The Last Word -- Update

The original post for the book, The Last Word, was published before I had a chance to read it. Once I picked this book up, it was impossible to put down! This is the second book in the Sophie Trace Trilogy Series (the first book was The Real Enemy), and it would be helpful to read these books in order to understand the frequent references to the past.

Kathy Herman writes contemporary suspense with plenty of twists and mystery to keep the reader on the edge of her seat. In The Last Word, police chief Brill Jessup and her former partner are being stalked by a recently released convict they had arrested years before. The newly freed prisoner is systematically knifing the policemen closest to Brill so they can pass on his deadly message before they die. His threats insinuate that it is only a matter of time until she is the next victim.

In addition to the stress of this deadly situation, Brill's college-age daughter, Vanessa, arrives home for summer break to announce that she is seven months pregnant! This news shatters their family and threatens to tear them apart as they try to help Vanessa decide what actions to take for her future. To make matters worse, the baby's father has disappeared completely -- as if he never existed.

Kathy does a great job of putting you in the middle of police protocol and family strife in such a way that you feel the tension and frustration of the characters. Her dialogue is natural and the story is intriguing from beginning to end. I can't wait for the third book in the series (due in March 2010).

Find out more about Kathy's books at her website. You can buy The Last Word on Amazon.

Thanks to Audra Jennings at David C. Cook Publishing for providing a copy of this book for review.