Totally binge worthy, fun, unputdownable, and a wild ride from start to finish!

I went into this one not even having read what it’s about because if Saratoga writes a book: I’ll read it.

I was able to finish this one in less than 24 hours and honestly, the only critique I had throughout the book ended up being explained near the end. I loved but hated every single character in this book, loved the setting, the pacing, everything was written perfectly imo.

This book hits two of my favorite tropes: locked-room murder and being trapped aboard a ship at sea. "The Last Time We Drowned" by Saratoga Schaefer is an intense psychological thriller following six influencers in a gripping tale of terror and survival. I expected a light read, as befits the genre, but what I got was a deeper, more layered novel than most thrillers of its kind — and I mean that as a compliment.

Charlie Engels is a queer Bookstagram influencer haunted by her past. Devastated by her best friend's betrayal and death, broke and desperate, she eagerly accepts a life-saving offer to join Empress, a state-of-the-art yacht houseboat off the Florida Keys where six other influencers reside. Aboard Empress, Charlie meets the other women, each carrying her own baggage: Vivienne — the charismatic, ruthless leader and lifestyle content creator; Fiona — the makeup artist; the twins Rachel (a nutritionist) and Ashley (a yoga instructor); and Piper — a fashion-focused content creator.

The plot thickens when a hurricane hits, trapping them at sea with their boss and his friend. Communications are cut, supplies dwindle, and Charlie is haunted by appearances of the influencer she replaced — whom, strangely enough, the others refuse to discuss. It turns out Charlie isn’t the only one with secrets. When the first death occurs, the storm outside mirrors the storm inside, and secrets begin to surface.

Claustrophobic, atmospheric, suspenseful, and sinister, the book slowly drags you underwater and doesn’t let go. It captured my attention from the first page and held it to the very end. The premise feels fresh despite familiar tropes, the characters are diverse and layered, and the writing works beautifully for the genre, perfectly capturing the ambience.

The story is written from Charlie's first-person perspective, and I have mixed feelings about her. I liked her, but I didn’t like that she gave good reviews to all books — even bad ones — and lied easily. It made her an unreliable narrator in my eyes. I didn’t know whether to shake her or hug her at times. I condemned some of her choices and found her a bit hypocritical — first stone and all — yet I still ended up rooting for her. I didn’t like some of the other characters and found Vivienne exhausting, but I appreciated the emotional dynamics between them.

The title fits perfectly, and the drowning motif is central to the story. The novel explores social media and personal branding, loss, grief, toxic friendships, alcohol misuse, moral dilemmas, complex relationships, isolation, and PTSD. Overall, I loved the book and finished it in two sittings. The plot is filled with twists, and although I guessed a couple of them, it didn’t lessen my enjoyment. This is a cut above many others in the genre. Those who enjoy psychological thrillers with bite and complex character dynamics will find it compelling. I highly recommend it and give it full stars!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

WOW WOW WOW

OH MY GOD SARATOGA THIS IS AMAZING

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me have an early copy to read!

Okay, so for the last six months, I have stayed away from thrillers bc they’ve been bothering me. This is the EXACT thriller I needed. WOW THIS IS GOOD

I’ve read all of Saratoga’s books, and the level this one is on is a completely different level. The writing is so good I can’t get over it. The twists and turns really kept me going, and at one point I gasped out loud.

As someone with a book account and the fear of big bodies of water, I got goosebumps 10/10

LOVED!!!!! Great, unique, and genuinely absorbing, Saratoga Schaefer takes a familiar influencer setup and steadily tightens it into something far darker and more psychological. What begins as an aspirational escape quickly reveals itself as a pressure cooker.

Charlie is a compelling anchor for the story. Her desperation and the emotional weight of her past, especially the unresolved betrayal and death of her former best friend, gives the novel depth. The cast aboard Empress is sharply drawn, with each woman carrying just enough backstory to feel distinct while contributing to the growing sense of instability. The lingering presence of the influencer Charlie replaces is especially effective and very haunting.

Once the storm hits, the novel shifts gears in a way that feels thrilling! Isolation, dwindling resources, and a haunting presence push the characters.

This is a locked-room thriller that understands atmosphere as emotional pressure. The influencer angle is used thoughtfully, as a system rather than a gimmicky tease. The foreshadowing of characters' true selves was also very strong and not overdone.

A strong, confident thriller that will appeal to readers who like destination mysteries, slow burns, and of course commentary on influencer culture.

#TheLastTimeWeDrowned #SaratogaSchaefer #PoisonedPenPress

I’ve only read one other by this author I believe so I’m still new to this writing but this sure kept my attention. I always love a good book with twists, thrills, dual POV and quick paced.

this was a strong psychological thriller novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. The characters were everything that I wanted in this and had that element that worked in this universe. It was a strong psychological element that I wanted and was engaged with the suspenseful atmosphere that I was hoping for. Saratoga Schaefer wrote this well and was glad I got to read this.

Saratoga Schaefer has quickly become a must-read author for me. Every book quickly hooks me, and I can never put them down.

The Last Time We Drowned is a thriller that follows Charlie, a bookstagrammer, who accepts a job that throws her into a world of luxury influencers. What sounds like a life changing opportunity quickly turns darker when Charlie grows suspicious about the past history on the yacht where they are living. Is there more to the story than her fellow influencers are letting on, or is Charlie the one harbouring secrets of her own?

If you were a fan of “The Compound” by Aisling Rawle, this is a similar vibe.

Thanks to Cosmo Reads for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Time We Drowned is exactly as advertised — fun, influencer-y, and the type of story that balances escapism with a grounded plot. Charlie's backstory got a bit repetitive, but overall, this was a fast-paced read and an interesting setup.

The Last Time We Drowned is what happens when curated perfection meets survival mode and spoiler alert: the aesthetic does not hold.

Charlie is the kind of protagonist I immediately lock in with. Broke, bruised from a friendship betrayal that clearly rewired her brain chemistry, and just self-aware enough to know she’s walking into something that feels slightly too glossy to be safe. When she boards the Empress, a floating influencer compound masquerading as empowerment, the vibe is less “sisterhood retreat” and more “HR nightmare waiting to trend.”

Six influencers on a luxury yacht in the Florida Keys sounds like a social media fever dream. And it is, until the hurricane hits and the WiFi dies. That’s when the filters fall off.

What I loved most about this book is how razor sharp it is about image. These women have built entire identities on performance. Brand deals. Perfect captions. Trauma packaged for engagement. But when you trap them in a literal locked room at sea, with supplies dwindling and a body on deck, there’s nowhere to hide. Not behind ring lights. Not behind followers. Not even behind each other.

And then there’s the missing influencer. The one Charlie replaced. The one she keeps seeing, even though she’s supposedly gone. The paranoia in this story creeps in slowly, like seawater under a door. Is it guilt? Is it manipulation? Is someone playing a very long, very twisted game?

The tension doesn’t explode all at once, it tightens. Scene by scene. Conversation by conversation. The yacht becomes claustrophobic in the best possible way. Every cabin feels like a trap. Every alliance feels temporary. Every kindness feels strategic.

The storm outside is brutal, but the storm inside that boat? Worse. Old betrayals surface. Power shifts. Masks slip. And watching Charlie try to untangle what’s real while battling her own ghosts is deliciously stressful.

This isn’t just a survival thriller. It’s a commentary on influence, obsession, curated identity, and what happens when the brand collapses but the damage doesn’t. It’s sharp without being preachy. Glamorous without romanticizing the glamour. And suspenseful in that quiet, escalating way that makes you read “just one more chapter” until it’s suddenly 2 a.m. and you’re questioning everyone in your own life.

Luxury curdles into something feral here. And trust me, once the first body drops, the water only gets darker.

I devoured this.

Five stars, zero life jackets.

First being introduced to Saratoga Schaefer through their fantastic debut novel Serial Killer Support Group followed by their incredible body horror Trad Wife, so needless to say The Last Time We Drowned was a must-read. Although this third novel is billed as a mystery thriller, the horror influences are ever present turning The Last Time We Drowned into a unique and gripping read.

Charlie Engels is broke and desperate when her bookstagram account lands her the offer of a lifetime: join Empress, a state-of-the-art yacht houseboat off the Florida Keys turned influencer paradise. Lucrative brand deals and a ready-made "sisterhood" of internet stars―it may not be Charlie's dream job, but she knows she'd be a fool to turn it down.

It's also the perfect distraction; Charlie's eager to outrun her past and a staggering betrayal by her former best friend. Now, aboard Empress, Charlie is surrounded by dazzling women with their own baggage: the magnetic but ruthless leader, the spiraling fashion queen, the inseparable twins, the peacemaker with cracks in her confidence, and the memory of the influencer who Charlie is replacing. The same influencer who Charlie keeps seeing on board, even though the others insist she quit.

But when a hurricane traps the group at sea with their billionaire boss, the dream turns claustrophobic. Communications cut. Supplies dwindling. Old betrayals bubbling to the surface. Then the first body drops.

As paranoia mounts and alliances splinter, Charlie realizes the real danger isn't the storm outside―it's the deadly games being played below deck. And if she can't outwit a killer, her past won't be the only ghost that comes back to drown her.

Okay, The Last Time We Drowned is not a horror novel, let me just say that. But if the theme of social media influencing in Trad Wife struck a chord with you, then The Last Time We Drowned is going to be even more for you.

We get a locked-room, well boat at sea, thriller which features social media influencers in a mystery that had me quickly turning the page. Sometimes even when an author dabbles in another genre, their main genre seeps in and I was here for every moment. The reason I say there is a horror influence is the creeping sense of tension and dread I felt from Schaefer's previous two novels. Not to focus too much on the horror of things, but social media influencing in general seems horrific.

Schaefer introduces us to a multilevel thriller with six influencers on a yacht at sea with the focus on our main character who doesn't really seem to fit in. The more gradual first half of the novel sets the stage for the more fast-paced and thrilling second half filled with a few twists, turns, and redemption. Saratoga takes the book in directions and makes character decisions I didn't expect which made the story even that much more satisfying.

You feel for Charlie as the book progresses, but also there are moments you want to hate the bookstagrammer (I won't spoil this). However, the story wraps up with a truly satisfying ending that was a surprise to me when all is said and done.

The Last Time We Drowned is an electrifying entry into the thriller genre for Saratoga Schaefer. While the novel is deeply set in the mystery thriller genre, it has glimpses of horror I would come to expect from the author. Schaefer took chances, made satisfying decisions, and crafted a story that sets itself apart from the crowd.

ARE YOU kiddinggg meeee!!!?!! SIX STARS!! ⭐️
~
Serial Killer Support Group~ 5/5
Trad wide~ TBR
The Last Time we Drowned 5/5

I have been here reading since the jump and will continue to do so and screamed when I got the approval email for the ARC! This was fanatic and I couldn’t read it fast enough and was a little tiny bit sad when it was over because it was so good haha.
~
Calling all my bookish social media & thriller and locked room mystery bookstagram people!! You’re gonna wanna pick this one up because it sudo- involves us and our online bookish space!! Cue the meme: “ᴡᴀɪᴛ, 𝙄𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙪𝙨??”
Not really, no, (okay maybe a little) but as someone who runs a bookish account (@literature_and_love_) I 100% empathized with our FMC Char and the pressure it puts on us to preform /post all the time. This book is more than just about glittery waves, sparkling expensive yachts, and glossy and shiny influencers. It’s what lurks in the murky depths underneath the pretty exterior. What are influencers actually like behind all the high engagement posts and expensive clothes?. Charlie gets the opportunity of a lifetime, she gets to join the Empress and get a peak behind the curtain, but was it more than she wanted?

This is what I want more of. These thrillers with (ghostly elements?) are my jam and I highly recommend this to anyone who’s a fan of the genre! Like I said though; once you start you’re going to want to finish it one sitting. It’s addictive.

🌊Very vauge potential plot spoilers read at your own risk!
I loved the stark difference in personality vs performance with our influencer girls and I also loved the references to mermaids and sirens. The scene where all the girls are talking on the boat together surrounding Char and getting her to talk about her trauma reminded so much of that mean spirited mermaid clip of Wendy in Peterpan. I could just see this book playing out in my head like a movie. The setting is described in such a way; it could be taken at face value or slightly ominous and I thought that was poetic.

🌊Trope Tags🌊
Locked in mystery
Toxic relationships
The pretty& ugly side of influencing
Slightly maybe paranormal
Book within a book

In a world where authors everywhere are trying to figure out how to shape social media-based plots, this book does an excellent job of integrating it seamlessly.

This book follows Charlie, a popular bookstagramer with dwindling mental stability and plenty of bills. In her desperation for a stable job, she turns to an influencer group based on a yacht called the Empress. Led by Viv, the lavish lifestyle influencer, the Empress group claims to be a family, albeit a dysfunctional one. After a freak hurricane traps Charlie, all her new “sisters”, and their boss, Trey, on board, the happy family image starts to disintegrate. With little food and no internet connection, Charlie starts to find out that this luxury yacht is more haunted than she ever was. While waiting for their uncertain rescue or potential demise, the number of proverbial skeletons only grows, and Charlie is determined to find out just how deep the closet really is.

I personally loved the pacing of this book. I think it’s the best-paced thriller I’ve ever read. It really felt like they cut out a lot of the thriller fat that usually finds its way into books marketed as suspenseful. I will say, some of the tension was a bit weak, probably because of the pacing, but I honestly preferred that to a drawn-out scavenger hunt that only drops the smallest and most confusing clues. I love a good “aha!” moment, but a lot of books spend the entire time working up to that moment, and then the rest of the book ends up being boring. This book definitely had an “aha” moment, but the whole book didn’t hinge on it, which was nice.

I enjoyed the characters a lot, I feel like they were all very likable. I really loved Ashley and Piper. Some of the less important characters, like Rachel or Fiona, had significantly less depth to them, but I didn’t think it particularly took away from the book. Especially with how short the book was, I really applaud the amount of characterization that the author was able to achieve.

I loved the ending, I think it was perfect. It was incredibly, incredibly satisfying. I love a satisfying ending. Also, the bookception going on with the fictional novel of A Song of Salt and Scales was amazing. I’m not a romantasy reader, but I would read that book. A Greek myth retelling where mermaids are the keepers of the underworld? Hello, someone write that right now.

I really enjoyed this book. I’ve been dying to read Serial Killer Support Group (no pun intended), so I was really excited to see the author had this book up on Net Galley. I’ll be tuned in to see what else she writes!