Her Final Goodbye

Meg Dawson #2

by Amy Waeschle

A brutal murder. A trail of deceit. A quest for justice at any cost.
After a scandal forces her to leave L.A., investigative journalist Meg Dawson returns to her home city of Seattle to face the past she left behind and rekindle her career. While learning the ropes of her new job at the Journal, a student at one of the city’s most prestigious private schools is murdered. The boy’s circumstances are strikingly similar to the disappearance of her best friend, Noah, last seen twelve years ago.

But there are powerful forces greater than Meg at work trying to keep the truth hidden, and will sacrifice everything to keep her from solving the boy’s murder.

Will Meg expose the killer before they strike again, or will her determination for justice spell her downfall?

Fans of female sleuth mysteries with unforgettable characters will devour this page-turning whodunnit.

Continue the Meg Dawson mystery series with Her Final Goodbye today!

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 9, 2022

About the author

AMY WAESCHLE is the author of the bestselling Cassidy Kincaid mystery series, the Meg Dawson Murder Mystery series, and the standalone books Going Over the Falls, Feeding the Fire, and the surf memoir Chasing Waves.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and after a career in outdoor education and traditional teaching, she dedicated her energy to writing. As a fan of mysteries since childhood, creating sassy, brilliant female characters solving crimes has been a natural fit.

Amy likes to surf, run mountain trails, travel, and spend time with her family. She and her husband live in Poulsbo, Washington with their two daughters.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this mystery even though I haven't read the first in the Meg Dawson series! Meg is an investigative journalist who is faced with the death of a sixteen-year-old young man who recently transferred to Kennedy Prep school. Why would anyone murder a student (unless he had something to hide)? But Meg is a savvy young woman who isn't afraid to ask the difficult questions--which she does frequently--as her friend, Noah disappeared years ago and it's still an unsolved mystery. Lots of great red-herrings and people willing (and unwilling to help) but Meg is relentless in her pursuit of the truth and she's a formidable heroine in her search for justice. So there's no "final goodbye" for Waeschle's novels as this one was clearly a page-turner!

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg, our protagonist, wanted to be a policeman but she never made it out of the academy so she moved back home and works as a journalist for the local newspaper, The Puget Sound Journal. Originally she was in LA going through the police academy while trying to find out what happened to her best friend, Noah who went inexplicably missing. She was betrayed by people she trusted there so she ended up home in Seattle. Having a few stories she has to write up, she then catches a brutal and gruesome attack on a young private school student, Charlie, in his own home. While police think it probably was a break-in gone bad, Meg is sure it was murder. Finally, the police agree and investigate the case. But, Meg can't just write the story, she has to investigate and find who murdered that poor likeable boy, especially when his family asked her to find out what happened. The deeper Meg gets into the investigation the more she gets messages to back off. Far be it for Meg to do that! Will Meg get to the bottom of the murder or will the murderer get to her. She is trying to cultivate connections within the police department and the ME's office like she had at one time in LA. One of the detectives she went to the academy with and goes strictly by the book could be a possibility of a connection, but will he help her with the clues she finds? Being threatened more and almost being shoved off the road, she is more than determined to figure out the murder. And then there is a second murder of a girl Meg tried to get to open up about what she new about the murder of Charlie and her relationship with him. You keep turning page after page and you just can't put the book down as we are taken on a roller coaster ride with more red-herrings than you can count until the surprise ending. I can't wait to see what will happen next with Meg, a very likeable character. I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[TrishAM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow Amy Waeschle, you really had me on the edge of my seat with this one, from the grizzly murder at the very beginning to to riveting finale you had me guessing.
Sixteen year old Charlie Campbell was a star player for the prestigious Kennedy Preparatory Academy...........that is until he was brutally murdered.
Meg Dawson had desperately wanted to following her father's footsteps and become a police officer but she had failed the psyche test at police academy, she knew that she had disappointed her father and it hurt. Meg did the next best thing for her, she left Seattle and qualified as an investigative journalist and worked in LA. After the murder of her best friend, Meg returned to Seattle and secured a job with the Puget Sound Journal, she missed all the inside contacts that she had built up in LA, she now ad to start building them in Seattle. The detective leading the murder case was Rob Jackson, Meg and Rob had been close at Police Academy, could she persuade him to be her police contact and exchange information ?
This story follows Meg's dogged pursuit of the killer and Rob trying to rein her in. Meg is gutsy and determined, the suspects are many and in her search for information Meg puts her life in danger.
This book is action packed, suspense filled, a real nail biter. I love how the author leads you down so many paths and throws out so many red herrings, it wasn't until the very end (and reading far into the night) that the perpetrator was revealed. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book and my review is voluntary.

[Katy The Sleepy Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally received this book after being accepted to an ARC team by the author. I love a good mystery and this one definitely grabbed my attention. I am happy to see it's a part of a series, so Ill get to see what other kinds of trouble Meg gets herself into. I haven't read the first book and although there were references to the plot of the first book, I was still able to enjoy this story by itself.

Meg Dawson thought she would be following in her father's footsteps into a career as a police officer. Failing to pass the psychological test, she ends up writing for The Puget Sound Journal in Seattle. When she catches the story of a local teen that's been brutally murdered in what looks like a break in gone bad, she has no idea what she's gotten herself into. She finds a corrupt school sports team, drug manufacturing and hidden secrets that threaten to destroy several families in the area. She starts receiving threatening notes, is run off the road and eventually kidnapped. Can she help find the killer before she herself is a victim?

This story is full of action and is a definite page turner. The author does a good job of connecting all the threads and in the end all of it makes sense. A nice, suspenseful murder mystery. I will definitely be reading the first book and I look forward to seeing what else Meg gets into.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast-paced story in the Meg Dawson series. This story was about not only one but two murdered teenagers who were friends. Why would someone kill Charlie and Raven? Why did Charlie suddenly leave his previous school? As Meg interviews family, friends, teachers and more, she has to shuffle through the information to determine what is true or not. She vows to find the answers no matter what, even if it puts her in danger too. Meanwhile she continues to review the police files from the disappearance of her childhood friend, Noah. Will she ever find out what really happened to him? On to the next in the series.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disappointment of not able to follow in her father’s foot steps. She turned that determination into journalism and the stories she writes about..
When a young girl is brutally murder and to get answers that otherwise seem slow by the police. Stepping out on a limb, with out telling others.
Getting too close and threats are coming. Good series and plot and for her to get answers. Well done and enjoyed.
Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

[DianaRaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

HER FINAL GOODBYE is the second installment in the Meg Dawson Mystery Series by Amy Waeschle. The characters are well developed and the plot is fast moving - a page-turning murder mystery that is hard to put down.

Following the murder of a friend and being betrayed by several people in L A., Meg Dawson has returned home to Seattle and landed a job at at the Puget Sound Journal. Along with other assignments, she has caught a teen's brutal death. She doesn't believe this death is a result of a burglary gone wrong. The more Meg investigates the more complicated her assignment gets. Too many are people hiding secrets, warning messages to "Back-Off Or Else", getting run off the road and more tell her she is on the right track. Seems her reporting and investigation is upsetting someone, but who? Could her life be in danger too?

If you like murder mysteries, this is an action-packed  page-turner you won't want to miss.  Now for the next installment and maybe Noah's story.

I did receive an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the author and the above is my voluntarily given review..

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy Waeschle has mastered the craft of storytelling! You will be addicted from the first page of this book. Meg Dawson is a fearless reporter in Seattle with an innate sense of justice for the downtrodden. A young teenage boy is brutally murdered in his home. The killer tries to make it look like a burglary gone wrong, but things are not always what they seem to be. He was a student at a prestigious school, Kennedy Preparatory Academy, which means that in order to get to the truth, she will need to work a lot harder. This will not slow Meg down. Detective Rob Jackson is an important character in this book, and their "strange" relationship will leave you wondering and wanting more for them. This book was non-stop action and suspense. This book has all the great characteristics of a great thriller/mystery - greed, deceit, toxic friendships, antipathy and hostility. I would believe that I had everything figured out, and I would end up down another rabbit hole! This was a riveting read that I could not put down until I finished it! Who needs sleep anyway... sleep is overrated!

[Kristen Claiborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first book in this series a while back, and while I enjoyed it, I felt like it was a bit elementary. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t very refined. When I received a copy of the second book, I approached it with a fresh set of eyes, because I didn’t want to dig into this one with any preconceived ideas based on the first book. Thankfully, the second was significantly better than the first.
I struggled with the premise for this book, because the unfortunate soul that ended up murdered was a juvenile. It’s not that I haven’t read books based on the murder of a child, it’s just that I have a hard time with them. The poor dude really didn’t deserve what happened to him, he just made the mistake of trusting the wrong people. Waeschle did an excellent job of keeping the killer under wraps until the very end. I truly suspected pretty much every character in this book and struggled to figure it out until the reveal. I feel like that says this was a pretty decent murder mystery. I look forward to the next book in this series.
I really want to know what happened to Noah!!

[Texas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her Final Truth, #3 - Another interesting, intriguing addition to the series, which starts a month after Her Final Goodbye ends. Hard to put down with interesting characters and well written blending of the old with the new story lines. While a good read on it's own, the books should be read sequentially since there is a foundation continually being constructed with each story. I like the fact that Meg does not have a battling, disrespectful relationship with the law and that she does stop to think about consequences. Of course, sometimes it is just a thought. 5*

Her Final Goodbye, Meg Dawson #2 - Interesting with intense moments. Good characters and many storylines. While not necessary, I recommend reading the first book in this series for greater enjoyment. 4*

Her Final Mistake, Meg Dawson #1 - Interesting with good: characters; good dialog; and storylines. I was pleasantly surprised. 4*

Rescuing Reeve, Cassidy Kincaid #1 - Interesting with plenty of surfing for those who hang ten. The rest of the story held my attention, and it was easy to finish. Another pass at editing would benefit the reader. 4*

[PAR]

Unbeliveable! HER FINAL GOODBYE is the second installment in the Meg Dawson Mystery Series by Amy Waeschle. She puts you right in the middle of everything right from the start. You have a journalist investigating a murder that everyone wants to cover up but Meg, our protagonist won't settle for it. She pushes as much as she can, then she decides to investigate herself. She is finding lies and cover ups everywhere she turns, but striving for the truth may put her own life in danger, she is run off the road, but nothing is going to stand in her way to uncover the truth behind this murder. This is a wonderful novel! Ms Waeschle had at page one and there was no safe place I could set it donw so I just read until I had read it all. And the following day I wondered if I should read it again, because I was sure I knew what was going on, but the ending brought everything together for a dynamic close. I highly recommend this novel and I plan to read more novels by this author. I received this novel from StoryOrigin. This is my honest and true review.

[Jacquetta Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

What more can you ask for but an Action Packed Murder Mystery that keeps you guessing. Stepping into the book watching Meg and the way she can get so involved in a case that stays a mystery till the end. She is involved in it to the point of using some tried and true teaching of working at solving a crime like when she was in the Police Academy. Asked by the parents of the murdered 15 year old to help solve the case. Meg jumps into it with both feet. Along with interviewing anyone that could possibly be involved she is trying to keep up with her job at the newspaper. So much tragedy, another murder, an accident, an abduction, hospital and articles Meg writes for the paper gives you the answers you are actively involved in trying to solve this with Meg.
You will love this book as much as you loved and enjoyed the first in the series and any other series the Amy has written. I enjoy reading Amy Waeschle's books and will gladly recommend her writings to everyone who reads.

I received this book as an ARC from the Author.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story begins with the murder of a student and has Meg involved in writing the news story which eventually has her doing her own investigation. As the story goes along, she learns that the lead detective is a person she went to the police academy and she hoped that he would help her with information that she could use with her story. Rob, the detective was not forthcoming with info so Meg went out on her own. She saw a similarity to an incident she was familiar with.

Meg began her search for information and eventually had her with a short list of suspects. And she started to narrow it down and became more involved, she started to get threats which she didn't let her boss or Rob know about.

If you want to follow and learn about how Meg investigated the case and what the results were, then you need to read this book. It is well worth your time.

I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Judy Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-moving, gripping story with well-developed characters that any murder/mystery connoisseur expects in the books they select. With so many choices out there, these attributes are so very important. Murder, betrayal, and secrets keep you on the edge of your seat as you swipe the pages of your Kindle until your fingers are raw! After a failed attempt at becoming a police(wo)man, Meg moves on to other ventures which in no way deter her from investigating a murder. Read for yourself, you won't be sorry! Although this is the second book in the series it does fine as a standalone and will make you want to go back and read the first! I would like to thank the author for providing me an ARC of this book and I'm leaving my honest review. P.S. I loved this book so much, I purchased it (beyond the ARC copy).

[Alice Hazelbaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Number two in the Meg Dawson series is a book you won’t be able to put down until the end! After disaster and betrayal in LA , Meg moves back to her hometown of Seattle and joins the staff of the Puget Sound Journal. Having to make contacts again is not easy. She gets the case of a murdered private school student brutally murdered in his home, a seemingly good but shy student and talented baseball player. On site she sees Rob, someone she was in the Police Acadamy with, and who is now a Seattle Detective. This case has some eerie similarities to a case in her past, and she is determined to figure why someone would want to kill Charlie. This case gets all kind of tangled before it’s solved! A great read from Amy Waeschle, an author I am reading more and more!

[JBee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the authors ability to describe the scene so vividly that I can easily imagine myself in the story. A couple times I was holding my breath as I was feeling the fear and had to remind myself - ‘Hey! Your safe in your bed!’ Yep, I read this book straight through the night as I wanted to see if my ‘guess’ on who I was so sure done it was right - and…….I was terribly wrong! The whole unwinding twist in revealing the culprit was quite a roller coaster adventure and I NEVER saw it coming! The author artfully wove into the story some topical issues concerning homelessness and the self-deceit and harm caused to self and others when we callously judge one another. Throughout the protagonist was fearless, sometimes crazy impulsive and sought to ensure justice was served.

[MGB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg Dawson is a non-stop force for justice. Denied her chance to be a detective she uses journalism to find answers to those questions which plague society, and particularly won't leave her alone. This mystery reveals her soul to the reader. We can watch her pursue all the clues and work towards a solution. She works with the police, but also independently. She can find details that they are denied. There are some unresolved questions at the end, but we will have felt powerful emotions as she weaves her way through the roadblocks thrown up to stop her.

If you like mysteries with a powerful female lead you absolutely must read this story.

[Susan Hamann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a second book in a series. It is not necessary to have read the first book to completely enjoy this one.

Meg wanted to be a police officer, like her father. But she never graduated from the academy. Now she's back home in Seattle, and working as a journalist. A story crosses her desk and she can't let go. She wants to investigate and solve a young man's murder, even though she's not police. She meets up with her best friend at the academy, who is now a detective. She is invited in to meet with the murder victim's parents because they remember an important event from her youth, which the author shares with readers who didn't read the first book.

Meg is lining up witnesses, following evidence, and doing as much of an investigation as she can, while sharing the information she finds with the detective.

She finds herself in the target of persons unknown, yet continues to persevere.

This is a great suspenseful murder mystery. The author is an excellent story teller and I highly recommend it for mature audiences.

I was provided with an advance reader copy. This is my honest review.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many secrets, so much prejudice, so many lies that could only lead to an awful solution - death! Meg was relentlessly pursuing the culprit of a teenage killing when she is faced with a barrage of misinformation that the more she learns and separates the good from bad the more dangerous this pursuit becomes. The plot is so well put together that the reader is glued to the book till the end. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Amy has certainly hit the bullet with it!!!
As a member of the author's ARC team, I downloaded a free copy of this story and this is my honest opinion.

[Christmas Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg wanted to be a police officer but flunked out of the academy so she became a journalist. The perfect career because sleuthing is in her DNA. Putting herself in danger, she is privy to information police don't have and she'll use the clues and her wits to find the killer of a high school teen attending a prestigious boy's school. This is a tense, well-written and highly enjoyable novel from a top-notch story-teller. A page turner filled with lots of action and nail biting moments.
Highly Recommended.

[Deb Snelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like Meg, the unflappable, determined, compassionate investigative journalist star of the Meg Dawson mysteries. The story is fast paced, and Meg considers all possibilities as she attempts to solve a murder after a request from the murder victim's parents. I thought I had this one figured out, but I was wrong as the story went a different direction than anticipated. Unlike many journalists, Meg has scruples, and doesn't rush to get the story out but instead deals with it delicately. I enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one!

[Kristin Carmack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a member of the ARC reader group. The only requirement is to write a review whether good or bad.
It's a good review to be sure. This story revolves around the murder of 16 year old Charlie. There are a huge number of suspects, each with a perfectly plausible reason to commit this crime. The story will keep you guessing from the first suspect right up to the revelation of the killer.
I highly recommend reading this and all Amy's books. Amy is a gifted writer and her stories are outstanding!

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once Again Top Notch Writing

Meg is a writer for a newspaper in Seattle. A young man has been killed and she begins to investigate his death. His parents contact her and ask her to come and see them They know that she lost her mother in a robbery several years ago. She needs a contact inside the police department and realizes that her old friend from her police academy days, Rob, is now working as a detective in Seattle. There’s lots of action with twists and turns galore. Her a final Goodbye will keep you glued to your seat until you reach the end.

[L.a.l]

I got hooked on the character in the first book and now cannot wait to see what happens next after this book.
This book had not only great writing but twists and turns that you would never have expected.
It covered subjects that are hot-button items and some romance was thrown in just to spice things up.
I am hoping that no matter what your political or sexual preferences are you read this book as it has some really good points.

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book in the Meg Dawson series. A page turner, with a surprise on each page. How a teenage boys death can involve such criminals & violent acts is mystery that only Meg can solve & be in danger investigating it. I lived the characters & Meg' s former police academy friend turned detective, will there be a romance in the future? Is the cold case of her friend, Noah, have new clues ? Can't wait for the next adventure!u

[Bonny Rambarran · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young man is murdered - and as a reporter she wants the story
She was almost a police officer — but now she is a reporter. And she gets in places and asks questions that put her in danger . . . . his parents are willing to trust her . . . .but her editor wants her to do other stories - leave this for the police. THIS STORY just shows that perseverance really can help get the story!!!! I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and comments are my own.

[blueyed_cntry_girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy has done a fantastic job with this edge of your seat murder mystery! Meg is an investigative reporter who goes above and beyond to find the truth. The only thing is…what will she do when she starts getting threats? Will she continue to press on for the truth or stop and write what she knows? Who would do such a horrible crime and to someone so young? Grab this book and find out…you won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an arc and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Susan Penley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meg is a journalist that researches the violent death of a teenaged prep school boy. She interviews his baseball teammates, coach, teachers, parents, etc.—everyone is a possible suspect. She is under strict deadlines to update her boss and newspaper articles with the latest details. Meg is determined to get the facts, even after her life is threatened. I had to force myself to finish this novel, it just didn’t “grab” me.

[Sherrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg has come back home and there is a murder that takes places with a young 16 year old in his home. It was brutal and it as she learns about the young man who is murdered she notices some similarities to a friend of hers who went missing when she was in high school. There is alot going on with gay and homelessness in this book. This book is a real page turner. Very good ending as well.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy to give a second chance!

This book was much better than the first in the series. It is still sad that Waeschle eludes to other parts of the story but doe not elaborate. Why did Meg leave LA? What happened with her former boss? Still so many questions! Maybe book three will clear them up.