Last Night by Luanne Rice is a murder mystery set in snowy Rhode Island where a woman's body has been found and a young girl (the woman's daughter) has gone missing. This was my first Rice novel and I was intrigued by the blurb describing the story. I must say that I was a little disappointed - the first half of the book was quite slow with a LOT of different characters and MUCH dialogue. I was hoping for a thriller, but this read more like a woman's romance/mystery. I did enjoy that Ms. Rice was able to describe the setting in so much detail that it feels like your on the coast of RI in the middle of a blizzard. I also liked that there were red herrings thrown in so that it kept the reader guessing. It did pick up in the last half and I did overall enjoy the story.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Another amazing Luanna Rice novel. I love this author and all of her books. This one included.
Well done once again!

A grand hotel. A missing woman. An ugly storm raging outside.
Rice’s latest offers suspense, drama, and a mystery.
I was caught up in all the action and couldn’t fathom what actually happened.
It held my attention until the end, which was a rather nice ending.

have loved her other books but did struggle with this one. thank you net galley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for a review

Luanne Rice knows RI, and recently, also knows how to write a good mystery. Last Night primarily takes place in present day Watch Hill, RI, after a murder and kidnapping occur. The murdered woman’s sister, Hadley, is left holding the pieces, to understand just what happened. In addition to her, we are introduced to Conor and Kathy, who appeared in another one of Rice’s books, The Shadowbox, as they work with Hadley to find answers.

Conor is in law enforcement in Connecticut, and though out of his jurisdiction, he helps both police and the FBI to do all they can to solve the murder and find the missing girl. Full of twists and turns, Rice admirably weaves a compelling story full of greed and malice, that finishes with an unexpected and satisfying ending.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and have written an objective review.

A raging blizzard in Rhode island almost covers the body of Maddie who was meeting someone outside the hotel where she and her young daughter, Cece are out for a walk. When Maddie's sister, Hadley arrives they find her body and young Cece is missing. With the help of Detective Conner Reid, they find Cece and are working to solve the murder. A thriller from one of my favorite authors. Fast moving with just the right touch of romance.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I like to read Luanne Rice's books but I found this one to be just like any other murder mystery book.
I felt like I was missing something maybe because I did not read the previous book. You might want to start there first.

Last Night was my first Luanne Rice read in ages. Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the e-arc to read and review.

The book is a straightforward read - what you see is what you get. The writing style is more "traditional women's romantic mystery" which will work for some readers but not others. It's easy to follow, though I do wish I had read the book with Conor and Kate's story first, but I'm nosy like that. Rice shines at creating atmosphere - the locations, real and imagined, are vivid and a great tourism pitch for Rhode Island.

Last Night by Luanne Rice is an intense and fascinating novel. I could not put it down. This mystery is a fast paced police procedural but it never felt clunky or tedious. I found the mystery really interesting and there are many surprises along the way. Great book overall. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own. I also purchased this book.

Review: Last Night by Luanne Rice

Rating 2-Stars

Luanne Rice's novel Last Night presents a chilling scenario where a blizzard plays the backdrop to a mysterious disappearance and murder. Set in the scenic Rhode Island shore, the story follows the investigation led by Detective Conor Reid, his brother Tom, and Maddie's sister Hadley as they navigate through a web of secrets and suspicions surrounding Maddie Morrison's death and her daughter CeCe's vanishing.

The cover of the book is indeed striking, capturing the essence of the wintry setting that looms large in the narrative. However, beyond the cover, the story fails to deliver a compelling experience. The writing style feels clunky and lacks the finesse needed to engage readers effectively. The characters come off as flat and two-dimensional, failing to evoke any strong emotional connection from the audience.

Despite these shortcomings, one aspect shines in Last Night - the vivid and atmospheric depiction of the setting. Luanne Rice excels in bringing the icy Rhode Island shore to life, painting a picture so vivid that it becomes a character in itself within the story. The author's ability to craft such a rich and immersive setting is commendable and stands out as the highlight of the book.

In conclusion, while Last Night may have its merits in terms of setting, it falls short in delivering a captivating storytelling experience due to its awkward writing style and underdeveloped characters. Readers seeking a gripping mystery may find themselves wanting more depth and complexity from this novel.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

This was a decent murder mystery/family drama set during a blizzard on the coast of Rhode Island. When I read the premise I was drawn by it and I wanted to read the whole story. It was a fine choice to read by the fire while experiencing a snowstorm by myself too. I feel that I should read the previous book to connect more to the story.

This is my first Luanne Rice book, and I was pleasantly surprised! I could not put this book down. Filled with great character development, and a variety of characters, Luanne gives each their own unique attributes. Fast paced, and filled with classic red-herrings, this book kept me guessing until close to the end. I can not wait to try another Luanne Rice mystery.

I want to thank Netgalley & Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of this book.

Running from a contentious divorce, Maddie Morrison has taken refuge in the legendary Ocean House on the Rhode Island shore. Thinking her life is about to change for the better, Maddie takes her young daughter, CeCe out in a blizzard to meet someone along the shore. It was supposed to be a quick trip, but neither of them return. Enroute to spend Christmas with her sister and niece, Maddie’s sister Hadley arrives at Ocean House and knows immediately that there’s something dreadfully wrong. Where are Maddie and CeCe? Setting out to find them, Hadley discovers Maddie, dead in the snow, but CeCe is nowhere to be found. Detective Conor Reid is also at Ocean House on a romantic getaway, but soon he is completely embroiled in the case. When a boat ends up in trouble, his coastguard brother, Tom, is looking into it, but are the two cases connected? With a plethora of suspects, Rice keeps us on our toes and guessing until the end. Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Maddie Morrison has fled to Ocean House with her daughter CeCe after a very antagonistic divorce. When her sister Hadley shows up and can't find her niece or her sister she decides to look around. The staff saw her leave Sith her daughter a bit before the blizzard started but no one saw them return. The police are called in and soon find her body, she had been shot but her daughter is no where to be found. With a raging blizzard going on the police along ith Maddie's sister begin to look into the murder. They also need to figure out what happened to CeCe as well, is she alive or was.her body hidden.somewhere else? Follow along and see what clues they come across and if they will lead to a killer in the end.

Last Night was a perfect winter read: A fierce blizzard is burying the eastern seaboard, but on the icy Rhode Island shore renowned artist Maddie Morrison finds warm sanctuary from a contentious divorce at the legendary Ocean House. Hours later, her body is found buried under a blanket of snow and her little daughter, CeCe, has disappeared without a trace.

I have been reading Luanne Rice for as long as I can remember, and she has never written a book I haven’t enjoyed. As someone who HAS read so many of her books, I often find myself being able to guess what’s going to happen and some things may feel predictable or overlapping from her other stories, but between this book and her other newer book Last Day I can definitely see her branching out and brining in different struggles, characters and story lines and I am loving that journey both for her and her readers.

I really enjoyed the mystery of this read and can’t wait to continue to see what Rice does as her writing journey away from typical love stories with smaller tragedies to straight up murder. I’m also always a sucker for her setting since she often writes about where I grew up in CT and she’s not far off with the Rhode Island setting of this book. As I’ve gotten older and become more diverse in my reading, I still can’t give up anything Rice writes. Her books are in my soul, so while I wouldn’t give this read a full 5 star, I confidently give it a 4 and will be recommending to my friends and reading communities.

This was an OK book. I figured out the killer pretty early on, but I missed the co- conspirators and the why. It was an enjoyable read. There’s obviously some history with the characters, but I didn’t feel like I had missed out because I didn’t know the previous books. A solid three stars.

*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

EXCERPT: The path to the beach was deep with snow. It covered the thickets on both sides, creating rounded shapes that looked like sea animals, like the white beluga whales at the aquarium. It softened everything and turned the world cold. The shape in the middle of the path was buried, and no matter how she tried to dig the snow away, the snow just kept falling and falling, so the face wasn't a face anymore; it was just a lump.

ABOUT 'LAST NIGHT': A fierce blizzard is burying the eastern seaboard, but on the icy Rhode Island shore renowned artist Maddie Morrison finds warm sanctuary from a contentious divorce at the legendary Ocean House. Hours later, her body is found buried under a blanket of snow and her little daughter, CeCe, has disappeared without a trace.

For Detective Conor Reid; his brother, Tom, a coast guard commander; and Maddie’s grieving sister, Hadley, the posh hotel becomes ground zero for an investigation. Trapped by the blizzard, they must hunker down and determine who in the young mother’s life could have possibly wanted her dead. There are stories of a twisted romantic past. Of old jealousies and resentments that still cut to the bone. And a history of greed, rage, and revenge that created the perfect storm for murder. A storm that has just begun.

MY THOUGHTS: Last Night is a family/domestic drama that should be suspenseful, but it failed miserably in this respect for me. I felt like I was being told a story, whereas I like to feel like I am experiencing the events.

This is a story of the violent death of a mother; of a loving sister and aunt; a treasured child; a marriage (or two) gone wrong; secrets, old grudges, greed, betrayal and revenge. It has all the ingredients of a great read. Instead, I found it to be average. Not bad, but not great either. It should have been suspenseful and thrilling; it was neither. There was not one moment when I caught my breath in anticipation or dread. There were, however, a few eyerolls and the occasionally muttered 'Really?' However, at no point did I consider abandoning this read - I did want to know who had killed Maddie and why.

The characters were mostly likeable (with the notable exception of Bernard), until they weren't. Although there is quite a large cast of characters, it never got confusing and for this I must commend the author. Each character had a distinct identity and role to play. The one character I did feel empathy for, surprisingly was Ronnie. He was a young lad who just wanted to please his father, to make him proud, but who ruined his own life trying to do this.

There was a LOT of dialogue in this book, and I mean a LOT. It's hard to create atmosphere with so much dialogue and atmosphere was sadly lacking here.

Unfortunately, a distinctly average read.

⭐⭐.5

#LastNight #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Luanne Rice is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-seven novels and lives on the Connecticut shoreline.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Last Night by Luanne Rice for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Hadley is meeting her world-renowned artist sister at her new place for Christmas. She can't wait to see her sister and niece. Maddie is going through a painful divorce from her actor husband.

But they won't be celebrating. Hadley finds Maddies body and Cece, her niece missing. But right after she finds Maddie, Hadley meets Detective Connor Reid and his girlfriend Kate. Connor has experience with solving murders and Kate understands what Hadley is going through, having lost her own sister.

We get multiple POVs, including Cece's, whos only a little girl and desperately wanting her mother.

There's lots of possible suspects. I did not figure it out. Maddie had a few secrets that Hadley didn't know about, and not everyone around them are what they seem.

I was slightly confused about the motive. I didn't totally understand the explanation.