I read this some time ago and forgot to review it. I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads and Storygraph at the time. An excellent locked door mystery and definitely prompted me to put the author on my must read list.

The Last One_ by Will Dean – ★★★★☆**

This book messed with my head in the best way. I was completely hooked by the eerie, isolated cruise ship setting and Caz’s unraveling reality. Even though the ending left me frustrated (and maybe a little heartbroken), I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s one of those reads that lingers—unsettling, bold, and impossible to forget!

WHAT THE WHAT! Wow this book was AMAZING! I need time to think about my review because hoo boy! This was a stunner!

Unfortunately this one was a DNF for me. I just couldn't really get into the story or the characters. The premise was promising but once I started reading it I was not interested in the story at all. The right audience will enjoy it though.

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books and the author for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars

Have you ever finished a book and just felt irrationally angry about it??? That’s how this one made me feel. How??? Why??? What in the world just happened???

The plot summary did not prepare me for this one. The twists and turns, the unanswered questions, the ending. THE ENDING. I can’t put into words how frustrated I feel walking away from this one. I told my best friend about halfway through that I wasn’t sure which way it was gonna go, and I’m glad I stuck it out, despite my current emotions.

If you like a true locked-door mystery…a tale of survival against the odds…a thrill ride…I highly recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this one.

The novel masterfully blends elements of suspense, horror, and social commentary, creating a narrative that is both unsettling and thought-provoking.

𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘
𝑻𝒊𝒕𝒍𝒆: The Last One
𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓: Will Dean
𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘:
This thriller had me hooked from the start. The story follows a woman who joins a survivalist reality show deep in the wilderness — but things go seriously wrong. What should have been a competition quickly turns into a fight for survival when one by one contestants start disappearing.

The atmosphere was intense and claustrophobic in the best way. I loved how the author built suspense not just with the danger outside but also the tension between the contestants. The main character is smart and resourceful, which made me root for her all the way.

The pacing was steady and I kept turning the pages to find out who was behind the disappearances. The twists caught me off guard and the ending packed a punch.

If you like survival stories with a mystery at the core, The Last One is a great pick. It kept me on edge and I finished it quickly because I had to know what happened next.

4.5

Slow moving, but loved that it did. I enjoyed the twists and reveals as I was on this boat with our MC. Very atmospheric and tense.

The Last One by Will Dean had me immediately intrigued by the premise and found Dean’s ability to build tension highly effective—the mystery kept me turning pages. However, the ending felt underwhelming. As dark as it sounds, I found the “red room” theory more compelling than the neat resolution we were given. Additionally, I struggled to suspend disbelief during Caz’s second plunge into the Atlantic—surviving without hypothermia seemed unrealistic.

3.5 stars

I must say, "The Last One" kept me guessing to the very end. I never quite figured out where the story was heading and how it would wrap up, and I liked Will Dean’s latest book for the surprise of it.

But it’s way too long. A 450-page locked-room thriller set on an isolated cruise ship is almost annoying to wade through, especially when it’s clear the book could’ve been shortened up quite a bit. The story can’t help but drag in places because of its length.

Also, there are major plot points that don’t make a ton of sense. And I liked Caz as a main character, but all her whining about missing her boyfriend is tiresome. I could only tolerate so much of it.

Maybe I recommend the book, maybe I don’t. I’m not sure.


My sincerest appreciation to Will Dean, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

For most of this book, we follow Caz as she gets on, unpacks, and then wakes up completely alone on a cruise ship. It takes hours of frantic searching, before she finds anyone at all. But eventually, she finds three others. They're okay for a few hours, but then the power goes out and that leaves them with no food, water, or electricity, obviously. That turns this into an SOS mission. But this has all been planned.

They're on a new reality tv show. The last one standing, gets 5 million dollars. The others get 50 thousand. Only if they pass an insane series of tests, though. Because how are they to even stay alive long enough to get to their destination, much less through these trials? And why is there 15 dogs boarded? The passengers have trouble getting along from the very beginning. None of them signed up for this, and they're not going to make it easy to work as a team. It's really survival of the fittest.

This book is absolutely haunting. Jaw dropping and heart stopping at moments, I really thought it was scary, and felt the characters emotions with them. The ending especially was heart stopping, and I just couldn't believe what was happening. Absolutely recommend checking it out if you're a fan of gore, horror, and thrillers, it's not the bloodiest out there, but it's definitely very scary. It left me with thoughts of never wanting to go on a cruise ship, and it's really something I could read more of.

Dragged out a bit longer than I wanted but I still liked the story. Grabs you right at the beginning and that ending, woof.

What an absolute page turner!! This thriller morphed into something completely unexpected and I loved it! It's best to read this without knowing anything going into it other than the synopsis. I will definitely read more from this author!

Unfortunately I was unable to download this book before the archive date, so I'm not able to leave a review. I look forward to reading and reviewing books by this author in the future.

This book makes me never wanna take a cruise. Holy moly. Absolutely devoured this one. I really loved the suspense. I can’t even imagine falling asleep on a ship full of people & waking up to no one. This was my first book by my author & now he’s on my radar. The only thing that stopped me from giving 5 stars was the ending. But I’m wondering…are we getting a second book out of this? Because if so-I would change my rating on this one to 5 stars.

Loved!

“When Caz steps onboard the exclusive cruise liner RMS Atlantica, it’s the start of a vacation of a lifetime with her new love, Pete. On their first night they explore the ship, eat, dance, make friends, but when Caz wakes the next morning, Pete is missing.

And when she walks out into the corridor, all the cabin doors are open. To her horror, she soon realizes that the ship is completely empty. No passengers, no crew, nobody but her. The Atlantica is steaming into the mid-Atlantic and Caz is the only person on board. But that’s just the beginning of the terrifying journey she finds herself trapped on in this white-knuckled mystery.”

Thank you to NetGalley for this E-ARC.

This book is insane. This is now one of my forever top reads. The suspense, the insanity, the extreme level of detail that this book has. Wow. To be able to write a book that actually had me stressed and holding my breath. Applause to Will Dean.

Caz and her partner Pete book a cruise. It’s lovely and romantic and Caz thinks Pete might propose. But he doesn’t. Instead he disappears in the middle of the night from the cruise. And so does everyone else. Caz is alone on the massive ship cruising along in the Atlantic. There’s nobody in the other guest rooms. There’s no servers or bartenders. There’s nobody to man the ship. Just Caz.
How intensely suspenseful. You have no idea. I am so sad that I waited so long to read this book. What an amazing read.

The Last One was one heck of a ride. I don't know what I expected going in, but what I got was definitely not it. I would recommend avoiding spoilers if you want to get the most out of the story. The beginning was a little slow and the book is probably 50 pages longer than it needs to be, but the second half was full of tension. The ending was a mixed bag but I thought the final twist was a lot of fun. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Will Dean’s The Last One is a taut and gripping psychological thriller that immerses readers in a chilling tale of isolation and survival. Set against the backdrop of a remote Swedish wilderness, the story follows a woman named Tuva who becomes trapped in a small cabin after a mysterious incident occurs during a hiking trip.

Dean’s writing is atmospheric and suspenseful, effectively capturing the stark beauty of the landscape while simultaneously heightening the sense of dread. The protagonist is well-developed, grappling with her past and her survival instincts as she faces both external threats and her inner demons.

The pacing is expertly crafted, with twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats. Themes of trust, betrayal, and the human psyche's fragility are woven throughout, prompting deep reflection on the nature of isolation and connection.

Overall, The Last One is a compelling and immersive read that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers and survival narratives. Dean’s skillful storytelling and atmospheric detail make this a gripping page-turner that lingers long after the final chapter.

The Last One reads like your favorite tv mini-series. Maybe that's. because it partly takes place as a reality competition. Imagine this, you are going on the cruise of your dreams with your amazing boyfriend. It is your first vacation together. You are excited to spend quality time on the ocean. But then...you wake up alone. The ship is abandoned except for a select few. What has happened? Where is everyone? Who is running the ship? As if that is not enough, you find out that the ship is the setting for a reality competition tv show that is being broadcast globally.

I loved this book. It was unique and thrilling. I did not see the ending coming at all. I recommend this book to everyone. The biggest badge of honor I can give this book is that the second I finished I turned around and re-read the whole thing again.