Kathy Reviews: The Last Confession by Justin Stanisic

ISBN #: 978-1466468108

Page Count: 210

Copyright: December 21, 2011

Publisher: CreateSpace

Book Summary:

(Taken from Amazon)

Mary Lowry is a small-town waitress doing the best she can to get by. Father Robert McCullen is a customer with sad eyes, a choirboy smile, and a tattered photograph of his sister, who disappeared almost twenty years ago. Mary has a lead, but she soon discovers Robert is hiding more than sadness behind that smile. And Robert's wealthy mother, the family's dying matriarch, wants the girl in the photograph to stay missing - And she'll pay any price.

Everyone has their secrets. Sometimes the truth is ugly. Sometimes the truth is Evil. The search for the missing girl becomes a search for the truth - And the truth won't be found ... until THE LAST CONFESSION.

Kathy's Review:

This is a well-written, suspenseful story that I very much enjoyed. The character of Mary gets in over her head when Robert, a man on a mission to find his sister, is a patron in the diner in which she works. Told from Mary's perspective, The Last Confession has some twists you will never see coming. Her character is developed fully and deeply, and we know Mary's inner struggles, turmoils and happiness. Why does she go out of her way to help Robert? What draws her to him?

I read this book in e-book format, and I didn't see the cover or this above summary until after I had finished. I have to say, the cover gives too much away. And I don't think the summary does the book justice. The bit about Robert's mother - while this is a critical piece of information, I don't think it should have been revealed in the summary. The reader doesn't learn this until well into the book. The last sentence is cheesy - I expect some dark ominous music chords to follow.

However, overlooking those two minor things, I'm going to say this is one I'd recommend to all adult readers. There is some minor cursing and some violence, but otherwise I'd say this is some outstanding writing and engaging story.


*The e-book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.