) turn into a soap opera of a bored housewife, an unprofessional detective and fishy friends with results that don’t make any sense. By the end, you’ll know 'who' killed Beth Woodward but 'why' will be extremely confusing and ridiculous. And to top it all of, nobody asks why?! And then you’ll curse yourself for ever picking the book up. Plus, there’s a lot of virtue-signaling by the author (a lot of ‘she was a saint,’ ‘she was not a saint,’ ‘his secret life’ and I did not like it).

Connor Reid, the ‘detective,’ was a creepy stalker of two sisters who in true thriller cliche’ solves the crime and gets the girl. I did not like him or that.

Pgs 388 - 394 (chapter 52) have an okay account of the act of strangling from the victim’s point of view, though it should’ve been more macabre (reminded me of Shannon Watts).

Typos:
pg 43: I want you (to) tell me everything
pg 79: but she listed (listened) to the message again

It has been a long time since I've read a book by Luanne Rice. I have always enjoyed her story telling but this one fell a little short for me.

The detective that shows up to investigate the case just happens to be the one who found the victim and her sister years ago. We also find out that he has kept track of the sisters since the first crime was committed which is a bit strange to me. Right away we know that not all was good with the marriage and that as usual the husband is the first suspect. Throw into the mix a valuable painting that was stolen from the victim's bedroom and now we have and art crime on our hands.

I had a really hard time connecting to any of the characters and some I thought were a little over the top. For me it wasn't the best Luanne Rice book I have read.

Thanks to #Thomas&Mercer, Seattle for allowing me to read this book. I have to say that it wasn't a happy read but I really liked the book. It was very well written. The bond between the sisters was so evident even after the death of Beth. The Compass Rose group was such a close knit group that secrets that were kept between certain members was heartbreaking to the others. The twists and turns, the lies and secrets, the infidelity, and love between friends, husbands and wives but most of all the love and bonds between sisters. This book pulls you in and you keep reading waiting for closure that does come but leaves you sad. I am still thinking of this book and I finished it yesterday. It is definitely worth the read.

Last Day is a very entertaining and well written book. Luanne Rice has written another fantastic book. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Thank You for the opportunity to read and review this book. I have read many books by Luann Rice and this one did not disappoint. Very well written and a beautifully written story. Great characters and easy to follow along with. I highly recommend this book to everyone. Tha k You.