Monday, September 27, 2021

Audio Review: Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin

 

Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin
Publication Date: September 28th 2021 by Berkley &  Dreamscape Media, LLC
Pages: 336
Audio Book Length: 9 hrs 19 min
Narrator: Cynthia Farrell
Source: Publisher
Rating: 
Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:
Vanessa Adams’ car is abandoned by the side of the road; her purse, car keys, and wallet left inside. She’s nowhere to be seen, but there’s blood…

Homicide Detective Brandon Reynolds is called in to investigate, and he’s got a bad feeling. One of the clues left in the car is attorney Leigh Larson’s card and so he tracks her down eager to find some answers.

Leigh, an attorney specializing in cases of sexual harassment, revenge porn, stalkers, and more, had one meeting with Vanessa, but she left an impression. Leigh suspected there was more to her story than Vanessa told her and starts looking into it more closely after Brandon questions her about the case. Brandon is less than thrilled with Leigh’s involvement, but as they’re working toward the same goal: finding Vanessa, they form a reluctant partnership.  

Last Seen Alone was an addictive read! From page one I was sucked into the mystery of Vanessa’s disappearance, following the trail of clues, and interviewing the suspects. Brandon doesn’t completely trust Leigh’s motives at first and doesn’t want her in danger. But as they investigate, they get to know each other, crossing paths as they get down to the bottom of the story, albeit at different angles.

There’s a definite immediate attraction that neither Brandon nor Leigh welcomes, but it’s irresistible anyhow. Even though they were a bit adversarial at first, they had chemistry!  I loved getting to know these two and what made them tick. There was more of a back story for Leigh, the reason she was so passionate fighting for her clients, and I really admired her. The dirtbags she went after deserved some reckoning! I’m sad to say that some of the situations are very true-to-life.

With Last Seen Alone, Laura Griffin combined mystery, police procedural and romance in just the right amounts making for a captivating read!

I alternately read an e-copy and listened to the audio version of Last Seen Alone. Cynthia Farrell is a new-to-me narrator, and it took a bit to get used to her matter-of-fact reading style, but the more I listened, the more I settled in and enjoyed.  I listened at my 1.5x normal speed.

4 Stars



Book Description:

Up-and-coming attorney Leigh Larson fights for victims of sexual extortion, harassment, and online abuse. She is not afraid to go after the sleaziest targets to get payback for her clients. Leigh is laser-focused on her career—to the exclusion of everything else—until a seemingly routine case and a determined cop turn her world upside down.

Austin homicide detective Brandon Reynolds is no stranger to midnight callouts. But when he gets summoned to an abandoned car on a desolate road, he quickly realizes he’s dealing with an unusual crime scene. A pool of blood in the nearby woods suggests a brutal homicide. But where is the victim? The vehicle is registered to twenty-six-year-old Vanessa Adams. Searching the car, all Brandon finds is a smear of blood and a business card for Leigh Larson, attorney-at-law.

Vanessa had hired Leigh just before her disappearance, but Leigh has no leads on who could have wanted her dead. Faced with bewildering evidence and shocking twists, Leigh and Brandon must work against the clock to chase down a ruthless criminal who is out for vengeance.

19 comments:

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    1. You should! She writes great romantic suspense/mysteries. :)

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  2. Fabulous review! I enjoyed this one. I've liked Farrell before so maybe I would have like the audio even more?

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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  3. I love a story where you sucked in from the very beginning. And it sounds like the two protagonists have some great chemistry. :)

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  4. Such a nice review. I like that you were drawn right into the story.

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  5. I find a lot of Griffin's books addictive. I love her combination of mystery & suspense and romance.

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    1. Yes! She has a good combo of romance and mystery. Just enough of each.

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  6. Collecting the clues is my favorite part of reading a mystery, and I always think a bit of romance makes a book better.

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    1. Yes, I like feeling part of solving the mystery. I totally agree with that!

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  7. Sounds like a nice combination. I love it when reads are addictive like that! :)

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  8. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed this one here. I really like this author but she sometimes can be too slow burn at times. Mood reader vibe is the worst.

    Lovely review.

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    1. It was just right for me here, but I understand what you mean!

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  9. I've seen a few reviews for this one and it sounds compelling. I haven't read this author yet.

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