Ellery (formerly Abby) was kidnapped at age 14 and rescued by Reed, a FBI agent. The serial killer who tortured her still wants to finish his business with Ellery after more than 20 years.

I didn’t realized when I started this book that it was the fifth in a series. It did read like a stand-alone. There were so many characters introduced in this book. Some names were so similar: Ellery and Elliott, Reed and Reeves, Tracy Trajan. What surprised me the most was how many people were willing to help the serial killer.

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for letting me read this book in advance.

Last Seen Alive is the 5th book in the Ellery Hathaway series. It could be read as a standalone but I highly recommend reading the entire series in order to understand the backstory of Ellery , Reed and Francis Coben. I highly recommend this thoroughly enjoyable , suspenseful read that I quickly devoured in just a couple sittings

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

I absolutely love this series!! This was another pulse pounding, twisty, action packed adrenaline ride. I loved reuniting with the characters! The character development throughout this series has been fantastic. This was book 5 and a wonderful addition to the series. I’ve heard this is the final book and while I hope that’s not true, this was a fitting end. 5⭐️

Joanna Schaffhausen's 'Last Seen Alive' is #5 in the Ellery Hathaway series, and just as riveting as the first 4. Schaffhausen's books have the same vibe as some of my favorites: Karen Slaughter and Lisa Gardner but definitely with a style all her own. If you're into the gritty, thrilling detective novels with their own "will they or won't they" twist, then you're going to be just as hooked as I was by this series.
This last novel could easily be the final one in the series, but if #6 came out, I'd jump all over that one too!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "Last Seen Alive", the fifth entry in the Ellery Hathaway/Reed Markham series of thrillers. I have to admit, when I was approved for this book, I had not yet read the others in the series - but I did, in short order.
Reed Markham rescued Ellery (then known as Abigail or Abby) from the clutches of demented serial killer Francis Coben, and imprinted himself on her life forever after.
In the four previous books, they've unmasked serial killers and murderers - including that of his long-dead mother, but in the fifth book they come up against the boogeyman of boogeymen - Coben himself, AND a possible (hopefully) copy-cat.
When Coben offers to give up the location of one of his 'missing' victims, the media jump right in and turn it into a circus complete with ringleader. But when Ellery and Reed check the list, they find that there's a new name added. Apparently, a new young woman has gone missing, and they have to find her.
Without giving too much away, this entire novel turns into a cat-and-mouse game with Coben - with assistance from outside his prison cell - setting traps and setting into motion an end game like no other (which might include his escape).
If this is the end of the series, it's the best possible end. Highly recommended.

Last Seen Alive is about trying to get information from an insane man….a serial killer. The demand for information leads to additional deaths. Will Ellery be able to stay alive when she is once more hunted by the killer? This was a good read with interesting characters.

Omg I loved this book!
Hannibal Lectar vibes; a creepy and terrifying page turner.
The good news is that it can be read as a stand alone… you will want to read the previous four which have now been added to my wish list.

Warning - There are many triggers: murder, rape, descriptive gore, violence, etc etc.

Ellery Hathaway is the only victim still alive from serial killer Francis Coben. She’s been dealing with the aftermath of her abduction and abuse for the past seventeen years. Coben has been locked up in prison with an eventual death sentence. But, now he has a proposition for Ellery: meet with him and he will give the locations of all the other missing victims.

Can I tell you how much I love this series? I just love it! I love Reed Markham, the FBI agent who originally found her in a closet and is the “Poster Boy” of the FBI for this case. I love his relationship with Ellery. She walked away from him in the last book, but now they are back together because of Coben, once again.

This is the fifth book in this series. You don’t need to have read the first four books to enjoy this book, but you should! They are all excellent— action packed with twists and turns in the case. Yet, we really get a lot of in depth look into Ellery and how she is feeling.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

While this is part of a series, the book can be read as a stand alone.

Ellery is a cop with a horrible history - she is the victim who survived a serial killer. She works hard to get past the trauma, forget the details of the assault and to do valuable work on the Boston PD force.

Unfortunately for Ellery, the killer is intent on reeling her back into the horror - he'll only tell where the other victims are if she meets with him face to face.

Well written, bone chillingly frightening story. Read with the doors locked and the lights on.

When I originally requested this book I did not know that it was a part of a series. That being said that this was my first book by this author and I loved her style! This book can be read as a standalone, I have not read any of the rest of the series and I followed along with this one well! I love true crime and this story is bordered lined like something that a narcissistic serial killer would actually do!
When Ellery met Reed he was the FBI agent that saved her from a serial killer's closet. So later on Ellery wanted to distance herself from Coben's legacy she also walked away from Reed.
So when a TV show wanted to do a sitdown with Coben the key points were to bring in Reed along with Ellery. So when Reed showed up at Ellery's apartment she knew something was up and Reed filled her in on the details.
Now, this is the reason why Ellery and Reed would even consider this offer. Coben states that he will release the details of where the rest of the girls and their bodies are if Reed brings him, Ellery.
In this story, the crimes were unimaginable and terrible. There is a copycat killer, chilling details, and things like that. So Ellery agrees to do the series. Will she be able to find closure? What are her own reasons for doing this series and what price will she have to pay to get that closure?
This book was definitely a great, well-written mystery/Thriller. This story is horrifying at times, border lining on a horror novel. I am definitely going to have to check out the rest of this series.
Thank you Netgalley, St. Martins Press & Minotaur Books for the extraordinary opportunity to read and review this one!

Last Seen Alive is the 5th book in the Ellery Hathaway series by Joanna Schaffhausen. For those who have not read this author's books before, you'll find that she is quite adept at ratcheting up the suspense, and keeping you engaged with her well-developed story lines and characters.

Seventeen years have now passed since Abby (Ellery) Hathaway was kidnapped at age 14 by serial killer Francis Coben. Coben murdered two dozen young women over the course of two decades and the bodies of several of his victims have never been found. Ellery, rescued by FBI agent Reed Markham, was his only victim to survive. Coben, on death row for 17 years, contacts Markham and makes an offer - he'll disclose the location of the unfound bodies of his victims in exchange for the seeing and talking with Ellery.

Ellery, a detective with Boston PD, has worked hard to forget the unimaginable horror she endured at the hands of this killer. She has not succeeded. The press and families are clamoring for justice and Ellery's story is in the news again. The pressure for her to give in to his demand increases when another girl goes missing, and her body is found with all the earmarks of a Coben kill. Signs point to someone within the prison helping the copycat killer communicate with Coben.

The last thing Ellery wants is to see Coben again. Yet she hopes that if she can help the families of the remaining missing girls get closure, while showing Coben that she is not his 14 year old victim anymore, perhaps she can truly close that chapter of her life.

This story has a lot going on and I loved it! We again get to delve into the relationship that Ellery and Reed have had over the years, be surprised by plot twists, and just enjoy a well-written book. I highly recommend it.

My thanks to Minotaur Books who provided me access to an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

I like Schaffhausen’s works and because I had read a few disappointing novels in a row, I chose this as my next read. This is the fifth in the Ellery Hathaway/Reed Markham series; it is the third that I have read. As a young teenager, Ellery was kidnapped, raped, and tortured by a serial killer; she was rescued by FBI agent Markham. Now an adult, Hathaway has become a police officer in Boston. The relationship between the two has had ups and downs, affected by the traumatic after effects of her ordeal.

Reunited again when the imprisoned monster is willing to give information about another victim if Ellery visits him and the media wants to film it, Hathaway and Markham make a good team. Although the story is a bit of a stretch and quite graphic, it is still a can’t put down engrossing read. It also says a lot about how the media plays with the lives of victims. As usual, there is great character development and it is interesting to see how both Ellery and Markham have grown over the years.

Although this could work as a standalone, I think one would get more out of it if at least a few of the prior novels have been read. Schaffhausen is a good writer and if this genre appeals to you, her books are worth a read.

4.5 Confrontation Stars
* * * * 1/2 Spoiler Free- A Quick Review
I happen to love this series. I did miss the 4th entry but overall, I have been all in. Our main character, Boston detective Ellery Hathaway is not like any other detective. Her history is ugly and tied to being a survivor of a serial killer who would chop off the hands of his captures. He liked them young and was excellent in his pursuit.

Ellery was "saved" by FBI agent Reed, although, Reed would debate that Ellery saved herself by fighting and using her will to outlast the monster. Although Reed brought in Francis Coben, did the trial, and put him on death row, there are still answers the many victims' families want to know, Mainly, where are their daughters buried.

Corbin has decided he has the elements to lure Ellery into talking with him, only her, by saying he will share where his victims are. Oh, and an award-winning director/producer paired with a TV personality are doing the special of the interview. All of this has been sprung on Redd and Ellery.

Normally, both would not get involved but Corbin has added an extra incentive...causing Ellery not to be able to walk away.

Oh, this tale! So much to deal with, so many levels of pain and insight. Yes, there are ways to figure out ahead of time what may happen...BUT, I love these characters also much, I really didn't care.

A Very Engaging Read.

Last Seen Alive I’d a terrific thriller. Ellery is forced to fade the most brutal traumatic event in her life because of the media. She’s a cop and has grappled with the scars, internally and externally. I loved all the action. I loved the story line. I liked Ellery and Reed. I loved the ending. I also loved the Midwestern locations, most I am very familiar with. A great chilling read.

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. As always, Schaffhausen writes about serial killers and their deeds as though she knows them well. This book is totally unputdownable and it zings with all the terrible thoughts and crimes of more than one bad guy. I loved this book - as I do all of the author’s books. I totally recommend this story to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers and who are fascinated with the dreadful antagonists who come up with more and more ways to mistreat their victims.

Last Seen Alive by Joanna Schaffhausen is the fifth book in the Ellery Hathaway series. Ellery Hathaway is a Boston detective whose past included being kidnapped by a serial killer and survived. At fourteen, Ellery, then Abbey, was rescued by FBI profiler Reed Markham from the brutal hands of Francis Coben. Their relationship has continued, and changed, many times since that day. In order for Ellery to try to escape that part of her life, she needs to free herself from Reed as well, until Coben gives Reed an ultimatum. If Reed can bring Ellery to the jail where Coben resides, he will give a television interview and will tell Rees where the rest of the bodies of the 17 missing girls are. Coben is claiming he is a changed man and wants to amend his past, but Ellery knows this man and what he is capable of. When another woman is killed, with markings of Coben’s past work, Reed and Ellery are determined to find out who is continuing Coben’s legacy while he remains in jail. They are in a race against the clock to find this new Coben wannabe before they strike again.

The character of Ellery is badass. She has suffered such a traumatic experience at such a young age, and while she still has some understandable fears, she always pushes through. That is what makes her a good Boston Police Detective. Her character is strong, tough, and smart. With each book in the series, you can see her progress and maturity. The author is really good at creating well defined characters. You will love Reed, but feel his own personal struggles, He is so conflicted, with Ellery, with the girls that never came home, and the ones that came home in body bags. As for Francis Coben, he’s terrifying. He’s known for his good looks, he comes from money, blends too well into society, but he is pure evil.

This series is one of the best mystery, thriller series I’ve read. It can be read as a standalone, I have only read the fourth in this series as well as this latest one, and it is very easy for the reader to follow along. But my recommendation is to start from the beginning. Not so you have a better understanding, but because it will be worth it. I plan on going back to the beginning and reading the first to third in this series. It’s just that good.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Minotaur Books and Joanna Schaffhausen for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Glowing five stars!

I enjoyed this mysterious story. This is a well written story that is full of suspense and hard to put down. I was pulled into the story by the characters and how they kept the story engaging. I enjoyed how the author's use of details made the story realistic and made me feel as if I was right there. A story that was entertaining to read where the twists and turns that kept wanting to know more. This is a story about missing people and their families wanting justice. There is one person who has seen the person who has done this. What will happen when a new body turns up missing? What happens next I highly recommend reading this book to find out. A great story that is worth the pick up.

I've really enjoyed this entire series. I keep thinking, "How can you make another book about the same serial killer and the same on-and-off-again relationship?" And yet, Schaffhausen does a good job of it. I did think it was pretty easy to narrow the new killer down to one of two people as the book went on, and that's why I bumped it down to four stars. But overall, Schaffhausen has once again gotten me emotionally invested in Ellery and Reed's lives and given me many terrific, complex characters to root for and against. I don't know if this is the last book in the series, but I feel like it probably should be. Schaffhausen is such a skilled writer--I want to visit more worlds she creates!

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those books that enables the reader to experience so many emotions. I experienced anger, sadness, outrage, fear, empathy and so many others. On one hand I was glad Ellery (Abby) had lived to grow up but on the other I perceived a broken spirit that tried to let go of the past even though she could not. Ellery had been dealt an awful deck of cards and yet she was able to survive and continue to feel so deeply toward others. I cannot imagine trying to remain strong and still keep one’s humanity while trying to fit in a crazy world.

I've loved all of Schaffhausen's books and Last Seen Alive is no exception. The story of Ellery and Reed comes full circle in this book, when the man that held Ellery hostage as a child demands to see her in exchange for providing details about a missing girl he's suspected of killing who's never been found. Not surprisingly, there are plenty of other people with fingers in the pie, and a Hollywood golden child with a traumatic past and a hard-hitting news reporter are convinced Ellery can help put them on the map, and the situation quickly spins out of control. Coben escapes and is intent on finishing what he started with Ellery - and like so many serial killers he has people on the outside helping him as a means of building their own fame. The question is, are they hiding in plain sight for Ellery while she participates in the effort to find Coben's other victims? While I was not surprised with how things played out, I still enjoyed the ride. As the series has gone on, Schaffhausen has built in a support network for Ellery that cares about her for who she is as a person, not just as a fascinating survival story. This creates a great juxtaposition in Last Seen Alive, as Ellery continues to appreciate those relationships, suss out new ones, and be wary of the people that are only interested in her for her past.