Blog Tour: ‘Last Place You Look’ by Louisa Scarr

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for ‘Last Place You Look’ by Louisa Scarr. This fab new police procedural will be published by Canelo Crime in paperback and digital formats on 8^th April 2021.

This tour is organised by Damp Pebbles. As always, thanks to the publisher, author and tour organiser for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

From the Publisher:

When does a secret become a crime?

Jonathan Miller and his wife are invited to his best friend’s lavish 40th birthday celebrations. Four days later, Jonathan is dead, apparently asphyxiated during a solitary sex act gone wrong. A tragic case of misadventure.

DS Robin Butler is accompanied by his new partner DC Freya West to notify the widow. He can’t understand why West behaves like a nervous rookie. He doesn’t know that the victim was West’s lover, and until that moment she had no idea he was dead.

West is devastated and confused. Jonathan’s wife hints that he was troubled, and West chooses to withhold her connection to him. If it came out it would end her career. Yet she cannot accept any version of events other than murder. His wife, she is sure, is lying.

As the pair investigate, Butler’s past and present also collide. When the truth is finally revealed, there is no mistaking who the guilty parties are. But can they trust each other with their darkest secrets? And how can justice be served when the laws that were broken go unnoticed?

Don’t miss this tense and compulsive first novel in a brand new police procedural series. Perfect for fans of Cara Hunter, Susie Steiner and Jane Casey.

My Review:

I’m totally on board for any police procedurals, so I was more than happy to be asked to join this blog tour for a new crime novel – and a book that is to be the first in a series featuring DS Robin Butler and his new partner, DC Freya West.

This novel follows the investigation of a man, Jonathan Miller, who seemingly dies of asphyxiation as part of a solitary sex act. However, as a result of West knowing additional information about the victim, it becomes evident that this could be a cleverly concealed murder. Throw into the mix the fact that Butler has a tragic past and cannot keep his skeletons in the closet – and the stage is set for an engaging story.

The main detective pairing are an engaging couple of characters. DS Butler is dealing with the tragedy in his past while West’s tragedy is very much in the present. In some ways, they are opposites – Butler is a bit of a mess while West is on the up in her career. However, both are prone to some very unconventional police methods.

The world of the novel is also interesting, ranging from the sterility of the Millers’ suburban home to the seediness of the sex clubs that form part of the investigation.

I found myself absolutely caught up with the events of the novel and – once the pace picked up about halfway through – I couldn’t put it down in my race to the end and the final denouement. There are plenty of surprises along the way and the solution is – while not totally a surprise to me – well handled.

My only reservation was just how unconventional the police pairing proved to be. I am not sure how realistic some elements of the novel are – and certainly how they would be allowed to happen in a police investigation. However, Butler and West aren’t the first maverick cops in detective fiction so I was happy to suspend my disbelief at times.

Overall, I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys crime fiction with the emphasis placed on the characters of the detectives – both Butler and West are central to the story rather than being just investigators. Sticklers for precision in policing methods might have some questions, but I suggest you dive in and enjoy the ride!

About the Author:

Louisa Scarr studied Psychology at the University of Southampton and has lived in and around the city ever since. She works as a freelance copywriter and editor, and when she’s not writing, she can be found pounding the streets in running shoes or swimming in muddy lakes.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/paperclipgirl

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/louisascarrwriter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisascarrwriter

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/3v4YOiC

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2N6tgb6

WHSmith: http://bit.ly/3cetOEi

NOOK: http://bit.ly/3t7TPfn

Hive.co.uk: http://bit.ly/3ruUE1r

Waterstones: http://bit.ly/38pJIdP