This was a really good book. Plenty to keep me reading. Great author. I will recommend others read this book too.

Wow what a read this was. From the first chapter I was totally engrossed in this fabulous mystery thriller. Utterly brilliant.

Her Last Holiday was a decent read. Unfortunately, I just didn't buy into the main characters. I wasn't convinced that Fran was that bothered about Jenna's death. I do think there were perhaps too many characters which made it a bit confusing. That being said, I didn't work out who the killer so it was well done in that regard.

This book was a little hard to get into but once I did I was hooked. The characters in the beginning are a little hard to keep straight but after the story developed it was an enjoyable read with a suspenseful story!

This was my first book by C.L. Taylor. It was quite slow at times, but did pick up speed towards the end. I liked the characters and how they were written. I also liked how fast and easy it was to read it. Once you got into the story you really flew through it.

The plot twist at the end did chock me a little bit as it didn't go as I thought it would. You just didn't know who the characters really were. I did not quite enjoy the ending though. It's not the type of ending I typically like, I would have preferred a different ending.

All in all I did enjoy this book, and I might pick up other books by this author in the future.

This book is about a woman, Fran, who is investigating the suspicious death of her sister while on a wellness retreat 2 years ago. Forced into this by her mother, Fran attends her own retreat with little hope of finding any new info, only to find that there are several suspicious characters there with her.

I found this story intriguing, a little slow paced at times, but something that I was excited to finish. There were parts that were not believable, but if you can get past those, it's a fine story. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

I have read all of C L Taylor’s previous novels and have always loved her cleverly crafted plots and how they weave in and out. This was no exception.

Fran’s sister, Jenna, went on a wellness retreat, SoulShrink, in Gozo two years before and did not return, having been declared as dead by way of suicide.

Fran, encouraged by her mother, Geraldine, is encouraged to go on the latest retreat run by the same couple as the leader, Tom Wade has just been released from prison charged with the deaths of others on that same trip. Fran intends to find out what happened and if her sister really did kill herself or had she been murdered.

The story is told from Kate (Tom’s wife), Jenna and Fran’s perspective alternating between the present and the past. It is clear that not everybody is telling the truth but there are numerous twists and turns throughout, a few of which left me gobsmacked.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and C. L. Taylor for my ARC of Her Last Holiday in return for my honest review.

Excellent Read. Recommended.

I'm getting more and more into thriller and mystery/suspense, and I loved that this one had a slow-burn kind of a feel to it. It included everything I love in my books: sisters, long-held secrets, family drama, and it was told in multi-POV. The setting of a wellness retreat in Gozo was great - the perfect escape! This is a fun, quick read for when you just want to get away.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book I requested and received in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. 2 years ago, Fran's sister Jenna disappeared on a wellness retreat on Gozo. She had apparently taken her own life, though her body was never found. Tom Wade, the wellness guru who organised the retreat has just spent time in prison, and is now out and hosting another retreat in north Wales. Fran books herself in and is determined to find out what happened to her sister. This is a real page turner which will keep you on the edge of your seat. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Fran has a busy life and has little time for her family who she finds quite annoying. When her younger sister Jenna seeks her out to urgently speak to her she brushes her off saying she’s too busy. It is the last time she sees her. When tragedy strikes at the retreat Jenna is attending it is assumed she committed suicide but fast forward a few years and Fran makes her mission to get to the truth. A story that seemlessly switches from past to present and from the perspective of different characters it gradually unravels the truth with many a twist that has the reader guessing throughout. There are some quite detestable characters, others that garner sympathy and those with hidden secrets and agendas that make the book interesting from the start. Another imaginative book from the talented Cally Taylor.

Again, as always, C L Taylor spins another winner of a read!

Fran, living a "regular" lifestyle, misses her sister, Jenna, who died 2 years ago. One day while on the tube, Fran meets another commuter, Stella,. (who the reader immediately wonders about)..

BEFORE - On an airplane, Jenna is excited to go to a retreat. Of course, this may have something to do with one of the group leaders. Tom. may have mutual feelings for Jenna, but he is with Kate.

NOW we find out that Tom is being released from prison.

What did Tom do?

...and more importantly what WILL: Tom do?

It is always such a pleasure to read and review a C L Taylor book. Many Thanks to AVON Books, UK and NetGalley for a wonderful story!

This is my first C.L Taylor novel and so I will be picking another book by the author. Huge thanks to AVON Books for my ARC and Netgalley. This book is about a woman who wants to discover the truth about her sister's mysterious death in a group retreat two years ago... Who's lying? Who's telling the truth? The book is told in two timelines ( the past and present) and multiple narrations. I enjoyed the first half of the book and I slowly lost interest because they were so many characters but I liked Fran. Read it and enjoy!

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
A tense and intriguing read, cleverly written with lots of twists and turns. This is a compelling mystery with well developed characters. I would recommend as a good read.

I enjoyed this book, it took me a while to get into initially and seemed a bit long-winded, but then I was hooked and couldn't put it down.
The characters were well-written and I liked how you could form an opinion of someone and then be totally wrong about them.
There were lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing right until the end.
I didnt think it was as good as The Island, but enjoyed it and it was a good way to pass a few hours.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for my eARC in return for my honest review.

CL Taylor is a brilliant author, her writing style is captivating and always a very quick read. I’ve read all of her adult books (she does YA now too) and her earlier novels I absolutely adored but this one just didn’t do ‘it’ for me.

Whilst her signature style was present, this story had strong echoes of both ‘Sleep’ and Strangers’ the only other two novels I rated low.

The trouble with this kind of narrative is that quite often the reader must suspend belief in order to fully enjoy and engage with a book. I struggle with books like this and once they begin to go a little ‘weird’ I then start noticing lots of plot holes and issues. I won’t go into the issues with the plot as many other reviewers have picked up on them too.

So whilst I finished the book and enjoyed reading it. Overall it just didn’t wow me! I wasn’t ‘hooked’ and I really really disliked the long, drawn out, tie a bow in it ending. Sorry Cally, this one wasn’t my favourite x

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such an addictive book as I followed the story of Fran to discover the truth behind her sisters death. It is told in a dual timeline format and this worked so well for the story. The past gave me details of Jenna, Frans sister, who she met while on a retreat. The present is Frans part of the story.

The retreat is supposed to be a safe place, a place to overcome fears, tackle the lurking memories and demons and should be a positive and life affirming break. Jenna, unfortunately doesn’t come home from this break.

When another retreat is advertised Fran is cajoled into a place. The who and the why is gradually revealed and it gives an insight into both the lives of the sisters.

This is such a good story and one that had a great amount of intrigue. As I was reading I did wonder who was the main instigator and also who could I trust. I have to say the characters in the main are not that trustworthy or that likeable. In some ways this adds the suspicious side to their nature.

This had an excellent pace and quite a few twists. If you are a fan of crime and mystery books then you will probably read one or more of this authors books already. If you haven’t then you really should. A interesting and intriguing story that I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to C.L Taylor, NetGalley and Avon Books for the advance review copy of Her Last Holiday.

Two years ago Fran's younger sister Jenna went to a Soul Shrink self help retreat in Gozo with famous therapist Tom Wade - but sadly never returned. After the deaths of two of the attendees during the Gozo retreat, Tom was sent to prison for 2 years on a manslaughter charge, Meanwhile Jenna was missing under suspicious circumstances and her body was never found. The Police ruled that troubled Jenna had committed suicide.

When Tom is released from prison, his wife and business partner Kate has been planning his return for weeks. His big comeback, his return to hosting therapy retreats and a plan to rebuild their business empire. Within days of his release she has tweeted from his social accounts expressing his sorrow, hoping to gain the support of his heavy following who always supported his claim of innocence. Whilst Tom would have happily never hosted another retreat ever again, Kate is determined that they should go ahead to regain his reputation.

When Jenna and Fran's Mother sees the retreat in Wales advertised, she is furious, convinced that Tom murdered Jenna and desperate for answers. She books Fran on to the retreat, telling that she must stop at nothing to discover the truth. Fran eventually agrees creating a new identity in her Mother's maiden name to head to the retreat incognito. When some familiar characters arrive on the retreat who were also present in Gozo, is this Fran's opportunity to discover what really happened to her sister? Can she trust any of them?

Her Last Holiday kept me reading late into the night, with a great tension build up willing you to read on and learn more. Told through the differing perspectives of Jenna in Gozo during the retreat, Fran in the present day and Kate (the business partner), I really enjoyed flicking between the present day and the events that occurred two years ago in Gozo. As some of the characters were present again, I found myself doubting and questioning everyone. I also loved the fact that seeds that were planted early on grew to be crucial parts of the plot, but were done so subtly that you didn't even notice them at the time.

I really warmed to the slightly rude, no filter Fran - an unlikely lead but someone who I found myself rooting for - the guilt she felt at telling her sister to 'come back later' as there last meeting was relatable and heartfelt.

I read Her Last Holiday from cover to cover in 12 hours, stopping only to sleep! I believe this is my first read by C.L Taylor, but definitely not my last.

(This will be shared on realmumreview.com in March ready for April release)

I really enjoyed Her Last Holiday by C.L Taylor. Jenna attends a retreat in Gozo and never returns, her family are devastated to hear that she committed suicide but her body was never found. Jenna's sister Fran decides to attend one of these retreats two years after her sister's death, she wants to find out exactly what happened and why her sister would do such a thing.
This is a really good read, the plot keeps you interested the whole way through and you can't put it down. The narration switches from Fran now and Jenna then, so you slowly get to find out what happened while Jenna was at the retreat and the same time as following Fran as she tries to unearth the truth.
A great gripping and thrilling read. I would recommend this book.

This book tells the story of two sisters, Fran and Jenna, both carrying plenty of emotional baggage and having grown up with a difficult mother. Jenna attended a Soul Shrink retreat in Gozo and doesn't return. The police conclude that she committed suicide.
A few years later, Fran is booked onto a Soul Shrink retreat in Snowdonia, sent by her mother to get some answers regarding Jenna's death.
I found that I had little sympathy for any of the characters in the book and consequently wasn't particularly bothered about what happened to them. An easy book to read, but a little too obvious for me. I worked out the conclusion about halfway through and would have preferred a few more twists, turns and surprises.

When Jenna attends a retreat, her family are devastated to hear she has committed suicide. Her mother doesn't accept the suicide verdict and sends Jenna's sister Fran on the next retreat to discover the truth. Fran has to learn who she can trust and who is a suspect as she desperately tries to discover what really happened to her sister.

A really good read. The characters come to life and the plot is interesting. There are enough twists to keep the reader turning pages and to throw you off the scent. The writing style is excellent. I was impressed by the authors ability to create an image without being overly descriptive as some do. I would recommend this book.