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Dean Steele #2

The Last Survivors

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When Dean receives a distraught phone call from his ex-girlfriend.
He rushes to her home to find a horrific and dreadful scene...
A ransacked house and her bloodied body lkying on the floor.

As the police and her husband arrive at the scene, Dean learns that his ex's son is also missing.
While Dean searches for answers behind her death, a bombing kills a friend from his days in the military.

At the memorial service, Dean has to confront people he hasn't seen in years while facing memories of a tragic event that left them all scarred.
The situation takes a darker turn as mysterious classified documents appear in his hotel room, leading to even grimmer twists.

With the body count rising, it seems someone is after the survivors for their secrets.
Dean just has to stay alive long enough to figure out who and why...

262 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 23, 2023

567 people are currently reading
325 people want to read

About the author

A.J. Rivers

148 books1,542 followers

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5 stars
1,249 (64%)
4 stars
543 (27%)
3 stars
134 (6%)
2 stars
19 (<1%)
1 star
6 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
Profile Image for Erin P.
1 review1 follower
September 28, 2023
I love this series, but I will say every book is slow to the start. You don’t get the thriller/suspenseful aspect until half way through the book and then you can’t put it down, it’s a little discouraging but if you choose to read through you will be surprised! There are two different story lines going on in this book and one of which I found myself wondering when we’d get back to it until the very end when it leaves you on a cliff hanger. I plan to continue the series to find out the other story line but I’m also a tad annoyed they incorporated it to begin with little to nothing to go on. The author could have very well written this book without the other story line going on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
715 reviews9 followers
February 26, 2024
It took a lot of work to read!

The author assumes the reader is familiar with Dean Steele and his associates! I wasn't
Good authors (and A J Rivers is one of my favorites, but not this time) layer the plotline, so the background stories evolve throughout the manuscript! It's the "hook" to keep us reading! In my opinion, the revelations are shared slowly and too vaguely! While there are some excellent twists and turns that keep the reader going!
While I read this book, I was overall disapponted and will not read another Dean Steele mystery thriller! I'll just stick to the Emma Griffin novels!
418 reviews4 followers
July 13, 2023
The Last Survivors (Dean Steele Mystery Thriller Book 2)

OMG!!!!!!!!! This book kept me up until the wee hours of the morning. I cannot believe Everything that went on in this book. It is truly amazing but very believable. It doesn't take much to believe that the government could use soldiers as test subjects and put them in very bad places to help teach others to survive if it happened to them. It is truly sad what Dean and his fellow soldiers went through. I can't wait to see how these experiences come out in the next book.
46 reviews
November 26, 2023
Good mystery, unexpected topic

I did enjoy this book. It provided a little more fleshing out of the characters, which does enhance the series. I’m not sure this set of books would make good stand alone reading, but they work when read together. I would have liked a little more detail about the experiences on the island in the hidden facility. I enjoy these characters enough I will continue to the next book in the series. Good, somewhat light read.
Profile Image for Jennifer A..
115 reviews3 followers
August 4, 2024
Book #2 in the series is a great read!

I’m enjoying the Dean Steele Mystery books so far & how the next book in the series is set up at the end of the proceeding story. I am a little disappointed that one of the plot lines was not resolved in this book, but Wow! The plot twist in this book was a big surprise as were the “guilty parties” doing the bad things in this story. I’m looking forward to digging into Book 3 ASAP.
154 reviews
August 12, 2024
Too much filler

I am really trying to support this series of books, but it is hard. I found this book to have too much menucia in the chapters that did not add to the storyline or character development. It made the book longer than necessary. I also found it ridiculous in some chapters where Dean questions his intuition regarding being watched. This character is known for being an intuitive, trained elite, military member, and premiere private investigator. So it is hard to believe he would ignore the "I'm being watched " sensation.
37 reviews
June 28, 2023
So different-Unusual plot!

I wasn't expecting this kind of plot. The story unfolds to reveal that what was presented in the beginning pages is unraveled in an unexpected turn of events. The characters twist into different modes as their actions in unforseen past events is revealed.
Profile Image for Mary Rowe.
2,626 reviews8 followers
November 23, 2023
missed this installment somehow

Now I have more background about Brielle, although I was able to extrapolate around the events in this book well enough.

The reveal of the perpetrator for the encapsulated story, though, was shocking to me! No wonder Dean has PTSD and memory problems!
705 reviews
November 24, 2023
Explosions Are A Very Hot Spot!

A memorial service for an ex army buddy suddenly turns into a deadly encounter and nothing is how it seems. But you don’t stop a Private Investigator who knows all the ropes and doesn’t stop looking & reviewing all the information & refuses to give up.
58 reviews
August 30, 2024
You Gotta Love Dean!

Definitely no doubt he’s kin to Emma. He gets beat up and put in the hospital as much as she does! But always comes out on top. And what’s not to love about Xavier!
This book was attention grabbing. Tied two cases into this one with one left for the next in the series. Let’s go find Owen!
Profile Image for Lisa Moody.
70 reviews
January 27, 2025
SO FAR, SO GOOD!

You did good with this series so far. Your style of writing gets better and better. The only criticism I have is that you get kind of 'wordy' with all the details. The story is great, just tone down the miles of unnecessary details!
And my usual complaint: GET NEW PROOF READERS! They should catch the many grammatical errors!
737 reviews1 follower
June 21, 2023
This was a excellent story about people getting killed to coverup things on a plane trip for the military and a ending that was bizarre. There was lots of suspense and action. These story makes you wonder about our government and what goes on. Thank you
259 reviews5 followers
June 24, 2023
Awesome!

I love all of AJ Rivers series, including this one. I just finished reading it and can't wait for the next one. And knowing how quickly she writes, I won't be waiting long.
Profile Image for Belle Ann  Cline.
75 reviews
June 28, 2023
Always

As always Rivers created an emotional, interesting, & fast roller coaster ride! Pick up your copy of one of these books. You will be hooked. I started with The Girl in Cabin 13.
1,394 reviews4 followers
June 29, 2023
Never disappointed with one of A.J. Rivers’ books

Oh wow, I did not see that coming! Can’t believe this is only Dean’s second book. Since he’s been in Emma’s stories, it seems like he’s been around a while. Cannot wait for the next one to find out about Owen and Brielle’s story.
Profile Image for Kelly Smelcer.
404 reviews
July 4, 2023
Perfect sequel!

When a former battle buddy of Dean Steele is killed in a package bomb, Dean starts asking questions. When others in his unit start dying, he's in a race to find out the truth of a mission from ten years ago that linked all of them.
399 reviews4 followers
July 6, 2023
Great Reading

Really great storyline...it is exciting with government cover-ups and lots of twists! The characters, as always, were terrific. I know you'll enjoy it as much as I did. And now on to the next one.
9 reviews
July 12, 2023
A. J. Rivers is a great author

I absolutely love every book series by A. J. Rivers! I would recommend all of these books to anyone that enjoys thrilling, can't put it down books! I can't wait for each new book to come out!
133 reviews2 followers
July 13, 2023
Dean Steel 2.book

Excellent plot, thrilling tension and a lot of twists and surprises in this fast paced book. I love Dean's character and Emma appearing again. Looking forward to the next book
Profile Image for Beth Stromberg.
450 reviews11 followers
August 3, 2023
So happy Rivers started series about Dean. This one starts revealing things from his past that have haunted him, and, of course, in true Rivers' style, leaves us on the edge of our seats with a cliffhanger!
Love it!!
Profile Image for Beverly Calhoun.
83 reviews
September 8, 2023
Dean

I have enjoyed how the author has taken characters from one series and set off two more. Between the 3 series they are all interwoven together at some point and it makes it more real.
57 reviews
September 25, 2023
Another Great Book from AJ Rivers

This is a great book as a stand alone read or to read the series of AJ Rivers books. The plot draws you in right at the start and keeps twisting and turning through to a fine crafted ending.
Profile Image for Marguerite Robinson.
573 reviews4 followers
April 22, 2024
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Another great read. Definitely a must read. Absolutely love Dean Steele, the twists and turns keeps me totally involved and reading until the end. Again thank you for your incredible writing.
20 reviews
May 20, 2024
Review

This book kept me wanting more. I could not reading it to the point where my priorities of what need to be done. It captived me. It was such a good read. I can't wait for the next book!!!
Profile Image for Mary Tuohy.
Author 1 book9 followers
June 1, 2024
I love this book series and the characters of Dean Steele, Xavier Renton along with Xavier’s quirky personality. The plot and how everything ties together is a page turner well worth the read. I can’t wait to start the next novel in this series as well as catch up on other series by this author.
Profile Image for Patricia A. Biba.
397 reviews1 follower
October 16, 2024
Why Victims Murdered

Very interesting story. Ten years earlier a plane crashed and the people involved in the crash were still suffering from what happened. People involved were being murdered and Dean investigated the murders and solved them.
Profile Image for Jasmine Jackson.
Author 4 books7 followers
February 1, 2025
The gift that keeps giving

I just love this series so far… like my fave new Netflix series but book form! I never saw the twist or the figured out the killer! Great job A.J! PS-I love Xavier❤️
Profile Image for Mary A Schmitzer.
136 reviews
April 3, 2025
Exhilarating!

Love hearing Dean in his investigation with the circle of criminal deaths in the bombings. Savior is an asset to the contributions of his special mind helping Dean solve the mystery. I couldn't put this book aside.
32 reviews
December 19, 2025
I have not read a book this good in ages.

This is the best book I have read in a very long time. It was hard to put down , real interesting & very real like characters.
Worth the time to read.
15 reviews1 follower
July 1, 2023
Great

So far I have read all of your books. Can't wait for any future books from you. Always a good read. Thank you for entertaining me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews

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