The Last Breath (Paddy Meehan 3) [Hardcover]

" Mina infuses the city with human warmth and social realism; dialogue is convincingly street-witty and Paddy is an endearing heroine."
-- "The Times"
" Uncompromisingly real. . . . Another fine book from Mina, and in Paddy Meehan, she has created a touching and loving heroine."
-- "Sunday Telegraph"
" Paddy Meehan is the most unlikely, and most realistic, investigator in recent crime fiction . . ."
-- " Wall Street Journal"

A secret worth killing for - and she's next in line... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

It is Glasgow in 1990. Paddy Meehan is home alone when there's a knock at the door. It's the police and they have bad news. Former boyfriend Terry Patterson's naked body has been found in a ditch. He's been tortured, hooded, then shot through the head: all hallmarks of an IRA assassination. Paddy is devastated: Terry was her first lover; the sort of journalist she's always aspired to be. But why have the police come to her? Although she and Terry have had an on/off affair since they first worked together in the 1980s, she hasn't seen him for over a year. She is therefore horrified to find that not only has Terry named her next of kin, but he has left her a huge Georgian house in Ayrshire and several suitcases full of notes. What was Terry trying to tell her? As Paddy begins her investigation into his death, she realises that if the secret he was about to expose was worth killing for, she is next in line...

Glasgow, 1990.

Paddy Meehan thinks she might have it all: flash car, flat, job as one of Scotland’s leading newspaper columnists, and a giant packet of biscuits all to herself.
But her relaxed Saturday night in front of the TV is shattered when the police knock on her door. Someone close to her has died, they tell her, smiling sympathetically. She prepares herself for the worst – and is staggered when they tell her who it is.
Terry Patterson has been found naked in a ditch, executed with a shot through his temple. He was her first ever lover and her hero, the sort of journalist she always aspired to be.
Paddy chucked him months ago, but she’s down as his next of kin. He has also left her everything in his will: a house in Ayrshire, boxes of notebooks, and a folder.
What was Terry trying to tell her? As Paddy begins her investigation into his murder, she realizes that if the secret he was about to expose was worth killing for, she – and those closest to her – are in terrible danger ...

Paddy Meehan finally has it all: a flat of her own in Glasgow and a job as one of Scotland’s leading newspaper columnists.

And then the police knock on her door. Her former lover Terry Hewitthas been found naked in a ditch, shot through the head.

Paddy’s down as his next of kin - even though they’d split months before – and Terry has left her everything in his will: a house in Ayrshire and boxes of notebooks.

What was Terry trying to tell her?

As Paddy digs deeper into his murder, it soon becomes clear that the secret he was about to expose is worth killing for. And that she is next in line … --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Denise Mina is the author of the Garnethill trilogy, the first of which, Garnethill, won the John Creasy Dagger for best first novel. A stand-alone novel, Sanctum, was followed by her creation of the Paddy Meehan series which include The Field of Blood, winner of the 2006 Barry Award, and The Dead Hour, which was nominated for a 2007 Edgar Award. She has also written a year-long run of Hellblazer for DC Comics and the graphic novel A Sickness in the Family. Her first play 'Ida Tamson' was staged in 2006. In between writing she raises children, mooches about eating toast and listens to thrash metal. Nice life.