I was enthralled by Margot Hunt’s latest release, Lovely Girls, and this was one of the books I’d picked off her backlist. Domestic suspense revolving deadly affairs will always pique my interest.

Sadly, this wasn’t my favorite. It just wasn’t coming together for me the way I hoped…the basic story is that two people, Josh and Nora, start an affair while both married to other people. Then Gwen, Josh’s wife, is found dead…and then the hunt is on to find the killer. Of course, twisted family secrets are revealed in the process.

This is in third person told primarily from Nora, Josh, Gwen, and Abby (Gwen and Josh’s oldest daughter)‘s POVs, with others sprinkled in at the end. I didn’t feel a particular pull toward any of the characters, and they’re honestly all really unlikeable. I don’t mind unlikeable characters unless they’re really flat and one-dimensional. The ending and big reveal were underwhelming, and it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I did read to the end because I was curious who the killer was, and the author definitely knows how to keep the tension up and pages turning. Even though this was quite forgettable, I will still happily read her other books. ( )

Another nice read from Margot Hunt. I enjoy her writing style which is shown throughout her 3 novels. Great characters, nasty deeds, good endings! Looking forward to her next. ( )

4.5 stars.

The Last Affair by Margot Hunt is a spellbinding domestic mystery.

Popular food blogger and cookbook author Nora Holliday is unhappily married to husband Carter. But she is staying in the marriage for the sake of their children, Dylan, Matt and Katie. Nora is devoted to her kids but when the opportunity arises to go to a convention for bloggers, she impetuously decides to attend. This one decision sets in motion a chain of events that forever alter Nora's life.

Orthodontist Josh Landon's marriage to Gwen is also somewhat rocky. They have two children, Abby who is attending university and son Simon. In a surprising coincidence, Josh is attending a different convention at the same hotel as Nora. A chance meeting in the hotel bar leads to a shocking affair that neither Nora nor Josh can seem to end once they return to their small town of Shoreham.

Abby unexpectedly returns home in the middle of the semester and refuses to provide an explanation. She is very depressed and cannot get over a painful betrayal. But after she sees her father kissing another woman, Abby becomes obsessed with uncovering the woman's identity.

Gwen's discontent with her marriage and motherhood is rising with each passing day. Blaming Josh for her misery over the choices she has made, she is biding her time before leaving her miserable life behind. Gwen is suspicious that Josh is having an affair but has she correctly identified the "other woman"?

Alternating mostly between Nora, Abby and Gwen's perspectives, The Last Affair is an absolutely riveting mystery. Despite their affair, Nora and Josh are sympathetic characters. However, Abby and Gwen are very easy to dislike (Gwen is a serious piece of work!). Margot Hunt does a brilliant job keeping readers guessing the killer's identity right up until the shocking dénouement (but the ending is a little frustrating). I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this outstanding mystery to readers of the genre. ( )

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. ( )