This book starts a little slowly, but builds to a continuing level of intensity. The death of her first editor and mentor causes a busy TV news editor to add a continuing investigation to her many chores. She is put into danger several times and seems to find a last minute salvation each time.. The writing is clear and easy to follow. The Characters are very individual and interesting. The plot keeps you guessing and engrossed. I call this a great book!

This is the first book I read in this series and was surely be the last.
It was a gripping read that kept me on the edge till the last page.
I loved the well thought characters, the plot that kept me hooked is well crafted, the solid mystery.
The author is an excellent storyteller and I loved his style of writing and how he tells the story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I haven't read the first two books in this series, but don't feel it was at all necessary - - this book stands on its own. It started slowly but rapidly started increasing the mystery and clues. I like Clare and other characters were also well depicted. There were plenty of red herrings throughout the book that made the final reveal all the more interesting. Lots of exciting twists and turns and surprises! And just when you think everything has been revealed - - another BIG surprise!

A well-written and exciting thriller.

The Last Scoop
by R. G. Belsky
Oceanview Publishing
Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 05 May 2020 | Archive Date Not set

It's always a pleasure to read about things I really have no knowledge of. For example, a newsroom. I felt R.G. Belsky gave us a good look at life in the newsroom. Great thriller. I really enjoyed reading it.
Thanks to Net Galley and Oceanview Publishing for the ARC.

I have not read the other books in this series, but didn't feel as if I was missing out on any major plot points. Clare's mentor, Martin, is murdered in a supposed mugging after telling her that he is working on a major new story even though he is retired. I found the suspense to be plentiful and the Clare is a likable main character.

Having spent roughly 16 years in journalism prompted me to say yes to this book - the third in a series featuring journalist Clare Carlson (now a TV news director). I'm glad I did; I thoroughly enjoyed every single page.

That's not to say I identified well with Clare; two of my years was as a beat reporter for a daily and 14 came managing editor of a regional business journal. Unlike Clare, neither experience got me a Pulitzer, sorry to say, but then again, neither was I ever in much danger. The closest I ever came was when I was interviewing a pair of township trustees who clearly didn't like each other, and when one started to take a whack at the other I had to jump out of the way. For sure I never got death threats, nor was my life ever in danger because of any story I wrote.

Almost from the first page of this book - the third in the series - Clare is on shaky ground. When a long-time friend and mentor is murdered, she isn't willing to believe, as do the police, that it was a mugging gone wrong. That's mostly because shortly before his death, he met with Clare to tell her he was looking into goings-on that related to New York's current hot-shot District Attorney Terri Hartwell.

Clare's TV boss isn't thrilled that she wants to delve into the situation to find out specifics about what her friend knew; but she's determined to get to the bottom of things, for the most part going off on her own. Meanwhile, Clare has a few personal "secrets" she'd rather not disclose - things that could derail her so-far stellar career. Her investigation takes her through a dark world of mob bosses, payoffs and yes, murder that go back to an unsolved murder many years ago in small-town Indiana (another plus for me, since I grew up not far from Indianapolis and Fort Wayne). In the end, everything comes to an exciting conclusion, most issues are resolved without, of course, Clare getting killed off (you really don't expect the heroine of a series to bite the dust, do you)?

All told (in first-person, by the way), I highly recommend this book. As always with a series, I'll also recommend starting with the first; but I have not, and I'm happy to say this one stands on its own just fine. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.

R.G. Belsky certainly knows his way around a newsroom. Former managing editor for NBC News, his portrayal of a brilliant, driven journalist who’s found herself promoted out of actually reporting the news to managing it is genuine and compelling. Clare never comes out and says it, but she’s obviously never happier than when she’s chasing down a story.

The story begins with the death of Clare’s old mentor, Marty, shortly after they had a conversation where Marty dropped a few tantalising hints about a big story he was chasing. The circumstances of Marty’s death raise Clare’s suspicions and she can’t quite help herself looking into his research. Which leads down some unexpectedly deep rabbit holes and, eventually, to not one but two of the biggest stories of her life.

This is a well-written story with an amazing flavour of realism about the journalism aspects of it. That said, I did honestly think it read like two different books; although the two stories were linked by more than just Clare’s involvement in them, they were quite different in tone and I feel like both would have benefitted from being given a full book to tell each of the two stories. There’s already a story from a previous book referenced multiple times here; since this is a series, I don’t quite see why one of them couldn’t have been carried forward to another book. As things stand, it felt like neither quite got the full justice done to them.

I also feel uncomfortable about a principal female character who is professionally successful but a disaster in her personal life, as written by a male author. It feels like a judgement that women actually can’t have it all... and that assessment made by a man feels pretty icky. I liked Clare, but she was a harsh judge of herself. I’d have liked her better if she was perfectly happy in who she was and confident in her choice not to have personal relationships, or to simply have sex without entanglements. There are plenty of professional women who choose their careers and don’t make excuses about it to themselves.

This has some really great writing and a solid premise, but I feel like in the hands of a firm editor it could have become two excellent books instead of one I feel a bit ambivalent about. I’ll give it three stars.

We've met Clarisse "Clare" Carlson before. She heads Channel 10 news. She drinks and screws and otherwise is just like a guy.

I find Mr. Belsky's writing style too breezy and I'm not sure the story really holds together. But I suspect that I will be in the minority of readers, though.

The Last Scoop did not last long on my desk. I wanted to like the feisty TV station manager who narrates the story about crime and corruption, but once she admitted to abusing her relationship with her daughter to advance her career, and continued to do so, I began to strongly disrespect the character. I imagine that we are supposed to like her willingness to bend the rules, after all, it's so cute! She is willing to have someone hack into business and bank records for her, she is willing to ignore the directives of her boss, she uses deceit to get an interview with the district attorney. There was no reason left for me to continue reading what I now see as a book. based upon an awful character. Sorry. But, thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

The Last Scoop is Dick (R.G.) Belsky's latest release, just published today, and the third instalment in his Clare Carlson Mysteries series , preceded by Yesterday's News and Below The Fold (read our review here). I had been waiting for this book since last year, and it didn't disappoint; the writing is as strong as ever, and the twists and turns keep on coming.

The formula remains the same, with the story being narrated through Pulitzer Prize winner Clare's eyes, in the first person, as she faces her personal issues and as she chases that next scoop for her newsroom. A fresh murder, an old murder, corruption and an unknown serial killer intersect and keep us guessing throughout as we swiftly turn the pages to get to the next clue (as per the previous offerings, I read this in one sitting). However, two deeper background subjects run through this story which give us some food for thought: guilt and lies.

"It was Adolf Hitler who once famously said that the bigger the lie, the easier it was to tell. "People will believe a big lie sooner than a little one", Hitler boasted. I'm not sure I agree though. I believe it is sometimes the little lie, the insidious lie we might not even be aware of until it's too late that can be the most dangerous and damaging and disturbing. Not only because it is so difficult to detect. But because once you find out a person has lied - no matter how small that lie is - you immediately begin to wonder what else they're not telling you the truth about. I mean, if someone lies about one thing that you know about, the odds are pretty good he or she is also lying about a lot of other stuff you don't know. And so - before we even realize it - we find ourselves caught up in an endless cycle of dishonesty and deception."

Belsky is very skilful in his effortless narration and his female lead is genuine, flawed and believable, as are the rest of the supporting characters. His experience in the newsroom is evident as he shares its workings and challenges with us. Also, in this instance, as in several of his other novels, the premise for this story is "ripped from the headlines" and it is inspired by a real life crime which has gone unsolved since 1964 for which Mr Belsky asked "what if?"; find out more on 21st May when the author tells us about "Using a real-life crime for mystery fiction".

My only gripe with The Last Scoop would be that on a couple of occasions events surrounding Clare's main personal situation were repetitive - verbatim - notably a conversation about motherhood that she has with her friend and confidant, Janet. The fact that Clare has won a Pulitzer also felt a little over-used.

Just as with the previous offerings in this series, The Last Scoop can be read as a stand-alone novel, however, be aware that both books reveal significant spoilers in relation to the first book, Yesterday's News, which was initially intended as a self-contained novel, in the fact that they progress Clare's personal storyline which is introduced in book one and which is an integral part of the rest of its plot: although the main mystery will not be spoilt, the overall impact will be less due to the spoilers. My advice would be to read Yesterday's News first, which in my opinion is the strongest book in the series, and then carry on with either of the others; they are all very good reads and you will not regret it!

I cannot wait to read the next chapter in Clare's life, Beyond the Headlines, which is due for publication in 2021! Belsky has also been writing a thriller series, Jessie Tucker Mysteries , under the pen-name of Dana Perry; book two, The Golden Girl is due for publication on 8 June 2020, and I cannot wait to check them out.

[ARC received via Netgalley]

Martin Barlow was murdered. Newspaper Editor / Investigative Reporter remembers the man fondly ... he was Clare's mentor who inspired her when she was just beginning. The last time she and Martin spoke, he told her he was working on a huge story ... even though he had been retired a number of years.

Initially out of a sense of guilt for ignoring her old friend and then because of her own journalistic instincts—begins looking into his last story ideas.

One of his last stories he was looking into was a city-wide corruption dealing with dishonest landlords ... maybe working in tandem with city politicos.

The other is shocking. From Martin's hidden files, she finds evidence of the nation's worst serial killer .. one who has been killing for at least 30 years .. but no one has ever known.

All is not what is seems as she follows the breadcrumbs .... and becomes the next target.

This is a well-written novel, fulls of twists and turns, and surprises around every corner. The characters are skillfully drawn and remain quite memorable long after the unexpected conclusion. I enjoyed the blend of Clare's personal and professional lives. Although third in this series, it is easily read as a stand-alone. I highly recommend starting at the beginning.. makes for some great reading.

Many thanks to the author / Oceanview Publishing / Netgalley / Edelweiss for the digital of this riveting crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I have read all of Belsky's novels featuring Clare and I think this is the best one yet. I really like Clare as a character. She is a tenacious journalist. Even though she manages the news broadcasts at Channel 10, she is an investigator at heart. When she is presented with a mystery by her mentor, she is on the case. I like how Belsky combines snippets of Clare's personal life with her ongoing investigation of the mystery. It makes Clare come alive as a character with issues and feelings of her own.

I really liked the plot too. The mystery Clare's mentor was investigating before he was murdered centers on a decades old unsolved murder and additional unsolved murders that might be connected. Perhaps a serial killer is still on the loose. Clare systematically went after clue after clue, often to the dismay of her boss at the TV station and even the FBI.

That Belsky is himself a journalist comes through in how well he portrays Clare and her investigative work. I recommend this novel to readers who like a compelling plot involving a complicated serial murder case tackled by a tough journalist. I certainly hope Clare will involved in another mystery soon. I'll be watching for it.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

I have read the first two books in the Clare Carlson Series and I knew I had to read The Last Scoop. I am so glad I did.

This third and final installment is an intense and daring mystery novel, and the journalistic vibe embedded within the story line enhances Clare’s latest escapade.

From the onset, fans will welcome the focus on truth and transparency, as each character struggles to deal with those very things against all odds.

Loaded with small town familiarity and laced with domestic thrills, fans of gripping suspense will not want to put down The Last Scoop.

Highly recommended for mystery readers.

The Last Scoop is the seventh novel By R. G. Belsky that have been reviewed in this blog, which means that they guys at Men Reading Books really likes his writing. He’s kept up the great writing with this new novel, the third in his series about Clare Carlson, a former Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, now the news director of a television channel in New York. Except, despite having promised herself she would always be truthful, Clare finds herself compelled to tell lie on top of lie, which she knows is bound to catch up with her, starting with the very story that won her the Pulitzer. That story was about the disappearance of Lucy Devlin.

Now there has been a new murder. A former colleague and Clare’s former editor, Marty Barlow, was an old and washed up reporter who was still hot after one last big story. But, he was brutally murdered before he could reveal the fruits of his research into the dirty world that touches both politics and New York real estate. Clare felt compelled to pursue Marty’s work with the scant clues that he left behind which suggested he had been pursuing a serial killer that no one else knew existed. Meanwhile, her interest was still caught on Lucy, and if her unscrupulous behavior in that case was ever discovered, then her career would be at an end. Carlson is a most curious character, one who stands for truth while covering up a trail of lies, one who is impulsively pulled into love affairs with the wrong guys, but one who is incredibly consistent at uncovering the secrets of others. She is very loose about some standards, but obsessive about others.

Carlson rides a line between the politically powerful and the wealthiest of real estate magnates. Belsky has crowded his way the power rotation of my 10 favorite authors. He’s rubbing elbows with Michael Connelly, Daniel Sylva, Louise Penny, and C.J. Box, James Lee Burke, John Grisham, Ken Bruen, Robert Crais and Greg Iles. That is high praise for Belsky. If you’re a fan of murder mysteries, then start this book which you won’t put down until the story is over.

In "The Last Scoop," the latest Clare Carlson Mystery, Clare is busy as usual and fails to help her mentor and former editor, Martin Barlow, at a time when he needs it the most. After he's murdered, her guilt propels her to not only track down his killer, but complete the investigation that she suspects got him killed. Her relentless effort to discover the truth leads her to a serial killer more elusive than any other. The problems begin when nobody believes her. She has to dig deeper to convince everyone, and that she does, risking her life in the process. With multiple suspects, multiple motives and a hair-raising ending, "The Last Scoop" is a must-read.

Clare Carson is a veteran news reporter who finds herself tangled in a murder investigation when her mentor is found murdered in an alley. Martin Barlow was investigating a story at the time of his death. Clare picks up where he left off and soon realizes he was on the trail of serial killer. The problem is getting the police to believe in the story. The story keeps the reader off balance until the big reveal. Clare is an interesting character. I will look for more books by this author.

I love how this book brings out the process it takes for any journalist to uncover a story!
What starts out as a mentee( Clare) feeling sad upon hearing the news of the death of her mentor (Marty) becomes something much more than her original assumption that it was all a conspiracy theory. The twists and turns in this book make it such an engaging read.
Thank you Netgalley for the eARC, anyone who loves a thriller, investigative journalism and is looking for a character as real as can be, will be down for this!

The beginning of the book introduced the readers to Clare who is the protagonist and we get a glimpse of Marty who was her mentor. In the beginning Marty comes off (from Clare’s memories) as a bit of a conspiracy theorist. Clare finds out that Marty was murdered in what appears to be a mugging. Those details quickly don’t add up.

This story is in parts. Marty was working on 2 stories before he died that are seemingly unrelated.

This book has a lot of twists and turns. It definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. The ending was very shocking and this books couldn’t have been better written. The characters are all imperfect which I find enjoyable. I find that more relatable even if they make decisions you wouldn’t usually make.

I would definitely read more by this author.

I was so excited to see this book available for review...I rarely hit the 'Request or Read Now' buttons instantly but I did in this case. I love Clare. She's brilliant, flawed, damaged, loyal, beautiful and just so realistic as a lead character which is why I couldn't wait to read what came next for her. Once again Mr. Belsky does not disappoint his readers of this series. There is always so much going on in his mysteries but in the end you see exactly how small our world can be because everything 'Ususally' ties together before the final page. I generally figure out parts on my own which I did in this latest story but not exactly all of the details...most often the 'Why' in the journalists story is what I can't figure out which suits me just fine. I look forward to what comes next for Clare and her life in N.Y.C. I really hope that there is a next time because I would be crushed as I imagine all of her other fans would be if this is to be the final book....soooooo, please keep writing Mr. Belsky.