What do you think?
Rate this book
Last Seen
From New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison comes a twisted psychological thriller about the bonds of family and the disconnect between memory and the truth.
Come here. Come closer.
Halley James knows her marriage is over. But she’s not prepared for the rest of her life to fall apart too.
No one can hear you. No one can help you.
She just lost her job at the forensics lab. Her dad needs emergency surgery. But the biggest blow comes back home in Marchburg, Virginia, where she discovers her mother didn’t actually die in a car crash. Her mom was murdered—and her father lied about it all these years.
I have nothing to hide from you. Are you hiding something from me?
Since she was six years old, it’s been Halley and her dad. Now, she doesn’t know what to believe. Desperate for the truth, Halley chases down a lead in Brockville, Tennessee. But all there is not as it seems. Brockville’s utopian charm hides a chilling darkness. And Halley’s search for answers threatens to expose an unspeakable reality.
Come here. Come closer.
Halley James knows her marriage is over. But she’s not prepared for the rest of her life to fall apart too.
No one can hear you. No one can help you.
She just lost her job at the forensics lab. Her dad needs emergency surgery. But the biggest blow comes back home in Marchburg, Virginia, where she discovers her mother didn’t actually die in a car crash. Her mom was murdered—and her father lied about it all these years.
I have nothing to hide from you. Are you hiding something from me?
Since she was six years old, it’s been Halley and her dad. Now, she doesn’t know what to believe. Desperate for the truth, Halley chases down a lead in Brockville, Tennessee. But all there is not as it seems. Brockville’s utopian charm hides a chilling darkness. And Halley’s search for answers threatens to expose an unspeakable reality.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2025
11793 people are currently reading
23894 people want to read
About the author
J.T. Ellison
80 books6,687 followersJ.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 novels, and the EMMY® award winning co-host of the literary TV show A WORD ON WORDS. She also writes fantasy under the pen name Joss Walker.
With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim and prestigious awards They have also been optioned for television, and published in 28 countries.
J.T. lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens, one of whom is a ghost, where she is hard at work on her next novel.
With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim and prestigious awards They have also been optioned for television, and published in 28 countries.
J.T. lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens, one of whom is a ghost, where she is hard at work on her next novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 936 reviews
July 3, 2025
This was a wild ride! I read this in 2 days even though it is pretty long for a thriller, but I could not put it down! A woman finds out her mother was murdered when she was little and was not in a car accident like she was told. She goes searching for answers.
This one started off so good and I was immediately pulled in by the story. If you are looking for an easy, realistic thriller, this is NOT the book for you. There was so much going on especially when you get to part 2. It got so wild in the end that it started to be a lot less realistic, but I didn’t even care because I was enjoying the ride so much.
I had so many different theories in the beginning and most of them turned out to be wrong. This book definitely keeps you on your toes.
The ending makes me think this story is not yet over!
Thank you to Amazon First Reads for this free copy.
This one started off so good and I was immediately pulled in by the story. If you are looking for an easy, realistic thriller, this is NOT the book for you. There was so much going on especially when you get to part 2. It got so wild in the end that it started to be a lot less realistic, but I didn’t even care because I was enjoying the ride so much.
I had so many different theories in the beginning and most of them turned out to be wrong. This book definitely keeps you on your toes.
The ending makes me think this story is not yet over!
Thank you to Amazon First Reads for this free copy.
August 13, 2025
Anytime J.T. Ellison has a book coming out, you can guarantee I’m reading it! Once again she blew me away with her 2025 release, Last Seen, coming out 8/1/25!
When this story started, I had no idea where it was going. I had some ideas, but they were just all over the place. Get ready and buckle up buttercup.
Halley James heads back home after her father has a bad falling accident. After she is there, she learns that her ten year older sister, whom she thought was dead, had murdered their mother. What she wants to know is, why and is her sister, Catriona, still alive?
The hunt is on! What you think is going on, you have no idea! Just wait, you’re gonna get the thrill ride of your life! Last Seen is some of her darker work and I absolutely loved it!!!
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date - 8/1/2025
When this story started, I had no idea where it was going. I had some ideas, but they were just all over the place. Get ready and buckle up buttercup.
Halley James heads back home after her father has a bad falling accident. After she is there, she learns that her ten year older sister, whom she thought was dead, had murdered their mother. What she wants to know is, why and is her sister, Catriona, still alive?
The hunt is on! What you think is going on, you have no idea! Just wait, you’re gonna get the thrill ride of your life! Last Seen is some of her darker work and I absolutely loved it!!!
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date - 8/1/2025
September 3, 2025
I really don’t know how J.T. Ellison does it. Yet again, from the very first heart-pounding chapter of Last Seen, I knew that there was no chance of my putting another one of her books down. You see, thanks to a deftly composed onion-like storyline, the well-plotted mystery of both the past and the present kept me utterly blind to the truth. Told via dual timelines and multiple POVs, the interwoven story was both palpably tense and twisty in the extreme. But it was the eerie small town setting of Brockville with its Stepford Wives feel that make the creep factor really come alive. After all, it was a town full of suspects that made my spidey-senses tingle as I looked at each and every character with a barely veiled side eye of suspicion.
Speaking of the cast, while the plot wasn’t exactly realistic, the same couldn’t be said of the characters. Believably flawed, many felt as real as could be—but no one more so than Halley. Strong and gritty yet also clearly vulnerable and scarred by her past, her background made the plot sing. Add in the long-buried dark family secrets and Halley’s romantic…erm…issues, and this book captured my mind from beginning to end. You see, as much as it was a high-stakes psychological thriller, it was also a well-drawn family drama. With hints at dysfunction and a realistic base to the fiction, I fell into the story and couldn’t surface until I finished the deliciously open-ended conclusion. All I want to know now is if there’s going to be a sequel. Here’s me begging, Ms. Ellison!
All said and done, from the propulsive, fast pace to the delightfully evil villain narrator, there simply wasn’t a thing not to love. I do have to admit, though, that this fact didn’t surprise me as Ellison is one of my go-to auto-buy authors. Known for her ability to craft plots that f*** with your head in the best possible way, this book was no different, and it had me guessing all the way till the end. Dripping with life-altering betrayals and unmitigated liars, the menacing vibe that oozed from the pages made me shiver from head to toe all while smiling with glee. After all, it was a wild rollercoaster ride of shocking twists and on-point characterizations. I promise this is one book you’re most definitely going to want to read. Rating of 5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Halley James knows her marriage is over. But she’s not prepared for the rest of her life to fall apart too.
She just lost her job at the forensics lab. Her dad needs emergency surgery. But the biggest blow comes back home in Marchburg, Virginia, where she discovers her mother didn’t actually die in a car crash. Her mom was murdered―and her father lied about it all these years.
Since she was six years old, it’s been Halley and her dad. Now, she doesn’t know what to believe. Desperate for the truth, Halley chases down a lead in Brockville, Tennessee. But all there is not as it seems. Brockville’s utopian charm hides a chilling darkness. And Halley’s search for answers threatens to expose an unspeakable reality.
Thank you to J.T. Ellison and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: August 1, 2025
Content warning: forced captivity, gun violence, kidnapping, murder
Speaking of the cast, while the plot wasn’t exactly realistic, the same couldn’t be said of the characters. Believably flawed, many felt as real as could be—but no one more so than Halley. Strong and gritty yet also clearly vulnerable and scarred by her past, her background made the plot sing. Add in the long-buried dark family secrets and Halley’s romantic…erm…issues, and this book captured my mind from beginning to end. You see, as much as it was a high-stakes psychological thriller, it was also a well-drawn family drama. With hints at dysfunction and a realistic base to the fiction, I fell into the story and couldn’t surface until I finished the deliciously open-ended conclusion. All I want to know now is if there’s going to be a sequel. Here’s me begging, Ms. Ellison!
All said and done, from the propulsive, fast pace to the delightfully evil villain narrator, there simply wasn’t a thing not to love. I do have to admit, though, that this fact didn’t surprise me as Ellison is one of my go-to auto-buy authors. Known for her ability to craft plots that f*** with your head in the best possible way, this book was no different, and it had me guessing all the way till the end. Dripping with life-altering betrayals and unmitigated liars, the menacing vibe that oozed from the pages made me shiver from head to toe all while smiling with glee. After all, it was a wild rollercoaster ride of shocking twists and on-point characterizations. I promise this is one book you’re most definitely going to want to read. Rating of 5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Halley James knows her marriage is over. But she’s not prepared for the rest of her life to fall apart too.
She just lost her job at the forensics lab. Her dad needs emergency surgery. But the biggest blow comes back home in Marchburg, Virginia, where she discovers her mother didn’t actually die in a car crash. Her mom was murdered―and her father lied about it all these years.
Since she was six years old, it’s been Halley and her dad. Now, she doesn’t know what to believe. Desperate for the truth, Halley chases down a lead in Brockville, Tennessee. But all there is not as it seems. Brockville’s utopian charm hides a chilling darkness. And Halley’s search for answers threatens to expose an unspeakable reality.
Thank you to J.T. Ellison and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: August 1, 2025
Content warning: forced captivity, gun violence, kidnapping, murder
August 17, 2025
Started with a Click… and Ended with a Chill
J.T. Ellison is one of those authors I trust blindly—an auto-read queen of mystery whose books I devour the second they land in my hands. Her latest thriller was no exception. From the first chapter, I was hooked. The opening? Quick, intense, and gripping. I didn’t even realize I’d flown past the first fifty pages. The setup was deliciously sinister: an aspiring forensics specialist blindsided by a scandal, a ruined career, a failing marriage, and a phone call from her injured father that draws her back into the shadows of her past. What’s not to love?
But as Halley’s investigation into her origins deepened—plunging into cults, family secrets, and eerie disappearances—I started to feel the plot stretching a bit thin. The mystery remained intriguing, but the layers became heavy, almost overstuffed. The middle sagged under the weight of too many characters, shifting POVs, and a cult subplot that felt more exaggerated than chilling. Still, just when I feared it might unravel, the ending pulled it all together with a blood-chilling punch. That finale absolutely delivered.
So I’m rounding my 3.5 stars up to 4, thanks to its psychological suspense, intense paranoia, and a villain that’ll definitely haunt your dreams.
The Plot (spoiler-light version!):
Meet Halley James—mid-thirties, brilliant, and loyal to her forensics lab. She’s expecting a promotion, but instead, she's fired over a suspicious cyberattack she’s blamed for. Oh, and she’s reeling from a divorce from Theo, her ATF agent husband, who broke her heart by refusing to start a family.
Then comes the call: her father’s been in an accident. She returns to Marchburg, Virginia—the town where she was raised after a tragic car crash took her mother and sister. But once home, a horrifying discovery unravels everything she thought she knew: newspaper clippings hidden in her father’s files hint that her mother was murdered by Halley’s own sister… who also tried to kill Halley.
Her father changed their identities and homeschooled her to keep them both safe. But now the truth is clawing its way to the surface. Halley’s sister—Catriona—was last seen in Brockville, Tennessee, where she’d enrolled in a prestigious writing program. But she vanished, and nobody has heard from her since.
Driven by fury, curiosity, and the need for closure, Halley heads to Brockville. But the quaint town holds more than a writing retreat—it harbors a dark, secretive cult tied to the influential Brockton family. And the more Halley digs, the more she realizes: she’s in way over her head. The truth may finally be within reach... but so is danger. Deadly danger.
Final Thoughts:
This book may not be Ellison’s tightest work, but it’s still an engrossing, slow-burning psychological thriller that delivers the dark twists her fans crave. A little long? Sure. A little exaggerated? Maybe. But still creepy, compelling, and absolutely worth reading—especially for lovers of thrillers drenched in paranoia and family secrets.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this chilling, twist-filled thriller!
medium.com
instagram
facebook
twitter
J.T. Ellison is one of those authors I trust blindly—an auto-read queen of mystery whose books I devour the second they land in my hands. Her latest thriller was no exception. From the first chapter, I was hooked. The opening? Quick, intense, and gripping. I didn’t even realize I’d flown past the first fifty pages. The setup was deliciously sinister: an aspiring forensics specialist blindsided by a scandal, a ruined career, a failing marriage, and a phone call from her injured father that draws her back into the shadows of her past. What’s not to love?
But as Halley’s investigation into her origins deepened—plunging into cults, family secrets, and eerie disappearances—I started to feel the plot stretching a bit thin. The mystery remained intriguing, but the layers became heavy, almost overstuffed. The middle sagged under the weight of too many characters, shifting POVs, and a cult subplot that felt more exaggerated than chilling. Still, just when I feared it might unravel, the ending pulled it all together with a blood-chilling punch. That finale absolutely delivered.
So I’m rounding my 3.5 stars up to 4, thanks to its psychological suspense, intense paranoia, and a villain that’ll definitely haunt your dreams.
The Plot (spoiler-light version!):
Meet Halley James—mid-thirties, brilliant, and loyal to her forensics lab. She’s expecting a promotion, but instead, she's fired over a suspicious cyberattack she’s blamed for. Oh, and she’s reeling from a divorce from Theo, her ATF agent husband, who broke her heart by refusing to start a family.
Then comes the call: her father’s been in an accident. She returns to Marchburg, Virginia—the town where she was raised after a tragic car crash took her mother and sister. But once home, a horrifying discovery unravels everything she thought she knew: newspaper clippings hidden in her father’s files hint that her mother was murdered by Halley’s own sister… who also tried to kill Halley.
Her father changed their identities and homeschooled her to keep them both safe. But now the truth is clawing its way to the surface. Halley’s sister—Catriona—was last seen in Brockville, Tennessee, where she’d enrolled in a prestigious writing program. But she vanished, and nobody has heard from her since.
Driven by fury, curiosity, and the need for closure, Halley heads to Brockville. But the quaint town holds more than a writing retreat—it harbors a dark, secretive cult tied to the influential Brockton family. And the more Halley digs, the more she realizes: she’s in way over her head. The truth may finally be within reach... but so is danger. Deadly danger.
Final Thoughts:
This book may not be Ellison’s tightest work, but it’s still an engrossing, slow-burning psychological thriller that delivers the dark twists her fans crave. A little long? Sure. A little exaggerated? Maybe. But still creepy, compelling, and absolutely worth reading—especially for lovers of thrillers drenched in paranoia and family secrets.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this chilling, twist-filled thriller!
medium.com
August 16, 2025
First, I somehow missed this book was being launched. Second, it only appeared on NetGalley on 8/1, it's launch day. Third, I fast-tracked it to my queue over the weekend since I want to support the author and provide a review for launch day, always. Now that that's out of the way... one of my best reads thus far in 2025. Between the secrets and the different timelines, I couldn't put the book down and read most in a single setting. Amazing characters. Brilliant transitions. Loved almost everything... and the only two parts that made me pause briefly were how no one figured this out sooner (in the town, not readers) and that ending!!! I do like my stories with no threads left unraveled, and here, while you have a total solve, you also have a gaping hole. Set up for a sequel, no doubt, and I'll be first in line to read it.
August 17, 2025
I don’t get it
Halley James marriage is over. She has just lost her job. Her father needs emergency surgery, and she has found that her mum didn’t really die in a car crash like she had been told since she was little. Following leads trying to get to the truth she's about to find out all is not as it seems.
Errr what did I read please? Genuinely couldn’t tell you, I was soo mind numbingly bored.
The main character Halley felt like a drag to read through and I didn’t find her likeable at all. The story dragged and felt repetitive and only became somewhat interesting at the 75% mark. But even the reveal did nothing for me.
Also the first person to third person ping pong writing was irking my nerves. I couldn’t focus which in turn propelled me to not be interested or enjoy the story.
I have read another of this authors previous books and rated it a one star. I am all for giving second chances but I think I should accept this authors work is just not to be liking.
1.5 ⭐
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
pre read
Hmmm the blurb has me intrigued
My mutuals seem to love this one too
Hope its a winner!
💚🩷🩷💚
Halley James marriage is over. She has just lost her job. Her father needs emergency surgery, and she has found that her mum didn’t really die in a car crash like she had been told since she was little. Following leads trying to get to the truth she's about to find out all is not as it seems.
Errr what did I read please? Genuinely couldn’t tell you, I was soo mind numbingly bored.
The main character Halley felt like a drag to read through and I didn’t find her likeable at all. The story dragged and felt repetitive and only became somewhat interesting at the 75% mark. But even the reveal did nothing for me.
Also the first person to third person ping pong writing was irking my nerves. I couldn’t focus which in turn propelled me to not be interested or enjoy the story.
I have read another of this authors previous books and rated it a one star. I am all for giving second chances but I think I should accept this authors work is just not to be liking.
1.5 ⭐
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
pre read
Hmmm the blurb has me intrigued
My mutuals seem to love this one too
Hope its a winner!
💚🩷🩷💚
July 20, 2025
Truly not surprised Halley clicked a phishing email, she was unbelievably stupid.
August 2, 2025
Having lost everything (her job and her husband), Halley James hightails it out of Marchburg, Virginia, and heads to Brockville, Tennessee, under the working assumption that if she starts where it all went wrong, she can try to make sense of her upended life. She soon discovers that her father had good reason to remove her from Brockville; it isn’t really as it seems. The closer Halley gets to finding out the truth of what happened one night when she was six, the more her life is in danger.
I absolutely loved this twisty psychological thriller! I connected immediately and felt as if I’d been recruited to help Halley uncover clues and search for family. The race against time to figure out what went wrong kept me turning pages and hopping from character to character, deciding if I was convinced enough to suspect them. I was wrapped up in the emotions of having to reframe everything, being cheated out of a destiny, of having it all and losing it in a heartbeat and of discovering decades of lies and secrets.
It was a highly immersive thriller; one steeped in betrayal and deceit, and one that I won’t forget for a while. I’d forgotten how much I love J.T. Ellison’s thrillers. Don’t miss this one!
🚩There are a few chapters riddled with f-bombs. Once the character works through anger, the swearing disappears.
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I absolutely loved this twisty psychological thriller! I connected immediately and felt as if I’d been recruited to help Halley uncover clues and search for family. The race against time to figure out what went wrong kept me turning pages and hopping from character to character, deciding if I was convinced enough to suspect them. I was wrapped up in the emotions of having to reframe everything, being cheated out of a destiny, of having it all and losing it in a heartbeat and of discovering decades of lies and secrets.
It was a highly immersive thriller; one steeped in betrayal and deceit, and one that I won’t forget for a while. I’d forgotten how much I love J.T. Ellison’s thrillers. Don’t miss this one!
🚩There are a few chapters riddled with f-bombs. Once the character works through anger, the swearing disappears.
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
June 2, 2025
Holy shit does JT Ellison spin a dark and twisted story. Said best in the book - an idyllic utopia with dark and disturbing dystopia just below the surface (paraphrasing) but holy fuckballs, this one had me on my heels a few times. The actual resolution was way wilder than I anticipated. If you like dark and desolate thrillers with a culty twist, pick this one up!
July 15, 2025
Thanks Amazon for the free book.
Slow burn, didn’t like it much. The twist was alright but nothing that wanted to keep me reading it took me awhile to finish this.. I found myself reading then didn’t want to anymore and would put it down. I also did not like how it went from first person to third person back and forth.
Slow burn, didn’t like it much. The twist was alright but nothing that wanted to keep me reading it took me awhile to finish this.. I found myself reading then didn’t want to anymore and would put it down. I also did not like how it went from first person to third person back and forth.
August 23, 2025
Look at this cover!!! 😍 Gorgeous!! Thank you so much @otrpr for my stunning gifted copy and having me along on this tour. 🥰
OMGG…this book is SO twisty!! @thrillerchick is an absolute must read author for me!! No One Knows was one of the books that made me obsessed with thrillers. Just saying. So of course I jumped at a chance to read this!
Halley is in for the shock of her life..😳 No really… just you wait. She lost her job… her marriage… what else could go wrong?!! ALOT people!! 😬 Again.. just you wait. ..
I loved how this creeped me out.. the whole time. This perfect little town… 🤔.. was it too perfect?? Lies…secrets… and so many twists!! This is my 8th book by this author and she always delivers!! 🤩
I jumped back and forth from audio to the physical book...why? That would be because I could not put it down. Thank you, Brillance Audio!!
OMGG…this book is SO twisty!! @thrillerchick is an absolute must read author for me!! No One Knows was one of the books that made me obsessed with thrillers. Just saying. So of course I jumped at a chance to read this!
Halley is in for the shock of her life..😳 No really… just you wait. She lost her job… her marriage… what else could go wrong?!! ALOT people!! 😬 Again.. just you wait. ..
I loved how this creeped me out.. the whole time. This perfect little town… 🤔.. was it too perfect?? Lies…secrets… and so many twists!! This is my 8th book by this author and she always delivers!! 🤩
I jumped back and forth from audio to the physical book...why? That would be because I could not put it down. Thank you, Brillance Audio!!
July 6, 2025
Very unstatisfying read. So many unasnwered questions. Like
July 5, 2025
DNF @ 31%
Poorly executed third person narrative with weird interjecting flashbacks and inner voices. Poor character development. My first J.T. Ellison and I won’t be back.
Poorly executed third person narrative with weird interjecting flashbacks and inner voices. Poor character development. My first J.T. Ellison and I won’t be back.
July 10, 2025
I was taken aback by how much I disliked this book considering how much I’ve liked previous works by this author.
I found the story very disjointed and difficult to follow. The book is over 400 pages long and I didn’t have a grasp on the story being told until around page 330.
There are a lot of careless errors and loose threads like calling a character Mrs Patterson and later referring to her as Mrs Peterson, not clearly indicating the change in narrative between two characters (Halley and Cat), the open ended suggestion of dissociative identity disorder, the unmarked gravestone, the random woman’s legs in the woods, and what actually happened to the character Kade?
Also I found the narrative for the villain to be offputting in a way that pulled me out of the story. It was written like a 17th century vampire instead of a modern day sociopath.
Overall just a bizarre read IMO. Could have used some more refining and finishing.
I found the story very disjointed and difficult to follow. The book is over 400 pages long and I didn’t have a grasp on the story being told until around page 330.
There are a lot of careless errors and loose threads like calling a character Mrs Patterson and later referring to her as Mrs Peterson, not clearly indicating the change in narrative between two characters (Halley and Cat), the open ended suggestion of dissociative identity disorder, the unmarked gravestone, the random woman’s legs in the woods, and what actually happened to the character Kade?
Also I found the narrative for the villain to be offputting in a way that pulled me out of the story. It was written like a 17th century vampire instead of a modern day sociopath.
Overall just a bizarre read IMO. Could have used some more refining and finishing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2025
This book is a perfect mix of a dark, twisty family drama and a psychological thriller with just the right amount of cult/stepford wives vibes. Although, you might read it and think, wow, this is both a pulsating page-turner and a beautiful reason to never talk to my neighbours.
We meet Halley James, who’s gotten a taste of what we call life is kicking my ass . Her marriage is crumbling in spectacular fashion. She gets fired from her job. Heads home after her dad has a medical emergency, thinking things couldn’t get worse, but then the bombshell drops. Her mom didn’t die in a tragic accident all those years ago like she initially thought. Her mother was murdered, her sister is a psychopath who may or may not be dead, and her dad’s been sitting on this truth like he’s the keeper of all the family skeletons. Not at all destabilizing.
And if that wasn’t enough, Halley decides, yeah, I’m totally gonna explore this myself and find out more information by heading to Brockville, Tennessee, to dig up more information into cult-like town Brockville, which is one of those a lil too perfect places you just know hides the most gloriously sinister secrets beneath its shiny surface.
One clue leads to another, and suddenly, Halley has zero idea who to trust or what version of reality she's even working with anymore. Which, same girl, same.
And I HAVE to shout out the twists. Like, every time you think you’ve got something nailed, Ellison slides in all quiet with a slick left hook, and you’re flailing again. Honestly, I was mad more than once.
If I had one qualm, it’s that Brockville itself doesn’t have much nuance. It really cranks the dial up to “Maximum Creepy Community,” and while it’s satisfying, it also leaves no doubt about how messed up things are early. I love a little ambiguity, some space for my mind to chew on what’s sinister versus innocent, but Brockville's menace feels locked in from the word go. It works, but it’s also a bit much.
Definitely worth the read if you love books that come at you with tension cranked to eleven and absolutely zero chill.
We meet Halley James, who’s gotten a taste of what we call life is kicking my ass . Her marriage is crumbling in spectacular fashion. She gets fired from her job. Heads home after her dad has a medical emergency, thinking things couldn’t get worse, but then the bombshell drops. Her mom didn’t die in a tragic accident all those years ago like she initially thought. Her mother was murdered, her sister is a psychopath who may or may not be dead, and her dad’s been sitting on this truth like he’s the keeper of all the family skeletons. Not at all destabilizing.
And if that wasn’t enough, Halley decides, yeah, I’m totally gonna explore this myself and find out more information by heading to Brockville, Tennessee, to dig up more information into cult-like town Brockville, which is one of those a lil too perfect places you just know hides the most gloriously sinister secrets beneath its shiny surface.
One clue leads to another, and suddenly, Halley has zero idea who to trust or what version of reality she's even working with anymore. Which, same girl, same.
And I HAVE to shout out the twists. Like, every time you think you’ve got something nailed, Ellison slides in all quiet with a slick left hook, and you’re flailing again. Honestly, I was mad more than once.
If I had one qualm, it’s that Brockville itself doesn’t have much nuance. It really cranks the dial up to “Maximum Creepy Community,” and while it’s satisfying, it also leaves no doubt about how messed up things are early. I love a little ambiguity, some space for my mind to chew on what’s sinister versus innocent, but Brockville's menace feels locked in from the word go. It works, but it’s also a bit much.
Definitely worth the read if you love books that come at you with tension cranked to eleven and absolutely zero chill.
August 8, 2025
Last Seen is a roller coaster ride that kept me on my toes. Right from the start it absolutely hooked me and kept me engaged the whole way through. The storyline was intriguing, the plot fun to follow and the setting was chilling. It moves at a fairly consistent pace throughout even though the middle does get a little lengthy in some parts, but the ending truly brought everything together and gave me a true gut punch, but with an open end, which might leave room for a sequel !
The characters were great. I loved how the author made me doubt every one of them. I wasn't sure who to trust. I loved the alternating chapters, especially the chilling ones from the killer's POV. You definitely will have to suspend disbelief in certain parts in order to fully enjoy this one, but I thought it was well done as a whole.
Overall, this was a twisty roller coaster ride. I was hooked from beginning to end and just couldn't put it down. So many secrets, family drama and twists that will leave you with your jaw on the floor.
✨ ️ Thank you to @fireflydistributionlines & @thrillerchick for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The characters were great. I loved how the author made me doubt every one of them. I wasn't sure who to trust. I loved the alternating chapters, especially the chilling ones from the killer's POV. You definitely will have to suspend disbelief in certain parts in order to fully enjoy this one, but I thought it was well done as a whole.
Overall, this was a twisty roller coaster ride. I was hooked from beginning to end and just couldn't put it down. So many secrets, family drama and twists that will leave you with your jaw on the floor.
✨ ️ Thank you to @fireflydistributionlines & @thrillerchick for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2025
2.5 🌟
Was super excited going into this. With the high ratings I thought it would be a 5 star. However it fell flat massively.
The plot was good, it could of been so much better. The ending was sad but it lacked any kind of connection for me to go deeper than that.
Was super excited going into this. With the high ratings I thought it would be a 5 star. However it fell flat massively.
The plot was good, it could of been so much better. The ending was sad but it lacked any kind of connection for me to go deeper than that.
August 8, 2025
Slow burn and, unfortunately, not my cup of tea. I couldn’t connect with the main character and found her incredibly irritating. Whatever thrills and suspense others found, I must have missed. Just didn’t work for me.
July 21, 2025
I don’t know why I keep reading these free preview Kindle First books. This was so stupid. Completely unrealistic while trying to be realistic. Total waste of time, but at least I didn’t pay for it. Warning: the ending is unresolved and sets up the need to keep reading. But I did not feel the need to keep reading. Happily done with this and moving on.
August 2, 2025
Family secrets, gothic chills, and one twist after another this is part family drama, part psychological suspense, and full of buried truths. When Halley learns her mother didn’t die in a car crash but was actually murdered, her world unravels. Set in the atmospheric (and eerie) Brockville, this one drips with dread, deception, and a sense of creeping unease. The final stretch kicks into high thriller gear, and I couldn’t look away. If you like your suspense with dark family roots and gothic flair, don’t miss this one.
July 10, 2025
My second Kindle First offering for this month.....a sure-fire winner, I expected. JT Ellison is always a great writer but sadly not with this one. I've called it a day at 59%. I don't usually get that far and pack books in but I suppose I kept hoping it would get better !! I was getting extremely bored with it and the dialogue just doesn't ring true at all. It got way too farfetched for my liking. She usually does WAY better than this !!
I was already wound up with it as on page 16 we're told Halley enters her apartment and sinks onto her sofa but a couple of pages before she was already in there sitting on said sofa !!! Again, on page 84 her ex tells her she's looking tired but again we'd recently been told she had Facetimed him in her earlier call. So her continuation needs some looking into. I was annoyed, too, to have to keep looking stuff up-like a 50 cal or a GS-7.
When she met her sister's therapist she said, apropos of anything I could figure out, "...Is that why I am the chosen one here ?" I went scrolling back 'n' forth but had no idea what she was on about !!
Parts of the story were heading off into what I'd call 'woo-woo territory' and in the end I'd seen enough.
I'm dying to see what other readers have thought of this. I'd still read another by her but this one's just not up to her usual standard in the least.
I was already wound up with it as on page 16 we're told Halley enters her apartment and sinks onto her sofa but a couple of pages before she was already in there sitting on said sofa !!! Again, on page 84 her ex tells her she's looking tired but again we'd recently been told she had Facetimed him in her earlier call. So her continuation needs some looking into. I was annoyed, too, to have to keep looking stuff up-like a 50 cal or a GS-7.
When she met her sister's therapist she said, apropos of anything I could figure out, "...Is that why I am the chosen one here ?" I went scrolling back 'n' forth but had no idea what she was on about !!
Parts of the story were heading off into what I'd call 'woo-woo territory' and in the end I'd seen enough.
I'm dying to see what other readers have thought of this. I'd still read another by her but this one's just not up to her usual standard in the least.
July 8, 2025
I didn’t think this was “a twisted psychological thriller.” I thought it was boring
June 13, 2025
This book snatched my weekend, my breath, and my ability to trust anyone.
Thank you, Thomas Mercer, for the gifted copy of Last Seen by J.T. Ellison {partner}
Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 8.1.2025
Pages: 447
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
Last Seen was hands down the wildest reading ride I’ve been on in 2025. I picked it up thinking I’d read a few chapters — and then… I did not put it down. It’s one of those books where every chapter peels back a new layer, revealing darker and more twisted secrets, and just when you think you’re catching on? You’re not. Not even close.
J.T. Ellison packed so much into this story, and it shows — the structure, the pacing, the payoff. It’s a carefully crafted thriller that’s impossible to stop thinking about, even when you’re not reading.
I know there were clues scattered throughout, but I missed them all. Every. Single. One. The ending left me completely blindsided in the best way. I was flipping pages, shouting internally, and literally picking my jaw up off the floor.
Read if you enjoy:
🤩 Dark & Twisty
🔍 Stories of missing people
😅 Cults
🐱🐭 Cat & Mouse
If you like layered thrillers with clever twists, messy secrets, and morally murky characters, this one belongs at the top of your list.
______
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaptersofc...
Follow me on Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/chaptersofc...
Follow me on StoryGraph:https://www.instagram.com/chaptersofc...
Thank you, Thomas Mercer, for the gifted copy of Last Seen by J.T. Ellison {partner}
Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 8.1.2025
Pages: 447
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
Last Seen was hands down the wildest reading ride I’ve been on in 2025. I picked it up thinking I’d read a few chapters — and then… I did not put it down. It’s one of those books where every chapter peels back a new layer, revealing darker and more twisted secrets, and just when you think you’re catching on? You’re not. Not even close.
J.T. Ellison packed so much into this story, and it shows — the structure, the pacing, the payoff. It’s a carefully crafted thriller that’s impossible to stop thinking about, even when you’re not reading.
I know there were clues scattered throughout, but I missed them all. Every. Single. One. The ending left me completely blindsided in the best way. I was flipping pages, shouting internally, and literally picking my jaw up off the floor.
Read if you enjoy:
🤩 Dark & Twisty
🔍 Stories of missing people
😅 Cults
🐱🐭 Cat & Mouse
If you like layered thrillers with clever twists, messy secrets, and morally murky characters, this one belongs at the top of your list.
______
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaptersofc...
Follow me on Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/chaptersofc...
Follow me on StoryGraph:https://www.instagram.com/chaptersofc...
Read
July 19, 2025JT Ellison is a great writer and I have loved many of her books. What I DID love about Last Seen was the return to Marchburg! So cool, and I discuss the Easter Eggs I found in my full review linked below. It was really fun to revisit the school and the town.
Read my full review, with Jen's Quick Take to help you decide if the book is for you AND protected spoilers on Jen Ryland Reviews
And... I wish we had stayed in Marchburg because after Halley left, the book started to slide into "not for me" territory. I have loved most of her books and last year's A Very Bad Thing was just the right amount of wacky and this one was a bridge too far.
I'll discuss the aspects that didn't work for me under spoiler protection on my web review as well, but overall just too much weirdness, huge suspension of disbelief, characters who did things that did not make any sense. I can see that other readers have enjoyed this, calling it a "wild ride" (true) so don't let me deter you. This could be a "me" issue.
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Read my full review, with Jen's Quick Take to help you decide if the book is for you AND protected spoilers on Jen Ryland Reviews
And... I wish we had stayed in Marchburg because after Halley left, the book started to slide into "not for me" territory. I have loved most of her books and last year's A Very Bad Thing was just the right amount of wacky and this one was a bridge too far.
I'll discuss the aspects that didn't work for me under spoiler protection on my web review as well, but overall just too much weirdness, huge suspension of disbelief, characters who did things that did not make any sense. I can see that other readers have enjoyed this, calling it a "wild ride" (true) so don't let me deter you. This could be a "me" issue.
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
August 6, 2025
Last seen ignoring red flags like it’s her job.
3.5 stars rounded up.
Halley James is already on shaky ground - her marriage is crumbling, she’s just been (wrongfully) terminated from her forensics job, and her father’s health is in crisis. But when she returns to her childhood home in Marchburg, Virginia, the biggest shock awaits: her mother didn’t die in a car crash, as she was always told - she was murdered. And her father has been lying to her about it for decades. Determined to uncover the truth, Halley eventually follows a lead to the seemingly idyllic town of Brockville, Tennessee, but what she finds is anything but comforting. As she digs deeper into the darkness of her own past, she uncovers secrets, disappearances, and a twisted reality that challenges everything she thought she knew.
"Last Seen" is a fast-paced thriller that hooks early and keeps the tension high. Author J.T. Ellison delivers a dark, paranoia-tinged narrative full of psychological suspense, buried family secrets, and a chilling finale, with short, punchy chapters that add momentum.
The story veers into unexpected territory midway through, which adds a sinister layer, but its execution occasionally strains believability. In addition, some moments, especially Halley’s internal monologues and the weirdly inserted interjections, pull the reader out of the action rather than deepen it. Halley herself is a complicated protagonist - brilliant on paper, but frustratingly reckless in execution. For someone with a forensics background, she makes any number of baffling decisions (clicking on that phishing email was just the start) and cannot make up her mind about whether she wants/needs help or support when in danger (duh, she clearly does).
Nevertheless, the plot threads come together in a truly chilling finale, despite its middle stretch feeling slightly overstuffed.
If you're a fan of twisty thrillers with psychological depth and a touch of the sinister, "Last Seen" delivers with a disturbing villain, themes of identity and betrayal, and a final act that sticks the landing- just be ready for a few bumps along the way.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
"Last Seen" was published on August 1, 2025, and is available now.
3.5 stars rounded up.
Halley James is already on shaky ground - her marriage is crumbling, she’s just been (wrongfully) terminated from her forensics job, and her father’s health is in crisis. But when she returns to her childhood home in Marchburg, Virginia, the biggest shock awaits: her mother didn’t die in a car crash, as she was always told - she was murdered. And her father has been lying to her about it for decades. Determined to uncover the truth, Halley eventually follows a lead to the seemingly idyllic town of Brockville, Tennessee, but what she finds is anything but comforting. As she digs deeper into the darkness of her own past, she uncovers secrets, disappearances, and a twisted reality that challenges everything she thought she knew.
"Last Seen" is a fast-paced thriller that hooks early and keeps the tension high. Author J.T. Ellison delivers a dark, paranoia-tinged narrative full of psychological suspense, buried family secrets, and a chilling finale, with short, punchy chapters that add momentum.
The story veers into unexpected territory midway through, which adds a sinister layer, but its execution occasionally strains believability. In addition, some moments, especially Halley’s internal monologues and the weirdly inserted interjections, pull the reader out of the action rather than deepen it. Halley herself is a complicated protagonist - brilliant on paper, but frustratingly reckless in execution. For someone with a forensics background, she makes any number of baffling decisions (clicking on that phishing email was just the start) and cannot make up her mind about whether she wants/needs help or support when in danger (duh, she clearly does).
Nevertheless, the plot threads come together in a truly chilling finale, despite its middle stretch feeling slightly overstuffed.
If you're a fan of twisty thrillers with psychological depth and a touch of the sinister, "Last Seen" delivers with a disturbing villain, themes of identity and betrayal, and a final act that sticks the landing- just be ready for a few bumps along the way.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
"Last Seen" was published on August 1, 2025, and is available now.
July 30, 2025
*3.5 stars. With thanks to Amazon First Reads for a free copy of this thriller. Below is my honest review.
Halley James, a forensic pathologist at the National Investigative Sciences Laboratory in Washington, D.C., is having the worst day of her life. She headed to work that morning dressed to the nines and expecting to be promoted, but instead she has been fired! Her company had suffered a ransomware attack months ago and now they are pointing the blame at her and an email she'd opened.
Having just separated from her husband of ten years, she'd planned to take a furnished basement apartment on a short-term lease, but now without a job she will have to change those plans.
And when her phone rings, it's her father calling to say he's in the hospital and needs surgery to fix a broken leg after a fall down stairs at the school where he teaches. Well, now she'll have the time to go home to Marchburg to help take care of him at least!
While visiting him in the hospital, her dad asks her to locate his new insurance papers on his desk and bring them to the hospital the next day. She can't find them so starts scouring through his papers and finds something shocking. She realizes he's been lying to her for years!
And so begins Halley's quest to find answers to what happened to her mother and half-sister almost 30 years ago. Everything she's always believed is wrong.
This is my first taste of J.T. Ellison's writing and I thought it was quite an entertaining thriller. I really enjoyed the characters, especially Halley and her husband, Theo, an ATF agent. The plot was perhaps overly complicated but I really enjoyed the last quarter of the book and the visit to the creepy town of Brockville in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The ending was very exciting and seems to leave an opening for more--perhaps a sequel?
Halley James, a forensic pathologist at the National Investigative Sciences Laboratory in Washington, D.C., is having the worst day of her life. She headed to work that morning dressed to the nines and expecting to be promoted, but instead she has been fired! Her company had suffered a ransomware attack months ago and now they are pointing the blame at her and an email she'd opened.
Having just separated from her husband of ten years, she'd planned to take a furnished basement apartment on a short-term lease, but now without a job she will have to change those plans.
And when her phone rings, it's her father calling to say he's in the hospital and needs surgery to fix a broken leg after a fall down stairs at the school where he teaches. Well, now she'll have the time to go home to Marchburg to help take care of him at least!
While visiting him in the hospital, her dad asks her to locate his new insurance papers on his desk and bring them to the hospital the next day. She can't find them so starts scouring through his papers and finds something shocking. She realizes he's been lying to her for years!
And so begins Halley's quest to find answers to what happened to her mother and half-sister almost 30 years ago. Everything she's always believed is wrong.
This is my first taste of J.T. Ellison's writing and I thought it was quite an entertaining thriller. I really enjoyed the characters, especially Halley and her husband, Theo, an ATF agent. The plot was perhaps overly complicated but I really enjoyed the last quarter of the book and the visit to the creepy town of Brockville in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The ending was very exciting and seems to leave an opening for more--perhaps a sequel?
July 6, 2025
Last Seen
As a huge fan of JT Ellison I’m torn about this book. It was dark, very dark. I wish there had been more story about Ian Brockton and his role in the story. He was obviously a predator but what he was doing in his hidden compound seemed glossed over or just left to your imagination. I’m hoping this is a series with more information. If not then the ending is a big disappointment.
As a huge fan of JT Ellison I’m torn about this book. It was dark, very dark. I wish there had been more story about Ian Brockton and his role in the story. He was obviously a predator but what he was doing in his hidden compound seemed glossed over or just left to your imagination. I’m hoping this is a series with more information. If not then the ending is a big disappointment.
July 9, 2025
This book was dark and gory and mysterious, but there were no twists and no effective investigations. Just stupid decisions and searching and oh, here’s the answer. Not for me.
August 1, 2025
Probably the best psychological thriller I’ve read this year. Captivated by its unrelenting secrets, “Just Seen” was a page- turner I couldn’t put down.
Halley is on the verge of a divorce, she lost her job, her father is in the hospital having surgery and then she finds out her mother’s death was not caused by a car accident after all but a murder! She takes it upon herself despite the danger involved to seek out the killer, her half sister. Her search starts in a town called Brockville where her sister was “Last Seen”!
Thrilling ! Dark! Twisted ! Author JT Ellison leaves you aghast !
A fully evolved novel packed with suspense, mystery and a sadistic individual. Shocking ending, eerie, one I didn’t see coming.
Highly recommend this thriller to anyone who enjoys this genre. The book cover is perfect , love it ! 4.5
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer, Author JT Ellison and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Halley is on the verge of a divorce, she lost her job, her father is in the hospital having surgery and then she finds out her mother’s death was not caused by a car accident after all but a murder! She takes it upon herself despite the danger involved to seek out the killer, her half sister. Her search starts in a town called Brockville where her sister was “Last Seen”!
Thrilling ! Dark! Twisted ! Author JT Ellison leaves you aghast !
A fully evolved novel packed with suspense, mystery and a sadistic individual. Shocking ending, eerie, one I didn’t see coming.
Highly recommend this thriller to anyone who enjoys this genre. The book cover is perfect , love it ! 4.5
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer, Author JT Ellison and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Read
August 11, 2025Many thanks to Over the River PR and for my physical advanced readers copy and to NetGalley for my gifted e-book copy of Last Seen by J.T. Ellison. All opinions are my own.
A slow burning mystery/thriller that is a perfect way to transition from the summer to the fall!
Halley James knows her marriage is about to be over and though she has accepted it she did not realize the rest of her life would begin to crumble too.
She just lost her job at the forensics lab. Her dad needs emergency surgery. But the biggest blow comes back home in Marchburg, Virginia, where she discovers her mother didn’t actually die in a car crash. Her mom was murdered―and her father lied about it all these years.
Since she was a little girl, it’s been Halley and her dad. Now, she doesn’t know what to believe. Desperate for the truth, Halley chases down a lead in Brockville, Tennessee. But all there is not as it seems. Brockville’s utopian charm hides a chilling darkness. And Halley’s search for answers threatens to expose an unspeakable reality.
I enjoyed the back and forth of this book. It kept me guessing until the end. It was winding, twisty, and unpredictable. It is out now so be sure to add it to your end of summer / beginning of fall tbr!
A slow burning mystery/thriller that is a perfect way to transition from the summer to the fall!
Halley James knows her marriage is about to be over and though she has accepted it she did not realize the rest of her life would begin to crumble too.
She just lost her job at the forensics lab. Her dad needs emergency surgery. But the biggest blow comes back home in Marchburg, Virginia, where she discovers her mother didn’t actually die in a car crash. Her mom was murdered―and her father lied about it all these years.
Since she was a little girl, it’s been Halley and her dad. Now, she doesn’t know what to believe. Desperate for the truth, Halley chases down a lead in Brockville, Tennessee. But all there is not as it seems. Brockville’s utopian charm hides a chilling darkness. And Halley’s search for answers threatens to expose an unspeakable reality.
I enjoyed the back and forth of this book. It kept me guessing until the end. It was winding, twisty, and unpredictable. It is out now so be sure to add it to your end of summer / beginning of fall tbr!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 936 reviews