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The Last Fatal Hour
Not yet published
Expected 7 Apr 26For Leona Gladney, former woman soldier of the Union Army, life goes on despite the echoes of the battlefield in her heart. Now a suffragist and budding socialite in Brooklyn Heights, she yearns for a literary life and family. But her husband’s business partner embezzles their money and disappears.
The society matrons of Brooklyn Heights turn a gimlet eye on Leona after the suspicious death of a wealthy friend. Leona will do anything to find justice for her friend and clear her own name, but she finds only secrets, seances and murder.
The society matrons of Brooklyn Heights turn a gimlet eye on Leona after the suspicious death of a wealthy friend. Leona will do anything to find justice for her friend and clear her own name, but she finds only secrets, seances and murder.
310 pages, ebook
Expected publication April 7, 2026
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 21, 2026
I chose this book because the Era and status intrigued me. I felt as if I was following Leona Gladney's life and actions being high society. I also appreciated her past being a union solider and a woman. A lot it reminds me of the pressure women dealt with being high society and having the perfect household and identity. ( These aren't spoilers)
What gave this a fours star instead of a five was the odd pacing felt off sometimes. Sometimes I couldn't put the arc down waiting for what happened next other times it just felt very slow.
For the unique point of view and nail biting parts I definitely would recommend this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily thanks to booksirens.
What gave this a fours star instead of a five was the odd pacing felt off sometimes. Sometimes I couldn't put the arc down waiting for what happened next other times it just felt very slow.
For the unique point of view and nail biting parts I definitely would recommend this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily thanks to booksirens.
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February 3, 2026The Last Fatal Hour by Jan Matthews is a historical fiction mystery set in Brooklyn Heights after the Civil War. The protagonist is Leona Gadney who was a former soldier during the Civil War for the Union. Her desire after the war was to settle down for a literary life and to raise a family. The story reveals to the reader the struggles of women not only in the 19th century is today's society as well. Even thought the story was set in the late 19th century, there are many aspects of the plot which are relevant for us all today.
Her experience in the Civil War is fundamental to the plot of the story. She was psychological scarred by her experience in the war because she had to disguise herself as a man in order to enlist. She learned how men are so much differently than woman in society. Woman needed to adopt the soldierly habits of drinking, swearing, and smoking in order to assimilate themselves to their fellow soldiers.
Her desire at the end of the war was to return to Brooklyn Heights to start a new life. She married a successful business man and began to ingratiate herself into high society. Unfortunately, during this time her husband's business partner embezzled the company's fund and disappeared. This left her family penniless.
Shortly afterward, a family friend was murdered. Due to circumstantial evidence, Leona became a prime suspect. This is where the murder mystery begins for the reader. Because she has become an outlier in society, she decides to investigate the murder of her friend. The investigation began Leona is now considered a prime suspect and scapegoat for the crime. The investigation is necessary not only to find the killer but to clear her name too.
The author utilizes her story to shout out to the world of the struggles of women not only in the 19th century but today as well. The strength of these women at this time is amazing. Not only were many women enlisting to fight in a war but willing to take this courage and challenge the norms of the day especially in their fight to allow women to vote. Not only the right to vote but to have the rights guaranteed to them by the constitution but denied to them by men. These women need to be applauded because they were willing to sacrifice themselves to cure the injustices of the time. Women continue to struggle for their rights as Jan Matthews writes in this story. Please keep your eyes open to the many different themes in this story and learn the lessons revealed to us in this most intriguing story.
Her experience in the Civil War is fundamental to the plot of the story. She was psychological scarred by her experience in the war because she had to disguise herself as a man in order to enlist. She learned how men are so much differently than woman in society. Woman needed to adopt the soldierly habits of drinking, swearing, and smoking in order to assimilate themselves to their fellow soldiers.
Her desire at the end of the war was to return to Brooklyn Heights to start a new life. She married a successful business man and began to ingratiate herself into high society. Unfortunately, during this time her husband's business partner embezzled the company's fund and disappeared. This left her family penniless.
Shortly afterward, a family friend was murdered. Due to circumstantial evidence, Leona became a prime suspect. This is where the murder mystery begins for the reader. Because she has become an outlier in society, she decides to investigate the murder of her friend. The investigation began Leona is now considered a prime suspect and scapegoat for the crime. The investigation is necessary not only to find the killer but to clear her name too.
The author utilizes her story to shout out to the world of the struggles of women not only in the 19th century but today as well. The strength of these women at this time is amazing. Not only were many women enlisting to fight in a war but willing to take this courage and challenge the norms of the day especially in their fight to allow women to vote. Not only the right to vote but to have the rights guaranteed to them by the constitution but denied to them by men. These women need to be applauded because they were willing to sacrifice themselves to cure the injustices of the time. Women continue to struggle for their rights as Jan Matthews writes in this story. Please keep your eyes open to the many different themes in this story and learn the lessons revealed to us in this most intriguing story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was one of the best I've read in a long while.
Genre tags: Historical fiction, mystery, set in the post-civil war era, sleuth, crime.
This story starts by introducing you to our strong FMC, giving you a glimpse of her history and quickly taking you on a journey that shows her strength of character whilst the lives of the people she loves, are threatened. I don't want to give too much away so I'll explain why I liked this book so much.
It was a complex story with plenty of drama and mystery, yet I felt it was paced very well and easy to follow. There is always something gripping going on.
You felt like you knew the characters very well and the atmosphere the author created was enveloping. The time period is known for the misogyny and inequalities for women and this was interwoven with confidence and taste.
I loved the strong relationships between some characters and the flashes back to the FMC days as a former women soldier of the union army.
I haven't had a book in a while that has traveled with me whilst doing chores, because I didn't want to miss the time between jobs, that could be spent reading.
I could not fault this book.
Thank you to Netgallery, Jan Matthew's and Coffee&Ink Press for the opportunity to give a truthful review on this ARC. My words are my own (thanks Natasha)
Genre tags: Historical fiction, mystery, set in the post-civil war era, sleuth, crime.
This story starts by introducing you to our strong FMC, giving you a glimpse of her history and quickly taking you on a journey that shows her strength of character whilst the lives of the people she loves, are threatened. I don't want to give too much away so I'll explain why I liked this book so much.
It was a complex story with plenty of drama and mystery, yet I felt it was paced very well and easy to follow. There is always something gripping going on.
You felt like you knew the characters very well and the atmosphere the author created was enveloping. The time period is known for the misogyny and inequalities for women and this was interwoven with confidence and taste.
I loved the strong relationships between some characters and the flashes back to the FMC days as a former women soldier of the union army.
I haven't had a book in a while that has traveled with me whilst doing chores, because I didn't want to miss the time between jobs, that could be spent reading.
I could not fault this book.
Thank you to Netgallery, Jan Matthew's and Coffee&Ink Press for the opportunity to give a truthful review on this ARC. My words are my own (thanks Natasha)
Review of advance copy
**This is a review of an ARC I was able to read through book sirens.
This is the kind of story I would have read in a matter of hours pre-motherhood. I was instantly gripped by Matthews' vivid descriptions, everything is so clear it's as if you're just hovering around, watching it all unfold. Reading this story was like trying to unravel a very tangled ball of yarn, any tangle that became unfurled lead to another and another. The ending was impeccable.
I highly suggest you add this to your TBR and look out for future publications.
This is the kind of story I would have read in a matter of hours pre-motherhood. I was instantly gripped by Matthews' vivid descriptions, everything is so clear it's as if you're just hovering around, watching it all unfold. Reading this story was like trying to unravel a very tangled ball of yarn, any tangle that became unfurled lead to another and another. The ending was impeccable.
I highly suggest you add this to your TBR and look out for future publications.
Review of advance copy
The Last Fatal Hour immediately intrigued me by its blurb and the era it was set it. I always love a good mystery, and it did not disappoint.
Leona is a strong woman who never stops but somehow is never frustrating to follow, because she thinks, which I can only appreciate. She fights and fends for herself in a world that doesn't take women seriously. In short, she is badass yet elegant, and I love her as a protagonist. That being said (believe me, I could sing praises for Leona all day long), all characters are fleshed out and have the perfect layers of complexity. I did have to take some notes at the beginning as there are quite a few names being dropped (and since it is a mystery, I wanted to remember every person we came across), but looking back it wasn't necessary as the author does a good job at making you realize which characters truly matter.
The only flaw I found was that the pacing had some oddities: while the beginning has some lengths, it is necessary as all the different pieces are falling in place. Then, once the mystery truly kickstarts, it snowballs and the book becomes impossible to put down until there is a sudden stop, which really broke my momentum. I would not let this deter you from picking up this book, however, as the pace does eventually pick up again, and trust me, the ending is worth it. The way the mysteries unravel and how it just keeps going deeper is impeccable. I always love when something small turns out to be so much more, and The Last Fatal Hour truly delivered.
I would recommend it if you like a good mystery that will keep you on edge and if the era calls to you. I will definitely be looking forward for future publications.
I would like to thank BookSirens, Coffee&Ink Press and Jan Matthews for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Leona is a strong woman who never stops but somehow is never frustrating to follow, because she thinks, which I can only appreciate. She fights and fends for herself in a world that doesn't take women seriously. In short, she is badass yet elegant, and I love her as a protagonist. That being said (believe me, I could sing praises for Leona all day long), all characters are fleshed out and have the perfect layers of complexity. I did have to take some notes at the beginning as there are quite a few names being dropped (and since it is a mystery, I wanted to remember every person we came across), but looking back it wasn't necessary as the author does a good job at making you realize which characters truly matter.
The only flaw I found was that the pacing had some oddities: while the beginning has some lengths, it is necessary as all the different pieces are falling in place. Then, once the mystery truly kickstarts, it snowballs and the book becomes impossible to put down until there is a sudden stop, which really broke my momentum. I would not let this deter you from picking up this book, however, as the pace does eventually pick up again, and trust me, the ending is worth it. The way the mysteries unravel and how it just keeps going deeper is impeccable. I always love when something small turns out to be so much more, and The Last Fatal Hour truly delivered.
I would recommend it if you like a good mystery that will keep you on edge and if the era calls to you. I will definitely be looking forward for future publications.
I would like to thank BookSirens, Coffee&Ink Press and Jan Matthews for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Last Fatal Hour is a masterfully woven historical mystery, capturing the spirit of post–Civil War America with remarkable depth and atmosphere. Rather than merely borrowing from the beloved world of Louisa May Alcott, this novel expands upon the era she so vividly portrayed, plunging readers into the shifting social landscape of Reconstruction through a gripping and emotionally layered mystery.
At the heart of the story is Leona—a compelling woman navigating the rigid expectations of high society while quietly wrestling with her own longing for independence. Her internal struggle feels authentic and timeless: the tension between carving out one’s own identity and yearning for the warmth and stability of a family. The author handles this duality with nuance, making her journey as absorbing as the mystery itself.
Equally fascinating is that Leona was a covert former Union soldier whose past lingers like a shadow over the present. Her concealed history adds emotional complexity, enriching the central mystery while deepening the novel’s exploration of loyalty, trauma, and reinvention in a nation still healing from war.
The historical detail is beautifully written without ever overwhelming the plot. The customs, social codes, and unspoken rules of the time are seamlessly embedded in the narrative, heightening both the stakes and the drama. The constraints placed upon women—and the quiet acts of defiance that push against them—are portrayed with sensitivity and strength.
The Last Fatal Hour is for fans of intelligent historical mysteries and character-driven drama.
At the heart of the story is Leona—a compelling woman navigating the rigid expectations of high society while quietly wrestling with her own longing for independence. Her internal struggle feels authentic and timeless: the tension between carving out one’s own identity and yearning for the warmth and stability of a family. The author handles this duality with nuance, making her journey as absorbing as the mystery itself.
Equally fascinating is that Leona was a covert former Union soldier whose past lingers like a shadow over the present. Her concealed history adds emotional complexity, enriching the central mystery while deepening the novel’s exploration of loyalty, trauma, and reinvention in a nation still healing from war.
The historical detail is beautifully written without ever overwhelming the plot. The customs, social codes, and unspoken rules of the time are seamlessly embedded in the narrative, heightening both the stakes and the drama. The constraints placed upon women—and the quiet acts of defiance that push against them—are portrayed with sensitivity and strength.
The Last Fatal Hour is for fans of intelligent historical mysteries and character-driven drama.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Received this ARC from the author.
It is a deep story, so somewhat slow going to fit in all the details.
Historically, it happens after the war in the US, in which the FMC served as a soldier, disguised as a man.
She suffers from flashbacks (PTSD) and this influences her actions in the present.
Writing stories and journaling is her way of coping with the memories, and she has had some published under a pseudonym. She has not informed her husband of this, as he seems to dissuade anything that might change the opinion of others or their place in society.
Her good friend, who supports her writing, suddenly dies, and this event leads to quite a mystery, which involves the remaining chapters of the book.
I was pleased to read this book, and enjoyed following her through her journey to solving the mystery.
It is a deep story, so somewhat slow going to fit in all the details.
Historically, it happens after the war in the US, in which the FMC served as a soldier, disguised as a man.
She suffers from flashbacks (PTSD) and this influences her actions in the present.
Writing stories and journaling is her way of coping with the memories, and she has had some published under a pseudonym. She has not informed her husband of this, as he seems to dissuade anything that might change the opinion of others or their place in society.
Her good friend, who supports her writing, suddenly dies, and this event leads to quite a mystery, which involves the remaining chapters of the book.
I was pleased to read this book, and enjoyed following her through her journey to solving the mystery.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book absolutely delivered. Jan Matthews has written something special here.
Leona Gladney is brilliantly complex—a former Union Army soldier turned suffragist navigating Brooklyn Heights society whilst clearing her name after a friend's suspicious death. Matthews doesn't shy away from the contradictions: Leona's tough but vulnerable, ambitious but constrained by the era's brutal misogyny.
The seance scenes are exceptional. Matthews uses them to expose both the desperation and cunning of women working within narrow social constraints. The spiritualism angle adds genuine menace.
The mystery itself is layered and satisfying. Flashbacks to Leona's war service provide crucial character depth without derailing the investigation.
Highly recommend for anyone who wants historical mystery with genuine bite.
Thank you NetGalley for providing an early copy of the novel.
Leona Gladney is brilliantly complex—a former Union Army soldier turned suffragist navigating Brooklyn Heights society whilst clearing her name after a friend's suspicious death. Matthews doesn't shy away from the contradictions: Leona's tough but vulnerable, ambitious but constrained by the era's brutal misogyny.
The seance scenes are exceptional. Matthews uses them to expose both the desperation and cunning of women working within narrow social constraints. The spiritualism angle adds genuine menace.
The mystery itself is layered and satisfying. Flashbacks to Leona's war service provide crucial character depth without derailing the investigation.
Highly recommend for anyone who wants historical mystery with genuine bite.
Thank you NetGalley for providing an early copy of the novel.
Review of advance copy
This is the first book I've read by Jan Matthews.
I didn't know what to expect from this book but let me tell you. I LOVED it.
This book centers around a strong character named Leona and she had once served in the Civil War, and still had nightmares about it.
She inadvertently stumbles upon a mystery that she just can't let go, and feels compelled to do something about it.
I'm sorry, but I'm not giving spoilers and that means you'll have to read it for yourself.
The characters in this book were all very well fleshed out, as were the time period and places that are in the book. I felt like I was right there with them.
I enjoyed this book so much that I read it in two days flat. I highly recommend this book.
I received an ARC of this book and am leaving my voluntary review.
I didn't know what to expect from this book but let me tell you. I LOVED it.
This book centers around a strong character named Leona and she had once served in the Civil War, and still had nightmares about it.
She inadvertently stumbles upon a mystery that she just can't let go, and feels compelled to do something about it.
I'm sorry, but I'm not giving spoilers and that means you'll have to read it for yourself.
The characters in this book were all very well fleshed out, as were the time period and places that are in the book. I felt like I was right there with them.
I enjoyed this book so much that I read it in two days flat. I highly recommend this book.
I received an ARC of this book and am leaving my voluntary review.
Review of advance copy
A new-to-me author, with an attractive book blurb, set in an era that I enjoyed. And I was not disappointed at all. Well written, characters are well fleshed out and a good story line to boot.
I have to agree with one of the reviewers that some parts were a little slow; admittedly, if it were an author with whom I am familiar, I would have accepted it and read right through but as it was one which I am not familiar with, these parts made me think that perhaps I would not request another of her books, next time round. But that is unfair because when I finished it, I did put the ARC down with a very satisfied sigh.
Some nail biting and very exciting bits and all in all, I think it is deserving of 5 stars.
I have to agree with one of the reviewers that some parts were a little slow; admittedly, if it were an author with whom I am familiar, I would have accepted it and read right through but as it was one which I am not familiar with, these parts made me think that perhaps I would not request another of her books, next time round. But that is unfair because when I finished it, I did put the ARC down with a very satisfied sigh.
Some nail biting and very exciting bits and all in all, I think it is deserving of 5 stars.
Review of advance copy
Wow! The twists and turns right to pretty much the end of the story…I love this book! Strong female character that doesn’t back down. Lots of characters that made me keep guessing as to what was going on and they all tied together in the end. This book is well written, great pace and held my attention.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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