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The Last Holiday
One last holiday together. One of us wouldn’t come home…
Saturday night: It starts as an innocent holiday game amongst old friends. As we sit around our campfire, the evening sky streaked with peach, my little boy sleeping peacefully in our tent, the wine flows and secrets are spilled.
It should be harmless fun, but Annie ’s questions worry me. She’s always been the keeper of our secrets. She knows all the infidelities, the indiscretions, the stolen kisses…
I just hope she knows when to stop. Because there’s something I can’t let her bring to the surface…
Wednesday morning: It’s the little things that stay with you. The hurried rip of zips being opened. Figures stumbling into the cold night air. The screams echoing across the campsite as flashlights scour the ground. That’s what happens when someone you love is murdered.
One of us is responsible for Annie’s death. One of us will stop at nothing to keep our secrets hidden…
A totally gripping psychological thriller that will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and have you gasping at the twists. Fans of The Housemaid , Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train will be turning pages all night long!
Saturday night: It starts as an innocent holiday game amongst old friends. As we sit around our campfire, the evening sky streaked with peach, my little boy sleeping peacefully in our tent, the wine flows and secrets are spilled.
It should be harmless fun, but Annie ’s questions worry me. She’s always been the keeper of our secrets. She knows all the infidelities, the indiscretions, the stolen kisses…
I just hope she knows when to stop. Because there’s something I can’t let her bring to the surface…
Wednesday morning: It’s the little things that stay with you. The hurried rip of zips being opened. Figures stumbling into the cold night air. The screams echoing across the campsite as flashlights scour the ground. That’s what happens when someone you love is murdered.
One of us is responsible for Annie’s death. One of us will stop at nothing to keep our secrets hidden…
A totally gripping psychological thriller that will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and have you gasping at the twists. Fans of The Housemaid , Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train will be turning pages all night long!
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2023
284 people are currently reading
823 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
May 27, 2023
4⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Publication date ~ May 30, 2023
Page Count ~ 345
Audio length ~ 10 hours 46 minutes
Narrator ~ Naomi Frederick
POV ~ multiple 1st
Featuring ~ multiple timelines, old college friends, secrets, lies, blackmail, infidelity
Annie, Charlotte & Stella are friends on holiday together with their spouses and children. When Annie turns up dead, a DCI (not really sure what her name is) steps in to investigate.
Per usual we have some unlikable characters with plenty of secrets and lies, and of course some infidelity. Overall, I was pleased with this one. It flowed along at a nice pace with the multiple timelines and narrators. The zinger did zing me, which surprised me cuz after the fact I'm like duh.
Narration ~ overall fine, but this could have benefited from multiple narrators since each POV was told in the 1st person and there was not a differentiation in the narrator voice.
*Thanks to the author, Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Publication date ~ May 30, 2023
Page Count ~ 345
Audio length ~ 10 hours 46 minutes
Narrator ~ Naomi Frederick
POV ~ multiple 1st
Featuring ~ multiple timelines, old college friends, secrets, lies, blackmail, infidelity
Annie, Charlotte & Stella are friends on holiday together with their spouses and children. When Annie turns up dead, a DCI (not really sure what her name is) steps in to investigate.
Per usual we have some unlikable characters with plenty of secrets and lies, and of course some infidelity. Overall, I was pleased with this one. It flowed along at a nice pace with the multiple timelines and narrators. The zinger did zing me, which surprised me cuz after the fact I'm like duh.
Narration ~ overall fine, but this could have benefited from multiple narrators since each POV was told in the 1st person and there was not a differentiation in the narrator voice.
*Thanks to the author, Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
May 20, 2023
3.5★s
None of them really wanted to go on this holiday. A week at a caravan park in Cornwall, in their tents and a yurt, alcohol flowing, secrets that had been hidden for years threatening to come out. The group had been friends for twenty five years, all except Nate who was Stella's fiance. Charlotte and Tristan with their little boy, Theo, four years old; Annie and her daughter Rose, to turn eighteen this week - the reason most of them hadn't said no. Jack and Kelly, recently married with Jack's surly fifteen year old son Oliver. Over the years their friendships had dwindled and lives diverted and took them to different places. As the days moved forward, with lovely weather as well as rain and freezing cold, tensions rose and more than one person felt the need to go home.
The Last Holiday is my first read by Amy Sheppard and it was told in the voices of Annie, Charlotte and Stella, moving back and forth between the recent past and long ago past, to the current day. The police had their work cut out after the death was ruled murder, with the majority of the group all having motives. Annie wasn't a very nice person - done well by the author. But I feel it was overly long and the conclusion was slow in coming. Recommended for fans of thrillers.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
None of them really wanted to go on this holiday. A week at a caravan park in Cornwall, in their tents and a yurt, alcohol flowing, secrets that had been hidden for years threatening to come out. The group had been friends for twenty five years, all except Nate who was Stella's fiance. Charlotte and Tristan with their little boy, Theo, four years old; Annie and her daughter Rose, to turn eighteen this week - the reason most of them hadn't said no. Jack and Kelly, recently married with Jack's surly fifteen year old son Oliver. Over the years their friendships had dwindled and lives diverted and took them to different places. As the days moved forward, with lovely weather as well as rain and freezing cold, tensions rose and more than one person felt the need to go home.
The Last Holiday is my first read by Amy Sheppard and it was told in the voices of Annie, Charlotte and Stella, moving back and forth between the recent past and long ago past, to the current day. The police had their work cut out after the death was ruled murder, with the majority of the group all having motives. Annie wasn't a very nice person - done well by the author. But I feel it was overly long and the conclusion was slow in coming. Recommended for fans of thrillers.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2023
This mystery thriller is definitely a slow burn. It took me a while to become invested in the broad cast of characters that propelled this intricate whodunnit. The last third, however, ramped up the action and made it worth the wait. From that point on I was intrigued and interested in finding out the true identity and motive of the killer. There were an unexpected plethora of twists, and turns toward the shocking conclusion. The narration added a layer of complexity and suspense to this tale of revenge, betrayal and deception. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for my audiobook.
June 3, 2023
This was an interesting mystery. It was told in a couple of different timelines all released to the murder that is trying to be solved and from a variety of the cast of characters (the three female friends and the female police investigator). I almost wish we could have had a little from some of the other characters, but over all I thought this was an excellent cast of characters. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did an excellent job bringing the characters and the story to life in a great way. I definitely will be listening to more books she narrates. It was a bit like a locked room mystery in that the murder was committed on a campground and cameras show it had to be someone on the campground who committed it. A group of old friends decide to get together for a camping trip to celebrate one of the friends, Annie’s, daughter Rose’s 18th birthday. But Annie ends up dead and this group of friends has more secrets than they knew.
June 3, 2023
3.5 Stars
A group of friends and their families were spending an entire weekend trip together. Things were already tense between the group of friends. But things escalated when one of them turned up dead.
I like the concept and I didn't expect the big reveal, but it felt unrealistic. Also, it wasn't as enthralling or thrilling as I had hoped.
Overall, a decent read but nothing mind-blowing. I would recommend it to those new to the genre.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Amy Sheppard, and Bookouture Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
A group of friends and their families were spending an entire weekend trip together. Things were already tense between the group of friends. But things escalated when one of them turned up dead.
I like the concept and I didn't expect the big reveal, but it felt unrealistic. Also, it wasn't as enthralling or thrilling as I had hoped.
Overall, a decent read but nothing mind-blowing. I would recommend it to those new to the genre.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Amy Sheppard, and Bookouture Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
May 1, 2023
Saturday night: It starts as an innocent holiday game amongst old friends. As we sit around our campfire, the evening sky streaked with peach, my little boy sleeping peacefully in our tent, the wine flows and secrets are spilled.
Wednesday morning: It’s the little things that stay with you. The hurried rip of zips being opened. Figures stumbling into the cold night air. The screams echoing across the campsite as flashlights scour the ground. That’s what happens when someone you love is murdered.
One of us is responsible for Annie’s death. One of us will stop at nothing to keep our secrets hidden…
'The last holiday' is about a group of friends who spend a few days together at a campsite. Rose, Annie's daughter, turns eighteen and they celebrate her birthday together. Everything seems to go well at first, but you soon notice that everyone has secrets from each other.
You read from Charlotte, Annie and Stella. You get to know these characters better and better and these women each have their secrets. There is constant mutual tension and this is getting more and more out of hand.
Then Annie's dead body is found and it seems that someone in the group is the killer, but who? Everyone has a motive to kill Annie, so everyone seems suspicious. I found this tension very well built up and I didn't know who to trust.
The writing style is interesting and the different characters were also very interesting. The plot is surprising, so I definitely enjoyed this story!
I want to say a big thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for this review copy!
Rating: 4.0 ⭐️
Wednesday morning: It’s the little things that stay with you. The hurried rip of zips being opened. Figures stumbling into the cold night air. The screams echoing across the campsite as flashlights scour the ground. That’s what happens when someone you love is murdered.
One of us is responsible for Annie’s death. One of us will stop at nothing to keep our secrets hidden…
'The last holiday' is about a group of friends who spend a few days together at a campsite. Rose, Annie's daughter, turns eighteen and they celebrate her birthday together. Everything seems to go well at first, but you soon notice that everyone has secrets from each other.
You read from Charlotte, Annie and Stella. You get to know these characters better and better and these women each have their secrets. There is constant mutual tension and this is getting more and more out of hand.
Then Annie's dead body is found and it seems that someone in the group is the killer, but who? Everyone has a motive to kill Annie, so everyone seems suspicious. I found this tension very well built up and I didn't know who to trust.
The writing style is interesting and the different characters were also very interesting. The plot is surprising, so I definitely enjoyed this story!
I want to say a big thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for this review copy!
Rating: 4.0 ⭐️
May 24, 2023
I had a little bit of a hard time following this at first but once I got the hang of it the flow was better. There’s just so many perspectives and it flips between past and present a lot. Plus, there are a couple different issues that come to light. The biggest twist right at the end, truly didn’t see it coming.
🌀Synopsis
They are a group of friends and they’ve been friends for a long time. They’re taking a camping trip- even though there are plenty of issues amongst them to cause controversy.
People cheating, people filing bankruptcy, people threatening others…lots going on. One morning, one of their own turns up dead. No one is sure who did it.
Investigators turn up a lot of these same secrets- and more, including an attempted suicide. Thinking that the two are related they accuse her of murder- after all she tried to kill herself to be with her husband why wouldn’t she kill someone else? Turns out, even more secrets come out and now a child goes missing.
The child’s true mother was 14 when she had him. Her mom? The dead woman. Her cause of death? Revenge.
🌀Synopsis
They are a group of friends and they’ve been friends for a long time. They’re taking a camping trip- even though there are plenty of issues amongst them to cause controversy.
People cheating, people filing bankruptcy, people threatening others…lots going on. One morning, one of their own turns up dead. No one is sure who did it.
Investigators turn up a lot of these same secrets- and more, including an attempted suicide. Thinking that the two are related they accuse her of murder- after all she tried to kill herself to be with her husband why wouldn’t she kill someone else? Turns out, even more secrets come out and now a child goes missing.
The child’s true mother was 14 when she had him. Her mom? The dead woman. Her cause of death? Revenge.
April 26, 2023
I must admit that this is the best psychological thriller I have read so far. This book is about friends (with secrets) going camping after a long time and as the secrets start to spill, everything changes drastically.
This book is interesting from the beginning. Though it is written from the perspective of different people it is easy to understand what is happening. I wasn't able to guess the killer this time, though the pages turn fast the ending has multiple twists that was unexpected in a lot of ways. This book clearly explains that though a person may look the same over the years, the person could be facing a lot of battles at the same time. Overall, it was a fantastic read and is recommended to all those who enjoy mystery and psychological thrillers.
I thank Netgalley for the ARC of this book!
This book is interesting from the beginning. Though it is written from the perspective of different people it is easy to understand what is happening. I wasn't able to guess the killer this time, though the pages turn fast the ending has multiple twists that was unexpected in a lot of ways. This book clearly explains that though a person may look the same over the years, the person could be facing a lot of battles at the same time. Overall, it was a fantastic read and is recommended to all those who enjoy mystery and psychological thrillers.
I thank Netgalley for the ARC of this book!
September 29, 2023
This group of friends who had known each other for twenty five years were spending a week at a caravan park in Cornwall. Most of them didn't want to be there but went to support their friend Annie's daughter who was turning 18. With their tents and a yurt, the alcohol was flowing, and with drinking games, secrets were bound to come out. The group was made up of Stella and her fiancé, Nate the newcomer to the group; Charlotte and Tristan with their little boy, four YO Theo; Annie and her daughter Rose who was going to celebrate her 18th birthday during the trip; and Jack and Kelly, recently married with Jack's 15 YO son, Oliver. Over the years their lives had taken different paths, but this trip was to bring them back together as friends. The weekend was nice and as they relaxed a bit, secrets were revealed. The tension developed quickly between them and when one of them is killed, they know there is a murderer in their midst.
The Last Holiday is the first book I have read by Amy Sheppard and although it was not a five star read, it captured my interest enough that I will be watching for more books by this author. The story is told in three POVs: Stella, Charlotte and Annie. The story moves back and forth to their university years, but it is easy to keep track of what is happening. Once the murder is committed, we also get the voice of the police detective. The author does a great job developing the characters and I must say most of them were unlikable. With all that developed during the weekend, there were a lot of cracks in the friendships and although it was a bit of a locked door mystery, everyone was a suspect. When the final twist came, my jaw dropped, but it fit this story perfectly. There was some dragging in the middle and the back and forth caused some pace change, but overall, this was an enjoyable thriller. The narration on the audiobook was by Naomi Frederick, a new narrator to me. She did a good job with the book and added to my enjoyment of the story.
The Last Holiday is the first book I have read by Amy Sheppard and although it was not a five star read, it captured my interest enough that I will be watching for more books by this author. The story is told in three POVs: Stella, Charlotte and Annie. The story moves back and forth to their university years, but it is easy to keep track of what is happening. Once the murder is committed, we also get the voice of the police detective. The author does a great job developing the characters and I must say most of them were unlikable. With all that developed during the weekend, there were a lot of cracks in the friendships and although it was a bit of a locked door mystery, everyone was a suspect. When the final twist came, my jaw dropped, but it fit this story perfectly. There was some dragging in the middle and the back and forth caused some pace change, but overall, this was an enjoyable thriller. The narration on the audiobook was by Naomi Frederick, a new narrator to me. She did a good job with the book and added to my enjoyment of the story.
May 19, 2023
A group of lifelong friends are getting together for a camping trip to celebrate the 18th birthday of Rose, Annie’s daughter. While they’ve all remained superficially close over the years, everyone in the group has accumulated secrets and it’s not always so fun being around each other anymore. Saturday night around the campfire brings a saucy drinking game that gets out of hand and everyone says things they wish they could take back.
Later, Annie’s body is found nearby and everyone is a suspect because all of them have a motive and the detectives have to figure out who the killer is amongst them. It was quite obvious quite early on who the killer was, but it was fun to go on the journey to see how it was going to go. Typical popcorn thriller. It was told from the POV of 3 of the different women in the friend group and and dual timelines. It could have been a bit shorter but overall definitely a decent listen.
Thanks to NetGalley for this audiobook arc in exchange for my review.
Later, Annie’s body is found nearby and everyone is a suspect because all of them have a motive and the detectives have to figure out who the killer is amongst them. It was quite obvious quite early on who the killer was, but it was fun to go on the journey to see how it was going to go. Typical popcorn thriller. It was told from the POV of 3 of the different women in the friend group and and dual timelines. It could have been a bit shorter but overall definitely a decent listen.
Thanks to NetGalley for this audiobook arc in exchange for my review.
May 31, 2023
Several college friends gather together on a camping trip for the eighteenth birthday celebration of Rose. Although all of them were friends at one time, their relationships are quite strained. In fact, their friendships are questionable. Secrets and lies are stronger bonds than that of friendship.
One of them dies on that camping trip, indeed making this the last holiday, at least for her, and now the fragile threads that were holding the friendships together has finally snapped.
Quite naturally, the list of suspects involves the group of friends. With various points of view in this intriguing novel by Amy Sheppard, it proved to be quite interesting to see who the killer was, and what the actual motive was.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
One of them dies on that camping trip, indeed making this the last holiday, at least for her, and now the fragile threads that were holding the friendships together has finally snapped.
Quite naturally, the list of suspects involves the group of friends. With various points of view in this intriguing novel by Amy Sheppard, it proved to be quite interesting to see who the killer was, and what the actual motive was.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
June 1, 2023
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Last Holiday' by Amy Sheppard.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Amy Sheppard, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication Date 30th May 2023.
This is the second book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The Beach Party' which I would also highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching beautiful cover and intriguing as well as intriguing sounding synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'A totally gripping psychological thriller that will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and have you gasping at the twists. Fans of The Housemaid, Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train will be turning pages all night long!' I am a huge fan of Gone Girl and The Housemaid so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I also loved Amy's 'The Beach Party' and if this is half as good as that was it is guaranteed to be a page turner!!! I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue and 54 chapters. The chapters are short in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Cornwall, England 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually been on holiday to and visited Cornwall many times and am going back next year so will definitely be intrigued to see if I recognise anywhere or get ideas where to visit or avoid!!!
This book is written in first person perspective with the main protagonists being Charlotte, Annie, Stella, DCI Melanie Price. The benefits of books written in first person perspective with multiple protagonists are, as long as they are well written, it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on.
WOW!! IF YOU WANT A BOOK WITH AN ENDING THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND MAKE SURE YOU PICK THIS ONE UP!!
This book was very fast paced, unique and addictive. I devoured it in one sitting and was completely absorbed throughout!! The storyline is rammed with suspense, jealousy, twists, secrets, betrayal, adultery, shocks, tension and mystery and everything you could ask for in a page turning thriller!!! Amy's fantastic evocative writing skills whisks the reader away to Cornwall leaving you feeling the breeze on your face, smelling the ocean air and tasting the sea salt. It genuinely felt like I'd dropped back into Cornwall again and made me want to jump straight back!! I was gutted when I came to the end and 'unpack my suitcase' as it felt like a holiday had come to end, even though it was one filled with murder and secrets!!!! We meet Annie, Stella, Charlotte, Jack and Tristan who have been friends for 25 years when the majority of them met in college. They all decide to go on a holiday to Cornwall together. Charlotte and Tristan are married with a son called Theo who also comes along. Annie is a single mother to Rose who turns 18 on their holiday. Stella is in a relationship with Nate and Jack is in a relationship with Kirsty who both also join them on the holiday. Tensions run high as the alcohol intake increases and it only gets worse when a body is found. Who won't be returning from the holiday? Will it stop at one murder or will there be more? Amy takes us from the present to the past and weaves the characters history and present together perfectly slowly giving the reader just the right amount of information to get to know the characters without giving too much away. What happened to lead to a killing in the campsite? This is one of those books where I kept telling myself just one more chapter but then something happened meaning I had to read another and then another until I devoured it in one sitting. I enjoyed 'The Beach Party ' but I absolutely loved this book and I could definitely see that Amy's writing skills and storytelling has improved and I really cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!!! I kept on trying to work out who the killer was and thought I had worked it out so many times but Amy proved me wrong time and time again and I never did work out what was going on. A HUGE congratulations to Amy for this!!! I have read hundreds of psychological thrillers and crime books so it is getting harder and harder to shock me yet that ending completely blew me away!!! There was no way I had any idea that was coming!!!! I will add that I actually shed a few tears which shocked me as very rare I cry when it comes to psychological thrillers, unless an animal dies 😂, but I was absolutely gutted about a certain event so it may be worth getting the tissues ready in case!!!
It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture
This is one of the few books that I have listened 100% on Audiobook. If I listen to a book on audiobook I usually also read the physical book between but I listened to the whole book and I was impressed! I must say a HUGE congratulations to the narrator Naomi Frederick who did a great job bringing this story to life. I would listen to it in the car and while walking at any opportunity and Naomi did a fantastic job on both male and female characters voices!!! I'm not only looking forward to reading more books by Amy but also to listening to more books narrated by Naomi!
I was completely invested in the storyline and the characters throughout. The characters were all strong and realistic making them easy to picture. However, I can't honestly say I particularly liked many of the characters which given that I was hooked on the storyline surprises me. Normally if I can't relate to or don't like the majority of the characters I struggle to get into the storyline but this was not a problem here, not only because there were a couple of likeable characters but because of the addictive and explosive storyline. I found Annie to be quite self obsessed at times and the more I found out about her the less I liked her. I really liked Rose and my heart went out to her for everything that was going on around her and for what happened on her 18th birthday. I hated kirsty, annoying in itself as my name is Kirsty lol, and found her to be stuck up and just a nasty person in general. I liked Charlotte and found her to be a good friend but she wasn't truly innocent. Although I wasn't a huge fan of the majority of them Amy ensures the characters are realistic with different flaws which is more important to me (a realistic storyline ) than likeable characters. They all came to life with the storyline and they all played their parts perfectly. My favourite characters had to be Rose and DCI Melanie Price although I won't say anything else as I don't want to spoil it for future readers but I will say regardless of whether you love or hate them each character played their part perfectly and made this book as addictive as it is!!!
Congratulations Amy on an explosive success!!! Absolutely mind-blowing ending and cannot wait for your next addictive page turner!!!!
Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the prologue and the first three chapters of Amy's page turning 'The Beach Party' which is another explosive page turner and one I have read myself and would highly recommend!!
Overall a page turning, addictive psychological thriller filled with twists, emotions and an explosive ending!!
Genres covered in this novel include Women's Psychological Fiction, Crime, Thriller And Mystery Adventures, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Literary Fiction, Suspense Thriller, Psychological Literary Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Noir Fiction, Womens Psychological, Domestic Thriller, Mystery ,Thriller & Suspense Literary Fiction, Crime Thriller, Suspense Thriller, Psychological Suspense, Murder Thriller, Domestic Fiction, Domestic Thriller and Thriller amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl, The Housemaid and The Wife Between Us and just anyone looking for an epic read with a twist. What are you waiting for?? Go grab your copy now!!!
345 pages/ 10 hours 46 minutes
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free on kindle unlimited, £8.99 in paperback and £20.03 for the audiobook via Amazon at time of review, which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
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October 24, 2023
How far will you go to keep your secrets hidden?
When five friends;
Annie, Charlotte, Stella, Lisa, Jack & Tristan decide to go on a family camping trip to celebrate an 18-year-olds birthday, what can possibly go wrong?
Well a lot, since one of them is dead.
Told in a multi POV this book was gripping right from the beginning and kept me intrigued.
However, it got a bit confusing to tell the characters apart. I think multiple narrators would have made this more enjoyable.
The editor could have done better as the grammar in this book was bad.
That aside, it was still enjoyable.
I must say the twist near the end was shocking. Not once did I suspect that ..... was the killer.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this audiobook.
When five friends;
Annie, Charlotte, Stella, Lisa, Jack & Tristan decide to go on a family camping trip to celebrate an 18-year-olds birthday, what can possibly go wrong?
Well a lot, since one of them is dead.
Told in a multi POV this book was gripping right from the beginning and kept me intrigued.
However, it got a bit confusing to tell the characters apart. I think multiple narrators would have made this more enjoyable.
The editor could have done better as the grammar in this book was bad.
That aside, it was still enjoyable.
I must say the twist near the end was shocking. Not once did I suspect that ..... was the killer.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this audiobook.
June 1, 2023
The Last Holiday is an intense psychological full of lies and secrets.
Each time I thought I had it figured out….nope, I was wrong. I never did figure out the ending until it was revealed.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of. After awhile it gets easier figuring everyone out.
What a twisty, tangled web of secrets, lies and mistakes!
Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Each time I thought I had it figured out….nope, I was wrong. I never did figure out the ending until it was revealed.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of. After awhile it gets easier figuring everyone out.
What a twisty, tangled web of secrets, lies and mistakes!
Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
June 21, 2023
This book is about a group of friends who are camping together with their family. Each of them has secrets and no one really wanted to go on the trip. I liked that the book was from different perspectives. It made it more interesting. I was curious about what really happend. There is a big twist at the end. Some of it I had guessed but not all. I didn;t like the ending. Overall a good book though.
I listened to the audiobook. It was a shame the narrator didn;t do different voices for the different characters.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in return for a honest review
I listened to the audiobook. It was a shame the narrator didn;t do different voices for the different characters.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in return for a honest review
June 7, 2023
A group of friends and rgeir partners and children vome together to celebrate Rose's 18th burthday. As always noone really wants to be there as secrets are bubbling under the surface. Then Annie is found dead and so begins the unravelling.
Told through the female friends and police officer over multiple times this is an essential who done it. The pace is good the true twists and turns in the big reveal took a long time to come a little too long as the tension wasnt there. Each chatacter narrative was carefully crafted to give you enough to see the story through their eyes .
The Male characters seemed to be not so important and I felt the story could have benefited from their narrative. The narrator did well to cover the diffrrent characters but it could have worked better with multiple narrators.
I really enjoyed the story . Its a good solud 5 star read.
Thank you net gallery for my arc audio version
Told through the female friends and police officer over multiple times this is an essential who done it. The pace is good the true twists and turns in the big reveal took a long time to come a little too long as the tension wasnt there. Each chatacter narrative was carefully crafted to give you enough to see the story through their eyes .
The Male characters seemed to be not so important and I felt the story could have benefited from their narrative. The narrator did well to cover the diffrrent characters but it could have worked better with multiple narrators.
I really enjoyed the story . Its a good solud 5 star read.
Thank you net gallery for my arc audio version
May 15, 2023
After 20+ years of friendship, this group has a lot of history and even more secrets. The story itself was chuck full of twists which kept me reading until the final page but I hated the author’s choice to write in the first person and use colloquial speech. Instead of using X and I ….. she wrote Me and X…… I cringed every time I came across examples of poor grammar.
Thank You to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Thank You to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC.
May 22, 2023
One last holiday together. One of us wouldn't come home...
Saturday night:
It starts as an innocent holiday game amongst old friends. As we sit around our campfire, the evening sky streaked with peach, my little boy sleeping peacefully in our tent, the wine flows and secrets are spilled.
It should be harmless fun, but Annie's questions worry me. She's always been the keeper of our secrets. She knows all the infidelities, the indiscretions, the stolen kisses...
I just hope she knows when to stop. Because there's something I can't let her bring to the surface...
Wednesday morning:
It's the little things that stay with you. The hurried rip of zips being opened. Figures stumbling into the cold night air. The screams echoing across the campsite as flashlights scour the ground. That's what happens when someone you love is murdered.
One of us is responsible for Annie's death. One of us will stop at nothing to keep our secrets hidden...
THIS BOOK HAS EVERYTHING, secrets, lies, affairs, betrayal, murder, mystery, jaw dropping twists and turns! Before I start with my actual thoughts I must say I listened to the audiobook and being from America I will say the narrator reminded me ALOT of Peppa pig 🐷
*Cue the uncultured American jokes lol*
That being said, I truly loved this book! I found the writing to be very detailed making it easy to picture everything going on and immerse yourself in the story. At the beginning of the book I did have a difficult time keeping track of the characters because there are multiple couples with children so I started keeping a notes in my phone. However, the story had me hooked and after a few chapters once you learn the characters you are good.
This is the first book I’ve read from this author and not only do I intend on reading more but I will be buying a hard copy of this book when it is released May 30th! I highly recommend it!
A big thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of the audiobook ARC, in return for an honest review! 🖤
Saturday night:
It starts as an innocent holiday game amongst old friends. As we sit around our campfire, the evening sky streaked with peach, my little boy sleeping peacefully in our tent, the wine flows and secrets are spilled.
It should be harmless fun, but Annie's questions worry me. She's always been the keeper of our secrets. She knows all the infidelities, the indiscretions, the stolen kisses...
I just hope she knows when to stop. Because there's something I can't let her bring to the surface...
Wednesday morning:
It's the little things that stay with you. The hurried rip of zips being opened. Figures stumbling into the cold night air. The screams echoing across the campsite as flashlights scour the ground. That's what happens when someone you love is murdered.
One of us is responsible for Annie's death. One of us will stop at nothing to keep our secrets hidden...
THIS BOOK HAS EVERYTHING, secrets, lies, affairs, betrayal, murder, mystery, jaw dropping twists and turns! Before I start with my actual thoughts I must say I listened to the audiobook and being from America I will say the narrator reminded me ALOT of Peppa pig 🐷
*Cue the uncultured American jokes lol*
That being said, I truly loved this book! I found the writing to be very detailed making it easy to picture everything going on and immerse yourself in the story. At the beginning of the book I did have a difficult time keeping track of the characters because there are multiple couples with children so I started keeping a notes in my phone. However, the story had me hooked and after a few chapters once you learn the characters you are good.
This is the first book I’ve read from this author and not only do I intend on reading more but I will be buying a hard copy of this book when it is released May 30th! I highly recommend it!
A big thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of the audiobook ARC, in return for an honest review! 🖤
June 4, 2023
This author mentioned her book on one of my psychological Facebook groups. It looked interesting, so I decided to give it a go. It’s really good. The pacing was perfect. 4 friends (3 of them with their significant other) plus 3 children go on a camping vacation. The story is told through the voices of 3 friends plus a detective. Why a detective? Well, of course, there is a suspicious death! There are multiple timelines, before/after the death plus some 20 plus years ago. It still flows very smoothly. There is constant tension and reveals that keep the suspense going. What are the friends’ secrets? Too many to count! My only issue is one final twist that I didn’t like and some grammatical errors (in my notes). But, I’d definitely recommend!
September 1, 2023
I loved this psychological thriller, which is about a group of college friends going on a camping trip in Cornwall, when one of them is murdered, and we are then trying to work out who the killer is. I really enjoyed reading about Stella, Nate, Charlotte, Tristan, Theo, Jack, Kelly, Annie and Rose. The story was full of twists and turns, secrets to be revealed, suspense, tension and much more! I was quite surprised when I found out at the end who the killer was, as I hadn't guessed. The audiobook narrator was very good, and I enjoyed her narration. Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.
May 22, 2023
The Holiday is a story of lifelong friendships, secrets, lies and betrayal that results in murder
This is a well written book with many twists and turns. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read/listen to the audiobook.
This is the first book I have tried from this author and let me tell you I was not disappointed.
The story centres around a group of college friends who when in their 30's, all decide to take a camping trip to Cornwall to celebrate Rose, daughter of Annie and god daughter to Stella and Charlotte, 18th birthday.
As the story unfolds so does a tangled web of deciet, insecurities and the ultimate betrayal - you can decide which is which if/when you read it as there is more than one
The story had twists and turns a plenty. It reminded me a little of TM Logan's The Holiday - same concept of a group of friends going away together, broody teenagers that arise suspicion, suspected duplicity in terms of are they just friends or is there more to it? and obviously death. In short, it was a blooming good read,, I had my suspicions of who done it, but the author threw a curve ball and had you thinking it was someone else who committed the murder. I was however, really surprised by the added little twist in the final 5-10% of the book and I don't mind admitting it did make me feel a little sad.
Highly recommended book and I will definitely be checking out Amy Sheppards back catalogue.
This is a well written book with many twists and turns. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read/listen to the audiobook.
This is the first book I have tried from this author and let me tell you I was not disappointed.
The story centres around a group of college friends who when in their 30's, all decide to take a camping trip to Cornwall to celebrate Rose, daughter of Annie and god daughter to Stella and Charlotte, 18th birthday.
As the story unfolds so does a tangled web of deciet, insecurities and the ultimate betrayal - you can decide which is which if/when you read it as there is more than one
The story had twists and turns a plenty. It reminded me a little of TM Logan's The Holiday - same concept of a group of friends going away together, broody teenagers that arise suspicion, suspected duplicity in terms of are they just friends or is there more to it? and obviously death. In short, it was a blooming good read,, I had my suspicions of who done it, but the author threw a curve ball and had you thinking it was someone else who committed the murder. I was however, really surprised by the added little twist in the final 5-10% of the book and I don't mind admitting it did make me feel a little sad.
Highly recommended book and I will definitely be checking out Amy Sheppards back catalogue.
June 13, 2023
Thank you Netgalley for the audio copy in exchange for a honest review. A group of old college friends get together for a camping holiday that turns into a nightmare. A story full of lies, secrets, affairs and murder. It appears they all have a motive to murder Annie. I was gripped by this great thriller.
June 15, 2023
This was a superb plotted,absolutely stunning read. Loved loved loved this one. One of my favourite reads of 2023! I will be reading absolutely everything by this author. Don't miss this one - I guarantee you will love it.
May 29, 2023
A group of college friends along with their partners and children go on a weeks camping holiday to Cornwall. It’s been a long time since they all had a holiday together and they are getting together to celebrate the 18th Birthday of the daughter of one of the friends. The camping holiday brings out dark secrets from the past, everyone seems to be hiding something. On this their last holiday together, one of them won’t return.
I loved this book so much that I honestly couldn’t put it down once I started it and read it in one day. This was an excellent thriller that had me in a total head spin trying to figure out who the killer was. The majority of the characters were not very nice so it was really difficult to work out who was guilty and every few chapters I was sure I had it sussed but kept being proven wrong. There was a couple of twists that I truly never saw coming. A well deserved 5⭐️ read.
I loved this book so much that I honestly couldn’t put it down once I started it and read it in one day. This was an excellent thriller that had me in a total head spin trying to figure out who the killer was. The majority of the characters were not very nice so it was really difficult to work out who was guilty and every few chapters I was sure I had it sussed but kept being proven wrong. There was a couple of twists that I truly never saw coming. A well deserved 5⭐️ read.
May 29, 2023
Amy Sheppard has put a new spin on the old college friends with a secret trope She added a little blackmail a current day murder and her own flair and made it in on put down a bull Thriller! I listen to the audiobook and read some on the Kindle app and loved all of it. I thought the narrator did a stellar job and I thought the characters were a great mix of likable and unlikable as opposed to the new thing where everyone is so unlikable there’s no one to root for. I know one of the reviews they said they didn’t like any of the characters but I didn’t find that at all I felt bad for poor rose at all this happen right after her birthday what an 18th birthday! I also didn’t like Theo‘s dad his name I forget… What a jerk what a time waster! It is far is Charlotte goes I thought she was very likable and a very sympathetic character. We all have flaws and I think it’s a good thing when characters and books reflect that and show that just because we’re not all Disney characters and we have flaws we also have hopes and dreams. They have other things in the book I would love to pontificate about and go over but as it would ruin the plot or giveaway key plot points I will not just know this book is full of OMG moments with twist and after you see the twists be prepared because more twist in store. This was a great book a definite five star book whether you listen to it in audio or read the Kindle you are definitely in for a treat. Amy Shepard has pulled out all the stops and unhook the safety belt… So freaking good! I received this book from Bookoucher and NetGalley but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
May 11, 2023
Annie’s always been the keeper of secrets. She knows about the stolen kisses, the infidelities, and all the indiscretions. Now Saturday night on the camping trip, the innocent game we’re playing around the campfire is getting out of hand and I’m worried it isn’t so innocent.
Now it’s Wednesday and more and more little things are coming up. Things aren’t adding up and Annie is dead.
With everyone on the camping trip a suspect, the detectives must figure it out before its too late.
This was such a fun book and an amazing read! At first, I was worried that there would be too many points of view and I would lose track, but that was not the case. I really enjoyed reading the story from each of the women’s perspectives. I also enjoyed how the story went from the past to the present and many years ago. It really kept me on the edge of my seat and waiting for more. I also enjoyed the pacing; it was nice and fast. The twist at the end was entertaining and I didn’t see it coming.
Thank you so much to Bookouture, @bookouture, and Netgalley, @netgalley, for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2023
My Review:
Loved!!!!! Once again this author wrote a fantastic read that was full of twists and turns that left you guessing the entire way. In fact, I read this in only a few sittings. It was just that good. So the plot on this one is what first drew me to it. A group of friends who have known each other for ages try to reconnect by going camping together. One of them will not make it out alive. Wow, that definitely sounds like my cup of tea. Let’s talk characters. Each character had something to hide and each of them were willing to do anything to keep their secrets hidden. As each secret was revealed all I kept thinking was OMG. My mind had been blown. Next up is that shock of all shockers of an ending. It left me speechless and wanting more. I hated to see this one end. I will definitely be watching and waiting patiently for this author to come out with more books. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later as I’m really not that patient.
In conclusion, the plot, the characters and all the twists in this book made this book an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Loved!!!!! Once again this author wrote a fantastic read that was full of twists and turns that left you guessing the entire way. In fact, I read this in only a few sittings. It was just that good. So the plot on this one is what first drew me to it. A group of friends who have known each other for ages try to reconnect by going camping together. One of them will not make it out alive. Wow, that definitely sounds like my cup of tea. Let’s talk characters. Each character had something to hide and each of them were willing to do anything to keep their secrets hidden. As each secret was revealed all I kept thinking was OMG. My mind had been blown. Next up is that shock of all shockers of an ending. It left me speechless and wanting more. I hated to see this one end. I will definitely be watching and waiting patiently for this author to come out with more books. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later as I’m really not that patient.
In conclusion, the plot, the characters and all the twists in this book made this book an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
May 22, 2023
Filled with intrigue, suspense and drama; exactly what you want from a psychological mystery thriller.
A group of old friends meet at a camp site for a holiday and you can bet they’re all harbouring years of secrets, resentment and angst. With this much shared history, there’s bound to be some clashes so when one of the group ends up dead, it seems many have a motive for murder…
This was such an entertaining read and I was so eager to find out what had happened and who had done it. With split timeframes and perspectives, you definitely have to keep your wits about you but slowly and surely you start to build up a picture as to what might happen. I did not see some of the twists and turns coming and many shocked face emoji moments.
The audiobook was a great listen and definitely added to the entertainment factor and ease of reading. It was super easy to get into and keep picking up. I finished it in a few days and it went so quick!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this audiobook on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
A group of old friends meet at a camp site for a holiday and you can bet they’re all harbouring years of secrets, resentment and angst. With this much shared history, there’s bound to be some clashes so when one of the group ends up dead, it seems many have a motive for murder…
This was such an entertaining read and I was so eager to find out what had happened and who had done it. With split timeframes and perspectives, you definitely have to keep your wits about you but slowly and surely you start to build up a picture as to what might happen. I did not see some of the twists and turns coming and many shocked face emoji moments.
The audiobook was a great listen and definitely added to the entertainment factor and ease of reading. It was super easy to get into and keep picking up. I finished it in a few days and it went so quick!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this audiobook on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
June 20, 2023
Annie, Stella, Jack, Charlotte and Tristan have been friends since university. Now, 25 years later, the group goes on holiday to a caravan park in Cornwall. Although they have remained friends through the years, none of them is particularly excited about the trip, but they all feel obligated to go for old time’s sake. Over time, many dark secrets have festered in the group. When they come together in Cornwall, Stella brings her fiancé Nate, Annie brings her daughter Rose, Jack and his new wife Kelly bring his son Oliver, and Charlotte and Tristan bring their child Theo. The book opens with a dead body found at the park and then goes back and forth between past and present. Tensions run high from the very first day they all meet up again. Each character harbors their own secrets and Annie seems to be privy to all of them. She does not hesitate to make this fact known to the others, leading to her ultimate murder. All have a motive and it is up to DCI detectives to find the killer. This was a great read and I particularly enjoyed listening to it on audio. The climax and ultimate ending had me completely shocked! Such a great twist!!!! I highly recommend this novel!
May 24, 2023
No one wanted to be there, but a group of college friends and their children are camping on Cornwall to celebrate Rose’s 18th birthday. Rose is there with her mum Annie, Jack and new wife Kelly and his son Oliver. There is Stella and fiancé Nate and Charlotte with husband Tristan and young son Theo.
The groups have been friends for a lifetime but there are some dark secrets holding them together and seems this weekend they will all come bubbling to the surface. One of them will never leave the camp alive.
A really intriguing plot, with many layers of twists and secrets that lead up to a spectacular finale. Just when you guess what happened that night, the twists keep on twisting!!! Another triumphant read by Amy Sheppard!
The groups have been friends for a lifetime but there are some dark secrets holding them together and seems this weekend they will all come bubbling to the surface. One of them will never leave the camp alive.
A really intriguing plot, with many layers of twists and secrets that lead up to a spectacular finale. Just when you guess what happened that night, the twists keep on twisting!!! Another triumphant read by Amy Sheppard!
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