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.

On a night in 1999, Amy, Kristi, and Chloe drove in at midnight to soak in isolated skinny dippers hot springs—a last blast before they started their senior year.

It was Amy’s idea. “She portrayed it in her don't argue with me voice.” None of their parents were aware of this stunt.

This is an isolated and wild place. Anything bad could happen here.

On that one fateful night, Amy and Kristi were brutally murdered, but Chloe disappeared without any trial. After 25 years, she suddenly reappeared at her annual funeral program but didn't remember her past.

Is she really lost her memory, or is she hiding something.

It's one of the locked-room thrillers, which is my favorite trope.

The story is set in a chilling environment, with brutality and sensitive topics. I was hooked on books until 3 a.m. at night.

The story has been told with dual POVs, with Chloe's version telling past POVs and Fletcher narrating the future investigation of Chloe's disappearance.

The chapters are short and fast-paced, and they end with a few cliffhangers that keep you guessing what happens next.

Although the twist seems predictable, it catches me by surprise. It has invoked lots of emotion, outrage, and sadness in me.

The bonus chapter at the end adds one more star to the story.

This is my first book by this author. I am gonna try more from
Her

ARC Received: NetGalley
Publishing Date: May 1, 2025

Chloe Webster is supposed to be dead. So when she walks into her own memorial event after vanishing 25 years ago, her cousin Frankie is stunned and hopeful. But hope quickly turns to suspicion as cryptic messages start to unravel everything Frankie thought she knew.

This book had me hooked from the eerie premise and didn’t let go. The isolated hot springs setting gave it a haunting, almost claustrophobic vibe, and the tension just kept building. I knew the uncle was no good, there was something off from the start, but what really caught me off guard was the twist with Chloe’s daughter secretly returning and impersonating her own mother. That was wild, and while it seemed strange at first, the author made it work in a way that was both bold and satisfying.

Some parts dragged a little, and a few side characters felt underdeveloped. Still, the core mystery and emotional stakes kept me turning the pages late into the night.

If you’re into small-town secrets, twisted family ties, and a slow-burn unraveling of the past, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

This book was amazing! It had my mind going back and forth trying to figure out what was going to happen! My mind never figured out that ending though!

Thank you to Netgalley for an Arc of this book. This was my first Steph Nelson and it wont be the last. This book was dark, twisty, turny. The book gets you trapped in its web right from the get go. Then you want to keep going so you can learn the full story. So much fun and an easy read.

Wow, this was intense and immediately gripped me from the beginning. It was so fast-paced I flew through and couldn't take my eyes off the pages. I loved all of the characters and the plot twists were great. This dealt with some pretty heavy topics but it was almost done in a nice way if that makes sense. Steph Nelson has been kind of hit or miss for me but this was definitely a hit. Such a great thriller.

Many thanks to Ticking Clock Press for the gifted copy!

Steph Nelson delivers another gripping psychological thriller with Last One Out, and it might be her most binge-worthy yet. The story centers on Chloe Webster, who vanished in 1999 after a horrific night at a remote hot springs where her two best friends were murdered. Presumed dead, Chloe shocks everyone by showing up 25 years later—claiming total amnesia. Her cousin Frankie, who has been keeping her memory alive with annual memorials, is drawn into a tense and emotional investigation when strange messages suggest Chloe knows far more than she’s letting on.

Told in alternating timelines and perspectives, the book keeps the tension high with short, fast-paced chapters and plenty of twists to keep readers hooked. While some early turns might feel predictable to seasoned thriller fans, there are still several major surprises that hit hard—including a powerful climax. The themes of trauma, memory, and identity are handled with care, though readers should be aware of potential triggers involving violence, children, and abuse. While the ending felt a bit abrupt, this was still a dark, twisty read that’s hard to put down. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers that balance emotional depth with suspense.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Ticking Clock Press for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

My favorite read of the year so far!! Twisty-magic that I never saw hit me smack in the face. What a story! I’ll think twice about going skinny dipping in hot springs next time

4.5 overall!

This is the second book I’ve read by Nelson and it did not disappoint! I was honestly hooked from the start and couldn’t put it down and the short chapters had me flying through it. I loved the multiple POVs and the Then and Now timelines, it really added to the story and seeing everything come together. Nelson has a way writing dark books and this was no exception. I do have to say that some of the twists were predicable and I did guess them early on, but it was a WILD ride getting to them all.

Overall, I highly recommend this twisty, dark thriller and I can’t wait to read more by Nelson!

Ugh okay. This one was SOO GOOD. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy her other book, the final scene. I’m thinking it was because I was in a slump, so I wasn’t feeling it and DNF’d it. I AN SO HAPPY I READ THIS one! (Will be giving The Final Scene Another chance for sure!!)

This was quite creepy, completely twist, and had my jaw in the floor.

Awesome book that kept me interested and captivated. I didn’t want to put it down! This was a brand new author for me and I wasn’t disappointed! 5 stars!

Amazing!!! This book kept me on my toes from start to finish, I had some ideas about the ending but those twists were well worth the read! My eyes hugged out, my heart stopped, and then… WOW.
This story makes my top reads of the year, I genuinely loved it!!!
This is a new author for me, but I will be keeping an eye out for other reads be them!

Gave 4.5 stars but rounded up!

☆ARC REVIEW☆
Publication date: Available now!


This was my first Steph Nelson book and certainly won't be my last!! Wow, this one was chilling from the beginning right til the bonus scene.

Some parts made me sick to my stomach, just because of the subject matter and how realistically the story was written.

Definitely check your trigger warnings with this one.

Thank you, NetGalley, Steph Nelson, and Ticking Clock Press for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

I went into this thriller completely blind, not knowing anything about the author, and. I was hooked from the beginning, It's suspenseful, of course, but what really got me was the emotional depth. It deals with some really dark stuff, but the author handles it with such sensitivity. The dual timelines and POVs Frankie and Chloe kept me guessing, and I couldn't put it down. Definitely looking forward to reading more from this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ticking Clock Press for the ARC

Steph Nelson consistently delivers quick, punchy thrillers that I just can't not read in a couple of sittings. They are just so good! Last One Out has a great storyline, plenty of anxious ridden scenes, and why does Steph only have three books out?!

I absolutely enjoyed reading this. Will definitely be recommending. Kept me really hooked I'll love to reread again

Thank you to NetGalley and to the author and publisher of this book for an ARC.

Steph Nelson DOES NOT MISS. Her books are filled with twists and turns and a constant feeling of suspense. Last One Out hooked me from the beginning and I finished it in less than 24 hours. I recommend going in a little blind but you'll want to pick this one up!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Chloe and two of her friends go out one evening and never return. 25 years later, Frankie(Chloe’s cousin), is still trying to figure out what happened to Chloe. Every year she holds a memorial for her and on the 25th anniversary, Chloe returns. Chloe had no memory of her past and Frankie tries to help her put the pieces together to figure out what happened all those years ago. Soon after Chloe’s return , Frankie starts getting text messages that Chloe knows more than what she’s saying. Can Frankie trust Chloe? What happened 25 years ago??

This book grabbed me from the start and kept me interested the whole time. It goes back and forth between the past when Chloe went missing to the present when she returned. There twists and turns snd punches to the gut. I highly recommend this book.

Loved this one by Steph Nelson! She is such a queen at twists. This one had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I really love the bond between Frankie and Chloe.

*Spoiler-free review* Three teenage girls get up to mischief in the middle of the night. Two of them are murdered by a waiting stranger. One goes missing. Suspense and thriller maestro, Steph Nelson, is at it again with this tense and surprising new book, LAST ONE OUT.
Frankie is a woman who has taken great care to remember her cousin and best friend, Chloe, who went missing twenty-five years ago after Chloe and two sisters, Amy and Kristi, took a midnight excursion to Skinny Dipper Hot Springs. The night ended with an unknown assailant murdering the sisters and Chloe’s whereabouts are unknown. It was clear that a murder had taken place and now the whole community is seeking justice and searching for Chloe. But they never find her.
Frankie keeps her cousin’s memory alive with an annual fundraiser in the hopes that she will be found one day. As the anniversary event draws near, Frankie receives anonymous messages claiming to know what happened to Chloe. Little does she know the truth is much darker and dangerous than she could ever imagine.
LAST ONE OUT builds tension and suspense with each little reveal. The pacing was well done, and I didn’t mind time shifts from past to present. I felt like this book benefited from the POV shifts through time.
I got a good sense of the area it was set in, Idaho, and the region's landscape, which is an almost secondary character throughout.
As usual, Steph Nelson delivers a compelling read that I finished in just a few sittings. LAST ONE OUT is the thriller you need right NOW!