The Last Cheerleader

by Meg O'Brien

After her ex-husband and a bestselling author are killed, successful L.A. literary agent Mary Beth Conaghan finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. At the same time, her high school friend, Lindy, shows up. Lindy was everything Mary Beth was not--a cheerleader who later married Roger Van Court, the wealthiest boy in school. But now, turned out by her husband, Lindy is living on the streets without access to her only child. Mary Beth can't turn her old friend away. But almost immediately, the women find themselves in more danger than they ever would have imagined.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Book Club, Crime

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 1, 2003

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

Reviews

[Nathaniel]

This book didn't do it for me. I'll admit it was entertaining and the ending had my heart beating a little faster but overall it was disappointing. The writing was weak and seemed almost amateur at times. The characters seemed pretty flat, each one only able to do about two things. No one actually held my attention and I had no sympathy for any of the characters. I guess Meg O'Brien is another thriller author that I'll have to cross of my TBR list. Thrillers are very hit or miss for me and this one was, unfortunately, a miss.

[Rina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked up this novel from the library at my volunteer office.
Really enjoyed it though it was a bit formulaic.
I liked the main character, Mary Beth Conahan, though for a 33 year old woman it seemed she knew a lot of people, a lot about how to get around town and a lot of other things too. But she is a true and loyal friend.
She comes a long way from her troubled past, to become a successful literary agent. Then all of a sudden her ex-husband and two of her authors are murdered, and she becomes a suspect.
In addition, an old friend, Lindy Lou, appears at her door one night, asking for help. Is she for real or is she looking for something?
Lindy was a cheerleader in high school who dated and finally married Roger Van Court, the wealthiest boy in school. Now, seven years later, nothing is as it should be and she has been thrown out of her home, where her husband has their daughter "imprisoned" for health reasons. He is in the pharmaceutical business and is working on some "special" medicine that will help "everything". Of course, this is not the case. And Jade, the daughter, is his living trial.
Mary Beth attempts to solve the murders and help Lindy get Jade out of that house.
Good couple of twists and a good ending. I was happy.

[Leah Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A first for me for this author and this book was a book-club book. I was quite skeptical at first because this book was not in a kindle format, or in the local library catalogue listing. I could only get a second hand issue. There are also very few reviews to go on. I didn't have to worry though as this book was a very good and enjoyable read.

It was a fast paced story in which you didn't have time to take a breath sometimes! The characters were believable and you got a good feel for them. There were twists and turns throughout.....one of the "twists" was glaringly obvious but i have to say this story kept me guessing almost to the end. I found myself changing my mind several times as to "who done it"

This really was a very well written book and i found it quite hard to put down. I would absolutely recommend it..........if you can get a copy!! I will be looking for more books by this author.

Just realised that this book is also called "The Last Cheerleader" which is available in Kindle and paperback!! ;)
Kindle @ .99p at time of writing this review.........bargain and a great read!!

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Strange behaviours. A star for the protagonist being female, a successful book agent. However, she didn't know her male partner and another man were in some kind of gay relationship. They are both found dead. As the lady is not in the police most of the pages have some detail about book contracts or relationships with men instead of police procedural details. Another man who was a writer turned to to be a crazed gambler as well, and his wife didn't know. She left him, then took him back. Why would you take him back?
At the end, a little girl is in danger and the lady finds her, saves both of them from harm and drives around looking for a police station. She doesn't find one in the city, but she's sure she's being followed. She spends an incredibly long time driving and looking for a parking place at a visitor attraction, slots in, leaves the child and goes off to get junk food, comes back, starts driving around again. Instead of ever going up to a security person and asking them to call police. If you don't see a cop shop, go to a fire station, hospital, a bank or hotel. Anywhere there is security. Even the burger place would let you call the police.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book surprisingly. Lots of turns and twists and I couldn't figure out who did it
I will probably read more of her books. The Cheerleader was Lindy, the best friend from high school of Mary Beth, a successful literary agent in LA. Who escaped from her husband but left her daughter Jade behind. Her husband was owner of a drug company and was testing drugs on her/his daughter. Mary Beth eventually uncovered it all and got her daughter Jade back after lindy's husband killed Lindy. Jade was her daughter she had given up for adoption after being raped by Roger, Lindy's husband.

[Khalid Waleed · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a nice mystery novel but was a bit slow in building the mystery. A lot of twist and turns at the later part of the story.

[Joan Horkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting suspenseful thriller.

[Miss P · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Sofia Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

The way it was written was way too messy and many important details and moments were excluded.

[Cheryl Landmark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 2.5 Stars

[Cathi95 · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Mystery 2003) Literary agent Mary Beth Conahan is having a very bad day. Her prime author has been murdered, along with her ex-husband, she is a suspect, and her high school best friend has shown up asking for her help retrieving her daughter from her controlling husband (who was also MB's love interest back in the day). The story was developing nicely and approaching the reveal - when I found that about forty pages repeated, and then the story picked after the matter had been solved. Very disappointing!

[Susan Griepsma · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out really promising, and just fizzled out for me. I think part of the problem is that I had it in my purse and would read it when I was in waiting rooms, riding in the car, etc, so there were a lot of distractions, but connecting all the dots at the end wasn't as seamless as it could have been.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

great twists and turns in the plot and a nice ending. I hope she continues the Marybeth character along with Nia and Dan.

[Lisa Currier · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tedious. The pace never really picked up, the characters weren't very likeable, and they didn't have any real chemistry. I kept waiting for it to get better and it didn't.