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The Last Trip

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Is “Rowen Chambers” Freida McFadden’s newest pen name? Her plot twists are equally as mind blowing and her books are the same level of incredible.’ Nicole

Eight guests. One isolated lodge. One deadly secret.

It’s supposed to be a relaxing week in the mountains — one last trip with our college friends before life gets too serious. Just me, my husband, and the people we’ve known for years.

But the moment we turn off the narrow road and see that cabin, surrounded by snow and silence, I feel it. Something’s off.

I tell myself I’m being silly. Until she shows up — the one person who knows exactly what I did, all those years ago.

I want to run. But it’s already too late. A storm has hit. The roads are blocked. And then our phones mysteriously disappear.

Some of us won’t make it out of here alive.

A tense, addictive psychological thriller with a twist you won’t see coming. Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, J.T. Ellison, Lucy Foley, Jeneva Rose, B.A. Paris, Ruth Ware, Shari Lapena and McGarvey Black.

287 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 11, 2025

383 people are currently reading
274 people want to read

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Rowen Chambers

12 books78 followers

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5 stars
225 (35%)
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192 (30%)
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163 (25%)
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43 (6%)
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6 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
Profile Image for bee &#x1f349;.
351 reviews109 followers
January 10, 2024
This was a fun, suspenseful read!

I loved that throughout the book it leaves you questioning who to trust and who to believe. The amount of anxiety that filled me every time a character went somewhere privately with another character was insane. I genuinely felt the need to say my goodbyes every time it happened.

When I say that this whole premise is literally my worst nightmare. Isolated thrillers? They have to be some of the best of the genre.

What let me down about this book was the reveal. I would’ve loved it if the illusion was kept up to the very end and not given us all the answers the way it did. I felt like their point of view took away an element of suspense and surprise for me.

Also, how did Beth end up turning herself into the victim at the end of it all? She cheated on her husband but SHE’S the one who decides a divorce? Don’t get me wrong, it annoyed me how Derek never supported her concerns or listened to her when she spoke up about what was happening but why wasn’t her infidelity brought up again?

Overall, I found this book fantastic and I found it so easy to become immersed into the story and the mystery surrounding it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rowen Chambers for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Rah.
326 reviews5 followers
December 31, 2023
Beth and her husband Derek join their old college friends for a wintery reunion at their friends secluded cabin. This will be their last reunion, as the guests start accidentally dying. Or is it accidental?

Beth is the main narrator for 80% of the story and I found her to be so one note. She is high strung, suspicious of everyone, anxious and winey. Everything was suspicious, everything was someone after her, and everything was her husband not agreeing with her. I found as I read on and the narrator changes, the new narrators also felt one note and flat, meaning Chambers may struggle when writing from a characters perspective.

I found the entire story to be quite ludicrous and outrageous. I didn’t enjoy the plot or the characters. I won’t be reading more by this author.
Profile Image for felix alexander.
105 reviews2 followers
December 25, 2025
it's giving first draft po skończeniu kursu pisania thrillerów. bohaterowie są wycieńczającymi karykaturami, a cała fabuła jest absurdalna. ale przynajmniej książka jest krótka :/
Profile Image for Marissa (holdme.thrillme).
529 reviews90 followers
January 22, 2026
Looking for an ice cold thriller featuring an isolated setting, secrets, suspicious accidents, and twists? This one is a great winter read to give you chills. It took me just two days to listen this because I got so invested in finding out if Beth was right all along or if something else was happening. What a surprise twist! The story moves along at a nice pace with great narration, which makes it a quick but suspenseful read.
Profile Image for Jacki van de Schoor.
432 reviews4 followers
February 21, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley, Xpresso Book Tours and Rowen Chambers for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this type of thriller trope and I really wanted to like The Last Trip, but unfortunately it fell short for me.

I liked the premise and the setting was atmospheric. The storyline was good, but the characters and their behavior really let it down.

Beth was far too suspicious of everyone all the time, it was unrealistic. She was also whiney and argumentative. I didn't like her character at all.
The other characters were a bit flat and stilted. Most of the conversations they had with each other were strange, they didn't seem like things people would really say to each other, especially seeing as they were meant to be close.

It was all a bit too outlandish to me.

2.5 stars from me.
Profile Image for Amanda Richardson.
998 reviews10 followers
December 29, 2023
The Last Trip was a twisted thriller - who are the good guys and who are the bad? Beth and Derek have been together since college and often meet up with old friends. This trip may be the last before they all start to have kids. They want to have a good time, but snowed-in in the deep woods may be a killer.

One by one, the friends start to have accidents that turn deadly. Is this just bad luck or have long-buried secrets come back to haunt the group? Maybe they didn't know their friends as well as they thought they did.

Very, very good read - I really enjoyed the secrets within the group and the twisted plot. Stayed up way too late to finish this book!
120 reviews8 followers
December 28, 2023
A storm is raging, you're stranded in a luxury vacation home with your best friends from college, sounds like a fun week relaxing away from it all.. Then strange accidents begin happening, just when you think you know who is to blame, the suspect ends up dead. Fast paced locked room mystery that keeps you reading. A quick read .4 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for John Veech.
21 reviews2 followers
November 25, 2024
Entertaining

This is not a bad book, just not a great book. I’m glad I read it, but everything basically happens in the same spot and there isn’t a lot of character development. I wasn’t overly impressed, but I also enjoyed reading it. I have mixed feelings and overall, I’m glad I read the book.
246 reviews7 followers
December 28, 2023
Stranded

A very intense and twisted story that takes place at an isolated vacation house in a forest, during a big snowstorm. Phones disappear, someone freezes outside and the former friends try to figure out how to get away. It's a pretty good story but it takes a while to get going.
Profile Image for Hannah.
73 reviews4 followers
December 9, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ You know those movies you watch from a streaming service because you need something to watch and just want to be entertained? The acting is kinda bad, the story line is somewhat generic, but you still enjoy the movie? That’s what reading this book felt like.

The ultimate “who done it?” - keep ya on your toes kind of book. I felt intrigued the entire time & I didn’t see the twist at the end coming! There were parts that felt pretty predictable and corny, but overall I enjoyed. If you need a quick, entertaining thriller, I’d recommend this!
Profile Image for Lauren.
3,683 reviews142 followers
January 14, 2024
3.5 Stars

Note:
I received a copy of this book from Xpresso Book Tours via NetGalley.

Annually, Beth and her husband Derek embark on a trip with their college friends, a tradition that leads them this year to a luxurious cabin nestled deep in the snow-covered mountains of New Hampshire.

Yet, shortly after their arrival, an uneasy feeling settles over Beth. She implores Derek to leave, sensing an impending threat, but he's resolute on staying, given this is their sole vacation for the year. Attempting to quell her unease and enjoy the time with friends, Beth's sense of foreboding intensifies. The situation takes a darker turn when the only road out is blocked, and their phones mysteriously vanish. The ominous atmosphere reaches a peak when one of their friends is discovered dead. Despite assurances that it was a mere accident, Beth remains unconvinced. Her suspicions deepen when another friend meets a similar fate, leading her to believe these incidents are not accidental but intentional.

Isolated with no means to call for help or leave, Beth becomes convinced that their trip was a setup, a trap designed to bring them there and systematically eliminate them. The pressing questions echo: Why were they lured into this perilous situation, and who among them is the puppet master behind it all?

Diving into this book, I was immediately drawn to the vibes reminiscent of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None," a classic mystery that I loved the whodunit plot theme. The secluded luxury cabin in the snowy mountains added a promising layer to the setting, setting the stage for a suspenseful narrative that I found quite intriguing.

It took a bit of time for the story to hit its stride. The allure of the remote cabin and the unfolding mysteries kept me turning the pages, but the plot could've benefited from a quicker pace.

Beth, serving as the primary narrator for the majority of the story, struck me as somewhat one-dimensional. Her character, high-strung, perpetually suspicious, and often veering into anxious territory, dominated the entire storyline. Every event seemed tinged with suspicion, everyone appeared as a potential threat, and her husband's dissent became a recurrent theme that was pretty off-putting to me. A shift to multiple perspectives could have added depth to the storytelling, offering a broader exploration of the characters and their perspectives. Despite this, the secrets and the unraveling of the plot made for a compelling read.
Profile Image for Jenny M.
329 reviews9 followers
March 21, 2024
Every year, Beth and her college friends go on a reunion trip. This year, the trip is a secluded but luxurious cabin in the wilderness. Beth immediately has a bad feeling about the trip - the road out is blocked due to a snow storm, and everyone's cell phones go missing. When one of Beth's friends is found dead, she becomes even more worried and scared. Everyone else says it was just an accident, but Beth is not so sure. And when yet another friend dies in an accident, Beth is 100% convinced that something is not right. Is one of her friends a killer?

This book reminded me so much of another book I read. I was looking but can't remember the title of that other book. But very similar plot line.

I did enjoy the suspense and the constant guessing of who to trust and which friend might be responsible for the deaths. However, given I had read a very similar book and the over reliance on locked room tropes, this novel fell short for me. In addition, I found much of the plot unrealistic and, at times, a little silly.

I also found our main narrator, Beth, a bit annoying. What further annoyed me was her husband - the constant gaslighting made me hate him! The rest of the characters were also really annoying, so that made the novel a bit difficult to read.

Overall, an average read but the above-noted negatives leave me giving this one a solid 3 star rating.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Steph Mann.
129 reviews1 follower
December 27, 2023
Gripping right from the start!
Loved this book! It was full of suspense and the pace of the book kept me hooked! I read this in one day, which is rare for me! It's based on a group of long term friends that meet up in a beautiful cabin in the remote area in New Hampshire, USA 🇺🇸 but things start to tradically go wrong but why and who is causing it?? It's told by Beth, one if the friends (probably in their late twenties) who has concerns early on which only continue to grow but worst of all the rest of the group remain unconcerned until much later on. I like how the author cleverly switched to the story being narrated by some of the others to keep you guessing if she survived.
Definitely recommend this book!
Thank you Netgalley and Xpresso Book Tours for sending me this e-ARC for review consideration. These opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Blue North.
280 reviews
December 22, 2023
College friends meet up every year to renew their friendships. This time it is a winter setting in New Hampshire. When there is a gathering like this one, it is not surprising when secrets jump out of a bag and land in front of everybody. One tip is not to allow the holder of all that knowledge know you are scared witless for the secret to become known. One guest is a surgical nurse. For her sake I hope the snow does not come down too fast. Then, there is Ryan. He is a guest who attracts not just a hello. There are feelings about him all around the room. It is easy to tell the nights and days will unload surprises. Unfortunately, surprises are not always good. The Last Trip by Rowen Chambers is a sparkling mystery. One that begins with excitement. There is no telling where it will end.
Profile Image for Jocelyn | shesflippinpages.
107 reviews4 followers
January 7, 2024
Torn between 3-3.5 stars. It was giving Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None vibes. It was fast paced and you had a reason to suspect each character so it kept you guessing. It was a bit cheesy and predictable at times but overall thought it was a good read that kept me coming back to finish it quickly. I enjoyed that towards the end they brought in multiple POVs to help the story come together.

Content Warnings:
Violence, Toxic friendship, Injury/ Injury detail, Confinement, Murder, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Gore, Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness

Minor Content Warnings:
Bullying, Vomit, Medical content, Car accident, Alcohol, and Grief
Profile Image for Amber Rothermel.
485 reviews6 followers
January 2, 2024
Now THIS is a thriller!

Thank gosh! I was in such a reading slump. I feel like the last few books I’ve read just weren’t thrilling enough. This book had it all! A claustrophobic setting, bad weather, friends with secrets, and a potential psychopath.

I really enjoyed this book and read it in two sittings (I am a mom of a 10 month old so this isn’t easy to do). I flew through the pages needing to know what was going on and who was going to die next!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a wild ride and an unputdownable story!
Profile Image for Join the Penguin Resistance!  .
5,673 reviews332 followers
November 15, 2025
THE LAST TRIP by Rowen Chambers was Champion at keeping my attention riveted to the page. Not only was I enticed by the beautiful cover art [Joffe Books edition, November 2025] and the mountainous, isolated, Winter setting, I was immediately riveted by the premise, the extraordinarily delineated cast of characters, and the absolutely implacable, invisible, subtle yet inexplicably fatal, Horror. There's going to result quite a few sleepless nights and looking over shoulders and peering around corners after reading this one!
Profile Image for Janet Scott.
49 reviews1 follower
March 10, 2024
Thriller

I'm glad I didn't have to pay for this book. The main character was absolutely obnoxious. She felt something was wrong, which it was, but she constantly nagged her husband, even though there was nothing he could do. Yes, things were going wrong, but its like she was a conspiracy theorist. The whole dynamic of these college friends was crazy. There was suspense and a decent story, but the main character's paranoia ruined it.
Profile Image for Susan.
470 reviews12 followers
August 4, 2024
Fascinating story

I really enjoyed reading this story. A group of friends are getting together for their annual reunion. They start to realize that they don't know each other as well as they thought they did. An isolated house during a snowstorm is the perfect backdrop for murder, but who is the killer? Well written with interesting characters, this story captivated me and I had a hard time putting it down.
Profile Image for Nicole.
433 reviews17 followers
August 8, 2024
Is "Rowen Chambers" Freida McFaddens newest pen name? Her plot twists are equally as mind blowing and her books are the same level of incredible.. fast paced, slightly dark, can't put down, doubt everyone, think you figured it out then get absolutely blindsided by the twist. I've officially read every book Chambers has come out with and I'll drop everything whenever she comes out with a new one!! 5 star author and this book was totally up to par.
Profile Image for Pheadra.
1,093 reviews59 followers
October 7, 2024
This story is a bit crazy about a bunch of crazy friends who have a reunion each year. As per usual in psychological thrillers, the reunion this time is a remote location with inclement weather that traps them. I didn't like any of the characters and 15% in, had already figured out who the "culprit " was, so the ending wasn't a complete surprise to me. I also found some of the story implausible, which cost it in my rating. 3 and a half stars
Profile Image for Jackie.
811 reviews57 followers
March 3, 2026
I'm not really sure what to say about this one. I was invested enough to finish the story because I wanted to know who was behind everything, but honestly, the characters were kind of annoying and started to grate on my nerves after a while.

I was surprised at how everything turned out. I wasn't expecting that at all.

I am interested in trying other books by this author to see what I think of them.

I listened to the audio version of this book, narrated by Kate Zane. Unfortunately I was not a fan of her narration. I was already annoyed with the characters and the voice that she used for a couple of them just made that worse. The FMC came across as whiny.
Profile Image for Martha.
628 reviews
January 16, 2024
Rowen is a brand-new author to me. I will definitely be reading more!

I loved the premise of the story. You will be taken on MANY twists and turns as you try to figure it out. I will say it started out a bit slow, however, it definitely picked up.

This was an easy read with well-developed characters throughout.
Profile Image for Akku.
624 reviews14 followers
February 17, 2026
• 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 5✨

• 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 -
- isolated cabin in the woods
- snowstorm survival
- friends reunion gone wrong
- hidden secrets
- blackmail
- unreliable suspicions
- one by one deaths
- plot twists
- psychological tension

• 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 -
The Last Trip follows Beth and her husband Derek as they join their old college friends for a snowy weekend at a remote cabin owned by James and Olivia. Tyler comes with his girlfriend Amber. Shelby arrives with her troubled brother Ryan. What was supposed to be a cozy reunion slowly turns into a nightmare. The snow traps them inside. Trust starts breaking. Secrets start coming out. And then people start dying.
Every chapter shifts suspicion. Nobody feels safe. Nobody feels innocent. Beth’s uneasy feeling in the beginning already gave me chills. The snowy cabin setting felt so quiet but so dangerous at the same time.
I loved how every character felt suspicious. First I doubted Ryan because of his past. Then James started acting weird near the shed. Then even Tyler looked unstable after Amber disappeared. Even Olivia felt like she was hiding something. While reading each chapter, I genuinely could not figure out who the real villain was. The author kept shifting the blame so smoothly.
After that, one by one they kept dying and I was honestly shocked. Every time I thought okay now we know the truth, something else happened. The tension between Beth and Derek also added emotional depth. Beth carrying her own secret while trying to survive made everything even more intense.
Ryan’s situation broke my heart. He was suspected from the start just because of his past. That layer of misunderstanding added so much realism.
The storm setting made everything feel trapped and suffocating. No help. No escape. Just fear and snow everywhere. The atmosphere was done perfectly.
This thriller kept me guessing till the last chapters. I did not see the full picture coming. The pacing was tight. No boring moments. Just tension building again and again.
Five stars without doubt.
Profile Image for Sam Kennedy .
54 reviews
February 19, 2024
Unlikeable Characters

I generally love “locked room” thrillers and the plot/twist of this one was decent; however, I had to force myself to keep reading because all the characters were so annoying and unlikeable.
Profile Image for Jane.
1,277 reviews16 followers
January 12, 2024
Interesting characters and several twists along the way. A good read

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the arc of this book.
Profile Image for Rose.
112 reviews1 follower
February 27, 2024
DNF

Literally 20% of the book is “who took our phones/where are our phones” grrrr!
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