Review + Giveaway - Last to Die by Kate Brady

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Thank you to Kate Brady and Hachette Books for including One Book Shy on the blog tour for "Last to Die".  A big wave and welcome to new visitors and loyal readers alike.  I hope you will all find a reason to come back and spend some time with us and join in our eternal search for that ONE missing book!  Now on to the star of the day:

Last to Die

TITLE:    Last to Die

AUTHOR/EDITOR:    Kate Brady

INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 422 pages

PUBLISHED:   Forever, 2010

ISBN#:   978-0-446-54153-4

HOW'D I GET IT:   Received from Publisher for tour and review

FROM GOODREADS:  A ruthless killer hides in plain sight, someone no one believes is capable of murder. Within a week, six women will be murdered, all punished for their dark pasts. Detective Dani Cole is determined to track down this serial killer whose victims include a young woman she pulled out of a life of crime. Her investigation leads her to a photography foundation and the renowned photographer Mitch Sheridan, a man she she fell in love with years ago but has tried to forget. Dani and Mitch are instantly attracted to each other again, though their troubled pasts keep them from getting too close. Together, through the course of the investigation, they unearth a dark chain of deception that leads to a killer who is closer than they think.   

MY TAKE:   This was one of those "edge of your seat" books that kept you guessing almost to the very end.  I was very impressed with the author's skill in feeding the reader just enough details to make you think you had it figured out and then deftly flipping you in a complete u-turn. 

Being that I have a background in law enforcement, I usually have a hard time reading novels full of police procedure and investigations.  Most of the time I won't choose to read these types of books because I get extremely irritated by the lack of authenticity and the blatantly fictitious procedures in the story.  Thorough research helps makes Last to Die exciting and it is very obvious that Ms. Brady spent her time well as her details are very good and quite correct. 

The characters of Dani and Mitch are so well written that you immediately start rooting for them to get together and get over their past and prideful mistakes.  She is strong and independent, trying to overcome her past while he is fighting inner demons of his own.  I like that Dani's character isn't the hardcore she-woman that so many heroines end up as.  She has a soft side, she cares about the people and victims she meets while still being a great cop.  Mitch is the rich, world-weary hero that realizes he's looking for home. The dialogue and the way the author lets you into their minds helps you become engaged with them.

Of course all of this "inner" turmoil is taking place while Dani is involved in the investigation of several murders, including a young prostitute she'd befriended and had been helping out.  The main suspect just happens to be Mitch's partner and mentor who is also now dead.  The suspense and masterful plot twists in this book were amazing.  With several "under-stories" happening along with and beside the main plot, it is one Happening Book!

I highly recommend you jump out and grab this book right away.  It is one of those that is well worth your time and money.  I'm looking forward to reading Kate Brady's other book One Scream Away which stars Mitch's brother, Neil.

To learn more about RITA award winning Kate Brady, check out her website.  For now, here are five fun facts from Kate:

1.  Mitch Sheridan, the hero in Last to Die, was originally the hero in a romance I wrote when I was still and author-in-search-of-a-genre.

2. When investigating the possibilities for an acid for a villain to use, I had to “come clean” with colleagues in the department of chemistry at the university where I teach, and reveal that in my other life, I write novels

3. I didn’t intend to have a dog in this book but gave one to Dani, the heroine, after my own beloved and elderly dog passed away. Dani needed a softer side, I was apparently feeling lonely for her, and besides, what better way to show heart than to adopt a beat-up pit bull?

4. The physical building on which the JMS Foundation is based is an actual castle in the town where I grew up. When I was a kid, it was a family home, and we were in awe that it had a legitimate ballroom. Now, it’s a fine arts facility known as The Arts Castle.

5. Mitch’s car, a pearl-white 1968 Barracuda, has been sitting in my garage for years. It’s the project-car I bought my husband for our first anniversary. He works on it whenever time allows — about every other Father’s Day.

MY RATING:    4.5/5

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon, Indiebound, The Book Depository

Hachette Books has generously offered to give 3 lucky One Book Shy readers a free copy of Last to Die.  The rules are quite simple:

• 
  
  You must be a follower of One Book Shy
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  You must leave a comment on this blog post (if you get this feed on Facebook or elsewhere, be sure to come to the blog and comment here)
• 
  
  You must be a resident of the US or Canada (sorry my international friends)
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  You must have a physical shipping address, No PO Boxes
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  ONE prize per person, even if you win on another blog you will only receive one prize.  Just let the tour host know that you've already won & they can pick a new winner.  The more winners the merrier!

The contest starts today, September 15th and ends at midnight PST, September 27th.  The three winners will be drawn randomly and will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address or alternate winners will be chosen.  Good luck my friends!

 

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.