Last Place You Look. A gripping police procedural crime thriller

Butler & West 1

By: Louisa Scarr

Narrated by: David Wayman

Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

"The man you love has been murdered. You'd do anything to find out the truth. Wouldn't you?"

A man lies dead in a hotel room, and the police attend his home address to inform the widow. Nothing unusual, until DC Freya West realises that the victim is the man she has been having an affair with. The future she imagined has been snatched away.

Meanwhile, her new boss, DS Robin Butler, is preoccupied with his own problems. Mistakes he thought were buried deep in his past now threaten to be exposed. Before long, both Butler and West are keeping secrets that could end their careers – and worse.

When the detectives have a chance to tell the truth, they choose to keep quiet. But once that line is crossed, is there any going back? After all, breaking the law is easy when you know how to uphold it.

Don't miss this tense and compulsive police procedural thriller. Perfect for fans of Sunday Times bestselling authors Cara Hunter, Susie Steiner and Jane Casey.

©2021 Louisa Scarr (P)2021 Louisa Scarr

Critic reviews

This is punchy, police procedural stuff: just as her protagonists don't play by the book, so Scarr takes the traditional set-up into darker, dirtier, more intriguing terrain.
-- Hampshire Living

A superbly crafted, perfectly paced thriller... The fact that Butler & West have just as much to hide as the people they hunt, makes this such a compelling read, and the start of a captivating new series that's hooked me in from the very first book.
-- Robert Scragg, author of All That Is Buried

The delicious joy of discovering a brilliant new crime series! ... Our detectives, Butler and West, are a duo for our days; bound by their troubles, loneliness and secrets into an unlikely alliance. You'll fall for them, and this novel, in a big way!
-- Jo Furniss, author of All the Little Children

Tightly plotted with superb characterisation... It's a book you won't be able to turn away from until you reach the very last page.
-- Alison Belsham, author of The Tattoo Thief

Fantastic story and characterisation with a pair of detectives who are battling their own demons amidst an apparent suburban suicide.
-- James Delargy, author of Vanished

They are all guilty of something.

Even though it was a basic story, it was enjoyable and easy to follow. The killer wasn't a surprise to me, but with most of the characters being messy and out of order, it could have easily been anyone.

Second-ing “Wooden” in Previous Review

Characters were not believable and story was not believable. Narrator tried to add some life but fell short

Are They Cops or Criminals?

To be honest, I would really give 2.75 stars if I could. For a procedural crime thriller, The Last Place You Look disappointed me on multiple levels. First and foremost it was difficult for me to get past the fact that the two main detectives pretty much broke every procedural rule in the book- blatantly stealing evidence, working a case when you were sleeping with the victim of the crime, deleting video evidence, blatantly overlooking your partner committing a crime- I could go on and on. I also found the story a bit over the top. I think I actually wrote in my notes, "utterly ridiculous." However, that is just me! I might be spoiled for reading anything in the 3 star range now that I've just read back to back S. A. Cosby books!

oy vey

wooden, lifeless characters. predictable story with some poorly considered elements to the murder, which made it ridiculous. done with this author and.very glad this selection was free.