Abby just wants to know what happened to Eszter. She knows that it is impossible that Eszter died from an allergy attack. Eszter was always ready and was extremely careful when it came to eating anything so her dying by an allergy attack just doesn’t make sense. Abby is hoping by going to the island where Eszter died she and meeting the people she was hanging out with she might get some answers but honestly Isla Cola seems to have more questions than it does answers. Everyone that Abby meets seems to have a secret, are they secrets that deal with Eszter or are they just running from their past. Only time will tell. This is a gripping novel that has multiple twist and turns that will keep the reader guessing. Not everything is as it seems can Abby figure out what truly happened to her beloved Eszter before it is too late.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz was unfortunately a DNF for me.

This had all of the promising elements of a winning story for me - a remote island, a mysterious death, secrets, mystery, and a mysterious text message. Unfortunately, I found myself too disinterested with keeping track of all of the moving characters that Abby talks to in trying to find out what happened to Eszter, her fiancé, to feel any real motivation to keep reading the story.

I didn't feel any connection to them and after having an intense description of the location and characters in the beginning, it felt like all of the buildup was unnecessary to move the plot? This wasn't for me. This was a slow burn mystery that had just too much slow burn.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. The Last Ferry Out releases on May 20, 2025.

I truly enjoyed the setting of this slow-burn thriller. I loved the remote Mexican island setting with the tightly knit and very secretive population. The main character, Abby, is traveling to this island because it is the location where her fiance recently passed away. She was told she tied from an allergic reaction, but something feels very off to her. Once she arrives, things fail to add up, with Abby having more questions than answers.

I had much higher hopes for this book. I really struggled to stay engaged throughout the book and I felt that the thriller aspect was not very intense at all., if anything, it was a little boring at times. I will continue to read her books, but this one didn't do it for me.

thank you netgalley for this arc, all opinions are my own.

Abby travels to a remote island to try and settle herself with the death of her fiancée, Eszter. Instead of finding answers, she finds a lot of unanswered and contradictory questions. Normally, this is the type of book that would suck me in. But somehow this one didn't. It felt like the story dragged on while the writing decided where the story was going. Adding to that was a lot of what felt like backtracking to fill in gaps and explain (overexplain) things. You know I am not a fan of that technique and this was no exception. For a quick summer read, this will work since anything you might miss will be told to you, but don't start expecting a solid taut thriller.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you Ballantine Books for the advanced reading copy!

This one started out strong for me -- I am always here for a creepy, remote island and a time jump, and this book had both. The setting felt so visceral and real, Bartz did a great job of truly painting a picture with this one. There were a number of important characters, but it didn't feel difficult to keep track of them while reading. Plus, the red herrings just kept coming and I was suspicious of EVERYONE by the time this book was done. The time jumps seemed randomly placed at times, but I enjoyed them anyway. It helped that most of them took place in my home, Wisconsin, which is always fun to read about in fiction! This book wasn't as crazy/twisty/creepy as usual for either Bartz sister, and there were moments it felt slightly repetitive, but I still really enjoyed it throughout and would read anything this author writes!

An eerie island and a slow unravel of secrets.
After the sudden death of her fiancée, Abby travels to a remote island off the coast of Mexico where her partner spent her final days. The island is quiet and full of whispers. With a ferry that rarely runs and locals who aren’t quick to trust outsiders, Abby finds herself surrounded by secrets… and maybe danger too.
The pace was slower on this one, especially early on, but there is a haunting atmospheric vibe.
If you’re in the mood for a slow building mystery with some island isolation be sure to pick this one up!

On a trip to the tropical paradise where her fiancée died, a young woman begins to suspect the death was no accident — and the killer’s still on the island — in this twisty thriller.
Not at all what I was expecting and suspenseful all the same. Lots of drama and heightened tension. This was the first novel I've read by Andrea Bartz, but it won't be the last.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this digital e-arc.*

Andrea Bartz has been one of my favorite thriller authors for a while. It's so easy to say that I would buy any of her books without hesitation. Between the flashbacks of her lost lover and the desperate search for answers on how her Fiancé' died, Abby is determined to find out the truth. What I loved about this book is that it held to Bartz' style of suspenseful twists and you always think you know what is going to happen and that for sure is not always the case. I loved this book so much! If you're looking for a good thriller, anything Andrea Bartz writes is a go to!

🚢Book Review🚢
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My thoughts- thank you so much @prhaudio for the advanced reader copy of this one. Today is the release day so be sure to grab Last Ferry Out where books are sold today! I’m usually a fan of Andrea Bartz writing, but this one wasn’t for me. It was a slow slow burn with little pay off at the end. I couldn’t connect with Abby or her fiance Eszter . While the atmosphere was perfection and the idea of these sketchy ex pats being involved was so unique, I think the pacing was pretty uneven. Unfortunately the ending and twist really didn’t land well with me.
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️💫
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Synopsis- swipe to see the summary
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QOTD- what is the coolest place you’ve traveled ?! We really love New Orleans and Napa Valley California. I’m currently in the process of planning our summer vacation (we’re balling on a budget this year 😅, let me dream of going somewhere spectacular !)

I started reading this and then found that it was not something that I was actually interested in reading so I’m not able to finish it at this time! I didn’t realize what it was about, Thank you so much for the opportunity!!

Last Ferry Out is a character driven "soft thriller".
The story takes place on a small island off Mexico. Abby, our MFC, goes to the island to live out the last few days of her recently passed fiancè. There she uncovers some strange things that sheds a little light on her passing. Here we meet a whole cast of colorful "expats" that help her fill in the blanks. This is a great thriller for anyone who likes a mystery vibe without any "jump scares".

We would recommend this book to family and friends looking for a mystery type thriller.

I really enjoyed this suspenseful read! Andrea Bartz kept me hooked with the tension and mystery throughout. The pacing was solid, and the atmosphere added an extra layer of intrigue. If you like thrillers with a slow burn and a good payoff, this one’s worth checking out!

Andrea Bartz's The Last Ferry Out is a gripping thriller that masterfully blends suspense with emotional depth. I was drawn into its atmospheric setting, which Bartz paints with vivid detail, creating a palpable sense of tension throughout. The plot is intricately woven, with twists that kept me guessing until the very end. The protagonist’s journey is both thrilling and emotionally resonant, making it easy to connect with her struggles and triumphs.

What truly stands out is Bartz’s ability to maintain a brisk pace without sacrificing character development. The relationships are authentic, adding layers to the narrative beyond the central mystery.

Overall, The Last Ferry Out is a compelling read that showcases Bartz’s talent for crafting suspenseful, character-driven stories. Highly recommended for fans of psychological thrillers who appreciate a story that keeps them on edge while offering rich, emotional undercurrents.

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3 ½ ✨⭐️
THE LAST FERRY OUT
🤍𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: thriller
📖 320 pages
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝗷𝗶𝘀: ⛴️😱🏝️🇲🇽🐢🌊🤥🥜📒🏨
𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 5/20/2025

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
◽️ secluded settings
◽️ multiple POV
◽️ past & present chapters
◽️ unreliable narrators

💚𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲💚

Thank you @booksparks @prhaudio @netgalley for the #gifted copy!

THE LAST FERRY OUT started off strong, immediately pulling me in with its eerie, secluded island setting—one of my favorite tropes. I really enjoyed the structure of the story, which unfolds through multiple POV & alternates between the past & present. It added tension & intrigue as I tried to piece together what really happened to Ester.

While I appreciated the plot’s momentum & atmospheric vibe, I struggled to connect with the MC, Abby. Something about her didn’t quite click for me emotionally, & with a fairly large cast of characters, it was a bit hard to keep track of everyone at first. Some character details also felt unnecessary in the end. Still, this was an engaging read overall, & if you enjoy thrillers with a stranded, isolated setting & a slow unraveling of secrets, this one is worth picking up!

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: When Abby arrives on the remote Isla Colel, she hopes to find closure after the tragic death of her fiancée, Eszter. The island, ravaged by a hurricane & nearly abandoned, feels unsettling from the start. She falls in with a mysterious group of expats, one of whom hints he knows what really happened to Eszter—then suddenly disappears. As Abby digs deeper, she uncovers secrets, lies, & growing suspicion that someone among them is a killer. With danger closing in, she must uncover the truth before she becomes the next to vanish.

This one just did not hold my interest. I probably skim read about half of it. The romance between Abby and Eszter was the only interesting part. The mechanism of death is known early on and the rest of the story is relatively anticlimactic.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Abby arrives on an island to try and get answers on how & why her fiancée died. She encounters someone who says he knows all the details about her fiancées death. But then he disappears. Abby has to figure out what happened to them both while trying to avoid being killed herself. This one kept me on the edge of my seat. I think I will steer clear of islands for a while!

Abby goes to Isla Colel to see where her fiancee Eszter died, and try to re-trace her last days and attempt to make sense of it all. There, Abby befriends an alluring group of expats, but her sense of unease surges when one of them says he knows the truth about Eszter’s final days. Before he can tell her more, though, he vanishes from the island. Hours turn to days with no sign of him, and the others are chillingly cavalier about his disappearance. As her quest for the truth unearths dark secrets, shady pasts, and a web of lies, Abby grows more determined than ever to find out what happened to the love of her life. And the deeper she gets in the close-knit expat community, the more she suspects that one of them is Eszter’s killer—and will do anything to keep the truth buried. But will Abby discover who it is before she becomes the island’s next victim?

I really wanted to like this book. It sounded perfect for me. I love destination thrillers, especially ones set on an island. But this was a slow burn for the entire book, and I just couldn't get invested in any of the characters. There wasn't even the high-stakes suspense that I was expecting the book to have. It was just.........meh. I can't in good coonscience recommend this one.

Andrea Bartz's latest thriller, The Last Ferry Out, is a slow burn, which I did end up finishing, mostly because I've loved her previous books, but this one...I guess I just wanted more. I wanted less relationship details and more plot.I will always continue to read Andrea Bartz's books, but this wasn't the win that her past books have been for me.

If you’re starting to plan your summer beach reads, make sure to add Andrea Bartz’ new twisty island mystery to your list. Andrea has a way of weaving a story together that will keep you on the edge of your seat and hopefully surprised on the last page. This story takes place on a small remote island in the Gulf of Mexico, Isla Colel. Four months ago, Abby’s fiancé Eszter was found dead in the kitchen of her island Airbnb. The island was once a popular destination, but the closing of the hotel and damage from a passing hurricane have almost completely wiped it off the tourist hot spot list. So why did her Fiancé choose to visit, and what were her last days really like? Abby clings to a cryptic final text message and a picture of a group of smiling ex-pats that had befriended Eszter while she was there. Abby has decided to visit the island to feel close to Eszter once again, to say goodbye and to hopefully meet the people who Eszter spent her last days with. When her trip begins to turn out contradictory facts and strange occurrences, Abby becomes more than determined to find out the truth about what really happened months ago. This story is told in the dual POV and multiple timeline manner that thrillers thrive in. The time jumps and POV changes are all noted at the start of the chapter in a way that avoids confusion for the reader. Abby is the unlikely detective you want in a main character. She is determined to find out the truth because of her love and she isn’t afraid to confront others to get the information she needs. All the characters have a found family feeling to them while also maintaining that air of mystery to keep you on your toes. The tropical beach setting is what makes this the perfect summer beach read. Whether you’re sitting at home, tucked up in the cabin or actually on a tropical island, this book is sure to keep you entertained.

Well, first let me thank the publisher for the e-ARC of this book provided to me through NetGalley.
Now… off to the feedback. I will start by saying (warning you) that this book is a SLOW burn. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into, and maybe that was part of the problem, but I really struggled to stay engaged. The characters were fairly well-developed and I was invested in the outcome, but the ah-ha moment literally comes in the epilogue. The whole story started to feel a bit repetitive to me and I think that’s why I struggled. Overall, this is a fairly quick read, so I feel like it’s worth the time because the ending is good… but, I would’ve liked more action in the middle. I’d probably classify this as a murder mystery rather than a thriller.

** please note, this review is now posted on GoodReads