The Last Time I Saw Her

Dr. Charlotte Stone #4

by Karen Robards

Librarian’s note: This is a previously-published edition of
Kindle ASIN: B00PP3DN7Y.

In the sizzling new novel from New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards, Dr. Charlie Stone must prove the innocence of a dangerously sexy condemned man, or lose her one chance at true love.

In this world, Dr. Charlotte “Charlie” Stone skillfully probes the twisted minds of incarcerated serial killers to better understand what makes them tick, and to help nab those who remain at large. But in the next world, Charlotte’s ghostly lover—convicted killer Michael Garland—is facing death yet again. It seem the only way Charlie can snatch Michael from the jaws of oblivion is by proving his innocence. And this dead man’s dead ringer may just be the key.

A mysterious stranger has turned up in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, and Charlie is shocked to realize he could be Michael Garland’s identical twin. But she suspects the resemblance is only skin deep—and that behind the handsome face may lurk the perverse mind of a killer. While using all her keen profiling gifts, Charlie risks her life to discover the shocking secret that will clear Michael’s name.

Then a breakout at Wallens Ridge State Prison forces Charlie to contend with a sudden swarm of psychopaths bent on spilling blood. No one has a better chance of tracking down the deadly fugitives than Charlie—unless the rampaging killers manage to find her first and make this case her last. But Michael will move heaven and hell—and even make a devil’s bargain—for the chance to save Charlie’s life, and feel her touch once more . . . if only for the final time.

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense, Mystery, Suspense, Ghosts, Paranormal Romance

336 pages, ebook

First published August 25, 2015

About the author

Karen Robards is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than fifty books and one novella. She has won multiple awards including six Affaire de Coeur Silver Pen Awards for favorite author.
Karen has been writing since she was very young, and was first published nationally in the December 1973 Reader's Digest. She sold her first romance novel, ISLAND FLAME, when she was 24. It was published by Leisure Books in 1981 and is still in print. After that, she dropped out of law school to pursue her writing career.
Karen was recently described by The Daily Mail as "one of the most reliable thriller....writers in the world."

Reviews

[Alex is The Romance Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Time I Saw Her the 4th and final novel in Dr. Charlotte Stone Series by Karen Robards.

Am I glad I stuck to this series!!! I kept thinking, each time I read the previous books, if I should or should not!! Well, I should…and so happy I did. What a great conclusion!!

This was definitely my favorite book in the series.

I was beyond distraught with the ending of book #3. After everything Michael Garland….one of my favorite “ghost” heroes… did, despite his love for Charlie, why did something like that have to suddenly happen to him??

But in case you’re worried that it ends badly……stop worrying!!! It doesn’t!
In fact, the ending of this series was absolutely awesome….beautiful and totally endearing.

Michael Garland and Charlie Stone….what they felt for each other was pretty powerful. True love. True love isn’t ordinary, knows no depth. It suspends time. It makes the whole world stand still expect for the two of you. It stays with you. It has power to change your lives….and that’s what made it possible for these two people to find each other and be together for eternity…even when you face adversity, you will find each other somehow!!!

Even when I thought that some of the things were a bit unbelievable…no way ….never……something kept me hoping that these two characters would have a HEA!!!! Yes, a ghost and a human!!!

My favorite quote:

“You attract serial killers like a dog does fleas.”

Ciao Michael & Charlie…….wishing you both the most amazing HEA!!

[(NurseLisa) Square Granny from Ohio · Rating 5 out of 5]

OFMG READ - 2015; REREAD - 08-2025. I STAND BY MY REVIEW. Le siiiiiiigh…… ~ L
FABULOUS!!! I absolutely ADORED this book!!! What a GREAT (potential?) wrap-up to this short series! Swoon worthy love as well as an AWESOME thriller-mystery with a little magical twist. Couldn't wait to read more yet hated for it to end! FIVE "hunky, "I know, Babe" stars. Sigh. ☺️

[Bj · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I gave this audiobook an A- for the story and C+ for the narration at AudioGals*

If you’re looking for a completely original storyline, and love all sub-genres of romance, then I highly recommend the Dr. Charlotte Stone series by Karen Robards. Equal parts paranormal, thriller, mystery, romance and even a touch of humor, this series is sure to have something for everyone as long as you love fantasy style romances. In that regard, I will note that a large part of the plot in this series requires you to suspend belief long enough to accept that ghosts exist and that there are some humans who can interact with or hear their remnants.

For those of you who are not familiar with this series, please also note that the The Last Time I Saw Her is the fourth and last book. Although each book contains a different central serial killer case which must be solved, the romance arc develops over the entire series, and therefore for maximum enjoyment the books should be read in chronological order starting with Book 1, The Last Victim. Additionally, I suggest that you not read my review beyond the next two paragraphs which generally explain the series. After the fourth paragraph, where I describe the background of The Last Time I Saw Her, in particular, you may find spoilers for some of the earlier books.

See the full review at AudioGals.

[Lady Vigilante (Feifei) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by Random House Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Meigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Dr. Charlotte Stone series, Karen Robards enthralled me from the beginning with such an unlikely pairing; a seemingly brilliant psychiatrist, and a man on death row convicted of brutally murdering many women. Psychiatrist Charlie Stone studies serial killers, it's her passion and also the driving force which brought her to the prison that houses murderer Michael Garland. With such an icky sounding (to say the least) relationship, I always went in to each installment with an open mind and a feeling of hope. Much like Charlie, I never wanted to believe that Garland was a killer. An added twist to this series -- starting in book one, Michael becomes a ghost. A convicted murderer. Who is now a ghost. And again like Charlie, I too fell in love with him. Hard.

The Last Time I saw Her drops readers immediately into the action I anticipate with this series. A prison breakout puts Charlie and a group of teens in mortal danger, trapped in a schoolbus alongside convicted rapists and serial killers. With their only ally, a lawyer who could also be a killer, knocked unconscious for the duration, it's really up to Charlie to try and save herself and the kids. Without Michael and his voice of reason, Charlie is increasingly reckless, putting herself in harm's way on numerous occasions in order to save the teens.

This installment also brings much heartbreak along with it. With Garland missing for weeks, presumably forced back to Spookville, Charlie's devastation is palpable. She's always known that Garland couldn't last forever in spirit form, that sometime in the future he would ultimately be called to his final resting place, be it Spookville or Heaven. Most likely Spookville, as his innocence was always under question with so much hard evidence against him. That's not to say Garland was entirely absent, as some of his thoughts and the devastation of his current situation come through in his narrative from where his spirit currently resides.

She was grieving for him. He Could feel it. Her grief was torture to him.
But people get over grief. She would get over him.
Maybe they'd both be better off if he just gave up and let go.
Took what was coming to him.
Let the darkness win.
We can take away your pain. You can set her free.
For her sake even more than his own, he was tempted.
But then he thought, No: I'll never stop fighting. They'll have to destroy me to win.

Garland has always been a wonderfully complex and equally frustrating character. Never one for many words, he's always resisted talking about his past or trying to prove his innocence to Charlie, or even communicating his feelings for her and the sheer depth of them. Robards made me an incredibly happy girl because everything in Michael's past is finally revealed. Along with his true and incredibly strong feelings towards her. This series is truly a love story at its finest, and the two main characters really do share an incredible, and fathomless, love.

"You want the truth? I love you so fucking much it kills me to know that I can't have you, that I can't give you the life you want, that I can't do anything except make you miserable."

Despite Garland always looking guilty beyond a doubt, Charlie has never stopped trying to prove his innocence, and that's the case with this installment. Like Michael says, Charlie is a bulldog, especially where it pertains to his case. If he has to go, if his spirit can't hang around for eternity, Charlie would rather not see him doomed to Spookville for all eternity. She knows he doesn't belong there, simply because she knows he's a good man. A kind hearted man with a soul as bright and shiny as hers. Michael has resolved to step aside, let fate decide where he belongs, and try to set things to rights concerning Charlie and her future without him. He wants her to be happy, stable, away from the life of danger concerning her job.

Much of this story gave me such a hopeless feeling, thinking I've come so far in the series only to have things not turn out how they should, to turn out completely and heartbreakingly wrong. Much to my surprise, Robards gave me what I wanted. In spades. And I can't help but think that this 4th installment is the last. The ending seems so final, yet such a perfect way to leave these characters I've grown to adore. If this is indeed the last, I'm satisfied. If its not, well, I'm also satisfied.

4.5 stars, rounded up, simply because the bad guys' dialogue was oftentimes cheesy and unbelievable. No one says, "Step on it!", in a car chase. Unless it's Scooby Doo and the gang in the Mystery Machine :0)

**eARC received from Random House Publishing/Ballantine via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I also purchased my own copy. Quotes taken from finished copy.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published at Reading Reality

The books in this series have all been train-wreck books for me. When I say train-wreck, I mean in the sense that I can’t turn my eyes away, no matter how awful things get. I’d say they were crack, but having read my reviews of the earlier books in the series, they haven’t always been that good.

But they sure as hell are compelling.

The premise is a grand mix of packages off the troperville trolley. Dr. Charlotte Stone is a psychiatrist who studies serial killers. Why? Because she survived a serial killer’s rampage when she was a child, and she still feels guilty about hiding while her best friend was murdered in front of her.

Charlie Stone also sees dead people. So now we have a psychic psychiatrist.

It gets crazier. Charlie is writing up a study of serial killers at the local prison. She interviews these multiple murderers multiple times. It’s a dangerous job, and Charlie feels like she’s the one to figure out what makes these dudes tick.

Until her sexiest patient is shived right in front of her, and the ghost of serial killer Michael Garland attaches himself to Charlie Stone’s life and work. And this is where we enter crazytown, because Charlie falls in love with the damn ghost. And surprisingly vice-versa.

Hey, if you’re going to be crazy, go all the way!

When The Last Time I Saw Her starts, Charlie is in a bad way. At the end of the previous book, Her Last Whisper Michael got sucked off to Spookyville for what looks like the last time. His soul is scheduled for demolition, and the only thing he is hanging on to is Charlie saying that she loves him. The demons that run Spookyville are tormenting him with visions of Charlie in danger, because, of course, she always is.

Consumed by grief, Charlie is at the end of her rope. Then two insane things happen. First, she meets a man who looks like Michael Garland’s twin brother. Second, and much more typical for Charlie, she finds herself captured by a whole gang of escaped serial killers as the entire set of death row inmates at Wallens Ridge State Prison scoop up Charlie and a whole bunch of others in their surprisingly well planned prison break.

While heads will definitely roll at the prison when the escape is investigated, Charlie is much, much more worried that all of the hostages’ heads will roll much sooner. All those men were in maximum security for damn good reasons, and now they’re out and determined to get payback. Breaking Charlie is pretty high on their collective “to do” lists.

Fortunately for Charlie, and unfortunately for the escaped killers, one of the other hostages is Michael Garland’s twin. And while the dude is unconscious, the real Michael makes a deal with his demon captors – if they let him save Charlie, he’ll let them have his soul.

You guessed it, Michael takes over the body of his twin and saves Charlie. They have two days to experience what life would have been like if they’d met under anything like normal circumstances. Then he’s gone forever.

Or is he?

Escape Rating B-: Rating this series is always confusing. I read this on a long flight over the weekend, and was at the 93% mark when the flight landed. I almost didn’t get out of my seat because I wanted to finish SO BAD.

On that other hand, the premise for this series is utterly insane. Psychiatrist gets targeted by serial killers over and over and over, and she sees dead people. She falls in love with the baddest bad boy of them all, and tries to help him cheat death – or the afterlife – whatever.

And for most of the series, it’s not just that he is a convicted serial killer, but that the case is airtight. While Charlie wants to believe that Michael didn’t do it, it’s hard not to think that’s her heart (and other places further south) talking and not her head.

[spoiler]
The one thing I didn’t think was remotely possible in this mess was a happy ending, but the author managed to pull one out anyway. The method for doing so is one I’ve seen used in fanfiction a few too many times. Going back and changing the past, in order to make the future come out closer to what you want. This is the point where the story tripped completely into woo-woo territory.
[spoiler ends]

But the ending, as hokey as it was, was surprisingly satisfying. Charlie drove me crazy every single step of the way, but I still wanted her to get her HEA. Even as my eyes roll at the way it was achieved.

All’s fair in love and war and paranormal romance.

[Sharon Redfern · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved, loved, loved this book! This has been such an interesting series to read. My fellow librarians and I have all speculated on how this series would end because of the nature of the romance. Dr. Charlie Stone is an expert on serial killers and has an interesting talent. She can speak to the recently deceased who have died a violent death. While working in a maximum security prison doing research, she meets charismatic killer Michael Garland. Michael insists he is innocent even though there is a ton of forensic evidence against him. When Michael is killed virtually in front of her, his spirit attaches itself to her and she starts a seemingly doomed relationship with him. As time goes by she starts to believe in his innocence but how could she prove it. Adding to her stress is the fact that Michael keeps getting pulled into "Spookville" a super hell for really bad people and thus disappears for a while which freaks Charlie out. In this latest book, Charlie is caught up in a prison break involving a bunch of death row prisoners who won't hesitate to kill people.
What has been very interesting is how Ms. Robards has managed to keep the ick factor to a minimum while having the romance factor blazing hot. We are all rooting for this couple even though he is the ghost of a serial murderer!

SPOILERS AHEAD*****

We readers have all speculated on how this could be resolved and one by one Ms. Robards has debunked all of our theories. At the end of the last book, she seemed to set up the possibility of a twin. Suffice it to say she has added tons of twists and turns in this book which makes the ending perfectly reasonable... on some level. The chemistry between Charlie and Michael is as hot as ever which makes the possibility of an unhappy ending even less desirable. I have to confess that half way through, I peeked at the end because I couldn't stand it any longer. This book fulfills all requirements for an HEA except for the likelihood that it will be the end of the series so we readers will be sad.

[Erin Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from the Publisher, via Netgalley, this does not affect my opinion of this book or the content of my review.

I have read all these books, and the verdict is in! I am thrilled by this serious. This is my one truly crazy sauce series that I simply must keep up with. And Karen Robards definitely did not let the crazy sauce levels abate. Seriously, this book is the biggest head trip of the series, which if you’ve read the previous books is truly saying something.

Charlie Stone is depressed since her lover was sucked back to Spookville. She is trying to get through each day one day at a time, without much success, when in walks Michael Garland’s doppelgänger (or maybe his evil twin) with a subpoena for her files on him. In the midst of her meeting with him, and while a Scared Straight group is touring the prison, the serial killers she has been studying stage a prison break and kidnap her, the kids, and the doppelgänger. Charlie’s terror drags Michael back, and so starts our story.

Michael spends a good bit of his time in the doppelgänger’s body, so him being corporeal makes for a nice change, but at times the ethical considerations of utilizing another person’s body like that kind of gave me the heeby-jeebies. But once I put that to rest it was all hot and sweet. But seriously, don’t ponder that aspect too much it completely ruins the rest of the vibe. This was much more of a relationship book than a romantic suspense book. I mean there was plenty of action and mystery to go around, but it happened to them more passively than being an active mystery they were trying to solve this time. WHich was probably just as well since there was SOOOO much relationship angst. A serious eff-ton of relationship angst all piled on top of the crazy sauce train. It was the express train too.

We also got some more Lena and Buzz time, which was as always a delight, though their page time was short.

When it comes to the ending and the resolution of the Michael thing though, that is where the real head trip comes in. What? Did anyone reading this review seriously think that a ghost seeing forensic psychic who is in love with a serial killer and whose best friend is an honest to goodness psychic would be enough for me to call this a head trip at this point? Lets be real, it certainly was not. But this ending came right out of left field. I did not see it coming and I can not quite decide if Robards went into this series not quite knowing where she’d end up and how she’d get out of the set-up, or if she is simply brilliant. It was just about the most novel way out of the ghost hero trap that I think is possible to dream up, anad I have read a few ghost heroes. A bit of a deus ex machina I suppose, but a fun way out nevertheless.

Seriously, if crazy sauce is your thing this is a don’t miss series. Looking back, at previous reviews, I think I was maybe not as consistent of a grader as I am now. So honestly, while this isn’t a perfect series, and sometimes it felt like we readers were being jerked around, now that the payoff is here it was absolutely worth it and I am so glad I stuck around.

https://burnsthroughherbookshelf.word...

[Thenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story continues right where the previous book left off, with Charlie meeting a stranger that looks exactly like Michael, who seems to be gone after the events of the last book, stuck in "Spookville".

He is a lawyer whose latest client is accused of a murder that is similar to the ones Michael supposedly committed, and is there to get her papers on Michael so that he can investigate further, while also curious about the resemblance between them.

Charlie is grieving and beyond shocked to meet someone who could be Michael's identical twin, especially since she suspects him of committing the murders Michael was convicted for, but has no choice but to cooperate with him.

While the two are having a meeting in her office at the prison, a fire alarm is triggered and chaos ensues while the prison is being evacuated. In the confusion, a number of the worst serial killers Charlie had been studying are escaping, and both she and Michael's doppelganger end up kidnapped, along with a bus full of delinquent teenagers.

Michael, who was being tortured in Spookville, is holding on to their love and refuses to let go, something that prevents the beings torturing him from ending his existence. Part of his torment is getting glimpses of Charlie's life and when he sees her in danger once again, he makes a deal with them to be allowed to save her once again, before willingly submitting to his fate.

This is how he gets to save her bacon yet again, rescuing her from death a number of times, while discovering the existence of his identical twin and, eventually, the real killer who framed him, the detective who caught him, who apart from being a psycho, hated him for surviving the mission that killed his brother.

We finally got answers about all the mysteries surrounding Michael, but his fate seemed as bleak as ever, when he got dragged back to Spookville after succeeding in saving Charlie and clearing his name. Thankfully, Charlie's voodoo priestess friend has a possible last resort solution for them and sends Charlie back in time to change Michael's fate.

That solution came a bit out of the blue, since it doesn't seem like something a voodoo priestess would be able to pull off, but even though it doesn't seem to have worked, since Michael does not return to her, it eventually does and the two get their happy ever after ending.

All's well that ends well I suppose, but although I enjoyed parts of the story, it won't be taking a place in my all time favorites list. I'll probably read more of the author's work, since there are a number of things I enjoy about her stories and writing.

Previous book reviews:
✦ Her Last Whisper (Dr. Charlotte Stone, #3)
✦ The Last Kiss Goodbye(Dr. Charlotte Stone, #2)
✦ The Last Victim (Dr. Charlotte Stone, #1)

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE LAST TIME I SAW HER (Dr. Charlotte Stone: #4)
Written by Karen Robards
2015; Ballantine Books/Random House (336 Pages)
Genre: romantic suspense, mystery, paranormal

RATING: 3 STARS

Last summer when I finished the third book, Last Whisper, I was a bit shattered when it ended with a cliffhanger. I thought if this was the last book in the series I would be devastated. After I picked myself up off the floor I moved on with life the best that I could. As other books came into my life I slowly let Charlie and Michael go. By the time I saw that book four was being released (my mind probably had blocked out the trauma) I had not realized that I needed to read this book AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! Last week, I realized I missed reading and reviewing this book in August and September so I decided to get on that. OMG as soon as I started the first page all the emotions and scenes from book three flashed through my eyes. I spent my day off reading as much as I could.

This is a hard book to review as everything I want to say sounds like a spoiler or might lead to a spoiler. So bare with me please...Charlie heads back into work, after some time off, to hand over files to a lawyer who could be Michael's twin...except they have different eye colours. Before Charlie can investigate him there is a prison break on death row and she is taken hostage along with a school bus with young kids. While her life is in danger all she can think about is clearing Michael.

From the first chapter I was hooked till the end but I did have a few little problems. There were certain things and parts of the story that kept getting repetitive to the point I was getting a bit annoyed. Charlie's devotion for Michael at times felt over the top but I think it annoyed me only because of the ghost/human relationship. And, the last 1/4 of the book felt really rushed. I would have rather the book ended on another cliffhanger and for another novel to be written. I am not sure if this is the last book in the series. Robards did tie everything up and there was no real anticipation for another book. Yet, if there is book 5 on how things progress I would definitely read it.

***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***

My Novelesque Blog

[No Apology Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this five stars because I love Karen Robards' books and particularly loved the Dr. Charlotte Stone series, and I'm just glad to finally know how it ends! I'm satisfied with it. If you're a Robards fan, you'll love it. If you're new to Robards, I recommend starting this series at the beginning, but she is very much worth reading.

That said, I have to admit this wasn't a perfect book. What bothered me the most was how redundant it was. It seemed like Robards described what Michael and Hughes looked like over and over and over again, as well as told us how Charlie felt about Michael versus Tony versus Hughes over and over and over again--there were just things that got brow-beaten into the reader. On a related note, I felt rather patronized while reading. Not because Robards had to recap the events of the previous books to make this one relevant--that was necessary, and she did a fair job of it. But there were passages, mostly Charlie's thought processes I believe, where she'd take a whole long paragraph explaining something, like a why or how, then right after would write something to the effect of "In short,...." or "In other words,..." and would say the same thing in five words or less with more humor, or maybe chagrin. I guess it confused me that she felt what she was explaining was so hard to comprehend--or maybe difficult for the reader to agree with or relate to--that she had to give it a thorough description, then a tagline, if you will, in case we didn't understand. I don't recall Robards doing anything like that in other books, she usually trusts the reader to be smart enough to follow along, and it really bothered me.

Charlie and Michael may not seem to be quite the same as one remembers from the first three, but I think that's because we're seeing them after they've been developed and have grown/matured as people--or...ghost, in Michael's case. You know what I mean. Charlie remained smart, discounting her "savior complex," as Michael says, except she did seem rather obtuse about his secret. I feel that she could have figured that out on her own, or at least made a pretty good guess. But everyone else seemed consistent, Tam, Tony, even Buzz and Lena, though I craved more of them. Maybe I've gotten too used to Susan Elizabeth Phillips, but I wish there had been an epilogue a short while into the future, maybe several months or a couple of years, so we could see how everyone had moved on after the tumultuous few months they'd just had. Though while we might be curious about how things turned out for them, we get closure on everyone except Tony.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

As for the plot, it wrapped up all of the loose threads that I can think of, from how an inmate was able to kill Michael to Buzz and Lena's HEA. The book focused on the "What's going on at the prison?" question for the most part, but gave a decent amount of screen time to "How was Michael framed?" The Hughes plot twist was intriguing, if ultimately unimportant. Charlie's ability was acknowledged, if not fully utilized. The part where they confront the real Southern Slasher was rushed, convenient, lazy, and a bit confusing, even for someone who's read the other three books. I won't criticize it too much, because I can't think of how else it could have gone off the top of my head, but I think Robards could have put a little more effort into solving that mystery. I wouldn't have been adverse to a longer book.

I have to say, though, that I expected the "What's going on at the prison?" question to be answered with something paranormal. I can't get to my copy of the third book, it's buried in storage (didn't think that one through, did I?) but it seemed to me that Robards set up the prison to be some kind of hellmouth--I'm not sure if she actually used that word--and I expected more paranormal trouble to happen there. But as far as we know, it was all just hypocritical, jack*ss prison guards.

There are two things I wished she'd have acknowledged in relation to Hughes. One, how lucky for Michael that Hughes was in top shape so he could scale a cliff with his bare hands! And two--if Michael was using Hughes' body, which appeared to be fully functional despite Michael's invasion, couldn't he have gotten Charlie pregnant with Hughes' baby?!?! I kept waiting for Charlie to ask, but in uncharacteristic idiocy, it didn't even occur to her out of simple curiosity. I didn't expect it to be a problem, Robards would have explained it away somehow, but I still feel a little cheated. It drove me crazy every time they had sex! It's still driving me crazy!

Speaking of sex, Charlie and Michael's sex scene was super-duper sexy! ;)

For all the issues I just described, I really did enjoy this book. The characters were lovable (well, except the serial killers) and Robards didn't take the easy way out on any of her plots--or at least not the obvious easy way out--which kept it interesting. There was a good mix of sex, humor, drama, and suspense, though the predominant theme was romance, as it should be. It was so, so satisfying to finally see Charlie and Michael given a lifetime together that I cried like a baby!

Hopefully Robards will continue writing about Charlie and Michael--on her Facebook page she kept saying this book would conclude "this arc" of their story, and I personally asked her if that meant we'd see them again, and she said she was thinking about it. Probably depends on how well this book does business-wise. I don't know what plot she'd throw them into, but I'd be all for continuing the story!

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[Paula Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the end of Book #3 we read as Michael "the ghost" got sucked into what was nicknamed Spooksville after firstly haunting and then eventually falling in love with Dr. Charlotte Stone , who is a shrink that works with high risk prisoners -mainly those on death row , who also has the ability to see ghosts. We read as Charlotte mourned the lost of Michael and chided herself on how could she have fallen in love with a ghost, when she knew the risks and the fact he was a spirit. At the start of Book #4 Charlie is visiting Michael's grave, when standing there is a guy who looks like he could be Michael's twin as they look exactly alike and more so he is asking about his case. This gets Charlie wondering whether he could be the Southern Slasher, as she always wondered if Michael was as innocent as he claimed as after getting to know him , he doesn't seem like a killer to her. What happens next when Rick - that's the guy and Charlie are at her office , it gets held up by prisoners and she is taken hostage with others. During this time , Michael can view what's happening and strikes a deal in order to save her one last time. Michael pops back to earth and a happy reunion happens , during this time Charlie undigs the dark truth about the "real" Southern Slasher. I have to say, without giving the story and ending away , I shall leave it here with the fact I love the way Karen Robards finished the series and this book and it reminded me of the Sam/Jim and Melinda storyline on Ghost Whisperer a little bit.
If you love Serial Killer Novels with a Hint of the Supernatural , then Karen Robards' series Dr. Charlotte Stone are the books for you.

[Fran (with the book addiction) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook that was narrated by a different author from the previous 3 in the series and boy was this narrator bad. My 8 year old would have read it better. I think this really affected my enjoyment of it hence the 3 stars however there were a couple of other issues. . Overall I really enjoyed this series but a few things in this one niggled me. Possession of bodies and sex with said body without knowing his sexual history? Gross. STD anyone?
Also time travel. Erm no. I know that I bought into spirits and ghosts for the last three books but I draw the line there.
Regardless I’m still glad I read and finished this series

[Gail · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can only think of one word to describe this book - ridiculous!!

It starts out with Dr. Charlotte in a graveyard grieving her lost love, Michael. Michael was a serial killer who was murdered (in the prison I'm assuming). Dr. was doing a study of serial killers and met him in the prison.

Second chapter is Michael talking - from beyond!!

I fast forwarded to the middle of the book and unfortunately landed on a chapter describing a very lurid and detailed description of dead Michael and Dr. Charlotte having sex?!?!?

At this point, shook my head, and put this book in the "return to library" stack. Weird book.

This is the first book of Karen Robards that I've started to read, and probably the last.

[Grace C · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars

Docked half a star for the time traveling with a corporeal body, and also retaining memories of a past that was erased bits. Realized the plot points were necessary to conclude Charlie and Michael's story in *this* volume, so just 1/2 star deducted.

Robards also lays the groundwork for a possible Tony & Tam spin-off; hoping it happens, with appearances by Charlie and Michael, of course.

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This reeks of the "Grave" books by Darynda Jones: a woman named "Charlie" who sees and talks to dead people. Falling in love (and having sex) with a spirit.

That said it was fairly decent, if strange, not a keeper but not a total waste of time. Nice twist on the killer. Until the last couple of chapters: time travel, really??? Go back and change the past so he never dies? As if the rest was not enough?

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

Belonged under the genre of erotica and paranormal. Some fantasy and paranormal can be fun and believeable, not this one.

[Gerald Tidman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have been 5 stars. There was two sex scenes that were too much. Didn’t need that much detail to get point they loved each other.

Won’t read again.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.45 stars
I rounded up to five stars because this book made me emotional, and considering I didn't even like the Hero in the other three books, I consider that a win. And now that it's over I'm having readers withdraw, if you know you know lol.
This "review" is a very long synopsis of what I remember, and what I want to remember later, including my feelings on things.
Don't read if you haven't read the book, that would be like going to a book club meeting without reading and finding out every part of the story. And I do suggest just reading this book, I enjoyed it more than the others. I think that's because there is way more romance in this one, more love, and he isn't a ghost in it. Plus, lots of serial killer drama that was terrifying.







Michael is taken to be exterminated, but Charlie's cry of I love you keeps him fighting. For some reason, they can't exterminate him because of it. They torture him, including showing him her pain and grief.
Then his twin comes to town. He is a successful lawyer who has a case similar to the Southern Slasher, and he is confused as to why he looks so much like him. Highly suspicious of him, Charlie plans to get his DNA. During this time a prison escape happens and a handful of serial killers and a few others kidnap Charlie, the twin, some guards. and a bus full of scared straight teens.
Seeing that she is horrible danger Michael makes a deal, if they let him save her, make sure she is safe, then he will give up fighting and they can terminate him. So poof his ghost returns. Charlie is elated to see him but seeing guards and cops be murder take precedence. One of the serial killers takes a girl and jumps off the bus, and then another does the same with Charlie. She runs, he catches her, and Michael jumps into his twin's body and kills the bad guy. Then he kills another to save the girl.
Tony, Lena, and Buzz come after hearing about the escape and kidnapping, as well as Tam.
Michael and Charlie spend their time together, but Tony doesn't understand, and she doesn't know about the deal Michael made. He finally admits that he loves her too, and tries to prepare her for a life without him. Seeing this human side of him made me like him more. It isn't him just being annoying or only caring about sex now.
Another serial killer grabs Charlie and tries to kill her and once again Michael saves her by killing him. Eventually she tells Tony that the twin is inhabited by a spirit she loves, and he shockingly believes her, especially since the spirt is an expert killer and Hughes is not.
Michael confronts the guard Johnson after Charlie mentioned something he said. Turns out some of the guards were having death row inmates killed by either faking suicide or getting other inmates to do it.
The DNA does prove that him and Hughes are twins, but, he isn't the serial killer. I was confused at this point, now sure how it was all going to wrap up, and hoping for a happy ending.
Michael finally tells her why he is in Spookville. He is not a serial killer, doesn't like killing, but he was a hired killer for the military and didn't mind his job at all. On one mission he went in to a suicide mission to rescue his friends. Many died and on the way to find safety ran into a group of innocent men. They tied them up so they wouldn't get the soldiers killed but Michael felt as if they would get loose, tell the enemy where they were going, and everyone would die. So he went back and killed them, including a 14 year old boy. Charlie believes he does have remorse for what he did, for the killings, and that he did what he did to survive, ie. that is what separates him from her subjects, why he can love her when sociopaths/psychopaths' can not love. I don't know how I feel about that. Real anti-hero stuff that makes you uncomfortable, but I suppose he has suffered for it. Being framed for killing women, put on death row, being killed, falling in love after dying, tortured, and facing execution of his soul. One thing that has made me not like Michael is how he is her complete opposite. She throws herself into danger (sometimes a little tstl) to try to save lives and he yells at her and tells her to walk away knowing it could mean someone dying. Michael is all about saving himself and now her. She had to pled with him to go save that girl, since he didn't want to leave her. I do think that since being with her, he has become a better person.
Tam helps find the last three serial killers and some more hostages but she can't figure out where the last girl is, only that she is alive. So Charlie uses a candle to summon one of the dead serial killers who went after her. He finally tells her the girl went out a window after Charlie was pushed off the bus, he shot her, and she fell off a cliff. She then sends him to Hell and I love how Tony was cool with this, even admired her. The rescue team finds the girl in time to save her.
Charlie and Michael have some more sexy time and then she wakes up being attacked. A guy is trying to stab her, she screams, keeps fighting, eventually gets the gun Michael took off a serial killer and Tam comes in. Michael comes in a bit later (why he left her to go get changed before morning, I don't really understand) and realizes he recognizes the guy as the cop who questioned him and pointed the figure at him being the Southern Slasher. Charlie realizes that he is really the killer, that he recently killed his girlfriend, and since Michael has already been framed and killed he was going to use Hughes, his lawyer, to get away with this again. Tam also finds out that he hated Michael because he is the only one out of 24 who was in a military op and has made it back home when his brother is one of the 23 who died. Which explains how he got a watch like Michaels. Then he planted Michaels DNA and hid his real watch. After the cops leave Michael can feel its time for him to leave. Of course Charlie is freaking out and they have a rushed panicked goodbye. He tells her to live, get married, have kids, be happy, stay away from serial killers, and that he loves her, not to worry about him. She runs after him and tells him she loves him too and sees that he is in pain right before he disappears. She makes Tam tell her what is going on and she is desperate to save him. Thankfully Tam was prepared and the reason Charlie was alone was because she went and got supplies for a spell, plus she purposely read the real Sothern Slasher to be sure Michael was innocent and worth saving. Now this is all kinds of hokey. I can get into the psychic part, the ghosts, this version of heaven and hell and the afterlife, and even the body snatching with no problem, I think its cool, BUT Tam is sending Charlie, BACK IN TIME. Yep, time travel, didn't see this coming AT ALL lol but whatever, any way to get the HEA I need.. So she sends her back to the night Michael went home with that girl who died right after he leaves. If Charlie can stop him, he wont get arrested, put on death row, or be murdered, but they have to do it before his soul is terminated otherwise rerouting his path will be for nothing. However, if they do this right, he would haven't met and fallen in love with Charlie, so it's possible he wont remember her at all. That she will lose him that way. Tam says his soul will know, but he might not, and that they are probably soulmates, which is sweet.
So she goes into that bar and yells at him for leaving her home with the kids to pick up women and the girl scurries off (I don't know if the girl is also saved or if she still died). Hilarious, then she hits on him, he tells her no, so she kisses him. A drunk Michael can feel their chemistry so she convinces him to leave with her. She writes down her name, address and a date 5 years later. Then forces him into the cabs and tells him that his dead friends sent her. She tells him how one of those friends died, he was mortally wounded and Michael killed him so he could hide and not be killed, so he can believe what she is saying. She tells him how that girl would have died, what would have happened to him, how the serial killer hates him and to leave town, that she is from the future and they love each other and she is trying to save him. Then she is sucked back. She can tell from research that he didn't go to prison, that the real serial killer is on death row, but he doesn't come to her and she can't find him. She does her best to move on, knowing that saving him was worth it. Then her award ceremony comes and her, Tam, and Lena all go shopping. Lena and Buzz are engaged thanks to Charlie asking Lena what do you really want. After her speech Tony goes to ask her to dance when he freezes. She turns around and Michael is coming towards her all dressed up. He asks her to dance and she is too shocked to say or do anything but agree. Then he tells her something and calls her babe and she knows he remembers. He didn't until two days ago (where was he that it took two days to get to her idk) but he was talking to a shrink for vets (I can't see Michael voluntarily going to a shrink to tell them things he had a difficult time telling Charlie, but maybe it was his soul nudging him in the right direction) when the shrink asked him if he felt any remorse. He had chalked Charlie saying she was from the future and then disappearing as him being really drunk but then he could hear a woman asking him about remorse and then BAM it all hit him, death row, dying, Spookville, and falling in love with her. She tells him she loves him and he says "I know" just to tease her again (that's how he responded when she told him, he knew he was leaving and didn't want to tell her but eventually did, then he did it again later and she told him it wasn't going to be a thing they did) lol then he says he loves her too and then they dance happily some more until she gets a little embarrassed.

“Michael. Oh, my God. We’ve got forever.” He looked down at her. His eyes were tender on her face. “Babe, what we’ve got ourselves here is a lifetime. For now, with you, that’s all the forever I need.”

And that is how it ended. Again, even though I don't like Michael that much I am so happy they found a happy ending and I so desperately want more. I needed a real epilogue. Maybe not with too much information say like, how many woman he was with during those five years, since he wasn't being a celibate death row inmate like before. Can he still see ghosts?, Is he going to have to save her from a killer again? When he dies again is he going to be terminated or will he see the light again? Will Charlie really just write her book? What is he is doing for work? Do they get married? Have kids? I want to know what their lifetime includes. I want to see them grow old together, heal each other, die and walk into the light together. That's how it's happening in my head regardless.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Dr. Charlotte Stone series. These books are part of a paranormal/romance/mystery/thriller series. Main character Dr. Charlotte Stone, studies serial killers a high security prison Wallens Ridge State Prison in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. She is also able to see and talk to ghosts/spirits of those who have died a violent death. If you have not read the previous books in the series I do not want to ruin it for you at this point. Suffice it to say, that she ends up falling for one of her subjects who may have been wrongly accused. When he gets killed in front of her, his spirit sticks around and is in each of the subsequent books.

When The Last Time I Saw Her starts, Charlie is in a bad way. At the end of the previous book the spirit of the man she loved gets sucked into what she calls, Spookyville. She does not think she will ever see him again and is grieving. When she meets a lawyer, who looks like Michael Garland’s twin, and is apparently looking for information on the "Southern Slasher Serial killer" she begins to suspect that perhaps he was the actual killer. While she is trying to obtain DNA while having coffee with him in her office, there is a prison break. Charlie, the lawyer and six young people brought to the prison for a "Scared Straight" program are all loaded onto a bus with six death row inmates, four of them serial killers who Charlie has studied. Charlie's first concern is to save the other hostages, as she knows what these men are capable of. Just when Charlie is about to be killed, Michael Garland shows up and is able to take over the body of his look alike while he is unconscious. The rest of the book is about catching the escaped convicts, saving the hostages and trying to figure out what is going to happen to Michael the next time he is sucked into Spookville.

Once I got into the story, I could not put it down. I wanted to find out who was going to get caught and how, will the hostages survive and of course what is going to happen to Michael and Charlie. You need to like paranormal/supernatural stories to enjoy this book and series because it is out there. The characters of Charlie and Michael are very likeable. Their strong feelings toward one another are almost palpable. The character of Tam, Charlie's friend who is a psychic is not as well developed, but I would like to know more about her. She is so loyal that you would want her as a friend. There is a bit of a love triangle with FBI agent Tony Bartoli, but he realizes that he will never be more than a friend or family as Charlie explains to him. He does not see ghosts but does believe that Charlie does. The ending came as a complete surprise, yet in the vein of the series, I loved it. This was a great end to this series. I will say that there seemed to be a lot more sex in this book and it was described a bit more visually, but I read the other books a few years ago, so I might just have forgotten those parts. I definitely recommend this book and series to those who love a paranormal romance with a mystery/thriller storyline. An enjoyable read.

[Vera M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

You ever read a series and like it and you have no clue why really? Yeah this series, I liked it, I didn't want to put the book down and wanted to get right into the next one, and then it was over. It was a satisfying ending to a 4 book, connected series. Yet there was this;

Imaginary friend that lives in my head: What in the hell are we reading?
Me: Romantic suspense. Serial Killers, Psychics, Ghosts, Love.
IFTLiMH: But... she loves the... ghost?
Me: Yes and he loves her, but they cant be together because he is a ghost.
IFTLiMH: This sounds dumb, are we still gonna read this.
Me: YES! It isn't dumb... really, it's soooo good.
IFTLiMH: Are you sure?! Maybe we should not finish this, it doesn't sound like it's good. I don't understand what there is to like.
Me: ummmm... I think so, just shush and let me read! (edge of my seat reading)


I blame the reason I got pulled in this series on some good writing. The main storyline through the 4 books does sound dumb when I try to explain it to myself or my husband who asks what I am reading and what it is about. Yet, I really liked the series and it kept me interested throughout. It may have been very unrealistic, but that was fine with me. Suspense, Thriller, Romance, Paranormal and Mystery elements all brought together in a wonderful way.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

The things I will read to complete a challenge:) This is the second book in this series that I have read so anyone can see that I haven't learned a thing. I just don't get Charlotte Stone. She seems to be an intelligent woman but she has this hang up with serial killers and her ghost, (literally), boyfriend. I guess it's one of these series that the reader either absolutely loves...and there are a lot of those...or absolutely hates...and we are diffidently a minority on that one. If you are one of the 90% then you will love it....and it did get me closer to complementing the challenge.

[Sydney Marchese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely everything I wanted. Happy endings for everyone. And for that I can ignore the same woman being kidnapped five separate times in a span of four months. What a wild and satisfying ride.

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn't stop crying through the last 10%. I am so happy Charlie and Michael found one another after four fucking books I don't even care if the mysteries in between were duds. These two are my ghost-human forever couple thanks.

[Lynn Sykes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m glad I finished this series. I like the way it wrapped up.

[Judy Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A special thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also purchased the audiobook version.

Karen Robards returns with her much awaited (Dr. Charlotte Stone #4) installment THE LAST TIME I SAW HER, continuing with a mix of mystery, intensity, paranormal, and ghostly romantic suspense with supernatural intrigue.

"His eyes are the wrong color. They should have been sky blue. They weren’t. they were a hazel shade of brown. It has to be him. Who else could it be?" Michael?

Charlie had been told there were five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. It had been seventeen days since Michael had disappeared and she went right to the third stage. She would do anything to see him. Please let it be him. She has to face it. This gorgeous man is not Michael.

Dr. Charlotte (Charlie) Stone. She is a psychiatrist, conducting research on a government grant, studying the psychology of serial killers. Madness and murder invaded Dr. Charlotte Stone’s life when she was just a girl—and made her a woman determined to save others from the horror she survived.

She studies patterns. Charlie, a serial killer expert hears voices and can see ghosts of those who suffer from a violent death, studies behaviors of serial killers and works closely with the FBI.

Michael had been one of the serial killer she was studying. He insisted he was innocent. He had gotten himself murdered. He had come back as a ghost to haunt, taunt, and otherwise make her life miserable until she’d made the truly colossal mistake of falling in love with him. Michael Garland. As time goes along, she starts believing in his innocence.

Now she is standing in front of a man. He says his name is Rick Hughes-a criminal defense lawyer. The client he is representing was charged with murdering his girlfriend. In the course of investigating they discovered it was identical in every significant detail to those committed by a serial killer known as the Southern Slasher, known as Michael Garland. However, he was in prison at the time of the murder.

The last thing in the world she wants is to talk to him about anything. How can she look at him or discuss Michael? After all, her psychic friend says she is certain Michael’s soul had been terminated after he was snatched away. Could this man be his, brother or a twin? After Michael had been adopted at a young age—could this be the answer?

Next Charlotte finds herself in the middle of a prison break and she is taken hostage. Will Michael’s ghost save her this time? Time travel? A spell? The graveyard? An illusion? Is he real? Spirits? Is there a bigger conspiracy which will help clear Michael’s name?

All the while, Michael had wanted her to quit her dangerous line of work. Will receiving the NARSAD award, encourage her to follow her passion and start writing? Charlie and Michael will transport you with their love, passion, and romance. Their path? Will they get a HEA?

If you have read any of Karen Robards’ books and the previous ones in the Dr. Charlotte Stone series, you can expect complex, multi-layered, mysterious, intriguing, suspenseful, passion, and romance with a paranormal twist. Would recommend reading the previous books in the series to get the big picture; otherwise you may think you are nuts, and have lost your mind.

Fans will be pleased with the wrap up, enjoy revisiting with Tony and Tam, and the hot intensity between Michael and Charlie!

JDCMustReadBooks

[Mel (whilemelwasreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You want the truth? I love you so fucking much it kills me to know that I can't have you, that I can't give you the life you want, that I can't do anything except make you miserable."

This is book 4 in a series that should be read in order for the best reading experience.

My gosh. The heartbreak and feelings in this one. Especially at the start. But also the mystery and action that pull you in from the beginning too. This series never falls to keep you on your toes. Charlie sure can attract trouble. In all the ways. I loved how the author left us thinking we were going to be heartbroken in the end, but gave us such a satisfying ending after all. I really enjoyed this series reread and will likely fall back on it when the mood strikes again. It feels old school in ways, but I felt the romance and connection-which is what I love. Would recommend trying this series if you're looking for a unique escape.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

So if you ever meet me in real life, you will find that I have OCD. I love order - I need everything to be black-and-white. See a problem. Fix a problem. (I totally appreciate the grey aspect of life but prefer structure) I tend to not be a fan of paranormal romance books because they go to places that my brain usually has difficulty accepting. However, I find myself addicted to the Dr. Charlotte Stone series by Karen Robards and it's all about loving the most unavailable man ever.

A quick refresher or introduction to this series. Dr. Charlotte Stone aka Charlie is an expert in criminal pathology and she studies serial killers that are on death row at a local prison. (Sounds like a good time, right?!) Anyway, Charlie met, interviewed and fell in love with Michael Garland - man convicted of murdering quite a few women. However, he is now dead and comes to Charlie as a ghost. The man she is in love with is an apparition. A freaking ghost!!

Anyway, moving forward in my review - we're onto book 4, The Last Time I Saw Her, the authors latest release in this series. Charlie has just returned home after helping the FBI with a case and her life is in shambles. She's lost the love of her life and karma has placed what looks like his identical twin in her face. Feeling like she finally has the missing piece to the murders Michael was convicted of - she is on a mission to prove his innocence.

Except it all goes to hell. Charlie's world becomes absolute chaos. As it unfolded, my jaw was on the ground and I was swept up into the drama. Charlie is in danger and trapped. She's putting so much fear and desolation out into the world that Michael feels it. And their love for one another is so powerful that even death cannot keep him from trying to save her.

Everything that follows that moment on and until the end of the book is spectacular. Some scenes require you to suspend your disbelief in reality but you're so invested in this couple getting their happily ever after that you do it willingly.

As a fan of romantic suspense books, there isn't a moment in this book or the other stories in this series that doesn't do it for me. The criminal mysteries are awesome. They're intense and captivating. The love between Michael and Charlie - it's the stuff that we romance lovers dream of. A love that cannot be forgotten and will follow us even if we are no longer of this world.

So I guess I will leave my review with this - Karen Robards is a masterful writer. Her books about Charlie and Michael are a top recommendation from me. They make my heart pound because of the chemistry between the main characters and the from the undying connection they share. Definitely don't miss out on The Last Time I Saw Her.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can honestly say I have never read a book like this before. It's in between of contemporary suspense with a little paranormal activity. Since this was the first book in the series I have read I have to say when I started it I was a little lost in trying to figure out these characters and what happened in past books. But as the story started progressing I couldn't put it down.

I'm going to try not to include spoilers so I hope this makes sense because this book has a lot of stuff going on.

Charlie is shrink who gets in the minds of serial killers. In this new book she meets a man who looks like Michael. Michael was on death row before he was killed in prison. His ghost has been around and helping save Charlie's life when things have happened.

Charlie is at work when there is a prison break and she is taken hostage by a numerous amount of inmates who are in fact some of the dangerous serial killers that are in her prison. Just when she thinks she won't make it Michael appears and is determined not only to save her life but hope she changes her career to stay out of further trouble.

One thing I noticed from the beginning was that Charlie must have the worst luck ever. I mean since this is book 4 I can only imagine what Karen Robards has put her through in previous books.

I have the say the storyline kept me interested in what was happening and it was entertaining enough to keep me on the edge. I thought Charlie was strong, determined and I loved how she was with Michael.

Now for everyone who has read this series you know Michael is a serial killer and they are in love but wow the things that happened and that were revealed I have to say shocked me!

Since Michael is technically dead I didn't really understand his whole personality. One minute he's got this whole sweet thing going on but most of the time he's hard. One thing I do know is that he takes alpha hot ghost to a whole new level ( I never thought I would say that before).

After reading this book I am 100% sure I am starting at the beginning of this series to get the full effect. I love Robards writing and the sarcasm she brings to her characters. I will be reading more by Robards that's for sure.

If you already have started this series I think this book will leave you with bittersweet emotions and an ending you won't forget. If you are starting this for the first time join the club but start at book 1 with me and enjoy the ride Robards takes you on.

Hopefully there will be more books to come that add to this intriguing series!

[Marilyn Rondeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though it seems like this might be the final book in the Dr. Charlotte Stone series, is it wrong of me to not want to see it end?

Since the very beginning when I had picked up THE LAST VICTIM I have been totally enthralled with Dr. Charlie Stone and her friendly ghost aka Michael Garland. The fact that Michael was killed before her very eyes in the prison she worked at was as interesting as the fact of why he was there having been sentenced to death row as a serial killer. The first book examined Charlie trying to rid herself of Michael with candles and voodoo kind of things until she both gave up and started to believe that perhaps his claims of innocence were true.

In this 4th and hopefully not final book in the series THE LAST TIME I SAW HER Charlie is grief stricken thinking that Michael has actually been banished from this earthly plane and is finally gone from her life. But on her way home she drives by the cemetery where she sees a man standing over Michael’s grave - not Michael – but his exact double.

*** Naturally, Ms. Robards uses this fact to goad Charlie into finally believing that Michael, as he had claimed a thousand times, was innocent. After all, other than the different color of their eyes, this stranger who was Michael’s double could have very well been the killer all along. In spite of this being part of the main plot in THE LAST TIME I SAW HER, there is much, much more to this than just trying to prove Michael’s double being the real serial killer.

When a jail break of six serial killer convicts occurs, Charlie is captured along with the other young hostages and Charlie knows that without Michael gone, the chances of her escaping unscathed are a million to one. The escapees are six of the most vicious killers she has ever studied, and they are not her fans! Knowing from her friend (voodoo priestess Tam) that Michael has in all likelihood been terminated Charlie never guessed that Michael just might find his way back to save her once again.

Bottom line: Fast paced action is a trademark of Ms. Robards in this series and it is kept at a fever pitch. Add into that Charlie’s friends from the FBI including Tony (who wants to be more than just a friend to Charlie), Lena, Buzz, and hot priestess Tam and it’s like old home week of doing all they can to save one another and stay alive. Simply a FABULOUS book and series!!!

Marilyn Rondeau