If I could give 3.5 stars I would. It was almost a 4 star read for me. I just felt there was almost too many twists and turns in the book. I loved the suspense though, and overall was happy I was able to read this book.

This is one of the most twisted and amazing thrillers I have read. Different timelines, suspicious characters, creepy settings, and so many events linked at one. All the clues and the climax were on point, and the voices of the characters were well done. Big congratulations to the author, and a Big Thank You to Ticking Clock Press and NetGalley.

When I got the ARC for this book I was super excited! Last year I was lucky enough to get an ARC for “The Threshing Floor” and that is a book I still think about to this day. Ever since reading “The Final Scene” Steph has been on my radar and as soon she announces a new novel I am here for it. This on was no different.

Damn. This novel had me hooked from page one and I could hardly put it down.
It was a heartbreaking, disturbing and tragic story that left me lingering with sadness (that bonus story did not help to ease any of the emotional damage). It’s so well written and worded in a way that makes it hard not to feel all the feels while reading. My instincts were not wrong when it came to predicting some of the outcomes but that did not take away from the story! I recommend getting your hands on this one as soon as it’s out!

I absolutely read through this book! This is such a great twisted thriller. Definitely advise to check your trigger warnings! This was such an intense book. I’m a big fan of “missing person returns home” trope and this book definitely gave the extra twist to this trope. Thank Netgally & Ticking Clock Pressfor this ARC!’

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is thriller left me absolutely speechless. Last One Out is a fascinating and deeply moving story with incredibly well-developed characters. From the very first page, I was hooked. Steph Nelson has crafted a true masterpiece.

The central question—Where was Chloe for 25 years?—kept me on edge the entire time. The mystery unfolds in such a gripping and emotional way that I couldn’t put the book down. Every twist hit hard, and the emotional depth surprised me just as much as the suspense.

An outstanding job by the author. Five stars, no hesitation. If you're looking for a thriller that pulls you in from the start and doesn’t let go, this is it.

This is the first book that I have read by this author and I will definitely be reading more. Last One Out was a great book! It was filled with suspense and twists that kept me flipping the pages to find out what was going to happen next. I liked the different POV's, quick chapters, and trying to put the pieces together. Highly recommend this book!

I was so excited to read this one after seeing a TikTok about it but I gave up at 30%. It was just too unbelievable for me!

Thank you for early access to this. I really enjoyed this book, it was a page turner, predictable in parts but it certainly didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the story.

Right from the get go, this book sucked me in! It jumped right into the action and kept up the high intensity the whole ride.

Three friends go to a remote hot spring in the middle of the night for a soak. Only one of the girls makes it through the night alive, but she is taken.

After 25 years, and a cousin has never given up hope that she will find answers, Chloe reappears. But is it really her? Where has she been for 25 years? There is so much more than meets the eye and members of the family have a lot of secrets.

If you want a read that will keep you up late to finish, this book is for you! It was so good and kept me on the edge throughout the entire book!

I was very grateful to receive the arc for this book. I finished it pretty much within one day. The writing was great & the plot was captivating. I did find the twists in this book quite predictable but that didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed reading it!

This was a fast paced thriller that kept me hooked. Last One Out follows three girls who went into the woods with two being unalived one going missing. Now decades later, the missing girl shows up with no memory.

Flew through this book that was set in multiple POV and I had a good time!

Thank you Netgalley and Publishers for this eARC!

This book kept me on my toes the entire time. It feels like a different vibe from most thrillers! I finished it in two settings. Tugged on my heartstrings at the end but the author did a great job of wrapping up the end nicely!

this book was crazy. From the start, it had me questioning everybody and everything. the pace was good, and the twist at the end was good.
recommend everyone check it out when it hits the shelves. thanks net galley for the early copy

This story hits the ground running and doesn’t stop til the last page! It instantly pulled me in and held my attention the whole time.
Thanks to NetGalley and Steph Nelson for the ARC!

Steph Nelson absolutely nails the thriller genre yet again! Each of her three books that I've read now have had very different premises, but still feature that signature dark and twisty plot that I've come to know and love from this author. I'm a big fan of the "missing person who returns years later" troupe and felt this one was done really well - definitely recommend picking this up if you enjoyed Then She Returned by Lucinda Berry.

While there are definitely trigger warnings to look up if you have any triggers around children or SA, I think as long as you go in being aware of these that you'll really enjoy your time with this one as well. Huge thank you to Steph and Ticking Clock Press for my early review copy!

This was such a good thriller. Steph does it again! Make sure you read the content warnings before reading because there are sensitive topics discussed in this book that may be triggering for some people.

Twenty five years ago Chloe Webster vanishes without a trace. She was supposed to be with her two best friends who were brutally murdered that night. Everyone believes that Chloe was killed as well that night. Chloe's cousin, Frankie, doesn't believe that though. She holds out hope that Chloe is still alive somewhere. Every year Frankie throws an annual memorial event for Chloe. After 25 years, Chloe shows up at the memorial event. But Chloe does not remember anything from the night she went missing, or her life before she went missing. Soon, Frankie starts getting reddit messages from Punkass that say Chloe knows more than she is saying and not to trust her.

This book was so good. I really loved all of the POV of the characters and the different timelines in the book so you are learning about the past while also learning about what is happening in the present. It all builds up to an amazing twist, well actually a couple of twists.

Steph writes such badass women characters and this book was no exception. I want to give more away about this, but I don't want to spoil anything in the book. When you get to that scene you will understand.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Steph Nelson for this eARC. I devoured it in a few days and it is definitely a 5 star read for me.

3.5 stars, rounded down.

TW: sexual abuse/violence, someone gets a finger snipped off

I think the “missing person comes back after many years” trope is so interesting, because people are usually either very suspicious of them OR overly accepting. And the “no memory” thing is awfully convenient.

This is not a light and fun read, but it’s generally well written. I think it’s less gruesome than Karin Slaughter (who I read one book by and will probably never touch one of her books again), but it does remind me of her.

Shoutout to netgalley for the eARC provided in exchange for my honest review!

Release: May 1, 2025
Author: Steph Nelson
Publisher: Ticking Clock Press

Rating: 3.75 ★ 

Everyone thought Chloe Webster was dead. She disappeared twenty-five years ago on the same night her two friends were brutally murdered at a remote hot springs — or at least, that’s what everyone believed. Everyone except her cousin, Frankie, who never gave up hope.

When Chloe suddenly shows up at her own memorial event, Frankie is thrilled — but their reunion isn’t anything like she expected. Chloe has no memory of what happened the night she vanished, or of her life before it.

As Frankie starts receiving strange, cryptic messages, she begins to wonder if Chloe might know more than she’s admitting. Frankie is desperate for answers after all these years, but as the truth slowly unravels, she’s forced to question whether some things are better left buried.

I flew through this book — it was dark, twisty, and completely addictive from the first chapter. I loved how many layers there were to the story. It’s fast-paced, full of shocking twists, and kept me guessing the whole way through. Even though I figured out part of the reveal early on, there were still surprises that totally blindsided me, which made it even better.

I really liked both Chloe and Frankie’s characters, and Chloe’s will to survive — especially when it came to protecting her child — was powerful and emotional. Some scenes genuinely hit hard, and by the end of part two, I was tearing up.

The short chapters and dual timeline made it a super quick read, and I could not stop turning the pages. That said, I do wish some parts of the story had been fleshed out more, like the police investigation and some of Chloe’s flashbacks. A few moments of dialogue felt a little stiff too, but it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the overall experience. Plus, the bonus chapter was a great addition for readers wanting a little more.

Favorite Quote:
"every step closer to the truth is a step closer to danger."

Frankie will stop at nothing to make sure no one forgets about her cousin, Chloe, and get to the bottom of her disappearance. 25 years ago, Chloe and 2 friends, are struck by tragedy at a local Hot Springs when Chloe is taken and her friends are brutally murdered. Her cousin, Frankie, makes sure to keep her name alive and not forgotten when suddenly she reappears after all this time and has no memory of what happened. Frankie is determined to get find out what happened in the past 25 years, even if it puts herself in danger.

This was a fast-paced book from the first chapter that sucked me in and wouldn't let me go until I finished. I have been a huge fan of Steph Nelson for quite some time, however, this book solidified exactly why I enjoy her writing so much. Being a local of the Treasure Valley, I enjoy a book that hits close to home and this one definitely did. Literally. I think that everyone who reads Psychological Thrillers tries to predict the outcome of any book they read, but I could not have guessed in a million years where this one was heading. I can't wait to recommend this book to all my fellow readers out there and to see what Steph Nelson will have in store for us in the future.

This was so fast paced ! In Steph Nelson fashion, so suspenseful and dark. The plot was just so entertaining and kept you wanted to keep reading. I absolutely could not put this down ! Such a fun ride