One Last Secret: A Domestic Thriller Novel
(Libby/OverDrive eBook, Kindle)

After London sex worker Dora, the sardonic, clear-eyed narrator of this gripping tale of murder and intrigue from British author Parks (Woman Last Seen), is severely beaten by a new client, she's cared for by her only true friend, Evan. Evan confesses his love for Dora and asks her to give up her escort work to become his wife. After some soul-searching, she finally agrees. Then she gets a call from Daniel, a regular client, begging her to go with him to a weeklong party at a château in the south of France, and she can't say no. After all, she only has to pretend to be Daniel's girlfriend to impress his friends; no sex is required. Soon after arriving at the remote location, though, her nightmare begins. The horrible experiences she suffers at the château are repetitive and go on too long, but vibrant, intelligent Dora, who reveals with Scheherazade-like skill telling details about her past, proves more than equal to the life-threatening struggle she's forced to face. This multilayered confection keeps readers reshuffling their suppositions with each new revelation. Parks knows how to keep the pages turning. (Dec.)

In this latest from Parks (Woman Last Seen), sex worker Dora has done what was necessary to survive. Years ago, she had a baby on her own. Dora loved the child the minute she knew she was pregnant. That's how it started--she had to support her child. But now, 12 years later, a sadistic client hurts her, and Dora's best friend, Evan, convinces her to stop her escort work. Not only that, he's planned a new life for her. Evan is insanely wealthy and loves her, and she loves him. Would people take them seriously--the prostitute and the playboy? Dora will reinvent herself into a wife; after all, she reinvents herself each time she enters a hotel room. But when her manager offers her one last job, she can't refuse--the money is too good to pass up. What awaits her at the French chateau is not what she expects. Instead of it being the end of her career, it might be the end of her life. VERDICT Readers will race through the pages of this serpentine psychological thriller only to find a shocking, dramatic conclusion no one saw coming.--K.L. Romo

A female sex worker decides to take one last job before retiring from the profession, but everything goes wrong. Dora is a high-end escort in London who's grown accustomed to her life. She has all the right systems in place to keep herself feeling safe despite the potentially hazardous nature of her profession. Her manager, Elspeth, vets each client, explaining that Dora does not indulge certain fetishes. Elspeth ensures that no one has Dora's direct line, nor do they know her real name. Dora expects she'll continue in her line of work indefinitely--until the day a client beats her badly enough to send her to the hospital. Following the beating, Dora's one true friend, Evan, insists that she must quit. Dora is reluctant to take his advice, which she's heard many times before, until Evan, who has long been in love with Dora, proposes. To her surprise, she accepts and begins preparing to leave her old life behind. But then a longtime client calls begging Dora to escort him on a getaway where his friends will be coupled up. Dora reluctantly agrees to take on this final assignment, provided there will be no sex. Unfortunately, as the trip unfolds, she realizes she has stepped into something far more nefarious than a simply holiday. At a luxurious but secluded French estate, with a missing cellphone, too much alcohol, and a brain that starts playing tricks on her, Dora suddenly fears for her safety. Told in the first person, primarily from Dora's perspective, the story is engaging and evocative throughout. Brimming with sensuality and suspense, the novel is also full of inside details about life as a sex worker. Although many questions are left maddeningly unanswered and certain plot points feel flimsy (like the attachment that Evan and Dora feel for each other), the intrigue never wavers. A sudden change of narrator deep in the story feels both jarring and unnecessary, but as soon as the narrative returns to Dora, the story picks up at a furious pace. Readers should be aware of several dark and potentially triggering topics, including drug use, violence, and rape. A chillingly addictive story of sex, money, romance, and revenge. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In this latest from Parks (Woman Last Seen), sex worker Dora has done what was necessary to survive. Years ago, she had a baby on her own. Dora loved the child the minute she knew she was pregnant. That's how it started—she had to support her child. But now, 12 years later, a sadistic client hurts her, and Dora's best friend, Evan, convinces her to stop her escort work. Not only that, he's planned a new life for her. Evan is insanely wealthy and loves her, and she loves him. Would people take them seriously—the prostitute and the playboy? Dora will reinvent herself into a wife; after all, she reinvents herself each time she enters a hotel room. But when her manager offers her one last job, she can't refuse—the money is too good to pass up. What awaits her at the French chateau is not what she expects. Instead of it being the end of her career, it might be the end of her life. VERDICT Readers will race through the pages of this serpentine psychological thriller only to find a shocking, dramatic conclusion no one saw coming.—K.L. Romo

After London sex worker Dora, the sardonic, clear-eyed narrator of this gripping tale of murder and intrigue from British author Parks (Woman Last Seen), is severely beaten by a new client, she's cared for by her only true friend, Evan. Evan confesses his love for Dora and asks her to give up her escort work to become his wife. After some soul-searching, she finally agrees. Then she gets a call from Daniel, a regular client, begging her to go with him to a weeklong party at a château in the south of France, and she can't say no. After all, she only has to pretend to be Daniel's girlfriend to impress his friends; no sex is required. Soon after arriving at the remote location, though, her nightmare begins. The horrible experiences she suffers at the château are repetitive and go on too long, but vibrant, intelligent Dora, who reveals with Scheherazade-like skill telling details about her past, proves more than equal to the life-threatening struggle she's forced to face. This multilayered confection keeps readers reshuffling their suppositions with each new revelation. Parks knows how to keep the pages turning. (Dec.)