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Last to Leave
A trendy, fast-paced mystery for fans of the Knives Out movies as well as Netflix's The Residence.
Video game streamer Fallon joins a 1920s-themed murder mystery game, and the only thing more important than figuring out whodunit is who has the most fans.
When seventeen-year-old up-and-coming video game streamer and content creator, Fallon, earns a coveted spot in the new murder-mystery reality game, SleuthIt, her objective seems pretty straightforward: play the game, solve the mystery, and win the million-dollar prize. The fact that she’ll do it all on livestream with seven other young content creators only makes things better—after all, increased exposure is influencer gold, and winning will catapult her gaming channel to the next level.
But unbeknownst to each other, the contestants are interconnected, and when one of them turns out to be Fallon’s online gaming partner, Dante, she starts to doubt the objective of the game. The intrigue runs much deeper than Fallon ever thought—the eight contestants chosen for the show are not the only players in the game, and the interlopers have hidden agendas and competing interests.
As secrets come out and the lines between ally and adversary blur, Fallon will have to figure out what game she’s really playing, who might be playing her, and what she’s willing to sacrifice in pursuit of fame and fortune. Because, in the end, no one can have it all.
Video game streamer Fallon joins a 1920s-themed murder mystery game, and the only thing more important than figuring out whodunit is who has the most fans.
When seventeen-year-old up-and-coming video game streamer and content creator, Fallon, earns a coveted spot in the new murder-mystery reality game, SleuthIt, her objective seems pretty straightforward: play the game, solve the mystery, and win the million-dollar prize. The fact that she’ll do it all on livestream with seven other young content creators only makes things better—after all, increased exposure is influencer gold, and winning will catapult her gaming channel to the next level.
But unbeknownst to each other, the contestants are interconnected, and when one of them turns out to be Fallon’s online gaming partner, Dante, she starts to doubt the objective of the game. The intrigue runs much deeper than Fallon ever thought—the eight contestants chosen for the show are not the only players in the game, and the interlopers have hidden agendas and competing interests.
As secrets come out and the lines between ally and adversary blur, Fallon will have to figure out what game she’s really playing, who might be playing her, and what she’s willing to sacrifice in pursuit of fame and fortune. Because, in the end, no one can have it all.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published June 2, 2026
About the author
Teresa Richards
10 books58 followersTeresa Richards is an award-winning and Amazon-best-selling author of young-adult fiction, and is a member of SCBWI and the Storymakers Guild. She’s a California girl in Kentucky and loves hiking, playing the piano, and impromptu dance parties. Teresa and her husband have five kids and an anxious dog. When she’s not busy writing or momming, she’s probably singing random song lyrics on repeat or hiding in the house with a treat she’s not planning to share.
You can connect with Teresa on Instagram @authorteresarichards, Facebook @AuthorTeresaRichards, or visit her website: authorteresarichards.com.
You can connect with Teresa on Instagram @authorteresarichards, Facebook @AuthorTeresaRichards, or visit her website: authorteresarichards.com.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 26, 2026
The vibes of the book was Clue with a little Agatha Christie thrown in, which is right up my alley. The story follows gamer girl Fallon in her quest to play the reality tv show murder mystery game, “SleuthIt” with other fellow popular streamers. This was a unique plot which intrigued me. There were plenty of twists and turns, which kept me interested (and trying to figure out the murder mystery for myself too-ha!) There were a lot of characters in the murder mystery portion of the book which kept it a bit tricky to follow, but overall got the gist of it.
Fallon definitely had a character arc and grew throughout the novel, learning more about family and friendships along the way.
Surprisingly, I did enjoy the romance in this, which wasn’t too heavy-handed and actually had some depth to it for being of young adult.
Overall, this was an enjoyable, clean read that I think will engage a variety of ages, though definitely a heavier percentage of young and young adult readers.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review!
June 12, 2026
4.5 Stars, rounded down
The cover clues here are deceiving, and I think a lot of readers will be disappointed for that reason. If you need deadly stakes, high tension, and sharp twists, this book won't be for you. But I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless. It's a much more straightforward competition story, but the characters are really fun. The writing really sucked me in even without the hooks that I thought it would have. Was it what I thought it would be? Absolutely not. But it was still a good time.
Will this book be for you? Maybe. I think it's a really, really good book. But if you have your heart set on a thriller, well, you might be disappointed. But that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to love here. I'll dive into what went wrong with the marketing (and right with the way the story unfolds) in my complete review, available June 19, 2026 over at Gateway Reviews. Swing by if you're curious!
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
The cover clues here are deceiving, and I think a lot of readers will be disappointed for that reason. If you need deadly stakes, high tension, and sharp twists, this book won't be for you. But I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless. It's a much more straightforward competition story, but the characters are really fun. The writing really sucked me in even without the hooks that I thought it would have. Was it what I thought it would be? Absolutely not. But it was still a good time.
Will this book be for you? Maybe. I think it's a really, really good book. But if you have your heart set on a thriller, well, you might be disappointed. But that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to love here. I'll dive into what went wrong with the marketing (and right with the way the story unfolds) in my complete review, available June 19, 2026 over at Gateway Reviews. Swing by if you're curious!
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
April 16, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!
I absolutely devoured this book. Teresa Richards came out of nowhere with a profoundly deep and powerful message hidden inside a unique and mind-bending story.
Fallon is an unlikeable protagonist who gets accepted to a 1920’s murder mystery reality tv show. She’s a video game streamer and she’s brilliant at it. I adored her from the first page to the last. We get to go on this huge journey with her as she grows stronger, learning to love herself and most importantly, how to have empathy for others. It’s a beautiful theme that the world needs to hear - especially in this online world where we all judge each other from behind screens. I was in tears by the end when Fallon truly accepts herself and how she wants to live. 💖
The plot itself is so fun and frantic. It’s a murder mystery with eight characters roleplaying as eight 1920’s characters. 😂 There is a lot to keep track of but it’s all told in such an easy way. You have no trouble figuring things out because Fallon is such a good protagonist - logical. And what I loved about the plot itself is its uniqueness! I have never seen this kind of book play out in this way. Richards deserves SO much credit for bringing her own twists and developments to the murder mystery trope. 🙌
First and foremost, the book is about Fallon. But… it does have a little romance. Dante is such an unusual protagonist because he’s not built like a top model, not the broody mysterious guy. He’s funny! He’s sarcastic! He jokes around! He also one hundred percent supports Fallon. He truly felt like a person and I appreciated that so much. I wish we could have had even more romantic scenes but the ones we got were so delectable and sweet. 🥰 The perfect YA romance! #fallanteforever
I’d recommend this to fans of gaming, murder mystery parties, streamer culture, and fun, relatable characters. Richards did a fantastic job with her debut and I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for readers!
Please put this on your TBR now!
I absolutely devoured this book. Teresa Richards came out of nowhere with a profoundly deep and powerful message hidden inside a unique and mind-bending story.
Fallon is an unlikeable protagonist who gets accepted to a 1920’s murder mystery reality tv show. She’s a video game streamer and she’s brilliant at it. I adored her from the first page to the last. We get to go on this huge journey with her as she grows stronger, learning to love herself and most importantly, how to have empathy for others. It’s a beautiful theme that the world needs to hear - especially in this online world where we all judge each other from behind screens. I was in tears by the end when Fallon truly accepts herself and how she wants to live. 💖
The plot itself is so fun and frantic. It’s a murder mystery with eight characters roleplaying as eight 1920’s characters. 😂 There is a lot to keep track of but it’s all told in such an easy way. You have no trouble figuring things out because Fallon is such a good protagonist - logical. And what I loved about the plot itself is its uniqueness! I have never seen this kind of book play out in this way. Richards deserves SO much credit for bringing her own twists and developments to the murder mystery trope. 🙌
First and foremost, the book is about Fallon. But… it does have a little romance. Dante is such an unusual protagonist because he’s not built like a top model, not the broody mysterious guy. He’s funny! He’s sarcastic! He jokes around! He also one hundred percent supports Fallon. He truly felt like a person and I appreciated that so much. I wish we could have had even more romantic scenes but the ones we got were so delectable and sweet. 🥰 The perfect YA romance! #fallanteforever
I’d recommend this to fans of gaming, murder mystery parties, streamer culture, and fun, relatable characters. Richards did a fantastic job with her debut and I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for readers!
Please put this on your TBR now!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I just finished reading an advance copy (from the author) of "Last to Leave". This was a FUN read! Lots of twists and turns in the plot and characters that I really liked and a couple I truly enjoyed rooting for. Also, a few bad guys that were fun to hope the worst for. Ha, ha. I was engaged in the story from cover to cover. The ending was not what I expected, but is one that I was very satisfied with. Kudos to Teresa for an engaging and fun tale!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
What an absolutely delightful read!! I always love a book I can’t put down; this one hooked me on the very first page and never let go. If you’re looking for a binge-worthy YA mystery story, this is for you.
I’ve never read a book quite like this one before. I loved the twist on the classic murder mystery premise, using influencer streamers and a game show as the backdrop, which I think will really appeal to today’s YA readers.
I loved the characters. I loved the setting. I loved that there was enough going on that I couldn’t predict the ending. I loved that I was never bored (and my ADHD brain gets bored a LOT). I enthusiastically and wholeheartedly recommend!!
I’ve never read a book quite like this one before. I loved the twist on the classic murder mystery premise, using influencer streamers and a game show as the backdrop, which I think will really appeal to today’s YA readers.
I loved the characters. I loved the setting. I loved that there was enough going on that I couldn’t predict the ending. I loved that I was never bored (and my ADHD brain gets bored a LOT). I enthusiastically and wholeheartedly recommend!!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Clue is probably one of my favorite board games of all time, so when Teresa Richards wrote a book that felt like Cluemeets Big Brother, with a hint of a Mr. Beast–style challenge, I was all in. Given that this novel focuses on wannabe influencers, I really wanted Richards to fully commit to the 1920s murder-mystery concept. Instead, we get selfie-taking contestants running around a mansion, trying to stick to the game mainly to entertain their followers. Richards sets up a cool dual storyline between the influencers and the 1920s murder plot, but because of the influencers’ poor acting, the historical storyline often feels more like a gimmick than a real narrative. No one can stay in character long enough, even though Fallon discovers they each have personal connections to their roles. The murder plot ends up feeling more like a plot device than an actual story and often falls flat when it finally gets attention.
Still, the concept works at times because the real storyline centers on the influencers competing for a chance to win one million dollars — money Fallon desperately needs. With her motto #GirlsCanGame, Fallon hopes to represent women in the gaming community while showing off her strategic skills, earning money, and building an international following. Fallon is a strong character and honestly the only POV I consistently wanted to read. Unlike the beauty influencer, whom Richards writes as vague and often cruel, Fallon has personality and good intentions, even when she makes mistakes. Richards allows her to be flawed while giving her meaningful growth tied to both the competition and what she learns through the mystery.
Dante is a true standout throughout the story, and personally, I would have cut him far more slack than Fallon did. A fellow gamer and Fallon’s online best friend, Dante is also competing — something he hides from her at first. Gaming is not what he is publicly known for, as his prank channel previously crossed paths with Fallon in less-than-positive ways. Richards handles their friendship well, building a slow-burn will-they-won’t-they dynamic that adds tension, especially when the murder mystery itself struggles to hold attention.
Richards’ writing is solid, but the novel ultimately feels overcrowded with ideas. Between friendships and rivalries, layered competitions, and the Clue-style mystery, there is a lot happening at once. I honestly wish readers had more opportunity to solve the mystery alongside Fallon, but constant twists prevent real guessing before the story lands on a fairly obvious final reveal.
Still, the concept works at times because the real storyline centers on the influencers competing for a chance to win one million dollars — money Fallon desperately needs. With her motto #GirlsCanGame, Fallon hopes to represent women in the gaming community while showing off her strategic skills, earning money, and building an international following. Fallon is a strong character and honestly the only POV I consistently wanted to read. Unlike the beauty influencer, whom Richards writes as vague and often cruel, Fallon has personality and good intentions, even when she makes mistakes. Richards allows her to be flawed while giving her meaningful growth tied to both the competition and what she learns through the mystery.
Dante is a true standout throughout the story, and personally, I would have cut him far more slack than Fallon did. A fellow gamer and Fallon’s online best friend, Dante is also competing — something he hides from her at first. Gaming is not what he is publicly known for, as his prank channel previously crossed paths with Fallon in less-than-positive ways. Richards handles their friendship well, building a slow-burn will-they-won’t-they dynamic that adds tension, especially when the murder mystery itself struggles to hold attention.
Richards’ writing is solid, but the novel ultimately feels overcrowded with ideas. Between friendships and rivalries, layered competitions, and the Clue-style mystery, there is a lot happening at once. I honestly wish readers had more opportunity to solve the mystery alongside Fallon, but constant twists prevent real guessing before the story lands on a fairly obvious final reveal.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
LAST TO LEAVE by Teresa Richards (June 2, 2026)
Thank you Netgalley and Charlesbridge Teen for the eArc
When streamer Fallon earns a spot to play the new m*rder mystery game Sleuthit, she's ecstatic: this will catapult her channel. The contestants, it turns out, are connected. When they learn the interlopers have hidden agendas, Fallon must figure out what games she's really playing.
LAST TO LEAVE is a YA mystery that's unlike anything I ever read. This is Clue™ with a twist: the whole game is being live-streamed. I really enjoyed this book. The game itself was super interesting, and the whodunit within the game was surprising. This had a lot of ups and downs in terms of what happened within the game. That added a lot of drama that was needed. It was unconventional for the contestants, though, and I was worried that the way the game ended would be the ending. Luckily, the ending was much more satisfying.
Overall, LAST TO LEAVE is unique, enthralling, and hard to put down.
LAST TO LEAVE by Teresa Richards (June 2, 2026)
Thank you Netgalley and Charlesbridge Teen for the eArc
When streamer Fallon earns a spot to play the new m*rder mystery game Sleuthit, she's ecstatic: this will catapult her channel. The contestants, it turns out, are connected. When they learn the interlopers have hidden agendas, Fallon must figure out what games she's really playing.
LAST TO LEAVE is a YA mystery that's unlike anything I ever read. This is Clue™ with a twist: the whole game is being live-streamed. I really enjoyed this book. The game itself was super interesting, and the whodunit within the game was surprising. This had a lot of ups and downs in terms of what happened within the game. That added a lot of drama that was needed. It was unconventional for the contestants, though, and I was worried that the way the game ended would be the ending. Luckily, the ending was much more satisfying.
Overall, LAST TO LEAVE is unique, enthralling, and hard to put down.
June 15, 2026
Last to Leave by Teresa Richards, 331 pages. Charlesbridge, 2026. $19
Content: PG (fake murders mentioned, adult gets drunk)
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
17yo Fallon is ecstatic; she has the chance of a lifetime to participate in a live-streamed 1920’s themed murder mystery with a million dollar prize. What she didn’t bank on was her best friend, fellow influencer, Dante, also taking part. In the race for answers and the money, can Fallon trust Dante to have her back or will this ruin their friendship before it has a chance to blossom into something more? Ulterior motives, backstabbing, and shady business abound.
Richards gives us a romp of a mystery that doesn’t rely upon blood or sensationalism to make it interesting. I was surprised by the end to realize the lack of content issues. I breezed through this one in the very best way.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
Content: PG (fake murders mentioned, adult gets drunk)
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
17yo Fallon is ecstatic; she has the chance of a lifetime to participate in a live-streamed 1920’s themed murder mystery with a million dollar prize. What she didn’t bank on was her best friend, fellow influencer, Dante, also taking part. In the race for answers and the money, can Fallon trust Dante to have her back or will this ruin their friendship before it has a chance to blossom into something more? Ulterior motives, backstabbing, and shady business abound.
Richards gives us a romp of a mystery that doesn’t rely upon blood or sensationalism to make it interesting. I was surprised by the end to realize the lack of content issues. I breezed through this one in the very best way.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A fun book with a mystery reality game that is a lot like the board game Clue. Eight teen streamers/influencers are invited to a mansion to play the game, SleuthIt, and while each one is trying to solve the mystery, their online fans are helping to vote (think Survivor, since someone is voted off each day). Fallon is our main character and she is a gaming streamer --the plays video games and has a pretty good following. She is joined in the mansion by a fashion influencer and others who post about beauty, daredevil Acts, and pranks. The mystery gives each person an alternate persona and the setting is the 1920s, so there are some slang terms that Fallon and the others are confused by once the hostess, Ms. Honey, starts talking.
Lots of twists and turns. I liked the reality show aspect of this one. But wasn't really happy with the ending. It wasn't all that satisfying.
Lots of twists and turns. I liked the reality show aspect of this one. But wasn't really happy with the ending. It wasn't all that satisfying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2026
Teresa Richard's Last to Leave is a great thrill ride that will appeal to all gamers and lovers of novels about the world of gaming, social media, and reality television.
This modern take on the old Clue board game is simultaneously original and full of nostalgia. The world building is also so complex and layered that it's kind of mind-blowing.
And the ending? Wow. In the movie 2002 movie Adaptation, legendary story consultant Robert McKee gives Academy-Award winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman some amazing advice. He says: "The last act makes a film. Wow them in the end, and you've got a hit." The end of Last to Leave definitely wows us. All of the different threads come together in a twist-filled and satisfying conclusion that readers will love.
This modern take on the old Clue board game is simultaneously original and full of nostalgia. The world building is also so complex and layered that it's kind of mind-blowing.
And the ending? Wow. In the movie 2002 movie Adaptation, legendary story consultant Robert McKee gives Academy-Award winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman some amazing advice. He says: "The last act makes a film. Wow them in the end, and you've got a hit." The end of Last to Leave definitely wows us. All of the different threads come together in a twist-filled and satisfying conclusion that readers will love.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Such a fun premise! A role playing mystery game combined with an online app that's streaming the whole thing combined with players who are big influencers! We are following our girl, Fallen, who is a big gamer streamer and has been chosen to play this game. She's very excited because she needs the money to help with issues her mom's having. So we have her and the other contestants playing the pretend mystery game while at the same time navigating their in real life problems and how all those things connect. It was a really fun read. Look for it to be released June 2!
June 17, 2026
Solid YA puzzle solving mystery. Engaging characters.
Fallon is a video game streamer who really needs money due to some family issues. She gets selected to participate in SleuthIt, a reality competition show, with other streamers. The participant who solves a Clue-like 1920s mystery will win a million dollars. But as she joins her fellow streamers and influencers, things aren't as straightforward as they seemed on the surface.
This is a fun mystery that kept me invested throughout. There are a large number of characters, but they were pretty distinctive so it was easy to keep them straight. Some of the character development is stronger than others--Fallon and Dante are well drawn and have very complex personalities. Some of the other streamers not so much, but overall it doesn't matter because the two main characters were so detailed.
I really enjoyed this novel and would love to see more books embrace the mystery aspect combined with reality puzzle solving.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Fallon is a video game streamer who really needs money due to some family issues. She gets selected to participate in SleuthIt, a reality competition show, with other streamers. The participant who solves a Clue-like 1920s mystery will win a million dollars. But as she joins her fellow streamers and influencers, things aren't as straightforward as they seemed on the surface.
This is a fun mystery that kept me invested throughout. There are a large number of characters, but they were pretty distinctive so it was easy to keep them straight. Some of the character development is stronger than others--Fallon and Dante are well drawn and have very complex personalities. Some of the other streamers not so much, but overall it doesn't matter because the two main characters were so detailed.
I really enjoyed this novel and would love to see more books embrace the mystery aspect combined with reality puzzle solving.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Stayed up late reading this one because I HAD TO KNOW THE ENDING! What a great story concept—the thrills and suspense of “Clue” but set in our modern world with all the drama and twists of reality tv and influencers. The flaws of the main character, Fallon, make her real and relatable, and her fierce determination has you cheering for her all the way to the end. Definitely my new favorite Teresa Richards book!!
July 14, 2026
This was so fun!
Did someone order a zero-gore, low-stakes mystery that's still an engaging page turner? Yes, people ask for that all the time, and it can be difficult to find something that checks all those boxes and also feels fresh and unique. This story was incredibly fun, with just enough of everything- intrigue, romance, angst, friendship, all the good stuff. Last to Leave was a light and fast read I just know will find its audience.
Did someone order a zero-gore, low-stakes mystery that's still an engaging page turner? Yes, people ask for that all the time, and it can be difficult to find something that checks all those boxes and also feels fresh and unique. This story was incredibly fun, with just enough of everything- intrigue, romance, angst, friendship, all the good stuff. Last to Leave was a light and fast read I just know will find its audience.
Review of advance copy received from Author
#fallanteforever. This book has it all, romance, mystery, twists, intrigue and dives into the gaming world. Excellently written, an easy read and peppered with bits of wisdom. I really enjoyed the relationships and the self discoveries that the main character goes through.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Review to come closer to publication date.
Review to come closer to publication date.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
definitely kept me guessing 👀
June 9, 2026
Pretty good even though I dont get streaming
June 14, 2026
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I love a good mystery and this delivered in every way. I did not want to put it down! Which is about the best recommendation I can give. The writing was excellent, I grew to love the characters, the pace of the storytelling was perfect, esp since it is a mystery story. Anytime I thought I knew how the story would unfold I was wrong, which I love because it was not predictable! Beyond the mystery part of the story there was a good message about life and how to handle the unexpected. And about the ability we all have to change and grow as we encounter challenges, make mistakes, and learn how to care about others more than ourselves.
August 25, 2025
I'm the author of this book, and I can't wait for you all to meet Fallon and experience this Clue-inspired story within a story. It's got mystery, romance, and some reality-show level drama. I had so much fun crafting this YA novel that straddles the contemporary and mystery genres. It's a classic Whodunit set in the age of content creators, where the only thing more important than whodunit is who has the most fans.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews