I loved Rebecca’s previous thrillers and was excited to read her latest offering. The Last Encore is a cross between Daisy Jones and the Six and Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. Eighteen years after The Cedric’s Band lead singer Jonny is killed in an explosion at a concert, the band is brought back together for a reunion concert with Jonny’s daughter taking the starring role. During some tense interviews with the band members, the band’s manager is found dead and the wife of the keyboardist goes missing.

The novel starts with a bang, it’s then slows its pace as we meet the different band members and get their back story. The story unfolds over multiple points of views and The Cedric’s Band fan blog run by Ricky, the band’s number one fan. Once I got my head around all the different characters I was hooked and loved all the juicy behind the scenes gossip. There was an interesting mix of characters some likable and others who were not! The secrets and twists then start coming and it builds to a big finish.

Moving away from Heath’s usual party setting, the remote island of Sparrow Hawk made for the perfect atmospheric backdrop. Rebecca was masterful as she set things up, both the victims were extremely unlikeable and I developed many theories as to what happened to them both. I was kept guessing and taken by surprise by a few twists. The tension she built towards the end had my heart racing and my body tight as I turned the pages to see what happened next. Another fabulous thriller for Heath who has now cemented herself as one of my auto-buy authors.

Quite a good premise, the daughter of a rock star who died tragically young, leading a reunion concert with his band mates, set against a documentary about the reunion. Lots of interesting stuff if a bit far fetched at times

You know it's going to be good when you are unable to put the book down. This is a serious page turner which I completed over the weekend. The book keeps you guessing and has some serious character development to keep the reader invested.

Told in multiple perspectives, every character is filled with red herrings and suspicious motives. The remote locked room mystery brings in the chills and has good visualization to raise the stakes.

The music backdrop is a good setting. I also liked how some of the twist came together which I didn't see coming. Absolutely recommend!

Thank you Aria & Aries and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

This was an interesting plot line, something a bit different which made it interesting to follow. There is good character development and enough going on to keep you hooked. I’d recommend this book to my crime and thriller friends!

Eighteen years after Jonny Rake’s “accidental” death, the surviving band members gather with his daughter Monet stepping in to sing. The past collides with the present, secrets bubble over, and soon it’s clear: Jonny’s death wasn’t an accident at all.

I was hooked—Monet is a brilliant lead, Adam is flawed but impossible not to root for, and the tension had me rationing chapters (and failing miserably). Yes, I guessed some of the relationship mysteries, but it didn’t spoil a thing. I was on edge the entire time. Heath is clearly stepping into her stride as a thriller writer. My only complaint? The use of the word panties. It makes me squirm more than the actual murder plot. It generates visions of creepy old men. But I loved the fictional South Australian setting.

Pop this on on your TBR or even better, preorder it!

Another fun read by Rebecca Heath, my current favourite out of all my reads by the authors work.

A pop band has reunited after 18 years to make a documentary after the tragic explosion that killed the lead leader, the survivors from that day will soon dig up secrets that others would rather they stayed secret. Revenge, secrets, twists and turns all occur throughout this book and you learn more about the tragic past and what lead up to it. I enjoyed the characters and i was wondering how some were with each especially after such an event if they were ever as close as maybe they once were.

Not everybody is happy about the documentary but soon after a body is found and now tension, suspense and mystery are all piled up and wonder if someone else is going to be next and what everyone is hiding.

A fun filled experience with draws in what comes with fame and is it really what everyone makes it out to be, i enjoyed this arc and would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers Aria & Aries for the copy of this arc in exchange of my full honest review.

4.5 stars

I haven't read any of Rebeccas previous books but I have great things about them. So, I was really looking forward to reading this. Yes, it was over the top, but sometimes I need an escape from reality, and this delivered.

It’s been eighteen years since the accidental explosion that killed The Cedrics Band lead singer Jonny Rake, and a special documentary is bringing the rest of the band back to play together for the first time.

But the band isn’t as close as they once were. Each remaining member seems to have their secrets and the island isn’t what it seems.

This book was a tough one for me to get through. While there’s enough underlying mystery to keep you guessing, I found so many of the characters unlikeable. This made me feel a bit detached from them all and I just couldn’t quite get into it. The ending also just felt like there was so much happening at once.

Wow what a ride! So many secrets, all colliding on a small island slated for the band’s reunion/ memorial gig. So many hoping for revenge. So many thinking they controlled the narrative but in reality it was already out of control. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Moody, tense, and brimming with buried secrets, The Last Encore is a slow-burn thriller that crescendos into a gripping, high-stakes finale.

Eighteen years after a tragic explosion killed The Cedrics Band’s charismatic frontman, Jonny Rake, the surviving members reunite on a remote island for a documentary shoot. Stepping into her father’s spotlight is his teenage daughter, Monet – a poignant and risky choice that stirs old tensions. But what begins as a nostalgic tribute quickly turns dark when it becomes clear that Jonny’s death was no accident. And now, trapped on the island with a killer among them, no one is safe.

The first half carefully builds atmosphere, introducing each character and scattering hints of long-buried betrayals and rivalries. Once the body drops, the pace accelerates into a tightly wound game of misdirection, red herrings, and escalating danger. Heath balances the simmering interpersonal drama with the claustrophobic suspense of the island setting, ensuring the reader is hooked until the very end.

A sharp, character-driven mystery that delivers both the slow burn and the explosive payoff.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Another great read by Rebecca Heath. A pop band reunited years later after the accidental death of their lead singer, on an island with limited facilities, would be a great place to have their big media-controlled come back concert. But everything that can go wrong, does. Loved the isolated setting with the claustrophobic feel. Plenty of despicable characters that you wouldn’t mind killing yourself, alongside a few you sympathise with, and others who you really don’t want to share is island with. Great read

Gripped me from beginning to end. In places I could feel myself holding my breath it was so tense. Loved it.

I've one of Rebecca's other books and I really enjoyed it, so I was so excited to be able to have a chance to read this one.

Unfortunately this end up as a dnf for me at about 25%. I actually ended up writing down all the different name of characters introduced and who they were in relation to other characters, just so I could try to keep them all organized. There is just too much, at least for me.
I loved the idea of a band getting back together, doing a documentary after a tragic incident. I just wasn't able to enjoy it at much as I had hoped.

A big thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the chance to read this one

I was really loving The Last Encore - as a millennial who grew up obsessed with bands and musicians, this really struck a chord with me - I just…really wish it had a more punchy ending. It felt like it was ramping up and up, but just sort of petered out in the last few pages. It was other wise great though!

A gripping thriller with unexpected twists and turns.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it . From the first chapter I was hooked .

A band reuniting on a secluded island after their lead singer was killed years earlier. Throw in a murder, distrust, revenge, and a love that’s lasted decades. Should make for a great story but unfortunately I was a bit lost for most of the book. Short chapters swapping between different characters viewpoint added to the confusion. I think there were too many sub stories interwoven throughout which also added to my confusion. It took me a while to get through just because I went back to re-read some parts to check I understood what was happening.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A remote island venue for a reunion for a band torn apart 18 years ago after the lead singer was killed in an explosion. What could go wrong – or more to the point what can go right? It seems very little. A story of revenge, lies and mistrust told from the individuals’ points of view. And another explosive finale. Very much a slow burner at the start of the story and you may well feel like giving up but persevere and see if you can figure out whodunnit. My thanks to Net Galley and the author for an ARC.

The Last Encore is such an interesting book! Author Rebecca Heath depicted the story with unexpected twists and turns. Never thought that a reunion concert would turn out to be a nightmare and a story of survival.

The multiple point-of-view narration gave more depth to the story and how the tragic past affected them and the band members' present relationship. The setting of the story, being in a remote island, already presets the isolation and paranoia that the characters will be subjected to.

Heath meticulously tapped on the other side of fame that is not often talked about, which involved long due resentment and betrayals, which I think is a powerful asset that will keep the readers wanting for more.

The Last Encore by Rebecca Heath is a suspenseful page turner, with an unexpected twist.

The Cedrics Band were at the height of success when tragedy struck with the untimely and shocking death of their lead singer, Johnny Rake. Was his death really an accident, or was it murder?

Eighteen years later, the estranged members of the band reunite on a secluded island to film a documentary and stage a special concert, with Johnny’s daughter taking center stage.

Not everyone is happy to be there, whilst others have hidden motives. It seems that everyone there has a secret to hide. The unease, tension and conflict between the characters is ever apparent, slowly building to a climax. Then, a body is found. The question is who amongst them is guilty? Who will be next?

An atmospheric whodunnit set off the coast of South Australia that will keep you guessing until the very end.

I really enjoyed this book, but what surprised me the most was how much I liked the Australian setting, with a mix of rugged coastline and countryside. It seems innocent on the surface, but foreboding all the same. I was also surprised by the twist at the end. Would recommend this book.

Thank you very much to the publisher for the advance copy!

A gripping, atmospheric thriller that hits all the right notes!

Rebecca Heath’s The Last Encore is a fast-paced and twisty whodunnit that kept me hooked from the first chapter. When rock star Jonny Rake is killed on stage in a tragic accident, the band falls apart. Eighteen years later, the surviving members reunite on a remote island for a documentary and reunion show—but secrets don't stay buried. Told through multiple compelling POVs, each character brings their own hidden motives and buried truths, intensifying the mystery. When a body is discovered on the island, the real story behind Jonny’s death begins to unravel. The isolated island setting adds a tense atmosphere, and Heath masterfully balances character drama, suspense, and rock 'n' roll nostalgia. A must-read for fans of tightly woven mysteries and locked-room thrillers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC for review. The expected release date is 22 January 2026.