The Last Ferry Out is a typical slow-burn mystery, that flirts a little with the thriller genre, about a person going back to the place (in this case, a small island in Mexico) where their partner died a few months before. They seek answers and closure.
This is not an action-packed story. The stakes never seem to be too high or urgent. In a few words, it's the journey of a young woman in grief trying to find some closure about her partner's odd death.
There are no mind-blowing plot twists or far-fetched events leading to the mystery of the death.
Sure, there's a lot of mystery around the locals and other people who were, some way or another, close to the victim. Some of them seem to be hiding crucial information, some of them seem too naive to be taken seriously.

I read a book by this author before, around 3 years ago, and liked it very much. This one is definitely more slow-pacing than the one I've read before, and I enjoy Andrea Bartz's writing and characters. In my opinion, they are quite realistic characters thrown into difficult situations that can also be realistic - except for one specific scene in the final chapters that read much more like some 'fever dream'.
I enjoyed everything about this book. I was invested in the mystery and in the character's storylines, and it got me intrigued throughtout the whole book. I thought it was very atmospheric, too. And I also did enjoy the epilogue, but I'm not sure it will please everyone.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who has read a book by this author before and enjoyed, and to readers who usually enjoy slow-pacing mysteries set in tropical islands.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

There is everything in this book. A remote island, a delay of a finance, a group of expats with secrets of their own. As Abby goes on a quest to find answers about her finances death the story unfolds. I thought that it was a good book and loved the scenery and felt that I was actually there. Loved the backstory of this couple and how it all unraveled.

Having read most of Andrea's books, I thought I knew what to expect with this one, though my expectations weren't exactly met. (Which isn't a bad thing.) Her previous works have felt bigger in scale, while this one had a smaller cast, an isolated plot, and more straightforward twists and turns. (Though there was one bombshell at the end that definitely surprised me!) There was also a lot of on-page grief as the main character is dealing with her fiancee's death. And most of the narrators suffered from some pretty distracting insecurities that felt put upon, rather than natural. I think I prefer other Andrea Bartz books over this one, but this one is great if you're in the mood for a small town thriller that's set on an exotic island off the coast of Mexico and don't mind the mourning main character.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC!
I enjoyed this book's storyline and wanted to keep reading to find out what happened. I also really liked how the chapters from Abby's past are done in reverse order and the use of multiple POVs. Very good mystery with good twists!

I was very intrigued by this plot! I commend Andi for writing a POV in the progressive timeline, while the dual POV was written in reverse. It was done in a way that wasn’t confusing. Some parts of the book felt a little bit repetitive, but I was pleasantly surprised by the ending.

This started out with a lot of promise. Abby's finance passed away while visiting a remote island. It is ruled and accident but Abby believes otherwise. From there this got twisty, but also a little too far. It seemed too similar to other thrillers while also taking it in a strange direction. I managed to finish, but it by far my least favorite Bartz novel.

Abby travels to an island in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico to visit the place where her fiance, Eszter, died 4 months ago, Once there she begins to reconstruct Eszter’s final days and the mysteries start to pile up.

The island came to life with Bartz’s beautiful description.. There were so many possible suspects and a great twist st the end.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC copy for review.

This book had me turning the pages really wanting to know what happened to her fiancée. The truth was slightly less exciting and made the book kinda fall flat for me. I feel like the pay off wasn't worth it. Still not a bad book but could have been better

Although there were some things I did not enjoy about this book, the storyline itself was very good and I read in a day because I wanted to know what happened. There was a twist at the end too that was pretty good.

This book takes our protagonist, Abby, to a remote island in Mexico to investigate her fiance's potentially mysterious death. The novel vacillates between various perspectives, sometimes only having a chapter or two dedicated to the characters. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, including Abby, which made it tough to justify the motivation for everyone's actions. I did like the twist at the very end, but overall, this one ended up being just okay for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A sad story about loss that wraps up in a neat bow at the end. I look forward to reading more stories from Andrea Bartz.

Andrea Bartz's The Last Ferry Out presents an intriguing premise, following Abby as she seeks answers about her fiancée Eszter's mysterious death on a secluded island. The atmospheric setting of Isla Colel is vividly depicted, immersing readers in its eerie, desolate ambiance. However, I found the pacing uneven, with certain sections dragging, which affected my overall engagement. Additionally, while Abby's grief is palpable, some of her decisions felt inconsistent, making it challenging to fully connect with her character. Despite these drawbacks, the novel offers unexpected twists and a compelling exploration of love and loss, making it a solid three-star read.

Thank you for an advance copy of this book by an author I have enjoyed in the past. Abby is in Mexico to find out more details about the tragic death of her fiance in an AIRBNB in Mexico....how did this really happen? By retracing her steps and meeting the people she was with right before her death, she discovers more than she expected. This book took its time slowly revealing the secrets around her mystery...I enjoyed the setting, a beautiful Mexican town that gets scarier as more is revealed. A definite page turner!

Andrea Bartz is a great writer with so much potential, but this one pissed me off. It opens with promise as we’re introduced to the protagonist, struggling to come to terms with the untimely death of her fiancée months prior. Initially, I liked Abby and cared about what happened to Eszter, but by the end, I felt totally manipulated, and ultimately like I had wasted my time. This is not a thriller I would recommend, unfortunately, though I remain a fan of this author in general.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I read this book. I found myself being unable to remain focused on the story, although there were multiple twists. I liked the setting of the island, and the idea of meeting a group of new people added to to mystery. I definitely felt concerned about Abby and Eszter's relationship at various times throughout the book, and I was concerned about safety (no spoilers here!) during several parts. The author wrote in a style that reflected the different points of view of characters, so it was a bit longer than I thought it had to be, but it also provided feedback for the reader that you wouldn't get otherwise regarding the mystery that unfolds.

3.5 stars rounded up. I enjoyed The Last Ferry Out more than Bartz's previous two novels (We Were Never Here, the Spare Room). Beautiful setting (tropical paradise) and interesting characters (both locals and expats). Abby decides to visit the island where her fiancée, Eszter, died in a tragic accident, to try and find a sense of closure. Instead, Abby begins to suspect that Eszter's death may not have been an accident after all. After one of her new expat acquaintances disappears, Abby finds herself wading through friends, foes, and the mysteries of the island in a desperate attempt to uncover the truth. But is she herself now at risk, too? The Last Ferry Out is a well-paced thriller that will keep you turning its pages, and layers of twists will keep your head spinning.

Ok, so for the positive... nice cover!

And the rest? Where to begin? As a gay person myself, there was a trigger for "queerphobia" in the book. Where was the "queerphobia"? This white woman bisexual author is so privileged this is queer phobia??? I should have known when i saw this note.

What a BORING story. Lame. Nothing new. Tired. Could have done so much with it. Felt like a lecture on privilege, class, and the environment! Everything felt forced. Like in high school, when you have to fill in pages. This book is already getting mediocre reviews from people who got FREE copies. If I paid for this it would get 1 star.

I was so excited to receive this ARC as I love Andrea’s previous books and this one did not disappoint!

Abby travels to a secluded island where her fiancée, Eszter, tragically passed away, hoping to find the answers surrounding her death. As she befriends expats on the island, details surrounding Eszter’s death start to come out and Abby soon realizes she doesn’t know who she can trust or if she will make it home alive. Andrea is an expert when it comes to the fine details and I could picture the island and characters so vividly.

The book really drew me in as Abby started to learn the real reason behind Abby’s visit to the island and we learned more details of Abby and Eszter’s relationship and I felt a real connection to them.

If you love a book with multiple timelines, multiple points of view, and unexpected twists, then this book is for you!

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine| Ballentine Books, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Last Ferry Out is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that had me hooked from start to finish. Andrea Bartz masterfully crafts a fast-paced, mysterious, and eerie tale that keeps readers on edge.
If you’re looking for a page-turner that keeps you up at night, The Last Ferry Out is an absolute must-read!

Are you ready for a new thriller? Check out The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz. It was a page turner!