Last Seen Alive - by Claire Douglas (Paperback)

About the Book

"Libby Hall needs to hide, to escape from a personal and public tragedy. Which is why the house swap with the Heywoods is a godsend. Libby can't believe her and her husband, Jamie's, good fortune in exchanging their tiny city flat for a beautiful haven on the English coast. But before they can begin to relax and work to heal their fragile marriage, Libby makes some disturbing discoveries about the house. The peace and isolation of the getaway begin to feel threatening. How alone are they? Why does she feel like someone is watching them? When it appears that even Jamie is hiding something from her, Libby's paranoia gets the best of her. It should. For she has buried secrets of her own. As the past comes crawling out of the darkness, Libby fears she's walked into an elaborate trap. But who has set it? What do they want of her? And how far is she willing to go to keep her past deeds hidden?"--

Book Synopsis

"Thrillingly tense and twisty, a great read." -- B. A. Paris, the bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors

One woman is trapped in the death-grip of the past--and every one of its dark secrets--in this riveting novel of psychological suspense from Claire Douglas, award-winning author of The Sisters and Local Girl Missing.

As much as Libby Hall needs a vacation, she's never considered taking one until she sees the note for a house swap. Suffering a miscarriage was a personal turning point. Saving a child from a burning school was a public one. Just as the emotional fallout of both incidents takes its toll, along comes her lifesavers--the Heywoods, a couple in need of a getaway of their own.

Libby and her husband Jamie can't believe their good fortune when they arrive at the Heywood's isolated seaside estate with its panoramic views--and just in exchange for their drab two-bedroom apartment. How generous of the Heywoods! Yet how odd. Libby almost feels guilty until the home yields disquieting surprises: a fortune in hidden surveillance equipment, a stranger in the garden who watches them, and the make-shift operating room in the basement...

When Jamie falls dangerously ill, all Libby wants is to return to their comfortably imperfect lives. But it's already too late. Libby has just discovered the Heywoods' biggest secret. And when it appears that even Jamie is hiding something from her, Libby's paranoia gets the best of her. It should. For she has buried secrets of her own. As the past comes crawling out of the darkness, Libby fears she's walked into an elaborate trap. But who has set it? What do they want of her? And what is she willing to risk to make it out alive...?

From the Back Cover

She can run . . .

Libby Hall needs to hide, to escape from a personal and public tragedy. Which is why the house swap with the Heywoods is a godsend. Libby can't believe her and her husband, Jamie's, good fortune in exchanging their tiny city flat for a beautiful haven on the English coast.

But she can't hide . . .

But before they can begin to relax and work to heal their fragile marriage, Libby makes some disturbing discoveries about the house. The peace and isolation of the getaway begin to feel threatening. How alone are they? Why does she feel like someone is watching them?

Because someone knows her secret . . .

When it appears that even Jamie is hiding something from her, Libby's paranoia gets the best of her. It should. For she has buried secrets of her own. As the past comes crawling out of the darkness, Libby fears she's walked into an elaborate trap. But who has set it? What do they want from her? And how far is she willing to go to keep her past deeds hidden?

A deeply atmospheric and utterly addictive thriller that examines how far one woman will go to outrun her former life, Last Seen Alive will keep readers guessing right up to its shocking conclusion.

Review Quotes

"Thrillingly tense and twisty, a great read." -- B. A. Paris, the bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors

"Just finished Last Seen Alive . . . it's so twisty, turning and grippy. Highly recommend it! -- Gilly Macmillan, the bestselling author of What She Knew

"Fast-paced and chock-full of twists, Last Seen Alive is both absorbing and gripping. After reading it you'll never dream of a house swap again." -- Paula Daly, author of The Mistake I Made