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The Amateurs #3
THE AMATEURS - Wer anderen eine Grube gräbt
At first, the mystery they're tasked with seems to have nothing to do with Aerin or her kidnapper. But as Seneca, Maddox and Madison hit the Jersey Shore to gather clues, they begin to uncover the true background of the killer and the horrors that shaped him into who he is. The scavenger hunt leads them to the family of a recently kidnapped boy and dark secrets they could never have seen coming.
As Aerin struggles to play nice with the person who killed her sister in order to buy herself time, her friends work feverishly against the ticking clock that could mean her life, and every clue they uncover leads Seneca to suspect she's more connected to the killer's history than she ever realised ...
As Aerin struggles to play nice with the person who killed her sister in order to buy herself time, her friends work feverishly against the ticking clock that could mean her life, and every clue they uncover leads Seneca to suspect she's more connected to the killer's history than she ever realised ...
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First published October 4, 2018
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About the author
Sara Shepard
128 books14.7k followersSara Shepard graduated from NYU and has an MFA from Brooklyn College. She has lived in New York City, Brooklyn, Tucson, Arizona, Philadelphia, and now lives in Pittsburgh, PA. Sara's Pretty Little Liars novels were inspired by her upbringing in Philadelphia's Main Line.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
October 16, 2018
1. The Amateurs ★★★★
2. Follow Me ★
This was a good conclusion to the series and gave a background to the killer, but I feel like it lacked a twist I've come to expect from Sara Shepard's novels.
2. Follow Me ★
This was a good conclusion to the series and gave a background to the killer, but I feel like it lacked a twist I've come to expect from Sara Shepard's novels.
January 13, 2019
Wow. Okay. So that's what we're doing then?
If you told me this was the first book someone had EVER written, I would believe you. If you told me the author of this book was an established YA author with years of experience under her belt, I would laugh and call you a liar. This book reads like something a preteen wrote, and taken together with the entire trilogy, it's almost laughably bad. Almost, because I still had to read the entire thing and that fact is just not funny.
Now obviously there are some actual plot points and characters problems that really irked me about this book, but the thing that made me the most annoyed was that is seems to have slipped by without an editor. There are words in here that are used in a context that is completely incorrect, as if the author couldn't be bothered to google what they meant. There is repetition so glaring and overused that there is no way an editor ever held this book. There are spelling mistakes and grammar errors. It's actually impressive that Shepard has written SO MANY books and still can't use a dictionary properly.
But anyway, obvious errors aside, let's talk characters and plot.
Okay so the plot of this book, it really wasn't that bad. It was nowhere near as tedious and useless as the plot of book two, and it was genuinely engaging. (It also confirms that book two had no purpose but the drag out the story into three books, because regardless of all the other terrible parts of this book, Shepard can think up an interesting plot.) The premise of this book is once again the main scooby gang hunting for a criminal that got away, with some interesting additions. Aerin's chapters were my favourite, and she was the only character I actually liked consistently throughout the whole series because, as Seneca points out towards the end, Aerin actually has growth and development. Aerin feels like a new, better person by the time we conclude the series. Her chapters in this book were genuinely interesting (and it showed, because I kept having to stop myself from skipping the other chapters because they were so boring).
Now, as for all the other characters (Seneca especially), you could take each of their chapters from all three books, switch them, and the only difference would be the boogey man they're trying to find. They are copy-pasted from the earlier books. Seneca is so frustratingly the same that it is actually making me angry just writing this. SHE DOES NOT CHANGE. She has the EXACT same problems and thought processes throughout all three books, and they are all so similar, that I am CONVINCED that Shepard copied them from the first book and just kept repeating them in the second and third. This is the repetition problem. Seneca, and to a lesser extent Maddox and Madison, are the repetition problem. They are exactly the same. It's mind-boggling how Shepard got away with basically writing the same book three times and just changing the cold case. It would be impressive if it wasn't infuriating.
As for their "sleuthing skills", I almost didn't call them the scooby gang earlier because it is a serious insult to all the members of the scooby gang. These kids can't solve anything for shit. I have read a lot of books about teens solving mysteries, and while that concept in itself is a little ridiculous, usually the teens have actual brain cells and skills that can be used. These idiots have nothing but annoying personality traits and angry puppy eyes that somehow make people continuously GIVE THEM the answers they need. There is no brain power or actual detective work, even though the book claims over and over again that there is. All any of them do is bug the shit out of poor grieving people and then have "revelations" they think are brilliant but are really rudimentary.
This book made me angry, obviously. The fact that I purchased and read all three of these when I could've just read the one and gotten the exact same things out of it, makes me so, so angry. But oh well. Now I know not to ever read another Shepard book, even if it sounds interesting. It's a wonder the Pretty Little Liars books did so well.
If you told me this was the first book someone had EVER written, I would believe you. If you told me the author of this book was an established YA author with years of experience under her belt, I would laugh and call you a liar. This book reads like something a preteen wrote, and taken together with the entire trilogy, it's almost laughably bad. Almost, because I still had to read the entire thing and that fact is just not funny.
Now obviously there are some actual plot points and characters problems that really irked me about this book, but the thing that made me the most annoyed was that is seems to have slipped by without an editor. There are words in here that are used in a context that is completely incorrect, as if the author couldn't be bothered to google what they meant. There is repetition so glaring and overused that there is no way an editor ever held this book. There are spelling mistakes and grammar errors. It's actually impressive that Shepard has written SO MANY books and still can't use a dictionary properly.
But anyway, obvious errors aside, let's talk characters and plot.
Okay so the plot of this book, it really wasn't that bad. It was nowhere near as tedious and useless as the plot of book two, and it was genuinely engaging. (It also confirms that book two had no purpose but the drag out the story into three books, because regardless of all the other terrible parts of this book, Shepard can think up an interesting plot.) The premise of this book is once again the main scooby gang hunting for a criminal that got away, with some interesting additions. Aerin's chapters were my favourite, and she was the only character I actually liked consistently throughout the whole series because, as Seneca points out towards the end, Aerin actually has growth and development. Aerin feels like a new, better person by the time we conclude the series. Her chapters in this book were genuinely interesting (and it showed, because I kept having to stop myself from skipping the other chapters because they were so boring).
Now, as for all the other characters (Seneca especially), you could take each of their chapters from all three books, switch them, and the only difference would be the boogey man they're trying to find. They are copy-pasted from the earlier books. Seneca is so frustratingly the same that it is actually making me angry just writing this. SHE DOES NOT CHANGE. She has the EXACT same problems and thought processes throughout all three books, and they are all so similar, that I am CONVINCED that Shepard copied them from the first book and just kept repeating them in the second and third. This is the repetition problem. Seneca, and to a lesser extent Maddox and Madison, are the repetition problem. They are exactly the same. It's mind-boggling how Shepard got away with basically writing the same book three times and just changing the cold case. It would be impressive if it wasn't infuriating.
As for their "sleuthing skills", I almost didn't call them the scooby gang earlier because it is a serious insult to all the members of the scooby gang. These kids can't solve anything for shit. I have read a lot of books about teens solving mysteries, and while that concept in itself is a little ridiculous, usually the teens have actual brain cells and skills that can be used. These idiots have nothing but annoying personality traits and angry puppy eyes that somehow make people continuously GIVE THEM the answers they need. There is no brain power or actual detective work, even though the book claims over and over again that there is. All any of them do is bug the shit out of poor grieving people and then have "revelations" they think are brilliant but are really rudimentary.
This book made me angry, obviously. The fact that I purchased and read all three of these when I could've just read the one and gotten the exact same things out of it, makes me so, so angry. But oh well. Now I know not to ever read another Shepard book, even if it sounds interesting. It's a wonder the Pretty Little Liars books did so well.
May 13, 2019
4.5/5 stars :) So many twists and revelations! I devoured this one.
May 21, 2019
One of my favorite authors for teen mysteries is Sara Shepard; I got hooked on her books, starting with the Pretty Little Liars series almost ten years ago now. Since then, whenever she has released a new book, I try and read it. This series is about a group of college/high school kids who see themselves as Nancy Drews/ Veronica Mars of the world. They help solve cold cases, and they each have had a tragedy occur in their lives and now are bound together via the same serial killer known with several names but let's call him Brett. In Book #3 he has not only kidnapped Aerin but also to save their friend, he has a challenge for them to solve. A little boy has been kidnapped by his violin teacher, and now there is no trace of him anywhere, and police have exhausted all their leads. We learn throughout the book that Brett has a connection to this case and that a similar experience happened to him, and that is what started him off in his serial killing murder spree. I did like the twist to this book and the personal connection to Brett, and in a way, you can see how his revenge and what he did, how it began. Last Seen: shows us just how one little action can set someone's life off for the better or in this case for the worse. Book #3 of the Amateurs series was a slower read but perfect for those who have read the previous books and love their mystery solving stories.
Move over the Mystery Machine Gang and make way for The Amateurs.
Move over the Mystery Machine Gang and make way for The Amateurs.
November 28, 2019
WOW! I loved this conclusion! A great way to end the series but I’d love another book of epilogue that’s a few years in the future! This book made me stay up late to finish it. Best type of book!
February 24, 2019
Don’t read this book or this review if you haven’t read the first two. This time around, we sort of combine the first two books. The crew is trying to find Brett again, but to do so they need to solve a cold case. Fortunately this time around the missing kid isn’t dead. We learn A LOT about Brett’s past which helps us understand him a little as a character. You’ll almost feel bad but still will dislike him a lot.
I personally started to dislike Seneca in this book. She was very bossy and whiny.
I wasn’t a fan of the way the book ended either. It could’ve ended many chapters before it was ended and become a last book in the trilogy seeing as they did a little epilogue and we had gotten a lot of answers by now in the third book. We even learned how Brett was connected to the death of Seneca’s mother. But not so much why he was motivated to kill Helena. Which is annoying seeing as the whole first book was about her. But anyway, they continued on making things happen after the “epilogue” section and dragging it on a little bit making it so it’s obvious that this won’t be the last book in the series.
I was in and out on whether I was enjoying my time with this one or not. I gave it four stars in the end because I Liked it better than the second one, and I was liking it more than I was disliking it. Nothings beat the first one yet though. I’m beginning to care about the characters less and less, whereas in the first one I was all about them.
I personally started to dislike Seneca in this book. She was very bossy and whiny.
I wasn’t a fan of the way the book ended either. It could’ve ended many chapters before it was ended and become a last book in the trilogy seeing as they did a little epilogue and we had gotten a lot of answers by now in the third book. We even learned how Brett was connected to the death of Seneca’s mother. But not so much why he was motivated to kill Helena. Which is annoying seeing as the whole first book was about her. But anyway, they continued on making things happen after the “epilogue” section and dragging it on a little bit making it so it’s obvious that this won’t be the last book in the series.
I was in and out on whether I was enjoying my time with this one or not. I gave it four stars in the end because I Liked it better than the second one, and I was liking it more than I was disliking it. Nothings beat the first one yet though. I’m beginning to care about the characters less and less, whereas in the first one I was all about them.
May 28, 2020
Der dritte und letzte Teil hat mich wieder von Beginn an gefesselt. Es war so spannend, das es schwer war, es aus der Hand zu legen. Toller Abschluss oder nicht? Hoffentlich. Könnte man auch gut eine Serie daraus machen.
5 Sterne
5 Sterne
April 16, 2021
In which the villain is the most fleshed out and interesting character. Standing ovation for Seneca and Aerin. Why does Thomas exist again? He legit serves zero purpose.
January 23, 2020
Ein wirklich spannendes Buch und eine gute Fortsetzung, auch wenn ich nicht mit allem einverstanden war.
October 3, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley I got a sneak peek at this, and it certainly resolved some of the issues from the previous two books.
Very early on we get a quick summary of what happened so - dare I say it - this could be read as a stand-alone with few issues.
Seneca and the group are reeling somewhat after finding the internet sensation kidnapped by Brett. There’s a sense amongst the group that things are going to resolve, but then comes a VERY bold move which sets off the chain of events focused on here.
Aerin is kidnapped outside the hospital. In an audacious move, Brett has her. When he contacts Seneca it’s to ask her to look into the disappearance of a nine year old boy if they ever want to see their friend again.
Naturally, these events are connected. The book focuses on the group establishing the links and working through a quite incredible chain of occurrences.
I spent most of the book quite amazed that anyone would believe these teens could pull off what they do. It’s high-drama, but quite entertaining.
We end the book with it set up for further linked stories (though I don’t think it’s in the plan) and a lot of our questions answered.
Very early on we get a quick summary of what happened so - dare I say it - this could be read as a stand-alone with few issues.
Seneca and the group are reeling somewhat after finding the internet sensation kidnapped by Brett. There’s a sense amongst the group that things are going to resolve, but then comes a VERY bold move which sets off the chain of events focused on here.
Aerin is kidnapped outside the hospital. In an audacious move, Brett has her. When he contacts Seneca it’s to ask her to look into the disappearance of a nine year old boy if they ever want to see their friend again.
Naturally, these events are connected. The book focuses on the group establishing the links and working through a quite incredible chain of occurrences.
I spent most of the book quite amazed that anyone would believe these teens could pull off what they do. It’s high-drama, but quite entertaining.
We end the book with it set up for further linked stories (though I don’t think it’s in the plan) and a lot of our questions answered.
April 11, 2024
After a long period of time, I finally finished the series off. After not “being with” the characters for a while, it took a little warming up to really get invested. Normally I’m not really a fan of the narratives changing each chapter but it worked really well with the plot and kept things interesting the whole way through! I liked how things worked out for the characters, they all had a lot of growing to do and through their solving cases they were finally able to get closure.
January 15, 2019
3.5 stars Last Seen is the conclusion to "The Amateurs" trilogy. I would not advise reading this one unless you have read the first two books. This book assumes you have read them and will spoil you for the first book. Last Seen picks up immediately after the events of Follow Me. Seneca, Maddox and Madison have to solve a cold case of a missing child in order to find their missing friend.
Out of the three books, I liked this one the best. I thought the mystery was the strongest and harder to figure out. Even though the stakes were high and there was danger involved, I enjoyed following the group as they followed the clues. The solution in the end wrapped up the entire series nicely.
As in the other books, we get multiple perspectives. Aerin's perspective with her kidnapper was the most interesting as she figures out how to get out of her situation. All of the characters have grown in their own way over the course of the series. However, I will admit that Seneca's hot and cold attitude toward Maddox did kind of get old after a while. It definitely was the weakest part of this book. To me, it felt like it was just used as a devise to set up the final act with Seneca being on her own. In the end, I do recommend this trilogy. The first book was just OK, but they get better if you stick with it.
Out of the three books, I liked this one the best. I thought the mystery was the strongest and harder to figure out. Even though the stakes were high and there was danger involved, I enjoyed following the group as they followed the clues. The solution in the end wrapped up the entire series nicely.
As in the other books, we get multiple perspectives. Aerin's perspective with her kidnapper was the most interesting as she figures out how to get out of her situation. All of the characters have grown in their own way over the course of the series. However, I will admit that Seneca's hot and cold attitude toward Maddox did kind of get old after a while. It definitely was the weakest part of this book. To me, it felt like it was just used as a devise to set up the final act with Seneca being on her own. In the end, I do recommend this trilogy. The first book was just OK, but they get better if you stick with it.
December 28, 2022
This is going to be a short review as I really can't think of much to say about it.
The third (& thankfully) final book in this series sees Seneca, Maddox, & Madison on the trail of Aerin who was kidnapped by Brett at the end of the previous book. Brett sets them the challenge of solving the recent kidnapping of a young boy - if they solve the case in three days then they get Aerin back. Still with me? I'm glad to be at the end* of this terminally boring series. It's annoying how they all act like Brett's some kind of Machiavellian genius on the scale of Moriarty - he wishes. Anyway, done & dusted, over & out.
*Note to self - next time just buy the first book of a series & see if you enjoy that before buying the rest.
The third (& thankfully) final book in this series sees Seneca, Maddox, & Madison on the trail of Aerin who was kidnapped by Brett at the end of the previous book. Brett sets them the challenge of solving the recent kidnapping of a young boy - if they solve the case in three days then they get Aerin back. Still with me? I'm glad to be at the end* of this terminally boring series. It's annoying how they all act like Brett's some kind of Machiavellian genius on the scale of Moriarty - he wishes. Anyway, done & dusted, over & out.
*Note to self - next time just buy the first book of a series & see if you enjoy that before buying the rest.
April 22, 2019
There are spoilers for the first two books in my review. Do not read if you don't want to know what happened in those.
I believe this is the final book in the Amateurs Series. But the ending did leave it open for more.
The first book was my favorite, but I ended up enjoying this whole series. Last Seen starts off where book two ended. Thomas was supposed to pick Aerin up and Seneca, Maddox, and Madison didn't see her around when Thomas called them. They thought he already picked her up, but he wasn't there yet. They quickly realize that Brett took Aerin.
Brett contacts Seneca and tells them about a kidnapped kid. He wants the group to figure out where the boy is and then he'll give Aerin back. They're not sure why he picked this case, but they were given a short time frame and didn't want to risk Aerin's life. They follow clues all over and find out a lot more than they imagined.
Seneca annoyed the crap out of me in this book. But I'm glad that we found out more about Brett's past. We also find out why he killed Seneca's mom. The pacing and mystery in this was just as good as the other books. I thought everything wrapped up nicely and I like that there is an opening if Sara decides to write another book or spin off of this trilogy.
I gave this book 4 stars. This was my personal HC that I read.
I believe this is the final book in the Amateurs Series. But the ending did leave it open for more.
The first book was my favorite, but I ended up enjoying this whole series. Last Seen starts off where book two ended. Thomas was supposed to pick Aerin up and Seneca, Maddox, and Madison didn't see her around when Thomas called them. They thought he already picked her up, but he wasn't there yet. They quickly realize that Brett took Aerin.
Brett contacts Seneca and tells them about a kidnapped kid. He wants the group to figure out where the boy is and then he'll give Aerin back. They're not sure why he picked this case, but they were given a short time frame and didn't want to risk Aerin's life. They follow clues all over and find out a lot more than they imagined.
Seneca annoyed the crap out of me in this book. But I'm glad that we found out more about Brett's past. We also find out why he killed Seneca's mom. The pacing and mystery in this was just as good as the other books. I thought everything wrapped up nicely and I like that there is an opening if Sara decides to write another book or spin off of this trilogy.
I gave this book 4 stars. This was my personal HC that I read.
December 14, 2018
Brett has kidnapped Aerin. The only way he’ll let her go (possibly) is for Maddox, Madison, and Seneca to find this woman Elizabeth and a lost boy Damien. Turns out that Elizabeth is really Candace Lord. She had 2 children that died in a house fire. She became mentally insane after that and has taken to kidnapping children, two at a time, that look like her own children. Brett aka Jackson Brett, was one of those children with a girl named viola. He wants revenge. This woman turned him into who he is today.
Aerin is safely returned back to the group. Candace Lord is arrested and taken into custody, but Brett never gets to talk to her. He killed Aerin’s sister and Seneca’s mom. When Brett was imprisoned by Candace, he attempted to run to one of the neighbor’s houses. It happened to be Seneca’s house. Her mom brought him right back to Candace. He was forever spiteful against that woman. Seneca comes face to face with Brett and Brett leaves in handcuffs.
Maddox and Seneca have entered a relationship. Maddox is going to the University of Oregon and Seneca is going to the University of Washington to major in criminal justice.
Aerin is safely returned back to the group. Candace Lord is arrested and taken into custody, but Brett never gets to talk to her. He killed Aerin’s sister and Seneca’s mom. When Brett was imprisoned by Candace, he attempted to run to one of the neighbor’s houses. It happened to be Seneca’s house. Her mom brought him right back to Candace. He was forever spiteful against that woman. Seneca comes face to face with Brett and Brett leaves in handcuffs.
Maddox and Seneca have entered a relationship. Maddox is going to the University of Oregon and Seneca is going to the University of Washington to major in criminal justice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2021
...
so
it's been like 6 months.
WHAT HAVE I BEEN DOING?!?!?!??!
I picked this up right after I finished follow me
and these are soooooo good
I'm so sad that this was the last book though :"(
highly recommend this trilogy, especially if you liked AGGGTM or karen m mcmanus books or kara thomas
so
it's been like 6 months.
WHAT HAVE I BEEN DOING?!?!?!??!
I picked this up right after I finished follow me
and these are soooooo good
I'm so sad that this was the last book though :"(
highly recommend this trilogy, especially if you liked AGGGTM or karen m mcmanus books or kara thomas
January 9, 2020
When the first book, The Amateurs, came out in 2016 I was hooked on the story. I loved that a group of young adults from an online site (Case Not Closed) solved crimes the police had given up on. It was really exciting that they all came together in real life to solve a crime and then ended up being involved in something much larger that also bonded them. The follow-up sequel again was a really engrossing and addictive book so I can't believe how long it took for me to pick this one up. I actually totally forgot about it in between packing up my bookshelves three times during moves but I wish I had gotten to it sooner because I couldn't put it down.
I feel like the effort to solve the mystery in this final book was a whole lot easier for the group because it seemed like the villain actually wanted to be caught. They don't know anything real about him at the start of the book, other than a few details picked up along the way, they only know the lies he's told their group while posing as a friend. However, now that it's out in the open that he's the bad guy he wants Seneca to know everything about his dark background. He kind of just gives it away to her but I also think she's the only one that would've made any connection with the clues he was giving her because of a connection they have to each other revealed later in the book.
This book was a really quick and fun read for me and brought out everything I love in a good book. I was compelled to learn more about the characters, I didn't want to put it down and I was driven to find out the mystery behind the villain. It made me really giddy when I was reading it and I audibly gasped because it was so suspenseful and then the big reveals were triumphant to read. This series was great all together with each book and I loved the way it ended.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for sending a copy of this book for review. Last Seen is available in-store and online in Australia.
I feel like the effort to solve the mystery in this final book was a whole lot easier for the group because it seemed like the villain actually wanted to be caught. They don't know anything real about him at the start of the book, other than a few details picked up along the way, they only know the lies he's told their group while posing as a friend. However, now that it's out in the open that he's the bad guy he wants Seneca to know everything about his dark background. He kind of just gives it away to her but I also think she's the only one that would've made any connection with the clues he was giving her because of a connection they have to each other revealed later in the book.
This book was a really quick and fun read for me and brought out everything I love in a good book. I was compelled to learn more about the characters, I didn't want to put it down and I was driven to find out the mystery behind the villain. It made me really giddy when I was reading it and I audibly gasped because it was so suspenseful and then the big reveals were triumphant to read. This series was great all together with each book and I loved the way it ended.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for sending a copy of this book for review. Last Seen is available in-store and online in Australia.
March 23, 2020
Ein fulminantes Finale mit vielen Überraschungen und einer unerwarteten Auflösung.
Zur Geschichte:
Der Wiedereinstieg in die Geschichte fiel mir leicht, da ich unmittelbar nach meinem reread des zweiten Bandes mit diesem Buch begonnen habe.
Generell wären rereads der ersten beiden Bände trotz der langen Pause aber nicht unbedingt notwendig gewesen, da die wichtigsten Eckpunkte und Details hier noch einmal aufgegriffen werden. Diese kleinen Wiederholungen wurden so geschickt in die Geschichte eingebunden, dass sie überhaupt nicht gestört haben oder überflüssig erschienen.
Ich fand dieses Buch wieder wesentlich spannender und fesselnder als den zweiten Teil, da es hier definitiv mehr Handlung und Aktion gibt. Es passiert einiges und man erlangt immer wieder neue Erkenntnisse, sodass es nie langweilig wird. Ich habe bis zum Ende richtig mitgefiebert.
Ich fand es sehr interessant, mehr Einblicke in Brett und vor allem Einblicke in seine Vergangenheit zu erhalten. Ich habe mich die ganze Zeit über immer wieder gefragt, was ihm bloß Schreckliches widerfahren sein mag, dass ihn so hat werden lassen. In diesem Teil habe ich endlich meine lang ersehnten Antworten auf diese Frage erhalten und ich muss sagen, dass sie mich wirklich überrascht haben.
Die Autorin hatte das Schockmoment auf ihrer Seite, denn die Auflösung(en) traf(en) mich ganz unerwartet. Ich hatte mit etwas Derartigem überhaupt nicht gerechnet, weswegen es mich umso mehr fesseln und begeistern konnte. Auch die Verknüpfung und den großen übergeordneten Zusammenhang, welche am Ende offenbart werden, hatte ich keineswegs vorausgesehen. Sara Shepard weiß definitiv, wie sie ihre Leser/innen hinters Licht führen kann, nur um sie dann hinterrücks zu überfallen.
Allerdings kam mir die Auflösung rund um Brett's Vergangenheit etwas zu früh ans Licht. Das hätte man noch mehr in die Länge ziehen können, um die Spannung zu steigern und den Nervenkitzel zu intensivieren. Außerdem lief das Ganze dann doch sehr unspektakulär ab. Im Grunde erzählt Brett Seneca einfach nur, was damals geschehen ist. Eine Geschichte wie diese hätte meines Erachtens einen größeren Showdown verdient.
Ich muss an dieser Stelle auch anmerken, dass die sachliche Schreibweise der Autorin zwar generell sehr gut zum kriminalistischen Aspekt der Geschichte passt, leider aber auch meine Emotionalität gegenüber Brett's tragischer Vergangenheit gehemmt hat. Dadurch dass ich hier generell nicht so wirklich mitfühlen konnte, hat mich seine Geschichte auch weniger getroffen und berührt, als sie es womöglich bei einem empathischeren Schreibstil getan hätte. Natürlich ließ mich Brett's Schicksal nicht komplett kalt und was ihm widerfahren ist, ist ohne jede Frage grausam, dennoch konnte ich leider nicht aktiv mit ihm mitleiden.
Das Ende hat mir gut gefallen und liefert der Geschichte einen gebührenden Abschluss. Es zeigt noch einmal sehr schön auf, wie verworren und verstrickt alles war und wie viele Verknüpfungen und Zusammenhänge es gab, die sogar Seneca übersehen hatte. Wie bereits erwähnt traf mich diese letzte Auflösung am Ende sehr überraschend und ich kann nur meinen Hut vor Sara Shepard ziehen, weil sie diesen genialen Plot Twist erschaffen hat. Man sieht daran einfach noch einmal, wie gut durchdacht und akribisch geplant alles war. Sara Shepard hat nichts dem Zufall überlassen und alles bis ins kleinste Detail geplant, sodass es stimmig wirkt und logisch nachvollziehbar ist.
Das "Danach" bzw. der Epilog ist dann wieder sehr offen gehalten und lässt Raum für eigene Vermutungen. Offiziell ist dieser Teil hier der letzte der Reihe, aber die Autorin hat sich am Ende durchaus ein Fenster offen gehalten, sodass eine Fortsetzung nicht ganz und gar unmöglich ist.
Zuletzt habe ich noch einen großen Kritikpunkt, der aber nicht die Geschichte an sich oder die Autorin betrifft, sondern an den Verlag gerichtet ist: Dieses Buch ist ein ganzes Stück größer als die beiden anderen Bände in der Reihe und auch nach hinten kürzer. Das sieht im Regal einfach nicht schön aus und ist gerade bei Buchreihen wirklich blöd und vor allem schade. Wenn man die Bücher zusammenstellt, sticht das dritte Buch einfach stark heraus. Ich habe die große Bitte an den cbt-Verlag und auch generell an alle Buchverlage, auf so etwas doch bitte mehr Acht zu geben.
Zu den Charakteren:
Die Geschichte wird wieder abwechselnd aus Brett's, Aerin's, Maddox' und Seneca's Sicht in der dritten Person Singular erzählt.
Ich fand diesen Wechsel der Erzählperspektive hier besonders interessant, da wir es nun quasi mit drei verschiedenen Parteien zu tun haben und auf diese Weise auch über alle drei "Seiten" up to date gehalten werden. So muss man nicht permanent das Gefühl haben, dass einem etwas entgeht.
Gerade die Einblicke in Brett's Psyche haben mir sehr gut gefallen, auch wenn sie oftmals schockierend und verstörend waren. Man muss sich natürlich immer wieder vor Augen führen, dass Brett krank ist. Ehrlich gesagt erinnert er mich ein bisschen an Jo Goldberg aus "You". Ich fand seine Gedankengänge jedenfalls sehr spannend und interessant.
Maddox geht in dieser Geschichte immer mehr unter und hat meines Erachtens kaum noch eine tragende Rolle. Seine Gefühle und Gedanken kreisen sich so gut wie ausschließlich um Seneca und ihre "Beziehung". Die Liebesgeschichte der beiden konnte mich nicht berühren und ist auch eher Nebensache, sie wird eigentlich nur durch Maddox am Leben erhalten.
Zum Schreibstil:
Der Schreibstil liest sich wieder flüssig und ist angenehm leicht, aber auch fesselnd und mitreißend. Die Autorin schreibt passend zur kriminalistischen Thematik sehr sachlich und verwendet eine klare, schnörkellose Sprache. Emphathie und Emotionalität kommen hier recht kurz, aber das passt in gewisserweise auch gut zum Inhalt.
Fazit:
Der finale Band ist spannend, fesselnd und mitreißend und liefert der Reihe einen gebührenden Abschluss. Es gibt viele Überraschungen und unerwartete Wendungen und Zusammenhänge, die mich hellauf begeistern konnten. Sara Shepard hat ein unglaubliches Talent für geniale und schockierende Plot Twist, die bis ins letzte Detail schlüssig und nachvollziehbar sind.
Ich kann nicht sagen, dass mir der dritte Teil besser gefallen hat als der erste, aber ich gebe diesem Buch hier trotzdem 4 Sterne, um die Genialität des Plot Twists zu ehren. Die Buchreihe ist phänomenal konzipiert und dabei auch noch logisch aufgebaut.
4/ 5 Sterne ⭐️
Zur Geschichte:
Der Wiedereinstieg in die Geschichte fiel mir leicht, da ich unmittelbar nach meinem reread des zweiten Bandes mit diesem Buch begonnen habe.
Generell wären rereads der ersten beiden Bände trotz der langen Pause aber nicht unbedingt notwendig gewesen, da die wichtigsten Eckpunkte und Details hier noch einmal aufgegriffen werden. Diese kleinen Wiederholungen wurden so geschickt in die Geschichte eingebunden, dass sie überhaupt nicht gestört haben oder überflüssig erschienen.
Ich fand dieses Buch wieder wesentlich spannender und fesselnder als den zweiten Teil, da es hier definitiv mehr Handlung und Aktion gibt. Es passiert einiges und man erlangt immer wieder neue Erkenntnisse, sodass es nie langweilig wird. Ich habe bis zum Ende richtig mitgefiebert.
Ich fand es sehr interessant, mehr Einblicke in Brett und vor allem Einblicke in seine Vergangenheit zu erhalten. Ich habe mich die ganze Zeit über immer wieder gefragt, was ihm bloß Schreckliches widerfahren sein mag, dass ihn so hat werden lassen. In diesem Teil habe ich endlich meine lang ersehnten Antworten auf diese Frage erhalten und ich muss sagen, dass sie mich wirklich überrascht haben.
Die Autorin hatte das Schockmoment auf ihrer Seite, denn die Auflösung(en) traf(en) mich ganz unerwartet. Ich hatte mit etwas Derartigem überhaupt nicht gerechnet, weswegen es mich umso mehr fesseln und begeistern konnte. Auch die Verknüpfung und den großen übergeordneten Zusammenhang, welche am Ende offenbart werden, hatte ich keineswegs vorausgesehen. Sara Shepard weiß definitiv, wie sie ihre Leser/innen hinters Licht führen kann, nur um sie dann hinterrücks zu überfallen.
Allerdings kam mir die Auflösung rund um Brett's Vergangenheit etwas zu früh ans Licht. Das hätte man noch mehr in die Länge ziehen können, um die Spannung zu steigern und den Nervenkitzel zu intensivieren. Außerdem lief das Ganze dann doch sehr unspektakulär ab. Im Grunde erzählt Brett Seneca einfach nur, was damals geschehen ist. Eine Geschichte wie diese hätte meines Erachtens einen größeren Showdown verdient.
Ich muss an dieser Stelle auch anmerken, dass die sachliche Schreibweise der Autorin zwar generell sehr gut zum kriminalistischen Aspekt der Geschichte passt, leider aber auch meine Emotionalität gegenüber Brett's tragischer Vergangenheit gehemmt hat. Dadurch dass ich hier generell nicht so wirklich mitfühlen konnte, hat mich seine Geschichte auch weniger getroffen und berührt, als sie es womöglich bei einem empathischeren Schreibstil getan hätte. Natürlich ließ mich Brett's Schicksal nicht komplett kalt und was ihm widerfahren ist, ist ohne jede Frage grausam, dennoch konnte ich leider nicht aktiv mit ihm mitleiden.
Das Ende hat mir gut gefallen und liefert der Geschichte einen gebührenden Abschluss. Es zeigt noch einmal sehr schön auf, wie verworren und verstrickt alles war und wie viele Verknüpfungen und Zusammenhänge es gab, die sogar Seneca übersehen hatte. Wie bereits erwähnt traf mich diese letzte Auflösung am Ende sehr überraschend und ich kann nur meinen Hut vor Sara Shepard ziehen, weil sie diesen genialen Plot Twist erschaffen hat. Man sieht daran einfach noch einmal, wie gut durchdacht und akribisch geplant alles war. Sara Shepard hat nichts dem Zufall überlassen und alles bis ins kleinste Detail geplant, sodass es stimmig wirkt und logisch nachvollziehbar ist.
Das "Danach" bzw. der Epilog ist dann wieder sehr offen gehalten und lässt Raum für eigene Vermutungen. Offiziell ist dieser Teil hier der letzte der Reihe, aber die Autorin hat sich am Ende durchaus ein Fenster offen gehalten, sodass eine Fortsetzung nicht ganz und gar unmöglich ist.
Zuletzt habe ich noch einen großen Kritikpunkt, der aber nicht die Geschichte an sich oder die Autorin betrifft, sondern an den Verlag gerichtet ist: Dieses Buch ist ein ganzes Stück größer als die beiden anderen Bände in der Reihe und auch nach hinten kürzer. Das sieht im Regal einfach nicht schön aus und ist gerade bei Buchreihen wirklich blöd und vor allem schade. Wenn man die Bücher zusammenstellt, sticht das dritte Buch einfach stark heraus. Ich habe die große Bitte an den cbt-Verlag und auch generell an alle Buchverlage, auf so etwas doch bitte mehr Acht zu geben.
Zu den Charakteren:
Die Geschichte wird wieder abwechselnd aus Brett's, Aerin's, Maddox' und Seneca's Sicht in der dritten Person Singular erzählt.
Ich fand diesen Wechsel der Erzählperspektive hier besonders interessant, da wir es nun quasi mit drei verschiedenen Parteien zu tun haben und auf diese Weise auch über alle drei "Seiten" up to date gehalten werden. So muss man nicht permanent das Gefühl haben, dass einem etwas entgeht.
Gerade die Einblicke in Brett's Psyche haben mir sehr gut gefallen, auch wenn sie oftmals schockierend und verstörend waren. Man muss sich natürlich immer wieder vor Augen führen, dass Brett krank ist. Ehrlich gesagt erinnert er mich ein bisschen an Jo Goldberg aus "You". Ich fand seine Gedankengänge jedenfalls sehr spannend und interessant.
Maddox geht in dieser Geschichte immer mehr unter und hat meines Erachtens kaum noch eine tragende Rolle. Seine Gefühle und Gedanken kreisen sich so gut wie ausschließlich um Seneca und ihre "Beziehung". Die Liebesgeschichte der beiden konnte mich nicht berühren und ist auch eher Nebensache, sie wird eigentlich nur durch Maddox am Leben erhalten.
Zum Schreibstil:
Der Schreibstil liest sich wieder flüssig und ist angenehm leicht, aber auch fesselnd und mitreißend. Die Autorin schreibt passend zur kriminalistischen Thematik sehr sachlich und verwendet eine klare, schnörkellose Sprache. Emphathie und Emotionalität kommen hier recht kurz, aber das passt in gewisserweise auch gut zum Inhalt.
Fazit:
Der finale Band ist spannend, fesselnd und mitreißend und liefert der Reihe einen gebührenden Abschluss. Es gibt viele Überraschungen und unerwartete Wendungen und Zusammenhänge, die mich hellauf begeistern konnten. Sara Shepard hat ein unglaubliches Talent für geniale und schockierende Plot Twist, die bis ins letzte Detail schlüssig und nachvollziehbar sind.
Ich kann nicht sagen, dass mir der dritte Teil besser gefallen hat als der erste, aber ich gebe diesem Buch hier trotzdem 4 Sterne, um die Genialität des Plot Twists zu ehren. Die Buchreihe ist phänomenal konzipiert und dabei auch noch logisch aufgebaut.
4/ 5 Sterne ⭐️
October 16, 2018
**SPOILERS FOR THE AMATEURS AND FOLLOW ME**
Last Seen , the third and final book in the Amateurs series, picks up almost directly when Follow Me ends. An hour previously the gang had helped to find Instagram celebrity Chelsea, but have been unable to find former friend and serial killer Brett. As Seneca, Maddox and Maddison sit waiting on Aerin so they can continue the search for him, they receive a message from Brett, and soon discover that he has kidnapped Aerin!
Brett blackmails the gang: find the kidnapper of a young boy named Damien, a case which has gone cold a while ago, and he will let Aerin go unharmed. But can they trust his word? And why does he want this woman found?
This book started off a little weak, but like the other two books in the series, it goes from 0 to 100 real quick. The plot was fast-paced and I liked that we got to find out more about Brett and his backstory, while also seeing the gang try to solve another case and hunt him down.
Really enjoyed this book and the series on a whole. Sad that it's over, but at least it finished on a high note and hasn't been dragged out over several more books.
Last Seen , the third and final book in the Amateurs series, picks up almost directly when Follow Me ends. An hour previously the gang had helped to find Instagram celebrity Chelsea, but have been unable to find former friend and serial killer Brett. As Seneca, Maddox and Maddison sit waiting on Aerin so they can continue the search for him, they receive a message from Brett, and soon discover that he has kidnapped Aerin!
Brett blackmails the gang: find the kidnapper of a young boy named Damien, a case which has gone cold a while ago, and he will let Aerin go unharmed. But can they trust his word? And why does he want this woman found?
This book started off a little weak, but like the other two books in the series, it goes from 0 to 100 real quick. The plot was fast-paced and I liked that we got to find out more about Brett and his backstory, while also seeing the gang try to solve another case and hunt him down.
Really enjoyed this book and the series on a whole. Sad that it's over, but at least it finished on a high note and hasn't been dragged out over several more books.
September 27, 2018
Okay, at least I can say this was a bit better than the previous one. It tied things up, although I think it's still possible there could be other books in the future.
It was a quick read, still a bit shallow for me in parts. A lot of the characters simply use their good looks (yeah, all of them are good looking and fanciable) *eye roll* to get information out of the opposite sex.
Honestly, I think Maddox is too good for Seneca. She doesn't deserve him and she was a tad annoying. I think Madison had to be my favourite character.
Also, still a bunch of unnecessary wording. Plus, sometimes Maddox and Madison got mixed up as Maddox was regarded as a 'her' and in another part Madison was a 'him'. Something like that.
And Brett had a really ridiculous reason for killing Colette imo.
Anyway, I gave it a shot. I don't think I'd run to read anything else by this author, but that's just me.
Thanks to ReadersFirst for my copy!
It was a quick read, still a bit shallow for me in parts. A lot of the characters simply use their good looks (yeah, all of them are good looking and fanciable) *eye roll* to get information out of the opposite sex.
Honestly, I think Maddox is too good for Seneca. She doesn't deserve him and she was a tad annoying. I think Madison had to be my favourite character.
Also, still a bunch of unnecessary wording. Plus, sometimes Maddox and Madison got mixed up as Maddox was regarded as a 'her' and in another part Madison was a 'him'. Something like that.
And Brett had a really ridiculous reason for killing Colette imo.
Anyway, I gave it a shot. I don't think I'd run to read anything else by this author, but that's just me.
Thanks to ReadersFirst for my copy!
December 31, 2018
What a fantastic end to a twisting trilogy, this novel was absolutely brilliant. Sara Shepard's writing kept me hooked from the first chapter.
This novel kicks off from the moment the second story ends, the gang are in trouble as Brett has once again managed to grab the upper hand.
Everything is now at stake including their own safety. If the group don't follow his instructions perfectly the ramifications could be life threatening.
This novel had me on the edge of my seat throughout, I was desperate to reach a solid conclusion about Bretts identity as well as how he was connected to our main character.
I also didn't want the novel to end as I knew this was the final instalment. I was fully invested in the wellbeing of the characters.
I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a fun young adult read.
This novel kicks off from the moment the second story ends, the gang are in trouble as Brett has once again managed to grab the upper hand.
Everything is now at stake including their own safety. If the group don't follow his instructions perfectly the ramifications could be life threatening.
This novel had me on the edge of my seat throughout, I was desperate to reach a solid conclusion about Bretts identity as well as how he was connected to our main character.
I also didn't want the novel to end as I knew this was the final instalment. I was fully invested in the wellbeing of the characters.
I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a fun young adult read.
February 6, 2022
Last of the series. The four friends, Seneca, Maddox, Madison, and Aerin promise to get together soon after solving their last case. Soon comes sooner than they think when Aerin is kidnapped outside the hotel. The kidnapper sets the remaining 3 Amateurs on a hunt to find a kidnapped boy. If they fail to find the boy within 3 days time, they will never see Aerin again. They don’t want to be sent on a wild goose chase, but have no other choice.
Good story, though sad. The reader gets a look into what made the kidnapper the way they are. My only question through this book and the second book was where these guys are getting their money to run all over the Eastern Seaboard. The author leaves a little teaser at the end.
Good story, though sad. The reader gets a look into what made the kidnapper the way they are. My only question through this book and the second book was where these guys are getting their money to run all over the Eastern Seaboard. The author leaves a little teaser at the end.
February 20, 2021
It’s no secret to anyone who knows me how much I am obsessed wit Sara Shepherds books, I have read every single one of them and pretty little liars started it all! I loved this series and I really love how which each series she writes the books get a little more mature and a little more intense! This was an amazing thriller series and I am sad to see it end but boy did it hook me, it was a true page turner, stay up way too late, read until your eyes are on fire kind of series!! I would recommend to anyone who likes a good thriller/mystery and who enjoyed pretty little liars!
September 25, 2021
I thought this one moved faster than the second one, and Seneca’s need for finding answers really came through. I liked learning about the killer’s past, and all the complex emotions that came with it. The conversations that the characters had about how to feel as they learned about the killer’s past made it feel more real.
Though the ending is a bit open, it felt like everything was wrapped up nicely.
Though the ending is a bit open, it felt like everything was wrapped up nicely.
July 18, 2022
Despite not having a keen interest in the first two books, this book was definitely the best! I loved it! There were multiple perspectives and plots to follow but the best was discovering the killer’s origin story and to how they became a murderer!
November 25, 2018
Not the best of the trilogy, but a satisfying ending.
December 29, 2018
Ahhhh idk what to feel about this one tbh. It just felt eh.
January 3, 2019
I LOVED this book! It was amazingly cool, just as I expected it to be. Spooky and thrilling! I loved the twists! I wish there was more, but it was an awesome conclusion.
January 14, 2021
An excellent end to the series! I did find it a bit too long, if some of the chapters had been shorter it would probably have been even better than it was.
I liked the ending, however it was left open for the reader to interpret and that annoyed me a bit.
I liked the ending, however it was left open for the reader to interpret and that annoyed me a bit.
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