Unfortunately, this book wasn’t what I wanted from this ploy. The dialogue felt unnatural, and the plot was predictable, which made it difficult to read. While the idea was intriguing, the execution lacked depth, and some elements were hard to believe. I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC through NetGalley.

Last One Out is a tense psychological thriller combining a decades-old missing persons case with themes of memory, trauma, and revenge. In 1999, Chloe Webster disappears at a remote hot springs where her friends are murdered. Presumed dead, she reappears 25 years later at her memorial, claiming amnesia. Her cousin Frankie’s investigation uncovers cryptic messages hinting Chloe knows more, fueling a dangerous pursuit.

Told via dual timelines and POVs, the story shifts between Chloe's captivity and Frankie’s current search, using cliffhangers to heighten suspense. The novel probes memory loss, identity, and trauma, with triggers of violence and psychological manipulation.

I thought this was alright. It was readable and at least I didn’t DNF. The story was ok. I really don’t know what else to say. Is this enough characters?

#ad much love for my ALC @libro.fm #partner

Bought the paperback.

Kristi, Amy, and Chloe are best friends. Though Kristi and Amy are fraternal twins, the three of them are as tight as friends can be. As they’re visiting the hot springs late one night all three of their lives change forever. Now it’s 25 years later and Frankie is still searching for answers to what happened to her best friend - Chloe - that night and why she has never been found.

HOLY CRAPPERS ON A STICK! 🙌🏻🥳 Nelson DELIVERED with this book! By the end of chapter two you’ll be fully invested. I went in blind - as I do most of Nelson’s books - and my jaw was on the floor. Such a good one.

Last One Out by Steph Nelson is an action-packed, fast-paced thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. I love a good kidnapping book so I read this in one sitting.

While I saw the twist coming, I fully enjoyed the ride. It’s a tense one - your heart will be racing. Such a good one.

Memorable:
Screaming into pillows
Bill Clinton mask - nothing more horrifying 😂
Raymond Snowden

Cannot wait to see what’s up next! I just love this author and the stuff she comes up with - always a fab read.

🎧 Also listened to the audio while following along and the narrator did a fantastic job bringing this book to life. She does the different voices so well and it was just a great listen all around.

Steph Nelson (https://www.stephnelsonauthor.com/) is the author of five novels. Last One Out was published early last May. It is the 48th title I’ve completed reading in 2025.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, mature language, and mature situations, I categorize this novel as R.

It is the summer before their senior year of High School when three young girls embark on a secret journey. Chloe, with twins Amy and Kristi, steals away from their parents one night to visit Skinny Dipper Hot Springs. Amy drives for over an hour, taking the three into Boise National Forest. They park and make the half-mile hike up to the springs. It is pitch dark and secluded. The three, clad only in their bathing suits, enter the hot water for a midnight soak.

It is eerily quiet at the pool when terror strikes them. A crossbow bolt flies through the air, striking Amy in the back as she stands on the edge of the pool. She totters for a moment before falling over the edge to the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. Moments later, another arrow flies from the darkness, striking Kristi in the chest. Chloe hides, thinking she will be next. She tries to aid Kristi, but Kristi dies, leaving Chloe alone in the darkness.

Chloe makes a mad dash down the mountain, thinking it is her only hope of survival. She makes it to where Amy’s car had been left, only to have someone cover her face with a rag. In moments, the sickly sweet chemical on the rag gets to her, and everything goes black.

The story skips ahead in time by 25 years. The bodies of Amy and Kristi had been found the day after their adventure. Chloe Webster, though, is still missing.

By now, the only one holding out any hope is Frankie Oliver, Chloe’s cousin. Chloe had been like Frankie’s older sister, and Frankie has missed her dearly. She has been obsessed with the disappearance and still holds an annual benefit in Chloe’s memory.

Frankie is 40, and the benefit is only days away. She gets an anonymous text from someone claiming to know what happened to Chloe. The night of the benefit, a woman enters the back of the hall. Frankie cannot believe what she is seeing. Chloe is there, standing in front of her.

Chloe explains that in December of 1999, she woke up in Montana. She remembers nothing of her life before then. Nothing about the night she disappeared. She had only recently found out about the missing girl from Boise. Chloe moves in with Frankie, and Frankie tries to fill in the blanks of their early lives. She has the right look. The police are doing DNA testing. But something is off with Chloe.

That is when the deep mystery begins to unravel. Who was behind the murders and kidnapping is slowly revealed. Where Chloe had been all these years and what had happened to her after she was kidnapped emerge. The killer knows Chloe is back, and he is not finished. It all culminates in the revelation of deep and dark secrets.

I enjoyed the 5.5 hours I spent reading this 338-page mystery. I enjoyed this mystery, and the plot has good twists to it. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

I actually enjoyed this one! I posted my review online too . I enjoyed the plot twist and had a feeling about who was behind it all but it was still really good!!

A fast paced, action packed thriller - Steph barely gives you a chance to breath. I was so not prepared for the twist, I love when a book surprises me and takes me in a totally different direction!

I could not get into this book. Unfortunately, it was just not the right story for me to be reading at the time.

I enjoyed this! The twists were good and the characters are well developed. I was fully invested in the story and was anticipating how it would end. I would recommend this. Special Thank You to Steph Nelson, Ticking Clock Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

First off, this story has very intense & deeply disturbing subject matter. If you have any problems at all reading about mutters, kidnapping, human trafficking, rape, I’d advise you not to read.

It is deeply compelling & disturbing, but felt very real. That it takes place in Idaho, not a big city, makes it feel more real. A reminder that horrible things happen in places you don’t expect. I did have a suspicion of who the father of the baby was but the rest…. #LastOneOut #NetGalley

Thanks to NetGalley and Ticking Clock Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For me, Last One Out had a lot of potential but just fell a little flat. I liked the premise, but a large part of the plot was not included in the synopsis (unexpected pregnancy trope, yet again). There was also a fairly explicit birthing scene I could have done without, and the tone of some of the language (while not necessarily offensive) could trigger some people. Specifically, the statement that "the hardest thing a woman can do in life is give birth." While I don't necessarily disagree with this, I beg to differ a bit because not every woman can or wants to give birth. That entire storyline just felt weird to me. So many of Steph Nelson's books seem to revolve around or include pregnancy or children, which is fine - but I just wasn't necessarily expecting it to be such a focal point for a plot around sex trafficking of minors. And even though the story was pretty riveting, it was fairly predictable and the dialogue near the end was very repetitive. There was also a fair amount of needing to suspend disbelief, because the "major" plot twist was just...extremely unlikely. Normally I could go along with something like that, but because of the other issues I had with the plot, it just put me off of this story even further.

I still gave this one three stars in the end because it still worked out fine, it just felt like more of a Lifetime movie. It was entertaining, the writing itself wasn't bad, but it was just an average popcorn thriller for me.

What a ride! This is a gripping read that really keeps you on the edge of your seat. The author does an amazing job building tension and creating characters you actually care about. This was the first time I read a book by this author, and job well done. It’s perfect if you enjoy fast-paced thrillers with a mix of mystery and emotional depth. Definitely a recommended read if you're into stories that make you think and keep you hooked until the very last page!

This one was such a fun thriller, it was creepy and just left a feeling of unease. It just kept getting more twisty and tense as the story moved on. I really really enjoyed this one.

This story. It's been stuck in my mind for the last couple of days.

Flashbacks from then back to the current time throughout the story.

Twist was definitely not what I expected but I really can't say I had any ideas where it was going.

Overall still a four star read for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Ticking Clock Press for this arc.

We a good book for the most part, it had short chapters and kept you on your toes some. I think it could have been a little longer

I loved this book! Especially with the short chapters. It grabbed me from the very first page. I can't wait to read more of her books if this is the standard. Highly recommend.

Enjoyed this book so much! Kept me on my toes. Will continue to look for more work from Steph Nelson

I actually enjoyed this book!! I liked it more than I originally thought I would. Recommend for next reads

Definitely a page turner! Keeps your interest from the very beginning and cheering everyone on. Sometimes you’re yelling at the characters and sometimes you’re trying to help them. You never know who to believe!

Prepare to be gripped by a mystery that has haunted a family for twenty-five years with Steph Nelson''s "Last One Out: A Thriller." What happens when a woman long presumed dead suddenly reappears, with no memory of the night that stole her friends' lives or the quarter-century that followed? This is the chilling premise that sets the stage for a suspenseful journey into the past.

Chloe Webster vanished on the same night her two friends were brutally murdered at an isolated hot springs in 1999. For twenty-five years, everyone, including her own family, believed she was dead. Everyone, that is, except her cousin, Frankie, who held onto a flicker of hope. When Chloe unexpectedly walks into her own annual memorial event, Frankie's joy is overwhelming, but the reunion is far from simple. Chloe remembers nothing of that horrific night or her life before, leaving a gaping void in the mystery.

As Frankie tries to reconnect with her long-lost cousin, cryptic messages begin to surface, hinting that Chloe's amnesia might be a facade, and that she holds the key to the unanswered questions that have tormented Frankie for decades. Can Frankie trust the woman who is both a stranger and her closest kin? The desire for truth is powerful, but the novel forces us to confront a crucial question: is the truth always worth the cost?

Steph Nelson masterfully weaves a tale of enduring loss, fractured memories, and the dangerous pursuit of answers. "Last One One Out" is a thrilling exploration of the bonds of family, the weight of secrets, and the unsettling possibility that the past is never truly buried. With a compelling plot and a central mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end, this is a book that will leave you breathless and questioning how well you truly know the people closest to you.