“The Last Woman in the Forest offers a stunning view of the harshness of nature and the brutality of human nature. ”
Combining her love of nature and wildlife conservation, her personal experience with violent assault, and her interest in the real-life, unsolved Connecticut River murders of the 1980s, Les Becquets has delivered a captivating novel that will haunt readers even after the last page.
Twenty-six-year-old Marian Engstrom has found her true calling: working with rescue dogs to help protect endangered wildlife. Her first assignment takes her to the winter landscape of northern Alberta where, amid the punishing cold of the oil sands, she falls in love with her mentor, Tate Mathias. That following summer, while apart from each other on independent assignments, Marian receives the shattering news of Tate’s tragic death. Worse still is the aftermath in which she discovers disturbing inconsistencies about Tate’s life and begins to wonder if he could have been responsible for the unsolved murders of at least four women. Hoping to clear Tate’s name, Marian reaches out to a retired forensic profiler who is still tormented by the open cases. Her exploration becomes a meditation on memory and instinct, and an all-consuming quest to not only identify a killer but to understand herself and the man she loved.
From the breathtaking Rocky Mountains in Montana, to the vast deserts of Utah, to the lush rain forests of the Pacific Northwest, THE LAST WOMAN IN THE FOREST explores the darkest and most beautiful aspects of human nature and the natural world. Capturing this duality in prose that is both vivid and atmospheric–indeed the landscape is as alive as Marian herself–Les Becquets tests our notions of what it means to trust and to love and makes us feel deep in our bones the redemptive power of the wilderness.
Praise
“Les Becquets elegantly weaves an evocative story about a wildlife study into a strong look at the characters whose life’s blood is being a part of nature. Each of them, including Marian, are loners who keep their emotions in check and are only fully alive in the outdoors, which Les Becquets describes in beautiful detail. The Last Woman in the forest offers a stunning view of the harshness of nature and the brutality of human nature.”
– Associated Press, Oline H. Coghill
“Diane Les Becquets is a gifted writer who combines a love of the outdoors with her skill as a storyteller to produce an exceptional novel of love and betrayal. Set in Montana and Canada, THE LAST WOMAN IN THE FOREST is a chilling story that slowly unravels, thanks to the expertise of an exceptional writer.”
– The Denver Post, Sandra Dallas
“Diane Les Becquets at her best: unflinching and terrifying, yet buoyed by hope and love. This novel scared me, and it continues to scare me, but that didn’t stop me from racing through it. No one writing today has so connected the threats in our natural world to the threats in our emotional lives as well as Les Becquets has. This is a powerful novel, and a story I won’t forget.”
– Wiley Cash, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Ballad
“An elegantly written thriller….The Story revs up, providing more than enough tension and suspense as Marian inches closer to the dangerous and disturbing truth. Eloquent, detailed descriptions of nature and of rescue dog training, survival techniques, and the peripatetic life of conservationists enrich the narrative.”
– Publishers Weekly
“This kick-in-the-gut start leads to a more thoughtful mystery with a big twist.”
– Library Journal, Patricia Uttaro
“Les Becquets is a beautiful writer of place; every scene is imbued with sensory description. She brings to life the smells and sounds of these remote forests and deserts, and the settings help us understand these reserved characters through their love for the world around them.”
– Kirkus Reviews
“The intricately woven, atmospheric story will keep readers wondering until the end.”
– Booklist
“As the plot and pacing bend the timeline, the narrative provides an intriguing meditation on memory, intuition, and the game of willful denial people play with themselves regarding the all-consuming nature of love.”
– Shelf Awareness, BrocheAroe Fabian
“She’s a master of thoughtful, surprising twists and multi-dimensional characters. Les Becquets is also a writer with integrity.”
– The Providence Journal, Rae Padilla Francoeur
“Les Becquets tackles a complicated plot, one that seems fresh and new….Her writing shines when she’s describing the landscape and how the teams work with dogs to collect data.”
– Criminal Element, Chris Wolak
“Diane Les Becquets’ psychological thriller THE LAST WOMAN IN THE FOREST is filled with beautiful imagery of a wilderness few will ever experience in real life. Deft characterizations all around help build tension and empathy. The many details of a conservationist’s life and the way rescue dogs can help endangered species are fascinating. But make no mistake – woven through the plot is a powerful story of betrayal, as woman after woman is drawn into the path of a charismatic killer with no conscience and no mercy.”
– Mystery Scene, Eilene Brady
“A compelling and searing novel of grief, suspicion and examining the rugged terrain of the human heart.”
– Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Time I Lied
“A taut, well-crafted thriller that pulls readers in from the very first page and keeps them guessing until the very last. All this, while also illuminating universal truths about intuition, trust, and love.”
– John Searles, New York Times bestselling author of Help for the Haunted