Last Known Location

Cedar Lake

by Eva MacKenzie

The past has a killer obsession…

Gwen’s life has turned into a nightmare after an ongoing feud with her neighbor turns volatile. Malicious allegations and police intervention drive Gwen out of her home for a long weekend, where she meets a mysterious, handsome stranger on the local hiking trail.

Gwen’s never fallen for someone so quickly, but when he’s gone by morning, she never expects to see him again.

Three days later, while Gwen is working in the ER, the man is brought in with unexplained injuries and no memory of what happened to him.

Soon, Gwen can sense someone stalking her home and vandalizing her things. She’s sure it’s her bitter neighbor. But what if it isn’t? What if this mysterious man’s past is catching up with him?

How can she protect herself from an enemy she can’t identify?

Genres: Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Mystery, Fiction

310 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 9, 2023

About the author

Eva Mackenzie writes psychological thrillers and suspense novels about good people who do bad things for complicated reasons. Originally from New York, she now lives somewhere else on the east coast with her husband and children. You can connect with her at Evamackenzie.site or email Evamackenzie.thriller@gmail.com

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This story is told from the point of view of 3 people. Gwen has bad luck with men. Her ex is causing her all kinds of trouble. Drew is a small town police officer with a family. Charlie is a PI and has taken on a case to find a missing man. They all end up crossing paths with the same man, for better or for worse.

I will compare this book to when you’re watching a horror movie, and the character does something incredibly stupid. While this book is a thriller, and not horror, Gwen does things that made me want to yell at her for doing stupid things.

One twist was fairly easy to guess, but another twist was not. Overall an enjoyable book!

[Grace Convertino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gwen, an ER nurse, has been clashing with her ex/across the way neighbor, Adam, for quite some time. Deciding to give herself time to clear her mind, she hoists her backpack on her shoulders and begins a hike. Gwen lives with the woods right in her backyard and she knows them intimately, having lived her entire life in Cedar Lake. She stops at a rest area with a camp fire for the night, where she meets a handsome, mysterious man named Noah. She feels immediately attracted to him, and they chat a bit; however, when she wakes the next morning, Noah and his gear are gone. Gwen figures she will never see him again, until a few nights later when he is brought to the ER. Noah is severely injured with a head wound and no memory of what happened to him. A private investigator named Charlie is also found days later, severely wounded by gunfire with little hope of survival near the same location. Noah’s photo is found in her abandoned truck. After several days, he is ready to be discharged, but has been told by local police officer Drew not to leave town. Gwen offers Noah her loft to live in while waiting for his memory to return. In the meantime, she is convinced they are being watched and stalked, and she finds vandals have damaged her property. She believes it’s Adam, but what if Noah’s mysterious past has come to haunt him? How does one defend against an unknown enemy?

“Last Known Location” is a thrilling book, full of interesting characters, and believable dialog. The small town of Cedar Lake is described in well-written prose, including the natural outdoors and the town’s “everyone-knows-everyone-else’s-business” residents. The page-turning novel has a bite to it that makes it interesting, and perfectly unfolds as one tale that is told in three voices: Gwen’s, Drew’s, and Charlie’s. Almost the whole way through, the reader is taken on a path that veers seemingly in one direction, until the very end which is capped by the chilling last sentence. The opening quote by Pablo Neruda (my most favorite poet) is quite fitting for the book: “I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul.” It hooked me from the very beginning! I highly recommend this absorbing book to all fans of the thriller/suspense genres.

I’d like to thank BookSirens, Eva Mackenzie, and Craven Ink Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

[Foxy Vixen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this thru Book Sirens… thanks so much. It takes place mostly in Cedar Falls, Virginia. This was the first book that I read of this Author. It certainly was a good read, and looking forward to the next one.
The only criticism I had of this book… too many characters… with many characters having different names, made it hard for this ol’ mind to keep up.

I found Gwen to need some serious relationship counseling… and maybe she might be able to get her act together. I guess all of us have a mean streak in us! Certainly some twists and turns in the end that I didn’t see coming! Adam…. What can I say!

[Elise a.k.a. PAPERNERD · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I can say is WOW - what a ride this book was !

Meet Gwen - a nurse that is living in a nice cabin by the woods on a mountain with plenty of trails to hike - which she loves.
She grew up in that cabin, which she inherited from her parents.

Also, meet Adam - an EMT that works in the same hospital as Gwen, who is her neighbor up there on the mountain - and her ex.

I did not like either of the characters at first, since they seemed to be very childish and not ready to be "real" exes yet.
Each accuses the other of doing horrible things like dumping a dead animal on the doorstep of the other and other stupid things (slashed tires, etc.)...

The whole town knows about their back and forth quibbling and accusations, but there is never any proof of whom did what, and orders of protections are not lightly handed out by the court without any proof of either side.

So this at first is very annoying - and that annoyance seems to come up during the whole story, again and again...
But then...well, I won't spoil it for you, dear reader - but all the bickering is making more and more sense, the closer you will get to the end of this story.

Now meet Noah - a guy that was found by the side of the road with injuries and seems to be a bloody mess, when he gets admitted to the hospital.

Gwen is being told of the new patient arrival - and as Gwen enters his room, she knows the guy:
On her last hike on the mountain, she met Noah, whom offered her a sandwich and whom she had a great conversation with - you might even say, that a few shy sparks were exchanged.
But when she woke up in her hammock the next morning, the handsome stranger was gone - until she met him in the hospital again.

However - one of Noah's injuries was a rather serious head-wound and he has lost his memory.
And all Gwen knows is, that the gorgeous stranger introduced himself as "Noah", whom she met that one day on the hiking trail.

Of course Noah has no clue about Gwen, or who he is in general.

Now through Drew - the local cop - we find out, that Noah might have murdered women, since he has been missing for 4 years...and that Noah might not be his real name.

Parallel to this, we get introduced to Charlie - a female PI that is searching for Noah, but lands a day later in the same hospital with a gun shot wound and unconscious. And the local police force assumes, Charlie might have been a victim of the suspicious Noah after finding out that women in Noah's previous life went missing.

The day that Noah gets released from the hospital, Cop Drew asks him to stick around - and Gwen offers him a small apartment on top of her garage.
The spark between Gwen and Noah is still there - even that Noah has no clue that there was one in the first place, due to his memory loss.

And it looks like that Gwen's ex - Adam - is now in full blast stalker mode, even that nobody can prove it - as usual.

After a few days, a new person walks into their lives - Meet Stephanie, who claims to be Noah's fiancé... and therefor Gwen and Noah break their just slightly blooming relationship off.

But remember Charlie, the PI ?
Well, she is surviving another murder attempt - right at the hospital.

To find out what happens, you really have to read this book, because it is so twisted, I would have never thought I could have been so wrong in figuring out, if Noah is a killer.
There is a lot going on in this story, but I will not give the real interesting parts away !

And finally - at the end - it makes all sense - especially the seemingly childish bickering of exes.

Very good novel, I highly recommend to get yourself a copy and enjoy !

[Kay Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

ay! I snagged this the second I saw the author's name. I read 'If She Only Knew' by Eva Mackenzie and absolutely loved it, so I had to read this.

Gwen meets a guy while hiking the Appalachian trail. They get along great but she forgets to ask for his number. Luckily, or unluckily, he shows up at the emergency room she works in bruised up and missing memory. As she nurses him back to health she falls in love with him. But women's bodies are showing up on the trail and a PI hired to hunt for him is in a coma after an attack and she starts to question this man . . .

I was hooked and fully invested in this story and its characters from the first few pages. I had no one DEA what was really going on until the big twist in the last few chapters. This was so good; I couldn't put it down and read it way past my bed time. A must read.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book blew me away! I was fully engaged right from the beginning, and it kept my attention throughout. The story is told from two timelines, the now and the before, but the before is only a short period of time before the now, so that aren’t so far apart. MacKenzie artfully keeps the reader guessing as to what is going on. I couldn’t put the book down because I needed to know how it was all going to play out. I did figure out one twist, but I think the author wanted the reader to figure it out before “announcing” it. However, there was one twist that I did NOT see coming at ALL. My mind was blown! I can’t recommend this book enough!

[♡Heather✩Brown♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neighbors can be the deadliest of enemies and in this part of the woods there’s no exception. Gwen, a nurse at the ER, loves her cabin in the woods but there’s only one problem - Adam, an EMT, her neighbor and just so happens her ex. But these two are more than just exes, they’re bitter and blaming each other for the issues that arise on their property. Without evidence the cops can’t really help them.

If you’ve seen “Fear Your Neightbor” on the ID channel then you’ve seen this scenario play out many times.

During a shift at the hospital Gwen learns of a new patience Noah who can’t remember anything - but Gwen knows him! But what happened to him?

This was an intense ride! I found myself glued to the pages even though it’s my first time reading any of Eva MacKenzie’s work. But I’m a fan now! The suspense and mystery were well woven throughout. The PI - Gold!

The complexities of relationships, neighbors, and the frustrations of the police not being able to do anything are explored very well.

The characters come alive and feel real. Which is something not every author can do.

I received an ARC version of this book and am leaving this review on my own accord.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I started reading Last Known Location I just could not stop. The story is engaging, sometimes gave me the creeps, and it has a very surprising ending. If you enjoy reading a fast-paced, and well-written story this one is a must-read!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Donne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book summary introduces the various storylines. There is the primary storyline: Gwen inviting a fellow hiker, Noah, that she met on the local trail, to stay in her home after he was mysteriously injured and released from the hospital with amnesia. There is another storyline that was pretty vague in the book summary and that is there is a PI, Charlie, who has been hired, by a mysterious client, to find Noah. Lastly, there is the storyline of Gwen’s neighbor, and ex BF, Adam, who is harassing and terrorizing (ie, vandalizing her property, leaving dead animals on her porch, etc) Gwen for breaking up with him.

The story flips back and forth between three narrators: Gwen, Charlie and Drew, a local cop. Early in the story (around 25% mark), Charlie is attacked and shot and is found by Drew and is, subsequently, hospitalized and in a coma. The first half of the story revolves around the investigations of Charlie’s and Noah’s attacks and Gwen and Noah getting to know each other better. Weird crap continues to happen to Gwen and on her property and she automatically assumes it’s Adam still harassing and terrorizing her. Hmmm…..I’m not so quick to assume Adam. I have no suspicions towards anyone else but at that point in the story, I chose to keep an open mind.

The second half of the story continues Drew’s investigations including a new one: the appearance of Adam’s long-lost fiancé. Around the 90% mark, all the different storylines and investigations begin to merge, and the last two chapters are scary and intense. However, it was the final few paragraphs that had me screeching, OMG, WTF!!! Creepy ending!!!!! This was another two sitting read for a really good story. I will definitely be checking out Eva MacKenzie's other work!

I want to thank NetGalley and Craven Ink Press for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

@NetGalley @CravenInkPress @LastKnownLocation

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Craven Ink Press, Netgalley and the author for an e-ARC of this new thriller.
Unfortunately, this one just didn't work for me. I started reading it thinking the premise seemed interesting. I initially was interested in the story and did like the chapters alternating between different character's perspectives... What made this a 2 star read for me was the main character. I never liked her, and often found myself thinking she just wasn't believable and somewhat annoying.

I do have to say that the ending did have some surprises that I hadn't figured out but also seemed a little random and far-fetched.

[ReBecca · Rating 1 out of 5]

WTAF! I am honestly mind-blown that Last Known Location by Eva MacKenzie received such high ratings. Did I read the same book as everyone else? This book was a massive letdown for me. I went into it hoping for an engaging thriller, but instead, I found myself constantly frustrated by the characters and a plot that felt utterly ridiculous.

Let me start with my frustration with the main character, Gwen. Her naive and frankly baffling decisions made it incredibly difficult to connect with her or root for her. Who in their right mind volunteers their home to a complete stranger and then falls in love with them within a week? It was maddening. Instead of being invested in her story, I just kept wanting to shake some sense into her.

But the real kicker was the ending. Just what was Eva MacKenzie thinking? It wasn't clever or shocking; it was random, far-fetched, and honestly laughable. It felt like a desperate attempt to force a few twists rather than a natural conclusion. Instead of being surprised or intrigued, I was just annoyed that I'd invested my time in reading this book.

The writing style didn't help matters either. It felt flat, amateurish, frustrating, and unengaging. Ultimately, it made an already weak story even harder to get through. I kept hoping it would improve, but it never did. It dragged down an already weak story and made it even harder to finish.

Overall, this book sucked; it missed the mark on every level. I was disappointed from beginning to end and would not recommend it to others.

****

Driven from home by a volatile feud with her ex-boyfriend /neighbor, Gwen escapes on a hiking trip, where she crosses paths with a mysterious stranger. When he later turns up in the ER, injured and without memory, Gwen is drawn to him and offers shelter while he recovers. But as a stalker begins targeting her, Gwen is left to wonder: is the threat her vengeful ex or the stranger’s dangerous past catching up with them both?

[Keila (speedreadstagram) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gwen is a nurse and lives near the Appalachian trail. Being so close, she enjoys regular hikes. One day she runs into Noah on the trail and feels instantly drawn to him but doesn’t get his last name. Shortly thereafter an unidentified man is brought into the emergency room and Gwen recognizes him as Noah. When he wakes up from his injuries, he has no memories. Gwen helps him but the whole time she feels like she’s being watched - and it continues when she allows Noah her spare apartment. Will Gwen be able to help Noah to figure who he is before she herself is in danger? Or will it be too late for Gwen?

This book was so fun! Honestly, a psychological thriller was a great way to start my new year - especially since it was done so well. Some of this book was easy to figure out but some of it - just wow! The twists came out of left field - but not in a ridiculous way. The twist at the very end my amazing! I really enjoyed the alternating points of view for the different chapters – the characters who we heard the story through were interesting. This was my first book by this author, but I am very excited to read more!

Look for this one February 9th!

I received this e-arc from Craven Ink Press and @netgalley. Craven Ink Press is a group of independent writers working together to publish books - so that was fun to learn!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I received an ARC from NetGalley for this book. I was not familiar with the author but the premise was intriguing. And it did not disappoint! I will say it was a little slow to start and I am still not entirely sure what happened with the Adam and Gwen relationship. But overall really great read. And I was blown away with the plot twist. Not many books still surprise me!! This one did and did it very well. Will be reading more from this author!

[eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - there were a few plot holes but i enjoyed the plot twist!! read it in a few days, it was pretty good :)

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started slowly, but I soon found myself unable to put it down as I tried to figure out what was going on. Although she is the main character, Gwen drove me nuts. Her reactions to both Adam’s antics and Noah, in general, had me screaming at her in my mind. When Stephanie comes on to the scene, I was even more aggravated. Fortunately, by the end of the novel, everything clicked into place. Turns out, there are several “bad guys” in this story. I can’t help but wonder if Adam’s perspective might have been valuable. Drew’s keeps the reader tuned into what is going on with the case, but otherwise doesn’t make much of a difference. I would also like to know more about the first time Gwen and Noah meet. Was that manufactured or chance? Overall, I enjoyed this book once I got into it and would be interested in reading other books by this author.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Stacey Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not going to bother summarizing the plot, you darling reader are capable of reading the bitty blurb!

What I am going to say is this, “wow!” Now, before I get to my wow, I must confess a secret, the cover of this book drew me in, the story I was iffy on, as it has been done quite a few times. However, Eva, does an impressive job of giving new life to an old tale. The book is a quick read, only because, the plot and pacing draws you in, and keeps you locked in. The writing is not superfluous.

The characters well developed, as I loved Charlie.

I was impressed with this psychological thriller. I have never read this author before, shame on me. I found myself thoroughly entertained, and though the story was not original, this author did a good job of making it her own, and bringing new life into the tale.

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am surprised about the high rates given to this book.
Unfortunately, this book did not exceed my expectations. The only thing that I liked was the fact that it was relatively short.

The premise of this book was stalking.
Gwen, an ER nurse, is suffering from a messy breakup with Adam, a paramedic. Unfortunately, Adam is also her neighbour and has convinced almost everyone that Gwen is the bad guy.
Drew, a police officer/detective, warns Gwen and tells her to gather proof of Adam's antics. Unfortunately, Gwen is very stupid and instead of gathering proof, she falls head over heels for a John Doe. Now this John Doe, is not a complete stranger. No, no... she had met him before. Once...

Am I the only one seeing the problem here?
- So, the guy that you saw daily during work and outside of work, turned out to be a nut case... But sure, let's just crush on a stranger who was brought into the ER in weird circumstances. Oh, and everyone thinks that he tried to kill Jane Doe, who was also brought in day(s) later...

Also, Gwen carelessly gives information to everyone who says a word to her. AND WHY DOES SHE CARE SO MUCH ABOUT ADAM AND THAT OTHER GIRL, VALERIE OR SOMETHING? She didn't even care about the girl's well-being. It was all about Adam moving on ... but still stalking her.

Okay, but what I thought would save the book was:
- Adam turning out to be the one who attacked John Doe and Jane Doe. But nope, he was just an annoying manipulative drunk.
- OR... hear me out... Drew as the bad guy.
But nope. None of those things was the case.

No, I was not impressed with the plot. I do congratulate MacKenzie on her writing skills. Even if Gwen was super annoying, I still carried on reading.

[Kameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book from R&R Book Tours.
I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.


Gwen, an emergency room nurse, recently had a nasty breakup with her boyfriend, Adam. They each claim the other is having trouble letting go. Vandalizing, dead animals, and police visits have motivated Gwen to go be one with nature for a few days. The much-needed hike on the Appalachian Trail led her to a brief encounter with a mysterious hiker, Noah. They had a connection at the campground, but one night under the stars seemed to be the end of the story until he arrived in her E.R. on a stretcher. Someone attacked Noah, but who and why?

Noah’s amnesia didn’t help matters in solving the mystery about what happened in the woods. Finding a barely alive woman only raised more questions. As Drew and his office investigated the two cases, people in town wondered if Noah was the victim or the perpetrator. Could Noah really be a serial killer? And if he was, would Gwen be his next victim?

As Drew dived into Noah’s past, surprising details emerged. The whackos also came out in full force.

Some aspects of the cases I solved, and some I was dead wrong about. The humungous plot twist and final chapters made me want to reread this book.

When you start the story, and I hope you read it, remember to trust no one and question everything you “see” and “hear.”

Enjoy!

(Find more reviews/ratings at www.superkambrook.com)

[Tanya R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where do I begin?

This is a really popular new release that is getting pretty great reviews. Obviously they hype made me want to move this to the top of my reading list. I love a good thriller and this one had all the makings to be absolutely great!

This read did have a great pace. Starting with a crazy scene and then moving quickly to a secondary crazy scene, I was rubbing my hands together in excitement.

As the story moved on and it was clear that stalking was involved, I was curious as to why she wouldn’t report anything to the police but instead, would respond back directly to the stalker. Being a smart character, this didn’t make sense.

Then with how quickly she falls in love with the new memory loss patient, not being cautious at all with a stranger? A stranger that could have killed someone? Things like this made me roll my eyes quite a few times throughout the story.

Overall, the events were a bit on the far reaching side, which can be sometimes hard to swallow. The ending was really good though and I guess the overall effect was an ok read for me.

[Meigan]

Eva Mackenzie does it again, delivering another twisty and mysterious thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. LAST KNOWN LOCATION combines small town antics with a more serious threat and it’s up to Gwen and several others to figure out if all of the antics are the work of a disgruntled neighbor…or someone far more sinister. ⁣
⁣
Told through multiple POVs, I liked getting inside each characters head and seeing what makes them tick. I also liked how each one, Gwen included, were cast in an unfavorable light at times making this mystery even more difficult to solve before the big reveal. There are plenty of twists and turns thrown in to keep readers off the trail, and I loved how many times Mackenzie proved me wrong when I indeed thought I had it all figured out. ⁣
⁣⁣
Bottom line — a fantastic page turner that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. 4 stars. ⁣

[Tiffany nixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read from the author Eva Mackenzie and I want to thank NetGalley and Eva for allowing me to read an advanced readers copy and leaving a review . This book took place mostly in cedar falls Virginia. It was an overall great read except for all of the characters in the story . It was quite hard trying to keep them organized while I was reading . I can’t wait to read the next one . Gwen was the main character who had a long time feud going on with her neighbor and she met a man who ends up in the hospital where she works . Does the past have a killer obsession? And how can Gwen protect herself from the enemy?

I received an advanced review copy for free from NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nicole (Itputsthebookupontheshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had so much fun reading this story. The pacing is perfect, and I found myself not wanting to put it down. I wasn't realizing how much I had actually read each sitting because you just get sucked into the story from the start.

This book is told through 3 viewpoints, Gwen, a local cop and a PI. I liked how easy it was to follow and how things were laid out. Each POV adds so much. I really enjoyed watching the story unfold in the alternating perspectives and getting to know the characters through each.

There are also side characters that come into play that were seamlessly interwoven into the storyline. The author does such a great job.

This book is full of twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the very end. This book gets intense and will keep you at the edge of your seat. And THAT ENDING! What!?

This was my first book by this author, and I've heard her other books are very good as well. I'm going to be checking into those asap.

★★★★/5

[Jasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I had no idea the denouement would be that twisted. Anyway, once I finished the novel, I realised there was a hint about the protagonist's character that I could relate to. Drew, the cop, came to the conclusion that someone (between Gwen and Adam) had been lying throughout their separation. It was also unclear why Gwen chose to remain silent despite Adam's constant disturbance. If you were in the clear, you would do something.
In any case, Noah is unquestionably the novel's true victim. He unknowingly transitioned from one psychopath to another.Hmm, how unlucky can one be?

[☽ Autumn ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not going to lie, this book was sort of slow to start out with, but if you feel the same way, KEEP GOING! It was SO good! Twists, turns, and for sure kept you guessing. I swear I had it all figured out 2 or 3 times but I didn’t lol

** I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review on my own accord.

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time I’ve read this Author. I was very impressed. Excellent writing style. Characters well developed.

When if the best ending I have read this year!

Thanks to booksirens for advanced copy for a honest review

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, enjoyable read. Light on suspense and thriller but heavy on mystery.

Stalking was the premise of this book and it's not one I've read a lot about so that kept me interested.

I found Gwen to be...naive. I wanted to like her but she kept making all these stupid mistakes and excuses for why she wouldn't report things when it came to Adam. And then being so taken with Noah when she didn't know a lick about him.

Then I kept reading. And oof, that twist. That end. I didn't see *that* coming. I saw the one before that. And I think you're meant to. Bravo to the author for that last one though. I was thrown off because of everything else packed into this.

[M.E. Carter]

I thought I knew. I didn't know. You guys are going to love it.

[Jordan Smarte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I genuinely had no idea where this story would end up! The storyline was so good. It was thrilling but not over the top.

[Millie Nevelos · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was fun i always love going back to a mystery

[Books With Noor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable mystery thriller.
Although is saw the plot coming, I did really enjoy the ending.