Her Last Words (Detective Amanda Steele, #9)

by Carolyn Arnold

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.In Her Last Words, book nine in the Detective Amanda Steele series, Amanda finds herself exploring the publishing world while trying to find the person behind the murder of bestselling crime author, Felicity Kelley.  Whilst this is the ninth book in the series, it works well as a stand-alone read. Read on and learn the reason Her Last Words would make a great addition to the reading list of mystery fans.

Bestselling mystery author Felicity Kelley is riding the train of success. Her latest book, The Romeo Killer, is being made into a film. She's working on her next novel, which promises to be explosive. However, as she prepares to put finishing touches on the story for submission, someone chose to end her life. Her last phone call was to Detective Amanda Steele, however, the call went unanswered. Amanda was on her way home from holiday, when she received the message. She returned the call the following day, only to learn of Felicity's murder. Overwhelmed by guilt for not responding sooner, she requests the case be assigned to her and Trent, despite the fact her leave was far from over.  

On the surface, the case appears open and shut. However, when Amanda dug below the surface, she found a possible connection to a fifteen-year-old murder case. Amanda along with Trent finds themselves in a race against time to find the killer before they decide to strike again.

Once again, Arnold delivered a tale designed to keep readers glued to the pages. This is a one sitting due to its engrossing storyline. I enjoyed following the clues along with detectives. I am not sure if it is because I am familiar with the author's style, but I guessed the identity of the murderer, the moment a particular clue came to light. So the revelation came as no shock to me. Having guessed the identity from early did not diminish my enjoyment of the story. As a matter of fact, it compelled me to keep reading to see if my hunch was correct.

Amanda has proven once again the reason she is such a good detective. Her determination, attention to details and her desire for justice lights up the pages. It's hard balancing her personal and work life. However, the support of her significant other and her adopted daughter helps to ease some of the pressure.

Overall, Arnold delivered an engaging and solid mystery. I look forward to the next book in the series, which based on the summary promises to be another enthralling tale.  'Her Last Words' is perfect for readers looking for a thrilling mystery which features a great cast of characters. This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading