Last Known Victim

By: Erica Spindler

Narrated by: Susan Ericksen

Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

August 2005: Amid death and destruction, hurricane-savaged New Orleans has a new dark force to fear.

As the rescue efforts unfold, a grisly discovery is made at one of the massive refrigerator "graveyards". One of these metal hulks contains six human hands - all female, all right hands. The press has dubbed the unknown perpetrator "The Handyman". But with no way to trace the origin of this refrigerator, and with evidence lost to time and the elements, the case dead-ends.

Captain Patti O'Shay is the straight-arrow, by-the-book cop assigned to the case. Her tough, unflinching character is fractured when her husband and fellow police captain is found murdered - surprised by looters taking advantage of the post-storm chaos.

August 2007: Patti, still grieving and disillusioned, gets a call from homicide - skeletal remains have been unearthed in City Park. The unknown victim - a female - is missing her right hand. But for Patti, this grave holds something even more shocking. Found beside the victim's bones is her husband's police badge.

Casting aside the very "rule book" by which she has lived her life, Patti is fearless - but so is the killer. As he stalks her, she is forced to question all she believes in, to doubt the code she has lived by...because she knows that if she doesn't find The Handyman first, she will become his last known victim.

©2007 Erica Spindler (P)2007 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Susan Ericksens concise, well-paced narration blends beautifully with Spindlers grim, empathetic vision of post-Katrina New Orleans in this romantic thriller." (AudioFile)

Captivating

I cannot put Erica Spindler's books down! They are beyond engrossing! There is always a TWIST and she isn't scared to go where no one else does! This book was great! Not her total BEST (Shocking Pink) but it was alluring!!

Get this book

Last Known Victim describes what it is like in New Orleans after Katrina. Once I started to listen I just could not stop. the story kept captivated till the end. I recommend it to others.

Disappointing plot and ending

I am one of the people who fled from Hurricane Katrina, so I was fascinated by the promise of this book. The setting of the book seemed very realistic based on my memories of the catastrophe. I was also pleased by the author's insistence on praising the great number of officers of the New Orleans Police Department who remained faithful to their duties during the disaster. The author also faithfully depicted the advantage that wealthy people had in surviving and even thriving.

Unfortunately, I also found the book a disappointment as a mystery novel. The ending stretched credibility beyond the breaking point and left me felling cheated. None of the main characters behaved in ways that were even remotely believable. I may decide to return this book in spite of my sentimental love of books set in New Orleans, especially during Katrina.

Last Known Victim

Great listen...just when i thought i knew who dunnit....I was suprised to think...no...someone else dunnit!! I couldn't stop listening until I finished...Susan Ericksen a very good narrator!!!

So amazing!

I couldn’t stop listening! Such a great suspenseful novel! Amazing! It had me second guessing who I thought the handy man was! What a great twist!

Delightful Portrait of Post-Katrina New Orleans

Last Known Victim describes what it is like in New Orleans after Katrina. The challenges of life and being a police officer spice the well written mystery.
I enjoyed the feel of New Orleans, especially the French Quarter, and the story. I recommend it to others.

Decent

If you don't mind the occasional butcher of the English language (and not by intentional dialect) it's a decent story. I enjoyed the narrator. Enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.

The Plot Twists!

I thought I knew "who done it" right up till the very end. Gasp! Plot twists throughout kept me totally engaged from the first sentence to the last.

I've listened to numerous books by this narrator. Well done, as always! Thank you!

Wow!

What a great book and narrator...totally didn't see that coming. Can't wait to listen to it a second time.

Loved it

I loved this story because it tied in characters from previous books...so it was nice to “check in “ with them. The narrator did a great job as well. I found myself not wanting to put it down.