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.