Boston detective Ellery Hathaway and FBI agent Reed Markham are chasing a copycat killer linked to the serial killer, Francis Corben, who abducted Ellery as a teenager. Can they find this new killer and put a final stop to Corben too?

Ellery is a survivor who is trying hard to move on. However, Corben is determined to keep her from doing so. Reed Markham, her rescuer, is equally devoted to giving her a chance at happiness. I was engrossed in this wicked cat and mouse game involving Ellery, Reed, and Corben. Talk about the thrill of the chase!

Last Seen Alive has everything I love about a police procedural thriller - a fast pace, complex villain, dedicated law enforcement officers who won't give up until they get their man, and even a little romance.

While reading Last Seen Alive, I kept asking myself how I ever missed this series? You can read this book as a standalone, but now I want to know what I missed before. I'm looking forward to starting what I'm sure has been a fantastic series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur for an early copy of this book.

Astute, chilling, and addictive!

Last Seen Alive is a perilous, action-packed thrill ride that sees Detective Hathaway working once again with FBI agent Reed Markham when her nightmares come back to life, bodies begin piling up with wounds that have an eerie resemblance to the ones the incarcerated serial killer she once was a victim of liked to inflict, and danger lurks around every corner.

The prose is edgy and tight. The characters are astute, flawed, and resilient. And the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat as it submerges you in an ominous tale full of twists, turns, intrigue, action, manipulation, obsession, duplicity, relationship dynamics, swirling emotions, violence, and murder.

Last Seen Alive is the fifth title in the Ellery Hathaway series, and I think this is the one we’ve all been waiting for. As a long-time fan of this series, it lived up to all of my expectations and more. There is just something about the characters, the storylines, and how Schaffhausen writes that I absolutely love, and I can guarantee you I will be a fan for life. If you haven’t already read this series, you really need to.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This fifth installment in a series about a young woman who was abducted, rescued, and remade her life, becoming a Boston police detective in the process, will fine as a standalone because it pulls from the first (and provides the details) to complete Ellery's journey with Francis Coben. Coben has been on death row for years for the murder of 16 women and abduction and assault of Ellery. Now, though, he's reached out somehow to FBI SA Reed Markham to suggest he knows something about a new case and, more disturbingly, has made a deal to talk to a tv host and provide information on one of his own- if he can talk to Ellery. Who is working with Corbin? No spoilers from me but this takes multiple twists and turns. It's also dark- really dark- and there's graphic violence against women, so much so that I almost put it down. It was redeemed, however, by Ellery and by Reed's devotion not only to her but also to finding the other women. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read - fans of the series will be satisfied but also concerned by the ending.....

Read this if…you like a good showdown between the bag guy and his victim.

Ellery and Reed are living their lives as single people since their breakup. However, a new documentary starring a host very reminiscent of Nancy Grace has brought the couple back together. Funded by a rich Hollywood producer with his own tragic past, the show intends to interview Frances Coben, the serial killer who kidnapped young girls and cut off their hands, in an attempt to get him to share the whereabouts of his victims’ bodies. Coben agrees to be filmed, but only as long as Ellery, the one who survived, will meet with him face-to-face.

This was the best book in the series so far! While I think reading the first four novels give the characters more depth, this can be read as a standalone thriller. I was so excited by the premise of Ellery meeting up with Coben again that I could not put this down! Everything seemed to come full circle and I like that Ellery finally got to control her own story. There’s nothing about this book I didn’t like, but I like the conclusion was so final. I need the author to tell me if this is the end of the series because I had that bittersweet goodbye feeling after I finished.

A big thanks to Netgalley, the author, and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really love this series and am so happy when I saw this fifth episode come along. If you haven’t had read the earlier ones (said with jealousy) it can be read out of order but what’s the point when the earlier novels are so rich and character driven. Ellery Hathaway and Reed Markham are truly an odd couple, but bound together from a terrifying incident when Ellery was 14 and Reed rescued her from the clutches of a serial killer. Now a detective, Ellery and Reed team up and now the imprisoned serial killer from before has agreed to cooperate - but only with Ellery. Dark, dank and disturbing, we come full circle, or do we?

When I first came across this book, I didn't know it was part of a series, however, it was AMAZING and now I need to go back and read books 1-4. I really enjoyed Joanna Schaffhausen's style of writing. I thought she did an excellent job of writing a brief background of Ellery's past in the prologue.

All of her characters were well-developed, especially Ellery. I thought Ellery was a very strong female character, and kept me captivated until the very last page of the book. I enjoyed that there was a serial killer in this story because I haven't read a thriller with a serial killer in a long time, so it was interesting and intriguing!

I'm hoping Joanna Schaffhausen writes another book in this series because I feel like Ellery still has more of a story to tell.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I will post this review on my instagram @thrillersandcoffee

Many thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and St Martin's Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest in the wonderful police procedural series by Joanna Schaffhausen - 5 stars! While the author certainly gives enough background information that you could enjoy these books as stand alones, you must read this series because it's so good!

Boston Detective Ellery Hathaway has a very complicated relationship with FBI agent Reed Markham. He rescued her when she was a teenager being held captive by a serial killer, Francis Coben. Ellery and Reed started a personal relationship as well, but Ellery decided she needed to end it. Then Coben told the FBI that he had killed others and would only give up the information if Reed brought Ellery to him. The situation is complicated by the fact that there seems to be a copycat killer on the loose as well.

I raced through this book because I love these characters and the writing. This is a must read series. You are constantly rooting for Ellery after all she's been through and how hard she has fought to get over being a victim. Don't miss this latest installment - I can't wait for the next one!

What a very interesting book. The book was really interesting. If you like the silence of the lambs, you will really want to read this book. What a thriller it is. First time author for me. Great story teller also. I want to read more of her books.

Thank you net gallery for this great book to read

Ellery Hathaway is a tough detective in Boston with a unique perspective about serial killers, having escaped, with the help of FBI agent Reed Markham, from a notorious killer when she was a young girl in Chicago named Francis Coben. Doing all she can to put her past behind her, including ending her relationship with Reed, Ellery soon finds herself thrown right back into the nightmare when Coben offers to give up the location of the missing victims, but only to her. To make matters worse, a body is discovered that bears a striking resemblance to Coben’s many victims.⁣

Last Seen Alive is a twisted, and at times, a suspenseful novel. The characters are quite interesting, and I liked the strength, as well as the vulnerability, of Ellery; her flaws and scars are what makes her so strong. This is the fifth novel in the series, but I didn’t feel as though I missed anything by not having read the previous novel; I liked that I could fully enjoy this novel and Schaffhausen gives the reader just enough background to make the story enjoyable and understandable for someone new to the series. For me the setting held a special place in my heart. A good portion of the events take place in Chicago and the surrounding areas, and having grown up just outside of the city in Des Plaines, and spending so much of my childhood in Chicago, I connected with Ellery’s love of the city, as well as her refusal to call the Sears Tower by any other name. She also made me crave Portillo’s! The only thing that I had an issue with was that there is one character who was a big part of the latest Coben saga, yet he seemed to disappear at the end without an explanation. ⁣

I really enjoyed Last Seen Alive, available January 25th, and I highly recommend it to fans of twisted thrillers. Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for gifting to me an electronic copy of Last Seen Alive, given in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.

I've read all the previous books in this series and though I don't think that's necessary to the enjoyment of this book, for me it was good to revisit the familiar characters - so I enjoyed it even more. As with the previous books, I was on the edge of my seat with this extremely well-written mystery. I guessed a few things - but not everything - and just when I thought the story was going one way, it took a shocking turn.

I hope there are more books to come in this series!

I have absolutely loved all of Joanna Schaffhausen's books. This one, just like the others, did not disappoint. Great characters, amazing story line and a book I couldn't put down.

Ellery is a police officer with an awful past. She was a victim who survived a serial killer at the age of 14. Now, 20 years later, the serial killer wants to finish the job. He says he will only tell Ellery where the other victims are if she meets with him face to face. Fast paced and bone chilling!

This is the first book in the series I have read, but I plan on going back to read from the beginning. The pacing was good and kept me intrigued from the beginning and I felt it worked as a stand alone novel.

3.5 ⭐️‘s
In this fifth book of the series, Reed Markham and Ellery Hathaway once again are working together. Years ago Ellery was kidnapped by a serial killer named Coben. Thankfully, a Reed, young FBI agent saved her in the nick of time. After movies and books, Ellery and Reed are thrust in the limelight much to Ellery’s chagrin. She was the only survivor, the others were not so lucky. When Coben makes a demand to see Ellery, Reed is entirely against it, but if Coben will give up the information he’s been hiding, she’s willing, even though it’s the last thing she wants to do. Coben’s face is etched in her dreams, why would she ever want to see him again? When Coben makes a grand escape from prison, his sights are set on Ellery. Will he be caught before he finishes what he started years ago?Is it too late for Ellery? This book was the perfect ending to a very good series! While it can be read as a stand alone, I highly recommend reading the entire series to get the full impact!

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC!

A solid 4.5 stars!

This is the first book I have read in the Ellery Hathaway series and I really enjoyed it! Last Seen Alive follows Ellery Hathaway, a Boston detective with a dark past, as she has to team up with FBI agent Reed Markham to confront the serial killer that brought them together.

I really enjoyed how this book focused mostly on the victim experience of surviving a serial killer while weaving in a new storyline. Although I was able to guess and deduce some things I still found the novel very exciting and I was even compelled by the romantic subplot. Will definitely be going back and reading the first books in the series.

Absolutely thrilling novel that will keep you hooked. Ellery was kidnapped and tortured as a child and is the only living victim of a serial killer. Now she must return to him to find out the identity of all of his other victims.

The writing in this book is amazing! I could visualize everything from Ellet’s scars to the jail cell, just everything. I could not stop reading this book and read it in one day. The story is compelling and kept me guessing. This is one of the best books I’ve read in 2022!

I had been looking forward to the 5th installment in the Ellery Hathaway series and it didn't disappoint. Gritty, fast paced, couldn't put it down and happy with the ending. Awesome! Thank you #NetGalley#LastSeenAlive#Minotaur

Last Seen Alive by Joanna Schaffhausen is an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a serial killer, the media’s obsession with him, and the only survivor from his path of destruction.

This is the 5th book in the Ellery Hathaway series but can easily be read as a stand-alone novel (as I did) because there is just the right amount of back story provided. This makes it very easy to fall right into it. Of course, the challenge is that once you finish it, you will want to go back and read the first four – you are going to love it that much.

Ellery is so relatable, which is impressive considering her history. She has qualities that just made me gravitate toward her and stay on her side even when she made some foolhardy decisions. She works very hard not to let past tragedies define her, and I found that very easy to understand and root for. And Reed Markham…well, he is the quintessential hero you can’t help but like.

The pacing is so quick that, even though the book dives into the horrific killings of the serial killer, Francis Coben, I barely had time to dwell on the violence as the story jets on to the next thrill, the next puzzle, or the next revelation. I appreciated this as I can only stomach so much graphic violence.

Lastly, I loved the ending…absolutely, positively, loved the way it ended. To end such a dark story on a heartwarming positive note was just genius, and I totally ate it up and wanted more.

If you are looking for a fast-paced thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you with a happy heart, you won’t want to miss this incredible story by Joanna Schaffhausen – Last Seen Alive.

4.5/5
I might’ve only read two out of the five books in this series, but I looovvveeddd them both!! This one was so fast paced & thrilling. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Every time I turned the page there was a new twist I didn’t see coming. I also think I liked Reed & Ellery’s relationship even more in this one. I love them together and I will always be rooting for them.

Can you make a deal with the devil and come away unscathed?

Book five of the Ellery Hathaway series. Sufficient details will provide you enough information to jump in right here. But I strongly suggest you start at the beginning with book one, The Vanishing Season to get the full backstory on our characters.

Ellery survived the unimaginable. She was rescued from a serial killer by FBI agent Reed Markham, making her the only victim to survive deranged killer Francis Corbin. Who now presently sits on death row. But the families of the lost girls and the media won’t let this case be put to rest. They want answers straight from the killer himself. He agrees…if, and only if Ellery herself comes to see him.

What happens when you poke the bear? In this case a sadistic serial killer? Well…nothing good! That’s what!

This series is not for the faint of heart. It’s dark and at times quite shocking and disturbing. But author Joanna Schaffhausen doesn’t add gratuitous violence. Cleverly weaved, It’s everything you would expect in a series revolving around a serial killer.

I‘ve grown to love the lead character Ellery and her desperate struggle to permanently put the past behind her and live a ‘normal’ life. Her relationship with Reed has been tumultuous but you always feel the magnetic pull between the two that’s undeniable.

I believe this may be the final book in this series? (Am I correct Ms. Schaffhausen?) If so, I will sincerely miss all these wonderful characters. But I do appreciate how you left everything at the end. (If indeed this is the end)😉

A girl can dream…right!?💁🏻‍♀️🙏💖

A buddy read with Susanne. Who was by my side through this entire series, (except for book one). Susanne you really do need to go back and read how it all started….Just sayin!🤭

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books

One bad thing about making a deal with the devil, he always comes to collect.

And one thing is for sure: Detective Ellery Hathaway has been dealing with her past since she was fourteen years old in Chicago. She was abducted by a serial killer and lived to tell the tale. She's now a member of the Boston Police Department. Said serial killer, Francis Coben, is behind bars in a Terre Haute prison for seventeen years. Ellery owes her freedom to FBI Agent Reed Markham who rescued her, the only survivor of Coben's horrendous rampage.

Here comes the deal: The family of one of Coben's first victims just wants their daughter's body returned. Ellery and Reed visit Coben in Terre Haute trying to crack a compromise with the killer. Coben is a master of mind games and Ellery and Reed aren't sure if he's taking them on a fool's errand by digging up the acreage of the Coben farm. No telling what they'll find if anything.

Then a female body is found near a motel with all the markings of a Coben killing. Seems to be impossible with Coben locked away. A copycat situation or a deviant directed by the Coben playbook? Coben's not talking now, but no one knows him better than Ellery. And Ellery walks into his prison cell with an air of supreme confidence........not that whimpering young girl from so long ago. But Coben is Coben........

Joanna Schaffhausen continues the electric tale of Ellery Hathaway in this fifth edition to the series. It can be read as a standalone with the backstories filled in nicely. Included this time is Kate Hunter, a television celebrity who works at justice for victims of crimes. She's pushing the Coben case to its limits with Ellery and Reed are not too pleased.

Schaffhausen keeps the pace in a frenetic mode with a wide span of characters. Last Seen Alive takes on a much darker aura than the previous novels. The crimes are more detailed and explicit. The relationship between Ellery and Reed will be pressed upon. Which leads me to believe that there may be a complete change-up in #6 or there just may not be a #6 in the future. Let's see who cracks that deal........shall we?

I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Minotaur Books and to Joanna Schaffhausen for the opportunity.