The Last Place You Look

by Nikki Smith

Leo thought he knew his wife. Until she disappeared.

Leo Kennedy has it money, looks, the perfect marriage and luxury homes in the UK and South Africa. But when his wife Addison goes missing, his immaculate life detonates.

48 hours later, Leo arrives at their safari lodge to retrace her steps. Only there's no sign of Addison. Instead, Leo is met with a scene of blood and chaos, and on the wall a missing poster, with his face, his name and his details.

His wife may be missing, but someone wants Leo gone too . . .

From the author of The Beach Party comes a deliciously dark sunlounger thriller, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl and Lucy Clarke's The Hike.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Suspense

Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 2, 2026

About the author

Nikki Smith worked in finance until 2017, when a 'now or never' moment prompted her to apply for the Curtis Brown Creative writing course. She is the author of five novels and co-host of the podcast In Suspense. She lives in Guildford with her family and loves to travel, ideally somewhere hot and sunny.

You can find out more about her on her website www.nikkismithauthor.com & she's on twitter/X as @mrssmithmunday

Reviews

[Kayl_may · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second novel I’ve read by Nikki Smith, after They Had It Coming, and I was excited to see what this one had in store.

Another compelling destination thriller, the story is set between a stunning safari lodge in South Africa and a millionaire’s mansion in the UK. It follows married couple Addison and Leo, centering on the mystery surrounding Addison’s disappearance when she fails to return from the lodge. The chapters alternate between Addison and Leo, covering both the lead-up to her disappearance and its aftermath. I really enjoyed this structure, as it allowed the story to unfold from both perspectives. It also created that sense of potentially unreliable narration, which I always find especially engaging in a thriller.

For me, the first half of the book was more of a slow burn, while the second half picked up the pace considerably, which I preferred. The direction the story took genuinely caught me off guard, and I loved being blindsided by the twists.

I thought the ending was strong. Although a couple of elements felt slightly predictable, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment.

I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from this author — The Guests is already sitting on my TBR pile!

Thank you to Penguin General and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Place You Look by Nikki Smith is an engaging psychological mystery that balances suspense with an evocative sense of place. From the opening chapters, it’s clear this is going to be an easy to read page turner, the kind of book you pick up for a few minutes and suddenly realise you’ve flown through half of.

One of the novel’s biggest strengths lies in its shifting perspectives and the sense that not everything is as it seems. The characters are layered and complex, and the story plays with the idea of unreliable narrators (or are they?) in a way that keeps you constantly second-guessing what you think you know. It’s cleverly done.

The setting is another standout element. The beautifully described South African bush provides a vivid and atmospheric backdrop, with its landscapes woven naturally into the plot. It adds depth and texture to the mystery.

While the pacing occasionally dips in the middle, and a few twists may feel familiar to seasoned readers of the genre, the novel more than makes up for it with its strong sense of place..

Overall, this is a compelling and enjoyable read, perfect for fans of character-driven mysteries with a rich setting and a clever narrative voice. A solid four-star novel. Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nikki Smith absolutely impresses with her latest thriller, The Last Place You Look.

When Leo’s wife, Addison, suddenly disappears, the stability of his life is thrown into doubt. What unfolds is a compelling chain of revelations, drawing together buried secrets, lingering resentment, and present-day strain.

I’m always drawn to unreliable narrators, and Smith handles this brilliantly through three distinct voices. Each perspective carries its own agenda, gradually exposing fragments of the truth. The fractured timeline and shifting viewpoints create a real sense of disorientation, intensifying the mystery in a way that feels almost like piecing together a jigsaw.

One of the standout elements for me was the setting. South Africa is vividly brought to life, with the oppressive heat adding a claustrophobic edge that complements the central narrative.

A richly atmospheric slow burn, threaded with sharp twists and culminating in a powerful, darkly shocking conclusion.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me this free advance copy, and I’m writing this review honestly and without bias.
You just cannot go wrong with a Nikki Smith novel and a go to author for me has once again delivered. This multi layered story is cleverly constructed and nothing is as it seems. The descriptive narrative of South Africa is sublime and adds to the atmosphere of this well written story. The shifting perspectives of the three complex characters works really well. I did guess one of the twists but the others completely blindsided me. Another excellent read from this talented author. 4.5⭐️

[Susan]

This book jumps about too much for me and isn’t interesting enough to make me want to try to read it.

[Books By Your Bedside · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

I've only read one Nikki Smith before - They Had It Coming - but she's already become a name I look out for for unique, intelligent thrillers.

You need your wits about you because it flits backwards and forwards in time and whilst I quite enjoy books that do that, it did take me a little while to get my head around it. Would I have preferred if it had been in chronological order? From an ease perspective, yes. But I can see why she's chosen to write it this way and it does make it ore intense and chaotic, which is the vibe this book needs.

It's very prose heavy and dialogue light which is my preference. I find it's easier for the reader to insert themselves in the scene and makes it easier to follow.

The first 1/3 or so is slower, a slow burn. It's setting the scene, introducing the characters, dripping in the red herrings and whatnot, so that when it starts to gain pace in the second half you are really thrown into it. But no matter the pacing, it felt quick to read and I had it read in less than a day.

I didn't find any of the three main characters likeable, but I actually think that worked in its favour. I can't really explain why, but there's this grittiness about it that would feel at odds with peppy, upbeat, likeable people.

This is set between London and South Africa, and I don't think I've read any, or at least many, books set in South Africa and it's described so beautifully, it really helps add to the atmosphere.

A few of the twists felt familiar. If you're like me and read a lot of thrillers (my most read genre) then some tropes do feel familiar but it's what I want and expect from a thriller. And she's got enough differences to make it feel fresh and original and enjoyable so you're not just reading the same story over again.

I am notoriously rubbish at working out the end of a thriller so it shouldn't come as a surprise that I didn't get the big one in this. I really tried, working out all the clues she's given us, but the big TA-DA moment? No clue.

She drip feeds you cliff-hangers at the end of each chapter that grab you and make you want to read the next one - not that I needed any persuasion.

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leo Kennedy is a very successful man, he has plenty of money and owns properties in the UK and Wilderness Lodge in South Africa. He’s married to Addison, although it’s fair to say she hasn’t been herself lately. Leo flies out to South Africa to join her at their lodge only to find she’s missing, not only that he’s confronted by a horrifying, chaotic and bloody scene. He shocked to the core but also incredulous to find on the wall of the lodge, a missing poster with his name and details. What an earth is going on? Where is Addison and who seems to want Leo gone too?

This is so good and has my attention glued to the narrative from start to finish, scratching my head at all the strange, off kilter, puzzling events, trying to make sense of what seems insoluble whilst nobody is what they appear to be at first glance. What game are they playing? None of the characters are especially likeable, one is creepy, others are one giant chameleon like puzzle or at the very least wolves wearing sheep’s clothing. This is a multilayered mystery thriller and as each one gets peeled back, it reveals yet another tantalising mystery or conundrum. The non-linear timelines add to that, building the tension and suspense which escalates towards the end where there’s plot twist after plot twist leaving me a tad breathless. There are cliffhanger chapter endings that keep me ploughing on – not that I need the incentive, I’m 100% in. The ending is very dramatic as all the gameplay reveals its truth.

Overall, I go to bed thinking about this book trying to figure things out and can’t wait to get back to it next day. Any book that can do that is almost begging to be read. It’s a cracker of a thriller.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin General U.K. For the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

[Sue - Recos and Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Place You Look is a psychological mystery that perfectly combines mounting tension with a vivid and immersive setting. I was thrilled to be able to read an early copy of Nikki’s latest book that is now available for preorder.

📘 INSIDE THE PAGES

Leo has the successful company, the wealth, and Addison, his beautiful younger wife. But how well does Leo really know her? Following a recent car accident, Addison has been showing increasingly troubling behavior, and now she has disappeared. But when Leo arrives in South Africa, the chaos waiting for him brings an even greater shock, it’s his face on the missing poster, not Addison’s.

🌟 MY THOUGHTS

I love a strong destination thriller, and this one certainly delivers on setting. From a stunning wildlife lodge in South Africa to a mega-mansion in Surrey’s exclusive Oxshott estate, where football stars are your neighbors, the backdrop feels every bit as glamorous and intriguing as the story itself.

I enjoyed the shock of the opening chapter and the way the characters’ backstories were gradually revealed. The short chapters and tight pacing kept the tension high, but with timelines moving between days and weeks before Leo’s arrival in South Africa, I had to stay alert to keep everything straight.

For a thriller, the twists matter, and this book handles them well. I guessed a couple along the way, but there were plenty more that completely blindsided me. The unreliable narrators scatter just enough breadcrumbs to keep you guessing, and with three main POVs, the plot feels layered, intricate, and full of surprises.

Nikki Smith once again delivers a smart, engaging thriller, set against a striking backdrop and packed with twists that keep the momentum going right through to the final page.

Huge thanks to Nikki for kindly providing a copy of this book via NetGalley.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Nikki Smith has transported us to a wonderfully exotic destination, and then made sure we all know just how dangerous it really is! Half set in the UK and half set in South Africa at a wildlife lodge, this is a story that had me at times on the edge of my seat and had at least one WTF moment!

In fact I'm still reeling from the finale section, where I literally didn't expect or predict anything that we were presented with. It was totally fabulous and seeing how all the various thread actually intersected in more ways than I would have ever imagined.

What starts to become really apparent quite early on is that you can never really truly know everything about your partner, and that secrets can exist even in the best of marriages. It's just sometimes they are more dangerous than others.

From the prologue, and in fact the blurb we know that when Leo gets to South Africa he is presented with a horrifying sight, from there we get lots of the lead up to his arrival in South Africa, which was really interesting.

I can't say I particularly loved Leo, he definitely had some unlikeable traits, but once we get chapters from Addison's point of view too, I could say the same about her.

What I completely loved were some of the descriptions of the African savannah, and of the animals, and later on just how dangerous the area is, before you add in humans potentially doing stupid or dangerous things.

Another totally brilliant thriller from Nikki Smith, the queen of the destination thriller. Wonder what country she will try to put us off travelling too next year!


Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[KathVBtn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Nikki Smith has said that this might be her favourite book yet and its easy to see why. The Queen of destination thrillers has done it again, whisking us away to a luxury setting whilst teasing us with a crime scene that comes with more questions than answers - I loved it!
Mega-rich couple Leo and Addison own a game lodge in the remote South African countryside, where they can watch elephants, lions, hippos and more roam the countryside around them. This is one of their two luxury homes, the other being a mansion set in an exclusive gated community in Surrey. The couple divide their time between the two homes, often being on different continents from the other. When Addison seems to have missed the flight that she's meant to have caught back from South Africa and then doesn't answer Leo's anxious messages, he has little choice but to fly out to the lodge to see what's happened. When he arrives, he is confronted with a terrible scene of chaos and confusion, blood splattered all across their beautiful home showing signs that a huge fight has taken place.
The story mostly takes place before Leo's arrival in the lodge, detailing the days and weeks leading up to his gruesome discovery as we find out more about both Leo and Addison and their relationship.
There's also a fiendish sub-plot woven in; wannabe journalist Jake is obsessed with Addison and finds a way of infiltrating her life in a way that she'll never forget.
It is so well plotted and developed, I think this might be my favourite of Nikki's as well!

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Place You Look takes a simple hook—perfect couple, perfect life, wife suddenly missing—and pulls it apart with delicious precision. Leo Kennedy, who seems to have everything, is thrown into chaos when Addison vanishes without a trace. But the real gut-punch arrives when he travels to their safari lodge expecting answers… and instead walks into a scene of violence, confusion, and a missing‑person poster with his face on it. From that moment, I was fully invested.

This is one of those thrillers that reads effortlessly but leaves you constantly second‑guessing everyone’s motives. The remote South African setting is vivid and atmospheric, the kind of place that feels both beautiful and deeply isolating—perfect for a mystery where trust erodes quickly and danger feels close enough to touch.

Leo is a fascinating focal point. The more he tries to understand what happened to Addison, the more the story nudges you to wonder whether he’s telling us everything. The book plays with perception and privilege in subtle, clever ways, letting the tension build naturally while keeping the emotional stakes grounded. Nothing feels overdone; the suspense flows smoothly, making it incredibly easy to binge in a single sitting.

With its crisp pacing, layered secrets, and sun-soaked-but-deadly backdrop, this is exactly the kind of escapist thriller I love: glossy on the surface, dark underneath, and twisty enough to keep me turning pages long after I meant to stop.

with thanks to Nikki Smith, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick, easy thriller, but unfortunately it didn’t fully land for me.

Right from the start, I found the structure confusing. The timelines and character perspectives jump around quite a bit, and instead of building intrigue, it made the story feel disjointed. I spent more time trying to figure out who was who and when things were happening than actually getting pulled into the plot.

As the story progressed, I also struggled with the characters, particularly the husband. The more I read, the more I found myself questioning him, and not in a compelling, “unreliable narrator” way. Instead, I just found him increasingly unlikeable and frustrating, to the point where I was wondering if he even knew his own wife at all.

Some of the twists felt predictable too. About a third of the way in, I had already guessed the last twist, which took away some of the suspense.

One small but recurring detail that annoyed me (and it’s not the first book I’ve seen this) - if you’re going to give characters Teslas for some reason, either commit to the detail or just stick to more generic car choices (Tesla’s don’t have key fobs or beep to lock…).

This book is a fast read, and I can see why it might appeal to readers who enjoy twisty domestic thrillers with multiple threads. For me, though, the plot became overly convoluted, with too many strands competing for attention and not all of them paying off in a satisfying way.

Overall, an engaging enough premise, but the execution didn’t quite come together.

[Georgia Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’m a sucker for a solid thriller, and while this was my first time picking up a Nikki Smith book, it definitely won’t be my last.
The story kicks off with Leo Kennedy—the guy who seemingly has everything—landing in South Africa to find his missing wife, Addison. Instead of finding her at their safari lodge, he finds a literal crime scene and a "missing" poster with his own face on it. Talk about a hook.
What worked for me:
• The Perspective Swaps: Jumping between Addison, Jake, and Leo kept the momentum high. It gave a much fuller picture of the "perfect" marriage disintegrating than a single POV would have.
• The Pacing: It’s a bit of a slow burn for the first few chapters, but once the fuse is lit, it moves fast. I loved that feeling of having no clue where the plot was heading next.
• Atmosphere: The shift from luxury UK life to the chaos of the South African bush added a great layer of tension.
The "Gripe":
If I'm being honest, I actually managed to guess most of the major plot beats and the "big" reveals before they happened. Usually, that’s a death knell for a thriller, but Smith’s writing is sharp enough that it didn't even matter. I was so invested in how it was going to go down that I enjoyed the ride regardless.
If you want a twisty, multi-layered read that makes you question how well you can actually know your spouse, grab this one. It’s a top-tier page-turner.

[Paula Sterling-Stead · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute gem of a novel. This fast-paced rollercoaster of a mystery keeps you guessing throughout. Leo Kennedy has just returned from South Africa, where he owns a safari lodge. His wife, Addison, has remained behind to showcase the place to a journalist who claims to be writing a feature commissioned by Condé Nast.
Written through three perspectives — Leo, Addison, and Jake — we are pulled into a series of cat-and-mouse chases. Leo receives cryptic messages from his wife, who should have returned by now, forcing him to revisit the site of her car crash a few months earlier, care for his father in a nursing home, and keep his business running. While the WhatsApp messages continue to plague him, he never actually speaks to his wife, leading us to believe she is being held somewhere.
Then we meet Jake, a loner sharing a flat with two other boys he can’t stand, who has an obsession with Addison and her perfect life. I really liked his character development as a hapless young man with dreams of turning his life around. As their lives become intertwined, we are propelled at breakneck speed into more twists and turns, tension, and suspense — you name it.
As well as a powerful storyline, there are some beautiful descriptions of Africa and its wildlife.
Yes, I loved every moment of this book, with a brilliant and deserving ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and Nikki Smith and Penguin UK for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of ‘The Last Place You Look’ by Nikki Smith, due to be published on 2 July 2026 by Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking.

Leo - successful and rich businessman, preoccupied with the sale of his company, panics when his wife Addison is not at the airport when he goes to collect her after her visit to their other home in South Africa.

Addison has not been the same since suffering a car accident some months previously, so when he starts receiving odd texts from her claiming to have remembered some terrible details from the night of her accident, he doesn’t know what to think - other than finding her and getting her the help he believes she so obviously needs.

There are multiple threads to pull with this storyline, strands taking you through the lives of Leo, Addison and other significant characters in their storyline.  Nothing is what it seems, the twists keep on coming, whipping up to fever pitch for the grand finale.

Characters are well developed, written to make you love and loathe them in equal measure at various different points, unsure who to believe and where your sympathy should lie. It gets you thinking if one act should cancel out another or is the truth so big, that everything else pales into insignificance. The storyline is a slow burn that flows from the first page and keeps you guessing.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man does Nikki Smith know how to set the stage! The opening of this book had me absolutely hooked and desperate to figure out what was going on! With multiple twists I did not see coming and fast paced suspense, I devoured this novel in ironically 48 hrs. Highly recommend for those who enjoy books that keep you guessing the entire time or just want a story to be sucked into for a while. This is an ideal summer read!

What I liked:

🐘 The setting! We have two locations we bounce back and forth between but the South African Wilderness lodge is the one that shines! I felt like I was there hearing the cicadas chirp, the sun beating mercilessly against my skin. So well done.

🐘 The twists! All the twists and turns in this book kept me on my toes. I could see a few coming, but definitely not all, and didn’t predict the exact way they would work either. Can honestly say this ending surprised me.

🐘 The pacing! I don’t really feel like we had many slow points. The book started with a bang and we kept on running. I was flipping those pages scared and excited to see what would happen next!

Thank you so, so much to the author for ending my FOMO and sending me the ARC! I had such a fun time with this one! All thoughts and opinions are my own and this is my voluntary review.

My rating: 4.5 ⭐️ (rounded up for Goodreads)

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨3 stars✨

I think this had the potential to be a twisty destination thriller however, this just missed the mark for me.

I think my main issue with this book was the structure which I found to be quite infuriating at times. This was due to the sporadic time jumps in the narrative as well as the jumps in character’s perspectives. We would go from 2 days before Leo’s arrival to 2 months before and then 6 months before and then back to 2 days! Chapters would end with sentences like “he saw it and his blood turned to ice” but then by the time we were back in that time frame the narrative had moved on. As a result, the whole plot felt disjointed and staccato with a severe lack of flow with the writing, which took me out of the plot and left me feeling frustrated!

Furthermore, it took Leo until over 50% of the book to actually get to South Africa which is what it described in the blurb. Personally, that felt like too long and meant that the first part of the book dragged. I was expecting a fast-paced, punchy thriller but this just wasn’t it for me.

However, this wasn’t terrible. I just think the execution could have been better if the structure was less jumpy but I can see people enjoying this in the summer.

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a big fan of the author's work, i went into this read knowing it was going to be a fun read.

The last place you look follows Leo, a successful businessman that has a home both in the UK and South Africa. When he is meant to pick up his wife Addison at the airport she is nowhere to be seen and has gone missing. Travelling to their safari lodge, what he could never expected is right in front of him.. a scene of violence and chaos and most frightening and strange of all is a missing person poster with his face and personal details plastered on it. What is happening and most of all where is his wife?

From the get go i was intrigued and rushed the pages as the twists and suspense were right there. There is so much detail that it somewhat feels like you can picture it. The characters were different and had a hint of intrigue that you wanted to dig into them deeper. An intense brilliant read that will have you reading into the night.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business | Penguin for the copy of this arc in exchange of my full honest review.

[Joanna Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my third outing with Nikki Smith, and she has delivered yet another amazing read.
.
Leo and Addison Kennedy have it all, wealth, good looks and two beautiful homes – one in the UK, the other in South Africa. When Addison, who has been staying in the safari lodge, fails to return to the UK, a concerned Leo, catches a flight to try to discover what has happened to her. When he reaches the lodge, he finds something horrific has occurred there.
Narrated from three viewpoints, each new voice brings with it a different component to the story, keeping it fresh and interesting. The backdrop of the South African wilderness, where much of the action takes place, is beautifully described; both a wild and dangerous place. All three narrators – Leo, Addison and would-be journalist Jake, slowly open up the plot, giving the reader a greater insight into what is really going on. However, I think the final shocking twist will surprise everyone. All in all a fabulously entertaining read.
I would like to thank Penguin, the author and Netgalley for an ARC of The Last Place You Look in exchange for an honest review.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last place you look is a thrilling psychological thriller by Nikki Smith.
Leo and is wife Addison have it all. They are wealthy and have a business that’s doing well, and they have luxurious homes in the UK and a Safari Lodge in south Africa. When Addison doesn’t come home from a stay in South Africa Leo wonders what has happened to her. She hasn’t been herself lately and she is not answering her phone. Lep thinks they is something really bad that’s happened to her. So, he takes a flight out there. But when he get there seems to be carnage There is blood everywhere and Addison is nowhere to be seen.
At first, I found this to have a slow burn that built up as you kept on reading. Which I found intriguing, I loved the setting of the Wild bush of South Africa which I found unique as I have never come across that in a story line before. I was only disappointed with the ending it wasn’t the big reveal that I was expecting. 4 stars from me.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leo is a successful businessman who has just sold his company. He also owns a wilderness lodge in South Africa. He is married to Addison, who recently had a car accident. She hasn't been herself lately and spends a few days at the lodge. Leo heads to Heathrow to pick her up, but Addison is not on the flight. Leo can't get hold of her, so he flies to SA. The scene that greets him when he arrives at the lodge is horrifying. What has happened, and where is Addison?
This hooked me in from the get-go. Nikki has a way of drawing you straight into the drama from the start. The short, snappy chapters leave you on a cliffhanger, so you are compelled to keep reading. The lodge surroundings sound idyllic with wild animals.
As usual, the characters are unlikeable.
I loved the plot twists. I certainly wasn't expecting that. A great read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin General Uk for the ARC in return for an honest review.

[D G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, I just wanted to say thank you to NetGalley and Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business, for the opportunity to read this advance copy of The Last Place You Look by Nikki Smith. As I'm not a fan of spoilers, there wont be any in this review.

I'd not read anything by Nikki Smith before so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. However, I have to say, I certainly wasn't disappointed. Right from the opening pages, this book created an atmosphere thick with unease. I found the storyline was cleverly written, with a definite feeling of urgency and desperation. As for guessing the ending, every time I was certain I'd sorted it in my head, the plot thickened with another mind boggling twist.

To sum it up, this book was fantastic! It kept me guessing until the very end. It was a compelling read that proved the most dangerous twists are the ones you never see coming. Can't wait to read another book by Nikki Smith.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tense psychological thriller set in a remote South African safari lodge, The Last Place You Look centres on Leo Kennedy, a wealthy businessman whose wife Addison disappears without trace. When Leo arrives at the lodge to retrace her steps, he’s confronted with a disturbing scene and a missing poster bearing his own details, suggesting he may now be the one in danger.

Told through alternating perspectives of Leo and Addison, the story gradually unpicks their seemingly perfect marriage, revealing layers of mistrust, secrets and manipulation on both sides. The isolated setting adds to the unease, heightening the sense that nothing, or no one, can be fully trusted.

While the middle section slightly slows and some twists stretch credibility, the tension builds well and the reveals are satisfying.

An engaging, atmospheric read with strong setting and plenty of psychological intrigue.

With thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ciclochick]

I've read two of Nikki Smith’s books. Glossing quickly over my review of them, I discovered that whilst I rated them pretty highly, my enjoyment of them was shaved by the use of the present-tense narrative.

It would appear Smith has a fetish for it, because it is used, alas, here, to no advantage at all. However, it’s a pretty gripping psychological thriller. It had me asking all sorts of questions, wondering how on earth they’d be answered and making all sorts of guesses (all wrong!). The ending, however, was very abrupt, and I found myself wanting to turn non-existent pages and then thinking, is that it? There was no ‘The End’, and there were ends to tie up, so despite a fairly climactic finish, I was left dangling.

Smith certainly knows how to plot a book and create some intriguing characters, and it’s hard not to describe her books as unputdownable, despite the poor choice of tense, a rather inconclusive ending and just a few bad grammatical errors (editor please brush up on the use of sat/stood).

[olls’ library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second read from Nikki and I thoroughly enjoyed it!!

Thank you so much to Nikki and the publisher for sending an arc copy to me in exchange for an honest review.

It was another great destination thriller, this time set in South Africa, more specifically a safari lodge. The description was incredible and I loved imagining myself there whilst all of the twists and turns unfolded.

I found the first half more of a slow burn but it definitely picked up the pace in the second half. I did have an idea of what was going to happen but I was pleasantly surprised with some of the twists that I didn’t guess. It was definitely dark and twisty!!

Would recommend this to my fellow thriller lovers and this is definitely one to take on holiday with you! Saving some of Nikki’s novels for this summer!❤️

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

This was a thrilling story with a wonderfully exciting setting. The book takes place between the UK and a gorgeous safari lodge in South Africa. We meet a husband who has realised his wife is missing. They split their time between the UK and their lodge and when she doesn’t return home as expected, he starts to get worried and tries to work out what’s going on and why she’s behaving strangely.

The Safari location was incredible, it added a wonderful richness to the novel, with the detail of the animals and things like the bee fences and tree house. But it was also incredibly isolated, ratcheting up tension. There’s a real sense of danger from the elements, wildlife and isolation, but this is then juxtaposed with the sanitised, private, wealthy neighbourhood in the UK. But danger lurks even in unexpected places.

The husband as the investigator was really well done. We’re discovering things alongside him early on in the book. He’s in the dark and confused by his wife’s behaviour. He veers between irritated and worried and it always feels as though he is unmoored. The book also jumps back and forth between timelines (only over a space of a few days). This was also well executed so the spread of events unfolds at the right pace and linking together very well. At one point a new PoV was introduced and I didn’t really want to read that, wanting to get back to the main story, but the author had an excellent plan for linking everything together in the end!

Great setting, engrossing and a thrilling mystery.

[Laura Briars · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this one and flew through it. From the very beginning, the descriptions of Africa’s scenery and wildlife made the setting feel vivid and immersive, so I really felt right in the middle of it all.
The story was packed with twists and turns, and every time I thought I had a handle on where it was going, it shifted again. Even right up until the end, I genuinely had no idea what was going to happen next, which made it such an addictive read.
Nikki Smith does a great job of balancing the beautiful, atmospheric setting with the darker undercurrent of lies, tension, and murder. It felt glamorous on the surface, but there was always something unsettling underneath, which kept me hooked the whole way through.
A tense, twisty thriller that kept surprising me, with a setting that really came alive on the page. A very easy five stars from me.

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from a 3.75
We follow Leo and Addison a well to do couple who on the surface have everything. But they don’t.

Many twist and turns and unexpected things arise through the story. Addison changes after she has an accident or a as she always this way?

Leo finds out just what his wife is made of and how far she will go to get what she wants.
Expect lots of lies and deceit with twist and turns galore.
I did find some parts a bit a disjointed and a bit far fetched but didn’t completely ruin anything just made it less smooth for me.
I adored the South African setting and the descriptions of it were amazing.
I read this book in a couple of days, the chapters often end on a cliffhanger that makes you need to get to the POV asap. It’s told from multiple POV which keeps it really fresh.

A good read for psychological thriller and mystery fans.

[Sarah Frost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review - The Last Place You Look by Nikki Smith
ARC - Out July 26
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have really enjoyed previous books by this author - they’ve been the perfect holiday read set in glamorous holiday locations.

This one is set in both the UK and South Africa. And does not disappoint.

The chapters are split between three characters and it’s clear that all three time lines are going to come crashing together - but it’s not clear how. I had a few guesses along the way - but I didn’t put it all together.

The suspense builds throughout the chapters and the ending was great, I really enjoyed it and it surprised me a lot.

Out in July - this is another great summer read.

Thanks to @netgalley and @nikkismith_author for the advanced copy.

[Zoe Kindle Queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all of Nikki Smith’s destination thrillers and I’ve currently enjoyed this one whilst in Spain.

Leo and Addison seemingly have it all, including a safari lodge they have as a holiday home in South Africa. When Addison doesn’t arrive home when expected from the lodge, Leo goes into panic mode. The book is told on different timelines from different pov, counting down to Leo’s gruesome discovery at the lodge which we find out about in the prologue.

This was fast paced and tense, there’s many layers to the plot that piece together and the author does a fantastic job of keeping the reader wanting more. The twists in the ending I didn’t see coming and left me shocked.

Many thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author for my gifted eARC.