If this was the last book on earth, I wouldn't read it! The worst book I have read/listened to this year! Netgalley provided audio ARC of this book.
Let's start with the book. I am not familiar with this author, nor have I read any of her prior books, The lack of continuity, research, and plain common sense in this story is astounding and very annoying. Nonsense from the very beginning of the book. One of the characters, as woman from Detroit, her entire family is killed when she is 17 years old. The book begins with her going to a bank in Detroit, where her family has a safety deposit box that she was given when she turned 30 years old. Inside the box is 3.8 MILLION dollars in $100 dollar bills. Not only does she count this amount of money in 2 HOURS, by herself, but then she proceeds to put this money in her PURSE and just walk out the bank. Seriously do a basic google search, 1 million in $100 weighs 22 lbs, so she basically put in a PURSE, over 66 lbs of money, how does that make any sense? Not a suitcase, duffle bags, a purse!!! Later in the book, she says the woman and her twin brother who was killed, both had guns registered to them by the time they were 17 years old and had been carrying guns for years by that age. How, did you look up gun laws in Michigan, this is impossible. Or do you assume all young black people in Detroit carry guns illegally?? So stereotyping and racist.
If you are going to write about black characters, do research or ask someone. To describe a black woman's hair in one part of the book as curly, but chapters later describe the same characters hair as dreadlocks is so wrong and clearly you don't know the difference in hair textures. Curly hair and Dreads are not the same hair style/texture! There are so many other events in this book that just dont make sense and go against common sense and behavior. The overall "mystery" was dull, and also nonsensical.
Plus the book is too long, there are too many other plot lines that don't add to the story and too much time is spent on mundane and uninteresting events that don't advance the story. We don't need 2 minutes of describing putting beans in a pot.
I listened to the audio version, and the narrator was just as annoying as the book. She had this breathless, over the top reading style, over acting like she was reading Shakespeare. The audio book is very long and not worth the time.

A suspenseful tale that will keep you guessing. Mystery that puts you on edge. A story for those who like a good thriller.

I'm sorry, but this book archive date fell of my radar. Thank you for access to the arc. 5 stars for my lack of participation.

Sophie Amoss does a wonderful job of bringing life to the Last one Alive. The Character of Jennifer Graser Dornbush are an interesting collaboration especially with a cold case rolled in. Suspense certainly carries you into this thrill ride Thank you Netgally for this reading experiance.

This was a very interesting story. The writer was getting me excited and I couldn't put down the book until I was read the book.

What a great continuation of the “A Coroner’s Daughter Mystery Series”. Yet it can stand alone with just enough information.

I enjoyed revisiting a wonderful determined, smart character. Dr. Emily Hartford is just finishing up her surgical residency and seemingly ready to move forward in her life in Chicago when she receives a call from a childhood friend asking for help in finally solving the murder of her family years before. As she starts digging into an old case that her father was involved she initially has more questions than answers about the initial investigation, her friends honesty and what she really wants. She is concerned about Nick, the love of her life who works for the FBI and has gone missing, questioning but not really dealing with her emotions for next for her and her current beau/partner who she doesn’t really know if she can trust and so much more. She is very methodical and decisive and yet she can’t help herself from questioning everything that is going on. It’s an interesting and compelling listen to her finding the truth. Wonderful narration added to the experience. Oh and I read book one in the series, but not book 2, but had zero problem. Hoping there will be a book 4.

Oh my goodness. I did not expect this book to take me on the ride it did. I loved everything about it & how there were so many stories within the main story. So much to unpack & so much more going on than you even realize. I had a feeling this book was part of a series & I just found out as I gave my rating that it's the the 3rd book in the Coroner's Daughter series. Let's just say I hope I can find the time to read/listen to the first two but there BETTER be a 4th because this one left us by starting a new case! I also am holding out hope on some things that I don't want to say because it could give something away.

I love Emily's character. She's just the best & so likable & so determined. If you've read any Women's Murder Club books & liked them-- she definitely has Lindsay Boxer vibes with her no quit until a job is finished attitude.

I did feel like some things weren't fully explained but I now realize that's because it's assumed you've read the first two books. This can 100% stand alone but I am excited to dive deeper in the the other characters by going back to the beginning!

Thank you so much NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, & Jennifer Graeser Dornbush

Dr. Emily Hartford is alone - her mother and father have died, her boyfriend, Nick, is missing in a foreign country under concerning circumstances. Solange McClellen is also alone. Her whole family , parents and twin brother, were brutally killed thirteen years ago, and the crime was labeled a murder-suicide. Solange has never accepted that interpretation.

Dr. Hartford is starting her own life - taking over a surgical practice with her boyfriend, Brandon, also a doctor. Solange contacts her mistakenly, actually looking for Emily’s late father, who signed off on her family's autopsy. Solange wants to address some loose ends, and Emily gets more and more drawn into the case. Soon both women are fully invested, and they are on the hunt, chasing a serial killer.

This one took a while for me to get through. I listened to the audiobook and I wasn’t really overly interested in the plot or invested in the characters. It was long, with action sprinkled throughout. Several times I thought things were winding down, then I noticed the amount of time left and realized that couldn’t be the case. It wasn’t. The book continued. I plodded through. Repeat over the span of several weeks, much longer than it usually takes for me to listen to an audiobook. There’s so many books out there, there are definitely books more aligned with my taste out there. This wasn’t one of them. For every book it’s reader, for every reader their book. This was not the book for me.

JUSTICE SERVED WITH A SIDE OF REVENGE. This 3rd thriller in the Dr. Emily Hartford series is packed full of suspense and mystery.

"Last One Alive" follows Medical Examiner, Dr. Emily Hartford, just after the loss of the love of her life, Nick. In her return to Chicago to restart her life, she receives an unexpected request from Solange McClelland, who is ready to get to the bottom of the murder of her family over ten years ago. Dr. Emily Hartford is the only one who would be able to help her due to the insufficiency of details in this closed case. Now 30 years of age, Solange is married and pregnant with her first child and is entitled to her multi-million dollar inheritance. Discovering some strange photographs and drawings left behind by her twin brother, Titus, she can't help wondering about the mysterious man in one of the images. Emily Hartford decides to join the pursuit for truth as zubzero temperatures bring a thick blanket of snow and ice to the surrounding area. As she returns to her childhood home to dig into the past, Solange can't help but sense someone following her. Little does she know, the unrepentant killer has been patiently waiting to finish what he started.

I do love a good audiobook. Sophie Amoss did an incredible job setting up and delivering this story. Her vocal build in suspense, pacing, and voicing of characters gave this story exactly the energy it needed. I really don't think I would have enjoyed this book as much had I not listened to Sophie's reading.

This is a thrilling story for sure. It has all the makings of a good whodunit. The clues, the pacing, mystery and timing of events was exciting. There are a couple of events that happen with Solange and Emily that were unpredictable and much needed to bring the story to a new level. The writing was picturesque and easy to imagine those much needed details. For me, while I enjoyed this trope, I found the ending to fall a bit flat. It definitely had boss battle energy. It was just predictable. Otherwise I certainly would have bumped this up to a 4-star. Endings are just extremely important. Overall, I am glad I took the time to listen in on this mystery. Sophie Amoss is a main reason for my enjoyment.

Thank you Jennifer Graeser Dornbush, Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen in on this one in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book was fine. I wasn’t blown away, and I probably won’t go out of my way to read the next book in the series so I feel like a lot of the ending was irrelevant to this book and just setting up the next book instead. I was interested in the general storyline but I also thought that the reveal of the murderer was going to be a bit better. I was expecting some big tie in with the way it was being presented.

This is my first book from Jennifer Graeser Dornbush but I do not foresee it being my last. I love me a good mystery! While Last One Alive is the 3rd in her series, I was able to completely follow without having read the first two. However, the main character Emily grew on me and I now feel like I will be going back to read the first two! A tale of murder, mystery, love and crime, there is not much left for wanting by the end of this one. Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy.

This is part of a series but can be read as a standalone. I would call this a procedural thriller with a lot of twists and turns. The Audio narration was done very well and I could see myself seeking out more in this series.

Overall the story while compelling was forgettable. Finished just a few days ago I'm finding myself searching for names, places, and plot. I would recommend this to lovers of cozy mysteries as well with the small time feel.

I read this as a standalone but I am going to go back to read the previous two books in the series. That being said it can be read as a standalone. I loved the story and the twists and the strong female protagonist. A relentless thriller that will grab you and not let go. I can not wait for the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook of Last One Alive by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush. It was narrated by Sophie Amoss and I found her voice excellent to listen to. This is book three in a series of Dr. Emily Hartford and I will definitely go back and read the first two in this series. Solange McClelland reaches out to Emily for help, to solve her family’s murder that had happened more than a decade ago. It’s set in cold Michigan, where they are trying to solve the case before the killer gets to them first. This is a new author to me and I really enjoyed her writing. It was a quick read and enjoyable one. Thanks to Blackstone Publishing.
#NetGalley #LastOneAlive

Having somehow missed that this was the third book in a series until feeling lost when I’d started, I had to go back a listen to Emily’s story from the beginning. I am happy to say I am glad that I didn’t realize it was a series or I would have most likely skipped over this one.

While this book broke from the previous format of previous installments, it set the stage to keep me coming back for each new iBook in this series. Emily is an excellent lead and the carrots—as well as cliff hangers—that were left mean I look forward to spending many more books with her.

I love the narrator—and just spent three full books with her telling Emily’s story—she brought Emily among others to life and was so pleasant to listen to that I could binge without needing to mix things up.

Huge appreciation to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an early glimpse into this gripping and unpredictable thriller. Authored by the talented Canadian writer Amber Cowie, the narrative masterfully crafts a vivid sense of place, transporting readers to a remote peninsula off the coast of BC. The setting, with its torrential rainfall, mud, and dangerous cliffs, is both atmospheric and immersive, accessible only by boat.

Penelope Berkowitz, grappling with the loss of her best friend Marianne and the pressure to produce a second novel, discovers a list of contacts Marianne intended to invite on a mysterious weekend escape. The destination, an isolated lodge with a haunting history, becomes the catalyst for Penelope's next novel.

The story unfolds as Penelope and her new boyfriend join a diverse group for a weekend retreat filled with hikes, good food, and relaxation. However, Penelope's leadership and the group's dynamics quickly spiral out of control. The flawed protagonist adds a layer of complexity to the narrative, though some may find her overwhelming emotions a bit excessive.

As eerie events unfold, the lodge becomes a sinister backdrop for a series of disappearances and deaths. The mystery deepens, with questions of accidental deaths, coincidence, or murder hanging in the air. The atmosphere becomes increasingly hostile, and the survivors must navigate a storm, missing phones, and darkness in a fight for their lives.

While the story delivers unexpected twists, there are a few plot holes and dead ends that might leave readers wanting more clarification. The intensity of the survivors' predicament adds a chilling layer, making it a compelling read for fans of adventure thrillers. The narrative explores themes of revenge, folklore, and possible redemption, earning it a solid 4.0 stars. Recommended for those who enjoy suspenseful tales where a group faces disaster and suspicion runs high.

Last One Alive by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush is the third in the series however as a new cold case it is easily a stand alone novel. I found this to be a murder drama more so than a thriller or suspense novel. If you want to read a series that could easily be turned into a prime time tv series this is the way to go.

I really enjoyed this story and the narrator was wonderful! I did not realize it was the third book in a series when I started but that did not affect me being able to enjoy this book. The book integrated in enough detail to nod back to previous books and make me want to listen to those as well. Overall great book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for a copy of this audio to review.

This is the third in the Coroner's Daughter series. While I was a bit confused when starting, I was able to catch up with who was who and I was able to invest myself in the story. We follow Dr. Emily Hartford who just bought into a medical practice with her ex, which leads to them reigniting their old flame.

Enter Solange - a tripe homicide survivor who has just stumbled on a large sum of money from her parents, who were murdered in a triple homicide, along with her twin brother. Her father was accused, but she knows that he could not do such a thing. She approaches Dr. Hartford to help her clear her father's name, find out the truth of who murdered her family, and figure out whether she is safe or not.

I was very invested in this story up until about the 60% mark, though I can't put my finger on why. I was not able to figure out who the killer was, which is a good sign, but I felt the story ended abruptly and I wasn't at all prepared for it to end.

The narrator did a fantastic job. She is going between two POV's (Dr. Hartford and Solange) and I was never questioning who's POV we were in because the narrator had distinct voices for each of the main characters. Really well done!