Author: Phillipa Nefri Clark
ISBN: 9780648865292
Copy courtesy of Phillipa Nefri Clark
Last Known Contact is the latest release from Phillipa Nefri Clark, best-selling, self-published author of the River’s End series, Charlotte Dean’s mysteries, and Simple Words for Troubled Times, a non-fiction book of messages of hope written under the alias Ronen Groves.
When Ellie Conner (nee Bannerman) steps off the plane in Australia after a business trip to London she is greeted with the news that her father, Jack Bannerman, founder and CEO of Bannerman Wealth Group (BWG) has disappeared.
Her, soon to be ex, husband Dennis Conner has stepped into the role of CEO although as the last known contact he is high on the list of suspects in Jack’s disappearance.
Jack’s second wife, Meredith, Ellie’s step mum seems remarkably unconcerned about her husband’s disappearance, if you can pry the brandy glass away from her for long enough to get her to speak, but she and Dennis seem to be getting awfully cosy.
When a fisherman disappears, and a gun is found under a mattress on Jack’s boat Sea Angel the mystery deepens. Then when Jack’s closest friend is found unconscious at the base of the stairs in the office stairwell Ellie really starts to panic about what has happened to her dad.
Through it all, the only person who seems to want to support her is the head of Security Paul Dekkles who has worked with her dad forever.
As Ellie tries to get to the bottom of what has happened to her dad she will find herself and her brother Michael under threat; and find herself wondering what and who she can trust, as her world seems to be unravelling around her.
And if that isn’t enough, the detective assigned to the case is Ben Rossi, an ex-boyfriend, previous best friend of her brother’s, and the man she blames for the condition her brother is now in.
This is a fantastic suspense novel leading you through the search for Jack with clues and red herrings a-plenty, and just when you think you have worked it out, there’s another twist. A book that will captivate you right to the very end.
Many thanks to Phillipa Nefri Clark and Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I am committed to exposing readers to our amazing Australian self-published (Indie) authors. If you enjoyed this book you can access more of Phillipa’s work at her online bookstore www.phillipaclark.com/books, and where all good books are sold.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading Last Known Contact by Phillipa Nefri Clark. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
I love to read, for many years my passion has been science fantasy but recently I’ve discovered many fabulous Australian women authors and am devouring all the new genres I am being exposed to.
In addition to reading and reviewing books I enjoy photography, spending time with my husband, daughter, grandson, 2 dogs and a cat and am an aspiring author.
Thank you Beauty and Lace and Phillipa for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book. Also thank you to Phillipa for signing the book and writing a personalised note!
The book was a really good read, I couldn’t put the book down once I started reading it.
Like a thrilling netflix series I would think about what’s going to happen next, who would be the culprit, who is behind the disappearance of Ellie’s dad.
So many suspects, heaps of twists to make you think. The main character Elle is very relatable and you start to think what you would do if you are in her position.
Overall its a great read and perfect for a reader who loves a suspenseful read!
I love the comparison to a Netflix series! How good would that be? Many thanks for your lovely review. Phillipa
Phillipa Nefri Clark you sure have written one hell of a book, from start to finish will keep the reader wondering what is going to happen next.
Ellie Conner comes back from England only to discover her father is missing she is a great character
This is a thrilling story has it all murder lies romance secrets
( no spoilers from me I want readers to enjoy this book as much as I did )
And an ending I never saw coming
Ooh…you make me want to read it! I truly appreciate your kind comments and lovely review. Phillipa
Just finished Last Known Contact today (great way to spend a long weekend). I won’t rehash the description of the book but will go into the things I really liked about the book. First that it was set in Melbourne (I’ve recently enjoyed a few books set in Australia [eg Bruny and a few of the Jane Harper books]). It’s nice to read about familiar places and it sets the scene for the book nicely. Secondly, I loved how Phillipa Nefri Clark actually addresses things that I thought about as I was reading it. Eg why nobody had hired a PI to do some investigating seeing as Jack Bannerman is quite rich and the company or his family can easily afford it. And thirdly, I love that the book isn’t so full of characters that the reader is just trying to make sense of who is who rather than what is going on. This book has just the right number of people to keep track of and allowed me to focus on the where and how.
This would make a great holiday read and like others have said, a real page turner.
Many thanks for this wonderful review! I’m really pleased you enjoyed the setting – that is something a care a lot about. Phillipa
This was a really good mystery/crime/suspense with some romance on the side. I found myself fully engaged in the mystery of the disappearance and probable murder of Ellie’s father Jack. There were plenty of twists in this novel, red herrings, and some very unlikeable and untrustworthy characters.
I really liked Ellie who was strong but vulnerable and determined to find out what had happened to her father despite any risk to herself. I also really liked Ben, the detective in charge of the investigation who had a relationship with Ellie in the past and still has feelings for her, If I was ever in Ellie’s situation, I’d want someone like him on my side. I found Paul, the companies security expert and Ellie’s supposed friend to be downright creepy in his attention to her and there was something that just didn’t sit right with me. Ellie’s husband was a piece of work as was her step-mother and I hoped that somewhere along the way they would both get what they deserved.
This was a great read and I really need to get to this author’s other novels which have been sitting on my shelf for far too long.
Thanks to Beauty and Lace and Phillipa Nefri Clark for a digital copy of this novel in return for an honest review.
Much appreciation for this great review. I love that you ‘got’ Ellie as that is exactly as I see her. Phillipa
Thank you to the Beauty and Lace book club for sending me this book personally signed by the author for me to review.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book which has many twists and unexpected turns with a touch of romance.
I will be looking to read some other books by this fantastic author again soon.
This is the first book I’ve read from Phillipa Clark and I really enjoyed it.
Last Known Contact is about Ellie who returns to Australia after being overseas to find her whole world has been turned upside down including the disappearance of her father. It is a well written mystery that had me absorbed from start to finish as we try to figure out what really happened.
Thanks to Beauty and Lace and Phillipa Clark for the opportunity to read this book
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read Last Known Contact. I must admit that it’s a book I would not have picked up ordinarily but I am so glad I had this chance.
I found Ellie to be headstrong and focused in trying to find out what happened to her father, despite others in the story, trying to steer her the wrong way into danger.
I thought her father seemed rather selfish and not that concerned about Ellie.
This was a well written mystery which kept me in thrall all through. I have since read a couple of other stories by Phillipa and have really enjoyed them
Wow, this was an awesome read which grabs you from the first couple of pages and takes you on a wild roller coaster ride of who can Ellie trust. This book has it all, love, betrayal, murder, misdirection, deception, lies and at the center, a girl who simply wants to know the Truth.
I particularly liked the character development of Ellie who was relatable however surrounded by some truly unfavourable types I did wonder how Ellie could be so normal. There was certainly scope for the author to give some of the other characters their just deserts however appreciate that this was Ellie’s story and not theirs.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would highly recommend it.
I was so happy to receive ‘Last known contact’ by Phillipa Nefri Clark. It was everything I had hoped for. Ellie returns from overseas and finds her dad, Jack is missing. Her estranged husband is playing up and her ex boyfriend is assigned to help look for her dad. All of these characters intertwine and the story is fabulous to follow. I love the flow of this book and was turning pages quicker than I thought was possible. Absolutely loved it!!!! Look forward to reading more from this talented writer!! Well done.
This book grabbed hold of me from the first sentence, churned me up, twisted me around so many times I was dizzy and finally let me go at the very end. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book this good!
There are many twists and turns in this book, you think you know who’s behind it all then begin to suspect someone else, revisit your initial suspicion then second guess yourself until you have no idea who it is and just hold on for the ride. Thanks Beauty & Lace Book Club and Phillipa Nefri Clark for a copy of this book in return for an honest review, I can’t wait to read more by this author