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achoward's review against another edition
5.0
Rick Cahill is back, and the poor guy can't catch a break.
At least here - at least at the beginning -he's safely ensconced behind a desk, running employment checks for companies and pulling in a regular income from it. He's also been diagnosed with CTE (chronic, traumatic encephalopathy, AKA head trauma from football) and is experiencing brain fog and missing time, something he has not told wife Leah, who is carrying their first child. He still feels the itch of being in the field, though, running down a case.
So when Moira, his best friend, wants Rick to tail her son to make sure he isn't violating a restraining order, he doesn't think twice. Moira is his friend, after all, and tailing someone without interacting with them seems safe enough.
It never is, though.
Rick trails the son and finds out he's visiting an apartment not just in the same complex in which his girlfriend lives, but directly across from it. What is going on here? When Rick goes to speak to the girlfriend, he finds her dead - murdered in her apartment. When the son's boss also ends up dead, Rick has to decide whether to tell law enforcement that he tailed the young man to his place of employment during the time stated as the time of death. Moira's son? Vanished. And the primary suspect in both murders.
The case takes a giant leap here into the investigation, and it is wild, involving a consulting company that has top programmers in its stable, a secret project, competing firms, corporate espionage, and a new technology for screening DNA in search of various conditions so the problematic genes can be "switched off". That reminded me of this book about Theranos and their "one drop" wonder machine that never worked.
The stakes get higher, and more dangerous, especially for Rick and his unpredictable time losses. Moira finds out by accident that he's been seeing a neurologist, and insists he tell Leah, or she will. He promises to do so, then promptly breaks that promise when Leah goes out of town for a big design job. He offers excuses to Moira, but knows he must do it, because Moira is a woman of her word.
The last 150 pages are so are terrific: action packed, danger, loose threads pulled together, and an entirely satisfying ending.
Five out of five stars.
Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for the reading copy.
At least here - at least at the beginning -he's safely ensconced behind a desk, running employment checks for companies and pulling in a regular income from it. He's also been diagnosed with CTE (chronic, traumatic encephalopathy, AKA head trauma from football) and is experiencing brain fog and missing time, something he has not told wife Leah, who is carrying their first child. He still feels the itch of being in the field, though, running down a case.
So when Moira, his best friend, wants Rick to tail her son to make sure he isn't violating a restraining order, he doesn't think twice. Moira is his friend, after all, and tailing someone without interacting with them seems safe enough.
It never is, though.
Rick trails the son and finds out he's visiting an apartment not just in the same complex in which his girlfriend lives, but directly across from it. What is going on here? When Rick goes to speak to the girlfriend, he finds her dead - murdered in her apartment. When the son's boss also ends up dead, Rick has to decide whether to tell law enforcement that he tailed the young man to his place of employment during the time stated as the time of death. Moira's son? Vanished. And the primary suspect in both murders.
The case takes a giant leap here into the investigation, and it is wild, involving a consulting company that has top programmers in its stable, a secret project, competing firms, corporate espionage, and a new technology for screening DNA in search of various conditions so the problematic genes can be "switched off". That reminded me of this book about Theranos and their "one drop" wonder machine that never worked.
The stakes get higher, and more dangerous, especially for Rick and his unpredictable time losses. Moira finds out by accident that he's been seeing a neurologist, and insists he tell Leah, or she will. He promises to do so, then promptly breaks that promise when Leah goes out of town for a big design job. He offers excuses to Moira, but knows he must do it, because Moira is a woman of her word.
The last 150 pages are so are terrific: action packed, danger, loose threads pulled together, and an entirely satisfying ending.
Five out of five stars.
Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for the reading copy.
srivalli's review against another edition
4.0
3.8 Stars
One-Liner: Steady-paced thriller with corporate and Pharma dealings
Rick Cahill is leading a settled life after pretty much giving up on dangerous detective pursuits. His fiancée, Leah, is pregnant with their child, and Rick is more than delighted by the news. However, his health seems to be a concern, as the headaches suggest a grave brain-related disease. Rick just wants to stay alive long enough to see his child and maybe spend some quality time with the baby.
When Moria, his dear friend, and investigative partner, calls for help, Rick knows he’ll do anything for her. She’s been through thick and thin by his side, and it’s time to help her. Moria’s son Luke seems to have broken a restraining order, and she wants to know what Luke is up to.
Rick finds the request simple enough. However, the surveillance and Luke’s subsequent disappearance, followed by deaths in the past and present complicate the case. Rick is now deep into the dealings of the corporate and Pharma world. With billions of dollars at stake, no life is safe. It’s up to Rick to find the truth and keep Luke alive (if he isn’t already dead). Of course, it feels as if Rick’s time has become rather limited on the earth.
Will Rick manage to expose the dark dealings and stay alive long enough to see his child?
Last Redemption is the eighth book in the series and can be read as a standalone. It starts a little slow but soon picks up the pace and keeps the story going. There’s a mystery, thrill, suspense, intrigue, danger, and action.
Even though this is my first book, I had no trouble understanding the relationship between the characters. There are enough snippets to provide a backstory when necessary. Rick is a rugged PI who goes more by instinct than by the book (PIs can’t solve cases if they go by the book). That puts him in danger more than once, but it goes with the job. He’s extra worried this time because of the ticking clock and a miracle child on the way.
The plot is revealed one step at a time through different characters and developments. I enjoyed how the whole thing was structured to arrive at the final conclusion. The culprit wasn’t hard to guess. In fact, we pretty much know who it is halfway through. The rest of it is to uncover the what, how, when, why and bring everything together.
There were a couple of incidents that made me wonder why Rick didn’t think of those on his own. He is an experienced PI, after all. But I let go because his character was clearly not at his best in this book. He was worried about the brain damage, and that most likely affected his instincts.
There’s an epilogue of sorts, which ties up the loose ends (almost). The book ends in such a way that there may or may not be a continuation. It leaves the reader satisfied and gives the author a chance to decide what to do with the series.
The story reminded me of the current scenario where a section of the Indian media and opposition has been lobbying for Pfizer to be brought when our Indian vaccines are already effective. The misinformation doesn't seem to stop when money is involved.
To sum up, Last Redemption is a steady-paced thriller with a capable PI taking control of the case. I’m going to check out the previous books in the series and start from the first.
Thank you, NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#LastRedemption #NetGalley
*****
P.S: I ignored the typos and minute errors as my e-galley was an uncorrected proof copy.
One-Liner: Steady-paced thriller with corporate and Pharma dealings
Rick Cahill is leading a settled life after pretty much giving up on dangerous detective pursuits. His fiancée, Leah, is pregnant with their child, and Rick is more than delighted by the news. However, his health seems to be a concern, as the headaches suggest a grave brain-related disease. Rick just wants to stay alive long enough to see his child and maybe spend some quality time with the baby.
When Moria, his dear friend, and investigative partner, calls for help, Rick knows he’ll do anything for her. She’s been through thick and thin by his side, and it’s time to help her. Moria’s son Luke seems to have broken a restraining order, and she wants to know what Luke is up to.
Rick finds the request simple enough. However, the surveillance and Luke’s subsequent disappearance, followed by deaths in the past and present complicate the case. Rick is now deep into the dealings of the corporate and Pharma world. With billions of dollars at stake, no life is safe. It’s up to Rick to find the truth and keep Luke alive (if he isn’t already dead). Of course, it feels as if Rick’s time has become rather limited on the earth.
Will Rick manage to expose the dark dealings and stay alive long enough to see his child?
Last Redemption is the eighth book in the series and can be read as a standalone. It starts a little slow but soon picks up the pace and keeps the story going. There’s a mystery, thrill, suspense, intrigue, danger, and action.
Even though this is my first book, I had no trouble understanding the relationship between the characters. There are enough snippets to provide a backstory when necessary. Rick is a rugged PI who goes more by instinct than by the book (PIs can’t solve cases if they go by the book). That puts him in danger more than once, but it goes with the job. He’s extra worried this time because of the ticking clock and a miracle child on the way.
The plot is revealed one step at a time through different characters and developments. I enjoyed how the whole thing was structured to arrive at the final conclusion. The culprit wasn’t hard to guess. In fact, we pretty much know who it is halfway through. The rest of it is to uncover the what, how, when, why and bring everything together.
There were a couple of incidents that made me wonder why Rick didn’t think of those on his own. He is an experienced PI, after all. But I let go because his character was clearly not at his best in this book. He was worried about the brain damage, and that most likely affected his instincts.
There’s an epilogue of sorts, which ties up the loose ends (almost). The book ends in such a way that there may or may not be a continuation. It leaves the reader satisfied and gives the author a chance to decide what to do with the series.
The story reminded me of the current scenario where a section of the Indian media and opposition has been lobbying for Pfizer to be brought when our Indian vaccines are already effective. The misinformation doesn't seem to stop when money is involved.
To sum up, Last Redemption is a steady-paced thriller with a capable PI taking control of the case. I’m going to check out the previous books in the series and start from the first.
Thank you, NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#LastRedemption #NetGalley
*****
P.S: I ignored the typos and minute errors as my e-galley was an uncorrected proof copy.
wynter_j's review
4.0
Brief Summary: Private investigator, Rick Cahill is hired by his friend to monitor her son, Luke. Shortly after, Luke goes missing and Rick must follow clues that ultimately lead to a web of greed, deceit, and murder. It seems like Luke is right in the middle of it all. Can Rick untangle the secrets before it’s too late? There are plenty of powerful people wishing to keep their secrets buried.
Thoughts: Though this is book 8 in the Rick Cahill series, it can be read as a standalone novel. All of the information needed is built into the story. The characters are realistic and likable. It does start off a bit slow but once the drama starts to unfold, the pace picks up. There were plenty of twists and suspenseful moments that made this book an engaging read.
Thank you to Matt Coyle, Oceanview Publishing, and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Since I received an advance copy, I imagine that it will still go through another round of edits. I say this because there were numerous typos and at times illogical sequence of events. This in no way impacted my review, but I felt it was worth mentioning.
Thoughts: Though this is book 8 in the Rick Cahill series, it can be read as a standalone novel. All of the information needed is built into the story. The characters are realistic and likable. It does start off a bit slow but once the drama starts to unfold, the pace picks up. There were plenty of twists and suspenseful moments that made this book an engaging read.
Thank you to Matt Coyle, Oceanview Publishing, and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Since I received an advance copy, I imagine that it will still go through another round of edits. I say this because there were numerous typos and at times illogical sequence of events. This in no way impacted my review, but I felt it was worth mentioning.
3no7's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.5
Life in transition, friend in trouble, danger around every corner
“Last Redemption” is part of the “Rick Cahill” series. This book continues from previous books, and the best experience is for regular readers of the series, but information is included as part of the narrative to help new readers see the entire picture and grasp the implications of past actions and events. Rick Cahill is a complex person with a complicated past that haunts him every day; it is a constant reminder of the ebbing tide of his time on earth. He wants to become a different person, a better person, but he has a lot of baggage; change is hard when people are trying to kill him.
The story is told in Rick’s first-person narrative. He is damaged both mentally and physically by the events of his life. He talks to himself and to readers, sharing everything from his perspective, the joys and pains, the good, bad, and the in-between. Rick is naturally sarcastic, abrasive even, and follows his own instincts, suppositions, and theories. However, when he is working a case he is focused, purposeful, and methodical because even the smallest detail might be valuable later.
The narrative starts sometime after the previous book, and Rick is now doing background checks for corporations, having abandoned the lifestyle that caused so much physical and mental torment. That past comes screaming back when his best friend’s son goes missing; Rick’s loyalty and friendship compel him to find the young man. People hide secrets from the rest of the world, and the pieces of the case are as confusing as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle without a box that shows the picture. The pursuit leads to some complicated connections with DNA cancer testing, the manipulation of a private company’s value, and, oh yes, a murder or two.
Coyle’s attention to details of every sort, in every place, make the story relevant, relatable, and realistic, from the sun burning off the marine layer in San Diego to the Vibram-soled Gall duty boots. I received a review copy of “Last Redemption” from Matt Coyle and Oceanview Publishing. The title “Last Redemption” hints to readers that perhaps Rick may finally find some peace, some acceptance of his situation … or not.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
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