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Winner of the CWA Silver Dagger: A troubled woman returns to her peaceful English village after twenty years-and is murdered within twenty-four hours. When Det. Inspector Luke Thanet was a young man, Alicia Parnell was one of the most popular girls in Sturrenden: beautiful, charming, and brilliant. But her perfect life was shattered when her teenage boyfriend killed himself. Alicia's family left town soon after, and Thanet never expected to see her again. But two decades later, Alicia comes show more home to start her life over in the country village where she was born. No one knows what drew her back, and no one has a chance to ask-because less than a day after her return, Alicia is murdered. Her body is found in the Black Swan hotel, and all signs point to strangulation. Inspector Thanet is shocked by the death of someone he knew, and to find Alicia's killer, he'll have to dig deep into their shared past. Someone in Sturrenden has a secret, and Thanet must uncover it before the killer strikes again. The winner of the CWA Silver Dagger, Britain's top prize for crime fiction, Last Seen Alive is a compelling puzzle from a "dependably pleasing" author (The Boston Globe). Last Seen Alive is the 5th book in the Inspector Thanet Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
For me, this book ticks all the boxes of a good whodunnit. The story catches one's attention quickly, moves at pace and provides an unexpected ending. This is all achieved without trickery - such as introducing a new character a few pages from the end, or an endless string of gory murders designed to renew a fading interest.
This is not great literature but, life would be a dull thing were all one's reading to be 'worthy', and this is certainly entertaining. Thoroughly recommended.
This is not great literature but, life would be a dull thing were all one's reading to be 'worthy', and this is certainly entertaining. Thoroughly recommended.
i felt so sorry for the woman who died that i couldn't really enjoy the book. it was just so unfair.
crime writers association silver dagger
crime writers association silver dagger
events of 20 years earlier lead to inadvertant incest and murder
I'll read more of this British Detective series.
Excellent, intelligent
September 2007
September 2007
Ratings
Members
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Lists
British Mystery
469 works; 14 members
Crime Writers' Association Daggers
76 works; 4 members
Author Information
22 Works 3,320 Members
Dorothy Simpson is a mystery writer. Her character, Inspector Luke Thanet, has solved upper-crust mysteries in more than a dozen novels. Her novel, Last Seen Alive, received a Silver Dagger Award from the Crime Writers of America in 1985. Another book, The Maine Islands in Story and Legend, was written with information gathered by the Maine show more Writers Research Club. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Awards and Honors
Awards
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1985
- People/Characters
- Inspector Luke Thanet; Luke Thanet; Joan Thanet; Nicholas Rain; Bridget Thanet; Mike Lineham (show all 10); Ben Thanet; Richard Leyton; Vivienne Leyton; Alicia Parnell
- Important places
- Sturrenden, Kent, England, UK; Kent, England, UK
- Epigraph
- Reviens, reviens, Ma bien aimee... (Berlioz, "Nuits d'ete.)
Reviens, reviens,
Ma bien aimee. . . .
Berlioz, Nuits d'ete. - Dedication
- To Hazel
To Hazel - First words
- Even before Thanet had closed the front door behind him Bridget was hurtling down the stairs, face radiant and long hair flying. "She spoke to me, Daddy!"
Even before Thanet had closed the front door behind him Bridget was hurtling down the stairs, face radiant and long hair flying. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Scrabble counters flew everywhere as the children joined in.
- Original language
- English
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 220
- Popularity
- 146,163
- Reviews
- 5
- Rating
- (3.45)
- Languages
- English, Norwegian (Bokmål)
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 11
- ASINs
- 9
