Official Review: The Last Stop by Clive La Pensée

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Ellie Gatillo
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Official Review: The Last Stop by Clive La Pensée

Post by Ellie Gatillo »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Last Stop" by Clive La Pensée.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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The Last Stop: A Berlin Story of Sex and Sedition by Clive La Pensée is a crime thriller that centers on a young woman’s struggle to be free from the shackles of Berlin’s sex industry. Maria’s quest to find her sister led her to a dangerous path. She needed help when she met Jack.

Jack Precious, a tax inspector retiree from Leamington Spa, England, just wanted to enjoy his vacation in Berlin. Now in his sixties, he does not expect many thrills. Then he met Maria, a girl from Poland. Jack wanted to help the innocent girl to return to her home. Little did he know that Maria was on the run from the people in Elgar, a brothel run by the most ruthless man named Dmitri. One mistake led to another and soon enough, Jack found himself hunted by the same people who were after Maria. To remain safe, the unlikely pair needed to fight back and win their peace.

Back in Leamington Spa, Jack’s wife, Felicity, was not where she told Jack she would be. She was actually having an affair with one of her workmates. Because her guilt was nagging her, she decided to follow Jack to Berlin and tell him the truth. What she found there shocked her to the core.

What I loved about the book was that the author gave life to a set of very strong and varied main characters. Jack was inherently kindhearted and that was the main reason why he helped Maria. During their time together, he stood as the balance. He made sure Maria understood the consequences of her actions. Maria, on the other hand, was impulsive. In her desire to find her sister, she made reckless moves which put her in a precarious position. They were not the usual protagonists in a crime thriller. Maria was in her twenties and Jack was thrice Maria’s age. Their lifestyle varied greatly: Jack was an honest tax collector before he retired while Maria was a prostitute with an unusual skill for a gun. Though an atypical pair, Maria and Jack worked perfectly together.

The book also portrayed the prostitution in Berlin. I appreciated the effort of the author to be subtle on the sex scenes. They were not as graphic as I expected considering that this story lies in the sex industry. It was beautifully done.

Although some parts are slow (while some are too fast), it did not disrupt my reading. Thus, I give The Last Stop: A Berlin Story of Sex and Sedition 4 out of 4 stars. Readers with a taste for a crime thriller would love this book. Similarly, those who look for strong characters would be fascinated with Jack and Maria as I did.

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Post by Lincoln »

Thanks for the review. Certainly sounds like an interesting and well-written book.
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Post by shnasko1 »

This does sound like a good read! I love novels that are crime and have nonstop action. Your review was very well written. It made me want to find the novel and read it right now.
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Post by Ellie Gatillo »

Thank you, shnasko1. It's a great book. If you love novels that are crime and have nonstop action, then give this book a try. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
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Post by TrishaAnn92 »

Great review, ellieonline03! I honestly don't read a lot of crime thriller, I've just never been able to get into it, but this book sounds quite fascinating.
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Post by Ellie Gatillo »

Thank you, TrishaAnn92! Crime thriller is a beautiful genre, but I guess we have our own preferences. :) Anyhow, if you ever want to try reading books in this genre again, you might want to give this book a try.
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Post by kimmyschemy06 »

Sounds like a very interesting read with fascinating and endearing characters. I like the contrast between Jack and Maria. Great job on the review. Congratulations to Clive La Pensée on such an obviously well written book.
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Post by Ellie Gatillo »

kimmyschemy06 wrote:Sounds like a very interesting read with fascinating and endearing characters. I like the contrast between Jack and Maria. Great job on the review. Congratulations to Clive La Pensée on such an obviously well written book.
Thank you, kimmyschemy06. The book has a varied set of characters. At first, you'd think it would never work (with their different personalities and all) but eventually, you'd see how good they work as one.
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Post by Kdonegan91 »

Sounds like an interesting pair! Also, the book contains an interesting storyline and setting. I'll have to put this on my list. Great review!
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Post by greenstripedgiraffe »

Great review - you make me wish to read this. Sounds like a very solid story.
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Post by Ellie Gatillo »

Kdonegan91 wrote:Sounds like an interesting pair! Also, the book contains an interesting storyline and setting. I'll have to put this on my list. Great review!
Thank you, Kdonegan91! Do tell me what you think about it after reading the book. Happy reading! :techie-studyinggray:

-- January 31st, 2017, 12:07 am --
greenstripedgiraffe wrote:Great review - you make me wish to read this. Sounds like a very solid story.
Thanks a lot, greenstripedgiraffe! If you liked the review, please give this book a try. You won't be disappointed. :wink2:
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Post by dbrooks8109 »

Very nice review. I will definitely be looking into this book, crime thrillers are some of my favorite stories!
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Post by Insightsintobooks »

Good review. This sounds like an interesting read.
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Post by Ellie Gatillo »

dbrooks8109 wrote:Very nice review. I will definitely be looking into this book, crime thrillers are some of my favorite stories!
Thank you, dbrooks8109! I hope you enjoy reading this book! There's a variety of characters that are not usually found in most crime thrillers.
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Post by BestReviews »

I love the book title "The Last Stop". Sounds like a nice one to read. I am glad you liked it too.

Thank you for the review.
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