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The Last Morning
In her pulse-pounding psychological thriller debut, author Camden Baird lays bare the anguish and terror of a mother living out her worst nightmare when her young child goes missing.
Sadie Wilson’s heart stops the moment the phone rings. Deep in her soul, she knows what’s coming, and the voice on the other end only confirms her Emma never made it to school. Her sweet, scared five-year-old climbed onto the bus for her very first day of kindergarten…and then vanished.
Struggling to push aside her grief to focus on getting her daughter back, Sadie finds herself slipping deeper into despair. The growing list of suspects weighs heavily on her the secretive teacher, the registered sex offender, the delusional neighbor, the disgruntled ex-wife, the evasive principal—everyone seems to have a connection to Emma. And a surprising grudge to bear.
Thankfully Sadie’s got her loving husband, Allen, by her side. But she can’t help feeling he’s hiding something too.
Edgy and full of twists, The Last Morning is an emotional thrill ride, unfolding little by little from each suspect’s point of view.
Sadie Wilson’s heart stops the moment the phone rings. Deep in her soul, she knows what’s coming, and the voice on the other end only confirms her Emma never made it to school. Her sweet, scared five-year-old climbed onto the bus for her very first day of kindergarten…and then vanished.
Struggling to push aside her grief to focus on getting her daughter back, Sadie finds herself slipping deeper into despair. The growing list of suspects weighs heavily on her the secretive teacher, the registered sex offender, the delusional neighbor, the disgruntled ex-wife, the evasive principal—everyone seems to have a connection to Emma. And a surprising grudge to bear.
Thankfully Sadie’s got her loving husband, Allen, by her side. But she can’t help feeling he’s hiding something too.
Edgy and full of twists, The Last Morning is an emotional thrill ride, unfolding little by little from each suspect’s point of view.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2025
3718 people are currently reading
9052 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 476 reviews
March 13, 2025
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for an ARC of this title. All opinion are my own.
A fast-paced thriller with constantly switching perspective. This book is perfect for a quick weekend or getaway read if you're looking for something without a lot of depth.
Sadie hates the idea of sending her only daughter, Emma, to her first day of kindergarten. Sadie just knows something bad is going to happen, and all her worst fears are realized when Emma gets on the school bus but never arrives at school. Cue a storm descending down on her family as the police rush to find the missing girl and Sadie learns that those living around her may harbor their own dark secrets.
The Last Morning has everything you'd expect out of a psychological thriller: a variety of suspects, each of them keeping secrets, and many twists and turns as the days tick away. With short, propulsive chapters, the novel races from start to finish as everyone rushes to find the missing five-year-old. The plot is succinct and with each chapter switching perspectives, the reader gets a look into all of the lives that Emma touched.
The novel does a great job of holding in its secrets, bleeding them out slowly as the tension builds. If you're looking for a quick, surface level read, this one might be for you.
Because other than the plot and pacing, this book lacks just about everything else. The writing is dry and melodramatic, the characters just caricatures of real people, and, well, I'll get to my last criticism in a moment. If I'm honest, I would have DNF'ed this after the first chapter if I hadn't been graced with an advance reader copy.
The writing. It's very formulaic; if I didn't know better, I'd almost guess it had been written by AI. Sadie does this. Allen does this. We both do this. Over and over and over again. I needed some variety, some spice, some active voice. I'd expect this variety of writing from someone who writes as simply a spare time hobby; it's not what I expect from a standalone, published piece.
The characters. They were all cardboard cutouts and simultaneously all the same cardboard cutout. They don't act like real people. Their actions are over the top, and they never have real conversations with one another, just surface level chatter. Once again, they act exactly like I'd expect an AI would design them to act. They follow a sort of cookie-cutter mold of their title: the mom cries, the dad's hiding an affair, the half-brother hates his sister for existing. We see into the character's thoughts quite a lot in this novel, and they all think almost exactly the same. There's so much hate and secret vendettas in each of the characters. I suppose it could make the novel as a whole more interesting, but I just found them all to be deeply unlikable. I don't think any of the characters ever had a nice thing to say (or think) about one another.
The characterization is really my biggest gripe about this book, and the second is how deeply unsettling I found mental health to be portrayed. It's not uncommon to see mental health used as a plot device in books and tv, especially in thrillers like this one. The perpetrator had this disease and it caused them to do x, y, and z. Of course, the media always cranks that concern up to 100 and shows the absolute worst of the person who has it. This novel does the same thing, except it felt like every character had something going on with them, and they were never portrayed in anything but a heinous light. Instead of moments of, hey, maybe we should get this person help, they're called weird or off or problems. Even when they're not the big bad at the end. I don't know. Mental health is definitely a plot device, and when used correctly can still be respectful of the millions of sufferers. I felt nothing respectful about the way the characters were portrayed in this novel, nothing redeeming, and, once again, feels like AI grabbing onto caricatures rather than creating nuanced writing.
I'm not going to get into the ending, but I didn't like it, and I'll leave it at that.
So, the novel had potential. The plot is generic, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. In the hands of someone else, I could have maybe, probably enjoyed it. This book just isn't it, and I recommend giving it a hard pass.
A fast-paced thriller with constantly switching perspective. This book is perfect for a quick weekend or getaway read if you're looking for something without a lot of depth.
Sadie hates the idea of sending her only daughter, Emma, to her first day of kindergarten. Sadie just knows something bad is going to happen, and all her worst fears are realized when Emma gets on the school bus but never arrives at school. Cue a storm descending down on her family as the police rush to find the missing girl and Sadie learns that those living around her may harbor their own dark secrets.
The Last Morning has everything you'd expect out of a psychological thriller: a variety of suspects, each of them keeping secrets, and many twists and turns as the days tick away. With short, propulsive chapters, the novel races from start to finish as everyone rushes to find the missing five-year-old. The plot is succinct and with each chapter switching perspectives, the reader gets a look into all of the lives that Emma touched.
The novel does a great job of holding in its secrets, bleeding them out slowly as the tension builds. If you're looking for a quick, surface level read, this one might be for you.
Because other than the plot and pacing, this book lacks just about everything else. The writing is dry and melodramatic, the characters just caricatures of real people, and, well, I'll get to my last criticism in a moment. If I'm honest, I would have DNF'ed this after the first chapter if I hadn't been graced with an advance reader copy.
The writing. It's very formulaic; if I didn't know better, I'd almost guess it had been written by AI. Sadie does this. Allen does this. We both do this. Over and over and over again. I needed some variety, some spice, some active voice. I'd expect this variety of writing from someone who writes as simply a spare time hobby; it's not what I expect from a standalone, published piece.
The characters. They were all cardboard cutouts and simultaneously all the same cardboard cutout. They don't act like real people. Their actions are over the top, and they never have real conversations with one another, just surface level chatter. Once again, they act exactly like I'd expect an AI would design them to act. They follow a sort of cookie-cutter mold of their title: the mom cries, the dad's hiding an affair, the half-brother hates his sister for existing. We see into the character's thoughts quite a lot in this novel, and they all think almost exactly the same. There's so much hate and secret vendettas in each of the characters. I suppose it could make the novel as a whole more interesting, but I just found them all to be deeply unlikable. I don't think any of the characters ever had a nice thing to say (or think) about one another.
The characterization is really my biggest gripe about this book, and the second is how deeply unsettling I found mental health to be portrayed. It's not uncommon to see mental health used as a plot device in books and tv, especially in thrillers like this one. The perpetrator had this disease and it caused them to do x, y, and z. Of course, the media always cranks that concern up to 100 and shows the absolute worst of the person who has it. This novel does the same thing, except it felt like every character had something going on with them, and they were never portrayed in anything but a heinous light. Instead of moments of, hey, maybe we should get this person help, they're called weird or off or problems. Even when they're not the big bad at the end. I don't know. Mental health is definitely a plot device, and when used correctly can still be respectful of the millions of sufferers. I felt nothing respectful about the way the characters were portrayed in this novel, nothing redeeming, and, once again, feels like AI grabbing onto caricatures rather than creating nuanced writing.
I'm not going to get into the ending, but I didn't like it, and I'll leave it at that.
So, the novel had potential. The plot is generic, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. In the hands of someone else, I could have maybe, probably enjoyed it. This book just isn't it, and I recommend giving it a hard pass.
October 9, 2025
This "pulse-pounding psychological thriller" failed to pound my pulse. 😩😭☹️😩
The book's premise was intriguing:
A sweet, scared five-year-old climbed onto the bus for her very first day of kindergarten and disappeared.
Perhaps the issue was with the author's portrayal of the mother's terror?
Rather than crafting nuanced suspense, there was a constant, frantic, repetitive inner monologue of the mother's fear, guilt, and terror that slowed the pace.
As a result, this book was grueling, rather than gripping.
Also, I am not a fan of explicit sex scenes in my thrillers. (Was this really necessary?)
The author did a fabulous job of implicating surrounding characters with red herrings.
However, I would have enjoyed the book more with fewer, well-developed characters.
I listened to the audiobook, expertly narrated by Megan Tusing, Amy Hutchins, Andrew Eiden, Kate Rudd, Coleen Marlo, Rosanna Pilcher, Janet Metzger, and Wayne Mitchell.
Multi-cast narrations are always a treat, and all of the narrators gave outstanding performances.
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 stars, rounded up.
February 27, 2025
WOW! This is thriller book that really takes a lot of twists and turns. You don’t know who to believe, as it takes on the journey of who’s at fault and the reasonings behind it.
This book is about a little girl that goes missing on her very first day of kindergarten. This is always a big fear for any parent. The child’s name is Emma and she is sweet as can be, but she is not thrilled about going to school. The Mom doesn’t want her to go to school, but thinks in her mind that she is most likely overreacting. The Dad is all for her going to school and thinks it will be great for her! The school day came and in the morning, she was seen on a bus by her Parents. She was safely on the bus and headed to school.
So, how did this child that got on a bus in the morning go missing the very same day? Who is to blame? What secrets is the Family hiding? What secrets are the police hiding? Right now, everyone is a suspect. More suspects arise as the case gets further along. Will the child end up being okay, does she go missing forever or is the Family dealt with a tragic ending.
Be sure to read the content warnings before reading this book. I give this book a high 4 star rating!
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this free book in exchange for my honest review!
This book is about a little girl that goes missing on her very first day of kindergarten. This is always a big fear for any parent. The child’s name is Emma and she is sweet as can be, but she is not thrilled about going to school. The Mom doesn’t want her to go to school, but thinks in her mind that she is most likely overreacting. The Dad is all for her going to school and thinks it will be great for her! The school day came and in the morning, she was seen on a bus by her Parents. She was safely on the bus and headed to school.
So, how did this child that got on a bus in the morning go missing the very same day? Who is to blame? What secrets is the Family hiding? What secrets are the police hiding? Right now, everyone is a suspect. More suspects arise as the case gets further along. Will the child end up being okay, does she go missing forever or is the Family dealt with a tragic ending.
Be sure to read the content warnings before reading this book. I give this book a high 4 star rating!
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this free book in exchange for my honest review!
March 10, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, Camden Baird, and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review. Apparently this author has written many books but this is her first thriller. I think she should stick with whatever the other genre is she writes because this was a mess. All the italics!! There were way too many. And I think it would read better had it started at the beginning and played out til the end. The constant back and forth was not it. And the writing was off. It’s marketed as an adult thriller but the writing is more goofy teenage. For instance, she writes about two people getting “in the sack” and someone saying a man’s name gives him a hard on (insert very large eye roll) The twist was kinda meh too. I just don’t think this author is for me.
March 30, 2025
(2.5 stars)
"We could live for years and years in this hell. Spiraling and spiraling into canyons of despair. Never learning the whole truth, whether she's dead or alive." The best thing I can say about The Last Morning is it's a fast read: if you think of it as airport fiction you'll probably like it more than I did. Author Camden Baird travels down a well-worn road, writing about the hunt for a missing kid, but tries to mix it up by explaining what's happening from a range of different perspectives.
There's a lot of telling, from a thin and annoying cast of characters (caricatures?) who don't really behave like normal people, and not a lot of showing. I wasn't convinced by mother Sadie Wilson's anguish, she sounded like a helicopter mum to begin with: "But a mom can't be too careful these days. Everybody knows that. It doesn't matter where you life. Scary people are everywhere." She's pretty fake, including about loving her step-son, Forrest: "Loving Forrest feels right. It's the natural course of things with family. That's what holds my heart open." Wanting to love a step-kid because you think it's what families do, is actually different from loving them.
Her husband, Allen, is a cheating douche, clearly leading his ex-wife on: "He meets my gaze and sensation hums through me like an old familiar song. One I'm desperate to hear again". She's frankly a bit weird, deciding that her future happy family will include a kid who has another parent... It's all kind of incestuous and wrong. Which makes you kind of stop caring who's taken Emma. Nobody seems to deserve her.
The most poorly drawn character is Kate, who keeps talking to Katherine in her own head, in such an obvious and stupid characterisation of dissociative identity disorder. "People liked Kate and she liked herself as Kate more too. So Katherine agreed to back down and let Kate have the first and final say." Cringeworthy, no? There's also a random woman who invites Emma over for a play date despite her kid being dead: "The gist is she wanted to pretend she was someone's mom again, if only briefly, not that she intended Emma any harm." Lots of reviewers mention the 'twists' and 'turns' this book takes. I felt they were all a bit arbitrary. Without filling out the characters, the plot was kind of nonsense.
When you go into a genre where there are thousands of existing books, if you don't add anything new, you're very easily outclassed...
With thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for sending me a copy to read.
"We could live for years and years in this hell. Spiraling and spiraling into canyons of despair. Never learning the whole truth, whether she's dead or alive." The best thing I can say about The Last Morning is it's a fast read: if you think of it as airport fiction you'll probably like it more than I did. Author Camden Baird travels down a well-worn road, writing about the hunt for a missing kid, but tries to mix it up by explaining what's happening from a range of different perspectives.
There's a lot of telling, from a thin and annoying cast of characters (caricatures?) who don't really behave like normal people, and not a lot of showing. I wasn't convinced by mother Sadie Wilson's anguish, she sounded like a helicopter mum to begin with: "But a mom can't be too careful these days. Everybody knows that. It doesn't matter where you life. Scary people are everywhere." She's pretty fake, including about loving her step-son, Forrest: "Loving Forrest feels right. It's the natural course of things with family. That's what holds my heart open." Wanting to love a step-kid because you think it's what families do, is actually different from loving them.
Her husband, Allen, is a cheating douche, clearly leading his ex-wife on: "He meets my gaze and sensation hums through me like an old familiar song. One I'm desperate to hear again". She's frankly a bit weird, deciding that her future happy family will include a kid who has another parent... It's all kind of incestuous and wrong. Which makes you kind of stop caring who's taken Emma. Nobody seems to deserve her.
The most poorly drawn character is Kate, who keeps talking to Katherine in her own head, in such an obvious and stupid characterisation of dissociative identity disorder. "People liked Kate and she liked herself as Kate more too. So Katherine agreed to back down and let Kate have the first and final say." Cringeworthy, no? There's also a random woman who invites Emma over for a play date despite her kid being dead: "The gist is she wanted to pretend she was someone's mom again, if only briefly, not that she intended Emma any harm." Lots of reviewers mention the 'twists' and 'turns' this book takes. I felt they were all a bit arbitrary. Without filling out the characters, the plot was kind of nonsense.
When you go into a genre where there are thousands of existing books, if you don't add anything new, you're very easily outclassed...
With thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for sending me a copy to read.
March 1, 2025
I had SUCH a fun time with this one! Devoured it in one day.
The story follows a family living in North Carolina. Emma is a five year old girl starting her first day of kindergarten, but she goes missing somewhere between being put on the bus and arriving at school.
This book packs a punch with multiple POVS, multiple days, and multiple suspects. Who’s hiding something? Who do you believe? Where is Emma??
It was so much fun trying to figure it out & piece together the story along with the characters. Fast paced and the various POVs kept it super interesting.
Creative twists and a unique writing style made this one an easy five star thriller for me. Thanks NetGalley for providing me with this book for free! Voluntarily leaving an honest review !
The story follows a family living in North Carolina. Emma is a five year old girl starting her first day of kindergarten, but she goes missing somewhere between being put on the bus and arriving at school.
This book packs a punch with multiple POVS, multiple days, and multiple suspects. Who’s hiding something? Who do you believe? Where is Emma??
It was so much fun trying to figure it out & piece together the story along with the characters. Fast paced and the various POVs kept it super interesting.
Creative twists and a unique writing style made this one an easy five star thriller for me. Thanks NetGalley for providing me with this book for free! Voluntarily leaving an honest review !
October 8, 2025
Sadly this didn’t work for me at all, the plot was definitely there, it just felt a bit poorly executed. it’d be unfair to say that it wasn’t a page turner because I did rush to get to the end. Unfortunately I rushed to the end because despite throwing in a multitude of character pov (and they each remind you who they are) I still figured out really early on whodunnit and rather than make me doubt myself by throwing in twists and turns they only really convinced me that I was correct. I prefer an author to trust their reader, I don’t need to be taken by the hand and guided through the plot it felt really dumbed down in all honesty.
Some of the narrators done a really good job others were a stretch, particularly the cop.
I wouldn’t dismiss reading from the author again despite not enjoying this one.
Many thanks to Brilliance publishing via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook which is available now 🎧
Some of the narrators done a really good job others were a stretch, particularly the cop.
I wouldn’t dismiss reading from the author again despite not enjoying this one.
Many thanks to Brilliance publishing via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook which is available now 🎧
October 9, 2025
I really enjoyed the audiobook edition of The Last Morning by Camden Baird. The cast of narrators—Megan Tusing, Amy Hutchins, Andrew Eiden, Kate Rudd, Coleen Marlo, Rosanna Pilcher, Janet Metzger, and Wayne Mitchell—was fantastic. Each performer brought their characters to life and made it easy to follow the story even with so many perspectives. The pacing was excellent, which made it a very easy and immersive listen from start to finish. I read this in a day!
The mystery itself was clever and full of red herrings, keeping me guessing throughout. I especially appreciated the missing child trope—it added a layer of tension that made the stakes feel more real. While I found the story engaging overall, I did feel the ending fell a little short of being fully satisfying. It wrapped up the plot, but I wanted just a bit more payoff given the strong build-up throughout.
Despite that small quibble, this is a well-crafted and enjoyable audiobook, and the multiple narrators elevated the experience in a big way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the ARC.
The mystery itself was clever and full of red herrings, keeping me guessing throughout. I especially appreciated the missing child trope—it added a layer of tension that made the stakes feel more real. While I found the story engaging overall, I did feel the ending fell a little short of being fully satisfying. It wrapped up the plot, but I wanted just a bit more payoff given the strong build-up throughout.
Despite that small quibble, this is a well-crafted and enjoyable audiobook, and the multiple narrators elevated the experience in a big way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the ARC.
September 8, 2025
☀️🌲 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 // 𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘥
The gist of this one is…a mother dreads sending her little girl to school and just has an overall bad feeling about it. Her worst nightmare realizes when her daughter never makes it to school. Sadie, the mother, is distraught and intent on finding her daughter while also trying to figure out just who she can trust and who is lying to her.
A twisty thriller that will have you guessing and questioning everyone’s motives, this one was a fast paced, very beach read’y. You know, that kind of thriller that you liked, but it’s just not love…the kind of book you can passively read while having a conversation at the same time and still not skip a beat with the plot.
I found it very formulaic and typical. There are a variety of characters that you suspect, lots of twists, and tons of secrets revealed as the plot unfolds. The chapters are short- which is a plus- and kept me reading.
I wouldn’t say it was a bad read, as I did fly through it and couldn’t wait to get to the end and figure it all out, BUT it also wasn’t something I’ll be eager to recommend to someone as I just felt it was a run of the mill thriller with no real stand out qualities.
🖤🖤💕/5
The gist of this one is…a mother dreads sending her little girl to school and just has an overall bad feeling about it. Her worst nightmare realizes when her daughter never makes it to school. Sadie, the mother, is distraught and intent on finding her daughter while also trying to figure out just who she can trust and who is lying to her.
A twisty thriller that will have you guessing and questioning everyone’s motives, this one was a fast paced, very beach read’y. You know, that kind of thriller that you liked, but it’s just not love…the kind of book you can passively read while having a conversation at the same time and still not skip a beat with the plot.
I found it very formulaic and typical. There are a variety of characters that you suspect, lots of twists, and tons of secrets revealed as the plot unfolds. The chapters are short- which is a plus- and kept me reading.
I wouldn’t say it was a bad read, as I did fly through it and couldn’t wait to get to the end and figure it all out, BUT it also wasn’t something I’ll be eager to recommend to someone as I just felt it was a run of the mill thriller with no real stand out qualities.
🖤🖤💕/5
October 4, 2025
go on a read and find out what happened to Emma that morning. I enjoyed the switching between views and the short chapters. I must say I really dislike Allen. overall it was an ok read. not the greatest of twists or endings. not sure if ill continue onto book 2 in this series as again I really can't stand Allen.
February 28, 2025
"Somebody noticed and someone knows."
The Last Morning follows a seemingly average/modern day family. Sadie, mom. Allen, dad. Emma, daughter. Forrest, half-brother. Teresa/Teri, ex-wife. On the morning of Emma's first day of school, nervous first-time mother Sadie gets a phone call a mother never wants to hear. Emma isn't at school. In fact, no one know where she is. We follow mainly Sadie, as her life, relationships and own mental state breaks down. We also see different POV's such as Allen's, Teresa's, Staff at school and Police, giving us a very wide scope of the situation and different experiences as the events take place.
Trigger warnings: Abduction, Sexual themes, Descriptions of Violence, Mental Health issues.
I definitely enjoyed this read. I am a massive fan of the Thrillers/Mystery/Crime genres and this book matched the standards of your bestsellers. It's fast paced, emotion driven with realistic situations and characters. I think the character of Sadie was perfectly done and the characters within the family were very well written. The twist was good, original from what I've previously read. This may have been one of my fastest reads ever, 2 days!
I did find myself having to re-read some sections due to the feelings of missing pieces of the puzzle, however the author does seem to clear this up by wrapping up the sections every now and then by having different characters repeat the same information. Some characters on the outside of the family seemed a little over-the-top at times, accusing themselves multiples throughout the book within their inner monologues, meaning as readers, we had a lot of red herrings.
There were a few grammar/spelling mistakes within the text, but nothing that really broke the immersive of the story. The ending felt slightly rushed, with what I personally feel are some loose ends.
Overall, I am giving the book 4/5 stars and would very happily recommend this book to others who are interested in the Thriller/Mystery/Crime genre. I believe this book would also be a good introduction to someone who hasn't explored these genres before. I am very interested in reading more of Camden Baird's work.
Thank you Camden Baird, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC!
The Last Morning follows a seemingly average/modern day family. Sadie, mom. Allen, dad. Emma, daughter. Forrest, half-brother. Teresa/Teri, ex-wife. On the morning of Emma's first day of school, nervous first-time mother Sadie gets a phone call a mother never wants to hear. Emma isn't at school. In fact, no one know where she is. We follow mainly Sadie, as her life, relationships and own mental state breaks down. We also see different POV's such as Allen's, Teresa's, Staff at school and Police, giving us a very wide scope of the situation and different experiences as the events take place.
Trigger warnings: Abduction, Sexual themes, Descriptions of Violence, Mental Health issues.
I definitely enjoyed this read. I am a massive fan of the Thrillers/Mystery/Crime genres and this book matched the standards of your bestsellers. It's fast paced, emotion driven with realistic situations and characters. I think the character of Sadie was perfectly done and the characters within the family were very well written. The twist was good, original from what I've previously read. This may have been one of my fastest reads ever, 2 days!
I did find myself having to re-read some sections due to the feelings of missing pieces of the puzzle, however the author does seem to clear this up by wrapping up the sections every now and then by having different characters repeat the same information. Some characters on the outside of the family seemed a little over-the-top at times, accusing themselves multiples throughout the book within their inner monologues, meaning as readers, we had a lot of red herrings.
There were a few grammar/spelling mistakes within the text, but nothing that really broke the immersive of the story. The ending felt slightly rushed, with what I personally feel are some loose ends.
Overall, I am giving the book 4/5 stars and would very happily recommend this book to others who are interested in the Thriller/Mystery/Crime genre. I believe this book would also be a good introduction to someone who hasn't explored these genres before. I am very interested in reading more of Camden Baird's work.
Thank you Camden Baird, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC!
October 11, 2025
I don't know if I've despised so many characters at once. Why are so many people fawning over Allen?! He's got the personality of burnt toast.
The disdain I felt for so many of these characters is what kept me going. I was so sure I had it all figured out, but the twists hit like a freight train.
I listened to the audio from Brilliance Audio and Netgalley while reading along. The narrators did a phenomenal job bringing all of these characters to life. Each one set the tone that had me stuck to the edge of my seat.
The disdain I felt for so many of these characters is what kept me going. I was so sure I had it all figured out, but the twists hit like a freight train.
I listened to the audio from Brilliance Audio and Netgalley while reading along. The narrators did a phenomenal job bringing all of these characters to life. Each one set the tone that had me stuck to the edge of my seat.
September 27, 2025
The Last Morning by Camden Baird. Thanks to @amazonpublishing for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️
When a little girl goes missing between her school bus ride and the first day of school, there are several suspects looked into.
If you’re looking for a fast paced page turner, pick this one up; it’s definitely that. To me the plot was a bit bland, not much more than a basic kidnapping whodunnit, but it was an easy and entertaining read. I just didn’t get enthralled or twisted into the plot as well as I could have.
“Id chase down drug-dealing thugs any day. At least then it’s a fair fight. With these kids, they’re outmatched.”
The Last Morning comes out 10/1.
When a little girl goes missing between her school bus ride and the first day of school, there are several suspects looked into.
If you’re looking for a fast paced page turner, pick this one up; it’s definitely that. To me the plot was a bit bland, not much more than a basic kidnapping whodunnit, but it was an easy and entertaining read. I just didn’t get enthralled or twisted into the plot as well as I could have.
“Id chase down drug-dealing thugs any day. At least then it’s a fair fight. With these kids, they’re outmatched.”
The Last Morning comes out 10/1.
December 10, 2025
Great audiobook! I loved the multiple narrators!
September 6, 2025
This was a fast-paced, easy read. I actually liked it a lot. One of the strongest parts of the book was how relatable the mother was. Her anxiety and the constant terror when walking out the door, the suspicion of everyone around her, even strangers in the grocery store, felt incredibly real. It’s one of the more realistic portrayals of a mother in a kidnapping story that I’ve read, and it gave the story really strong bones.
That said, there were some big misses for me. I haven’t decided yet if these misses really affect how I feel about the book, which is why I’m just going to maintain at 3 stars.
The Kate/Katherine dynamic didn’t land for me. It was written as if Kate had two personalities, with the second named Katherine. But it felt more like Kate just gave her intrusive thoughts a name. It read almost like a poor attempt at DID, which was distracting and poorly executed. One thing that just grinds my gears is inaccurate portrayals of mental health.
I also had an issue with the number of POVs in this story. I believe there were eight perspectives, which made the story feel scattered. I think it would have been stronger if it stayed with one or two voices. Sadie’s for sure, maybe Allen’s. That would have built suspense more naturally and given the twists greater emotional weight since we’d be experiencing everything directly through the parents’ eyes.
The interconnectedness of the characters also really stretched believability. Cass knew Allen, Allen served on Walsh’s jury, Dotty was Walsh’s mom and Kate’s teacher assistant, Kate was Diane’s sister, Diane was Allen’s ex, Diane turned out to be Chelsea, and Chelsea was Walsh’s ex-wife. And these are all things we’re learning as part of the suspense. Like layers on an onion, it just kept going. It just felt like too much. Too many parts.
Speaking of too many parts. There were some plot points that I think were unnecessary. Honestly, the entire Chelsea plot could have been cut without the story losing anything. And the plot twist with Allen at the end felt out of character. It was interesting it was even included at all, because this was revealed in the last chapter, so it does absolutely nothing to further the plot, and kind of diminishes the character building throughout the entire book. All the ends were getting tied, but then all of a sudden there was a new plot point. Also, the Cass subplot was another letdown. There was buildup around her potentially being a suspect, but the resolution fell flat. The police dismissed her somewhat early and then she essentially disappeared from the story.
The book had potential, with a relatable main character and good pacing, but it was weighed down by several unnecessary POVs, unrealistic character ties, and poorly executed subplots. Like I said, I think these are all personal nitpicks. The book itself was enjoyable and easy to read.
That said, there were some big misses for me. I haven’t decided yet if these misses really affect how I feel about the book, which is why I’m just going to maintain at 3 stars.
The Kate/Katherine dynamic didn’t land for me. It was written as if Kate had two personalities, with the second named Katherine. But it felt more like Kate just gave her intrusive thoughts a name. It read almost like a poor attempt at DID, which was distracting and poorly executed. One thing that just grinds my gears is inaccurate portrayals of mental health.
I also had an issue with the number of POVs in this story. I believe there were eight perspectives, which made the story feel scattered. I think it would have been stronger if it stayed with one or two voices. Sadie’s for sure, maybe Allen’s. That would have built suspense more naturally and given the twists greater emotional weight since we’d be experiencing everything directly through the parents’ eyes.
The interconnectedness of the characters also really stretched believability. Cass knew Allen, Allen served on Walsh’s jury, Dotty was Walsh’s mom and Kate’s teacher assistant, Kate was Diane’s sister, Diane was Allen’s ex, Diane turned out to be Chelsea, and Chelsea was Walsh’s ex-wife. And these are all things we’re learning as part of the suspense. Like layers on an onion, it just kept going. It just felt like too much. Too many parts.
Speaking of too many parts. There were some plot points that I think were unnecessary. Honestly, the entire Chelsea plot could have been cut without the story losing anything. And the plot twist with Allen at the end felt out of character. It was interesting it was even included at all, because this was revealed in the last chapter, so it does absolutely nothing to further the plot, and kind of diminishes the character building throughout the entire book. All the ends were getting tied, but then all of a sudden there was a new plot point. Also, the Cass subplot was another letdown. There was buildup around her potentially being a suspect, but the resolution fell flat. The police dismissed her somewhat early and then she essentially disappeared from the story.
The book had potential, with a relatable main character and good pacing, but it was weighed down by several unnecessary POVs, unrealistic character ties, and poorly executed subplots. Like I said, I think these are all personal nitpicks. The book itself was enjoyable and easy to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2025
4.5 STARS
Finding a decent Prime First Reads is challenging, so I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy THE LAST MORNING as much as I did.
Short chapters with multiple points of view, labeled The Mother, The Father, The Teacher, The Cop, The Ex Wife etc told the story in the way that made nearly everyone a suspect. Usually I am not drawn books with so many POVs, but THE LAST MORNING cleverly labeled each short chapter with the narrator, so keeping track of who was telling the story was easy.
Most of the suspicion came from The Husband, Allen’s past, though most of the characters were less than forthcoming. I changed who I thought to be the perpetrator multiple times throughout the book.
THE LAST MORNING is the first book in a new series. Sign me up for book two.
Finding a decent Prime First Reads is challenging, so I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy THE LAST MORNING as much as I did.
Short chapters with multiple points of view, labeled The Mother, The Father, The Teacher, The Cop, The Ex Wife etc told the story in the way that made nearly everyone a suspect. Usually I am not drawn books with so many POVs, but THE LAST MORNING cleverly labeled each short chapter with the narrator, so keeping track of who was telling the story was easy.
Most of the suspicion came from The Husband, Allen’s past, though most of the characters were less than forthcoming. I changed who I thought to be the perpetrator multiple times throughout the book.
THE LAST MORNING is the first book in a new series. Sign me up for book two.
April 16, 2025
I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve read too many mystery/thriller books before or what, but this one felt so basic(?) to me. Like, there’s nothing new here. It’s another missing child story, then there’s the added ex (whether it’s an ex-wife, ex-husband, or ex-partner), and that ex is always the main suspect. Seriously, nothing new and nothing interesting.
The beginning was also kind of weird. There was a scene where Emma goes to school for a bit, then suddenly she was missing—and that all happens before the actual story even begin. I think it would’ve been better if the book had started right at the moment she went missing. That earlier scene just didn’t feel necessary.
The book is told from multiple POVs; Sadie, Teresa, Allen, and a few others people working on that case. But for some reason, I felt like all of them, even though written in first person, they had the exact same voice. Like they all had the same personality. Also, the whole book feels very “tell, don’t show” and that annoyed me a lil bit. It gave the impression of something written by someone who’s new to writing for readers who are also new to reading mystery/thrillers.
Because of how basic the plot is, I just couldn’t bring myself to care about the mystery or plot twist. I was completely uninterested.
Thanks Netgalley for the copy of this book.
The beginning was also kind of weird. There was a scene where Emma goes to school for a bit, then suddenly she was missing—and that all happens before the actual story even begin. I think it would’ve been better if the book had started right at the moment she went missing. That earlier scene just didn’t feel necessary.
The book is told from multiple POVs; Sadie, Teresa, Allen, and a few others people working on that case. But for some reason, I felt like all of them, even though written in first person, they had the exact same voice. Like they all had the same personality. Also, the whole book feels very “tell, don’t show” and that annoyed me a lil bit. It gave the impression of something written by someone who’s new to writing for readers who are also new to reading mystery/thrillers.
Because of how basic the plot is, I just couldn’t bring myself to care about the mystery or plot twist. I was completely uninterested.
Thanks Netgalley for the copy of this book.
March 13, 2025
A really solid, fast paced thriller here! It's all about every parents worst nightmare... you put your young child on the bus for their very first day of kindergarten, sending them out into the world for the first time. Only later, you get a call from the school because your child is absent. Seems they never made it off the bus. So what happened? How did you put them on the bus only to have them not make it to their destination?
This story had quite a few twists and turns, some predictable and some not. There were so many possible suspects from the parents themselves to the school teachers and principals, the bus driver, strange neighbours and angry exes. Basically, everyone was hiding something so any one of them could have kidnapped a child. So many secrets and lies! It was quite entertaining to read as the story unfolded. Would recommend!
This story had quite a few twists and turns, some predictable and some not. There were so many possible suspects from the parents themselves to the school teachers and principals, the bus driver, strange neighbours and angry exes. Basically, everyone was hiding something so any one of them could have kidnapped a child. So many secrets and lies! It was quite entertaining to read as the story unfolded. Would recommend!
July 7, 2025
When Emma disappears on her very first day of kindergarten, everyone becomes a suspect. It seems that everyone holds secrets, some worse than others. The author wants the reader to think everyone is guilty. The short chapters make this easy to read, but the many differing points of view really bogged down the story.
With the secret love stories, relationships with the father and his past, and the mother’s relentless blaming, this had the makings of a good book. Unfortunately, I found it too slow with a very lackluster ending.
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the eARC.
With the secret love stories, relationships with the father and his past, and the mother’s relentless blaming, this had the makings of a good book. Unfortunately, I found it too slow with a very lackluster ending.
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the eARC.
June 5, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This was a fast-paced, easy read packed with a lot of twists and turns. Perfect for fans of quick thrillers that don’t let up. Freida McFadden fans will love this.
November 2, 2025
One minute Sadie’s waving goodbye to her daughter, the next she’s living every parent’s worst nightmare. I was utterly immersed in this dramatic psychological thriller—an impressive debut from Camden Baird, whose fast-paced, emotional writing and short, suspenseful chapters kept me hooked from start to finish.
When Sadie puts her five-year-old daughter on the school bus and she never arrives, a frantic search begins. As secrets unravel in their small town, Sadie realizes everyone—neighbors, friends, even family—might be hiding something.
I loved how this story grabbed me from the very first page and never let go. The tension builds steadily, and the multiple perspectives add depth and intrigue without slowing the pace. Sadie’s fear and desperation felt raw and believable, and the small-town setting added that perfect layer of secrecy and unease. It’s the kind of thriller that keeps you guessing while tugging at your emotions at the same time.
What made this one stand out from other missing-child thrillers was how emotionally grounded it felt. Instead of relying only on shock twists, Baird focused on the raw fear, guilt, and desperation of a mother searching for her child. The multiple POVs added fresh insight into how a community unravels under pressure, and the pacing struck a great balance between psychological depth and page-turning suspense. It felt less like a formulaic whodunit and more like a deeply human story about trust, secrets, and survival.
My only criticism is that there were moments when the shifting perspectives made it a little harder to stay fully connected to Sadie’s storyline, but overall it didn’t take away from the tension or emotional pull of the story. That said, I’m ready to dive right into the sequel to this story, The Next Lie. If you like fast-paced, character-driven suspense that keeps you guessing while pulling at your heartstrings and books by Nicole Trope and Mary Kubica, you’ll enjoy Camden Baird’s psychological thriller, The Last Morning.
I listened to the audiobook, which features a full cast of narrators including Megan Tusing, Amy Hutchins, Andrew Eiden, and Kate Rudd, among others. The multiple voices worked perfectly with the shifting perspectives, making it easy to follow and adding extra tension throughout. Megan Tusing and Kate Rudd especially stood out, bringing real emotion to Sadie’s chapters and making the story feel even more immersive. I definitely recommend listening to the audiobook.
When Sadie puts her five-year-old daughter on the school bus and she never arrives, a frantic search begins. As secrets unravel in their small town, Sadie realizes everyone—neighbors, friends, even family—might be hiding something.
I loved how this story grabbed me from the very first page and never let go. The tension builds steadily, and the multiple perspectives add depth and intrigue without slowing the pace. Sadie’s fear and desperation felt raw and believable, and the small-town setting added that perfect layer of secrecy and unease. It’s the kind of thriller that keeps you guessing while tugging at your emotions at the same time.
What made this one stand out from other missing-child thrillers was how emotionally grounded it felt. Instead of relying only on shock twists, Baird focused on the raw fear, guilt, and desperation of a mother searching for her child. The multiple POVs added fresh insight into how a community unravels under pressure, and the pacing struck a great balance between psychological depth and page-turning suspense. It felt less like a formulaic whodunit and more like a deeply human story about trust, secrets, and survival.
My only criticism is that there were moments when the shifting perspectives made it a little harder to stay fully connected to Sadie’s storyline, but overall it didn’t take away from the tension or emotional pull of the story. That said, I’m ready to dive right into the sequel to this story, The Next Lie. If you like fast-paced, character-driven suspense that keeps you guessing while pulling at your heartstrings and books by Nicole Trope and Mary Kubica, you’ll enjoy Camden Baird’s psychological thriller, The Last Morning.
I listened to the audiobook, which features a full cast of narrators including Megan Tusing, Amy Hutchins, Andrew Eiden, and Kate Rudd, among others. The multiple voices worked perfectly with the shifting perspectives, making it easy to follow and adding extra tension throughout. Megan Tusing and Kate Rudd especially stood out, bringing real emotion to Sadie’s chapters and making the story feel even more immersive. I definitely recommend listening to the audiobook.
October 10, 2025
The Last Morning is definitely a pulse pounding debut! As a mother,books that involve children that go missing always hit me so hard. This one was no exception. The audiobook has a full cast of characters which I enjoyed and truly brought the story to life. I will admit, the twists caught me off guard! I will be on the look out for more releases from Baird.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 1, 2025
This was a book that was full of twists and turns.
A little girl goes missing on her first day at nursery school, Taken from the school bus that Sadie, her mother, watched her board. So many characters had reasons why they might kidnap an innocent 5 year old. It was an interesting read but only warranted 4 stars but for the very unexpected ending which elevated it to a 5.
As psychological thrillers go, l have read better. There were no heartstopping moments, but for a first novel it was good and very readable.
A little girl goes missing on her first day at nursery school, Taken from the school bus that Sadie, her mother, watched her board. So many characters had reasons why they might kidnap an innocent 5 year old. It was an interesting read but only warranted 4 stars but for the very unexpected ending which elevated it to a 5.
As psychological thrillers go, l have read better. There were no heartstopping moments, but for a first novel it was good and very readable.
Read
December 28, 2025Don't waste your time.
May 14, 2025
In her psychological thriller debut, author Camden Baird lays bare the anguish and terror of a mother living out her worst nightmare when her young child goes missing.
Sadie Wilson’s heart stops the moment the phone rings. Deep in her soul, she knows what’s coming, and the voice on the other end only confirms her fears: Emma never made it to school. Her sweet, scared five-year-old climbed onto the bus for her very first day of kindergarten…and then vanished.
Struggling to push aside her grief to focus on getting her daughter back, Sadie finds herself slipping deeper into despair. The growing list of suspects weighs heavily on her mind: the secretive teacher, the registered sex offender, the delusional neighbor, the disgruntled ex-wife, the evasive principal—everyone seems to have a connection to Emma. And a surprising grudge to bear.
Thankfully Sadie’s got her loving husband, Allen, by her side. But she can’t help feeling he’s hiding something too.
Edgy and full of twists, The Last Morning is an emotional thrill ride, unfolding little by little from each suspect’s point of view.
Lots of twists lots of suspects keeps you interested until the end and a delightful twist right at the end!
All the characters give a different perspective on the events and some have a secret to hide, great page turner look forward to reading more of the authors work.
Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and net galley for an advance copy.
Sadie Wilson’s heart stops the moment the phone rings. Deep in her soul, she knows what’s coming, and the voice on the other end only confirms her fears: Emma never made it to school. Her sweet, scared five-year-old climbed onto the bus for her very first day of kindergarten…and then vanished.
Struggling to push aside her grief to focus on getting her daughter back, Sadie finds herself slipping deeper into despair. The growing list of suspects weighs heavily on her mind: the secretive teacher, the registered sex offender, the delusional neighbor, the disgruntled ex-wife, the evasive principal—everyone seems to have a connection to Emma. And a surprising grudge to bear.
Thankfully Sadie’s got her loving husband, Allen, by her side. But she can’t help feeling he’s hiding something too.
Edgy and full of twists, The Last Morning is an emotional thrill ride, unfolding little by little from each suspect’s point of view.
Lots of twists lots of suspects keeps you interested until the end and a delightful twist right at the end!
All the characters give a different perspective on the events and some have a secret to hide, great page turner look forward to reading more of the authors work.
Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and net galley for an advance copy.
March 23, 2025
First of all, thank you so much to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and ofcourse the author; Camden Baird for providing the ARC for this book. I truly appreciate the opportunity to read and review it.
Okay, so this is exactly the kind of thriller we readers deserve. From the very first page, the book throws you straight into the plot, which was incredibly satisfying. There’s no slow build-up. It grabs your attention immediately and it makes you want to read the whole book in one sitting. The pacing is spot-on, keeping you on edge the entire time.
One of the things I loved most was how well the book builds suspense. The stakes are high, the tension is amazing, and the dark, twisted reality it creates completely pulls you in. The author does an amazing job of making you question everything and everyone. Just when you think you have things figured out, another twist throws you off balance.
And that ending—wow! I genuinely did not see that coming. It was shocking in the best way possible, leaving me thinking about the book long after I had finished. If you're a fan of gripping, unpredictable thrillers, you should read this book.
#NetGalley
Okay, so this is exactly the kind of thriller we readers deserve. From the very first page, the book throws you straight into the plot, which was incredibly satisfying. There’s no slow build-up. It grabs your attention immediately and it makes you want to read the whole book in one sitting. The pacing is spot-on, keeping you on edge the entire time.
One of the things I loved most was how well the book builds suspense. The stakes are high, the tension is amazing, and the dark, twisted reality it creates completely pulls you in. The author does an amazing job of making you question everything and everyone. Just when you think you have things figured out, another twist throws you off balance.
And that ending—wow! I genuinely did not see that coming. It was shocking in the best way possible, leaving me thinking about the book long after I had finished. If you're a fan of gripping, unpredictable thrillers, you should read this book.
#NetGalley
June 19, 2025
*Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for an arc of The Last Morning. I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.*
For someone who reads a lot of thrillers, I don’t think I’ve ever gotten around to reading a plot with a child abduction storyline. While I was excited to start reading the story, I was also concerned it would be too dark and heavy - luckily, I didn’t need to worry about that at all.
The Last Morning was fast-paced and light at the same time as the plot got dark, and I wasn’t bored for a single page while reading.
I thought the amount of POV’s would be confusing at first, especially since the book was less than 300 pages, but it was surprisingly easy to follow. Despite how many characters had motives for the abduction, I kept switching between my opinions of them at such a rapid rate that I couldn’t for the life of me try to guess the outcome of the plot.
This is a perfect pick for anyone who wants a fast thriller with constant twists and short chapters, and I can’t wait for more thrillers from the author in the future.
For someone who reads a lot of thrillers, I don’t think I’ve ever gotten around to reading a plot with a child abduction storyline. While I was excited to start reading the story, I was also concerned it would be too dark and heavy - luckily, I didn’t need to worry about that at all.
The Last Morning was fast-paced and light at the same time as the plot got dark, and I wasn’t bored for a single page while reading.
I thought the amount of POV’s would be confusing at first, especially since the book was less than 300 pages, but it was surprisingly easy to follow. Despite how many characters had motives for the abduction, I kept switching between my opinions of them at such a rapid rate that I couldn’t for the life of me try to guess the outcome of the plot.
This is a perfect pick for anyone who wants a fast thriller with constant twists and short chapters, and I can’t wait for more thrillers from the author in the future.
June 30, 2025
When precious Emma doesn’t arrive to her first day of kindergarten, the question is who was it? The Jealous Ex-Wife? The Husband? The Primary Teacher? A Stranger?
What a start to the story. The author does such a great job sucking you in and keeping your anxiety high. Every chapter kept me wanting to read on to figure out what happened to Emma.
Why does Allen know every suspect in this case? How many lies and coverups will it take for the truth to finally make way?
With every twist and turn you will uncover the truth behind what happened to that little girl. So much to unpack in such a good way. I just kept scrolling and did not see the kidnapper/ending turning out like that. Really enjoyed this ARC read! Thank you so much for the opportunity.
What a start to the story. The author does such a great job sucking you in and keeping your anxiety high. Every chapter kept me wanting to read on to figure out what happened to Emma.
Why does Allen know every suspect in this case? How many lies and coverups will it take for the truth to finally make way?
With every twist and turn you will uncover the truth behind what happened to that little girl. So much to unpack in such a good way. I just kept scrolling and did not see the kidnapper/ending turning out like that. Really enjoyed this ARC read! Thank you so much for the opportunity.
April 30, 2025
OMG - every parent's nightmare - put your child on the bus in the morning and get a call from the school alerting you ... your child did not make it to the classroom. Sadie, the mother, was nervous about Emma's first day of school (would she make friends, would she like the teacher) but never expected Emma to go missing!
Unraveling the mystery of what happened to Emma was crazy. Throughout the book, my suspect list changed a few times. I think the only one i was sure did not take Emma was Sadie.
Finding out who did it and why was not what I expected.
I did like this and would recommend to fans of mysteries.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!
Unraveling the mystery of what happened to Emma was crazy. Throughout the book, my suspect list changed a few times. I think the only one i was sure did not take Emma was Sadie.
Finding out who did it and why was not what I expected.
I did like this and would recommend to fans of mysteries.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!
April 8, 2025
Talk about a moms worst nightmare. I was not expecting any of the reveals that this book had. The twists and turns that this book took were crazy. The entire time I was questioning who took Emma. I totally agreed and understood why the mom was doing what she was doing while waiting to figure out where and what happened to Emma. Overall a great thriller that really has you on the edge of your seat.
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