Her Last Word
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“Intriguing connections…a good deal to enjoy here, particularly
the richness of the two protagonists.”
RT Book Reviews
Kaitlin Roe’s vow to uncover what happened to her missing cousin pits her against a relentless killer.
Fourteen years ago, Kaitlin Roe was the lone witness to the abduction of her cousin Gina. She still remembers that lonely Virginia road. She can still see the masked stranger and hear Gina’s screams. And she still suffers from both the guilt of running away and her resentment at being interrogated as a suspect. Now, she’s determined to assuage the pain and stop the nightmares that haunt her. She begins interviewing everyone associated with the unsolved crime for a podcast designed to put Gina’s story back in the limelight in the hope of bringing closure to the long cold case.
When a woman Kaitlin interviewed is found stabbed to death, she fears that she’s drawn a killer out of hiding. For Detective John Adler the fear is even greater. He thinks the murders have only just begun and that Kaitlin is a target.
The past is closing in fast and it’s darker than Kaitlin remembers. Soon, her wish will come true. She’s going to find out exactly what happened to Gina. Someone has been dying to tell her.
Her Last Word Excerpt
Sunday, August 15, 2004; 11:42 p.m.
It was a hot, muggy night when I stumbled up to the front door of the Riverside Drive house. I was fairly new to the area and still easily turned around. It was nearly midnight, and the residents of this affluent neighborhood weren’t accustomed to drunken late-night visitors. I’d lost track of time and to this day don’t know how I made it up the hill from the river to the Hudson residence.
Dispatcher: “911. What’s your emergency?”
Caller: “My name is Jack Hudson. I live on Riverside Drive. There’s a young woman on my front porch. She’s banging on the door and begging for help.”
Dispatcher: “Have you spoken to her?”
Caller: “Just for a second. She appears drunk. She’s incoherent. Hysterical . . . Oh, shit! She just threw up in the flower bed.”
Dispatcher: “Do you know why she’s upset?”
Caller: “She claims she and her friend were attacked on Riverside Drive. Her friend was then kidnapped.”
Dispatcher: “Did you ask the woman her name?”
Caller: “Her name is Kaitlin. I didn’t catch her last name. She lives down the street with the Mason family. They have a daughter, Gina.”
Dispatcher: “I’ve dispatched officers. What is the woman doing?”
Caller: “She’s pacing in my driveway.”
Dispatcher: “Is she bleeding or hurt in any way?”
Caller: “I can’t tell. Let me flip on the porch lights.” Feet shuffle. A switch clicks. “She has blood on her arms. Jesus, she looks insane.”
Her Last Word Reviews
“Burton’s latest romantic thriller takes inspiration from the true crime podcast sensation…the narrative, which shifts from collected interviews regarding a fourteen-year-old murder and the current day murder spree it inspires, moves quickly and provides the reader with plenty of intriguing connections and building suspense…there is a good deal to enjoy here, particularly the richness of the two protagonists and their developing relationship.”
RT Book Reviews
“The writing is sharp and crisp. The characters are flawed, scarred and tenacious…Burton has written a highly entertaining, intricately woven mystery with a touch of romance that is satisfying, enthralling, and doesn’t disappoint.”
What’s Better Than Books?
“A gritty thriller that will stick with readers long after they close the book…readers will not want to put the book down.”
Book Him Danno