3.5 stars, rounded up. I see a lot of reviews that the pacing was difficult to get through- which I understand. The first chapter is a great set up for a creepy beginning- the city is sinking and no one knows why. I loved the atmospheric writing- the unknown FELT creepy. But then there was a lot of setup until the introduction of the doppelganger. I don't consider that a spoiler, because it is in the summary of the story-- but I don't think that even happens till 30+% into the story. If you can get through the first 35% of the book, I think you're good to keep reading.

Second half was wonderful- as the doppelganger and Tamsin, the main character, work together. A lot of thought is put into the theme of "what makes you YOU." I enjoy a good speculative fiction, and this was it!

Thank you St Martin's Press and Netgalley for a free e-copy of this book. I received an ARC of this book 2 years ago, and I'm embarrassed I didn't get to it sooner. I highly recommend this book for someone looking for a creepy read- not straight up horror, but to enjoy that horrible feeling that something is a bit wrong/something bad is going to happen vibe.

Real Rating: 3.5* of five

What worked for me: Tamsin's doppelgänger discovery and subsequent action. What didn't work for me: the first third of the book's quotidian tedium, and the underused plot-point of the sinking city. Too much of one, too little of the other; while I, on balance, liked the read just fine, I put it down for a year at the 15% mark, and only picked it up because someone I trust told me I should. He was correct.

But I could've just left it very easily. Tighter beginning without some stuff I never felt I needed anyway would serve the really good bits better.

I heard a lot that this book was really slow so I had put it off much longer than I should have, but I really liked it! I was under the impression that it was going to have to do with ghosts, but it was way more sci-fi than horror and reminded me a lot of House of Leaves in parts. It might just be the timing that I read this, but aside from the doppelgänger twist the story takes, it reminded me a lot of the liminal horror stuff that's been coming out as of late, and I'm a very big fan of that, so I had a great time. I have 2 books by this author coming up in my TBR and this made me very excited to get into them. Thanks for the ARC!

Please see audiobook review. This book was a little slower paced than I prefer. I found myself zoning out at times and wanted to feel more engaged.

A dark masterpiece, serving up somber mood, slowly rachetting tension, and Lynchian vibes (the highest compliment imho).

A strangle doppelganger, a second cat, a sinking city and a growing basement. This was a wild ride!

First, I highly recommend the audiobook. The narrator did a great job of really fully pulling me in. As Dr. Rivers begins, you can feel the tension and stress in her voice. As she starts to lose memories, starts to lose thoughts, and things feel scattered, the confusion rang through on the audio in a way I'm not sure the page could capture.

This one really did have me pulled in from the start - w0ndering what would happen next and who was doing what. The final few chapters had my jaw on the floor. I loved this one!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This book is a captivating read that effortlessly draws you in from the first page. The story flows smoothly, with intriguing characters and an unpredictable plot that keeps you hooked. It's the kind of book that makes it hard to put down, with just the right balance of depth and entertainment. A thoroughly enjoyable experience that will keep you engaged until the very end.

I had this book on my NetGalley TBR forever. I don’t know why it took me so long to start reading it because I thought the premise sounded interesting. I ended up listening to the audiobook version, and I probably should’ve physically read the book, since the narrator’s voice was putting me to sleep.

This was a strange read. It is a sci-fi involving alternate universes and doppelgängers. Doppelgängers who want to take over your life. That is creepy, but I just got bored with how the story was told. I wanted more. I thought the pacing was too slow and it took forever for anything interesting to happen. Certain parts got to be confusing and the ending was just okay.

If you’re into slower paced sci-fi mysteries, you might enjoy this one.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, St. Martin's Press for the copy of this eArc. I read this book way back in October 2023. Sometimes life gets in the way of reviews despite the reviewers best intentions. This is this reviewer's attempt to make up for past regressions. Last to Leave the Room is an interesting title considering Tamsin and copy...leave the room. What I liked about the book is the back drop of San Siroco and the research company where Tamsin works. I also liked the various ways Tamsin tracks her own (or not her own movements) or traps herself (or not herself). What doesn't work for me is Tamsin. She is so unlikable. No redeeming qualities. I know that may part of the script of the book but the book dragged for me because of it. I'll always read Caitlin Starling. I enjoyed her other books.

Caitlin Starling’s new novel makes the best new books of October list because its a genre-bending horror novel perfect for getting thrills and chills this spooky season.

I love a slow build thriller and this did not disappoint me in the least. I thought the tension was good, the characters were brilliant, and the writing was spot on. Like I said, I did not mind the pacing that happened in the first bit of the book because sometimes that is what you need in a thriller. I'm less likely to like thrillers that take you at a break your neck speed so this was perfect for me. I also liked the present tense as not a lot of authors are doing it now a days so that was great.

All in all, an enjoyable read.

I have this one thing where if I do not like the main mc of a story, I really cannot get into it. I know this may be a me thing, but man, I did not like Tamsin.

Even after the realizing and change near the end of the book, I still did not like her. So I couldn't root for her to make it to the end of the story.

Outside of that, this scifi/horror mashup was written well, had some cool body horror elements, and did get me into the story enough to make it to the end.

For years now when anyone asks me what my favorite book is, I always tell them that it's The Luminous Dead by this author. This one might be a close second. It's a book that you can't stop thinking about even once you've finished it. We love the lesbian representation as well. It was full of unexpected, unexplainable things and it gave me anxiety in the best possible way. What I love most about Starling's books, is that they're so hard to put down, and even when you finally manage it it's all you can think about and all you want to get back to. Her books will always be five star reads for me.

this was a dnf for me unfortunately :/ i just dont think this story was my cup of tea. there was a disconnect between myself and the narrative and i couldn't move past it.

I am giving this one four stars. I didn’t get to it in time to give a full review and I apologize for that

4⭐️

<b>The woman with the sinking basement, the woman with a door she can’t remember and can’t open.</b>

Tamsin works for Myrica Dynamics conducting research, and they’ve discovered that the city is progressively sinking, which could cause catastrophic damage to the city’s infrastructure. Tamsin has begun to notice the sinking and stretching within her own basement and becomes consumed with studying it. A strange door that was not previously there appears, but cannot be opened by Tamsin. Tamsin’s curiosity is all consuming and she sets up cameras and keeps an eye on the door at all times until one night, the door finally opens and a woman resembling Tamsin steps through.

This was more science fiction horror than I’ve read before, and I really enjoyed it. This book makes you feel like you’re going a little crazy along with Tamsin. Each character was complex and interesting to read. The scientific parts of it were difficult to fully grasp - like the reason for Tamsin’s basement stretching and a new door emerging, but it’s still enjoyable even without daily understanding that aspect of it.

<b>The siren call of the subsidence, the distortion of her home and the accompanying distortion of her mind.</b>

Listen to me. LISTEN TO ME!!! I really didn't know how to feel about this one at first. I picked it up initially a while ago and flew through the first 30% but put the book down for quite a while because I felt like nothing was happening yet. I picked it up again on audio and stayed up until 3am to finish it lmaooo. The action basically started right after the mark of when I set it down.

This book is about a ruthless scientist, Dr. Tamsin Rivers, the experiment she's doing, and how the city she lives in starts sinking. Along with that, the basement in her house starts sinking and a door appears. Out of that door stumbles Dr. River's doppelganger.

The second half of this book was SO good. The horror had such a creeping sensation and I love an unreliable narrator. Not knowing how things will progress and then seeing the MC lose her reality was done so well. I would jump back a paragraph or page sometimes to make sure I hadn't missed something while Dr. Rivers descended into confusion and fear. I loved the self-reflection and the explanation of doppelganger mythos.

I think I would have enjoyed a little more or less of the other scientific elements in this book. The plot left them to hang for a while and they felt really unnecessary until they suddenly didn't. AND I would have liked more explanation on what we find out about how everything starts. Did Dr. Rivers just forget everything like she slowly forgets herself?

I did like the note of hope at the end that also read like it could have been Dr. Rivers entertaining returning to her previous self.

This reminded me in ways of The Haunting of Hill House so I would maybe recommend to people that enjoy that kind of horror!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

I will literally read anything that Caitlin Starling puts out so, even though this was my normal genre of choice, I gave it a shot. This novel was a bit confusing at times and just when you think you have it figured out, everything switches. It probably won’t be as widely well received as some of her other works, but it will be well loved by the right audience. If you love art house horror or psychological thrillers then you’ll enjoy this - especially if you don’t mind being a bit confused at times. I enjoy books where I don’t always have all the details because it creates an atmosphere similar to what the character is going through & makes the book feel more immersive. Starling is a master of suspense & odd stories and she absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one.

I will, unfortunately, be abstaining from sharing my thoughts about this title until St. Martin's Press adequately addresses the current boycott and its claims and questions.

Actual Rating 4.5

I honestly wasn’t expecting to enjoy this sci-fi as much as I did, but what a ride. The author did an excellent job with the characters. They had unique personalities, goals, and motivations, and this brought them all to life in a meaningful way. I enjoyed how my perspective/feelings about the main characters changed throughout the book as I got to know more about their motivations and past. There was also a secondary character that I hope gets her own book – she was wonderful.

There’s a lot going on in this one while at the same time feeling like not much is happening, especially in the first portion. It makes for an odd reading experience. I think the first quarter of the book was a bit slow, but there was a lot of setup necessary for the rest of the book. The horror is also quite slow in its buildup, and I’d almost call this more of a psychological thriller than horror.

I highly recommend this read, though I know it won’t be for everyone. If you pick it up, push through the first 25% - I promise it’s worth the wait.