Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
Sky above. Earth below. Trees around. Evil within.


With two members of the Violent Crimes Unit just out of the hospital and another still recovering, things are finally beginning to settle—except for Special Agent Emma Last. Her disturbing dreams of the Other are growing more vivid, and now a desperate fortune teller from a past case arrives on her doorstep. The woman’s estranged husband took their ten-year-old camping, and they haven’t been heard from in five days.

Are they lost? Or has the boy been abducted by his own father?

As Emma and her team investigate, they uncover something far more disturbing than a routine missing persons case. Four other hikers have recently vanished without a trace— until a severed foot is discovered, stark evidence of something far more sinister lurking in the wilderness.

As they navigate the fifteen thousand acres of unforgiving wilderness, they encounter deadly traps hidden along the trails, meticulously designed to kill. This isn’t just a man gone rogue—this is a predator, and he’s hunting them.

The deeper they push into the woods, the more dangerous their mission becomes. There’s a madman on the loose, and if they’re not careful, they’ll become his dinner.

Last Trace, the eleventh book in the Emma Last series by bestselling author Mary Stone, will redefine the concept of a hunger for revenge.

250 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 9, 2024

785 people are currently reading
136 people want to read

About the author

Mary Stone

212 books2,063 followers
To download my FREE BOOK, click here: https://authormarystone.com/free-book...

Nestled in the tranquil Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee, Mary Stone has transformed her peaceful home, once bustling with her sons, into a creative haven. As her family grew, so did her writing career, evolving from childhood fears to a deep understanding of real-life villains. Her stories, centered around strong, unconventional heroines, weave themes of courage and intrigue.

Mary's journey from a solitary writer to establishing her own publishing house marks a significant evolution, showcasing her commitment to the literary world. Through her writing and publishing endeavors, she continues to captivate and inspire, honoring her lifelong fascination with the mysterious and the courageous.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1,406 (66%)
4 stars
501 (23%)
3 stars
150 (7%)
2 stars
32 (1%)
1 star
11 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
Profile Image for DianaRaven.
1,260 reviews8 followers
September 10, 2024
LAST TRACE is the eleventh installment in Mary Stone's Emma Last FBI Mystery Series. If you are new to the series, you'll discover each investigation and each bad character is unique and the stories are page turners that keep you on the edge of your seat.

The VCU team is still shorthanded with Vance still being treated for his TBI, Denae just woke from her coma and Mia just returned to work after recovering from the methamphetamine she was force-fed. 

Emma, Leo and newly returned Mia are looking into a missing man and his 10 yr old son. They never called or returned from a weekend camping trip. Their initial investigation finds there have been more people disappear this last year than all ten years before. Now, two more are missing. None have ever been found. With two forest rangers and a tracker, the three agents enter the forest to look for the man and his son. Whatever they expect to find they are totally unprepared for the terror they will find. They will be lucky if they don't join the missing. 

This is a well written story with plenty of  suspense, horror, twists and turns. Your emotions will be all over the place. This story is definitely worth reading, but not for the squeamish.

The case is finally closed and everyone is ordered to take a leave of rest. But something is wrong in Salem and Emma, along with Leo and Mia, is going there to find out what is happening  and maybe confront the Other. Could this be the final countdown with the Other?

I received a copy of this book from the author and the above is my honest review. I also recommend this book and the entire Emma Last FBI series to those that enjoy thrillers. 
351 reviews
September 11, 2024
Emma is hearing the wolf howl in dreams and at different times during her awake times. Is the wolf going to be her nightmare asleep or awake?
With her co-workers being released from the hospital, some the pain, nightmares and fright is overwhelming them. Emma is so happy they are out of the hospital. Leo is releaved they have been released, especially Denae.
I was so glad to get this book and to continue my reading the Emma Last Series. I enjoyed it so much and now I am excited to read the next book and I am waiting for it. I have come to love the people in the series, they have become like friends. I have enjoyed reading Mary Stone books and have purchased many as gifts for friends and family.
Profile Image for Sue Sandifer.
130 reviews2 followers
September 9, 2024
A woman connected to a previous case shows up at Emma’s office wanting to talk with her. Her husband and their son had gone out to hike/camp in the woods and haven’t returned. They are overdue and the mom “knows” something is wrong. After discussing the details with her boss, the team is going to research and then start an investigation.
In searching they discover that several folks have gone missing and never found in this same area. Trails that were marked are suddenly covered or altered. After a couple of “accidents” from human set traps, the team has to take extra safety precautions.
Definitely a read straight through book!
Profile Image for Emily  Siler.
81 reviews2 followers
September 13, 2024
This one was gruesome, to say the least . Think of the most twisted Criminal Minds episode, and that will give you an idea of how messed up the villain is. Mary uses very descriptive , gory, and stomach churning words in this one , but like every other book in the Emma Last series, I couldn't put it down. It's terrifying to think that there could be people out there who are so psychologically scarred and could be like the villain in this book. this one is a real page turner. I always enjoy her ghostly interactions , especially when they assist her. I'm excited and nervous to see what new dangers await her in Salem.
22 reviews
January 21, 2025
warnings for 2 from 2

After solving another grisly case, Emma and two of her closest colleagues are headed to Salem. Emma’s birthplace and a place that causes her body to react in a particularly violent way, the closer she gets to her hometown, the more affected she becomes, but she is compelled to return to try to find answers to the ‘SHE” in the Other and why she, Emma, is in danger from the unknown woman. The last case was harrowing for the agents and the park rangers, but with a little ghostly help they solved the case and came out alive. I am diving into the next episode and am anxiously wondering if they will all return alive this time.
133 reviews2 followers
September 9, 2024
Excellent thriller with gruesome scenes. Mary starts with the overwhelming scene, but lets you take a breath with the starting of the new easy case of the missing father and son. Emma soon realizes that something really wrong is going on. The case takes on fast with gruesome horrific scenes and deadly snares . Will the ghosts help, who will survive and will Ema find the child? I had to stop and take a deep breath to continue. This was so far the most intense and horror filled story Mary wrote so far. Be ready. The next one will be superb and dark!👏❤️
65 reviews1 follower
September 15, 2024
I do not feel hungry anymore l

I have always liked hikes in our woods. I know from now on they will be even slower paced, not just looking at wild flowers but possible hidden traps. Do I really expect to find any? With recent parts of human bodies being found and the news printed about in the local newspaper and on local TV news maybe I should be a little more careful about going hiking in the woods! Whatever you do enjoy this shiver producing read. I am anxious by waiting for the next book!!
Profile Image for P J Van Benthusen.
451 reviews1 follower
September 15, 2024
This is not my favorite genre, but I do enjoy this author. The subject is disturbing, and you wonder how a mind can be this warped. The premises that a lost boy can turn into a murdering, cannibalizing killer is pretty hard to accept. That is until you read the steps that took him there. Also, Emma Last has a secret that only a few know, she sees and talk to ghosts! As that part of her life overlaps here cases, she is caught in a world somewhere between life and death. This is a quick read but probably needs a warning label about explicit murder scenes. It may give you nightmares!
208 reviews1 follower
September 9, 2024
FBI agent Emma Last delves into another strange case with only half her team members available. A young boy has been kidnapped by his father & taken into the woods. Upon investigation, it appears there are a lot of hikers that have come up missing lately in the same woods. This is a bizarre case with many twists & turns. The Other helps Emma & she realizes she must go home to get any resolve. You won’t want to miss this
174 reviews
September 9, 2024
Emma Last and the FBI team go searching for a missing young boy and his father. While searching they come accross some horrendous situations and obstacles. Emma is also visited by The Others and her mother's friend Monique. This is fast paced with twists and has some grotesque situations. Mary Stone has written another great Emma Last book. Really looking forward to the next book in the series.
I am an ARC member and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for Susan Clair Holt.
1,312 reviews1 follower
September 11, 2024
Last Trace

An abused son has survived in the wilderness since he was 11 years old and into his twenties now has become a cannibal thinking this gives him a connection to the person. His parents kept him a well guarded secret, they found after his capture that he had a homemade birth certificate. Being isolated his entire life he is extremely lonely and with the abuse is psychotic. This leave a lot of thought about abused persons. This is a great story.
241 reviews2 followers
October 27, 2024
Intrguing

The "Emma Last FBI Mystery Series" has the "Other" side. Not your typical FBI procedural novel. Emma's ability to see and hear from the dead, who help solve their own murders, is an intriguing twist. In this episode, you have the cannibalistic Dale, a definite example of the nature of nurture growing from childhood. The evil his parents brought upon him as a child made him into what he became. Sad!
145 reviews
March 13, 2025
Okay

I like the criminal justice part of the story but was really annoyed at Mia charging ahead when she heard the boy's scream. It was exactly what got her boyfriend almost killed and extremely injured in the last book. It was just a little too on the nose. Too many times, the trained agents don't follow protocols. Just a note, law enforcement does not shoot to "wing" the criminals. They are trained to aim at head and heart to take the target down. Always.
Profile Image for Sue Palmer Crosby.
226 reviews
September 7, 2024
An anxious mother comes to Emma for help finding her son and husband who haven’t come back from a weekend hiking trip. What should have been a simple people lost in the woods case turns into a nightmare for Emma, Leo & Mia. Along with traps, cannibalism & insanity is the introduction of a woman who tries to warn Emma of greater danger.
149 reviews
September 9, 2024
Mary Stone at her finest! The first chapter left me gasping! Emma Last and the FBI team find themselves hiking through a dangerous forest laden with killer traps, very scary! The intensity of the writing keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and will not let you put this book down.
Finished in one day…it is that good!
276 reviews
September 11, 2024
wow!!

This is a crazy, insane, and very, very grizzly book! People have gone hiking in the woods and several through the years were never found. When I mother called the FBI to report that her 10 year old son had gone with his dad hiking and hasn’t returned, off they went to investigate.
253 reviews
September 11, 2024
Captivating book

The FBI team is disturbed with their new case. A father and son are missing. What are the circumstances of this case? A lot of twists and turns keeps you guessing and interested in this search. Emma’s special gifts are raging in this book. I am anxiously awaiting for the next installment of this series.
Profile Image for Mary Rowe.
2,581 reviews8 followers
September 12, 2024
whoa! what a stunner!

Emma’s connection to the Other is stronger; a killer’s victims, this time, help track the perpetrator.

A woman from a past case, Esther, with a sensitivity to the Other, has lost track of her 10-year-old son, who went camping with his dad.

The disappearance of her ex-husband and son opens up an entire serial killer investigation.
157 reviews2 followers
September 19, 2024
Last Trace is the 11th book in the Emma Last series by Mary Stone. Mary and her crew are called to investigate the case of a missing man and his son.

They soon discover that other men have gone missing in the same forest, and this leads to a gruesome discovery.
The book is full of suspense and twist sand turns and I would highly recommend it.
115 reviews1 follower
October 27, 2024
Therapy may be required

I think I need therapy after reading this graphic horror story. The visual in my head was absolutely terrifying. I wanted to vomit and empathize with this poor child. I can’t imagine how this will affect him in the years to come. I know it’s fiction and I have a problem of immersing myself in a book but OMG.
664 reviews3 followers
December 26, 2024
Lost

A woman reported her ex hut and son missing after they hadn't returned from hiking in a large forest. Emma, Leo and Mia worked with forest rangers to begin a search for them. Two of the rangers were nearly killed by traps along the hiking trails. One of their worst cases resulted.
1 review
February 5, 2025
Hard to read

This book was hard for me to keep reading. The thought of a sick, sick person consuming human flesh was extremely revolting to me. The poor kid portrayed in this story, had me determined to see that he was rescued. I struggled to stay focused on Emma's own story, trying to find out about her mother's friends. I may never go hiking again...
Profile Image for Kathy Self.
21 reviews
March 1, 2025
WOW!!

This was another great read from Mary Stone. As a person who has suffered and is living with a TBI, this was a great read. 📚 I enjoy a great story that keeps me on my toes and takes my mind off my own life. This was a crazy ride full of twists and turns and was a page turner until the end.
Profile Image for Michelle Davis.
586 reviews4 followers
September 8, 2024
Wow that was a horrifying story line. That poor boy and what he had to endure. The way her mother's friend reached out to her through the ghosts and the other was an interesting twist. I really enjoyed the book.
155 reviews1 follower
September 8, 2024
Received ARC

Whoa! This was a really gruesome one!
And the lead-in to the showdown in Salem…whoo-doggie! That’s gonna be a nightmare inducing story I think

Mystery/procedural/horror writers don’t get much better than Mary Stone & her co-writers.

137 reviews1 follower
September 9, 2024
A GREAT BOOK THAT IS WELL WRITTEN AND WILL KEEP YOU ENGROSSED TILL THE LAST PAGE. THE STORYLINE IS ORIGINAL WITH PLENTY OF TWISTS AND TURNS TO KEEP YOU TURNING THE PAGES TILL THE END. THE CHARACTERS ARE GREAT AND BECOME YOUR FRIEND DURING THE BOOK. WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR?
Profile Image for Gracie Bustillos.
319 reviews5 followers
September 10, 2024
LAST TRACE is the eleventh installment in Mary Stone's Emma Last FBI Mystery Series. This is a well written story with plenty of suspense, horror, twists and turns. I can’t wait to see what awaits Emma in Salem. I recommend this book and the entire Emma Last FBI series.
256 reviews2 followers
September 15, 2024
Great book

This series has been really something with all the ghosts. I like this series and it keeps you on the edge of your seat reading. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. Will Emma get out of this alive, time will tell.
13 reviews
September 16, 2024
Can't wait for final book

I love reading about Emma Last. Mary Stone is a Fantastic writer. she makes her character so real and the cases they share you feel like you are right there with them.
6 reviews
September 22, 2024
NOT A FAN OF SPIRIT WORLD

I have read most of Mary Stone's books. I have enjoyed most. However, I almost stopped reading the Emily Last series. As a ĺ did not feel comfortable with the spirit world emphasized in these books. Disappointed in the author.



Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.