The Last to Vanish was a moody and dark mystery of a town and the secrets that the people keep. This was my first Megan Miranda book but it will not be my last!

The story follows Abigail and he life in Cutters Pass - How the town has been shaped by the tall tales that have spread due to some disappearances in the mountains there. We follow Abby as she try’s to become one of the towns selected few insiders but also how she feels tied to those looking for answers of why the town is cursed with these disappearances. She meets Trey as he searches for the answers to his brother’s disappearance and it sets off a series of events for Abby in uncovering the secrets of the town she’s come to call home.

Loved the atmosphere and the slow unveiling of the secrets! Perfectly moody for the spooky fall season!

If there was a thriller hall of fame, Megan Miranda would have her own wing. When I read last year's "Such a Quiet Place," I thought she had reached the apex of her writing career and would be unable to top that masterpiece. She proved me wrong with "The Last to Vanish." This book is the star in Miranda's crown, a truly wonderful novel that will keep the reader hooked from the first page. Not only does she capture the spirit of distrust that can pervade a small town, making even transplants of over a decade still feel like outsiders, but she also builds a tremendous mystery around a set of disappearances spanning over twenty-five years.

Although she's been living in Cutter's Pass and helping to run the Passage Inn for almost a decade, Abby Lovett feels she can't quite shake the "outsider" label that follows her through town like a rain cloud. Through the polite smiles, the cursory greetings, and the reluctantly offered invitations, she can't help but notice the conversations that are cut off as she approaches, the events that she doesn't make the cut for, and the friendships she struggles to make. The vanguards of town aren't quite ready to invite her into the circle of trust, and she can't help but chafe at the rejection as the town endures another round of speculation and questions after the disappearance of journalist Landon West. Landon is the third to disappear down the trail to Vanishing Falls and never return in Abby's ten-year sojourn. Alice Kelly, Farrah Jordan, The Fraternity Four. Names as familiar to Abby as her own. Disappearances that have become larger than life, deaths Landon West was determined to solve.

When Landon's brother Trey arrives in town determined to find answers about his brother's death, Abby can't help but feel the town is doing everything they can to divert attention from the case and politely but firmly shut down Trey's inquiry. As Abby takes an interest in Trey and is drawn to helping him in his quest for knowledge, she can't help but feel she's drawing the line between town outsiders and insiders ever deeper. When she finds incriminating evidence, however, she knows she is too close to the truth to back down to the peer pressure being exerted by her acquaintances, peers, and family. As Abby discovers just how little she knows about the people she's spent the past decade trying to win over, the question becomes, can she find a killer before she becomes the next one to disappear?

From the remote setting of small town Cutter's Pass to the lonely atmosphere of the mountain trails responsible for the disappearances of seven people, Miranda transports the reader to the heart of her mystery and begs the question, how far is too far to go to keep secrets for the people you love most?

Special thanks to NetGalley and to Scribner/Marysue Rucci books for providing an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

About the book:
"Ten years ago, Abigail Lovett fell into a job she loves, managing The Passage Inn, a cozy, upscale resort nestled in the North Carolina mountain town of Cutter’s Pass. Cutter’s Pass is best known for its outdoor offerings—rafting and hiking, with access to the Appalachian trail by way of a gorgeous waterfall—and its mysterious history. As the book begins, the string of unsolved disappearances that has haunted the town is once again thrust into the spotlight when journalist Landon West, who was staying at the inn to investigate the story of the vanishing trail, then disappears himself.

Abby has sometimes felt like an outsider within the community, but she’s come to view Cutter’s Pass as her home. When Landon’s brother Trey shows up looking for answers, Abby can’t help but feel the town closing ranks. And she’s still on the outside. When she finds incriminating evidence that may bring them closer to the truth, Abby soon discovers how little she knows about her coworkers, neighbors, and even those closest to her.

Megan Miranda brings her best writing to The Last to Vanish, a riveting thriller filled with taut suspense and shocking twists that will keep you guessing until the very end."

I'm a huge fan of Megan Miranda, although I must say that this particular book didn't pull me in front from the top as much as her others have. In fact, I found much of the first part of the book to be rather slow; I found it to be light on character development and heavy on descriptions of Cutter's Pass. For some reason, that just didn't pull me in. I ended up putting the book down when I was close to the halfway point. I may go back and read the rest at a later date, and update this review, but for now, I've decided to move onto a book that I'm able to connect more with.

Unfortunately, this just did not catch my attention at all and the characters werejust really predictable and just meh. Maybe it also reminds me too much of any number of other books in the genre and doesn't feel original in that sense.

Love a good missing person story. Megan Miranda had fun with the structure of this one. I loved how the book was sectioned off to have each part be focused on a different missing person.

Thanks to Netgalley, Scribner publishing and Megan Miranda for this ARC. I have been a fan of this author for quite some time, so to have received this ARC was a very pleasant surprise. I have done 5 star reviews for all her books I read, for a book store and recommend her works. (My favorite book is still All the Missing Girls, because it ran backwards ! How did she even do that !? I always wondered if I read the last chapter first, and kept doing that would it be as great a read . Most likely, yes. )
Anyway, I loved that there were 3 different mysteries to solve, so I thought. Seems there were more intertwined, and as always, I love Megan Miranda’s evolving of her story lines. I was definitely surprised by the end of this book…but it all came together nicely.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda.
The Last to Vanish is a mystery based on the disappearance of hikers at Cutter's Pass in North Carolina. Abby Lovett works at the inn where those that disappeared left from. When Trey, the brother of the most recent lost hiker, checks in, Abby begins to question the town and people she has lived with for ten years. The book was fast-paced and kept me turning pages. Miranda created enough twists, turns, and surprises to keep me engaged in the story.

Book Title: The Last to Vanish
Author: Megan Miranda
Pub Date: July 26th - OUT NOW!

Would you be willing to visit a town where multiple have gone missing? Abby works in Cutter's Pass, located on the Appalachian Trail, at a local inn. This town is known for people disappearing after they stop in. One night, a man comes in that Abby feels as if she knows. It turns out to be the brother of one of the missing people. Abby starts to dig into the mystery of these people disappearing. Soon it starts to get a little interesting when she starts to find connections. She will be completely surprised when she figures out who played a part in the disappearances.

What I liked:
* The mystery in the book captivated me throughout the story.
* The setting of this story was very descriptive. Megan Miranda does a wonderful job describing the atmosphere in the story.
* The twist at the end.... I didn't imagine that.

I wish...
There were just some lose ends that I feel like I would have liked tied up. I might need a sequel just to figure it all out.

Thank you to Netgalley for a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was drawn to this book after loving Megan Miranda’s “Such a quiet place.” Unfortunately, “The Last To Vanish” didn’t grab me as much.
Abby is the manager of a family owned hotel in the North Carolina foothills of the Appalachians where, over the years, several people have disappeared. Now the brother of the last to vanish comes seeking answers - but the town isn’t giving them up. Part “who done it,” part Southern Gothic, the story meanders until the last couple of chapters when everything is tied up.
This novel passed the time, but it’s not Miranda’s best work. Three stars.

The small North Carolina mountain town of Cutter’s Pass is the setting for this Megan Miranda thriller. The tight knit community easily welcomes tourists on their way to hike the Appalachian Trail, but is decidedly less open to permanent transplants. Abby, the manager of The Passage Inn, is one such interloper and while she has called Cutter’s Pass home for over three years, she is still treated as an outsider. When a journalist goes missing, and Abby begins to question the town’s history of disappearances, the true locals close rank excluding her from the truth.

Review published on Goodreads, 25 June 2022:

If Megan Miranda writes it, I'm going to read it. That's just a given. I love her thrillers! Her newest, THE LAST TO VANISH, isn't my favorite of Miranda's books, but it still kept me buzzing through the pages. I enjoyed the atmospheric setting especially, since it is so perfect for this kind of read. Neither Abby nor her fellow cast members are super original or memorable. In fact, Abby's fairly dull as far as leading ladies go. She's likable, just not that exciting. The same could be said for the first 2/3 or so of this book. It's quite slow, without any edge-of-your-seat action. Once it amps up, it moves along at a fair pace. I didn't ever want to put the book down, but I did want more tension and conflict to keep the story interesting. Miranda did surprise me with the killer's identity, which is always nice. All in all, then, I liked this book but didn't love it. If I could, I would give it 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.

I loved everything about this book. I loved the mystery of cutters pass and the history that loomed over the small town. So many characters were a mystery that you really didn’t have any idea who/what made all these people vanish. It had me guessing till the very end. Miranda created such a page turned. I was super invested in the past and present and couldn’t wait to unwrap all the Easter eggs she dropped. I never saw the end coming and I love that about a book when it’s not predictable. I can’t wait to read more from her!
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

This is my 3rd book from Megan Miranda and they're always hit or miss. This one was fine, but it could've been quicker.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! This is the story of a woman who has found a home in a small mountain town, where she helps run an inn that has been the last-stop of several people who seemed to have vanished on the Appalachian Trail without a trace. Abby feels as though she belongs in her new home, but the appearance of a stranger at the inn causes her to doubt herself, her friends, and the town she has called home for several years. How and why did all these people vanish over the years, and could it all be connected?
The author does an amazing job of creating a feeling of sinister dread throughout the book. The town has a sense of otherness, and being almost without time or existing in a slightly different place than anywhere else. It's almost like as soon as someone drives into the town they have stepped into an alternate reality, or the Twilight Zone or something. The creepy strangeness of the atmosphere totally drew me in and I could not put this book down.
I would absolutely recommend this book if you are looking for a great mystery or are headed on a vacation to a mountain cabin!

This mystery follows Abby, a manager of The Passage Inn located in Cutter's Pass, North Carolina. The town is close to the Appalachian Trail and is a destination for hiking and other outdoor activities. Abby has lived in this small town for the past 10 years and has integrated herself into the town especially after the latest disappearance. Cutter's Pass has a handful of unsolved disappearances that has made the town notorious for more than just the gorgeous waterfall. The latest was journalist Landon who was researching the previous disappearances. When Landon's brother Trey shows up at the Inn looking for clues or answers about what happened to his brother, Abby starts to notice the cracks in the facade of this idyllic mountain town. And when the life-long townsfolk start to close rank and see Abby as an outsider, she has no choice but to push on and find the truth.

I loved the premise for this story and the way the different disappearances were integrated into the current plot line. This story is separated into parts with the focus of each part being a specific one of the disappearances. This way, we get the details of each case spaced out nicely throughout the story. Of course, we get some details early on so we can understand the town and the set-up for the plot, but the details aren't all info-dumped onto the reader at the beginning. There also isn't much downtime at the beginning of the story for the reader to slowly be introduced to the town or the people here - we get Trey showing up very early on and that starts the rumors/memories/investigation to start early on as well. I do think that, initially, there isn't much of a mystery vibe because it does feel more like Trey is just grieving and trying to connect with his missing brother in some way. However, once the plot points start developing and certain information is unearthed, the mystery investigation starts in earnest.

The setting of this small mountain town was absolutely perfect. I really enjoyed the line in the sand between the tourists and the people who live there all year. I also enjoyed the different members of the town reacted to these disappearances in their own way - some folks don't want to talk about it at all and others are integrating them into their businesses. I also thought the choice to have these be disappearances and not other crimes was really interesting because it allowed multiple characters to sort of shrug off the implications or heavy reality by reminding other characters (and the reader) that these people might have continued hiking on the trail and gotten hurt elsewhere or maybe they wanted to start a new life and they're completely fine. The disappearing gave just enough wiggleroom that these sorts of theories couldn't be 100% discounted. I was expecting the town setting to become a bit more sinister as the book went along and it did get a bit darker but far from what I was expecting. I was hoping for a Hot Fuzz type twist in this small town setting but it didn't hit that level of twist in my opinion.

The characters in this story were interesting and I liked how Miranda played with the idea of how much we actually know the people around us. There's a great mix of people in this town who have grown up together as well as a mix of new people coming in. The new folks are also a mix of seasonal workers and people who end up staying for a long time (like Abby, our main character). It is mentioned multiple times that between the Trail and the town, there are many people who find something their looking for in their lives here and then decide to stay for a bit. However, many people are very private about their pasts or their personal history so the other characters (and the reader) don't know much about their pasts. The main example of this is Abby's co-worker. Miranda does a fantastic job of giving the reader just enough character details that the people in this town feel real but also holds back enough details to really deepen that sense of mystery. This is highlighted even more as the investigation picks up toward the end where Abby starts to question these people around her that she's known for 10 years because that might not actually be enough time to know someone (and they start to push her out using the same logic).

I enjoyed the mystery aspect and thought it was well plotted but it ended up falling a little flat for me. There were numerous times where the mystery plot would come to a sort of fork in the road where it could go one way and get darker and more sinister or it could go the other way and sort of stay the same. I felt like every time there was one of these turning points, Miranda took the safer option. Which, of course, is her right as the author. However, I was expecting a story about a string of missing hikers and a town closing ranks on outsiders to be more sinister than what we end up getting. I was fine with what the mystery solution ended up being, but I wanted the tone and path getting there to be much darker. I also think having the lead up to the ending reveals be darker would then make the ending a bit more impactful. As it stands, there's a little bit of a disconnect for me because the investigation ramps up super quickly and the pieces fall together pretty much all at once and a bunch of town secrets get revealed at the same time. It was just a lot all squeezed in at the end and I wish those points were spaced out a bit more and also having the build up to the reveal be darker in tone.

Overall, this was an entertaining read with a solid mystery. I do wish the town was darker, but that is a personal preference that I know not everyone shares. I loved the setting and premise of the book and thought Miranda was able to balance characterization and the plot implications of those characters really well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC. Publication date was July 26, 2022

Megan Miranda writes some of my favorite mystery/thrillers - she once shared that she alternates settings between water and mountains, causing me to realize how important these locations are to her plotlines - Cutter's Pass and the surrounding town/businesses add to the thrill as her descriptions are so vividly moody and dark that the reader can walk Main Street or the trail with the characters, looking over their own shoulders. While I liked the characters, I didn't really connect with any of them this go 'round - there were some unexpected twists, even though I knew whodunnit early on. Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview #TheLastToVanish by Megan Miranda - I really enjoyed this thriller and can't wait for her next one!

Another page turner from Miranda. This one had me guessing right to the last chapters. The setting while a small town was a perfect choice for this book, I felt like I was there as Abby tries to solve the mystery of what happened to the missing visitors.

The Last to Vanish is the story of The Passage Inn... and the strange fate of those who come to stay there... and simply disappear. A destination for hikers, the town has become a bit of an urban legend with its tragic tales of missing persons. The manager, Abigail, becomes rattled when some of the stories seem to strike too close to home and starts doing some digging of her own...

This book initially worked for me. The writing is so atmospheric that I could picture Cutter's Pass and its locals. I felt deeply for Trey West, trying to find answers for his missing brother. However, somewhere along the way the story just lost me. To be frank, none of the characters truly resonated, even though they were all well written. I also think this one is more of a mystery than a thriller so I possibly went in with mixed expectations. I would love to read some more of Miranda's backlist as I did enjoy her writing, just not this particular story.

3.5 stars rounded up!

This book was a very slow paced thriller with a setting that was unique and creepy all in its own right. I loved the isolated feel of a hotel in the Appalachian trail where 7 people have gone missing over the years. This is one of those books where you just have to trust that it will pick up- because there isn't much action until towards the end of the book, so if you are looking for a fast paced book that will make you sit at the edge of your seat from page one- this is not for you!

This is my favorite Megan Miranda book to date! I literally could not put it down and felt like I was on the hiking trail with all the characters.

We follow the story of Abby and the very close knit town of Cutter’s Pass that’s known for all the people who have gone missing or disappeared after last being seen near the town. You know there’s something more going on but Miranda’s writing keeps hanging on, trying to figure out what the heck is going on.

I saved this for a fall read and I’m so glad I did because it was perfect for this time of year.

Thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for my ARC of this book.