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The Last Girl Left
When a woman returns to the scene of the horrific mass murder that shattered her life, the nightmare begins again in a chilling novel of psychological suspense.
Five years ago, Tessa Chamberlain was the lone survivor of a beach house massacre that left three of her friends dead—and Tessa with an inescapable, unending dread. Now she’s going back to face her fears.
Renting the same beach house where she almost died, Tessa returns to lonely Cassadaga Island off the coast of Maine long after the tourists and summer residents have departed for the winter. But as the fog rolls in and the nights grow longer, she wonders if she made a terrible mistake. There are footsteps on the porch, creaks from the second floor, and an unsettling feeling of being watched.
If only someone believed her. Because the terrors Tessa thought were long behind her are starting again. And this time, trapped and alone, she might not be lucky enough to survive them.
Five years ago, Tessa Chamberlain was the lone survivor of a beach house massacre that left three of her friends dead—and Tessa with an inescapable, unending dread. Now she’s going back to face her fears.
Renting the same beach house where she almost died, Tessa returns to lonely Cassadaga Island off the coast of Maine long after the tourists and summer residents have departed for the winter. But as the fog rolls in and the nights grow longer, she wonders if she made a terrible mistake. There are footsteps on the porch, creaks from the second floor, and an unsettling feeling of being watched.
If only someone believed her. Because the terrors Tessa thought were long behind her are starting again. And this time, trapped and alone, she might not be lucky enough to survive them.
333 pages, Paperback
First published April 23, 2024
1257 people are currently reading
16375 people want to read
About the author
A.M. Strong
12 books236 followersA.M. Strong is a British-born writer living and working in the United States. He has worked as a graphic designer, newspaper journalist, artist, and actor.
He currently resides most of the year on Florida’s Space Coast, where he can watch rockets launch from his bedroom balcony, and part of the year on an island in Maine, along with his wife and two furry bosses, Izzie and Hayden.
A.M. Strong also writes under the pen name Anthony M. Strong.
He currently resides most of the year on Florida’s Space Coast, where he can watch rockets launch from his bedroom balcony, and part of the year on an island in Maine, along with his wife and two furry bosses, Izzie and Hayden.
A.M. Strong also writes under the pen name Anthony M. Strong.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 657 reviews
June 8, 2025
2.0 stars— I have recently been on a hot streak when picking out books to read…. until now. ‘The Last Girl Left’ by A.M Strong and Sonya Sargent was a book I found on Kindle Unlimited that sounded interesting and had received pretty good reviews… until now. The first 75 percent of the book was basically an introduction that should have been about 20 pages. If I read one more chapter of Tessa hearing footsteps or Tessa being scared I would have screamed. The book is centered around Theresa/Tessa who survived a murder attempt that had wrecked her life a few years prior. This attack left three of her friends dead, and Tessa suffering from severe anxiety and PTSD. Even though the suspect was later killed by police, Tessa was paralyzed with fear that caused her to live as a hermit at her sister’s house. Tessa decided the only way to conquer this fear was to go back to the island where the murders took place and stay…alone…in the same house… in an isolated location.. where all of the tourists left for the winter… knowing no one on the island … so that she can write a book about the crime. Great idea! The implausibilities keep piling on top of each other with a ridiculous ending in which Tessa is able to avoid death due to a suspect who likes to announce everything he is going to do prior to doing it and a policeman who wears no bulletproof vest. The suspense level of this book would be about a 2 on a scale of 1-10. But, when that is coupled with a boredom level of 10/10 due to the slowest moving plot since the first half of “Just Like Home” then the only solution is to avoid this book altogether.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2024
Five years ago, Tessa Chamberlain was the lone survivor of a beach house massacre that left three of her friends dead—and Tessa with an inescapable, unending dread. Now she’s going back to face her fears.
Renting the same beach house where she almost died, Tessa returns to lonely Cassadaga Island off the coast of Maine long after the tourists and summer residents have departed for the winter. But as the fog rolls in and the nights grow longer, she wonders if she made a terrible mistake. There are footsteps on the porch, creaks from the second floor, and an unsettling feeling of being watched.
If only someone believed her. Because the terrors Tessa thought were long behind her are starting again. And this time, trapped and alone, she might not be lucky enough to survive them.
Oh. My. God. From the atmospheric feel to the ever ratcheting unease, the authors of The Last Girl Left had me in the palm of their hands. After all, the flawless writing, short chapters, and isolated murder house setting kept me glued to the pages. But it was the plot itself that deemed this book a winner. Starting out with a prologue straight out of a horror film, it came alive right before my eyes as the foreboding grew along with the sense of paranoia. Was Tessa imagining it all? Or was returning to the scene of the crime the very worst possible mistake?
One of the strongest pieces to this psychological thriller, however, was Tessa herself. Struggling with a believable dose of PTSD, she was drowning in life. Stuck in the past but unwilling to do the work to move forward, she had me cheering her on from the sidelines. As the plot’s pace picked up and the terrifying events descended upon her, her fear simply oozed from the pages. She wasn’t, though, the only dynamite character. Filled with suspicious individuals left, right, and center, I found myself giving a serious side-eye to each and every one.
With creepy events that propelled the plot forward as only a book with a strong psychological edge can, this popcorn thriller grabbed me and didn’t let go. Add in the amnesia angle and random flashbacks throughout, and there wasn’t a thing wrong with this novel. I absolutely love when a character learns the twisted, twisted truth right along with the reader. This time around, the reveal was near utter perfection. Did it come slightly out of the blue? Well, yes—but only to drop my jaw to the floor. All in all, this was the perfect high-octane ride that kept my fingers flying and my eyeballs speeding. Needless to say, all of my book besties at Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse were right. This is a definite must read. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to A.M. Strong, Sonya Sargent, and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: Out now!
Scroll down for my potentially plot spoiling trigger list.
Trigger warning: PTSD, anxiety, gaslighting, stalking
Renting the same beach house where she almost died, Tessa returns to lonely Cassadaga Island off the coast of Maine long after the tourists and summer residents have departed for the winter. But as the fog rolls in and the nights grow longer, she wonders if she made a terrible mistake. There are footsteps on the porch, creaks from the second floor, and an unsettling feeling of being watched.
If only someone believed her. Because the terrors Tessa thought were long behind her are starting again. And this time, trapped and alone, she might not be lucky enough to survive them.
Oh. My. God. From the atmospheric feel to the ever ratcheting unease, the authors of The Last Girl Left had me in the palm of their hands. After all, the flawless writing, short chapters, and isolated murder house setting kept me glued to the pages. But it was the plot itself that deemed this book a winner. Starting out with a prologue straight out of a horror film, it came alive right before my eyes as the foreboding grew along with the sense of paranoia. Was Tessa imagining it all? Or was returning to the scene of the crime the very worst possible mistake?
One of the strongest pieces to this psychological thriller, however, was Tessa herself. Struggling with a believable dose of PTSD, she was drowning in life. Stuck in the past but unwilling to do the work to move forward, she had me cheering her on from the sidelines. As the plot’s pace picked up and the terrifying events descended upon her, her fear simply oozed from the pages. She wasn’t, though, the only dynamite character. Filled with suspicious individuals left, right, and center, I found myself giving a serious side-eye to each and every one.
With creepy events that propelled the plot forward as only a book with a strong psychological edge can, this popcorn thriller grabbed me and didn’t let go. Add in the amnesia angle and random flashbacks throughout, and there wasn’t a thing wrong with this novel. I absolutely love when a character learns the twisted, twisted truth right along with the reader. This time around, the reveal was near utter perfection. Did it come slightly out of the blue? Well, yes—but only to drop my jaw to the floor. All in all, this was the perfect high-octane ride that kept my fingers flying and my eyeballs speeding. Needless to say, all of my book besties at Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse were right. This is a definite must read. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to A.M. Strong, Sonya Sargent, and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: Out now!
Scroll down for my potentially plot spoiling trigger list.
Trigger warning: PTSD, anxiety, gaslighting, stalking
April 26, 2024
Holy Final Girl vibes!!! 😍 I knew this would be right up my alley as soon as I started hearing all the buzz 🐝 from my besties @thrillerbookloversthepulse !!! 🖤 Thank you so much to @sonyasargentstrong @amazonpublishing for my gorgeous gifted copy and swag!!! 🥰🥰🥰 Pub date was April 23rd!! 🥳🥳
This book had everything I need in a thriller!! Creepy… atmospheric… MURDER?!! I mean… sign this girl up!!! 🙋♀️… Right?!! Tessa is… really… The Final Girl… 😳… A beach 🏝 house getaway with four besties 👯♀️… ended up in a bloody massacre…😳… with only one lone survivor… our girl Tessa. 🥺
So when Tessa gets a book 📖 offer… to write her story… but ONLY if she writes it from the beach house.. Yes THAT beach house.. 😬.. She is all in… WHAT Tessa??? WHAT?! 😧🫣😳 I mean how creepy would that be??
Things start to bump in the night… Tessa feels like someone is watching her… it’s off season and the town is… very deserted… Tessa!!! It’s like the Geico commercial girl!!! Have you never seen a horror movie? 🍿 Run girl!!! Pack your bags 💼 and get out of dodge!! 🏃♀️ 🏃♀️ Tessa didn’t… 🤦♀️… Let’s just say… things got really crazy… 😳😉
I absolutely loved this book!! The creepy vibes… the murder house… the town… all made for the perfect creeptastic atmosphere… 👏👏 Five stars!! I loved it. 😍 Sign me up for whatever @sonyasargentstrong writes next!! 😍😍
💼🏃♀️🍿🏝 Would you stay in a murder house?? Is this on your TBR??
This book had everything I need in a thriller!! Creepy… atmospheric… MURDER?!! I mean… sign this girl up!!! 🙋♀️… Right?!! Tessa is… really… The Final Girl… 😳… A beach 🏝 house getaway with four besties 👯♀️… ended up in a bloody massacre…😳… with only one lone survivor… our girl Tessa. 🥺
So when Tessa gets a book 📖 offer… to write her story… but ONLY if she writes it from the beach house.. Yes THAT beach house.. 😬.. She is all in… WHAT Tessa??? WHAT?! 😧🫣😳 I mean how creepy would that be??
Things start to bump in the night… Tessa feels like someone is watching her… it’s off season and the town is… very deserted… Tessa!!! It’s like the Geico commercial girl!!! Have you never seen a horror movie? 🍿 Run girl!!! Pack your bags 💼 and get out of dodge!! 🏃♀️ 🏃♀️ Tessa didn’t… 🤦♀️… Let’s just say… things got really crazy… 😳😉
I absolutely loved this book!! The creepy vibes… the murder house… the town… all made for the perfect creeptastic atmosphere… 👏👏 Five stars!! I loved it. 😍 Sign me up for whatever @sonyasargentstrong writes next!! 😍😍
💼🏃♀️🍿🏝 Would you stay in a murder house?? Is this on your TBR??
January 8, 2024
This was quite haunting and disturbing!!!
Almost like a horror that will keep you haunting and all your guesses might come true but will come with a cost of not just a simple who dunnit.
As always I am not going to write anything about the blurb or the plot in my review when it comes to thrillers. I will just say there’s a traumatised character who survived a mass murder and is haunted by the killer all her life.
The writing is quite interesting and I would say there’s not a boring moment. The chapters are short and the characters stand out. I would say the plot twist would not make your jaw drop but expect very nasty twists and scenes. The ending is good!
Damn. I had quite a fun time reading this one. Perfect for picking up during travel, vacations and weekends.
Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the advance reading copy.
Almost like a horror that will keep you haunting and all your guesses might come true but will come with a cost of not just a simple who dunnit.
As always I am not going to write anything about the blurb or the plot in my review when it comes to thrillers. I will just say there’s a traumatised character who survived a mass murder and is haunted by the killer all her life.
The writing is quite interesting and I would say there’s not a boring moment. The chapters are short and the characters stand out. I would say the plot twist would not make your jaw drop but expect very nasty twists and scenes. The ending is good!
Damn. I had quite a fun time reading this one. Perfect for picking up during travel, vacations and weekends.
Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the advance reading copy.
February 14, 2024
Five years after surviving the horrific crime in which all her friends were killed, Tessa returns to the lonely beach house where it occurred in the hopes of overcoming her trauma and writing a book. But as things become increasing sinister, she fears that the danger may not be fully past.
I've been in the mood for a thriller recently, and thought this book should scratch that itch. The summary promised plenty of suspense and chills, and I am a sucker for the 'last girl' horror trope. Unfortunately, the read failed to deliver for me.
In an effort to jolt herself out of her trauma-induced stupor and earn some money, Tessa forces herself to stay for a month in the same house where she was assaulted and her friends murdered and write a book about it. It's an audacious premise but I thought the author did a decent job of setting it up logically. The writing was facile and breezy, the setting well-sketched out and menacing.
However, the novel never really got off the ground for me, let alone conducted itself well. The plot was thin, with no action really occurring until about the 80% mark - until then, we must rely on eerie noises and flickering lights for the fright factor. None of the characters were fleshed out, and I found myself feeling indifferent to the fate of Tessa, her friends, and everyone else in the book. And when the villains of the piece were finally revealed, they too felt cliched, leaving me unable to take them seriously.
I was really disappointed. The premise had seemed promising, but in the end the execution just was not there. Do not recommend.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
I've been in the mood for a thriller recently, and thought this book should scratch that itch. The summary promised plenty of suspense and chills, and I am a sucker for the 'last girl' horror trope. Unfortunately, the read failed to deliver for me.
In an effort to jolt herself out of her trauma-induced stupor and earn some money, Tessa forces herself to stay for a month in the same house where she was assaulted and her friends murdered and write a book about it. It's an audacious premise but I thought the author did a decent job of setting it up logically. The writing was facile and breezy, the setting well-sketched out and menacing.
However, the novel never really got off the ground for me, let alone conducted itself well. The plot was thin, with no action really occurring until about the 80% mark - until then, we must rely on eerie noises and flickering lights for the fright factor. None of the characters were fleshed out, and I found myself feeling indifferent to the fate of Tessa, her friends, and everyone else in the book. And when the villains of the piece were finally revealed, they too felt cliched, leaving me unable to take them seriously.
I was really disappointed. The premise had seemed promising, but in the end the execution just was not there. Do not recommend.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
May 22, 2024
4.5 stars rounding up to 5 stars on goodreads.
I loved this book! I devoured this book as it hooks you immediately and never lets go. I am a sucker for the last alive vibe and man is the tension high! This is full of PTSD, drama, fear, and lies.
I went between reading and listening to the audiobook and both options are great. Hallie Ricardo, the narrator, was new to me but she did an amazing job and I can’t wait for more narrations by her!
****Many thanks to AM Strong and Sonya Sargent for the gifted copy and Brilliance Audio for the ALC.
I loved this book! I devoured this book as it hooks you immediately and never lets go. I am a sucker for the last alive vibe and man is the tension high! This is full of PTSD, drama, fear, and lies.
I went between reading and listening to the audiobook and both options are great. Hallie Ricardo, the narrator, was new to me but she did an amazing job and I can’t wait for more narrations by her!
****Many thanks to AM Strong and Sonya Sargent for the gifted copy and Brilliance Audio for the ALC.
May 30, 2024
So I did not like this book at all…it sounded good and wasn’t too bad in the beginning but then it just took a turn and there was no coming back from it. I am shocked that the goodreads rating is as high as it is. I was so close to DNF’ing but pushed through. I listened to half on audio and I found myself not really wanting to pay attention to what was going on…it seemed far fetched and was not thrilling at all. Skip this one and read Final Girls by Riley Sager instead. I had high hopes and was disappointed.
May 4, 2024
We at @thrillerbookloversthepulse are loving this book right here!
➡️THOUGHTS:
Four friends go on a vacay, only one comes back. The last one left….she has put her life on hold the last 5 years because of the trauma. She decides to go back to the house and write a book about what happened to help her work through it. Little does she know, the killer is coming for her! This was a suspenseful novel! It has short chapters and was easy to follow. It is out now, so go pick it up!
➡️THOUGHTS:
Four friends go on a vacay, only one comes back. The last one left….she has put her life on hold the last 5 years because of the trauma. She decides to go back to the house and write a book about what happened to help her work through it. Little does she know, the killer is coming for her! This was a suspenseful novel! It has short chapters and was easy to follow. It is out now, so go pick it up!
September 1, 2024
This is a suspenseful, fast paced thriller. I was pulled in quickly and flew through this one. Tessa is the sole survivor of a horrendous massacre that left three of her friends dead. It happened while they were on Vacation at a beach home on an island, off the coast of Maine. It's five years later, and she's still traumatized by the events. She was offered a chance to write a book about what happened, and she needs the money, so she finally decides to do it, but there's a stipulation, she must stay at the same house while she writes the book. Say WHAAAT?! Ok I would NEVER….That's insane! 🤣🤣 But Tessa agrees. She returns to the house after all the tourists are gone. While she's there, she starts to have a feeling she's being watched. This book was atmospheric, tense and entertaining. There are some really good twists too. The setting was really creepy and I loved it.
Thank you to Suzy approved book tours and the publisher for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Suzy approved book tours and the publisher for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
December 31, 2023
Tessa is the sole survivor of a horrid multi-murder in which all her friends were slain in their vacation home. It's been decades since that night but Tessa needs to go back. To move on. And the money offered to write a book about het return helps significantly.
There are so many holes in Tessa's account of what happened that night years ago one could strain their spaghetti. And to make things worse she's willingly ignorant to the spookiest things in the house. She's utterly frustrating which adds a new level of tension.
Everyone is a suspect. Every sound and shadow something sinister. I was riveted and biting my nails to the quick at every turn. The ending was wholly satisfying.
There are so many holes in Tessa's account of what happened that night years ago one could strain their spaghetti. And to make things worse she's willingly ignorant to the spookiest things in the house. She's utterly frustrating which adds a new level of tension.
Everyone is a suspect. Every sound and shadow something sinister. I was riveted and biting my nails to the quick at every turn. The ending was wholly satisfying.
April 13, 2024
#ad I received a gifted advance copy of this book - many thanks to @thrillerbookloversthepulse #pulsepoint #thepulse #partner
While this book resembles some of the happenings of the four college kids killed in Idaho - this book was written, or started, a few years prior to the King Road Killing and has no relation to the murders. (I feel this needs to be stated).
This book pulls you in from the start - and what a beginning that is. As tension builds the story keeps that level of suspense until the very end. Even when not much seemed to be happening, only odd occurrences, there is still that continual feeling that danger isn’t too far off.
I loved the setting of this book - living in Maine my whole life - the story felt closer to me. I had to chuckle at the “massholes” reference. This is very true, I grew up always hearing about these “massholes” who didn’t know how to drive and were jerks. I wonder where this originated from; I’ll have to see if researching will help me find that answer.
To clarify, these aren’t my beliefs - okay, people do drive crazy in Mass. That I have experienced for myself. Them taxi drivers tho! You better be holding on is all I can say.
While the FMC in this story is heading back to the scene of where her friends were murdered and she barely escaping with her life, the narrative mostly stays in the present. There were a few short flashbacks but it wasn’t like the storyline was alternating between the past and the future. I appreciated it staying in the present.
It was also annoying that everyone just wanted Tessa to get over what had happened. I mean would they have been able to move on themselves? Probably not.
This book has short chapters with a lot of action happening. I do feel there could have been more actual action happening but the odd occurrences did help propel the story forward in a suspenseful manner.
Preorder your copy now.
While this book resembles some of the happenings of the four college kids killed in Idaho - this book was written, or started, a few years prior to the King Road Killing and has no relation to the murders. (I feel this needs to be stated).
This book pulls you in from the start - and what a beginning that is. As tension builds the story keeps that level of suspense until the very end. Even when not much seemed to be happening, only odd occurrences, there is still that continual feeling that danger isn’t too far off.
I loved the setting of this book - living in Maine my whole life - the story felt closer to me. I had to chuckle at the “massholes” reference. This is very true, I grew up always hearing about these “massholes” who didn’t know how to drive and were jerks. I wonder where this originated from; I’ll have to see if researching will help me find that answer.
To clarify, these aren’t my beliefs - okay, people do drive crazy in Mass. That I have experienced for myself. Them taxi drivers tho! You better be holding on is all I can say.
While the FMC in this story is heading back to the scene of where her friends were murdered and she barely escaping with her life, the narrative mostly stays in the present. There were a few short flashbacks but it wasn’t like the storyline was alternating between the past and the future. I appreciated it staying in the present.
It was also annoying that everyone just wanted Tessa to get over what had happened. I mean would they have been able to move on themselves? Probably not.
This book has short chapters with a lot of action happening. I do feel there could have been more actual action happening but the odd occurrences did help propel the story forward in a suspenseful manner.
Preorder your copy now.
Want to read
May 12, 2024I’m just on chapter 6 and I already fucking hate Tessa. She’s a selfish inconsiderate ungrateful twat. She really put that entire vacation rental on her sister’s credit card. $5000.00. Melissa needed to beat her sister‘s ass, and be done with her. Idgaf what she’s been through. Tessa needs to take her victimized ass to therapy and And get her fucking shit together at this point, she’s annoying as shit and being a burden on her sister even when she calls the editor she goes from victim to Karen in 0.2 seconds. No one cares about your story because his old news she has no sense of self-awareness and I just can’t put up with the fact that she’s a selfish bitch, regardless of what happened in that raggedy ass beach house
April 11, 2024
The Last Girl Left
By: Sonya Strong-Sargent
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Pub date: April 23, 2024
4🌟🌟🌟🌟
Tessa Chamberlin is the sole survivor after a girls weekend five years ago. Living with her sister she is still horrified and shaken by the events.
She agrees to go back to Cassadagq Island to face her fears and write a book. She does not tell anyone who she is, but ends up renting the home where the massacre occurred.
Things start happening in the house and Tessa is terrified, to say the least. She has made a few friends on the island. Is it possible they know who she really is?
This novel is fast-past, suspenseful and full of tension as the plot thickens.
By: Sonya Strong-Sargent
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Pub date: April 23, 2024
4🌟🌟🌟🌟
Tessa Chamberlin is the sole survivor after a girls weekend five years ago. Living with her sister she is still horrified and shaken by the events.
She agrees to go back to Cassadagq Island to face her fears and write a book. She does not tell anyone who she is, but ends up renting the home where the massacre occurred.
Things start happening in the house and Tessa is terrified, to say the least. She has made a few friends on the island. Is it possible they know who she really is?
This novel is fast-past, suspenseful and full of tension as the plot thickens.
April 26, 2024
I love slashers and final girls! They are always empowering! That being said, the premise of this caught my interest. Combine that with the setting and I was ready to dive in. Thrillers with short chapters make me happy and this one definitely had short ones. I also thought the twist surprising which gets points in my book.
My only issue with this was that Tessa seemed VERY immature and at times, dumb. Who doesn't know about "signing contracts" ?! Also , her friends were brought up quite often but we had no way to "feel" for them because there was no background on them. It needed some depth in that area.
My only issue with this was that Tessa seemed VERY immature and at times, dumb. Who doesn't know about "signing contracts" ?! Also , her friends were brought up quite often but we had no way to "feel" for them because there was no background on them. It needed some depth in that area.
June 15, 2024
1⭐️
should’ve DNF. this was just TERRIBLE. i think i’ve never read worse thriller.
should’ve DNF. this was just TERRIBLE. i think i’ve never read worse thriller.
May 30, 2024
This book was good! It had everything you'd want in a thriller and will keep you turning pages.
5 years ago, Tessa Chamberlain and 3 of her closest friends rented a beach house on Cassadaga Island off the coast of Maine. Little did they know, but Tessa would be the only one to make it off the island. Her friends were brutally murdered and she was left for dead. As the lone survivor, she has been barely surviving, dealing with PTSD and not being able to leave her room in her sister’s house. She decides it's now time to face her fears. She's going back to the island, renting the same house after the tourists and summer residents have left. But when she arrives she starts to feel like she's made a mistake. There are strange noises in the house, and she always feels like someone is watching her. Is someone after her now? Will Tessa make it off the island a 2nd time?
This gripping read was well written and full of suspense. There are plenty of twists to keep you guessing, and I loved the short chapters. It was dark, creepy, and atomspheric. For me, a book's setting is very important, and I absolutely loved the island setting off the coast of Maine in the off-season. I think this would be a great thriller to take with you to the beach this summer, and I highly recommend it.
5 years ago, Tessa Chamberlain and 3 of her closest friends rented a beach house on Cassadaga Island off the coast of Maine. Little did they know, but Tessa would be the only one to make it off the island. Her friends were brutally murdered and she was left for dead. As the lone survivor, she has been barely surviving, dealing with PTSD and not being able to leave her room in her sister’s house. She decides it's now time to face her fears. She's going back to the island, renting the same house after the tourists and summer residents have left. But when she arrives she starts to feel like she's made a mistake. There are strange noises in the house, and she always feels like someone is watching her. Is someone after her now? Will Tessa make it off the island a 2nd time?
This gripping read was well written and full of suspense. There are plenty of twists to keep you guessing, and I loved the short chapters. It was dark, creepy, and atomspheric. For me, a book's setting is very important, and I absolutely loved the island setting off the coast of Maine in the off-season. I think this would be a great thriller to take with you to the beach this summer, and I highly recommend it.
December 30, 2023
**This is an ARC provided by Netgalley. This review is my own, with no influences*
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC. This book had a good plot point. However, there were some flaws. The constant reiteration of 'facing my fears' had my eyes rolling. The storyline was good but if they added more characters, the ending would not be so predictable. Also, I wish we had a backstory on what Kyla was going to share with Tessa. Furthermore, Tessa's sister knew what was happening, why didn't she or her boyfriend try to get to the beach house?? All in all, this book was an okay read if you like mysteries, but if you are someone who can pinpoint the killer easily, I'd stay away from this one.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC. This book had a good plot point. However, there were some flaws. The constant reiteration of 'facing my fears' had my eyes rolling. The storyline was good but if they added more characters, the ending would not be so predictable. Also, I wish we had a backstory on what Kyla was going to share with Tessa. Furthermore, Tessa's sister knew what was happening, why didn't she or her boyfriend try to get to the beach house?? All in all, this book was an okay read if you like mysteries, but if you are someone who can pinpoint the killer easily, I'd stay away from this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2024
4,5*
Tessa hat als einzige ihrer Freundinnengruppe ein Massaker auf einer abgelegenen Insel in Maine überlebt. Sie konnte damals helfen, den Mörder zu identifizieren. Als er sich gegen seine Festnahme widersetzt, wird er erschossen.
Fünf Jahre später hat ihr weder die Änderung ihres Namens, noch unzählige Stunden Therapie dabei geholfen, dieses Trauma zu verarbeiten. Sie fasst einen Entschluss: Sie muss zum Ort des Verbrechens zurückkehren, um sich endlich ihren Ängsten zu stellen. Doch als sie ankommt, merkt sie schnell, dass sie einen Fehler gemacht hat: Waren das Schritte auf der Veranda? Sie war sich doch sicher, dass sie die Tür abgeschlossen hatte. Die Tage schreiten voran und ihre Angst spitzt sich zu.
Ich habe die 10h Hörbuch in 2,5 Tagen durchgeballert, weil ich unbedingt wissen wollte, wie es weitergeht. Das Buch steigt direkt mega spannend ein und hat diese Spannung für mich bis zum Schluss gehalten. Ich hatte durchgehend ein unangenehmes Gefühl, da ich durch die Schreibweise, die super nah an Tessa war, selbst irgendwann nicht mehr wusste, wem man trauen kann und wem nicht und ob das alles nicht doch nur Einbildung einer traumatisierten Frau ist.
Es gab einen Part der Storyline, der für mich ein bisschen zu unglaubwürdig war und kritikwürdig finde ich sonst auch, dass die Idee, in das Haus zu fahren, in dem man fast gestorben wäre, natürlich komplett bescheuert ist. Davon abgesehen eins der spannendsten Bücher, die ich seit längerem gelesen habe.
Tessa hat als einzige ihrer Freundinnengruppe ein Massaker auf einer abgelegenen Insel in Maine überlebt. Sie konnte damals helfen, den Mörder zu identifizieren. Als er sich gegen seine Festnahme widersetzt, wird er erschossen.
Fünf Jahre später hat ihr weder die Änderung ihres Namens, noch unzählige Stunden Therapie dabei geholfen, dieses Trauma zu verarbeiten. Sie fasst einen Entschluss: Sie muss zum Ort des Verbrechens zurückkehren, um sich endlich ihren Ängsten zu stellen. Doch als sie ankommt, merkt sie schnell, dass sie einen Fehler gemacht hat: Waren das Schritte auf der Veranda? Sie war sich doch sicher, dass sie die Tür abgeschlossen hatte. Die Tage schreiten voran und ihre Angst spitzt sich zu.
Ich habe die 10h Hörbuch in 2,5 Tagen durchgeballert, weil ich unbedingt wissen wollte, wie es weitergeht. Das Buch steigt direkt mega spannend ein und hat diese Spannung für mich bis zum Schluss gehalten. Ich hatte durchgehend ein unangenehmes Gefühl, da ich durch die Schreibweise, die super nah an Tessa war, selbst irgendwann nicht mehr wusste, wem man trauen kann und wem nicht und ob das alles nicht doch nur Einbildung einer traumatisierten Frau ist.
Es gab einen Part der Storyline, der für mich ein bisschen zu unglaubwürdig war und kritikwürdig finde ich sonst auch, dass die Idee, in das Haus zu fahren, in dem man fast gestorben wäre, natürlich komplett bescheuert ist. Davon abgesehen eins der spannendsten Bücher, die ich seit längerem gelesen habe.
April 13, 2024
Tessa was the sole survivor of a massacre where her three best friends were killed. After five years of failed therapy, living afraid of everything, she decides to take her life back and heads back to the place where it all happened.
This was such a fun thriller that had me hooked from page one. It was dark and twisty, filled with an incredibly tense atmosphere that had me checking behind the shower curtain before heading to bed. If you're a fan of the final girl trope, definitely check this one out on release date.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this advance copy in exchange for a review.
This was such a fun thriller that had me hooked from page one. It was dark and twisty, filled with an incredibly tense atmosphere that had me checking behind the shower curtain before heading to bed. If you're a fan of the final girl trope, definitely check this one out on release date.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this advance copy in exchange for a review.
March 20, 2024
Five years ago, Tessa Chamberlain was the lone survivor of a beach house massacre that left three of her friends dead―and Tessa with an inescapable, unending dread. Now she’s going back to face her fears. Renting the same beach house where she almost died.
The first half was such a page-turner
I had such high hopes and was getting all the eerie house-type vibes. I was so intrigued, but then the second half shifted gears and the execution failed me!
Some intense moments propelled the story, some good Deja vu moments that had me guessing wildly, but the wrap-up was too convenient and didn't give me that fist bump moment I was anticipating...On the plus side, The Last Girl Left is an easy read that scored high for entertainment value.
Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for the eARC.
The first half was such a page-turner
I had such high hopes and was getting all the eerie house-type vibes. I was so intrigued, but then the second half shifted gears and the execution failed me!
Some intense moments propelled the story, some good Deja vu moments that had me guessing wildly, but the wrap-up was too convenient and didn't give me that fist bump moment I was anticipating...On the plus side, The Last Girl Left is an easy read that scored high for entertainment value.
Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for the eARC.
February 10, 2024
Content Warnings:
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!
I am a huge fan of slashers and the horror genre, and I’ve always thought that an underutilized concept is what happens to the final girl after the cameras stop rolling and the bloodbath ends. So when I read the synopsis of The Last Girl Left, I was excited.
The Last Girl Left is about Tessa Montgomery, a young woman who has survived the beach house massacre that left her three best friends dead. Five years after the murders, Tessa is still living in the shadow of what happened on Cassadaga Island. She has spent the last several years hiding from the world in her sister’s house, afraid even to turn off the lights.
But when her sister gives her an ultimatum — get her life together or get out — Tessa makes the spur-of-the-moment decision to return to the house of her nightmares and finally face her demons. She even signs a contract with a publisher that will force her to stay in the house for a month while she writes a book about her experiences. Although anxious, Tessa is sure that this will be a good thing for her. It will finally allow her to move on with her life.
Except she isn’t even in the house for a full night before strange things start happening. Floorboards creak in the next room with phantom footsteps. Shadows appear and disappear on the other side of windows. Voices whisper her name just over her shoulder. Files that she knows she saved disappear from her laptop. Screams wake her up in the middle of the night and the neighbor she’s been so friendly with disappears as if she never existed.
Terrified and trapped, if Tessa can’t sort her friends from her foes, she may never leave Cassadaga Island again.
I really loved the premise of this book. It was incredibly readable, and the short chapters really kept me hooked. I also enjoyed the vivid descriptions of Cassadaga Island. And without giving too much away, I liked several of the side characters.
Something that bothered me, though, was the way that the story kept invoking Tessa’s dead friends without actually giving them any substance. The flashbacks and descriptions kept coming back to the same thing: one of them wanted to be a journalist, one was artistic, and one was outgoing. There was no other information offered about them, even though they were supposed to be haunting the narrative. It was hard to feel anything for them, since they were given such little depth.
All in all, this was a decent thriller.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!
I am a huge fan of slashers and the horror genre, and I’ve always thought that an underutilized concept is what happens to the final girl after the cameras stop rolling and the bloodbath ends. So when I read the synopsis of The Last Girl Left, I was excited.
The Last Girl Left is about Tessa Montgomery, a young woman who has survived the beach house massacre that left her three best friends dead. Five years after the murders, Tessa is still living in the shadow of what happened on Cassadaga Island. She has spent the last several years hiding from the world in her sister’s house, afraid even to turn off the lights.
But when her sister gives her an ultimatum — get her life together or get out — Tessa makes the spur-of-the-moment decision to return to the house of her nightmares and finally face her demons. She even signs a contract with a publisher that will force her to stay in the house for a month while she writes a book about her experiences. Although anxious, Tessa is sure that this will be a good thing for her. It will finally allow her to move on with her life.
Except she isn’t even in the house for a full night before strange things start happening. Floorboards creak in the next room with phantom footsteps. Shadows appear and disappear on the other side of windows. Voices whisper her name just over her shoulder. Files that she knows she saved disappear from her laptop. Screams wake her up in the middle of the night and the neighbor she’s been so friendly with disappears as if she never existed.
Terrified and trapped, if Tessa can’t sort her friends from her foes, she may never leave Cassadaga Island again.
I really loved the premise of this book. It was incredibly readable, and the short chapters really kept me hooked. I also enjoyed the vivid descriptions of Cassadaga Island. And without giving too much away, I liked several of the side characters.
Something that bothered me, though, was the way that the story kept invoking Tessa’s dead friends without actually giving them any substance. The flashbacks and descriptions kept coming back to the same thing: one of them wanted to be a journalist, one was artistic, and one was outgoing. There was no other information offered about them, even though they were supposed to be haunting the narrative. It was hard to feel anything for them, since they were given such little depth.
All in all, this was a decent thriller.
March 22, 2024
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND PUBLISHER FOR THIS ADVANCE REVIEW COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Theresa and her friends went to a beach house, five years ago and only Theresa came back alive. It's been five years but Theresa is unable to move on from the mass murder of her friends and her near-death experience of herself. The murderer is dead, but she still has PTSD and all of the therapists fail to help her. After some events, she decided to go back to the beach house to get closure and move on. She even signed a book deal with a publisher so she can't back out. Something is wrong in the beach house but Theresa can't say if it is her anxiety or something else.
I like the concept of the book and it has a lot of potential but for me, writers couldn't execute it properly. All of the characters felt underdeveloped and it was hard to feel for any of them. Many events felt like filler in the story and many things didn't make sense to me. Theresa's character portrayal and actions were opposite to each other. I liked the ending though but everything else was so ordinary.
Theresa and her friends went to a beach house, five years ago and only Theresa came back alive. It's been five years but Theresa is unable to move on from the mass murder of her friends and her near-death experience of herself. The murderer is dead, but she still has PTSD and all of the therapists fail to help her. After some events, she decided to go back to the beach house to get closure and move on. She even signed a book deal with a publisher so she can't back out. Something is wrong in the beach house but Theresa can't say if it is her anxiety or something else.
I like the concept of the book and it has a lot of potential but for me, writers couldn't execute it properly. All of the characters felt underdeveloped and it was hard to feel for any of them. Many events felt like filler in the story and many things didn't make sense to me. Theresa's character portrayal and actions were opposite to each other. I liked the ending though but everything else was so ordinary.
August 18, 2024
The only gripe I have about this book is the author using the phrase “skulking around” repeatedly…otherwise 4 stars good book
December 24, 2023
This book haunted me from the beginning to the end. The writing style kept me guessing and honestly had me peaking around corners of my apartment to make sure there was no one hiding in the dark corners.
Amazingly spooky, twist and turns really make this a prime read for anyone who is into serial killers, true crime and psychological thrillers.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for a review!
Amazingly spooky, twist and turns really make this a prime read for anyone who is into serial killers, true crime and psychological thrillers.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for a review!
September 12, 2024
In The Last Girl Left, Tessa is the only survivor of a beach house massacre that happened 5 years before. To help herself face her paralyzing fears, Tessa decides to rent the same beach house for a month during the off season.
She returns to the house where her three best friends were slain by a monster. I don’t want to spoil what happens next so suffice it to say that I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough especially after the midway point.
The twists were amazing and blew my mind. Well done to the authors!
*Thanks so much to the authors A.M. Strong and Sonya Sargent for the amazing PR box, to Thomas & Mercer for the gifted SIGNED book, and to Suzy Approved Book Tours for including me on the book tour!*
She returns to the house where her three best friends were slain by a monster. I don’t want to spoil what happens next so suffice it to say that I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough especially after the midway point.
The twists were amazing and blew my mind. Well done to the authors!
*Thanks so much to the authors A.M. Strong and Sonya Sargent for the amazing PR box, to Thomas & Mercer for the gifted SIGNED book, and to Suzy Approved Book Tours for including me on the book tour!*
October 18, 2024
dosadno dosadno i dosadno
May 27, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
July 9, 2024
You could immediatly tell this book was written by two individual authors. I ended up skimming a good 30% of this because of how mundane and repetitive it was (no matter how short they are, it shouldn't take 11 chapters to set the plot up).
January 4, 2024
3.5 stars !! arc review <3
thank you to netgalley and thomas & mercer for sending me an arc !! the last girl left is gonna be released on april 23rd.
theresa chamberlain, but now tessa montgomery, went through the biggest trauma of her life. five years ago three of her friends were murdered in the beach house they were renting and tessa almost didn’t survive.
for some miracle she’s still alive but can’t tell if she’s safe or not. after having a fight with her sister she had the idea of going back to the house to face her fears, i mean what could go wrong with the killer being dead for five years? tessa just needed to live in the house for a month and write the first draft of her debut book about what happened to her five years ago.
overall it was a good book but there were some parts that felt like nothing was going on, until you reached the end. i was suspicious about the people from the end but didn’t think about it a lot because i was enjoying the book. poor tessa can finally have her peace now that she knows everything that happened in that house !!
“for the first time in years, she saw a bright future for herself.”
thank you to netgalley and thomas & mercer for sending me an arc !! the last girl left is gonna be released on april 23rd.
theresa chamberlain, but now tessa montgomery, went through the biggest trauma of her life. five years ago three of her friends were murdered in the beach house they were renting and tessa almost didn’t survive.
for some miracle she’s still alive but can’t tell if she’s safe or not. after having a fight with her sister she had the idea of going back to the house to face her fears, i mean what could go wrong with the killer being dead for five years? tessa just needed to live in the house for a month and write the first draft of her debut book about what happened to her five years ago.
overall it was a good book but there were some parts that felt like nothing was going on, until you reached the end. i was suspicious about the people from the end but didn’t think about it a lot because i was enjoying the book. poor tessa can finally have her peace now that she knows everything that happened in that house !!
“for the first time in years, she saw a bright future for herself.”
May 15, 2024
A creepy, twisted, and chilling isolation thriller about a young woman named Tessa trying to get past the trauma of surviving a horrific attack. I loved how deeply the authors brought us into Tessa's head, and her limited perspective enhanced the suspenseful atmosphere as the puzzle pieces unfolded. The plot is also well-executed with red herrings abound. I highly recommend this book for fans of mystery or dark thrillers.
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