The Last Time She Saw Him
by Jane Haseldine
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Pub Date Jun 28 2016 | Archive Date Jun 30 2016
Kensington Books | Kensington
Description
Julia Gooden remembers nothing about the worst night of her life. Thirty years ago, her nine-year-old brother Ben—the person who promised he would always protect her—was abducted from the room they shared. Try as she might to recall any clue or detail, there is a black hole where Julia’s memories of that terrible event should be.
Now a crime reporter at a Detroit newspaper, Julia tries to give others the closure she’s never found. But guilt and grief over Ben’s disappearance have left her fearful that whoever took her brother is going to come back. Nowhere seems safe—not the city, not the suburbs, not even the secluded lake town where she plans to raise her children. And then, on the anniversary of Ben’s disappearance, Julia’s worst fears are realized when her two-year-old son, Will, is snatched from his bed.
Convinced that the crimes are related, Julia tries to piece together memories from her final day with Ben. Are the sudden reminders of her brother clues that will lead her to her son’s abductor, or merely coincidence? Julia knows she has hours at best to find Will alive, but the deeper she digs, the more personal and terrifying the battle becomes, and an undying promise may be her only hope of saving herself and her son.
Advance Praise for The Last Time She Saw Him
“A sharp, breathless thriller. From the opening scene to the last, The Last Time She Saw Him, kept me flipping the pages. I loved it! Jane Haseldine is one to watch!” —Lisa Jackson, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“So visually written and chilling, with such real, believable characters and twists that shocked. A gripping story that I read in one night—I could not put it down . . .” —Debbie Howells, author of The Bones of You
“Haseldine’s first novel is a solid read that fans of Debbie Howells, Julia Dahl, and Laura Lippman will appreciate.” —Library Journal
“Terrific! Suspenseful, poignant, and completely surprising. Jane Haseldine’s riveting story of love, danger, paranoia, and family is powerfully and emotionally authentic—and deserves a standing ovation.” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha, Anthony, and Mary Higgins Clark award-winning author
A Note From the Publisher
First in a brand new suspense series, you won't be able to put this one down!
Advance Praise
“A ferocious thriller…you can bet no one will stop reading.”– Booklist
“Smart, relatable…A competently written thriller.”– Publishers Weekly
“Haseldine has crafted an intriguing debut in which the reader can feel Julia’s emotions as she is looking at evidence to unravel the case. The pace and intensity pull the reader into action. Twists and an unpredictable ending leave a few loose ends, paving the way for a sequel.”– RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781496704054 |
| PRICE | $25.00 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Amber E, Reviewer
Julia Gooden is a crime reporter, and mother to 2 boys. Her husband, and other people, question if her overprotectiveness is crossing the line to paranoia. As does Julia herself - but how can she let go of the memory of her brother, Ben, who was snatched from their home 30 years ago? Julia decides to take her boys to the family lake house for the summer, a safe a place she can imagine. Currently separated from husband, Andrew, it seems like a time to consider the future, Then the unimaginable happens - Julia's fears are realized when her youngest son Will is kidnapped. Julia relies on and works with Detective Navarro, who she knows from their past relationship she can count on. There are several twists and turns before the connection to Ben and Will's kidnappings are revealed, and author Jane Haseldine does a good job of creating full characters and describing the events so they come to life.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley, and I look forward to the next book in this series.
Sharon B, Reviewer
This was such a great mystery! Just when I thought I had it figured out, the author added a new twist to the plot. When Julia was seven, her brother Ben was kidnapped. She has spent 30 years trying to find out what happened to him. Now, with 2 boys of her own, it seems the mystery has come back to haunt her and her family. Highly recommend to all readers who enjoy suspense and mystery! You won't be able to put it down! It's also a sweet story about a brother/sister relationship. I just can't say enough about this great book!
Claire M, Reviewer
This was a really gripping book right from the very beginning. One of those books that you just had to keep reading to find out what happened. Originally I thought the main culprit was a certain person, then changed my mind a few times. It certainly kept you on your toes!
Julia's brother, Ben, was snatched from the bedroom they were sleeping in when he was 9 and Julia was 7. She can't remember anything about the night and it has haunted her throughout her whole life, and one of the major factors in the breakdown of her marriage as her and her husband are now separated. They have two young boys, Logan 7 years old and Will 2 years old, and Julia is very over-protective, which is understandable considering what she went through at a young age.
Will is then snatched from their house, even though they have a great security system and she is so vigilant all the time with her children, and then we're off on a roller-coaster ride trying to figure out who the culprit is and why they've taken her son. It seems to be related to her brother's disappearance 30 years ago as Will was taken on the same day, 30 years later, with lots of similarities.
Great suspense all through the book, really quite scary towards the end, and a great read from a debut author. I understand it's the first in a new series, so I'm looking forward to the next book, Julia is a great character and works on the crime desk of a newspaper so I can see this being a long-running series with her solving crimes along the way, along with her ex-boyfriend and cop Navarro, who I hope we see more of.
Jessica D, Reviewer
A great mystery & thriller with a likable main character, Julia, who has a rough background - her beloved brother was kidnapped when she was just 7 years old. The case was never solved and now she faces a mother's worst nightmare- the disappearance of her son. A fast paced and well written mystery.
Gena D, Educator
Keeps you guessing until the end. Can't wait to read the next one!
Sue F, Reviewer
Love this heroine...Julia Gooden, a journalist, working in Detroit and raising her two young sons. Few know that her 9 year old brother was kidnapped from their home 30 years ago. Now, her 2 year old has been kidnapped...are they connected? She's in the middle of a separation, has a former love on the police force, which adds to the appeal. There are flashbacks to her childhood, which is helpful, and there are lots of plot twists...it kept me guessing. I kept reading into the night, even half asleep! The only thing was the end....didn't love that, but I see now that a 2nd book in the series will be coming in 2017...so I'll forgive that. I've tagged the author as someone I'll read more of for sure. I thank NetGalley and Kensington Books so much for an ARC of this book
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