4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Last Seen, published in May of 2017 and written by J.L. Doucette is the first novel in the Dr. Pepper Hunt series. Featuring a group of characters with a wide variety of personalities, Last Seen is a suspenseful fiction who-done-it story that leaves the reader guessing at every turn.
When Kimi Benally goes missing, the small community in Sweetwater County begin to scour the land for any clues on her disappearance. Kimi was last seen following a therapy session with Dr. Pepper Hunt, and with little clues to follow up on, the sheriff’s office and Kimi’s family are running out of options to move forward. As one of the only people with an insight to Kimi’s recent personal troubles, Dr. Hunt, a psychologist, is pulled into the investigation as a last hope for finding information on where the beautiful Native woman has gone. With a history of disassociating, some wonder if Kimi has been taken or if she has chosen to leave on her own.
Last Seen is told in rotating perspectives from chapter to chapter, with some sections told in first person from Dr. Hunt’s perspective and some told in third person perspective. With the series being named after Dr. Hunt, I expected the story to follow with her throughout the whole story, however, there was also a large focus on Detective Antelope, the lead investigator on Kimi’s case. Not only involved due to his position with the sheriff’s department, Detective Antelope is also invested due to being the missing woman’s cousin.
With a string of rapes, murders and a missing persons case, Last Seen truly has everything you could imagine in the suspense and mystery genre. While reading the story, I felt sure that I had solved the case numerous times, only to be second guessing myself once another person was brought into the spotlight of questioning. The characters drawn into the picture are well-rounded and easily became likable members of the story. Although there were some minor characters involved in the story, they shared the spotlight as being memorable and engaging to the story.
With Last Seen being so well-written and executed in a suspenseful manner, I’m already looking forward to seeing what other novels will emerge with Dr. Hunt’s presence. The novel was also professionally edited, with no errors found during my reading. As a story that I can easily recommend to readers who enjoy suspense and mystery, I rate Last Seen 4 out of 4 stars, and will gladly continue with the series as the new novels are announced by the author.
******
Last Seen
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like klbradley's review? Post a comment saying so!
but that aside, it has been awhile since I have read a really good mystery. This might need to go on my TBR list.
