Lucie Whitehouse is an author who always holds my interest despite the fact that she loves a lot of characters in her books. I love a really well developed plot and this book is a great example of that. No rushing of situations and always a pull at your heart strings. Happy to recommend this book its excellent.

This was the third book in the Robin Lyons series and I’ve loved every single one, definitely read them in order as although you can read them as three standalone, watching her relationships (especially with her daughter) and her career develop is significant in how she deals with cases and is an ongoing story line I found fascinating.
This book was the same as the others in terms of its twistiness and intrigue, it’s a slightly more slow burn thriller but I really enjoyed it and can’t recommend it enough. You get answers to a couple of things you question in the previous books in the series and I genuinely hope there will be more to come from Robin Lyons!
If you like crime books and police procedural you won’t regret picking up this series!

I felt Last Witness stood out from the crime fiction crowd for two main reasons: the backstory of lead character Robin Lyons, which as a newcomer to the series (I will be going back to read the other two titles featuring her!) was intriguing and developed well alongside her working life; and, the case itself which took a fascinating look at the world of victimhood and how to build something from a traumatic experience for which you may not receive justice. I read it over a weekend - extremely pacey and twisty.

We’re now at book three in this series…

And I’m pretty gutted that that’s it thus far, until Lucie Whitehouse continues the series! (Let’s hope she’s a fast writer!) It’s another great, complex storyline with an ending that knocked me for six – I’m generally not bad at seeing what’s coming, but this book was full of surprises!

The murder victim is a young man, Ben Renshaw,. He left his home the evening before his body was discovered, and he’s found in sprawling woods which are generally deserted in the evening, apart from drug dealers meeting customers, and romantic assignations. He’s known to the police, not because he’s been in trouble, but because he and his best friend Theo gave evidence in a case against a fellow student at their prestigious private school called Alistair Heywood. As a result he was found guilty of raping their friend Molly and given a lengthy prison sentence. DCI Robin Lyons lands the job of finding his killer.

Ben and Theo’s brave decision resulted in a campaign of terrifying violence against them and their families, resulting in Theo being a victim of a hit-and-run, leaving his leg badly damaged. As the Heywoods are a powerful and rich family, the assumption is that they are responsible – but proof is impossible to find. Ben, Theo and Molly set up an online campaign, StrengthInNumbers.com, and give talks encouraging other victims of sexual violence to speak about their experiences on their supportive website. Ben’s charisma makes him the natural leader, and their forum gets plenty of media attention – something he clearly enjoys.

So is his murder a case of the Heywoods getting the ultimate revenge? Or is there more to this murder? When another death occurs, and that case is also given to Robin, she quickly feels the pressure to make arrests.

However, as is always the case with Robin, her family life is difficult – her brother Luke is on remand for a crime committed in the previous book, and her daughter Lennie is becoming increasingly withdrawn (I’m trying to avoid spoilers for those who haven’t read the previous book – but I do urge you to read them all, although this can be read as a standalone novel.) One of the strengths of this series is the attention given to the family, as well as the investigation. Every character is well-drawn and believable. Robin still has the complication of her feelings for Samir, her first love who is now her immediate superior. When she doubts herself, he encourages her to believe in her skills as a detective, which is something she – and her team -have in spades.

The investigation naturally leads them in unexpected directions, without feeling forced or inauthentic. It’s a fantastically original series, and Robin is a likeable but realistically flawed lead character. It also has plenty of amusing lines, to lighten the atmosphere. This series deserves – albeit based on just three books so far – to be as successful as any detective series I’ve ever read. It’s one of those books one rushes to return to, and I read it all within two or three days. The pace never flags – it’s compelling throughout. As for the ending – well, let’s just say I had a very late night, unable to put it down until I knew the full story! Please, Lucie, may we have some more…?

crimeworm Verdict: An absolute must-read for fans of quality police procedurals!

Nothing keeps a crime hidden like fear.

Months after Ben Renshaw gives evidence in a high profile case his body his found in the woods. It’s Robins job to navigate this sensitive case whilst at the same time battling another case in her private life.

I did something I never do and read this book out of sequence as I didn’t realise it was part of a series but it didn’t matter. At times it felt like two separate books with the different stories but it all made complete sense. An enjoyable read but far too many characters, and that’s with my little book where I wrote them all down to keep track 🤣 thanks to @netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I received a free copy of, Last Witness, by Lucie Whitehouse, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 3 of The Robin Lyons book series. DCI Robin Lyons has a murder to solve, a teenager has been murdered. People have a lot of secrets in this book. This is such a sad story, brutal at times to read.

A charged, highly emotional read.

Lucie Whitehouse writes three dimensional characters with a real ear for dialogue. Even in the darkest moments, Whitehouse manages to convey true humanity.

Another great book from this talented author. The characters are well rounded and totally credible. A police procedural which has a human touch. Can’t wait to read the next one.

The third book in the series and one that could be read as a standalone, but I would say start from the beginning with book 1. I always think this with a series like this, Robin Lyons is a character that you really get to know over the series, and the reader does themselves a disservice not reading all.

Last Witness picks up from the end of Risk of Harm, and we see Robin dealing with the mirder of a 16 year old boy who was a key witness to a sexual assault case previously. This resulted in the conviction of the son of a family who are pretty powerful and not so nice (understatement of the year!) In the aftermath of the case arson attacks,assaults and a host of nasty things happened with no perpetrator found.

This is another dark and gripping story that kept me intrigued. The fact that we see Robin attempting to deal with the case and her home life together while the pressure mounts from all angles made me turn the pages just a little quicker the more I read.

Lucie Whitehouse brings great characters that stand out so well. Robin, I am truly invested in. I felt for her as the story unfolded. The detailed police procedure gave me a sense of understanding how the police have to go over every little thing and how they deal with the media, too.

With such skilled storytelling, the author has woven a multi-stranded story that is dealt with so sensitively. I felt every emotion that ran through the book, and that is down to the quality of the writing. Another amazing instalment!
Thanks to Tracy Fenton, the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted ebook to take part in the #TeamLyons blogathon

I was delighted to catch up with DCI Robin Lyons , her teenage daughter Lenni, and the hectic world of Birmingham policing. She's as wonderful as ever, stretched in every direction and keeping multiple plates spinning at all times, work, motherhood, relationships, with the additional complication of having a brother who is about to go to court and faces significant jail time.

Robin's latest case involves the discovery of 18 year old Ben's body in some woodland. Ben had recently been a witness in a SA trial that had ended in the suspect Alistair Heywood, a former classmate, being found guilty and going to jail. Alistair's family, the Heywoods, are very well connected and put pressure on the police not to take it further, but despite their influence and connections, Alistair was found guilty and sentenced to several years in jail. The Heywoods have not taken it well, and Ben and Theo, the other key witness, have experienced some significant intimidation and 'accidents' since then, which the Heywoods have denied.

No-one expected it to end with a dead body though. Ben's family are distraught at what has happened to Ben and point the finger at the Heywoods. They are not happy about being interviewed about Ben's case. Again, they use all their connections to try and keep Robin in her place, and she has to stay strong against them to try and find out what has happened to Ben.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole series of books - Robin Lyons is such interesting human character, with mum guilt, work guilt, family guilt and any other sort of guilt driving her on at all times. Her relationship with Leni is so fragile and so important to them both, the slightest wrong word can send things spiralling.

The three books together are a must read for crime fiction fans,

Last Witness is the 3rd (and final?) book in the Robin Lyons series by Lucie Whitehouse and is published today, 25 April 2024. I am delighted by part of a mini “blogathon” with 24 other bloggers who have all read and reviewed this series hoping to spread some book love and get some new readers for this wonderful crime series.

As this is book 3, I would recommend starting at book 1 Critical Incidents, followed by book 2 Risk of Harm because whilst Last Witness can be read as a standalone, you really need to read more about who Robin Lyons is and why she finds herself back in Birmingham working for the man who broke her heart and trying to juggle motherhood plus a series of violent crimes at the same time.

Last Witness follows on from Risk of Harm and Robin is now investigating the murder of a 16 year old boy called Ben Renshaw found in the city woodland. This case is highly controversial because Ben was one of the key witnesses to a sexual assault case the previous year which led to the conviction of one of the sons of a ruthless and powerful family. What followed after the verdict was intense witness intimidation, assault and arson attacks but the culprits were never found.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the police procedural parts were fascinating, with several crimes overlapping, it was refreshing to see how the police coped with the media scrutiny, the public backlash and the reluctant or hostile witnesses.

Watching Robin navigate her personal life as a mother, daughter, sister and lover and growing through each book was really interesting and I felt like I understood her and why she often behaved the way she did.

I would definitely recommend this series.

This the last stop in the #TeamLyons blog tour that review all the books in this series.
This is a book you can read as a stand-alone but reading them in order will make you appreciate the evolution of Robin, a single mother and homicide investigator who moved from London to Birmingham, and of the main characters in this series.
The author deals with some very sensitive issues like sexual abuse, entitlement, misogyny. It brings you to dark places and into the centre of human darkness.
I started it while I was travelling and I was so engrossed that only the name of the stations made me understand time was passing.
Robin’s life is as complex as usual: she’s a woman part of a complex family, she’s attracted to her boss who’s married and a former lover. Her daughter is a teenager who is involved in the trial of her uncle and not very happy.
This the behind-the-scene of a complex and highly political investigation. There are twists, red herrings, a possible culprit related to the victim social activity.
The author is an excellent storytelling and I was kept turning pages and guessing.
Loved it, highly recommended
Many thanks to Orion and Compulsive Readers for this arc, all opinions are mine.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I liked how this books explored how crimes don’t just affect the parties involved and how things can spiral and easily get out of control.

I loved Whitehouse's thriller, Keep You Close, and was excited to see she had a new book coming out. In this book, a teenage boy is found dead and the prime suspects are members of a powerful family. The victim helps run a website supporting victims of assault and had called out one of the sons in this ruthless family. The death seems like a clear case of revenge, but the investigation uncovers several other possible suspects and motives making this far from an open and shut case.

I knew this book was a procedural and not a thriller, but didn't realize it was the third book in a series. I enjoy procedurals and have started reading several series in the middle and had no problems catching up. However, I had a hard time getting my footing when reading this book. I like the main character, DCI Robin Lyons, but there is a large cast of characters in the book, the case is complex, and Robin has a very complicated personal life. It took me a while to catch up on all of this but when I did, I really enjoyed the book.

There is a sense of foreboding throughout the story that something is going to go wrong, as Robin struggles to balance her life at work and at home. There is a lot of pressure to solve the case quickly and at the same time, Robin's teenage daughter is having a crisis of her own. I was very surprised by the ending and now that I've gotten to know Robin and the other main characters, I would definitely keep reading this series if it continues.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and Orion Book, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

This is the first Lucie Whitehouse book I have read and on the strength of this I will most certainly be reading the others.

DCI Robin Lyons is a single parent and her teenage daughter Lennie is intelligent and the light of her mother’s life. Robin worries about Lennie constantly and would do anything to save her from harm, like most mothers.

Robin’s boss, ACC Kilmartin, gives Robin the most high profile case in the West Midlands. Teenager Ben Renshaw has been found murdered in an isolated stretch of woodland in Birmingham. Ben is known to the police because he and his two friends, Molly and Theo recently testified in the trial of a former schoolmate, Alistair Heywood. Heywood was convicted of sexually assaulting Molly, a claim he vigorously denied.

Alistair comes from a prominent local family with a lot of influential connections and they had refused to accept the verdict, claiming their son had been ‘stitched up’.

Ben and Theo, though were unshakable, despite being subject to a lot of intimidation. Molly’s experience and the resulting court trial opened their eyes to the experience of women at the centre of such trials and the three of them collectively set up a website, StrengthinNumbers.com which encourages women to share their experiences. They have campaigned on behalf of the site and fundraised for it and the Heywoods are extremely unhappy that their son’s conviction is raised every time they do an interview.

The pressure is coming down on Robin to solve this case quickly, but the timing could not be worse. Her daughter has been caught up in a riot and her brother is about to stand trial for racist offences of which he is, in the main, guilty.

The family are under pressure and Lennie isn’t handling it well, which means that Robin, too, is on edge all the time. Her immediate boss, DCS Samir Jafferi knows all about this and is being both helpful and supportive, but when Robin is tracked down by a journalist, she fears all her secrets will come out.

The supposition is that Ben's death is just another element of the Heywood’s  revenge but another death puts all that into a new perspective and Robin realises that she will have to look much wider and deeper to solve this case.

Working with her small team comprising DS Malia Thomas, DC Varan Patel, and Tark, they are working night and day to find leads that make contextual sense of these murders.

Lucie Whitehouse has written a complex and tangled police procedural which encompasses a number of themes, not least the nature of justice. Last Witness is written with skill and sensitivity and the scenes with grieving families feel all too harrowing and real.

As with real life crime, there is little or no satisfaction in finding the perpetrator and that is clearly shown in a novel that brims with compassion and sensitivity.

Verdict: A thoughtful, immersive and complex police procedural that hits all the right notes.

This was a good read. It was fairly slow paced and at times I had no idea what direction it was going to go in but it all came together with an unexpected twist.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Such a suspense-filled story, I couldn't put it down. Last Witness is an intriguing police procedural that kept me guessing in more ways than one. The twists and turns of the police investigation into the teenage boy’s death had me gripped, with the theme of the recent Everyonesinvited movement. But the personal life of the investigating detective, Robin was just as interesting to me and I was really rooting for her to find her own happiness.

Last Witness by Lucie Whitehouse is an upcoming crime thriller following DCI Robin Lyons. Robin is assigned to the investigation into the death of Ben Renshaw, an 18 year who was previously a key witness in a sexual assault case. Robin immediately has her suspicions about who’s involved, but must wade through the privileged and well-connected quagmire of Birmingham’s influential families in order to uncover evidence.

I didn’t realise that this was part of a series, but that didn’t end up mattering as the author covered the backstories of the characters so well. The story revolves around a central incident, but there are so many other dramatic points woven in that it is action packed. I was guessing right up to the end on this one! Really enjoyed the intricate connections between the characters in this book. The last few chapters I had to demolish in one go, as I just couldn’t wait any longer to find out what happened!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for this ARC. This will be published 25.04.2024

DCI Robin Lyons finds herself in a controversial case when a teenager is found dead in city woodland. Just months earlier, the victim Ben, had provided testimony that helped send a former classmate to prison for sexual assault. Is his murder a result of a vow of revenge by the Heywoods, the family of the convicted criminal? Or is the truth something entirely different?

Last Witness is another great release from Lucie Whitehouse – this time, we’re following DCI Robin Lyons as she tries to crack a case of a murdered teenage boy, Ben, who – along with his best friend Theo, helped put a rapist in prison with their witness testimony. Unfortunately, the person now jailed is part of a powerful, shady family with links to organized crime, and they have allegedly made Ben and Theo’s lives since the trial hell – and now Ben is dead. There’s a lot at stake here, and the pressure is on for Robin and the team.

Alongside that, we follow on from the last book as Robin continues to worry about her daughter Lennie and the fallout from that fateful day at a protest – will Robin’s brother keep their secret? His trial is approaching, and this heightened tension builds as the book continues. The fact that the previous book was released years before this one didn’t seem to be an issue for me – it all came flooding back as soon as I started this novel, which is great as I often have a terrible memory when it comes to books I’ve read!

The two main plots featured here are absorbing and, along with Robin’s lingering feelings about one of her colleagues, means we get a good mix of police procedural and mystery with some further character development of Robin and her family which I really enjoyed. I thought the case with Ben was intriguing and developed well, and the themes – which were often quite shocking – were handled sensitively.

Definitely recommended – Last Witness could be read as a standalone, but if you can, start from book one to really get a feel for Robin as a character!