Her Last Message

by Ellen Shapiro

She vanished without a trace. Now, the truth could destroy everyone left behind.

When a panicked mother receives a disturbing voicemail from her daughter Katie—and then nothing—her worst fears take hold. With no leads and time slipping away, she turns to private investigator Maddie Landon.

Maddie is no stranger to darkness. Scarred by loss and driven by a need to uncover the truth, she dives into Katie’s complicated a recent separation from her possessive husband, a secret affair with a married man found dead in a motel room, and a growing list of people with something to hide.

Was Katie a victim, a witness…or something else entirely?

As Maddie peels back the layers, what starts as a missing person case unravels into something more sinister. The closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous the answers become.

For fans of private investigator series, mystery books with plot twists, and slow burning suspense, Her Last Message, written by a Private Investigator with almost thirty years of experience in the field, is impossible to put down.

Start reading now and see how far one woman will go to uncover the truth.

279 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 24, 2025

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a decent book which grew on me as it went on. I think it’s part of a series but I didn’t know that going on and didn’t feel like I missed any background I needed to know. The story centers on the disappearance of a young woman named Katie, whose parents come to private investigator Maddie for help when the police don’t take them seriously. The book starts off quickly with Katie’s mom walking into Maddie’s office on the first page.

I thought the actually detective work in the book was good and I appreciated the way Maddie followers threads and worked with others, while also determining who she could trust along the way. What I didn’t love as much was the writing style, where I felt like I was being talked to rather than immersed in the story. There were a lot of Maddie’s internal thoughts throughout the bill, ranging from inane to completely unrelated. That being said, I got used to that as the book continued and also felt that the pace picked up over time. The ending is the book was good and though I wasn’t totally surprised I did think it was well done.

Overall, the writing was a little off for me but the story itself was a good one. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚Her Last Message
✍🏻Ellen Shapiro
Blurb:
She vanished without a trace. Now, the truth could destroy everyone left behind.

When a panicked mother receives a disturbing voicemail from her daughter Katie—and then nothing—her worst fears take hold. With no leads and time slipping away, she turns to private investigator Maddie Landon.

Maddie is no stranger to darkness. Scarred by loss and driven by a need to uncover the truth, she dives into Katie’s complicated a recent separation from her possessive husband, a secret affair with a married man found dead in a motel room, and a growing list of people with something to hide.

Was Katie a victim, a witness…or something else entirely?

As Maddie peels back the layers, what starts as a missing person case unravels into something more sinister. The closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous the answers become.

For fans of private investigator series, mystery books with plot twists, and slow burning suspense, Her Last Message, written by a Private Investigator with almost thirty years of experience in the field, is impossible to put down.

Start reading now and see how far one woman will go to uncover the truth.
My Thoughts:
Her Last Message, a Maddie Landon mystery ia an excellent read. Private Investigator Maddie Landon's personal life and professional cases play out against the backdrop of a vibrant city. Crossover crimes, colorful characters, multiple twists and turns all contribute to the suspense. Maddie continues to take bold risks, pushing ahead to solve the case..
Thanks NetGalley, Indies United Publishing House LLC and Author Ellen Shapiro for the advanced copy of "Her Last Message" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#HerLastMessage
#EllenShapiro
#IndiesUnitedPublishingHouseLLC
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It captured my attention and didn't let go until the book was finished.
I wish I had realized that this book was part of a series. I would like to have started the series from the beginning. That being said, I didn't feel lost at all with only small flashbacks to prior novels. This book could definitely be read as a standalone.
Maddie is a private investigator hired to find missing woman, Katie, by her parents. As she does her investigation, she discovers that Katie had come upon a crime happening at the elementary school where she worked. Could it be the discovery of this crime why she went missing? Could it be her clingy, stalking ex-husband? Or could it be the creepy tennis instructor who seemed to give Katie a little too much attention?
This book is fast-paced, gripping, and kept me on the edge of my seat. To make it even more interesting, it ends on a cliffhanger! I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for the next book in this series and highly recommend this book to others.

Thank you, Netgalley, BooksGoSocial, and Ellen Shapiro for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

She vanished without a trace. What remains is a voicemail—and a mother’s worst fears.

Ellen Shapiro’s Her Last Message is a slow-burning, emotionally taut mystery that blends the grit of real investigative work with the ache of personal loss. Private Investigator Maddie Landon is no stranger to darkness, and in this case, she’s pulled into a web of secrets that feels both intimate and dangerous. Katie’s life—fractured by a possessive ex, a forbidden affair, and a trail of half-truths—unfolds like a puzzle missing its final piece.

Written by a real-life PI with nearly thirty years of experience, the novel hums with authenticity. The tension builds quietly, then strikes hard. Maddie’s resilience, her haunted past, and her relentless pursuit of truth make her a compelling guide through the shadows.

Atmospheric, layered, and quietly devastating. A must-read for fans of twisty mysteries and emotionally grounded thrillers.

with thanks to Ellan Shapiro, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.

[Lesley Olariu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever since the Kinsey Millhone novels by Sue Grafton, I have been a fan of female private eye protagonists. Maddie Logan is drawn in a similar vein, sassy, complicated, tough and dogged on the trail of a case.
Ellen Shapiro gives the reader great insight into Maddie’s life, back story, psychological leanings and issues and her side of the relationships she enjoys with family, friends, boyfriend, ex colleagues etc. However I would have liked to get to know the other characters better and experience some of the action from their point of view.
The missing woman in this case, a young teacher has left a tangle of problems ….a husband from whom she is separated, a murdered lover, a creepy tennis instructor and a suspected child abuse case. Maddie must follow the clues, interview suspects and seek help and support from those around her.
The danger builds and the ending is jam packed. A follow up can be expected.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, BooksGoSocial, for providing the copy of Her Last Message by Ellen Shapiro. I enjoyed the story, and how there were different things going on. Events unfolded slowly until the fast-paced ending that kept me riveted to the pages. The writing was uneven. Sometimes I appreciated the first person narrative but it was often clunky and distracting to me. I liked Maddie as a character, and liked the nice mix of her personal and professional life. Although this book works fine as a standalone novel, I would have liked to have read previous books in the series first. The cliffhanger at the end was annoying, and as much as I want to know what the decision was, I’ll probably won’t remember that things were left unresolved by the time the next book is available. It did not whet my appetite for more, it just left it unresolved. 3 stars

[Trisha Chatterjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is plot-enriched and flows smoothly, with a grounded, realistic pace that sets it apart from more fast-jumping detective novels. Maddie’s investigation unfolds steadily, and her interactions with Gregory and the supporting cast are well handled, especially the gradual narrowing of suspects between Gregory and Jake.

That said, a few investigative choices—such as confronting Jake and later breaking into his house—felt rushed and less convincing. A clearer trigger or stronger buildup could have made these moments feel more justified. The emotional bond between Maddie and Katie before the kidnapping also felt underdeveloped, which slightly reduced the emotional impact early on.

Once Maddie is kidnapped, the story becomes far more engaging and emotionally charged, elevating the overall experience and pushing the tension higher toward the end.

⭐ 3.8 stars

[Gina Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

HER LAST MESSAGE (Book 4 in the Maddie Landon Mystery Series) is another riveting whodunnit by author and former private investigator, Ellen Shapiro. 
The story begins when Maddie Landon, P.I., is hired to find a missing person (Katie) and the plot unfolds into a web of scandals and murder. 
The protagonist, Maddie Landon, is a very relatable and thorough private investigator who leaves no stone unturned. HER LAST MESSAGE has just the right balance of well-developed suspects to keep you guessing and turning the page. HER LAST MESSAGE is a fast-paced, sitting on the edge of your seat murder mystery.
if you love this genre, like I do, you'll love HER LAST MESSAGE. I highly recommend.

[Nichole Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Her Last Message' continues the story of Maddie and Jesse. There is enough backstory to make it easy to get the gist of what happened previously, without being annoying for veteran readers of this series. The one thought I kept having was how the missing character, Katie, had so many villainous men in her surroundings. Maddie has to investigate a stalker ex-husband, a pedophile, and an obsessive tennis instructor. There is a nice pace to the story and a cliffhanger that leaves me already looking forward to the next book.

[Heidi Ariana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth installment in the Maddie Landon Mystery series did not disappoint. This was a fast-paced mystery filled with so many twists and turns. The author’s background as a Private Investigator adds a layer to this series that is missing in other PI mysteries. If you’re looking for a quick, mystery that will leave you guessing and unable to put down, definitely pick this one up!

[Elsa West · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and it kept my attention. It was an easy read with lots of twists and turns and even a shocking surprise. The story moved slow at first and the cliffhanger at the end leaves me wanting to know more. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. I look forward to read more about what happens to Maddie

[Kelly Veit · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was just okay for me. I read it in one day because I really wanted to know how the story was going to resolve. I was quite annoyed that it ended on a cliffhanger. I would give this author another shot, though, if there is a follow up. Thank you to Net Galley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC.

[Sharen Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book based on finishing it which doesn't always happen. It was an interesting storyline & moved along at a good pace. My only disappointment was the ending which appears will continue in a followup book.