Though well liked, rumors have swirled around Father Brendan Quinlan for months, dark whispers about his past and inappropriate relationships with parishioners. The reports are enough for the Church to send someone to St. Simeon’s Parish to investigate him. Brendan knows there are some members of the church hierarchy who would like nothing more than to see him removed. But those rumors threaten to do even more damage when the body of a parishioner is found crucified to a cross in the sanctuary, and the talk makes him a suspect in the crime.

Attorney Chloe Ryder isn’t about to let Father Brendan be hung out to dry. A member of the parish, she knows him, and more importantly, she knows he couldn’t have anything to do with the young man’s death. Chloe is willing to do anything it takes to help him, even if it means working with Detective Matthew Diel. She shares an intimate past with the police detective, one she has no interest in rehashing. She may not be able to avoid it as they’re forced to work close on a case that goes far beyond St. Simeon’s and is just the beginning of a larger conspiracy with implications for national security.

Rachel Lee has constructed an intriguing suspense plot in Last Breath. Building a fictional tale on real life events and headlines, her topical story has a good sense of currency that makes it all too plausible, always a plus in a suspense novel. In a genre where conspiracies can have a tendency to strain credibility, this one, for the most part, is believable. It also benefits from Lee’s complex characterizations. Her characters are all deeply human. For the most part, no one is simply good or evil, but flawed enough to make them more interesting characters to follow. Father Brendan in particular is a multi-dimensional character who invites both sympathy and exasperation at varying points in the story. The inventive storyline is well paced and flows well, easily carrying the reader along as the web of conspiracies and motives are slowly untangled.

It’s only in the ending that the book falls short. The story sort of peters out and the underwhelming climax delivers the reader to a destination that is less exciting than the build-up would lead her to expect. Also, the ultimate answers aren’t entirely satisfying. While I enjoyed most of the book, the ending had me thinking, “That’s it?”

One thing that should be noted, though it has no bearing on the grade, is that this is not a romance novel. Chloe and Matt’s relationship barely resembles a love story, barring one kiss and a passing mention on the very last page that implies they’ll be heading toward the bedroom soon. Otherwise, everything between them is kept platonic and professional. It’s one of those books that could just as easily, and more accurately, be labeled suspense.

The lack of a romance isn’t a weakness, and is probably a good choice on the author’s part. It’s more believable and allows the focus to remain on the plot, its strongest element, making for one quick, compelling read.