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Alex Vane #5
The Last Journalist
Someone in Seattle is murdering journalists...and Alex Vane might be next.On a cold, rainy night in Seattle, a legendary journalist is found face down in the street below a posh high-rise. Local police are calling it a suicide, but Alex Vane sees signs of murder.With help from a brash young journalist, Alex pieces together clues from the dead man's extraordinary career. But an unexpected discovery leads him to believe that all those legendary scoops may have been built on a lie so great it led to his murder. If what he's discovered is true, it's proof of a conspiracy that could upend everything Alex believes in and rewrite American history. Just when he thinks he's cracked the case, another prominent investigative journalist turns up dead.Is someone systematically killing reporters?If so, why?And is Alex next?Scroll up to pre-order the thrilling conclusion to the Alex Vane Media Thriller series.Complete Series List (can be read as standalones or chronologically):The Anonymous Source (An Alex Vane Media Thriller, Book 1)The Inverted Pyramid (An Alex Vane Media Thriller, Book 2)The Mockingbird Drive (An Alex Vane Media Thriller, Book 3)The Shadow File (An Alex Vane Media Thriller, Book 4)The Last Journalist (An Alex Vane Media Thriller, Book 5)
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 26, 2018
1221 people are currently reading
648 people want to read
About the author
A.C. Fuller
29 books140 followersOnce a journalist in New York, A.C. Fuller now writes stories at the intersection of media, politics, and technology. Before he began writing full time, he was an adjunct professor of journalism at NYU and an English teacher at Northwest Indian College.
He lives with his wife, two children, and two dogs near Seattle. For a free copy of one of A.C.'s books, check out: http://www.acfuller.com/readerclub/
He lives with his wife, two children, and two dogs near Seattle. For a free copy of one of A.C.'s books, check out: http://www.acfuller.com/readerclub/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
May 11, 2020
I finally read a good book again-been a bad drought lol. I am sad to see the series come to and end . I liked all the main characters and thought it could have kept going. I thought it was a good story and in line with the rest of the series. You could read this book as a stand a lone but I would recommend reading from the first book. This book tells a good story of making the story fit your predetermined ideas where the story would go instead of letting the facts lead you to the story. It flowed at a good pace never bogged down . IT is not super action packed series but it is well written--So long Alex.Give this series a spin
February 17, 2019
I shouldn’t be surprised. My favorite book of 2018 was the Ameritocracy trilogy by A.C. Fuller. The Last Journalist, by the same author, now tops my list for 2019. I’m a sucker for books about journalists, especially when the finest practitioners in the country are being killed. When Alex Vane’s beloved college professor commits suicide the day after the two shared dinner at a Seattle restaurant, the intrigue begins. Fuller kept me guessing and saying, “Holy Smokes!” over and over again. This is Book 5 in the Alex Vane Media Thriller series. Holy Smokes! Now, I have to go read the first four.
May 23, 2019
Renowned journalist Holden Burnside is dead, apparently at his own hand in a leap from the balcony of a seventeenth story apartment. Journalist Alex Vane, once a student of Burnside’s, had met with the man for dinner the evening before, and has trouble believing the professor actually killed himself. Teaming up with a journalist from an internet site dedicated to investigative journalism, he sets out in search of the truth. But with the death of two other journalists, he has reason to believe that Holden Burnside’s death might also have come at the hands of a murderer. Can Alex find the answers he seeks before he becomes the target of a deranged killer?
This book, fifth and final one in the Alex Vane Media Thriller series, contains brief references to events in earlier books in the series, but mostly stands on its own. Character development is minimal in this quick-read tale; readers who enjoy investigative journalism may find it interesting, particularly in light of its timeliness and relevancy. However, readers may be disappointed that some major plot points, particularly involving the information in the journalist’s notebook, are left unresolved.
This book, fifth and final one in the Alex Vane Media Thriller series, contains brief references to events in earlier books in the series, but mostly stands on its own. Character development is minimal in this quick-read tale; readers who enjoy investigative journalism may find it interesting, particularly in light of its timeliness and relevancy. However, readers may be disappointed that some major plot points, particularly involving the information in the journalist’s notebook, are left unresolved.
November 6, 2018
Possibly the best of Alex Vane. A dinner with a former, well-respected professor is a wonderful treat until the following morning when two policeman call at Alex's house to ask him to identify a body. This dramatic start kicks off a white-knuckle, emotional episode as Alex makes a new acquaintance in his struggle to find out what happened. Before the story is over Alex questions his life choices and reaches new understanding with his wife, while trying to avoid becoming the next victim of a serial killer targeting newspaper journalists. I began to realize how good this book was when I found myself in an emotional state which stayed with me until the story ended. The story caused me to better understand the motivation for news journalists as Alex is forced to question his own motives. I need to think and then read it again.
October 28, 2018
It’s scary, it’s tense, it’s hopeful, it’s sad, it’s clever: “Your Burnside story. What happened with that? ‘It’s a slow burn.’” The last of the 5-book Alex Vane series is again about how journalists unearth secrets we need to know, secrets that go very high up in government and very low in retaliation, then very high in intrepidity (the scary parts!). Fuller’s women characters easily command center stage while not stepping on men; the teaming up is one of the best things in these five books. Why do journalists do what they do? HOW do they do it? We find out in the 5-part Alex Vane story and leave The Last Journalist with a large dollop of optimism for the future of the press.
I voluntarily reviewed this book after obtaining an ARC.
I voluntarily reviewed this book after obtaining an ARC.
November 10, 2018
Alex doesn't believe the journalist from Seattle killed himself, Alex thinks it was murder. As he digs deeper into the journalist's past work, Alex is surprised to find that it seems that things are not what they appeared to be. All those great
'scoops' maybe built from one big lie and that's why he was killed. Then another journalist is killed. Is Alex next? One thing is for sure, he won't go out until he finds the truth. I voluntarily reviewed a free ARC of this book.
'scoops' maybe built from one big lie and that's why he was killed. Then another journalist is killed. Is Alex next? One thing is for sure, he won't go out until he finds the truth. I voluntarily reviewed a free ARC of this book.
April 25, 2019
read the entire five-volume series. The author does a great job of writing these books as independent novels but it does read a lot better if you read them in sequence. My comments on the entire series follow:
The Anonymous Source takes place in the months after 9-11 and concerns a plot to secretly subvert the election to ensure that Bush would be reelected to ensure that the FCC would rule in favor of media consolidation. Delves into the implications of the new digital media landscape, the power of big business, and corruption at the highest levels. The villain is a real twisted individual who may or may not have been Alex Vance the young crusading journalist of the story 's father.
the Inverted Pyramid continues the story as we learn more about the villains twisted past and the murder of Alex's parents.
the Mockingbird Drive takes place in 2017-2018. Alex is the king of the new media world publishing in Seattle. He is going through a rough patch with his wife. He uncovers a terrifying conspiracy dating back to the early cold war when the CIA set up journalists and fed them fake news to manipulate public events. His ex-business partner is killed when he is given an old drive that contains the evidence of the conspiracy. The Shadow FIle continues the story and the aftermath as Alex and Innera a notorious hacker uncover the conspiracy and he publishes the story. In the process briefly shutting down the entire private intelligence services.
.
The Last Journalist is the most stand-alone story of the series. Alex is shocked when his old professor at NYU shows up and over dinner hints at the professor's own tainted record with the CIA. Two other journalists are soon executed by a man who is a deranged serial killer with a grievance against the entire journalist world. He publishes a manifesto on his war against journalists who he denounces as liers, anti-American and anti-Christian.
comment: the last journalist is very contemporary capturing the current President's war against the media and speculating on what would happen if nutcases are inspired to start killing the enemies of the State. Would have been even stronger if he had the President publically supporting the killers, or the killer was part of a grand conspiracy to silence the media rather than a lone wolf nut case. In any event, I liked the first and last two the most. Well done. I'd rate them all A and hope that the author turns them into a movie or series.
The Anonymous Source takes place in the months after 9-11 and concerns a plot to secretly subvert the election to ensure that Bush would be reelected to ensure that the FCC would rule in favor of media consolidation. Delves into the implications of the new digital media landscape, the power of big business, and corruption at the highest levels. The villain is a real twisted individual who may or may not have been Alex Vance the young crusading journalist of the story 's father.
the Inverted Pyramid continues the story as we learn more about the villains twisted past and the murder of Alex's parents.
the Mockingbird Drive takes place in 2017-2018. Alex is the king of the new media world publishing in Seattle. He is going through a rough patch with his wife. He uncovers a terrifying conspiracy dating back to the early cold war when the CIA set up journalists and fed them fake news to manipulate public events. His ex-business partner is killed when he is given an old drive that contains the evidence of the conspiracy. The Shadow FIle continues the story and the aftermath as Alex and Innera a notorious hacker uncover the conspiracy and he publishes the story. In the process briefly shutting down the entire private intelligence services.
.
The Last Journalist is the most stand-alone story of the series. Alex is shocked when his old professor at NYU shows up and over dinner hints at the professor's own tainted record with the CIA. Two other journalists are soon executed by a man who is a deranged serial killer with a grievance against the entire journalist world. He publishes a manifesto on his war against journalists who he denounces as liers, anti-American and anti-Christian.
comment: the last journalist is very contemporary capturing the current President's war against the media and speculating on what would happen if nutcases are inspired to start killing the enemies of the State. Would have been even stronger if he had the President publically supporting the killers, or the killer was part of a grand conspiracy to silence the media rather than a lone wolf nut case. In any event, I liked the first and last two the most. Well done. I'd rate them all A and hope that the author turns them into a movie or series.
May 26, 2021
Of late, I seem to have been catching up on some of the Amazon promotional eBooks that I’ve acquired over the last few months via the BookBub mailing list. Many of these, of course, are self-published efforts, but surprisingly, most of them are middle-of-the-road or better to my perception. This is particularly fertile ground for those self-publishing in cozy mysteries, thrillers, and fantasy. The Last Journalist is the fifth such volume in one of these series—the Alex Vance Media Thriller series. I was predisposed to like the book, considering some of my journalistic endeavors (certainly not the serious type of journalist that Vance, his former professor, and the new media reporter he encounters in this story would be). And considering my antipathy toward social media and the “new journalism,” some of the negative observations on this new “journalism” resonated with me.
What I found in The Last Journalist was an easy, relatively entertaining read with characters that felt, to me anyway, rather manipulated by the author rather than working out of their artificially constructed personalities. I was rather whipsawed between the wholly realistic presentation of some of the issues of journalistic ethics and practice and the amount of suspended disbelief I was having to engender to accept what I perceived as unreal attitudes and actions on behalf of the protagonist and the character which could have been rival, antagonist, partner, or victim.
When I started the book and the suspicious death occurred early on after a tantalizing dinner conversation, I thought I was going to like this novel a lot. As I paged further through my eBook version, I became less and less satisfied. I simply couldn’t get my head around the idea that a journalist who had cracked major stories and had a rising reputation had thrown it all away to be more concerned with “click-bait” listicles than real stories. I suppose it’s tied to something one of the main characters says which comments upon the human tendency to experience moral. Social, and emotional entropy when considering the impact of both internal and external influences: “…corrupt systems turn us into their slaves without admitting that's what they're doing.” (Fuller, A.C.. The Last Journalist (An Alex Vane Media Thriller Book 5) (p. 79). Vivid Books. Kindle Edition.) Even when one gets to the denouement of the novel, the solution to this character’s ennui doesn’t seem satisfying.
Now, perhaps it was because my personal experience is in such a light journalism that some folks wouldn’t consider it journalism, but I simply couldn’t identify with the “sentiment” expressed by one of the main characters in this book: “Even when we know we're being used by a source, most journalists will break a story if it's both true and newsworthy.” (Fuller, A.C.. The Last Journalist (An Alex Vane Media Thriller Book 5) (p. 86). Vivid Books. Kindle Edition.) For me, that was true if I believed it would serve my readers and if I could verify it from other sources. The cynicism in that quotation rather turned me off.
Now, The Last Journalist has plenty of action and suspense in places. It’s simply my problem that I didn’t buy into the motivations of the characters. For being so cynical at one point in the book, I couldn’t accept that this person would take hands off a hot story and, at times, act almost altruistically. I don’t know about the other books in this series, but judging from this one, I wouldn’t be very thrilled.
What I found in The Last Journalist was an easy, relatively entertaining read with characters that felt, to me anyway, rather manipulated by the author rather than working out of their artificially constructed personalities. I was rather whipsawed between the wholly realistic presentation of some of the issues of journalistic ethics and practice and the amount of suspended disbelief I was having to engender to accept what I perceived as unreal attitudes and actions on behalf of the protagonist and the character which could have been rival, antagonist, partner, or victim.
When I started the book and the suspicious death occurred early on after a tantalizing dinner conversation, I thought I was going to like this novel a lot. As I paged further through my eBook version, I became less and less satisfied. I simply couldn’t get my head around the idea that a journalist who had cracked major stories and had a rising reputation had thrown it all away to be more concerned with “click-bait” listicles than real stories. I suppose it’s tied to something one of the main characters says which comments upon the human tendency to experience moral. Social, and emotional entropy when considering the impact of both internal and external influences: “…corrupt systems turn us into their slaves without admitting that's what they're doing.” (Fuller, A.C.. The Last Journalist (An Alex Vane Media Thriller Book 5) (p. 79). Vivid Books. Kindle Edition.) Even when one gets to the denouement of the novel, the solution to this character’s ennui doesn’t seem satisfying.
Now, perhaps it was because my personal experience is in such a light journalism that some folks wouldn’t consider it journalism, but I simply couldn’t identify with the “sentiment” expressed by one of the main characters in this book: “Even when we know we're being used by a source, most journalists will break a story if it's both true and newsworthy.” (Fuller, A.C.. The Last Journalist (An Alex Vane Media Thriller Book 5) (p. 86). Vivid Books. Kindle Edition.) For me, that was true if I believed it would serve my readers and if I could verify it from other sources. The cynicism in that quotation rather turned me off.
Now, The Last Journalist has plenty of action and suspense in places. It’s simply my problem that I didn’t buy into the motivations of the characters. For being so cynical at one point in the book, I couldn’t accept that this person would take hands off a hot story and, at times, act almost altruistically. I don’t know about the other books in this series, but judging from this one, I wouldn’t be very thrilled.
February 27, 2022
Wow this book was amazing!! After a run of absolutely dire books this was just such a gem. I've not come across this author before and was surprised to see that this was book 5 of the Alex Vane stories. I really want to read the other 4 now!
Alex is a very good journalist and out of the blue, he is contacted by his old tutor Professor Holden Burnside to have dinner with him, over dinner he suggests that he is writing a book based on his old teachings and something which would be a well sort of myth buster, and naming people I think as well, he is making notes in his notebook which he carries on him at all times. Anyway in the early hours of the next morning Alex is woken up by two police officers on his doorstep asking him to come and identify a body they have in the mortuary (morgue if you are american). Alex is shocked to discover it is Burnside and even more shocked when he is told by the pathologist that he had committed suicide. (Alex's address is found on his body on a piece of paper in his pocket).
Alex is stunned by this and doesn't believe it. He is contacted by a young journalist, Shannon Brass, who didn't see the fall from the 17th floor, but did see the body on the ground and recognised it and picked up his notebook which was next to the body. She eventually shows Alex this and they set about trying to work out what he was going to expose. And then another journalist turns up dead, someone who his wife Greta was friends with. The tension begins to build nicely and the lives of all journalists in Seattle are at risk, especially that of Alex and Shannon. It is at this point that your little grey cells begin to switch on as the book progresses. I was turning over the clues in my mind but couldn't have expected the ending.
I'll not go on for fear of giving away the ending, but just to say if you are at a loss to find a really good book then I would recommend this. If this is anything to go by then the first four books must be also sensational. Just try it!
Alex is a very good journalist and out of the blue, he is contacted by his old tutor Professor Holden Burnside to have dinner with him, over dinner he suggests that he is writing a book based on his old teachings and something which would be a well sort of myth buster, and naming people I think as well, he is making notes in his notebook which he carries on him at all times. Anyway in the early hours of the next morning Alex is woken up by two police officers on his doorstep asking him to come and identify a body they have in the mortuary (morgue if you are american). Alex is shocked to discover it is Burnside and even more shocked when he is told by the pathologist that he had committed suicide. (Alex's address is found on his body on a piece of paper in his pocket).
Alex is stunned by this and doesn't believe it. He is contacted by a young journalist, Shannon Brass, who didn't see the fall from the 17th floor, but did see the body on the ground and recognised it and picked up his notebook which was next to the body. She eventually shows Alex this and they set about trying to work out what he was going to expose. And then another journalist turns up dead, someone who his wife Greta was friends with. The tension begins to build nicely and the lives of all journalists in Seattle are at risk, especially that of Alex and Shannon. It is at this point that your little grey cells begin to switch on as the book progresses. I was turning over the clues in my mind but couldn't have expected the ending.
I'll not go on for fear of giving away the ending, but just to say if you are at a loss to find a really good book then I would recommend this. If this is anything to go by then the first four books must be also sensational. Just try it!
October 31, 2018
"Someone always calls"
When Alex is called to identify a body, he is horrified to find it was that of his old Professor and mentor, a towering figure in U.S. journalism, Holden Burnside. The police seem to indicate that his death was from suicide but Alex is far from convinced. Firstly, he'd had dinner with Holden only the night before, the first for some time, and the, to Alex, great man had revealed that he was writing another book, one unlike those he'd published before: this one was to be about Burnside's career and was expected to be 'the biggest political scandal in American history". And then there was the missing notebook - .Burnside never, ever went anywhere without his notebook. Alex teams up with a young, hungry old school journalist, Shannon Brass, who also doubts the suicide theory. Then other journalists start dying.
This, the fifth in this really excellent Alex Vane series, each book of which is stand alone but is enhanced by having read the predecessors, is an stunning finale, well written and powerfully exciting, a good detective mystery thriller set in the often murky world of news gathering and political intrigue. The characterisations bring the protagonists fully alive and the story draws in the reader as it swiftly moves forward, making it easy to read as the investigations produce some startling ideas.
Thoroughly absorbing, enjoyable, and recommended.
When Alex is called to identify a body, he is horrified to find it was that of his old Professor and mentor, a towering figure in U.S. journalism, Holden Burnside. The police seem to indicate that his death was from suicide but Alex is far from convinced. Firstly, he'd had dinner with Holden only the night before, the first for some time, and the, to Alex, great man had revealed that he was writing another book, one unlike those he'd published before: this one was to be about Burnside's career and was expected to be 'the biggest political scandal in American history". And then there was the missing notebook - .Burnside never, ever went anywhere without his notebook. Alex teams up with a young, hungry old school journalist, Shannon Brass, who also doubts the suicide theory. Then other journalists start dying.
This, the fifth in this really excellent Alex Vane series, each book of which is stand alone but is enhanced by having read the predecessors, is an stunning finale, well written and powerfully exciting, a good detective mystery thriller set in the often murky world of news gathering and political intrigue. The characterisations bring the protagonists fully alive and the story draws in the reader as it swiftly moves forward, making it easy to read as the investigations produce some startling ideas.
Thoroughly absorbing, enjoyable, and recommended.
October 31, 2019
Discovering the stories behind the stories
This appears to be the final episode to the Alex Vane series. Each novel has been worth a five star review.
In our world of social media and the instant proliferation of information, getting beneath the skin, and inside the head of an investigative journalist, is a thrill-ride in the hands of A. C. Fuller.
Fuller’s plotting consists of subtle layers of information that are revealed beneath what initially appears to be an obvious and straightforward investigation. He does not scatter deceptive “red-herrings” of plot elements (as do many other major thriller authors) in an effort to keep the reader on the hook through the duration of what would likely have been a pretty mundane storyline. His Alex Vane character leaves nothing to chance, and will risk everything to discover what might be behind the suicide of the man the journalism world considers the most respected journalist in the United States. And finds himself to be the next name at the top of list of a serial killer who is targeting journalists.
As in the previous books in the series, Fuller’s characters are always fully realized, and the introduction to Shannon Brass, owner and only reporter to a struggling online “newspaper” provides an edgy and conflicting element to the novel.
If you find yourself drawn towards the Alex Vane novels, as well as A. C. Fuller’s Ameritocracy series, check out D. F. (Don) Bailey’s Will Finch stories.
This appears to be the final episode to the Alex Vane series. Each novel has been worth a five star review.
In our world of social media and the instant proliferation of information, getting beneath the skin, and inside the head of an investigative journalist, is a thrill-ride in the hands of A. C. Fuller.
Fuller’s plotting consists of subtle layers of information that are revealed beneath what initially appears to be an obvious and straightforward investigation. He does not scatter deceptive “red-herrings” of plot elements (as do many other major thriller authors) in an effort to keep the reader on the hook through the duration of what would likely have been a pretty mundane storyline. His Alex Vane character leaves nothing to chance, and will risk everything to discover what might be behind the suicide of the man the journalism world considers the most respected journalist in the United States. And finds himself to be the next name at the top of list of a serial killer who is targeting journalists.
As in the previous books in the series, Fuller’s characters are always fully realized, and the introduction to Shannon Brass, owner and only reporter to a struggling online “newspaper” provides an edgy and conflicting element to the novel.
If you find yourself drawn towards the Alex Vane novels, as well as A. C. Fuller’s Ameritocracy series, check out D. F. (Don) Bailey’s Will Finch stories.
November 1, 2018
I received an ARC from the author at my request and this is my honest opinion.WOW! What a way to end a series! All of the Alex Vane books have been great reads, but I think this is definitely my favorite. Alex has matured and as he deals with the deaths in the journalism community, he begins to realize what is really important in his life. I hate to see the series end because Alex feels like someone I know that I don't hear from very often, but when I do it's like no time has gone by and we pick up right where we left off. It will be strange to not be anticipating the release of the next book. But if the story has to end, this is the way to go. This book has everything you could possibly ask for: conspiracy theories, murder, a serial killer, plenty of action, government cover-ups, but most importantly, characters that feel like real people and not just one-dimensional descriptions of people. The writing is tight and the dialogue feels nature and flows quite well. I highly recommend this series. Be sure you start with the prequel, The Cutline and follow Alex on all of his adventures. You won't be sorry.
October 31, 2018
The Last Journalist - a review by Rosemary Kenny
Fifth and last in A C Fuller's excellent Alex Vane Media Thriller series is The Last Journalist. Alex Vane is called to investigate the death (apparently by suicide) of his mentor, found on a Seattle sidewalk after falling/jumping/being pushed from the top of a skyscraper.
Why can't the police decide and if the latter option, find and arrest the culprit? Because they believe it's a suicide, despite there being (in Alex's eyes) no reason for or note to explain why, if so. Can Alex find an explanation for the mysterious death and will the police 'wake up and smell the killer's coffee' when another journalist is targeted? Or will Alex have to deal with the knowledge that he himself may become victim no 3?
A fast-paced thriller, the Last Journalist is best read in sequence, yet because it's so well-written and engaging, this will prove no hardship. Get your copy today and treat yourself to all five books in the Alex Vane Media Thriller Series and buckle up for a thrilling ride, that will make the literary world's front page by the end!
Fifth and last in A C Fuller's excellent Alex Vane Media Thriller series is The Last Journalist. Alex Vane is called to investigate the death (apparently by suicide) of his mentor, found on a Seattle sidewalk after falling/jumping/being pushed from the top of a skyscraper.
Why can't the police decide and if the latter option, find and arrest the culprit? Because they believe it's a suicide, despite there being (in Alex's eyes) no reason for or note to explain why, if so. Can Alex find an explanation for the mysterious death and will the police 'wake up and smell the killer's coffee' when another journalist is targeted? Or will Alex have to deal with the knowledge that he himself may become victim no 3?
A fast-paced thriller, the Last Journalist is best read in sequence, yet because it's so well-written and engaging, this will prove no hardship. Get your copy today and treat yourself to all five books in the Alex Vane Media Thriller Series and buckle up for a thrilling ride, that will make the literary world's front page by the end!
July 10, 2019
This final story in the series has Alex meeting with Holden Burnside, a former Professor of Alex's and a renown journalist. Following the dinner, Alex is asked by the police to identify a body who is Holden. The cause of death is identified as suicide. After identifying the body, he goes to the scene of the suicide and meets Shannon another journalist.
While Shannon and Alex start looking into Holden's death, two more journalist are also murdered. Alex finds out that Shannon has the notebook that was Holden's. After looking through the notebook, both of them start to believ that Holden's death was murder and not suicide. In their pursuit, they have caught the attention of the professed killer and they are now targets. The Killer has written a note that he only killed the last two and not Holden. Alex and Shannon have to finally admit that Holden's death was suicide.
To find out the conclusion of this story, you need to read the book and possibly the whole series which I highly recommend.
While Shannon and Alex start looking into Holden's death, two more journalist are also murdered. Alex finds out that Shannon has the notebook that was Holden's. After looking through the notebook, both of them start to believ that Holden's death was murder and not suicide. In their pursuit, they have caught the attention of the professed killer and they are now targets. The Killer has written a note that he only killed the last two and not Holden. Alex and Shannon have to finally admit that Holden's death was suicide.
To find out the conclusion of this story, you need to read the book and possibly the whole series which I highly recommend.
March 7, 2024
When Holden Burnside, a respected journalist and one of Alex Vane’s mentors, commits suicide, everyone is shocked. Especially since he and Alex had dinner the night before, and Holden was gathering notes for a new book. This doesn’t sound like a man who’s planning to end his life. Another journalist, Shannon Brass, feels the same way, so they investigate. But, before they find any definite answers, another journalist is killed, then another. This book, the end of a series, is full of twists and turns as a deranged killer targets investigative journalists—reminding us how risky their job can be. I like how the author hinted that today’s news is sometimes delivered with more opinions than facts. Certainly, online headlines are often posted as clickbait to generate views rather than inform the public. I’m glad Alex has decided to leave his Media Company, The Barker, and dive back into hard reporting in the future. Good luck, Alex.
February 3, 2020
A little action is a good thing
This book had a little bit of Everything.It wasn't your usual Story line though.It had it's on twists and turns.As soon as you thought you knew where it was going , it turned out that you didn't.I've read so many mysteries that it's a pleasant change not to be able to tell where a book is going until I get to the end.Also like the fact that they mixed in a little bit of action Just to keep things interesting.I definitely would read this author again.I would recommend this author to anyone who is looking for a good read. I did however make the mistake of making this Ⅰ book that I've read in this series.It is hard to continue to read a series when you read the last book 1st.I'm not sure I enjoyed it enough to go back and read Ⅰ 4 books of the series.
This book had a little bit of Everything.It wasn't your usual Story line though.It had it's on twists and turns.As soon as you thought you knew where it was going , it turned out that you didn't.I've read so many mysteries that it's a pleasant change not to be able to tell where a book is going until I get to the end.Also like the fact that they mixed in a little bit of action Just to keep things interesting.I definitely would read this author again.I would recommend this author to anyone who is looking for a good read. I did however make the mistake of making this Ⅰ book that I've read in this series.It is hard to continue to read a series when you read the last book 1st.I'm not sure I enjoyed it enough to go back and read Ⅰ 4 books of the series.
July 4, 2023
Journalism Really Needs To Be Like That!
Alex Vane meets for dinner with his college journalism professor, Holden Burnside. The next day Holden is found dead , an apparent suicide. Alex isn't so sure, based on the thread of conversation they'd had at dinner. But then another Seattle journalist dies, and it is murder. And then another dies. Alex meets Shannon, an independent journalist who is fiercely committed to absolute integrity in news reporting. Together they embark on a journey that becomes life threatening. The underlying thought for Alex is his remembrance of Holden Burnside's continuing admonition to be true to the profession, not how you can manipulate the news to become wealthy or noted. I was impressed with the flow of the story, the tenseness of its development, and the gratification knowing that this story is good, really good!
Alex Vane meets for dinner with his college journalism professor, Holden Burnside. The next day Holden is found dead , an apparent suicide. Alex isn't so sure, based on the thread of conversation they'd had at dinner. But then another Seattle journalist dies, and it is murder. And then another dies. Alex meets Shannon, an independent journalist who is fiercely committed to absolute integrity in news reporting. Together they embark on a journey that becomes life threatening. The underlying thought for Alex is his remembrance of Holden Burnside's continuing admonition to be true to the profession, not how you can manipulate the news to become wealthy or noted. I was impressed with the flow of the story, the tenseness of its development, and the gratification knowing that this story is good, really good!
March 3, 2019
Ripped from the current headlines and political climate, The Last Journalist deftly examines the world of instant reporting and it’s relationship to a vision of truth. A.C. Fuller discusses concepts of what makes good reporting and what could be misleading as Alex Vance and youthful journalist, Shannon, are drawn into the web of a serial killer who is out to remove reporters who are not providing a truthful narrative. What constitutes truth and how does a reporter provide that to a reader are issues brought to the fore. The possible consequences of hateful rhetoric become the background for the story. Very intriguing and thrilling, The Last Journalist is a must-read for persons following the news today. Note: I received this book free from the author and am freely providing this review.
February 8, 2019
If you have an idealistic view of journalists you will enjoy this novel. A well-regarded reporter's death is dismissed as a suicide but Alex Vane suspects there is more to the story. The death of his one-time professor and mentor triggers both an investigation and introspection. Then another reporter dies. Will Alex be next?
This story was nicely written and plotted but the journalists as heroes left me cold. I did not read the preceding books in the series. Had I done so I might have been more engaged? Good analysis of the newspaper industry and the impact of technology. I found it too talky overall land was not really engaged by any of the characters. 2.5 stars
This story was nicely written and plotted but the journalists as heroes left me cold. I did not read the preceding books in the series. Had I done so I might have been more engaged? Good analysis of the newspaper industry and the impact of technology. I found it too talky overall land was not really engaged by any of the characters. 2.5 stars
February 10, 2019
Excellant read!
This book is a must read especially during these times of faux media reporting! It sheds the spotlight on the medias,print,broadcast and digital! It shows how some are listicles written and "click bits"(those sites that give you 5-10 words of story and then give tou lots of ads but require you to "clicl next" to get 5-10 more words! These are the onez who really agrivate you, when they open with a teaser and then drag the story out forever and a day! Very enlightening re: media,past and present, history and practices! READ IT AND IT WILL CHANGE YOUR OUT LOOK ON JOURNALISM!!
This book is a must read especially during these times of faux media reporting! It sheds the spotlight on the medias,print,broadcast and digital! It shows how some are listicles written and "click bits"(those sites that give you 5-10 words of story and then give tou lots of ads but require you to "clicl next" to get 5-10 more words! These are the onez who really agrivate you, when they open with a teaser and then drag the story out forever and a day! Very enlightening re: media,past and present, history and practices! READ IT AND IT WILL CHANGE YOUR OUT LOOK ON JOURNALISM!!
August 23, 2019
Loved this series!
I recently discovered this author. I read the first book, The Anonymous Source, and loved it. So I read all of the series, one after the other. I rarely do that as I usually get bored. These books have different plots, but the characters are pretty much the same. The characters were very well developed and believable. By the end of the first book I felt I knew them personally. The dialogue flowed smoothly and was very realistic. The editing was clean. The plots were exciting with lots of twists and turns. I will read more books by this author. I recommend these books to anyone.
I recently discovered this author. I read the first book, The Anonymous Source, and loved it. So I read all of the series, one after the other. I rarely do that as I usually get bored. These books have different plots, but the characters are pretty much the same. The characters were very well developed and believable. By the end of the first book I felt I knew them personally. The dialogue flowed smoothly and was very realistic. The editing was clean. The plots were exciting with lots of twists and turns. I will read more books by this author. I recommend these books to anyone.
October 29, 2018
The Last Journalist is an excellent ending to the Alex Vane series. The story was full of tension, intrigue, and a storyline that could be ripped right out of today's headlines. AC Fuller has a great knack for writing compelling characters who have a lot of depth. I loved the Shannon character and how she commanded center stage in her storyline.
Do yourself a favor and start from book 1 in this series and don't stop until you read to the end of The Last Journalist; you will enjoy the ride and won't be disappointed.
Do yourself a favor and start from book 1 in this series and don't stop until you read to the end of The Last Journalist; you will enjoy the ride and won't be disappointed.
November 5, 2018
I've enjoyed the entire Alex Vane series, but this final volume is another level of excellence. Alex, his associates, and the cat & mouse game with the serial killer keep the pages turning.
It seems to me that the author might want us to understand how Alex has grown as he brings the series to a satisfying conclusion. The action is definitely fast-pasted. You'll be propping it up at the dinner table. It's that hard to put down. ;-) I loved it! Looking forward to seeing what A. C. Fuller's next series stirs up.
It seems to me that the author might want us to understand how Alex has grown as he brings the series to a satisfying conclusion. The action is definitely fast-pasted. You'll be propping it up at the dinner table. It's that hard to put down. ;-) I loved it! Looking forward to seeing what A. C. Fuller's next series stirs up.
February 12, 2019
Makes you think.
I have now read all of the five books following Alex Vane. I can saw that A. C. Fuller has a way that is so charming that you will remember details from previous Alex Vane Media books. It's not one of those series where you have to go back to "remember" something. I have read many books and I can easily go through each book in lengthy gaps and I'm right back in the series. Great read, definitively makes you reflect on the current political climate, scandals, and theories.
I have now read all of the five books following Alex Vane. I can saw that A. C. Fuller has a way that is so charming that you will remember details from previous Alex Vane Media books. It's not one of those series where you have to go back to "remember" something. I have read many books and I can easily go through each book in lengthy gaps and I'm right back in the series. Great read, definitively makes you reflect on the current political climate, scandals, and theories.
March 10, 2019
Brilliant ( as expected). Ànother classic from the pen A C Fuller
Another rivetting book by Fuller. Disappointed it is fhe end of this series.. Alex Vane to ennthrall and entertain the reader with another classic about a weird, deluded and vengeful character who believes he is cleansing the world of untrustworthy journalists who collude with the CIA to change the truth of events by using a highly respected and world renowned journalistic professor to feed misinformation to the public on their behalf.
Another rivetting book by Fuller. Disappointed it is fhe end of this series.. Alex Vane to ennthrall and entertain the reader with another classic about a weird, deluded and vengeful character who believes he is cleansing the world of untrustworthy journalists who collude with the CIA to change the truth of events by using a highly respected and world renowned journalistic professor to feed misinformation to the public on their behalf.
April 16, 2022
I’ve now read all five of the Alex Vane novels ending with this fifth book. I’ve enjoyed them all. My favorite author is Harlan Coben mainly because he has multiple threads in each book that come together in the last few pages in a climactic conclusion. A.C. Fuller doesn’t have the multiple threads in his books, but he does build wonderful characters, pulls the reader into the story and always has a few questions hanging until the very end. There is a lot of breath-taking action, realistic deaths, plot twists and unknown variables that make this book, and the other four, worth reading.
October 20, 2022
A noted journalist takes a deep dive, and the police ask a former student (and current journalist) to identify the body. There are some questions about whether it's suicide or murder. There is another journalist at the scene who discovered the body, and they decide to team up and try to unravel the mystery.
Then another journalist dies, and it could be a suicide, but a left hander shooting thyself in the right temple?
Then another journalist...... this is getting repetitious, but the actual story is much better than this review.
Read this book. You'll love it.
Then another journalist dies, and it could be a suicide, but a left hander shooting thyself in the right temple?
Then another journalist...... this is getting repetitious, but the actual story is much better than this review.
Read this book. You'll love it.
March 1, 2019
Journalism never dies
Slow pacing, intriguing, intertwines facts and ideology, touching, reflective. Just a few adjectives that felt short to describe what this book is about. Could true journalism be possible in this world controlled by Media moguls that feel theirbright to change or distort facts tobsuit their interes? I dont know but Alex Vane seems to suggest there's hope by backing up Shannon's efforts.
Slow pacing, intriguing, intertwines facts and ideology, touching, reflective. Just a few adjectives that felt short to describe what this book is about. Could true journalism be possible in this world controlled by Media moguls that feel theirbright to change or distort facts tobsuit their interes? I dont know but Alex Vane seems to suggest there's hope by backing up Shannon's efforts.
March 9, 2019
Alex Vane is a journalist who plays it safe. When his mentor commits suicide, he can't believe it's not murder. Then other journalists are murdered.
The writing is pretty good, the plot interesting. I found Shannon, the young journalist he meets at the site of his mentor's death, more interesting than Alex Vane. This is the last of the Alex Vane series and the first I've read. Had I read the others in the series, perhaps I wouldn't have found this book to be so anemic.
The writing is pretty good, the plot interesting. I found Shannon, the young journalist he meets at the site of his mentor's death, more interesting than Alex Vane. This is the last of the Alex Vane series and the first I've read. Had I read the others in the series, perhaps I wouldn't have found this book to be so anemic.
May 26, 2021
This is a fun mystery-adventure sullied by perspective. The author's journalistic perspective reads like the 90s when CNN and the rest were actual news outlets. I presume Alex Vane's clickbait news organization was fashioned after Buzzfeed, now discredited for its forays into junk journalism. In our current misinformation age, Vane's final epiphany to 'do some good' is pure fiction and rings hollow. That said, the author is a skillful storyteller.
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