Her Last Breath

Deirdre Crawley is attending her sister Caroline’s funeral when she gets a message—from Caroline. The message, sent days before Caroline’s death, claims that Caroline’s husband Theo Thraxton murdered her and that he has killed before. Confused, but determined to get all the details, Deirdre embarks on a journey to uncover family secrets and illegal schemes in order to find out what really happened to her sister. Told from the perspectives of Deirdre and Theo, this latest stand-alone from Davidson (“Lily Moore” and “Shadows of New York” series) skillfully portrays the twists and villainous acts of the Thraxton family. The book is an intriguing mystery that will hook readers immediately, and it also deals with issues like domestic violence and self-harm. The novel is set in 2021 New York City, where Davidson describes the effects of the pandemic on city life; she touches on mask wearing and financial troubles, but it almost feels like an afterthought to the main narrative.