Last Resort

Hideaway #3

by Hannah Alexander

It was a story to put Hideaway, Missouri, in the national headlines . . ."

A Missing Child: Clarissa Cooper, twelve, vanishes near her home -- abducted, evidence suggests, by someone close to her.

A Woman in Crisis: Noelle Cooper races back to her hometown to help in the search. In the effort to save her young cousin, she steps into a web a secrets that has haunted her family for generations.

A Man of Faith: Nathan Trask will do anything to protect Noelle from danger. Noelle's childhood friend, he might be much more . . . if she dares turn to him.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Mystery Thriller

303 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2005

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

READY FOR THE NEW YEAR?

At this time of year, we have just finished reflecting on Christmas, when God gave us the greatest Gift ever possible. Now our thoughts are to the new year, with its upcoming rewards and challenges. Many of us will once again come up with New Year’s resolutions. This year I’m going to stick to my diet. This year I’m going to get into shape. This year I’m going to break that 5-minute mile. Okay, okay; it’s been a LONG time since I had that New Year’s resolution. And many will once again fail to live up to those resolutions, with their often unrealistic expectations. But enough about that.

Cheryl has chosen her word for the new year. It is solace. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, solace means:

1. comfort in grief: alleviation of grief or anxiety

2. a source of relief or consolation

Rather than discouraging anyone, our prayer for you is that God will grant you solace as you face the new year's rewards and challenges.

Happy reading and God bless you.

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.6 stars I really liked this book. Noelle and Nathan, and Carissa were great characters.

[✨ Gramy ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

.
Prepare for a suspenseful story, that compels you to continue as long as possible to find out what is going to happen. You will meet some of the same people fromt he beginning of the series, plus additional characters that will dominate this story.

Nice to find a Christian based series, reflecting their struggles and growth.

A clean, stand alone, with an HEA.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate that it was a mystery and had Christian elements and good morals, but it was hard to follow all the relationships in the family, as well as the setting and motive (or at least having the motive seem convincing). Enjoyable read but I would not necessarily recommend.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is part of the Hideaway series and based on the town of Hideaway, Missouri. I found this book to be a little confusing to read and maybe that is because I hadn't read the previous books in the series. Anyway, I liked the basic premise of the story, but I didn't feel the writing was as strong as I am used to.

Noelle Cooper has had her share of problems and made plenty of mistakes. After a nasty divorce to a man who abused her and was into drugs, she is trying to get her life back on track in Springfield. Nathan Trask, an old friend from Hideaway, shows up one morning to say that her 12-year-old cousin, Carissa Cooper, is missing and her help is needed to find her. Noelle can sense and see things that others can't and that is why Nathan has turned to her. In the search for Carissa, family secrets are uncovered that bear on Carissa's disappearance. As Nathan and Noelle work to uncover the mystery of her disappearance, they come to realize how important their friendship is and maybe they might have a future if Noelle can come to grips with her past.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death at Hideaway

Noelle and Nathan had always been close while they were growing up. Times change when she went off to Nursing School and he married and became a minister. Years later they both were single and there were some strange happening s with Noelle's. The latest, her great niece is missing. Noelle and Nathan pair up again and with the help of God find her just before death. Upon finding her many secrets begin too unfold. Lol

[Louise E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story.

[Melissa Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This whodunit keeps you guessing until the very end! Don’t start this book late at night because you won’t want to put it down!

[Adair · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was not labeled as part of a series nor did it read that way An interesting read that unfolded to the who done it in a believable fashion

[Kassi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book and I got off on the wrong foot but then it pulled me in and I couldn't put it down. Didn't quite understand all the stuff of why...but had only slight suspicion about who the culprit was.

[Iva Shanahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystery

This book covered up very the guilty person and kept my interest very well. I was lead off track a few times.

[Tiffany Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I thought I had it figured out and then I changed who I thought it was and then it was back to the original again!! Great writing with some sweet romance thrown in as well!!!

[Kim]

I really enjoyed this book nail biting edge of your seat suspense waiting to see want what next.

[Deb]

plot summary: what happens, when & where, central characters, major conflicts[return]we return to the small ozark community of hideaway, after noelle's old friend nathan fetches her from springfield after her young cousin carissa disappears. nathan thinks noelle's gift--an intuitive live sense that sometells lets her know things she couldn't know otherwise (like that carissa was in danger)--will be able to help them find the girl. and they eventually do but after a harrowing experience getting her out of the cave she was hidden in they discover that they can't trust anybody. carissa is sure the kidnapper is someone she knows and there are some mighty strange things going on with her family.[return][return][return][return][return][return][return]style characterisics: pacing, clarity, structure, narrative devices, etc.[return]a nice suspenseful plot and a whole host of potential suspects which kept me guessing. the characterization was a bit shallow--like noelle has this gift and struggles with it but that could have been explored further. other issues like the ocd disorder that justin and some of the other characters had were explored only briefly. [return][return][return][return][return][return][return]how good is it?[return]good for an escape from reality into a suspenseful pageturner

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Last Resort" is a mystery featuring a rather unique character: Noelle Cooper, literature's apparently first Christian psychic. She is gifted with "intuition" and an ability to vaguely see into the future or to see events that are unfolding even while she isn't present. There's a study guide at the back of the book with questions for book clubs and church groups to discuss. One of the questions touches on a scripture in first Corinthians, which very clearly states that spiritual gifts that existed in the first century (speaking in tongues, prophesying, etc.) would cease. It's a bit odd, to say the least, for Christian authors to somehow use psychic ability and claim that God directs it. Does that mean God directs other psychics today who make predictions? If not, why not? Does he selectively choose psychics to use? Or is his revealed word enough, without having to resort to human psychics?

The mystery itself isn't that enticing; it deals with Noelle's family and their shared history of OCD, which in this novel has been changed from a benign disease to a malignant one: it causes psychosis. Careful readers will find out `whodunit' before the end of the book like I did, but it's still an enjoyable read. There's a good scene towards the climax that's set in the family's sawmill that equals any action film today.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A review from my old blog...

(joint review of both Safe Haven and Last Resort)

I absolutely love these next two books in the series.

Thankfully Alexander did not keep the all of the characters from the first book. Too many characters makes for a very messy story. The characters don't disappear, they simply take a back seat.

The stories Alexander crafted for both of these books hemmed tighter together, if there were different parts and also involved much more serious situations, people dying and the what not. I would write a much better review but my mind is not concentrating on the books.

I'll leave both books with a strong recommendation.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better stories in the Hideaway series, if you are reading for the mystery. I wish there'd been a bit more on the developing relationship between Noelle and Nathan, but it really is a minor critique. Overall, a solid story with plenty of suspense. Once I got to the climax, I had a hard time putting the book down.

[Janell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ridiculous and convoluted mystery. The body count apparently continues to rise over several years while every single person involved remains completely clueless. Including the so-called family members with "God's insight" (not psychic, mind you) who were equally oblivious. Eye-rolling conclusion! Plus, most of the characters were fairly unappealing.

[PlrBrLvr · Rating 4 out of 5]

i thought this book was intriguing. i was eager to find out who did it and why. it was a good read. i love suspense, weak, mild, or intense, this one being mild in my opinion. well written. felt i may have missed something though due to it being a part of a series and only having read this one. i liked it.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book in this particular series. It's an easy cozy read, mystery, great fiction and romance all pulled in together. I'm always up for a book with a medical theme and this one fits for me. They mystery part of the book isn't gruesome, but yet keeps you in enough suspense that you want to find out what happens.

[Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. I did not see the outcome because I thought she was a very unlikely person to do the things that were done. Was I foiled!!
If you would like an easy book to read, choose this one. A good book for the weekend.

[Fola · Rating 2 out of 5]

All I can say is that it is not the best of Hannah Alexander.I have tried so many times to read the book again which for me is almost never a problem but with this book i just can't because i get so bored with it.I like Hannah Alexander as an author but she missed the mark on this one.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, easy read, great for a light weekend book. I did not see the end coming, which was nice. I think I will be picking up another book in this series to read.

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

Carissa goes missing. Carissa goes digging for information for a school report not realizing she's brining up the murder of three people.

[Hildegart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book of the Hideaway series that I read. I enjoyed it so I looked for more in the series. The second one I've started hasn't held my attention like this one did.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this one in the daytime...was a little afraid of the dangerous characters and plots. But as usual I couldn't put it down!! Really love this Hideaway series!!!

[Lynnea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book! Suspense, romance, mystery, forgiveness. I just wish I would have realized it was book three in the series before I started it!

[Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved reading this book and this series. You become very involved in the characters that are part of this series. And this particular book leaves you wanting more!!

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent Christian mystery. Good writing, fast paced, intriguing medical issues.

[Donna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just couldn't get interested in this story.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first Hideaway book, but still a fun read.