| Title | : | Her Last Move |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 352 |
| Publication | : | First published November 8, 2018 |
“Whatever you do, don’t read this in the dark…” —Cara Hunter, author of Close to Home
He hides in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment. Each kill is calculated, planned and executed like clockwork.
Struggling to balance her personal and professional life, young DS Becca Vincent has landed the biggest case of her career – and she knows that it will make or break her. But how can she identify one face in a sea of thousands? With the help of Police Super Recogniser Joe Russell, she strives to catch a glimpse of the elusive murderer, but he’s watching her every move.
Time is not on their side. The body count is rising, and the attacks are striking closer and closer to home. Can Becca and Joe uncover the connection between the murders before the killer strikes the last name from his list?
From the bestselling author of When You Disappeared and The Good Samaritan comes his most thrilling novel yet.
Her Last Move Reviews
-
What an absolute corker of a book! It starts with a bang and never lets up until the final page.
A serial killer is at work in London, with several bodies turning up in a matter of days, each death more vicious and depraved than the last. But what has sent the killer on his spree? And what links the victims? Luckily DS Becca Vincent and DS Joe Russell are on the case, each with their own points to prove. Becca is a young detective out to make a name for herself and Joe is a facial recognition expert that's been assigned to the taskforce. But how do they hunt for a killer who is as meticulous as he is cunning?
This book is a real nail biter, you find yourself racing through it long into the night, while you absorb the twists and turns as the story slowly reveals itself. This is the first John Marrs book I've read, but it definitely wont be my last. I recommend this book 100%.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. -
3.5*
Two murders within hours of each other. Both victims have identical tattoos on their hands. Both live at the same address. And…both died a horrific death, but in very different ways. Soon after, reports begin flooding in of yet more gruesome deaths. Sure gives the appearance of being related…unless you don’t believe in coincidences. So, are they all related? Is there a serial killer on the loose? Is there a reason they’re being targeted?
“Everyone has their secrets”
Detective sergeant Becca Vincent. Single mother driven to prove herself by immersing herself into this investigation.
Detective sergeant Joe Russell a “super-recognizer.” (Yes...that term actually exists!)
Described as someone who has a photographic memory for faces. Quite a handy talent for police work. Working out of a special division, Joe has been brought in to assist Becca with this very difficult case.
Let me start by saying how excited I was to see a new release by John Marrs! I adored his previous book The One. In fact it’s sitting on my favorites shelf right now! Unfortunately, this book lacked the magic of his previous release. I’m in the minority on this as there are some fantastic four and five star reviews. But somehow I lacked a connection with the characters. Just not the best fit for me.
A buddy read with Susanne!
Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon UK Publishing for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review. -
3.5 Stars* (rounded up).
The body count keeps rising and neither DS Becca Vincent or the rest of her team are able to work fast enough to track the killer. Knowing that time is of the essence, Becca calls in the help of super facial recognition expert Joe Russell. If Joe can’t find this guy, well then, all bets are off. One by one, the murders get more gruesome and more personal with Becca and Joe racing to try and figure out what their connection is.
As the tension mounted in this crazy mystery / suspense, so did my anxiety. "Her Last Move" is one John Marrs novel that improves as it goes on. Recommended for fans of police procedurals.
This was another great buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to NetGallley, Amazon Publishing UK and John Marrs for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 10.22.18. -
She's chasing a killer. He's watching her every move. Each kill is calculated, planned and executed like clockwork. DS Becca Vincent has landed the biggest case of her career. With a list of people he wants to kill, he knows everyone will understand why they had to die. It's personal, but what connections are there between the victims?
This story is told alternately between DS Becca Vincent, super recogniser, Joe and the villain. There,are twists galore in this action packed book from the start. Some of the killings are quite violent and graphic so this won't suit every reader. Becca is not a very likeable character, she's a bit self centred and jumps to conclusions. The killers identity is revealed quite early on in this story which I don't really like as it cas spoil the read and I do prefer to guess who it is. This is quite a dark read. With its fast pace this is a gripping read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author John Marrs for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. -
2.5 Stars— I have made no secret that John Marrs is one of my favorite authors. He always writes in a fast paced style and keeps you guessing with surprises throughout his books. Therefore, the first book I decided to read when I rejoined Kindle Unlimited was “Her Last Move”, the only Marrs’ book I hadn’t read. “Her Last Move” was different from Marrs’ other books in that it took some time for the plot to grab me. After thinking back, I believe this was because Marrs doesn’t give you any information about the killer or his motive before random acts of violence start occurring throughout Britain. When the killer is slowly introduced, he is not named and is so shrouded in mystery that it is hard to get a grip on the entire plot until two thirds of the way through the book. The book does go on to explain the killer’s motives and how all of the murders are tied together but it was almost like Marrs couldn’t decide whether to make him totally psychotic or just a normal guy pushed over the edge by the actions of others. Because of the inconsistencies, the book is just never as enjoyable as his other novels. I did enjoy following the main detective, Becca, throughout her investigation but her actions towards the end were not consistent with her career first philosophy and didn’t ring true when she ultimately confronted the killer. I’m hoping Marrs rebounds with a better plot and more interesting characters in his next novel and maybe I have seen the last book with a plot based on police super-recognizers who walk through the community looking for suspects based on memorized facial features ... boring.
-
I really enjoy John Marrs books and was delighted to receive an ARC of his latest book Her Last Move. I really enjoyed this thriller and was hooked from the first page to the last. The characters were very well written and each one had an interesting story.
There is a serial killer working in London and the detective working on the case is Becca who is trying to find him before he strikes again. She is helped by Joe a super recogniser of faces who is assigned to her department temporarily.
I think that this author just gets better and better and I can't wait for his next book.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review. -
DNF - no rating
I loved The Good Samaritan by this author and was eager and excited to receive an arc of his latest work, Her Last Move. Sadly, this book wasn't nearly as compelling as The Good Samaritan.
Overwritten, drawn out, and never held my interest.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. -
Book Blog |
Bookstagram
I don’t know why I thought this was going to be a serial killer “thriller”… I mean, in some ways it is. There is a serial killer. And cops. And stuff is happening.
But, shit, this might be the most depressing crime fiction novel I’ve ever read. John Marrs are you OKAY? Blink twice! This just hit me dead centre in all my sad feels like a British episode of This Is Us or some shit.
One of the main reasons I love crime fiction is that the good guys win and the bad guys lose. The world is shitty enough and bad guys seem to win a lot, especially lately. So, it’s nice to be able to immerse yourself in a world where the bad guy is going to lose, sooner or later. I love to know - no, I need to know - that despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, good will triumph over evil.
And for that to not happen in a way that feels satisfying is a bit of a punch in the gut.
Kudos to John Marrs for bringing everyone down, I guess.
Typically, I’d like to see a balance between the two aspects of crime fiction – the personal and the grotesque. Beauty and the Beast, if you’re feeling fancy. Knowing what to pull back on and what to turn the volume up on is an art in and of itself.
This book focussed pretty heavily on the characters and their home lives, so there was some imbalance in the story for me. By the 50% mark, things started to pick up, but I still found the chapters too wordy and the POV of Dominic to be a little too self-indulgent, which became boring.
Overall, there was a very emotionally heavy theme running through this book. Having a deceased sister and raising her Downs Syndrome daughter, how that sister died, an unstoppable degenerative disease, and the motive for the murders that kind of had me feeling sorry for the killer.
And then there was the ending. Sure, it was a fucking serious boob punch of a shocker, but it was also depressing as all hell. I had to go back and read it again just to make sure that shit was real. It was a 'that couldn’t actually be a two-headed sheep’ kind of double-take.
I did not leave this reading experience with any kind of satisfaction even though there were no loose threads in the end. Rather, I had a feeling of being down and mopey. Was there an ending and the killer was no longer killing? Yes. But it came with a side of that real-life “the bad guys always win” bullshit and I think it was just a little too real for me at this juncture in my life.
This was less of an escapist exercise, which I tend to use books for in general, and more of a baseball bat to the face of bad shit that makes the world suck most of the time. And I don’t think I liked that.
I get it. But I don’t like it.
A bad book? No. The killer was interesting, albeit occasionally annoying, and his motivation for his evil deeds was believable – it was tangible and brimming with emotions. But I found the important points that brought the whole story together so depressing that any suspense or thrills were lost on me.
I’m going to have to really do some book nerd soul-searching on whether or not I can handle such sad shit when I’m already drowning in bad news and anxiety every day of my life.
⭐⭐⭐½ | 3.5 stars rounded down
book source: Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley in exchange for a review. -
Twisty and terrifying! This is not your standard detective vs killer story!
Prologue:
We are in the shoes of an unknown individual (I will use 'he' for simplicity). He's weaving through the packed crowds of the tube station, following a large man named Demitru. He has been stalking Demitru for some time and he knows his daily movements, which is what he's counting on. He closes in, closer and closer, using the crowd to remain unnoticed. Standing directly behind Demitru he stabs him with a syringe. What happens next is the beginning of his quest to eliminate the people on his list, one by one.
******
Detective Becca Vincent has put nearly everything into her career, now she's landed a place on a high profile murder case and she wants nothing more than to solve it. But what price will she pay at home?
The description sounds like the standard detective storyline, I know. But hold on....
It's not!
Her Last Move by
John Marrs is loaded with unusual twists throughout the entire storyline, with all three elements, the characters, the killer, and the victims.
I've never read a book like it. So is that a good thing?
For me it's a very good thing! I loved it!
I was completely unprepared all the shocking events that occur throughout the entire story,
Highly
This is my first book by
John Marrs but it won't be my last!
Thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and author,
John Marrs, for my uncorrected advanced digital copy in return for my honest review. -
John Marrs is an auto-buy author for me, meaning I'll read anything he writes. When I found out he had a new book, Her Last Move, coming out, I couldn't wait to request it on Netgalley! Regular readers of my blog and reviews know by now that I love books that involve some element of stalking, and this one did, and I loved it.
The book alternates between three POVs - our protagonist Becca, who is a detective hoping to have her big career break on this case, Joe, a "super-recognizer" that works for the police, and our unnamed killer. I really enjoyed the killer's chapters and getting that creepy insight into his twisted mind. I was constantly trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, and while I was able to figure out part of the mystery, there were other pieces that I didn't see coming, so I really enjoyed the twists and turns throughout the story.
I feel like Marrs did an excellent job of developing all three of our POV characters. I felt like I could feel Becca's internal struggle as she fails to balance a career that the loves with her home life. I loved Joe's character - he was one of my favorites. His knack for remembering faces can be both a blessing and a curse. Lastly, the killer. He was dark, and twisted, and it was clear that he had a motive, but unclear what that motive was until later in the book.
All in all, I loved the book, and I loved the ending. It started off with a bang, and kept up its momentum throughout the book. If you're a fan of Marrs' other books, or if you enjoy reading police procedurals, I think this will be a winner for you! I'd like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review. Her Last Move is out November 8, so be sure to pick up your copy! -
Hmmmm.
This is my fifth
John Marrs novel, and of those five, TWO were given 5-star ratings:
The Good Samaritan and
The One. Now, anybody who knows me is very much aware that I give very few 5-star ratings. I just don't. A book has to be beyond extraordinary for that to happen...a plot I've never read before; an amazing twist I didn't see coming; words which make me laugh out loud, or sob until my eyes are swollen shut; or maybe just something new and totally innovative. Two of his books met at least one of those requirements--that's impressive.
Unfortunately,
Her Last Move didn't.
This book is all over the place, with so many competing story lines, it never really came together for me. Sure, the ending is nicely wrapped up and tied with bright red bow, but as a reader, the implausibility became tiresome.
I'd classify Her Last Move as more a police procedural/suspense. There really aren't any major twists...at least none that you can't see coming a mile away. I was mildly shocked, and pleasantly surprised, by one thread , but I sincerely doubt this particular "twist" will sit well with the majority of readers.
Overall, this book simply didn't resonate with me, but at the end of the day, a mediocre John Marrs book is still better than most authors' great books.
3.5 stars -
This book packs a punch, a vindictive, vengeful serial killer is on the loose in London.
The bodies are piling up, the murders are brutal, evil and calculated. DS Becca Vincent and DS Joe Russell are tasked to examine the evidence and find the links to why these victims. The character development of Becca and Joe are what makes this book. Becca is a young detective keen to make a name for herself whilst trying to balance time at home with her 6-year-old daughter. Joe is assigned to the taskforce with his niche set of skills, he is a facial recognition expert.
We follow along with Becca and Joe as they connect the dots, this book had me flipping the pages so quickly. The serial killer is cunning and is always several steps ahead, this book it a bit of a slow burn as there is a lot of character development which I really enjoyed. The reveal is so good, right down to the last sentence it did not disappoint.
This is the second book I have read from John Marrs (The Passengers I read first)
I’m keen to read more. This one is a solid 4 stars -
A man is murdered by an elusive killer who drugged his victim and then watched as he fell in front of a subway car. Hours later his roommate is murdered via waterboarding with alcohol. As more people die in unusual and brutal ways, two detectives rush to catch the killer before he reaches the end of his list. How many people will die before the murderer is caught? And will the detectives become victims before that happens?
On Detective Sergeant Becca Vincent’s way home from work she witnesses the tragic death of Stefan Dumitru who falls in front of a subway car. Unbeknownst to her, he was murdered right before her eyes. When she arrives at the Metropolitan Police CID office the next morning she encounters Detective Inspector Nikhat Odedra investigating a waterboarding death that also occurred the night before. Looking at the crime scene pictures, Becca is suddenly aware that the victim from Nikhat’s murder has the exact same tattoo as the man who she saw die in the subway station. Who are these two men? Does this mean the man in the subway was murdered as well? And how are their deaths connected?
Later that day, Nikhat and Becca learn that both men were drugged revealing that they are now faced with two murders. In order to identify both who the victims were and who could have been responsible for the subway murder, Becca is told to work with Detective Sergeant Joe Russell, a facial recognition expert. Together, Becca and Joe begin to hunt down the sadistic murderer. But can they make the connection between the victims before the killer has reached the end of his list? And before either one of them is in jeopardy?
While this may sound like an excellent, fast-paced, twist-filled book, I found it anything but. The gratuitous descriptions of violence were more than what I felt was necessary to get the point across that the killer had experienced horrible things in his past (and did dreadful things even before murdering anyone). To be frank, I didn’t really find any of the characters extremely likable (I just barely rooted for Becca and Joe). I do have to say that the first major twist was brilliant (which went a long way towards me giving this book 3 stars).
This book, however, left me rather depressed by the end. Was the killer stopped and everything nicely wrapped up? Sure, but it hardly left me satisfied. And it came with too much of “the bad guy always wins” feeling. While I know that the plot contained a very realistic scenario, it wasn’t a good ending for me.
After all of the rave reviews about this author, I’m thoroughly disappointed. This was the first John Marrs book that I’ve read, so I will give another book by him a shot before deciding whether it is simply this author’s writing style I don’t enjoy. I certainly didn’t have a taste for the subject matter or the level of violence that runs through this one (maybe I’m just a wimp). Rating of 3 stars (barely).
Trigger warning: spousal abuse, gratuitous violence, cocaine use -
Geschafft - Alle John Marrs Thriller habe ich nun gelesen und dieser hat mich wieder begeistert. Spannend, temporeich und fesselnd geht es um einen Serienmörder, welcher mit seiner „kranken“ Denkweise ein faszinierendes Motiv hat. Dies baut sich nach und nach auf und John Marrs schafft es wieder einzelne Puzzleteile aufzulösen, um neue hinzuzufügen und am Ende doch alles zusammenzuführen. Für mich auch zufriedenstellend. Tatsächlich mal ein John Marrs Ende, welches für mich nicht „Over the Top“ wirkte.
Trotz Erzählerstimme kommt man den Charakteren sehr nahe, da die Sichtweisen zwischen zwei Ermittelnden und dem Täter hin- und herspringen. Wir erfahren viel Persönliches: Becca als Mutter, Joe als Bruder und der Täter als Psychopath :)
Becca war mir nicht immer sympathisch und nicht alle Handlungen nachvollziehbar. Für 5* fehlte das „Lebenshighlight-„Gefühl, aber es war ein sehr solider und guter Thriller, den ich bedenkenlos empfehlen kann. Wer Probleme mit etwas zu „fitzekartigem Draufhalten“ bei brutalen Szenen hat, der könnte hier Abstriche machen. Aber die ziehen sich nicht auf jeder Seite durch das Buch und mich störten sie zum Beispiel nicht.
„Ich vergesse nie“ ist auch super für Leserunden und zum Mitraten geeignet, da John Marrs durchaus Hinweise gibt und man hier und da auf Einzellösungen kommen kann. Trotzdem hat er mich mit diversen Twists immer wieder überrascht beim Lesen. Das macht einfach Spaß!
PS: Durch Joe als „Super Recognizer“ habe ich mal wieder etwas dazugelernt. Diese Spezialeinheit mit Menschen, welche extrem gut Gesichter wieder erkennen gibt es nämlich tatsächlich. -
3.5 stars (rounded up)
“HE” has a list of people that he plans to kill. And, he just knows that everyone will understand WHY each victim had to die, once he explains his reasons....
Yes, it’s personal.
BUT what is the connection between the victims?
Tasked with solving this mystery are DS Becca Vincent and Joe Russell, a member of the Super Recognizer task force (yes, I googled it, and there IS such a department! 🤓)
Each of them has lost a sibling, and neither has fully recovered from their loss.
And, each is also battling a “personal demon”, which will affect their judgment at times.
But will these things, become twists in the story?
Are they just “red herrings” the author used to try to throw his readers off track?
Perhaps it’s just his way of developing characters that we can relate to, imperfect people just trying to do their best in an imperfect world??
These are the things that John Marrs excels at doing, and I will never tell! 🤫
Although I did not enjoy this book as much as his previous books, “The One” or “The Good Samaritan”, I would still recommend it for readers who enjoy police procedurals, and I will always eagerly await his next book!
Also of interest are the articles (links provided) about the real life facial recognition experts being used in the field today...
I would like to thank Netgalley, John Marrs, and Amazon Publishing, UK for the ARC provided in exchange for a candid review. This title will be available on Nov 8, 2018 so you don’t have to wait long to receive your copy!! -
So, with much excitement I started John Marrs 5th book having loved the previous 4 and ‘The One’ being one of my favourite books EVER!....one of the things I love about this author is his ability to surprise and the different writing styles he adopts and with that the range of stories he tells, never predictable and this book is completely different to any of his others...
The story is set around ( and I don’t want to give too much away) a man on a killing spree to ‘right a set of perceived wrongs’ and the characters who are tasked to find him....the killer is no ordinary killer ( if there is such a thing!!! ) but has gone to great lengths to make ‘the punishment fit the crime’ and what a set of punishments he has decided on!!!! The killer has zero remorse and his only focus is the job in hand, he is chilling, ruthless, scary and fascinating!
The Police who have the unenviable task to catch him include Joe a ‘super recogniser’, a little known dept of the Met who work with facial recognition and Becca a young DS trying to make her mark in the Met, both come with their problems and ‘pasts’ and both back stories are well integrated into the main story, I loved them both and their quirkiness and zeal! ( great word )
I enjoyed the London setting and especially the fact London was going through a heatwave in the book!!!
As with all John Marrs’ books their is a wide range of people woven into the story, and they all have revelations to make about their lives, no one is quite as they seem!!!
The story is fast paced and generous in its twists, turns and OOOOOOO moments and the ending, well in this books case, various endings were tense, sad and touching
So I guess you can tell although this was a very different read as I started by saying its a great read and is hard to define as it could come under thriller, mystery, psychological, suspense, action, drama and police procedural but take all that, shake it up and start to read and it all comes out as one fantastic read that had me from page one
Lovers of John’s previous books will again love this and I think a whole new set of readers will come to appreciate one of our finest story tellers
10/10 5 Stars -
Holy cannoli this was one hell of a read you guys! I was a huge fan of Marrs last book, The Good Samaritan and couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one. The wait was well worth it and one of the many things that made this a standout for me was that it was SO vastly different from his previous work but still outstanding, it’s so impressive when an author pushes the boundaries and shakes things up with each new book release.
This follows Becca, a police officer working on the case, Joe, another cop, but in a different department and then you hear from the elusive killer as well. All three were fascinating in their own way, Becca is trying to balance her work and home life, but her issues aren’t typical and were a new set of circumstances from the norm in a police procedural. Joe is what’s called a super recognizer, something I didn’t even realized I existed but I read several articles and was blown away. (Look it up, so cool!) The chapters from the killer were chilling, insight into a murderers motivations and thought processes always interests me and his were at once original and scary. All three were so very well developed, they were complex, deep and had interesting secrets.
While the tension throughout was great, a steady buildup for the most part, by the end my heart was in my throat and then something HUGE happened and let’s just say I was stunned. Not the direction I expected at all, but I respect the author so much for so many ballsy moves, I love nothing more than a bold story with risks and Marrs proves with this book that he is a force to be reckoned with. Highly recommended for thriller lovers but especially those who like a good police procedural as well.
Her Last Move in three words: Shocking, Intricate and Intense. -
Another amazing book by the author!
This thriller is a little different than the other Marrs’ books I’ve read but amazing!
The story centers around Becca, Joe, and the killer. All three are dealing with issues impacting their lives. Becca is trying to balance her home and work life and feels like she’s failing her daughter. Joe has been searching for his missing sister his entire life. He’s the only person that won’t accept the fact that she’s likely dead. And the killer is seeking revenge.
A common plot that is filled with stunning twists and complex characters created with the author’s expertise! The narration of the audiobook was fantastic and raised the tension. A Kindle Unlimited that I highly recommend!
#bookreviewer #honestreview #kindleunlimited #crimeandcocktailsbookcrew #mysteryandthrills #readwithme #bookaddict #thrilleraddict #thrillersofinstagram #bookstagrammer #lovebooks #bookreviewersofinstagram #lovetoreadbooks #cantstopreading #fortheloveofbooks #bookrecommendations #readingintherockies #mustread #justfinishedreading #thrillerfiction #coloradoreader #compulsivereader #readallday #readallnight #thrillerobsessed #coloradobookstagrammer -
This is a tough 1 to review. I do love this author but while I can totally appreciate the skill it takes for him to weave together a story like this, it wasn’t my personal favorite. First off let me say that I was just as completely engrossed in this as I was in his previous books (that I adored start to finish.) I love how complicated his characters are, although this 1 comes heavy with seriously depressing back stories. Still I loved some, despised others & sympathized with most.. The warning I want to give is for people who enjoy happy endings. I mean, who doesn’t right? But I’m talking to you if you’ll walk away from an excellent movie thoroughly dissatisfied because Harry & Sally missed each other again.😂 Now have no fear, there are multiple storylines going on- so there is no spoiler in me warning you that although there is indeed a satisfactory ending with several bows tied, there are certain aspects that do not end the way we would have wanted. So you decide.. It’s a great book, but be honest with yourself about whether you can enjoy it even if that cute kid falls off a cliff & no trick, he’s really dead! (Not at all what happens, but you get the drift.) All in all though, I’m still glad I read it.. He’s got balls, I’ll give him that. Can’t wait to see where he goes next..
-
This is my third Marrs book and ding ding ding, it's another winner!! I love how intricately different each book was - The Good Samaritan, The One and now Her Last Move. I will say that this one took me a little longer to connect with but when it did... BAM - I was hooked and that was IT - goodbye productivity!
Told in three different POVs, we get the views of Joe, Becca and Dominic. Becca and Joe are working together to catch the serial killer that is Dominic who has been methodical and elusive. Not only do we get to go on this journey with them but we also get a glimpse into their lives. Each one having their own personal problems and demons to fight. Now... there was one part that surprised me. John, you WENT THERE... and I loved it! I don't want to delve into it as to not spoil anything for anyone but I do love it when a book surprises me...
I did feel for each of these characters. I can't imagine how hard being in their line of work is and how it can deeply affect their personal lives. Balance is hard when you're basically married to your job. Add a side of even more background and uff.. these poor guys. I even felt for Dominic and his psychotic ways - there's always a reason.
Fun fact - Oscar made a cameo - that's the name of the author's dog!
Marrs has become an autobuy author for me and I look forward to everything he has coming our way. I highly recommend any of the three books I've read of his so far and one day I'll get to the others that have already published.
Thanks so much to the author for this copy <3 -
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this arc.
Having looked through the other reviews on NetGalley and seeing a consistent 4+ star ratings for the author's previous books on Goodreads, I was really looking forward to this one.
While the story was compelling enough that I finished the book, the sheer volume of plot contrivances and all the implausibilities got to be wearying for me. But it was the 3 main characters that left me feeling overwhelmingly irritated. (I do think I showed great restraint in that I didn't throw my kindle against a wall.) Their never ending pity-parties just left me worn out.
1.5 stars rounded up. -
I managed to reach 35% and after the author unexpectedly cut off every possible romantic involvement between MCs, I paused and went to read the epilogue.
Sorry, but not sorry - when they kill a main character, in this case the heroine, who raised her niece with down syndrome, it's not a story I would enjoy. Reality is cruel, no doubt, but there is still a bit of hope in books...
And who kills the main character, especially with such life situation as a sick child???!!!! -
One thing we can maybe all agree on is that this book was a departure for John Marrs. He has not published a police procedural before. He scored points from me by introducing a really different type of protagonist in Joe Russell who was in a special police unit of super-recognisers. I had heard of this but never saw it mentioned in a book. He is working with DS Becca Vincent, a single mum who is also very ambitious professionally and therefore struggles with competing priorities which is a problem for her later in the book. Together these two are investigating a most baffling series of murders.
The first victim falls in front of a train. Becca is waiting for a train at the same station and sees a strange tattoo on his wrist. He is not considered a suspicious death - yet. Just an hour or so later another man is killed by being waterboarded with vodka in novel twist (and a waste of vodka) but clearly a murder. Emma notices the same tattoo on his wrist and the murders are linked. And so it goes. The murders pile up, each more vicious than the last. Joe helps them go through hours of CCTV to detect anyone appearing too often or too suspicious.
It becomes clear that their killer has an agenda and a tight timeline. I can't really say any more about that. We don't get a sense of the killer for quite some time which just added to the mystery. The whole story was very gripping and I loved how it ended. Unfortunately I can't tell you why but it was a bit out of the ordinary. A different protagonist and an unexpected ending (not the one in the final pages but the ending before that) separated this from many other police procedurals in a crowded genre. I know not everyone loved this but I enjoyed it a lot. -
I’m going to be honest here as I think I am John Marrs’ #1 superfan and this particular book took me ages to get into. This is a complete change in genre and style for John – his previous books have been quirky, original psychological thrillers with brilliant characters and unusual story-lines, but Her Last Move is a police based crime thriller which took me quite some time to connect with.
Once I had accepted that this book didn’t have the usual Marrs hint of quirkiness and concentrated on the main two police characters chasing a serial killer it became an easy read. Each character has quite a detailed background and at times their personal stories overshadowed the serial killer they were chasing. Having said that – the serial killer was a seriously disturbed and sick individual with obvious anger issues and reading his point of view made for very uncomfortable reading.
There is no doubt that John is a wonderful storyteller and has a very vivid and often disturbed imagination. His ability to create characters and weave an enjoyable and often shocking story together is evident in Her Last Move. If you are a fan of his previous books you won’t be disappointed. -
2.5 stars
You know when you used to flip through a magazine waiting at the doctor’s office (before smartphones were invented)?
You need something to do but its not as if you are absorbed in the content at all.
My attention span is very short these days, so I don’t want to put all the blame on the story for not being able to keep my attention, but it did feel as if there was nothing new added to the serial killer genre by reading this book. -
A string of bizarre murders have London detectives chasing a serial killer. The story is alternately told by Detective Becca Vincent, a single mom struggling to balance work and home, the villain, and a “super-recognizer,” Joe, whose photographic memory of facial features makes him priceless to the police.
There’s a fine line between classic and stale, and I felt like I zigzagged across it several times here. There’s no arguing the story is fast paced and addictive, and it definitely has some flair, especially with the super recognizer bit. The killer’s angle was interesting but also extinguished much of the suspense. This author isn’t afraid to take risks, a quality I appreciate, but the unexpected death didn’t have quite the impact I suspect it should have.
For me, this book was entertaining but missing that certain something that makes a story unforgettable. Until the last few sentences. Then my breath caught, and I realized my emotional investment had been hiding in a minor subplot all along. For that sneak attack, I’ll bump this one up to four stars. -
“Each person made his list because of what they had done”
One thing I love about John Marrs novels (the ones that I have read anyway) is that they start with a bang and don’t lose momentum. Don’t even get me started in the fact that I never figure out exactly how the books will end until Marrs hands me the answers.
While this book is more police procedural rather than 100% thriller, there were definitely parts that had my little chicken heart racing, and jumping at every noise in the house before I fell asleep.
There were some pretty gruesome moments, but if I was able to handle them then most people should be ok. -
Once again, Marrs is back with another addictive disturbing novel.
I don’t know how he does it, but he manages to hook his readers from the first page to the last page. I’m never disappointed when I’m reading one of his novels because I know it’s always great.
This novel was very dark and I’m not ashamed to say that I loved it. The story was told in 3 different perspectives, two detectives and the killer. It’s very interesting to read because although this move serves as a thriller and most of the novel is the detectives trying to find the killer, we still get a glimpse of their lives and their past.
I loved reading about each one of their lives, especially Becca. She’s such an interesting person and the life she lives and the struggles she encountered is what made me enjoy her perspective the most. I think Marrs balances the emotional and thriller aspects of this novel very well.
We also get an answer as to why the killer is doing what they is doing and their his targets are who they are. Readers might sympathize or the might not, I think that is what makes this book a lot more interesting. It’s definitely a topic that could discussed at a book club because if I talked about it here I wouldn’t be able to stop!
I didn’t really like one part of the novel and how it ended, but it wrapped up quite nicely after that. Another job well done by Marrs!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for providing me with an advanced digital copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. -
This is a really well written stand alone crime thriller, which I highly recommend!
I've read one John Mars book before, the one, which is more of a sci-fi thriller. Whereas this is a crime thriller, which I think I perfer
I listened to the audiobook of this book, which I really enjoyed. I think the narrator did a great job.
It was really well written, very pacey and engaging.
It was also dark and violent which I love in my thrillers.
The only reason I couldn't give it the full five stars, was because I thought it was kind of predictable. I could really tell where the story was going early on. It went where I predicted it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, there just wasn't much of a shock factor
I also enjoyed how this book was diverse, there was a gay character and a character with down syndrome, which is nice to read in a thriller.
Overall, I really enjoyed this dark crime thriller and I recommend it
TW: violence, murder, domestic abuse and suicide -
I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of Her Last Move, a stand alone procedural/thriller featuring DS Becca Vincent and DS Joe Russell of The Met.
When DS Becca Vincent recognises the tattoos on a murder victim as the same ones she'd seen on a tube fatality the day before she manages to muscle her way onto the investigation. She is teamed with super-recogniser, DS Joe Russell and together they make a formidable team.
I thoroughly enjoyed Her Last Move which is an exhilarating read and held my attention from start to finish. The narrative alternates between Becca and Joe's points of view and the unidentified killer. Normally I find this approach quite distracting but with the body count rising, the killer's motive and identity concealed and vague hints of trauma in both detectives' pasts it is so intriguing that I was reading voraciously to see what was coming next. Mr Marrs does not disappoint with twist upon twist and some interesting conundrums. The novel is action packed from start to finish although it should be noted that some of the killings are violent and graphic and may not suit all readers. As a read the novel is extremely well done with a steady stream of teasers and reveals as it progresses so it had my curiosity on full alert throughout.
I must admit that giving both protagonists a trauma filled past stretched my belief but such is Mr Marrs's storytelling skill that I swallowed it fairly quickly in my desire to know what that trauma is. He teases it out over the first half of the novel, long enough for the reader to want to know, but not long enough that the reader gets fed up and doesn't care. He saves the longer drawn out reveal for the killer's motive. I'm unsure about how plausible it is but it is good reading.
Much of the novel revolves around Becca and her experiences in the investigation. Initially she is not a very likeable character, being self centred, apt to jump to quick conclusions and with a chip on her shoulder. She did grow on me as the novel progresses. Fortunately there is the lovable Joe Russell as a counterpoint who initially appears smart, dedicated and fair. He is a nice man but I came to question his judgement at times as the novel progressed. Two very human protagonists to add to the exciting plot.
Her Last Move is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
