I very much enjoyed this new Steph Nelson thriller, and while I felt like quite a few aspect of the story were predictable, the twist caught me off guard. Despite a few minor flaws, I would absolutely recommend this book to fans of thrillers, mysteries, and Nelon's previous work.

My primary critique include some of the dialogue, which felt forced and a bit stilted. (I did have one other dialogue complaint about one of the point-of-view characters, but that was resolved! No spoilers, so you'll have to read it to see if you notice the same "problem.") My only other critique was the lack of police involvement, which I felt to be a bit unrealistic. This could be due to the characters' shock and grief though, so I can let that one slide.

Overall, the tone, pacing, motivation, and resolution were excellent, and I devoured this story in two sittings. A huge thank-you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this Steph Nelson novel. I made the request for this on NetGalley so I could leave an honest review because I absolutely LOVE The Final Scene by Steph.

I’ve been deep in a fantasy kick lately, so a thriller was a nice break. The twist will catch you off guard as it gradually unveils because, for me anyway, another character seemed to be guilty. I wasn’t prepared for ANY of the revelations, but the ending made my heart happy.

I will always recommend Steph Nelson to my thriller friends, and this novel is certainly on the list.

Why 4 stars then?

While I know one of the MC’s is battling grief that has become a part of who she is, I was frequently annoyed with her dialogue. She’s 40, but her behavior read more 20 and under. There were several times where I felt like she seemed stuck as the 15 year old she was 25 years ago. The ending seems to explain it a little when you learn more about her parents and consider how her adolescence likely went.

The second reason is that not going straight to the police after the reveal at the event just blew my mind. Even being excited and confused to see her, the police needed to be aware after 25 years missing so they could begin finding answers. Then, even after they were notified (supposedly? Did that actually happen or was it one of the lies), they never showed up to ask more questions or begin trying to find answers? I get it was a cold case, but I feel like the victim appearing 25 years later is an excellent time to open that sucker back up.

First things first, thank you Netgalley and Ticking Clock Press for this ARC!

Wow - I seem to have a talent lately for picking books where my heart permanently lives in my throat while reading! Not that I would have expected different from Steph Nelson, though.

The story does follow Chloe and Frankie, told in the POV of both of the women while we try to find out what has happened to Chloe. Where has she been for the last twenty-five years? Why does she show up again at her own annual memorial event, of all days possible? And why does she not remember anything - or claims so, at least?

A suspenseful, wild ride that had me force to pause now and then to take a breath even when my mind was screaming to just continue reading. Very recommended! Check the trigger warnings, though!

Unfortunately this book was very predictable with horrible dialogue. I tried to push through but by the 20% mark I was mostly skimming. Some aspects I did find unbelievable. The premise was interesting but the plot failed to be executed properly. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a pretty predictable thriller, but I did enjoy it nonetheless. Parts of the storyline strayed from the believable, but the core of it was entertaining.