As a teenager, Ellery Hathaway was abducted by notorious serial killer Francis Coben. She barely survived. Now she's a detective in Boston, still slightly broken and fragile, and still on probation with the department. She's also sort of seeing Reed Markham, the FBI agent who found and rescued her all those years ago. Not that she's great at relationships. She and Reed are on a picnic with his seven-year-old daughter, Tula, when a twelve-year-old girl goes missing from that same Boston park. But was Chloe Lockhart abducted? Or did she run away on her own? The discovery that Chloe's older half-brother, Trevor, was murdered before she was ever born certainly complicates things. Is her disappearance somehow connected to his death? Reed joins Ellery's investigation as they hurry to hunt down the truth and find Chloe before it's too late.
This is the fourth book Joanna Schaffhausen has written about Ellery Hathaway and Reed Markham. And while her mysteries are always well-plotted and compelling, it's her characters that I love. This case is especially hard for Ellery because of her own traumatic past--a past that complicates every aspect of her life. Including her feelings for Reed. And loving Ellery definitely complicates Reed's life. But they make a great team when they're working together to solve a case.
I thought Every Waking Hour was an amazing psychological thriller! And with that ending, I hope Schaffhausen hurries up and writes the next book in this series ASAP.
Happy Reading!
The other books in this series (which I also loved):
This sounds like a good series to me because, really, it's more about a good character and how that character changes over time, than it is about the actual mystery for me. That's why the over-the-top thrillers don't much appeal to me.
ReplyDeleteThe mystery part of these books is always good, but it's the characters that keep me reading it! Watching Ellery and Reed grow and change is what makes this series so good. :)
DeleteHaving good characters is what makes a book for me.
ReplyDeleteI so agree! :)
DeleteHow did I miss that there was a 4th book to the series?! I just put in for a library copy. I got a review copy of Schaffhausen's newest series coming but somehow missed this one. Oh, I hope Ellery and Reed are okay(relationship wise) by the end. I get nervous about that kind of stuff, lol. Great review, Lark! I can't wait to read *listen* to this! :)
ReplyDeleteYou have to read this one! (And then we'll talk.) :D
DeleteThis sounds like such a great series. I have to agree with everybody; it's all about the characters for me. If a book has a good plot but bad characters, I have a hard time enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteIt's almost always about the characters for me as well. I can enjoy a good plot-oriented book, but the books I love are the ones with characters I really love, too.
DeleteThis sounds like a great series. The characters definitely sound amazing and I've been loving psychological thrillers lately- great characters and an ongoing sries just make it even better.
ReplyDeleteAnd this book has all of that! This is one of my favorite series. :)
DeleteSounds like a fascinating series. Is Ellery's backstory a slow reveal across all the books? Or is it mostly addressed in the debut novel?
ReplyDeleteMost of Ellery's backstory is addressed in the first book, but more of it came out in this book. And the trauma of it is always with her in whatever she does.
DeleteIt's always a good thing when a series keeps delivering at a good standard!
ReplyDeleteYes! :D
DeleteI've only read the first book but I like the author's writing. Have to catch up with the rest of this series!
ReplyDeleteAll the rest of the books in this series are as good as the first one! I hope you get a chance to read them. :)
DeleteI missed this one? Schaffhausen has a new series, and I have a review scheduled for Gone for Good, but I like the Hathaway/Markham series better. Now, I have to get Every Waking Hour!
ReplyDeleteYou have to read this one!
DeleteThis sounds like a great series. I'm going to see if my library has it on audio.
ReplyDeleteI hope they do! :)
DeleteHi Lark, this series sounds intriguing. I like the backstop and most important I read books for great characters. Ellery and Reed sound very interesting. What jumped out at me though is their complicated relationship based on how they met, Ellery the abducted teenager rescued by Reed the FBI agent and now years later in a relationship together. I can see how that might create problems.
ReplyDeleteTheir relationship is very complicated. but it's also what makes these books so great. Ellery and Reed are just so human, and so easy to like and root for.
Deleteaaaah, that ending you say? I think i am two behind in this series! I need tg get on it -- esp with a tease like that!
ReplyDeleteOnce you finish reading this one you'll understand why I really need her to hurry up and write the next one. :)
DeleteA new find for me, and a series at that. Looks good, thanks for talking about this! ~Lex
ReplyDeleteI hope you get a chance to give these books a try! :)
DeleteI'm always up for a good psychological thriller and I love that this is a series that follows the same main characters.
ReplyDeleteAnd they're really great characters! They keep me coming back for more.
DeleteAbout a year ago I read the third one, accidentally out of order, which may have lessened the impact. I think I should go back and start the series again!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely give the first one a try and see if you like it!
DeleteEvery Waking Hour sounds good. The best series are the ones with strong character development. It sounds like this one has it.
ReplyDeleteThe best series are the ones with really good characters. And Schaffhausen has certainly created a very unique and memorable character in Ellery. :)
DeleteThis sounds really interesting and I like that despite her awful experience the main character is now fighting the bad guys!
ReplyDeleteShe's a tough one...though that sometimes makes her a bit reckless.
DeleteThis sounds like a riveting thriller - I haven't read this series yet!!
ReplyDeleteIt's one of my favorite series. :)
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