Blog Tour - The Last Stage

I'm thrilled today to share with you my thoughts on "The Last Stage" by Louise Voss.  It's my first time reading this author but definitely not my last.  Thanks to the publicist and the author for sending me a copy of this exciting new release.  Read on for my honest review!

TITLE: The Last Stage

AUTHOR: Louise Voss

PUBLISHER: Orenda Books

PUBLISHING DATE: July 11, 2019

FROM GOODREADS: A violent and horrific incident forces a young woman to go into hiding, at the peak of her career as lead singer of an indie pop band. Years later, strange things start to happen and it becomes clear that some know who she is… 

 At the peak of her career as lead singer of a legendary 1980s indie band, Meredith Vincent was driven off the international stage by a horrific incident. Now living a quiet existence in a cottage on the grounds of an old stately home, she has put her past behind her and come to terms with her new life. 

When a body is found in the manicured gardens of her home, and a series of inexplicable and unsettling events begins to occur, it becomes clear that someone is watching, someone who knows who she is … Someone who wants vengeance.  

And this is only the beginning… 

A dark, riveting and chilling psychological thriller, The Last Stage is also a study of secrets and obsessions, where innocent acts can have the most terrifying consequences. 

MY THOUGHTS: I'll be the first to admit that on the whole, I find thrillers either hit or miss.  When approached about reading "The Last Stage" even though I had never heard of the book or the author, I was intrigued by the mention of a 1980's indie band.  I love music and am an 80's gal so I knew I had to give it a try.  I'm so glad I did.

Years ago Meredith was a famous indie singer until something happened that forced her into leading a very recluse life.  She now lives on an estate and runs the souvenir shop.  Her life is very closed-circle and consists mainly of a few coworkers and her brother, who lives nearby on a boat.  Suddenly Meredith's life is disturbed by incidents which make her wonder if she can no longer hide from her past.  She's also worried about who might get hurt strictly by association.

"The Last Stage" is a wonderful thriller which alternates timelines.  The author does a great job of weaving the past with the present and fully explaining to the reader both current and historical information.  The mystery element kept me on the edge of my seat and I was provided with a main character and supporting cast with whom I could really connect.  I am also thrilled to say that the ending did not disappoint and that Voss definitely doesn't pull any punches. 

I've not heard much buzz about this title and I'm hear to say if you like thrillers, then this is one you need to add to your TBR.  In fact, I would venture to say that I liked this one so much more than some of last year's extremely hyped suspense titles.  There is no doubt that my future reading will include more titles from Louise Voss. 

RATING: 5 PAWS

COYER CHALLENGE UPDATE: No magical or futuristic elements.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Over her eighteen-year writing career, Louise Voss has had eleven novels published – five solo and six co-written with Mark Edwards: a combination of psychological thrillers, police procedurals and contemporary fiction – and sold over 350,000 books. Her most recent book, The Old You, was a number one bestseller in eBook. Louise has an MA (Dist) in Creative Writing and also works as a literary consultant and mentor for writers at www.thewritingcoach.co.uk. She lives in South-West London and is a proud member of two female crimewriting collectives, The Slice Girls and Killer Women.