Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
So this was a very bizarre book. A full ship of passengers sets out for NY and the. Suddenly only four of them are left the next day and suddenly they have to fight to survive. This was one of those books that I didn’t think was amazing but I still couldn’t put it down because it was so out there and I needed to know how it ended.
Ending was different but decent. The last bit of the ending really wasn’t a surprise. I had already guessed what was going to happen at the very end. Ok book. Quick and easy read.

Infuriating!!! The premise of this book was infuriating and I would have lost it!

Caz is on an ocean liner with her boyfriend, Pete setting sail on vacation. But after just one night aboard the RMS Atlantica, she wakes up to find that she is utterly alone on the ship…

This starts off strong! I really wondered where the author was going to take this story, but I honestly wasn’t expecting that… I take major personal issue with plot that takes complete control and autonomy away from the protagonist and this book goes there. While I was annoyed, I still very much enjoyed so many aspects of this book.

This was a pretty unique story and I am glad I read it. It was very well written. I was definitely on my toes throughout. That ending though…

“I wish you fair winds and calm seas…”

Personal Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For fans of escape rooms, locked room mysteries, and ocean liner vibes, this book left me shook. The general premise is that 4 strangers wake up on a cruise liner set from the UK to NYC completely alone, their traveling partners and fellow cruisers gone, freshwater - nonexistent, food - locked away, the 4 must find a way out and the reason they are there. I don’t want to give too much away, as I went in this blind with the description that it’s a mystery that takes place on the cruise liner - The Atlantica. Personally,I could have lived without the last chapter, but perhaps Will Dean is preparing for a sequel? This was a fun sophomore novel for this author and I fully expect it to be a repeat Book of the Month Selection in August when it releases. Thank you @atriabooks and @netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Synopsis :
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.

It's an exclusive cruise, a vacation of a lifetime, but when Caroline "Caz" wakes up, everyone is gone. The entire cruise-like ship is deserted. She very quickly begins to search the boat and what she finds will absolutely blow your mind!

Will Dean has created a completely believable horror/thriller novel. You will certainly think twice before you go on a cruise!

I found Smith to be too one dimensional for my liking, but enjoyed all of the other characters, the plot and even the ending (Dean created such a gripping thriller that you aren't sure how it could end). If you like vacations-gone-wrong, locked room mysteries and like shows or books with themes like Squid game, The Last One is for you!
#atria #TheLastOne #WillDean