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Stacy Killian #3
Last Known Victim
August 2005.
Amid death and destruction, hurricane-savaged New Orleans has a new dark force to fear.
As the rescue efforts unfold, a grisly discovery is made at one of the massive refrigerator “graveyards.” One of these metal hulks contains six human hands - all female, all right hands. The press has dubbed the unknown perpetrator “The Handyman.” But with no way to trace the origin of this refrigerator, and with evidence lost to time and the elements, the case dead-ends.
Captain Patti O’Shay is a straight-arrow, by-the-book cop who is assigned to the case. Her tough, unflinching character is fractured when her husband and fellow police captain is found murdered - surprised by looters taking advantage of the post-storm chaos.
August 2007
Patti, still grieving and disillusioned, gets a call from homicide: skeletal remains have been unearthed in City Park. The unknown victim - a female - is missing her right hand. But for Patti, this grave holds something even more shocking. Found beside the victim’s bones is her husband’s police badge.
Casting aside the very “rule book” by which she has lived her life, Patti is fearless - but so is the killer. As he stalks her she is forced to question all she believes in, to doubt the code she has lived by…because she knows that if she doesn’t find The Handyman first, she will become his last known victim.
Amid death and destruction, hurricane-savaged New Orleans has a new dark force to fear.
As the rescue efforts unfold, a grisly discovery is made at one of the massive refrigerator “graveyards.” One of these metal hulks contains six human hands - all female, all right hands. The press has dubbed the unknown perpetrator “The Handyman.” But with no way to trace the origin of this refrigerator, and with evidence lost to time and the elements, the case dead-ends.
Captain Patti O’Shay is a straight-arrow, by-the-book cop who is assigned to the case. Her tough, unflinching character is fractured when her husband and fellow police captain is found murdered - surprised by looters taking advantage of the post-storm chaos.
August 2007
Patti, still grieving and disillusioned, gets a call from homicide: skeletal remains have been unearthed in City Park. The unknown victim - a female - is missing her right hand. But for Patti, this grave holds something even more shocking. Found beside the victim’s bones is her husband’s police badge.
Casting aside the very “rule book” by which she has lived her life, Patti is fearless - but so is the killer. As he stalks her she is forced to question all she believes in, to doubt the code she has lived by…because she knows that if she doesn’t find The Handyman first, she will become his last known victim.
10 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 2007
167 people are currently reading
2398 people want to read
About the author
Erica Spindler
99 books2,554 followersA New York Times and International bestselling author, Erica Spindler's skill for crafting engrossing plots and compelling characters has earned both critical praise and legions of fans. Her stories have been lauded as “thrill-packed page turners, white- knuckle rides and edge-of-your-seat whodunits.”
Erica loves meeting and interacting with her fans, both in person and online. She has a wicked sense of humor, an optimistic spirit and loves coffee, chocolate and red wine, not necessarily in that order.
In 2002 her novel Bone Cold won the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence. A Romance Writers of America Honor Roll member, she received a Kiss of Death Award for her novels Forbidden Fruit and Dead Run and was a four-time RITA® Award finalist. In 1999 Publishers Weekly awarded the audio version of her novel Shocking Pink a Listen Up Award, naming it one of the best audio mystery books of 1998.
Erica lives just outside New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband and two sons.
Erica loves meeting and interacting with her fans, both in person and online. She has a wicked sense of humor, an optimistic spirit and loves coffee, chocolate and red wine, not necessarily in that order.
In 2002 her novel Bone Cold won the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence. A Romance Writers of America Honor Roll member, she received a Kiss of Death Award for her novels Forbidden Fruit and Dead Run and was a four-time RITA® Award finalist. In 1999 Publishers Weekly awarded the audio version of her novel Shocking Pink a Listen Up Award, naming it one of the best audio mystery books of 1998.
Erica lives just outside New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband and two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
September 21, 2017
Last Known Victim is book three in the Stacy Killian series by Erica Spindler. Stacy Killian was working undercover at a local nightclub when she friends one of the strippers. When Stacy's boyfriend, Spencer Malone caught a case they release that both cases entwined with each other. The readers of Last Known Victim will continue to follow Stacy and Spencer's investigation to see who the killer is.
Last Known Victim is the first book I have read by Erica Spindler, and it will not be the last one. I like the way, Erica Spindler, incorporates twist into her plots. I also enjoy Erica Spindler portrayal of her characters and the way she combines the characters in this book. Reading Last Known Victim, I had no idea who the killer was which show that Erica Spindler knows how to keep her readers engaged with her plots.
Readers of Last Known Victim, will learn about how law enforcement in New Orleans works after a hurricane Katrina. Also, readers of Last Known Victim will start to think about the different ways people grieve and that we should not take people at face value.
I recommend this book.
Last Known Victim is the first book I have read by Erica Spindler, and it will not be the last one. I like the way, Erica Spindler, incorporates twist into her plots. I also enjoy Erica Spindler portrayal of her characters and the way she combines the characters in this book. Reading Last Known Victim, I had no idea who the killer was which show that Erica Spindler knows how to keep her readers engaged with her plots.
Readers of Last Known Victim, will learn about how law enforcement in New Orleans works after a hurricane Katrina. Also, readers of Last Known Victim will start to think about the different ways people grieve and that we should not take people at face value.
I recommend this book.
July 17, 2018
Not a bad book, but not quite up to the usual standard of the author.
Felt it was more focused on Hurricane Katrina, it's devestaion and the after effects. All of which is interesting, but not what I bought the book for.
Felt it was more focused on Hurricane Katrina, it's devestaion and the after effects. All of which is interesting, but not what I bought the book for.
February 5, 2018
3.5 stars.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina has hit New Orleans. NOPD Captain Patti O'Shay is one of the officers still trying to keep order in midst of the chaos. Her husband, also a captain on the force, is missing. When the call comes in, her husband's body has been found.
Two months later, a refrigerator at the dump is found to contain 6 female hands. The killer is dubbed The Handyman and his is never located.
Two years later, bones are found in a shallow grave. The skeleton is missing her right hand and the badge of deceased Captain O'Shay is found in the grave. That certainly gets Patti's attention.
An undercover investigation with officer Stacy Killian targets a gentleman's club and its dancers as the Handyman strikes again. The two cases will merge.
I always enjoy books with a setting in New Orleans because I've visited there and can relate. Being from Texas, I remember Hurricane Katrina very well. I like the recurring character of Stacy Killian in this series and Patti O'Shay is one tough cop. The killer was not on my suspect list so I was surprised in the end.
January 25, 2015
Erica Spindler is in my top ten favorite/must read authors for a reason. She has more than proved herself as a talented, page turning author. Her characters are solid and interesting. Her facts are more realistic than a lot of books in the same genre. In LKV, Patti O'Shay, a captain in the New Orleans police department is out to find her husband's killer. The first clues come from an abandoned refrigerator left in Katrina's aftermath. One of my three suspects eventually became unmasked as the killer. This isn't a bad stat. I like to be kept guessing, and Spindler succeeds in that again here. I hate having to wait a year each time for a new Spindler book. If you haven't read any books by this author, I recommend you pick up some of the older ones first. Work your way through them to this one! Last Known Victim isn't a five star book like most of her others, but it still is way above the norm.
November 12, 2015
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the police discover six severed hands in an abandoned refrigerator. A quick investigation finds no leads. Two years later a body is discovered in a shallow grave; its right hand missing. Also in the grave is the badge of murdered policeman Sammie O'Shay. Captain Patti O'Shay knows there is a link between her husband's murder and the serial killer dubbed "The Handyman". When a stripper contacts the police and claims to know the identity of the person found in the grave, Patti jumps at the chance to solve the mystery of her husband's death. But as Patti and her detectives begin to question the accuracy of the stripper's claims, new clues are uncovered.
This is the third book in Spindler's Stacy Killian series. Stacy and her boyfriend, Spencer Malone, are secondary characters in this book. They help Spencer's Aunt Patti discover the identity of The Handyman. The story is fast moving, but does bog down a bit in the middle. There were three characters that were suspects in this book. I guessed the identity of the villain early in the story. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
This is the third book in Spindler's Stacy Killian series. Stacy and her boyfriend, Spencer Malone, are secondary characters in this book. They help Spencer's Aunt Patti discover the identity of The Handyman. The story is fast moving, but does bog down a bit in the middle. There were three characters that were suspects in this book. I guessed the identity of the villain early in the story. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
January 17, 2021
Ze blijven goed...
December 24, 2014
Another great nail biter. I am on an all out read-athon of all books Spindler. I love this author. Please keep the Malone family and NOPD crew going!
October 24, 2015
It started a little slow and for a moment I even considered giving up. But after having read encouraging reviews on Goodreads, I decided to give it a bit more time. I am sooo happy I stuck with it! This book was really good, definitely my favourite in the series.
August 29, 2013
Captain Patti O’Shay investigates a serial killer in post-Katrina New Orleans. His last known victim: her husband.
Spindler avoids the clichéd lone wolf cop, instead introducing us to the Malone dynasty. O’Shay’s late husband was also a policeman, her nephew is her depute who himself is dating a female cop in charge of a separate investigation. The extended family and friends that make up O’Shay’s private and personal life make a refreshing change. Each family member has their own life and is a distinct character in their own right. The extensive use of italics to reveal the characters’ thoughts peels back another layer of a well-rounded cast.
Very impressive is the backstory told and untold behind every family member. Often things are just alluded to or hinted at, but it shows Spindler has created complex characters. Unlike many books which start with a load of clean slates who begin to experience the plot, Spindler’s cast actually have lives pre-dating the book, past experiences and relationships that have formed their characters as they are.
The interrelationships of the wider cast are written excellently. In a genre which is so heavily plot-based, Last Known Victim has a fantastic amount of character-led drama. During the many twists, the reader is as interested to see the impact on a relationship, the reaction of an individual, as to the impact on the case.
The plot has been thoroughly thought through and, as the date and time stamps at the start of each chapter reveals, carefully planned without seeming at all forced or contrived. If it does get a little repetitive in parts, there are enough twists to cancel that out. Every time the reader thinks they’re a step ahead, they’ve solved the case, O’Shay and co. catch up, only to reveal that it’s yet another red herring thrown in to confuse you. It’s the original “that’s what they want you to think” scenario. No matter how clever you are, Spindler is cleverer. Is the conclusion one curve ball too many? Perhaps.
Writer’s craft is only noticeable when it’s bad. Good writing style is unnoticed by the reader, too engrossed in the story to care. But Spindler’s style is so good, so exquisite, that the reader can’t help but observe the skill and care that has woven together the characters, plot and scenes so masterfully.
Having said that, for some reason spaces have frequently been omitted after closing speech marks, and also before people’s names (particularly, but not only, Yvette’s). Perhaps it’s the result of abuse of a Search & Replace function, but Mira should rectify this for future prints because poor editing on the publisher’s part shouldn’t distract the reader from the author’s masterpiece. (And, as an aside, if they haven’t spoken to Coca Cola about a sponsorship deal for the volume and detail of product placement, they should!)
So a little bad grammar and maybe a chapter too far with respect to the ending, but this book deserves no less than five stars. Not for perfection, but because Spindler has done more than just outline a clever plot or hammer out some characters. She really has, in Last Known Victim, told a story. A story of so many lives, complex and unique, interconnecting and their personalities blending, complementing, clashing. With style, skill and wit, Spindler invites you to open the pages and not just read, but step into another world.
Spindler avoids the clichéd lone wolf cop, instead introducing us to the Malone dynasty. O’Shay’s late husband was also a policeman, her nephew is her depute who himself is dating a female cop in charge of a separate investigation. The extended family and friends that make up O’Shay’s private and personal life make a refreshing change. Each family member has their own life and is a distinct character in their own right. The extensive use of italics to reveal the characters’ thoughts peels back another layer of a well-rounded cast.
Very impressive is the backstory told and untold behind every family member. Often things are just alluded to or hinted at, but it shows Spindler has created complex characters. Unlike many books which start with a load of clean slates who begin to experience the plot, Spindler’s cast actually have lives pre-dating the book, past experiences and relationships that have formed their characters as they are.
The interrelationships of the wider cast are written excellently. In a genre which is so heavily plot-based, Last Known Victim has a fantastic amount of character-led drama. During the many twists, the reader is as interested to see the impact on a relationship, the reaction of an individual, as to the impact on the case.
The plot has been thoroughly thought through and, as the date and time stamps at the start of each chapter reveals, carefully planned without seeming at all forced or contrived. If it does get a little repetitive in parts, there are enough twists to cancel that out. Every time the reader thinks they’re a step ahead, they’ve solved the case, O’Shay and co. catch up, only to reveal that it’s yet another red herring thrown in to confuse you. It’s the original “that’s what they want you to think” scenario. No matter how clever you are, Spindler is cleverer. Is the conclusion one curve ball too many? Perhaps.
Writer’s craft is only noticeable when it’s bad. Good writing style is unnoticed by the reader, too engrossed in the story to care. But Spindler’s style is so good, so exquisite, that the reader can’t help but observe the skill and care that has woven together the characters, plot and scenes so masterfully.
Having said that, for some reason spaces have frequently been omitted after closing speech marks, and also before people’s names (particularly, but not only, Yvette’s). Perhaps it’s the result of abuse of a Search & Replace function, but Mira should rectify this for future prints because poor editing on the publisher’s part shouldn’t distract the reader from the author’s masterpiece. (And, as an aside, if they haven’t spoken to Coca Cola about a sponsorship deal for the volume and detail of product placement, they should!)
So a little bad grammar and maybe a chapter too far with respect to the ending, but this book deserves no less than five stars. Not for perfection, but because Spindler has done more than just outline a clever plot or hammer out some characters. She really has, in Last Known Victim, told a story. A story of so many lives, complex and unique, interconnecting and their personalities blending, complementing, clashing. With style, skill and wit, Spindler invites you to open the pages and not just read, but step into another world.
June 6, 2015
I loved this book!!! I'm kinda annoyed it took me longer than normal to finish it... I kept falling asleep!! But not cus i was bored.. Or I didn't like it.. I've just been soo tired!!!
But yes!!! I am proud to say I had a good idea about who the killer was before the end!!
But Erica really had me going back and forth for a while!!
I feel like a broken record!! All her books are so suspenseful and full of twists.. And I love her characters so much!!!
This book is great too because it takes place after hurricane Katrina and it really seems like Katrina is almost like another character.. Having devastated the city and how it affected the characters and such... Really awesome stuff!!!
And onward I go!! With her next book!! Yay!!
But yes!!! I am proud to say I had a good idea about who the killer was before the end!!
But Erica really had me going back and forth for a while!!
I feel like a broken record!! All her books are so suspenseful and full of twists.. And I love her characters so much!!!
This book is great too because it takes place after hurricane Katrina and it really seems like Katrina is almost like another character.. Having devastated the city and how it affected the characters and such... Really awesome stuff!!!
And onward I go!! With her next book!! Yay!!
April 30, 2008
Good!
But I didn't find it to be her best. I prefered Killer Takes All to this one.
I found that it dragged a little in some parts. It wasn't as exciting and suspenseful for me like her other novels. The synopsis has you focusing on Patti, but the story doesn't really focus on one main character - more like several characters.
As for 'The Handyman', I was way off; didn't even suspect. Had a few people in mind, but this one didn't even come close. I liked that.
I felt bad for Yvette, and worse for Patti. Can't wait for the next novel!
Rating: 3.75 stars
But I didn't find it to be her best. I prefered Killer Takes All to this one.
I found that it dragged a little in some parts. It wasn't as exciting and suspenseful for me like her other novels. The synopsis has you focusing on Patti, but the story doesn't really focus on one main character - more like several characters.
As for 'The Handyman', I was way off; didn't even suspect. Had a few people in mind, but this one didn't even come close. I liked that.
I felt bad for Yvette, and worse for Patti. Can't wait for the next novel!
Rating: 3.75 stars
April 10, 2008
I had no idea that this was part of a series, but it didn't harm the plot any. I will need to go back and read some more in the Malone family as I would love to see how they got to the point where they are in this book. I was half right on whodunit (if that's even possible!) and found this a most entertaining thriller.
January 5, 2015
Spindler writes some great thrillers, and this one definitely didn't disappoint! It's hard to find authors that consistently grip the readers with new material and suspense but she delivers every time. Looking forward to reading many more in the future.
April 6, 2015
This book was great, I really liked it. Erica Spindler's books are full of suspense and really hard to put down.
April 7, 2015
What a fantastic story. Kept me guessing to the very end. Did not see that one coming. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone.
Love all Erica's books.
Love all Erica's books.
September 9, 2015
Excellent.
April 28, 2015
One of her best books, that I have read. It kept my interest.
November 18, 2015
Great book! I could not put it down! This is my 3rd Erica Spindler book, they keep getting better!
March 23, 2017
I am a die hard in order series reader. For some reason I thought it was a stand alone. It is the segueing of two series together. The previous novels were pre Katrina snd she wanted to showcase rhe changes this storm brought to New Orleans.
It has been two years since Captain Patty lost her husband a police officer to violence. The case goes wacky crazy sideway twist when old freezers are being cleaned per EPA guidelines and frozen hands are discovered. In the meantime a shallow grave is found with a body and a police shield. Add in a dancer who believes she is being targeted by a madman and you have a good read ahead of you. All these twisty strings come together to make a strong rope. All questions are answered in this book but I like my guess as the killer better than who it was
It has been two years since Captain Patty lost her husband a police officer to violence. The case goes wacky crazy sideway twist when old freezers are being cleaned per EPA guidelines and frozen hands are discovered. In the meantime a shallow grave is found with a body and a police shield. Add in a dancer who believes she is being targeted by a madman and you have a good read ahead of you. All these twisty strings come together to make a strong rope. All questions are answered in this book but I like my guess as the killer better than who it was
April 26, 2019
Love this series, the third consecutive one I've read - love it that much! Now on to the fourth! Once again Erica Spindler employs her twists and turns - you just never ever know! Liked Book 1 and this one (Book 3) more than Book 2, but I can honestly say - I'm well and truly hooked.
September 10, 2024
Standard-issue cop thriller, but as a New Orleans resident, I appreciated all of the New Orleans references. Fun read.
July 13, 2018
The story is interesting and keeps you in suspense until the end.
The writing style took a while to get used to. The thoughts of the characters are sometimes put in italics which I found distracting at first. Also forensic details are sometimes over-explained, but maybe that's because the book was written over 10 years ago before some procedures were more commonplace.
Altogether a good read though and I will be keeping a look out for more books by this author.
The writing style took a while to get used to. The thoughts of the characters are sometimes put in italics which I found distracting at first. Also forensic details are sometimes over-explained, but maybe that's because the book was written over 10 years ago before some procedures were more commonplace.
Altogether a good read though and I will be keeping a look out for more books by this author.
May 27, 2011
A couple of months ago I did a profile on one of my favourite authors, Erica Spindler. And tonight, I have another review for you. Last Known Victim was not necessarily a follow on from Bone Cold, but the Malone and Killigan family are key characters. In this sense, I suppose Spindler is like Karen Rose, in that they use the same characters over again, but you don't necessarily need to read all the books in order.
In this novel, we are in post-Katrina New Orleans. Captain Patti O'Shay lost her husband Sammy in the aftermath of Katrina, and has spent the years since trying to avenge her husbands death. When an old freezer containing numerous severed right hands is found, the New Orleans Police Department dubb the killer the Handyman and launch into an investigation. With not much to go on, it doesn't take long for the trail to run cold and the investigation to come to a halt, and Patti is forced to move on without truly being able to let go of her husband.
Fast forward a couple of years and a victim is found, half buried with Sammy O'Shay's police ID. Time of death proves that whoever buried the girl also buried the ID, and the investigation is opened up. At the same time, a young stripper named Yvette is receiving increasingly odd notes from a customer who calls himself the Artist. Yvette is not aware that the new dancer, Brandi, is actually Detective Stacey Killigan (who's sister features prominently in See Jane Die from 2004) undercover, working on a drugs bust that is centred on Yvette's married boyfriend. Confused yet? I was. But that's what makes it so grand. A human mind came up with these elaborate plots that all seem to be intertwined. And trying to stay one step ahead is damn near impossible as these connections are brought to light.
When links are made between the Handyman's victim and the club that both Yvette and Stacey/Brandi dance at, the investigations become linked. Only for Patti, it's extremely personal. Hell bent on catching her husband's killer, she joins forces with Yvette, despite strong warnings not to do so, and to determine if the Handyman and the Artist are indeed the same person. But Yvette is not always honest, and she is hiding a dark background from those around her. When holes begin to form in her story, the police are forced to question her true involvement in the case. Is she just an innocent victim, or is there more to her than meets the eye? Or is there someone else out there, more twisted and tormented than Patti could ever imagine, who is hell bent on destroying her happiness by targeting the one thing she cares about most: her family?
I suppose you will have to read to find out. If my incessant rants about how brilliant Erica Spindler is have not encouraged you to pick up one of her novels (or borrow one from me!) then I don't know what will. But, I assure you, you are missing out!
In this novel, we are in post-Katrina New Orleans. Captain Patti O'Shay lost her husband Sammy in the aftermath of Katrina, and has spent the years since trying to avenge her husbands death. When an old freezer containing numerous severed right hands is found, the New Orleans Police Department dubb the killer the Handyman and launch into an investigation. With not much to go on, it doesn't take long for the trail to run cold and the investigation to come to a halt, and Patti is forced to move on without truly being able to let go of her husband.
Fast forward a couple of years and a victim is found, half buried with Sammy O'Shay's police ID. Time of death proves that whoever buried the girl also buried the ID, and the investigation is opened up. At the same time, a young stripper named Yvette is receiving increasingly odd notes from a customer who calls himself the Artist. Yvette is not aware that the new dancer, Brandi, is actually Detective Stacey Killigan (who's sister features prominently in See Jane Die from 2004) undercover, working on a drugs bust that is centred on Yvette's married boyfriend. Confused yet? I was. But that's what makes it so grand. A human mind came up with these elaborate plots that all seem to be intertwined. And trying to stay one step ahead is damn near impossible as these connections are brought to light.
When links are made between the Handyman's victim and the club that both Yvette and Stacey/Brandi dance at, the investigations become linked. Only for Patti, it's extremely personal. Hell bent on catching her husband's killer, she joins forces with Yvette, despite strong warnings not to do so, and to determine if the Handyman and the Artist are indeed the same person. But Yvette is not always honest, and she is hiding a dark background from those around her. When holes begin to form in her story, the police are forced to question her true involvement in the case. Is she just an innocent victim, or is there more to her than meets the eye? Or is there someone else out there, more twisted and tormented than Patti could ever imagine, who is hell bent on destroying her happiness by targeting the one thing she cares about most: her family?
I suppose you will have to read to find out. If my incessant rants about how brilliant Erica Spindler is have not encouraged you to pick up one of her novels (or borrow one from me!) then I don't know what will. But, I assure you, you are missing out!
August 20, 2023
Erica Spindler delivers another captivating read. I kept guessing until the very end about the serial killer's identity.
October 16, 2018
This was sort of a basic mystery. The storyline was good, however it didn't have a surprise element. I'll admit there were certain things that made other characters seem suspicious, however I was able to figure out who the killer was. I felt like it was focused more on Hurricane Katrina, than the mystery aspect.
April 10, 2009
Excellent, excellent read!!
From dust jacket:
"August 2005.
Amid death and destruction, hurricane-savaged New Orleans has a new dark force to fear.
As the rescue efforts unfold, a grisly discovery is made at one of the massive refrigerator "graveyards". One of these metal hulks contains six human hands - all female, all right hands. The press has dubbed the unknown perpetrator "The Handyman." But with no way to trace the origin of this refrigerator, and with evidence lost to time and the elements, the case dead-ends.
Captain Patti O'Shay is a straight arrow, by-the-book cop who is assigned to the case. Her tough, unflinching character is fractured when her husband and fellow police captain is found murdered - surprised by looters taking advantage of the post-storm chaos.
August 2007.
Patti, still grieving and disillusioned, gets a call from homicide: skeletal remains have been unearthed in City Park. The unknown victim - a female - is missing her right hand. But for Patti, this grave holds something even more shocking. Found beside the victim's bones is her husband's police badge.
Casting aside the very "rule book" by which she has lived her life, Patti is fearless - but so is the killer. As he stalks her she is forced to question all she believes in, to doubt the code she has lived by...because she knows that if she doesn't find The Handyman first, she will become his last known victim."
From dust jacket:
"August 2005.
Amid death and destruction, hurricane-savaged New Orleans has a new dark force to fear.
As the rescue efforts unfold, a grisly discovery is made at one of the massive refrigerator "graveyards". One of these metal hulks contains six human hands - all female, all right hands. The press has dubbed the unknown perpetrator "The Handyman." But with no way to trace the origin of this refrigerator, and with evidence lost to time and the elements, the case dead-ends.
Captain Patti O'Shay is a straight arrow, by-the-book cop who is assigned to the case. Her tough, unflinching character is fractured when her husband and fellow police captain is found murdered - surprised by looters taking advantage of the post-storm chaos.
August 2007.
Patti, still grieving and disillusioned, gets a call from homicide: skeletal remains have been unearthed in City Park. The unknown victim - a female - is missing her right hand. But for Patti, this grave holds something even more shocking. Found beside the victim's bones is her husband's police badge.
Casting aside the very "rule book" by which she has lived her life, Patti is fearless - but so is the killer. As he stalks her she is forced to question all she believes in, to doubt the code she has lived by...because she knows that if she doesn't find The Handyman first, she will become his last known victim."
December 21, 2015
Niesamowity kryminał Spindler!
Jestem zachwycona, cały czas coś się dzieje, ciągłe zwroty akcji i fenomenalne niespodziewane zakończenie.
Rewelacyjna postać zdeterminowanej Patty O'Shay, która została przedstawiona z wielu stron - raz była stanowczym, bezkompromisowym stróżem prawa, a raz kobietą żyjącą na krawędzi, ryzykującą życie i łamiącą wszelkie zasady. Desperacja i ogromna miłość do Sammy'ego dawała jej siłę, dzięki której nie bała się prowadzić ryzykownie skomplikowanego, pełnego zawiłych zagadek i fałszywych tropów śledztwa. Zainteresowała mnie także tajemnicza postać Yvette, która tak jak kapitan O'Shay miała dwie twarze.
Kryminał cały czas czyta się w napięciu, trudno przewidzieć, co się wydarzy dalej. W tej powieści podoba mi się również uwydatniony wątek psychologiczny, który pomaga zrozumieć postępowanie ludzi pojawiających się w utworze.
Brak mi słów żeby opisać moje wrażenia po przeczytaniu książki. Lepsze niż film akcji, daję słowo, że ciśnienie mi skoczyło czytając ostatnie 100 stron. Genialne postaci, nieprzewidywalna fabuła.
Ta lektura pokazuje nam, że nasz mózg, nasza psychika nie ma granic, wszystko jest możliwe. Śledztwo nie polega tylko na suchych, namacalnych faktach, poszlakach, to ukazuje nam ten kryminał. Czasem to co uważamy za bezpieczne, tak naprawdę jest zagrożeniem naszego życia i naszych bliskich.
To i nie tylko uświadamia nam książka stworzona przez Ericę. GORĄCO POLECAM!
Jestem zachwycona, cały czas coś się dzieje, ciągłe zwroty akcji i fenomenalne niespodziewane zakończenie.
Rewelacyjna postać zdeterminowanej Patty O'Shay, która została przedstawiona z wielu stron - raz była stanowczym, bezkompromisowym stróżem prawa, a raz kobietą żyjącą na krawędzi, ryzykującą życie i łamiącą wszelkie zasady. Desperacja i ogromna miłość do Sammy'ego dawała jej siłę, dzięki której nie bała się prowadzić ryzykownie skomplikowanego, pełnego zawiłych zagadek i fałszywych tropów śledztwa. Zainteresowała mnie także tajemnicza postać Yvette, która tak jak kapitan O'Shay miała dwie twarze.
Kryminał cały czas czyta się w napięciu, trudno przewidzieć, co się wydarzy dalej. W tej powieści podoba mi się również uwydatniony wątek psychologiczny, który pomaga zrozumieć postępowanie ludzi pojawiających się w utworze.
Brak mi słów żeby opisać moje wrażenia po przeczytaniu książki. Lepsze niż film akcji, daję słowo, że ciśnienie mi skoczyło czytając ostatnie 100 stron. Genialne postaci, nieprzewidywalna fabuła.
Ta lektura pokazuje nam, że nasz mózg, nasza psychika nie ma granic, wszystko jest możliwe. Śledztwo nie polega tylko na suchych, namacalnych faktach, poszlakach, to ukazuje nam ten kryminał. Czasem to co uważamy za bezpieczne, tak naprawdę jest zagrożeniem naszego życia i naszych bliskich.
To i nie tylko uświadamia nam książka stworzona przez Ericę. GORĄCO POLECAM!
October 12, 2015
STACY KILLIAN IS BACK! STACY KILLIAN IS BACK! *happy dance*
Okay, now that we got that awkwardness out of the way, let's begin shall we.
New Orleans is a place full of despair. We're brought into this ravaged place that so many have lost what they called HOME and we're put into the crossfire of a killer who has been using the chaos to build themselves a nice trophy collection. Now, I like to NOT post spoilers in my reviews; That being said.... this book sat with me for a while. Like a deep pit in the stomach full of battery acid. It may be because Patti was so absolute in her beliefs and yet she had to bend them in a way that she almost herself became lost... or it may have been how the story unfolded and you're just left gasping for air. But this is an Erica Spindler novel, so these things are just what I expect from. But there was something so dark in this novel that I had to take a breather at the end and reflect on what had happened.
Now, we get more Malone's!!!! YES! I love that family. They are the family I love to see pop up in Erica's novels, even as a passerby of sorts and for us avid fans, we finally get some real closure for Stacy and Spencer...
Stop reading my review and just pick it up!
XOXO,
MILADY
Okay, now that we got that awkwardness out of the way, let's begin shall we.
New Orleans is a place full of despair. We're brought into this ravaged place that so many have lost what they called HOME and we're put into the crossfire of a killer who has been using the chaos to build themselves a nice trophy collection. Now, I like to NOT post spoilers in my reviews; That being said.... this book sat with me for a while. Like a deep pit in the stomach full of battery acid. It may be because Patti was so absolute in her beliefs and yet she had to bend them in a way that she almost herself became lost... or it may have been how the story unfolded and you're just left gasping for air. But this is an Erica Spindler novel, so these things are just what I expect from. But there was something so dark in this novel that I had to take a breather at the end and reflect on what had happened.
Now, we get more Malone's!!!! YES! I love that family. They are the family I love to see pop up in Erica's novels, even as a passerby of sorts and for us avid fans, we finally get some real closure for Stacy and Spencer...
Stop reading my review and just pick it up!
XOXO,
MILADY
October 14, 2011
This is an intriguing story, suspenseful, well-written. It puts you inside the killer’s head without giving away the identity. In fact, it’s a guessing game as to who it may be. The reader may be certain Yvette isn’t the killer but who it really is, is a good guess. Although there are a great many suspects, all of them indulging in guilty behavior, there aren’t many overt hints as to the actual murderer, and then only a few pages before the discovery of the killer.
The descriptions of New Orleans life and activities makes me want to go there. The only complaint I have about the book is the selection of one of the victims, a character who’s in the story only briefly compared to the others but who captured my attention by his likability. Not having read any other books about these characters, I don’t know if he was featured in them as well, but if he is, then that will make his demise—though done off-stage, so to speak—more hard-hitting for the reader.
Other than that, I highly recommend Last Known Victim.
The descriptions of New Orleans life and activities makes me want to go there. The only complaint I have about the book is the selection of one of the victims, a character who’s in the story only briefly compared to the others but who captured my attention by his likability. Not having read any other books about these characters, I don’t know if he was featured in them as well, but if he is, then that will make his demise—though done off-stage, so to speak—more hard-hitting for the reader.
Other than that, I highly recommend Last Known Victim.
October 11, 2012
Based 2 years after Katrina and with character from a previous book appearing, fans new and old will be sucked into this novel and be riveted. Based on finding the severed hands of victims during the clean-up of the Refrigerator graveyard, Captain O’shay is then lead to another grave containing a victim with a severed hand and the badge of her missing husband. With even more reason to catch the killer O’shay pushes the limits of the law to get them.
I enjoyed this Spindler novel very much. The characters had a clear and conscious voice and their emotions lived and breathed. You followed every twist and turn until the very end and doubted if what you read was the truth. But as with any great mystery you have to read on to find out. I am glad to be a Spindler fan. I wanted to read LAST KNOWN VICTIM for a while but it took some months to acquire it. I am glad I got it.
I enjoyed this Spindler novel very much. The characters had a clear and conscious voice and their emotions lived and breathed. You followed every twist and turn until the very end and doubted if what you read was the truth. But as with any great mystery you have to read on to find out. I am glad to be a Spindler fan. I wanted to read LAST KNOWN VICTIM for a while but it took some months to acquire it. I am glad I got it.
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