Thursday, March 23, 2023

Mystery Review: The Last Thing She Said by Lauren Carr

I love mysteries and thrillers. I have read many novels from author Lauren Carr's various series and always look forward to reading more. This week, I have a few books to share from her Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery series!  Check out The Last Thing She Said today, read my thoughts on the book, learn about other books from the series and enter the book tour giveaway at the end of this post!

Book Details:

Book Title The Last Thing She Said (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #3) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  386 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   July 22, 2019
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!



Book Description:
“I’m working on the greatest mystery ever,” was the last thing noted mystery novelist Mercedes Livingston said to seven-year-old Chris Matheson before walking out of Hill House Hotel never to be seen again.

For decades, the writer’s fate remained a puzzling mystery until an autographed novel and a letter put a grown-up Chris Matheson on the trail of a cunning killer. With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris puts a flame to this cold case to uncover what had really happened that night Mercedes Livingston walked out of Hill House Hotel. Watch out! The clues are getting hot!
 My Review

Expect a Long List of Great Characters. As with her other novels, the author begins this book with a rundown of the novel's characters. I have read other books from Lauren Carr, and I know that each book of each series has several series characters and also pulls in characters from her other series and novels. The cast list is generally long--but, even to me, this list felt almost too long. I skimmed the list to check for old favorites from other series--and get a few insights into the novel's new characters--but I felt overwhelmed by the cast of characters promised in this story. This moment is where Carr readers can breathe a sigh of relief and remember that the author does a beautiful job re-introducing and reuniting characters for both new and familiar readers. Some of the characters are mere mentions--but all of them do help create the current characters and pieces of their storylines. 

 

The Last Thing She Said Keeps Readers Guessing. I love Lauren Carr's writing style. In this novel, she offers a few significant mysteries to solve, plenty of suspects, and a cast of characters participating in interconnected plots with twists and turns to keep readers interested and guessing about at least one mystery through most of the book. As always, The Last Thing She Said combines humor, some well-developed friendships and relationships that blend well for mystery solving, new pets and animals to complement the human cast, and some easy-to-follow mystery plots as secrets emerge and storylines connect. The book is a stand-alone story with a satisfying resolution. 

 

 Would I Recommend The Last Thing She Said by Lauren Carr? I always enjoy the author's books and series. This novel feels more cozy mystery-like, as the aging cast of characters joins forces with Chris to put the pieces of the past to rest for a family friend. With a lot of dialogue, a little sarcasm, and many puzzles to solve, the author gives readers a novel that is hard to put down. If you enjoy cozy mystery-like characters with many little mysteries joining the main plot--this is a well-done story. Readers will want to follow the characters into future adventures--or read some of the previous novels and cases the author alludes to from time to time as characters are introduced, or memories arise.

 
 
 

Check Out The Rest of The Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries:

 

Book Title: Winter Frost  (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #2) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult fiction,  332 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  January 22, 2019
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!


"Filled with twists and turns, Winter Frost reads perfectly well as a stand-alone, although it is part of a series. The author creates tension and suspense throughout by keeping the reader guessing; she keeps readers engaged with well fleshed out characters and a dash of humor. Sterling, the retired German Shepherd police dog turned card shark, is a new favorite. As the story flows, the truth unfolds, layer by layer, leading to a satisfying conclusion.

"Winter Frost was an entertaining, at times humorous read with suspense, some surprises, and even cute animals in the mix." Review of Winter Frost by The iRead Review

Book Description:
It all started with a chance encounter in the city with Blair, his late wife.

Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad, working under the guise of a book club, dig into the events surrounding his late wife’s supposed death halfway around the globe. A state department employee shoots himself in the back three times. A CIA operative goes missing. A woman is targeted by an international assassin three years after being declared dead in a terrorist attack overseas. 

Nothing is as it seems. 

In his most personal cold case, Chris fights to uncover why the state department told him that Blair, the mother of his children, had been killed when she was alive. What had she uncovered that has made her a target? Who terrified her so much that she had gone into hiding and why are they now after him?
 


Book Details:

Book Title: ICE  (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #1) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult fiction,  364 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  February 26, 2018
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!


"Lauren spins an amazing web of lies, murder and love that will have you on the edge of your seat...I love the way Lauren spun this novel - I could not put the book down! I had to know what happened to Sandy and her unborn child and how this disappearance was tied into a string of other murders. I never saw the end coming but it was perfect and suited the novel. A definite must read novel!" 5-Star Review by Carla at Working Mommy Journal

Book Description:
When Sandy Lipton and her unborn child disappeared, the court of public opinion found young Chris Matheson guilty. Decades later, the retired FBI agent returns home to discover that the cloud of suspicion cast over him and his family has never lifted. 

With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris Matheson starts chipping away at the ice on this cold case to uncover what had happened to Sandy and her baby and the clues are getting hot!
 

Book Details:

Book Title Chris Crossed Murder (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #4) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +) 
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   Feb 22, 2023
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!

"Carr is a master at creating unique, complex plots and colorful characters, both evident in her latest cold case mystery featuring  Chris Matheson and the geezer squad. The plot is twisted, the mystery unique and the ending a surprise. A must-read!" - Review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery, Book Four) by Marilyn R. Wilson, Author, Speaker, Book Reviewer

"Lauren Carr is among my favorite mystery writers. She knows how to write a fun tale while keeping readers engaged. ...I would give Chris Crossed Murder one hundred stars if I could. I believe readers who enjoy reading well-written and clean cozy mysteries will most definitely want to read it. I have no doubt they will enjoy it as much as I did. The fifth installment from A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery series is on my radar for when it releases." - Review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery, Book Four) by Amy Campbell, Locks Hooks and Books

Book Description:
It proves to be a Christmas to remember when the Matheson family receives the horrendous news that Chris Matheson’s body has been found in the woods near an international airport.

Everyone is stunned—especially Chris Matheson.

The mystery deepens when they discover the victim has Chris’s federal agent badge and appears to have been investigating one of his old cases.

The Geezer Squad’s latest case is not only a whodunit but who-got-dun. Is this a case of mistaken identity? Was Chris the intended victim? If not, then they must identify the murder victim to find his killer.

With Christmas days away, join the Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad as they race to piece together the clues to their most puzzling case yet.
Buy the Book:
Amazon.com 
B&N ~ BAM
BookBub
add to goodreads


Meet the Author:

​Selling over half a million books worldwide, Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. 

The owner of Acorn Book Services and iRead Book Tours, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.  

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. 

She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

connect with the author: website ~ blog ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ twitter ~ pinterest

Celebrating the Release of Chris Crossed Murder!



1 comment:

  1. Thank you so much, Angela, for the wonderful review for THE LAST THING SHE SAID. I am so glad you enjoyed this Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery. I am certain your followers will enjoy it as well. Here's wishing everyone luck in the giveaway for the $75 PayPal Gift Card and cookies.

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