Title: The Last Woman in the Forest by Diane Les Becquets
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
From the national bestselling author of Breaking Wild, here is a riveting and powerful thriller about a woman whose greatest threat could be the man she loves.…
Marian Engström has found her true calling: working with rescue dogs to help protect endangered wildlife. Her first assignment takes her to northern Alberta, where she falls in love with her mentor, the daring and brilliant Tate. When they’re separated on another assignment, she’s shattered to learn of his tragic death. Before long, Marian discovers disturbing inconsistencies about Tate’s life, and begins to wonder if the man she loved could have been responsible for the unsolved murders of at least four women.
Hoping to clear Tate’s name, Marian reaches out to a retired forensic profiler who’s haunted by the open cases. But as Marian relives her relationship with Tate and circles ever closer to the truth, evil stalks her every move.…
Review:
The Last Woman in the Forest by Diane Les Becquets is an engrossing mystery that features a unique occupation and a wonderful setting.
Marian Engström is a conservationist who is working with dogs on various short term projects. Her first job takes her to Canada where she meets and begins dating charismatic and charming Tate Mathias. Their relationship continues when they return to Montana to await their next assignments. Marian’s job takes her to Utah while Tate heads to Washington state. Despite the remote locations and lack of cell service, they continue to keep their romance going. However, Marian and her fellow co-workers are stunned to learn of Tate’s death.
After talking with his sister, Marian starts to realize that Tate lied to her about many things in his life. One of his stories stands out in her mind and she reaches out to profiler Nick Shepard, who worked with police on a series of unsolved murders of four women in the area. Nick agrees with Marian’s suspicions that Tate might be the murderer and she begins combing through his life to try to disprove her misgivings. Will Marian and Nick uncover evidence to exonerate Tate? Or will she definitively prove that she fell in love with a serial killer?
Although Marian is twenty-six when she meets Tate, she has not dated much. She is not looking for a relationship but she and Tate are soon inseparable. He is a mentor of sorts as he guides her on her new job as a dog handler. Marian ignores a few things about Tate that bother her but in hindsight, she realizes that she should have paid more attention to her instincts. Although brokenhearted following his death, she can no longer ignore her qualms about Tate. With Nick’s help, she tries to find evidence that Tate could not have been involved with the four murders.
Seamlessly moving back and forth in time and narrated from different points of view, The Last Woman in the Forest is an eerie mystery with an intriguing storyline. The characters are interesting but most of the novel focuses on Marian and her quest for the truth about Tate. The isolated setting gives the unfolding story a bit of a sinister atmosphere as does Marian’s solitary forays into the vast forest. Diane Les Becquets’ attention to detail and impeccable research provide a fascinating peek into the world of conservation. Although the twist at the novel’s conclusion is a bit predictable, this does detract from the story’s overall appeal. A very enjoyable and informative read that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
