J. T. Ellison

Everybody lies. Even the ones you think you know best of all . . .
Olivia and Park Bender are trying desperately to have a child when Olivia discovers that Park has already fathered children... as a sperm donor when he was in college. Not only that, but are you ready for it? It seems that one of his children is a serial killer. The police tell them that he's left DNA at a crime scene. Olivia’s world is supposed to be one of order and beauty as she designs home interiors, creating wonderful show more spaces for happy homes. Instead, her world is instantly an insane combination of reporters, police, distrust of her husband and loss of a dream.

The story is told in multiple points of view and although I enjoyed getting into the mind of each character, I identified with Olivia’s POV the most. Park was not a one of my favorite characters, although he was a devoted husband and wanted to be a father as much as Olivia wanted to be a mother.

The twists that take place in the telling of this intricate web of deceit, murder, infertility and sperm banks, was so very well written that I was almost waiting for the documentary credits to roll at the end. I feel that I learned from this book as well as having been entertained and absolutely totally absorbed by the story. The ending was a surprise twist that I didn’t see coming and was so good! The fast pace, the mesmerizing topics and the mystery all made this book one of the best books that I have read! The story is a haunting one, as it takes a close-up look at a difficult and delicate topic...but does so in an informative way that makes the reader empathetic, not only if they have friends and/or family that the subject relates to, but to anyone, including our fictional main character.

I would give the book 10- stars, if that were possible, so we'll go with 5 for the writing and the plot and characters and for educating me about infertility in an entertaining yet heart-tugging way.

An ADDED NOTE: If you are a reader who stops reading at the end of the book and doesn’t read the dedications, acknowledgements, author’s notes, etc., I recommend that you read all the way to the end, every word on every page. You'll be caught up and understand the sacrifice that writing this book must have cost Ms. Ellison. show less

These books are like crack! Outlandish and kinda ridiculous at times, but I can't give them up. This one had twins, cyber warfare, vampires, the voynichese manuscript, drones *and* falcons, and it was amazing and crazy and I loved it. I'm not sure if the book would stand alone to someone who hasn't read the earlier books in the series, but I suspect it's fairly easy to pick up the important stuff.

Last Seen by J.T. Ellison is a gripping psychological thriller that hooks you from the first page and never lets go. Ellison masterfully weaves a tense, atmospheric story packed with numerous twists and turns that continually upend expectations and keep you guessing right to the end. The pacing is sharp, the suspense relentless, and the emotional stakes feel chillingly real. What truly elevates the novel, though, is its open ending—unsettling, thought-provoking, and deeply show more haunting—lingering in your mind long after you’ve closed the book. This is a wonderfully crafted thriller that rewards attentive readers and proves hard to forget. show less

The day Mia Jensen died is the day she began to live.

Mia’s choices have often brought her to a place of disappointment; now Mia’s dying moments bring her the opportunity to examine the “what if” and the “what could have been” roads she’s never traveled. But has her new-found knowledge come too late to make a difference?

In this unique narrative, readers journey with Mia Jensen as her life, re-imagined by a select group of writers, unfolds in new and unexpected ways. Through show more each of these stories, readers see how the choices she makes lead Mia along the story-filled pathways of her life. But, after seeing the wide-ranging possibilities, would Mia choose to change the life she’s known? It’s an intriguing question, spectacularly answered in these glimpses into what might have been.

The accounts of Mia’s possible lives fill the space between the first and last stories of the anthology, creating a satisfying whole that will cause readers to pause for reflection after they’ve turned the last page in this unputdownable tale.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this Advance Review eBook from Two Tales Press and NetGalley
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