Love may be blind, but obsession’s a real killer. Nora Holliday is not that kind of woman. Not the kind who has an illicit affair with a married man. But Josh Landon is everything Nora’s alcoholic husband isn’t. And now she and Josh are so infatuated, they can’t stay away from one another. Abby Landon, Josh’s daughter, is home from college nursing a broken heart. She’s seeking solace, not more … seeking solace, not more scandal, so when she catches her dad kissing Nora, she vows to take the homewrecker down.
And as for Abby’s mother and Josh’s wife, Gwen? To anyone on the outside looking in, the mother of two appears to be living the ideal suburban life.
Until she winds up dead.
The serene seaside town of Shoreham has always been the perfect place to raise a family–not somewhere housewives are brutally murdered. So who killed Gwen Landon, and how many twisted secrets will be exposed as the vindictive plot comes undone?
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Favorite Quotes:
It was the very picture of suburban domestic bliss. It could have been the set for a commercial advertising anything from laundry detergent to allergy medicine… except for the dead body.
Even though Josh didn’t touch her or make a single inappropriate comment, there was an energy between them. It shimmered there, almost like a separate entity, a third party sitting at the table with them.
They’re very sporty. In fact, they own one of those CrossFit places where people go and torture themselves flipping tractor tires and whatnot, and the women all end up looking like linebackers.
She’s as deep as a puddle and about as interesting. She’s not the kind of person you ruin your life over.
Nora is the kind of person who always does the right thing. It’s deeply important to her. It’s like she wants to live in a world of straight lines and squared corners.
I thought his crippling shyness was adorable, and evidence that he was so in love with me, it rendered him speechless. It was only later I realized that he simply didn’t have anything to say.
My Review:
This marks my third time enjoying the nimbly written works of Margot Hunt, who appears to possess quite a clever and impressive toolkit of words and perceptive observational skills, as well as a big honking brain. The story begins with a dead body, and we aren’t informed of the culprit of the deadly deed until the last few pages. I had spun and discarded various theories while I made my way through this slowly building and deftly penned tale of betrayal, family tension, addiction, personality disorders, and spiteful vengeance; with characters that became incrementally darker and increasingly twisted as the storylines and threads unfurled in all directions. Despite my best efforts, I did not foresee this ending in my calculations and I found the last few pages to be the most chilling of all. Margot Hunt has more than earned my undying respect for her wordcraft, as well as a bit of fear.
Nora Holliday knows what she is doing is wrong on so many levels, but the connection she has with Josh isn’t something she can ignore. He is everything her husband isn’t, he showers her with attention and makes her feel loved, and she hasn’t had that in a long time. They know they shouldn’t let what happened at the conference follow them home, but they just can’t seem to help themselves… and it’s about to cost them everything!
They are not the only two mixed up in their little affair, Josh has a daughter that knows a little too much and a spouse that is about to draw attention to their little affair… but not in the way you think!
The Last Affair is a thrilling little domestic suspense novel that will keep you on your toes from beginning to end! Nothing says enthralling like a little family drama, secrets, forbidden romance, and murder. I loved what I discovered between the pages of this novel, the story line is plausible and inventive, and the characters are superbly crafted, their antics kept me flying through the pages. This was quite the memorable first time read, the words were addictive and the drama was high, I had no problem keeping my eyes glued to the pages of this one!! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, via NetGalley request, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
You think this would be a typical cheating spouses story until it became so much more. A very fast paced story that was super enjoyable. I really like the main cheating characters since their spouses are just awful so you will want them to make it. There was a twist at the end that you don’t expect but at the same time know it’s coming!
This book starts off with everything I like in a domestic thriller: a dead body, an affair, a bitter child, and the revelation of said affair. But then it sort of falls apart into something so predictable and silly that I was left wondering what on earth happened.
Nora and Josh’s marriages are miserable for different reasons, yet Margot Hunt does a good job of showing you why they are still with their spouses. I enjoyed the scenes of the beginning of the affair. Nora and Josh want each other so desperately that they can’t stay away, even when they know how much they risk by meeting at a motel.
The problem is that bitter child I mentioned. Abby could have been more interesting, more complex. Instead she is everything you roll your eyes at in a Lifetime movie. The epilogue … it’s best I don’t discuss that because just thinking about it makes me angry.
So the whodunit is pretty obvious. Bless your summer soul if you can’t figure out who the killer is. In fact, it’s so obvious that I wondered why Margot Hunt used it as a plot device.
There is a good plot idea here that becomes just a little too predictable for me.
This book is a thriller/suspense, but not one that is so chilling that you just have to keep reading all night. The fast pace and the scandals kept me entertained and the fact that the author started with the murder of one of the main characters did grab my interest right away. Nora is married to an alcoholic and attracted to Josh, a teacher who is married to Gwen, the narcissist who ends up dead. The story started to lose my interest about halfway through, but I was involved enough in the characters that I wanted to read to the end. So, in that sense, the book was entertaining but I would not say that is was fascinating. The characters were not likable and were shallow representations of realistic people. The ending was not at all what I expected, especially the epilogue. I would have preferred no epilogue to the one that was added. Fans of thriller and suspense will enjoy this book, but the author has written much better ones in the past.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
This was a well-crafted thriller that took a step beyond the usual “cheating spouse” trope. The characters were real and the action was completely natural; I could imagine everything occurring in real life. I thought the author did an exceptional job of crafting the story so that not all of the pertinent information came to light at the same time. I also liked how the plot started with an event and most of the rest of the story detailed the events leading up to that event. I definitely recommend this book. For more details, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. This review was written based on a digital ARC of the book.
This was a really good domestic thriller.
I like the way the author went from character to character with their points of view.
Even thought the two main characters did their spouses wrong, I still liked them better than the wronged spouses.
This book definitely keep me guessing until the end.
/ 5
If you are looking for a really good, slow-burn of a domestic drama then look no further because Margot Hunt has got you with her new book The Last Affair.
I wouldn’t say that any of the characters are likable in this book, but Nora came close for me, even if she does have an affair with a married man. I really like that The Last Affair starts out with the murder of Josh’s wife Gwen, and then switches back into the past to tell the reader how Nora and Josh started the affair and all of the events leading up to the murder. This is a book with multiple viewpoints, and even though the majority of the time it is Gwen, Nora, and Abby (Gwen and Josh’s daughter), eventually we also get the viewpoints of Josh and Nora’s husband Carter as well. I really liked this choice because you get to see what is running through everyone’s heads and their personalities, even though at times I was ready to smack most of them.
I would consider The Last Affair to be a slow burn, but I ended up being fine with the pacing and had a hard time putting it down. This book was so addictive that I read it in just over 4 hours so it would probably be a one sitting read for a lot of people. I loved all the drama that this book had to offer, and a couple of these characters were just downright evil so prepare yourself!
Song/s the book brought to mind: Then What? by Clay Walker
Final Thought: The Last Affair does have a mystery aspect but overall I would consider it mostly a straight up domestic drama. This was my first time reading a book by Hunt and I can see why people like her writing, it really sucked me in, and everything flowed very well. The ending left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth and I can see why everyone wouldn’t love it, but it also really makes you wonder! Book 2 anyone?
The Last Affair will grab you from page one and keep you turning the pages until the surprise ending.
There are many crazy characters in the book and who does not like that? Gwen who is murdered is the craziest most unlikeable one.
Who murdered her? Could have been her husband Josh, daughter Abby, Nora , Josh’s girlfriend or Carter the husband of Nora.
The pages fly by and the ending was perfect !
My first Margot Hunt book but not my last !!
Gwen Landon is tired of being a homemaker and wishes that she could rewrite her past. Planning for the day that her youngest attends college, she will embark on the life she has only dreamed about. Although her marriage to Josh has become stale, she is biding her time in it due to social status and appearances. She is a narcissist, who calls the shots in her home, community, and in her marriage. Gwen’s plans take a hit when she suspects that her husband is having an affair and she becomes emotionally unhinged.
Nora Holliday was not looking to have an affair, just the courage to leave her unhappy marriage. She waits in fear of a relapse of her husband’s addiction to drinking and gambling. Nora never expected her initial contact with a married man would lead to heartfelt communications and secret rendezvous.
When Gwen is found dead in her backyard many suspects are revealed as the story goes back in time. The Last Affair by Margot Hunt focuses on murder but also touches on midlife crisis and stale marriages. This book reflects the saying, “ You never know what is going on behind closed doors.”
***I received an ebook copy from the publisher at no cost***
I’m one of those crazy people who loves cheating stories, so I was quick to snatch this title up.
Josh and Gwen Landon seem like the picture-perfect couple … on the outside. Their marriage is actually a bit of a mess, and Gwen seems to be caught in the throes of a midlife crisis. Josh heads out of town for a convention, where he runs into Nora Holliday, who lives in the same neighborhood as him and Gwen. The two share a few drinks and end up between the sheets in Nora’s room, thus triggering the start of an affair that could send both of their worlds crashing down around them.
I wanted to fall in love with this book. I really did. Unfortunately, it just didn’t happen. Now, that’s not to say there weren’t parts of it that I enjoyed. I liked the plot and how the author brought things together. The writing is vivid and good. And I think that the author did a great job of capturing the emotions that all parties would feel with respect to the affair itself.
The characters were what made this a 3-star read for me. None of them were likeable. I wasn’t able to empathize with any of them, regardless of the circumstances going on with them. It just didn’t seem like any of them had good motives.
The end of the book was a twist that I wasn’t expecting, and I’ll give the author credit for that as well. I didn’t see it coming and it took me by surprise. I’m guessing there’s going to be another book to follow this one.
If you like suspenseful stories, especially ones that contain cheating, check this book out and see if it’s one for you. Even though it didn’t make it on my list of favorites, it’s still a well-written story and I’d check out other titles from Hunt as a result.
Three stars to this novel!
The book opens with a dead woman in her back yard face down and bloody.
Who could the attacker have been?
It could have been a number of people…the flirty neighbor, the wife having an affair with Gwen’s husband, the husband, or even the daughter. Who is the most likely one?
And….this isn’t the only crisis in this book…it is only the beginning.
We have two families, two unhappy marriages, unhappy children, unhappy adults, an affair between one of the husbands and one of the wives, and a lot of drama with both the children and the adults.
The characters all seemed to be distant with each other and focused on themselves with little regard for the other family members.
I originally thought THE LAST AFFAIR would be about solving the murder even though the title should have been a clue, but the book is more focused on families.
Most of the book was about family relationships more than the murder, but once the affair was revealed to the non-participating spouses and the murder scene described, the book’s tension ramped up and concluded with a chilling ending.
This is my first book my Ms. Hunt. Her writing draws you in and creates situations that have you wanting to continue to see how everything turns out.
I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to mystery readers who need a change of pace for a lighter take on a mystery.
The ending definitely turned the entire book around for me.
I hope you enjoy THE LAST AFFAIR if you read it. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There have been a ton of domestic dramas/thrillers lately, and chances are if you’ve read any of them, you’ve read most of them. The Last Affair is no different in that respect. There’s really nothing new here. It’s the execution that sets it apart. We have the usual bunch of players in this twisted game, and honestly, none of them are particularly likable. The story starts with a dead body, so there’s no question about who is going to die. She’s already been murdered. Then we head back a few months to what started it all. Well, some of the issues these people have took a lifetime to hone into real problems, but a few months before the murder is where we go. The blurb tells us there’s an affair, and Gwen Landon is dead. So it’s just a matter of figuring out the whodunit. I have to hand it to Margot Hunt. The red herrings are everywhere, and nearly everyone who comes into close contact with this woman has reason to at least hate her, and given the issues among this crowd, it wouldn’t take much to turn that hate into murder. She’s about as unlikable as it gets, and she’s not even the one who had the affair! I mentioned earlier that the execution is what sets this one apart, and that’s where the pacing and the author’s ability to draw me in play a part. Both were well done, and I particularly liked the climax for the murder. Hunt did an excellent job of keeping everyone a suspect to the bitter end. Okay, not the very end. The story does go on a bit longer after the big reveal to tie everything up, and there’s one last twist that I really didn’t find completely necessary. Other than that, I completely enjoyed the story, and I look forward to whatever Margot Hunt does next.
There are a lot of pieces that fit together to make this story work and the author does fill it in nicely but for me this was just okay. Although I am not a big fan of cheating books there was something about this one especially the promise of a good mystery that made me go for it. Sadly for me this was anti-climatic. The author spent a lot of time building it up, filling all the gaps, then it ended. This is my first read by this author and it wasn’t a bad one so I will most definitely check her out again. While this one didn’t thrill me it was a good read.