It all starts out with an abandoned car and a pool of blood. The car, registered to Vanessa Adams, offers little clues and Vanessa isn’t anywhere to be found. Detective Brandon Reynolds is determined to find out what happened to Vanessa, suspecting her case is a murder. His only clue is the business card of attorney Leigh Larson, who specializes in cases involving revenge porn and stalking. Leigh has her own secrets, but she’s determined to uncover what happened, even as Brandon urges her to stay out of his investigation. Meanwhile, sparks are brewing between Brandon and Leigh, as the search for Vanessa is on….

LAST SEEN ALONE takes readers into some dark areas. We all want to think of relationships through rose tinted glasses, but some have much darker endings. I love that Leigh is a crusader for women who have been hurt in such a personal way. Stalking and particularly revenge porn are not taken nearly as seriously until things get ugly, and the aftermath isn’t pretty. Sometimes it’s even deadly. Leigh fights for her clients impacted by these very personal attacks, seeking to protect them at all costs. Her dedication is evident in her willingness to help Vanessa, a woman she met only once, despite having little to no information upfront.

Brandon is also one of the good guys. He wants to pour more resources into finding out what happened to Vanessa, but he’s hampered by the fact it’s a missing persons case and not a murder case. After all, he has blood and an abandoned car but no dead body. I love his commitment to finding Vanessa, even as I understand his frustration with Leigh’s involvement.

Laura Griffin takes readers on a dark, twisted path into a world where relationships have turned dangerous and sometimes downright nasty. Readers will relish the twists and turns, even as we all cringe at just how ugly some people can be. Laura Griffin always writes a fast paced and thrilling tale, and LAST SEEN ALONE is yet another stunning example of her superb writing. If you read just one thriller this year, make it LAST SEEN ALONE.