I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Her Final Breath by Carolyn Arnold Also by this author: The Little Grave, Stolen Daughters, The Silent Witness, Black Orchid Girls
Series: Detective Amanda Steele #7
Also in this series: The Little Grave, Stolen Daughters, The Silent Witness, Black Orchid Girls
Published by Bookouture on 17th February 2023
Genres: Crime, Suspense, Thriller
Pages: 323
Format: eARC
Source: from Netgalley
Goodreads
Amazon Kindle
Faint sunlight dapples the two figures lying on the ground. The mother cradles her daughter close to her side, a stuffed toy elephant next to them. Leaves from the tall trees fall onto their faces, but neither moves to brush them off.
When a dog walker in a local Virginia park finds the bodies of a mother and daughter, Detective Amanda Steele is first on the scene. Her own daughter has a toy just like the girl’s elephant and seeing the child like this is her worst nightmare come true. Heartbroken, she vows to get justice.
They quickly get an ID—Jill Archer and six-year-old Charlotte were reported missing last week, but interviewing Jill’s husband, Roy, Amanda’s gut tells her he is hiding something. When the autopsy reveals a terrible pattern of bruises, she’s certain that a domestic argument escalated out of control, and tiny Charlotte got caught in the crossfire. But just as Amanda is about to arrest Roy, another grave is found, containing another mother and daughter.
Desperate for a lead, she goes to every place the women could have been targeted, and learns from a concerned ER nurse about Leanne Reilly and her young daughter, Gracie, who haven’t been heard from in a week. Amanda hopes that Leanne has simply left her deadbeat husband, but she’s gripped by the fear that they are the killer’s latest victims. Now every second counts for Amanda to find the family and stop a little girl’s nightmare before it ends in tragedy…
This is the 7th book in the Amanda Steele series and it is amazing how far Amanda has come since the first book. You don’t need to have read all the previous books as this could be read as a standalone.
Amanda and Trent have caught a case of murdered mother and daughter. What at first looks like domestic abuse soon turns into the work of a serial killer. Trent has a personal connection to these cases with his aunt being a victim of domestic abuse. Trent is not his finest self in this edition but I think it shows how some cases can really affect officers and how difficult it is to be objective sometimes. BothAmanda and Trent are easy to identify with and you want them to find the killer before more lives are lost.
Carolyn does an excellent job of building suspense and hooking you into the story. The prologue really grips you and has you racing through page after page. The story is well thought out and has an excellent pace. You feel the urgency to track down the killer coming off the page.
Another excellent addition to this series. I can’t wait for more.
About Carolyn Arnold
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has nearly thirty published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.
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