When I received the invite to take part in Harlequin’s blog tours for their upcoming mystery releases, I couldn’t jump on it fast enough. I’m a sucker for a good twisty thriller and The Last to See Her by Courtney Evan Tate sounds like perfection.
Before we get to the mini interview with Courtney, let’s check out the book!
Title: The Last to See Her
Author: Courtney Evan Tate
Pages: 352
Pub Date: December 15, 2020
Publisher: MIRA
Find it: HQN | Indiebound | Bookshop | GoodreadsGenevieve, a writer, is about to finalize her divorce from her cheating husband Todd. So when her sister Meg, an ambitious physician, has a convention to attend in New York City, she invites Gen along to celebrate her return to single life. It will be a perfect sisters’ getaway in the big city! But things go awry when, on their first evening at the hotel, Gen decides to take a late night walk and disappears without a trace. Eventually she is officially declared a missing person.
Suspicion soon falls on her sister Meg, who was the last person to see her.
Through twists and turns, it is revealed that Meg has been sleeping with her brother-in-law Todd… And then there is a question of a newly purchased insurance policy that just has just gone into effect before Gen’s disappearance. Both Todd and Meg deny any knowledge of it.
But has an actual crime been committed? Can it be proven? And if so, who is really the guilty one?
Sounds good, right?
1. Please give the elevator pitch for The Last to See Her.
Basically, two sisters (Meg and Gen) go away for the weekend, and only one (Meg) returns. When Meg frantically seeks out the help of the police, she is told suspiciously, that she was “the last to see her.” Suspicion, plot twists and angst ensue.
2. Which came first: the characters or plot line?
For me, it’s always the characters. I’m a character-driven writer. I see my characters first, spend time getting to know them, and then the plot comes second.
3. Why do you love Meg and why should readers root for her?
Hmm. Meg is flawed, and so is her sister Gen. As readers read about them, and their stories unfold, I feel like it’s a true testament to the flawed human nature, and how we all have darkness and light inside of us. We all have redeeming qualities, and the not-so-redeeming. I’m hoping the reader will catch a glimpse of her/himself in both Meg and Gen.
4. What was your last 5 star read?
Taryn Fisher, The Wives.
5. What is one thing about publishing you wish someone would have told you?
Yikes. Umm. I think it’s: Be true to your story. Oftentimes, your beta readers, critique partners, editors, publishers, and so on, all have different subjective opinions about the storyline. But the fact is, everyone has a different opinion, and the story, the vision, is yours. Be true to it. If you try to please everyone, your storyline will come out muddy and nothing like you envisioned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Courtney Evan Tate is the nom de plume (and darker side) of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Courtney Cole. As Courtney Evan Tate, she is the author of Such Dark Things and I’ll Be Watching You. Courtney grew up in rural Kansas and now lives with her husband and kids in Florida, where spends her days dreaming of new characters and storylines and surprising plot twists and writing them beneath rustling palm trees. website | twitter | instagram
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Huge thanks to Harlequin for the invite and to Courtney for taking the time. The Last to See Her releases December 15th and pre-order links are above.
Do you love twisty mysteries? Which one is your favorite?
Leave a Reply