A sometimes creepy read!

This was the first book that I have read by Michael Scanlon and won’t be my last! Although I had not read the previous books this did not affect my enjoyment of this book.

The book is set in a fictional village in Ireland and the main character is Beck, a tortured detective with a history and live of a bottle. He hasn’t made life easier with his love life affecting his work life. He works alongside Claire who does her best to keep him right.

The murder of an elderly gentleman, Eddy who was poised to propose marriage to an unknown woman starts the story. How was his relationship with his brother next door and his friend?

A further intrigue is the travelling brothel and few ideas are put forward. This brings some unpleasant topics to the book.

Beck struggles throughout the book with life and previous events but manages to work things out.

An enjoyable read and look forward to more. Thanks to Bookoutre and Netgalley for the book.

Cross Beg is a quiet Irish town. Detective Finnegan Beck has been here a while. He is a struggling alcoholic, often depressed but underneath he is a very good detective- even if he doesn't often follow protocol! Eddie Kavanagh was a well thought of man- so why then was he found brutally battered? He was in his good clothes, had a gold ring in his pocket- what was he doing & why was he killed? Along with Detective Claire Somers they try to get to the bottom of his death, but as the body count goes up Beck finds himself in an even darker place than ever.

This is the third in the series & I have read & enjoyed all of them. I felt this one took a while to really get into but once it got going it didn't let up until the end. I really like Beck- even if I do want to give him a good shake sometimes! I look forward to his next outing- the poor man could do with a break don't you think? Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for letting me read & review this book.

"Secrets: something kept unknown or unseen by others."

This is the third book in a series featuring Detective Inspector Finnegan Beck. For earl assigned in Dublin, Beck has been posted to Cross Beg due to indiscretions of a romantic nature up in The Smoke. He's in bad shape and suffers from nightmares and a tendency toward alcoholism because of unresolved issues in his family and personal life.

This installment brings Beck a complicated case that begins with the bludgeoning murder of an old man, Edward Kavanagh. Since he was respected and esteemed by most of the old-timers, no on can figure out why anyone would want to kill him. He's found with an old engagement ring in his pocket and the gossip is that he'd loved and lost a girl in his youth. Beck and his colleague, Detective Garda Claire Somers, question neighbors and other locals but can't find a motive. Then some interesting details come to light that indicate a connection to a traveling brothel, prostitution, kidnapping and sex trafficking. NO SPOILERS.

This was a book that I read in a couple of hours in a single sitting but it wasn't particularly action-packed or fast-paced. Although the elements were there for an exciting crime thriller, the focus on Beck and his "issues" took up too much page time. Although we're supposed to believe he's a brilliant detective, all I could see were the symptoms of a mental illness crisis. Why can't genre detectives be of sound mind and body? That aside, the premise was good but the execution was pedantic and I wasn't surprised at any turn nor did I find this suspenseful. It was a police procedural with Beck "mentoring" Claire about how those procedures are great in books but not in real life. I'll give this series another go, but this one was rather ho-hum. I'm also left wondering how this title relates in any way to the content of the book?

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Her Last Goodnight is the third novel to feature Irish detective Finnegan Beck.

Even though I haven't read the first books in the series - Where She Lies and The Child Before - I was looking forward to reading this, so I was happy to dive straight in, without feeling as though I had suffered from any lack of continuity.

In the normally quiet town of a Cross Beg, Ireland, a local is found murdered and is identified as the body of Eddie Kavanagh. DI Finnegan Beck, and his partner-in-crime Detective Garda Claire Somers are called upon to investigate what appears to be a bungled burglary at Kavanagh's remote rural house, where his dog lies whimpering beside his body. But Finnegan notices that Kavanagh was well-dressed and finds an antique engagement ring in his pocket, but no one knew that Kavanagh had a partner. As the body count starts to rise, Finnegan has to follow all leads and bring the killer to justice. But will it be too late for Finnegan himself to escape the murderer's clutches?

Intuitive Finnegan Beck is in a bad place mentally as he didn't have the best of upbringings. His parents became estranged from each other and he also suffers from alcoholism, as well as having a history of inappropriate relationships. In spite of all of this I really warmed to Finn, finding him imperfect and fallible, both in his personal life and professionally, but this makes him more believable and genuine.

The beginning of this novel perfectly set the mood and atmosphere for the rest of the story. With excellent writing, there was an abundance of clever touches and plenty of action, along with many twists, turns and red herrings that I failed to foresee. With an ever-present darkness to this story, the book never felt depressing and the action moved swiftly, keeping me enthralled throughout.

Her Last Goodnight is unsettling, imaginative and well written with characters that feel real, and I look forward to reading more in this series.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Her Last Goodnight is the third book in the Detective Inspector Finnegan Beck series set against the backdrop of the wild and beautiful countryside of the Emerald Isle and set in the fictitious town of Cross Beg, Ireland. Due to the standalone nature of the plot of each novel, it is not necessary to have read any of the previous instalments in order to enjoy this one so new readers can safely jump right on in. When the affable Eddie Kavanagh, an elderly man with no known enemies, is found savagely slain everyone in the vicinity of Cross Beg is completely lost as to a motive or as to who would brutally beat to death a seemingly harmless old man. Enter Finn Beck who has been called in to investigate his most puzzling and difficult case yet and he understands exactly where baffled residents are coming from as he is struggling to find anyone with a bad word to say about the respected, popular and well-liked resident. Things become even stranger given he was dressed up to the nines and in possession of an engagement ring at the time of his untimely demise despite no-one ever seeing him with a lady. And then more people are targeted...

This is a cracking read and even more enjoyable than the first two books. There is plenty of action and a solid and addictive mystery to the goings-on in the small town with many twists, turns and red herrings I failed to predict; this is quite unusual for me as I oftentimes have a handle on the direction in which a thriller is heading, but not here. It makes for engrossing and compulsive reading when you literally have no idea as to the perpetrator, as they are concealed so well within a slew of suspects, or a possible motive for the murder of the supposed mild-mannered gent. There is more than a sufficient amount of developments and reveals to propel the story forward and the pace at which it travels is spot on. Finn is a rather unlikely protagonist who leads a somewhat troubled life, sadly, much like many other crime fiction investigators. It's an entertaining and cleverly told tale which is every bit the page-turner and there's even some humour thrown in intermittently for good measure. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

'Her Last Goodnight' is the third book to feature the intriguing character of Detective Finnegan Beck. I have read, loved and reviewed the first two books in the series and I couldn't wait to read the third book. Well ladies and gents the wait is over because 'Her Last Goodnight' was released on 14th January 2020. 'Her Last Goodnight' is a blooming brilliant addition to the series and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it but more about that in a bit.
What can I say about Detective Finnegan Beck? He is a bit of a troubled soul. He didn't have the best of upbringings and it's safe to say that his family was dysfunctional in a sense. His parents became estranged from each other and used to pass messages to the other via Beck and his sister. Beck and his sister suffered the loss of their mother and there is some suggestion that Beck's father killed Beck's mother. Beck is also an alcoholic and I did wonder if he used alcohol as a coping mechanism. In other words, he drinks to forget his past and to help him cope with the horrors that his work brings to his door. Beck has a history of inappropriate relationships. His most recent relationship is with a woman married to one of his superiors which hasn't gone down well with the powers that be. Beck has been exiled to Cross Beg as a sort of punishment although Beck is hoping that when the fuss dies down he will be able to return to Dublin. I felt that I learnt more about what makes Beck tick and why he is the way he is in this book.
It's no word of a lie when I say that I was addicted to this book from the moment I glimpsed the title of the book. Yes I know that sounds a tad superficial or silly but I absolutely LOVE the Detective Beck series and as soon as I knew that another book in the series was imminent, I started counting down the days. As soon as I began to read, I was back with Beck and I just knew that I was going to be in for one hell of a read. I binge read the book over the course of two days, which is good going for me. The length of time it took me to read the book gave me an appreciation of the intensity of the police investigation. Usually I have the attention span of a gnat but not when I am reunited with Detective Finnegan Beck. When I read another book in the Beck series, I find I am able to concentrate more and read for longer periods of time than usual. I was most disappointed when I got to the end of the story as it meant that I had to say goodbye to Detective Finnegan Beck.
'Her Last Goodnight' is excellently written but then I wouldn't expect anything else from Michael Scanlon. He has a way of grabbing your attention from the start with a crime so horrific that it has stayed with me for quite a while after I finished reading the book. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained the fast pace throughout. I was gripped by the story and on the edge of my seat throughout. Michael uses such vivid and powerful descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself and that I was helping Beck with his investigation! I even found that I was trying to interact with the book as if the different characters could hear me. Before anybody says anything, yes I know that this is a work of fiction but I find that if I enjoy a book to the extent that I enjoyed reading 'Her Last Goodnight', then I tend to live the story as if it were real.
Reading 'Her Last Goodnight' was much like being on one hell of a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns than you would find on a 'Snakes & Ladders' board. Just when you thought that you could take a moment to gather your thoughts, to reclaim your stomach and allow your blood pressure to go back to normal then off the action would go again. 'Her Last Goodnight' certainly kept me guessing and some of the twists and turns took my breath away.
In short, 'Her Last Goodnight' was a blooming brilliant read from the blooming brilliant Michael Scanlon. I definitely recommend that you read the Detective Finnegan Beck series. I will definitely be reading more of Michael's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the chance to read Her last goodnight by Michael Scanlon. While this was book 3 of the Detective Finnegan Beck Series I was able to get into the book with no problems.
Eddie is killed with an engagement ring box in his pocket. Was it a burglary gone wrong, or something more sinister! Eddie is an old man and a loner, so who was the engagement ring for? The book kept my interest right to the end and I enjoyed the character of Detective Beck, and am interested in reading the first two books. One of the reasons I enjoyed reading it was the setting of rural town in Ireland. A new author to put on my TBR list!

Her Last Goodnight is the third book in the Inspector Finnegan Beck series set in the (presumably) fictional town of Cross Beg in rural Ireland. This could however easily be read as a stand-alone as each mystery is separate, there are no significant spoilers for the previous books, and this one finally reveals the reasons behind Beck’s alcoholism and screwed up psyche. I enjoyed this more than the previous book, as Scanlon has reined in the elaborate descriptions of every scene that bogged that one down, and tightened up the plot.

Beck investigates the brutal murder of an elderly man, who was liked by all, found with an antique engagement ring in his pocket - but no one knew of him having a partner. The scene brings flashbacks of the unexplained death of Beck’s own father, when he was a child, pushing him back to the solace of the bottle. How does this murder connect to the subsequent deaths at a local brothel, owned by a wealthy real-estate agent, and a mysterious motor home seen driving around town?

I definitely like this author’s writing and found I was rapidly pulled into the plot. Midway through, though, I decided I’d be giving up on this series as I really don’t enjoy reading about yet another emotionally stunted detective falling off the wagon. Fortunately (minor spoiler alert) Beck is able to pull himself back together through the love of a good dog and the support of a kind colleague, so I am now keen to read more of his adventures, even if I still don’t like him much.

The Irish police system is just different enough from the more familiar UK one to keep this interesting. I was confused at times as to how an inspector who has been in town long enough for two previous cases is still so unfamiliar to most of his colleagues, as Cross Beg is portrayed as quite a small town.
There’s a subplot about sex-trafficking, an issue which has been rather overdone recently in crime fiction, and no great surprises in the denouement but I didn’t predict who the killer would be, but neither was I surprised, if that makes sense.

Overall I would recommend this series to anyone who likes darkish murder mysteries with a strong sense of place, as long as you’re not looking for something new or original. My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. Her Last Goodnight is available now.

Even though this is the third book in the series, it’s the first that I have read. I did not find it too difficult to catch up, even though I did find the main character, Beck, a little bit complicated at first. Eventually, I got to know him and understood him better. He was very realistic. The case itself was exciting and kept me turning pages. I will definitely look for the first books in the series. For more thoughts, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.

There was only one regret that I had about this book and that was that I hadn’t read the first two in the series. This can be read as a standalone but crikey it is such a darn good read I just want more.
When the body of an older gentleman is found brutally beaten in his home no-one can seem to find a bad word against him but there have been some really weird clues left behind. He had been dressed smartly, had an engagement ring in his pocket and a letter declaring his love to a woman.
DI Finnegan Beck who has been demoted and transferred from Dublin to Cross Beg, a small town where everyone knows their neighbours is soon on the case. Beck certainly has his problems but he really is a character that I found myself rooting for at work and at home. He is partnered up with Detective Garda Claire Somers. There is plenty of background info on Beck and the reasons why he is where he is now. The partnership between the two blossoms as mutual respect as the book goes on.
Loved Max’s part in this book, Max was the first victim’s dog and Beck ended up with him. They have a real connection beautifully written. Beck can run circles round the local police, which doesn’t always go down well. This is a fast-paced read, a brilliant storyline, a really sad story of the past, many heart in my mouth moments and loved the round-up at the end.
I wish to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of this e-book which I have reviewed honestly.

A solid mystery thriller.

"Death, a vast empty expanse of nothingness, no dreams, no memories, nothing. An eternity."

Eddie Kavanagh lost the live of his life, Emily Tuffy because he was too slow in asking her to marry him but he has a second chance at love......his body is found the next day with the engagement ring still tucked in his pocket. He was killed in a vicious attack that seems very personal. What happened and who was the mysterious woman the ring was meant for?

Detective Finnegan Beck must figure out what is going on. He is fighting his own demons and the body triggers a lot of memories from his childhood and his fathers death.
Will Beck be able to solve this murder and move on or will this case be his downfall?

Here and there I found some scenes unnecessary but overall it was a very enjoyable read.

Thank you to #netgalley and #bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley. This is the third book in the Detective Beck series but this could be read as a standalone.

Detective Beck is a character that you can't help but love. Beck has many issues and is hardly a role model but you can't help but root for him. Not only do you want him to solve this very odd case but you also want him to solve his personal problems. The thing I love about Beck is his dogged determination. Beck is smart and a damn fine detective but his superiors don't always appreciate his methods.

This case was quite the interesting one. Eddie Kavanagh was brutally murdered but who would do that to a man that is so well-loved? This case has twists and turns all over the place and for a while, I did not know how it was all related. But in the end, everything comes together in a rather exciting way.

Michael's writing is excellent. I was gripped not only on the case but also on Beck's personal issues. I really enjoyed returning to Beck's world and can't wait to return again soon.

Detective Finnegan Beck #3

This is a complex case involving Eddie Kavanagh. No one has bad word to say against him. But his ody has just been found. He's been bludgeoned to death. But this is just the start for Beck as soon the death total rises.

Finn Beck is still coming to terms to what had happened in his past. With a double murder and a miller to track down, Beck has his work cut out. I like the authors style in writing this series. He k ows how to set up and develop the plotline perfectly. I also like Becks partner, Claire Somers and the way they work together. But with Beck finding his past and present colliding, and his life is unravelling before him, he once again starts making all the wrong choices. I'm really ,liking this series. The books can be read as a standalone but I do advise you read, if you can, a series in the order they are written in. You won't be disappointed.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Michael Scanlon for my ARC in exchange for an honest review

I was totally drawn in at the start of this book. Eddie, an elderly farmer who’d let his first love slip through his fingers, only to now have a second chance at love, waits outside his farm. He has an ring in his pocket. Don’t we all love the idea of a second chance? Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be, because the next minute he is dead, having been murdered. And the murders don’t stop there. Who is killing these people? And who was Eddie waiting for?

Detective Finnegan Beck is in charge, but he is a bit of a mess. He’s having an affair with his chief super’s wife and Eddie’s murder unearths the trauma of his own father’s mysterious death. He is also drinking on the job. He’s not the stereotypical drunk, messed-up cop who yet manages to be 100% brilliant at work, however. Instead, he’s fallible, not only in his personal life but on the job as well which makes him more human and believable. He’s very intuitive, but it takes ages for him to get there – maybe because of the drink. Also, he never gives up. His boss wants to close things down when the investigation into the trafficked girls leads nowhere, but Beck won’t let go. I really warmed to this character, and liked him even more because of his great relationship with Max, the dog Finn rescued when Eddie was murdered.

This is an enjoyable read, with twists and turns. I have to admit, however, to being confused by the title of this book and remain unsure of its relevance.

Wow!! Convoluted, dark, and quite a freaky read.

An elderly man was found dead, bashed on his head multiple times, with a diamond ring in his pocket. Detective Inspector Fennigan Beck was called in with his team to investigate.

My first book by author Michael Scanlon, though the second in the series, I was left quite breathless at the inroads this book made with its dark subplots into the depths of human psyche. The killer was a shocker and quite cringe worthy. I had a weird feeling in my stomach at the ruthlessness shown.

The main character Beck was quite foolhardy at times, taking unnecessary risks, but quite intelligent in finding subtle clues. I loved his keen eye of observation. A complex past and a need to solve the case at any cost made him one of the outstanding main characters.

Overall, the book kept me gripped with its plots, and surprisingly enough, it was an easy and fast read.

First read of a novel by Michael Scanlon and his character Detective Finnegan Beck. A great story lots of twists and turns in the,plot. Fascinating conclusion, a pleasant change to read a novel based in Ireland. Look forward to catching up with more from this author

Book 3 in the Finnegan Beck series. I really enjoyed the first two but this one just didn't work for me.

I felt it was too long and rambling. The flashbacks were confusing as some were Becks and some the killer.

It just didnt grab me as the previous two did.

Hopefully book 4 will be more like the first 2.

This book was really good. A definite must read for 2020. Suspenseful storyline. Bookouture really knows how to pick up and coming Authors.

Her Last Goodnight was another murder police-procedural offering. There seems to be no end to them right now.

People are being bludgeoned to death and Beck, a man who makes a lot of bad decisions but is apparently still a good detective, and his partner Claire, who is sadly underused here, have to solve the murder. I liked Beck a little more in the previous book of the series than I did in this one. A lot of small town secrets are uncovered along the way. The story was good for a quiet afternoon. Thanks to Michael Scanlon and Netgalley for the ARC.

Just as Detective Finnegan Beck thinks he's getting his life back on track, he's even taken up jogging, something happens to send him hurtling back towards the darkness of his past. Eddie Kavanagh, described by those who knew him as a good man, is found beaten to death but all Beck can see is a long forgotten image from his childhood of his own father's body.

As Beck and his partner Claire Somers try to solve their case, he finds the past and present colliding in ways he can't even begin to understand. With his life unravelling Beck jeopardises everything by once again making bad choices similar to those which have almost destroyed him before.

I am a big fan of this series of books and look forward to each new instalment. Beck is a seriously flawed character, weak and self-loathing on the one hand while determined and focused on the other. The superhuman effort he makes to discover what happened in all his cases does seem to be pushed to the max and, this time, as the case rushed towards its explosive end, I felt it was a little unrealistic. Apart from that I enjoyed this immensely, the rest of the book was excellent and Michael Scanlon's work gets better with each outing.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed this series so far, wants an original, well written read or likes their heroes a lot less than perfect; in all cases this book delivers.