Official Review: The Last Stop by Clive La Pensée

[Hildah Mose]

When I started reading the review, I almost thought it was filled with explicit sex scenes but I am glad I found out otherwise. And the fact that the characters are strong, then I am all in. Looking forward to getting the chance to read it. Thanks for the review.

[CNWaweru]

It would be a thrill to read about such contrasting characters set to work together. Nice review.

[heartsmallow]

Thank you for the review!

I got to read the first few chapters of the book before I read your review and it only just made me more interested in finishing the whole thing! A side note really, when you get to the parts that are slow, try to read advance pages so you realize you cannot do without the slow part of the book!

[Janetleighgreen]

I got a copy today, I like crime thrillers and this one looks interesting. I love strong characters. Thanks for the review, I look forward to the read.

[Emie Cuevas]

Sounds like an awesome crime novel. Hope I'm that active when I'm 60.

[Lg_99]

Well, I am a huge fan of crime books, so I will be checking this book out and see how it goes. I really liked how one of the main characters is not someone typically found in these kind of books. I look forward to read this story. Thank you for the review.

[CrescentMoon]

This sounds like an amazing read. I'm a huge fan of crime thrillers and I like the unique pairing of Maria and Jack and how they work together. Great review!

[mratdegraff91]

This sounds like a well written story with a great plot. I already like the characters and look forward to following them as the story progresses. Thank you for sharing and great job on the review.

[Quinto]

I like Maria's concern for her sister that she left for a foreign town in search of her. The expose of the sex trade in Berlin is also a good read.

[Kalin Adi]

A prostitute looking for her sister and a retired married man whose wife is being unfaithful make a crime thriller. It really sounds unconventional. I also appreciate the subtlety of the sex scenes in books. Thanks for the review!

[galekits17]

Anyone who's into suspense and thriller will truly love this book. I loved how the characters were portrayed by their actions. Also, as I read it, i felt like I was in the story too which makes it more interesting and realistic. I salute the author of the book and I would want to read another suspense and thriller stories like this one. Kudos!

[Vickie Noel]

Sounds fascinating, what with the unlikely pair of protagonists. It's great that despite the main backbone of the story being sex oriented, the author made an effort to tone down the graphic nature of explicit scenes. Seems like a lot can be learned about Berlin as well. Thanks for the review.

[dragonet07]

It's hard for me to turn down a book that has strong main characters and addresses an important social issue while maintaining a good story. I'll have to put this one on my "to read" shelf. Thank you for the thorough and insightful review.

[GathuaM]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Last Stop" by Clive La Pensée.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

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.

******
The Last Stop
View: on Bookshelves

Like ellieonline03's review? Post a comment saying so!

I love your review. It makes me want to read the book. I love the crime thrilling part and how Jack's wife thought of going to Berlin to tell him the truth only to bring more trouble than before. Will surely read it.

[Vermont Reviews]

Great review. My favorite character was Jack Precious. This crime thriller is now added to my reading list.
Vermont Reviews