Last Call

Marcotte and Collins Investigative Thrillers

by Travis Tougaw

“Just when you thought Tougaw couldn’t get better…he delivers his best work yet! Last Call shocks readers with a plunge into a Denver-based, dual-timeline cold case with more twists and turns than a Colorado gold mine!” –Cam Torrens, award-winning author of the Tyler Zahn series

All it took was one drunken night for Dennis Hearn to lose everything. Now, Vince and Hadley must prove there was more to the story. The investigation summons old dangers and leads the detectives into a life-and-death struggle.

Twenty years ago, police detective Eddie Fleck helped convict Dennis Hearn of the murder of bartender Paul Humphries. When Vince and Hadley take the case to prove Dennis's innocence, Eddie comes out of retirement to help them. But Vince and Hadley don't know if he's looking out for their client or trying to cover up a decades-old conspiracy. As they dig into the past, they run up against rich and powerful people who desperately want the conviction to stand. As tensions mount inside the detective agency, they face grave threats from an unknown enemy and find themselves in a battle to survive.

Last Call is the explosive next installment in the Marcotte/ Collins Investigative Thrillers series. Filled with memorable characters and original plot lines, Travis Tougaw's latest will keep you wondering who you can trust. Don't miss it!

303 pages, Paperback

Published November 6, 2024

About the author

“A master of the thriller genre”—readersfavorite.com

Travis Tougaw grew up in a military family. As a perpetual “new kid,” he quickly learned the value of sharing stories to connect with others. Having settled down after his own stint in the Air Force, Travis stopped relocating, but he’s never stopped telling stories. He’s always on the lookout for characters and storylines that will grab readers’ attention and keep them turning pages. Travis lives in Colorado with his wife and children and an enormous dog. When he’s not writing, he enjoys reading, outdoor activities, playing musical instruments, and trivia competitions.

Reviews

[Ivanka Fear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marcotte and Collins are back with another action-packed thriller. Author Travis Tougaw caught my attention with the first chapter and its relation to the title. From there, he takes the reader on a non-stop ride as the private investigators are hired by an elderly woman to look into the twenty-year-old murder of her son. Suspecting evidence was planted, the team sets out to prove that the man serving time was wrongfully convicted. As the clues unfold, the pace quickens, building through to the final solving of the case.

I love the dynamics between the two lead characters, Vince and Hadley, as well as ex-cop Eddie who founded the agency, and newcomer Brad. Each has a unique backstory with their own issues to deal with as they seek justice for their clients. They have made a name for themselves by taking on difficult, nearly impossible-to-solve cases. In Last Call, Eddie comes out of retirement to assist in clearing wrongly-accused Dennis Heard. Eddie has a personal stake as he was one of the detectives who put him behind bars. Layers of the victim’s life and reasons behind his murder are slowly exposed, revealing the truth. Connections between Eddie and the victim come to light, causing his partners to question Eddie’s integrity as a former cop and current P.I.

As they delve into the victim’s obscure history and past associations, the detectives place their own lives in danger. Author Tougaw creates intrigue by alternating chapters with the past and the present and by using various POVs. The setting adds to the suspense with the isolation of wooded areas and the claustrophobia of an old mine. You never know what’s behind the next corner or turn.

If you love action and suspense, the Marcotte and Collins series delivers a thrilling read with characters you’ll love getting to know. Champions of the truth and justice, Vince and Hadley aren’t afraid of going after the rich and powerful. Put them on your TBR list!

[T R · Rating 5 out of 5]

What starts out back in 2004 in Hank’s bar finds Paul the bartender annoyed by a loudmouthed guy, Dennis, hitting on a pretty customer but when he grabs her arm Paul has had enough and kicks him out. Waiting for Paul outside the bar, Dennis with another man attack him until Paul gets the upper hand and they flea, momentarily for they follow him and bang into his fender. 24 hours later Paul is found dead in a dumpster by a neighbor where he lives.

The scene moves to 2024 at the Detective agency where Vince, Brad, and Hadley work. A client comes in, an 83 year old woman who has spent years trying to free her son Dennis from jail, imprisoned for Paul’s murder. She’s convinced he’s innocent and wants their help, especially after having hired other detectives, lawyers, and exhausted appeals, and now with a bit of luck came into money from an inheritance. She would like to see her son freed before she dies but states there’s a reason Vince’s firm might not want to take the case, because his ex-partner Eddie put Dennis away. They do take the case and begin their investigation when the story moves back to 2004 with the event of Paul’s murder, being found dead in a dumpster with his throat slit by a neighbor.

Back and forth the story unfolds with Eddie offering to help but there’s a question over whether it’s to help Dennis or coverup his own misdeeds. Tensions mount with the detective agency endangered and I’m glued to the page wanting to know how things will turn out. No spoilers but suffice it to say this is an easy, entertaining read that moves along at a rapid clip, never losing my interest right down to the satisfying ending.

[CS Abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tougaw's latest novel is everything you can hope for in a thriller. Marcotte and Collins are back and facing their most difficult questions to date: what do you do when you think someone -- someone you respect, someone who helped you get your start, someone who is a close friend and has had your back -- what do you do when you think they got it wrong?

This question is one of the main driving forces of the story, as Marcotte and Collins investigate a 20 year old murder. The passage of time is a complicating factor in its own right, but retired partner Eddie Fleck's involvement in the original (potentially wrong) conviction adds another layer of difficulty.

In Last Call, Tougaw takes us through a fast-paced, twisty and action-packed thriller as we follow Marcotte and Collins as they try to find the evidence that will acquit a man who has been behind bars for almost two decades. Fleck comes out of retirement to help, but has to face his own involvement in the original case. Can he set aside personal pride and preconceived notions about the client? Can Marcotte and Collins trust him to help them solve the case?

The stakes are high and lives are at risk. Anyone looking for a page turner that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat, look no further. Last Call is the book for you.

[Cam Torrens]

Tougaw never fails to hook me in with his novels. I’m all about characters, setting, and pacing. In Tougaw’s latest addition to the Marcotte and Collins series, “Last Call,” he gives me a veteran-turned-detective battling hidden wounds, Colorado mountains, and steadily increasing action escalating to a full-out sprint.

But this author does so much more than mystery and action. At its heart, “Last Call” is a novel about trust. A former cop’s trust in a fellow officer. A detective’s trust in a former partner. And a second-career veteran’s trust in his own reactions—tainted by his war experiences—when confronting danger.

I’ll be the first to encourage you to pick up the first two books in Tougaw’s series, “Foxholes” and “Captives.” Wonderful stories. But don’t feel like you have to read them before “Last Call.” This book stands alone. My only caution is to plan your day wisely. This is a one-sit read!

[Carla Seyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action in Last Call is fast and furious—so much so I read it all in one sitting. Travis Tougaw’s third novel follows private investigators Vince Marcotte and Hadley Collins as they tackle another cold case, seeking the truth despite the risks to themselves. They are ably assisted by Brad, a new associate, and of course, Eddie Fleck, the perpetually retiring founding partner of Fleck, Collins and Marcotte who just wants to go fishing. Reading the first two books in the Marcotte and Collins thriller series provides more depth to the story line, but Last Call definitely stands on its own. Snappy dialogue and even faster-paced action, coupled with a roster of believable characters makes Tougaw’s latest an excellent read. I highly recommend.

Carla Seyler, Author of A Place Unmade

[Mimi Wahlfeldt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 3 of the Marcotte and Collins series picks up where we left the private investigators at the end of Book 2 ("Captives"). The two have joined forces with a young protege, and they are enjoying well-earned praise for their ability to close old cases. The scenario that presents itself in "Last Call" will pull their retired partner, Eddie Flask, back into the fold. Together, the four investigators join forces to navigate a twisty path of wrongdoing that managed to deceive Flask twenty years ago when he worked a murder case. Did he help to convict the wrong man?

Told from multiple perspectives, "Last Call" is a quick read that pulls readers along as they try to solve the crime alongside the private investigators. Will you solve the mystery before they do?

[Gail Olmsted · Rating 5 out of 5]

When private investigators Vince Marcotte and Hadley Collins are hired to dig into a cold case, a 20 year old murder of a bartender in Denver, they find themselves in a battle to expose the truth or die trying. Their partner Eddie Fleck comes out of retirement to help, but he was the lead detective who helped convict the killer and they question how far they can really trust him. Has an innocent man been sitting in prison for the past two decades, while the real killer is still out there?

This is the third in a series, but if like me you haven't (yet) read the first two titles, you'll have no trouble keeping up with the well-developed storyline and memorable characters. 5 Star Suspense!!

[Teresa Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Call is the best so far in this series. It is intense, convoluted (not in a bad way), suspenseful, and intriguing. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Mr. Tougaw weaves the past and present into his stories. Sometimes I find the changing perspective a little jarring, but Mr. Tougaw uses it to great effect. I have bonded with the characters (yes, I know they are imaginary) and whenever they get into tense and dangerous situations, I find my heartbeat increasing. That's the sign of a great author, in my opinion. I'm so involved in his story that it feels real at the moment. If you haven't read any of Mr. Tougaw's work, I highly recommend it.

[Philip Reari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travis Tougaw’s Last Call is a pacey crime procedural laced with nuance and intrigue. A small detective agency outside of Denver is approached to reopen a twenty-year-old murder case that put a man who claims innocence in jail. What appears cut and dry reveals itself to be anything but as the clues pile up, and soon the detectives are in a fight for their lives with those protecting a shady company operating from an obscure location in the foothills of the Colorado Mountains. Read this book for a smart, character-driven thriller that carries the heat until the very end.

[Gary Gerlacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Call is the latest story in the Marcotte and Collins Investigation series, and features the investigative team seeking answers in a murder case from twenty years earlier. Set in the beautiful Rocky Mountains, the detectives uncover clues which lead to a deeper and more sinister motive for the murder, and a whole new cast of suspects. Putting their own lives on the line, the detectives follow the story to its exciting and unexpected finale. Fans of Harry Bosch will enjoy Last Call, an instant classic in the cold case thriller genre.

[Sarah Nakawatase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dive into the world of The Fleck, Collins, and Marcotte Investigative Agency and prepare yourself for nonstop action and suspense as former detectives, turned PIs, uncover new evidence from a cold case. While trying to compile enough proof to free an innocent man from prison, the detectives find themselves fighting for their own lives. Travis does not tell a story; he shows a story, with every action sequence unfolding in crystal clear detail. The dual timeline and plot twists will keep you guessing until the very last chapter. Great Read!

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty years ago, a man was convicted of murder. In Last Call, the detectives of Marcotte and Collins Investigations are hired by his mother to search for evidence to free her son. What they discover leads us to wonder how well we know anyone. With non-stop action and characters painted in shades of gray, we follow the current investigation as it uncovers the truth.
I was lucky enough to read an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Anna St.John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Travis Tougaw does it again in this action-packed investigative story you won’t want to miss. It’s a dual-timeline thriller with twists at every turn. Vince Marcotte and Hadley Collins tackle another cold case guaranteed to keep you guessing until the final pages. Last Call will have you on the edge of your seat, rooting for the good guys.

[Bret Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travis Tougaw does it again! Once again Marcotte and Collins are back in a mystery that sucks you in from the beginning and keeps you guessing. Once again weaving past and present together in a roller coaster that keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way to the end. Great book!

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

[Joshua Donellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant, fast-paced read with great characters and a captivating plot.