The Last Night

The Last #2

by Harvey Church

An Ambulance Took Her Away . . . And He Never Saw Her Again

Seven and a half years ago, Ethan's wife had a medical emergency in the middle of the night. An ambulance arrived and took her away. Except when Ethan showed up at the hospital, there was no record of his wife ever being admitted. In fact, Emergency Services reported that no ambulance was even dispatched to his address.

A Face He'll Never Forget

Now that the courts have declared his wife dead in absentia, Ethan feels he can finally move on with his life. Except a television news report about a fatal accident reveals that the victim was one of the "medics" that took his wife away.

The First Lead in Seven and a Half Years

With the first "lead" since his wife's disappearance, Ethan discovers tracks down the crime from that night and learns that it was more than a kidnapping, more than anything he could have ever imagined. As more "medics" show up dead, Ethan should walk away.

He Must Choose Between The Truth and Finding His Wife

When it comes to the only woman he has ever loved, it's not quite that simple.

What happens when Ethan risks everything, including his own life and freedom, to chase a woman who might be a ghost?

Find out in The Last Night by Harvey Church

SCROLL UP AND GET YOUR COPY TODAY!

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Ebooks, Crime

379 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2018

About the author

Harvey Church has a background in finance, which is how he found himself writing about the people and ridiculousness (sometimes the same thing) of that field in his Edwin Burrows light mystery series. Although he considers himself retired from that field (aka not working), he's planning another three Edwin Burrows novels for 2018.

His first "serious" novel, The Last Friend, is a Kindle Scout writing competition winner and was published by Kindle Press on January 9, 2018. The BookLife Prize called it "an entertaining read for mystery and thriller fans alike," and said it is "an unexpected and exciting series of events that will grab readers." Harv plans two sister novels to The Last Friend in 2018, one titled The Last Night (Spring 2018) and the other tentatively titled The Last Survivor.

For fun, Harv likes to practice street magic and spends hours engineering tricks to wow his audiences. He is also an avid hockey fan (Go Leafs Go). As for the boring details: He has a wife (incredible) and two kids (depends on the day, but they’re normally incredible too). His favorite color is blue, but he drives a black car because he read somewhere, back in the 90’s, that radar detectors have a tough time seeing them. Interestingly, he never speeds because he's too busy singing like nobody's watching, or maybe it's that everybody is deaf.

He's a supporter of double-chins, double-dates, and double-dipping (though never on double-dates), and obviously enjoys writing about himself in the third person, in the voice of the narrator from The Royal Tenenbaums.

Connect with Harv by searching Harvey Church Mysteries on Facebook, at @hashtag_harv on Instagram, and @harveychurch1 on Twitter. You can also find him wandering the streets of Chicago, Toronto, Montreal or the Lido deck of a Princess Cruise ship. If you ever meet Harv, ask to see a magic trick!

Don't forget to sign up for his email list at AListHarvey.com

Reviews

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Night is a wickedly original thriller for those seeking asylum from the Gone Girl epidemic that has crazed readers since 2014. Ethan last saw his wife Raleigh when she was escorted out of their house via ambulance seven years ago. Flash-forward to the present day, Ethan is still trying to find the whereabouts of his wife and what happened to her. Chicago EMS have notified the authorities that this ambulance was never in existence and no ambulance was ever dispatched to Ethan and Raleigh's residence. Police have ruled that Raleigh has been declared dead in absentia—no evidence that she actually is alive. Ethan doesn't give up hope because he knows the love of his life is out there, he just needs to find out where. Ethan learns that one of the people who escorted Raleigh in the ambulance has died and Ethan yearns to find out more. He knows this isn't just a coincidence that this mystery person pops up out of nowhere and enlists the help of Detective Klein to figure out what's at stake.

This was my first novel by Harvey Church and I have to say that it exceeded my expectations. I've read countless thrillers in the past couple of years and many have yet to surprise me anymore. The Last Night was actually able to not only intrigue me, but surprise me! This love story/mystery between Ethan and Raleigh really captured my attention and I resonated with Ethan's pain. The Last Night features a lot of red herrings, which I typically enjoy, but have to note just in case you don't. It kept the mystery alive for me, but I can see people becoming frustrated with the hurdles Ethan and Detective Klein had to go through. The ending was my absolute favorite part of the story and I think you'll agree with me. I can't divulge anymore information because I want to keep the mystery alive for you to enjoy.

The Last Night is the second novel in Harvey Church's The Last Series, but it kind of follows an anthology format, so you don't necessarily need to read the introductory story if this one triggers your attention. Now that I've finished The Last Night , time to catch up with the series!

Thank you Harvey Church for providing my review copy. It was a pleasure reading The Last Night!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great crime thriller and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout most of the book! I have never read this author before so it was quite a surprise when the book hooked me from the first chapter and it was a thrilling, entertaining ride to the end!

Ethan Vernon has never been the same since his wife was whisked away in an ambulance seven years ago to never be seen again. Ethan tried everything to find her along with missing person's posters all over town along with filing a missing person's report with the police. Even the FBI became involved trying to find his wife, but no one seemed to be able to find her and everyone assumed she was dead.

Until a news report comes up with one of the EMT's that was on duty that night winds up dead which sparks Ethan into action as when he recognizes the man, all the emotions of losing his wife comes boiling to the surface. He never believed that his wife was dead as he still felt deep in his heart that she was alive. When Ethan sees a woman that looks like his wife, Ethan goes back on a mission to try and find her. He starts with the dead man as he tries to piece together a puzzle of that fateful night. When FBI agent Mike Klien shows up on the scene, Ethan begins to wonder why the FBI is interested in a seven year cold case where they presumed his wife was dead. Something doesn't feel right to Ethan and it all seems to be off kilter which makes him go into high gear to find out what really happened to his wife.

This story was suspenseful and mysterious with lots of twists and turns throughout the book. I had a hard time putting it down and the more I became involved in the story, the more I wanted to find out what happened to Ethan's wife as well. I stayed up till the late hours of the night reading it as I just could not put it down! Giving this book four stars for a twisted, suspenseful ride!

[Michelle Strommen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a great mystery with lots of twists and turns. Kept me in suspense, the story could’ve gone so many ways. The reason for the three stars was the ending. The story had built up and it just came to a halt and then seemed to jump without a ton of explanation. Hated the ending.

[Patty U. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book. It's been seven and a half years since Ethan's wife left home in an ambulance and disappeared. She has been declared dead and he receives a two million dollar life insurance. Ethan does not believe she is dead. Then an EMT from that night is killed in a car accident. Only it wasn't an accident. The FBI gets involved again and things just don't go Ethan's way. Nobody believes his wife is alive. This book has some great suspense and a few twists.

[Susan Swiderski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was based on a very interesting, and as far as I know, a very unusual premise. (I sure HOPE it's unusual, anyway!) A man's wife is wheeled into the back of an ambulance and whisked away from him, allegedly to be taken to a specific hospital, but when he goes to the hospital, she isn't there. Matter of fact, she isn't at any of the other hospitals in the area, either, and what's more, there's no record of his 911 call, and no indication of an ambulance being dispatched to their home to pick her up.

This book begins seven and a half maddening years after that night, right after our hapless hero's missing wife has been declared dead by the courts. And suddenly, the bogus EMTs who picked up his wife resurface.

Sounds pretty interesting, doesn't it? It is, to a certain degree. Some of the writing is really good, too. Easy-flowing, albeit a bit repetitive. My beef is with the main character's boneheaded behavior. I had a hard time suspending disbelief enough to accept the logic of the plot or the actions of the characters.

Then again, I did say they were maddening years, right? Maybe the guy isn't thinking straight. Or intelligently.

Bottom line, it's a fairly entertaining story.

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love books about mysterious disappearances but this story was a disappointment in every way. The narrator was a whiny loser and the woman of his dreams was equally unsympathetic. The ultimate explanation strained credulity and the wrap-up was definitely unsatisfactory. I read as quickly as I could to get to the end, but I still felt I wasted an entire Sunday afternoon. I do not recommend this story at all.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great thriller plot.

Only thing keeping this story from 5 stars is that it would have read easier if written in the first person.
Ethan was not going to give up on the wife who was taken from him 7 and a half years ago even though for all practical purposes she was dead! She had now been declared dead and his insurance company paid, but he wasn't going to spend the money because he wanted to give it back when he found her.

[Mary E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book!

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time and I read a lot! I was sucked into the mystery of the "missing wife" and kept guessing, wrongly I must confess, right to the end. Thank you for an awesome book, Mr. Church!

[Karen greer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a read! If I was watching this as a movie I would be at the edge of my seat and probably fall off. This was a very fast paced mystery and you would never figure it out in a millions years. I could not stop reading. The story grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. I highly recommend this book.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rose

Great book. This author keeps your interest as you want to keep reading to find out what happens next. Hoping for the best but seeing the worst as the characters continue surprising you every step of the way. I very much enjoyed reading this book

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an amazing read. The whole book just kept me guessing and wondering what really happened to his wife seven and a half years ago?! And let me say, what actually happened was far from the guesses I had.. It may have taken me while to read but it wasn't the book that held me back. Ethan was a strong character with a strong will to never give up on his wife and I loved that. An excellently thought out book for sure.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was suspenseful and although the main character was so messed up, you couldn't help but pull for him and also understand all the times he was second guessing himself. It was a quick and enjoyable read.

[Jules The Book Junkie Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cold case becomes white-hot when the last people who last saw Raleigh Vernon alive start dying. Harvey Church’s latest mystery, The Last Night, hooked me from the start. This page-turner of a mystery again features Detective Mike Klein. The tough, near-retirement FBI agent is back asking tough questions and pushing for the answers.

I like Mike Klein as a character even though I’m still not convinced he is a good guy. Is he just trying to do his job or is he a player in an elaborate conspiracy? Poor Ethan Vernon is still devastated by the loss of his wife over seven years ago. His devotion and sorrow are heart wrenching. His narration is sometimes empathetic and at other times questionable. Toward the end, neither the character nor I were absolutely convinced of his sanity. Raleigh, the missing wife, is hard to like. We learn of her only through Ethan’s reminiscing. He remembers their love as well as her violent, angry outbursts.

While a serious mystery, Mr. Church has infused his wry sense of humor in his lead character’s inner thoughts. That humor brings a needed respite from the intensity of the story. The Last Night is filled with red herrings and perfectly paced reveals. The intrigue is complex and interesting, and the story tension builds steadily up to the zenith. The Last Night is unique and creative in its premise, and Mr. Church’s attention to detail adds richness to this original thriller. Bravo Mr. Church!

For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com

[Kathleen J Kunkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

True love

Excellent read. The love for his wife would not allow him to believe she was dead after vanishing over 7 years prior. The author wove a great story line and I enjoyed the plot. Well written.

[Vicki Gammill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peaked my interest

Liked the premise of the story. Book kept my interest because of the twists and turns in the story. Characters were interesting and less predictable than others.

[Michele Roosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Try it. Maybe it's for you

The plot and first half of this book is mesmerizing but the end is ridiculously silly. Unanswered questions bother me to no end!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The last night Ethan saw his wife, she climbed into an ambulance. Except that ambulance never took her to the ER. In fact, according to Chicago EMS, an ambulance was never dispatched to his address. Not that night, not ever" several years later the fake EMS people are dying, but where is his wife?

[Cherie Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT!

I loved this book!!! I couldn't put it down once I started reading!! PLEASE don't kill Ethan- he's a very real, empathetic character . Klein is pretty cool too. Maybe take the story farther with Ethan, Raleigh, Damien and Klein

[Sierra copley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic read!

This was a great book! I loved the story and characters so much, the only thing I felt missing was a side story about Lisa Hyatt. I felt bad for her and wondered how she faired in all of this. Besides that one detail, I have nothing but praise for this story. I would recommend this book to everyone I know.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really different type of thriller and I immensely enjoyed it - so much that I read it non-stop in about 24 hours. I couldn’t wait to see how all of the pieces of the story unrolled and fit together. My only criticism is that this copy really needed to be edited for typos. Otherwise, the story and the lead character Ethan, was great.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging read with tons of twists and turns. I honestly never saw the different plot threads coming. As soon as I thought I had it figured out, everything would change! The ending was very shocking yet a solid resolution. Fans of Harlan Coben will enjoy this book.

[Leila Kheiry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out well, but lost steam about 3/4 through. The end was disappointing.

[Richard · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sorry, but I really can't figure out the high ratings on this book - I'd give it zero stars. I knew with in pages that the main point of the book had to do with something the pharmaceutical company had done - that was obvious. From that point on I was hoping for some stunning revelation of the "why" - but that was not to be.

Then we have the "hero" of the story who simply can NOT believe that his wife is dead. After the umpteenth time of him going on about how she's coming back I wanted to say "OK, we get it! He can't move past it! Now stop spending entire paragraphs about how certain he is that she's coming back!"

Move further into the book and we find that he believes that he may have beaten his wife. Really? He's so confident that his wife - gone for seven and a half years - is coming back that he's remodeling the apartment so she'll recognize it, but also believes that he has blackouts (no justification given for that at all) and may have beaten her? Then we have pictures of domestic abuse (no real explanation for where those came from) showing all sorts of bruising (and I have to say that too many platelets leads to excessive clotting, not excessive/easy bruising) - but he doesn't remember seeing her bruised?!? Did these supposed blackouts last for weeks at a shot?

I could go on, but let me jump to the end here. While it's never really explained, apparently she came up with a wonder drug that wipes out the physical addiction to narcotics. The one description of the individual in the book sounds more like meth, but I digress. It seems that the government doesn't want this drug out there. I say "seems" because it's never really stated. And the ONE PERSON who is helping Raleigh on her mission to save the world - BEATS HER HUSBAND TO WITHIN AN INCH OF HIS LIFE, and acts like he wanted to go one more inch. Why? Because he found her? I don't know.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the premise of the book hard to believe; a wife has a medical emergency in the middle of the night and is taken by ambulance to a hospital. But when the husband goes to the hospital there's no record of his wife there or at any other hospital. There's also no record of the 911 call. It is now 7 1/2 years later, she has been declared dead and a large insurance payoff given to the husband. But he refuses to believe his wife is dead and when the 3 EMTs from that night start being killed he's convinced of it, and sets out to find her. If you don't trust big pharma you'll trust them less after reading this book.

[Marbea Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok I'm going to say this as far as fiction goes this was a perfect fictional depiction of a man who blindly followed his heart and followed the path of a typical storyline. It was just ughh to me that just made me so angry because Ethan's wife is grimey through and through. No compromise, consideration, or respect for him or there marriage and sacrifices to one another. She didn't care that people were murdered and he was dying mentally and emotionally thinking he was at fault for it all. She's a single minded manipulative sociopath and he was a dog on a leash yipping at her heels for validation. This is not a common sense read, but it's a great psychological thriller.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and inviting premise in the story, but the ending was awful: did not make sense based on the story, and very incomplete. Also - this book needs better editing for common grammar corrections. Especially obnoxious was continuing to refer to Barbados as "The Barbados." There is no "the" in Barbados probably mistakenly assuming that the country is made up of multiple islands - which is not correct. My rating of 3 stars was based on the first 50-60% of the book; the rest of the book was about a 2 star rating.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

uncertain

This is one of the strangest books I’ve read. Ethan is a widower who does’t believe his wife is dead. Somehow he’s manages to turn his company around to the point that he can retire, pay off all the student loans, buy a jag, and set off to find her. Although I commend his loyalty, I have to wonder if he was always a crybaby. I’m not sure why I kept reading. It didn’t even reach a satisfactory conclusion. I like neat and tidy. None of this story was. I gave it three stars because it really did hold my interest, despite how ridiculous it was.

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different

I was beginning to think every author was writing the same book but with different characters. This one was definitely different. I did NOT like the way it ended, mainly because I found it hard to believe that the characters explanations and lack of feelings that I believe I would feel under the circumstances, but that may just be because I’m jaded. This may sound weird to some but if I explain further, I will spoil the book for others and I hate when people give too much away.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book starts off with an interesting “hook.” I found the husband, Ethan, to be a little unbelievable—very whiny and weepy. The wife wasn't very likable either. That is ok. Just keep the story moving along. Why did I keep reading? I thought it would resolve some questions and get better.

I am definitely in the minority re my reaction to the book. It showed flashes of promise and then…the ending was quick and what? I don't know. Did the author just get tired?

[Carole · Rating 1 out of 5]

A terrible book. Ethan, the main character, was more than a little nuts and not a believable person. The missing wife was awful and emotionally off just as the main man was. I read exactly half, mostly puzzled or bored. Then because of the many hints that I just wouldn’t believe the ending, I jumped ahead to read the last 5 chapters. They were just as goofy and unsatisfying as the rest of the book. Don’t read it!