The Last Seat

by Jenifer Ruff

The spotlight is dangerous when everyone has something to hide.

When ER nurse Haley James saves a stranger’s life on a routine train ride, her heroic actions go viral. The video draws relentless media attention, with reporters digging into her past and threatening to expose her secrets, including the truth behind her sudden separation from her husband.

Amidst the chaos, a shocking revelation from her mother shatters everything Haley thought she understood about her family, leaving her questioning who else has been lying and why.

With her life unraveling and danger closing in, Haley doesn’t know who she can lean on: the detectives working the case, the ex who may still be hiding something, or the charming lawyer who seems too good to be true.
In this pulse-pounding psychological thriller, trust is a luxury Haley can’t afford, and the most shocking secrets are the ones she has yet to uncover.

Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Mary Kubica, and Shari Lapena, THE LAST SEAT by USA TODAY bestselling author Jenifer Ruff is a rollercoaster of suspense that will keep you questioning every relationship and every motive until the final, jaw-dropping twist.

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Book Club, Mystery, Suspense

298 pages, Paperback

First published April 3, 2026

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Jenifer Ruff writes dark and twisty mystery thrillers, including the award-winning Agent Victoria Heslin Series. Jenifer spends her days writing with the goal of keeping her readers eagerly turning the pages and putting the clues together. She adores peace and quiet, animals, and exercise, especially hiking. If she’s not writing, she’s probably out exploring trails with her dogs. Sign up for her Reader's Newsletter at Jenruff.com and never miss a new release.

Reviews

[Casey Reads 🌸 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so fast paced with so many twists and turns. A woman is shot on a train and an ER nurse works to save her. Who did it? Why?

In the beginning, it’s hard to see how it all connects. Then the book explodes and becomes very fast paced. I loved the middle of the book, there was so much happening.

The ending got a little slower and I wished it was a little more action packed through the end, but overall a very quick, good read. Def worth a read!

Thank you to netgalley for this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruff has written some disaster thrillers that I loved, but the two more standard thrillers (including this) didn’t impress me as much. This had a great premise and in the beginning I was all in. But somehow there wasn’t the heart pounding excitement a really good thriller manages to create, maybe because all the people were so very nice. Understanding when they got massive news, not judging. That made it hard to believe that the main POV was truly paranoid about who shot somebody. I loved the first twist however, so brownie points for that! The ending was slightly unsatisfying however, I couldn’t quite believe that hatred could fester for so long when the father didn’t actually do anything wrong.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow

[Zizi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me hooked at the beginning. Had me constantly wondering what was going to happen next? What are they going to do about this? What are we going to do about that? This book is entertaining! I did not expect that ending just to find out who was the cause of it all.

[Rosio · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. Book was a little predictable but it still made you want to keep reading to see what was going to happen. It was very repetitive to the point I was like okay you don’t have to tell me she has a secret every chapter.

[Melissa Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, fast-paced thriller! I mean… imagine switching seats on a train, and the woman who takes your seat gets shot. 🤯
There were plenty of twists that kept me guessing until the very end. I also really enjoyed the audiobook—the narrator did a fantastic job. 🎧

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great thriller
Faster paced with lots of twist and turns

[Romulo Perez-Segnini · Rating 4 out of 5]

A psychological thriller with interwoven twists that bring the suspense level sky high.

ER Nurse Haley James is taken the commuter train in Chicago to visit her mom in the suburbs who is undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Her car is old and prone to breakdown. She recently separated from her husband of 4yrs. A man jumps on the train, shoots a random passenger & runs away in the chaos. Haley’s training kicks in a manages to keep the woman alive until EMT personnel arrive at the scene.

Haley becomes an overnight sensation as videos taken of the incident go viral but the price of fame comes with consequences as secrets of her past come to light. The question is whether the incident was a random act of violence or was the attack deliberate? If so who was the target and why?

There’s an important group of secondary characters and somehow there are connections among many of them.

Overall very entertaining with a surprising ending.

[Raymie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Jennifer Ruff’s books. She really knows how to write a thriller where you don’t know who to trust.

This book was quick to read with the fast pace and quick chapters.

I love that everyone seemed like a suspect to the multiple things that were happening and it finally came together my jaw kind of dropped at the epilogue.

I liked Haley as a character even in the short time in the book she really grew from who she was in the beginning.

Genre: Thriller
APK: Ebook
Pages: 302
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone

[Nicole Hancock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, fast read - lots of twists/revelations. A woman is killed on a train - but why? Can't say it was especially believable, and I did predict some things, but was entertained throughout.

[LindaPf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenifer Ruff delivers another masterful, twisty thriller about an ER nurse/hero who has a definitely complicated life.

Haley has gone viral because she was filmed saving the life of a woman (Lauren, an investigative journalist) who was seemingly randomly shot by a man on an L train, shortly after Haley gave up her seat to her. New found internet fame is annoying but Haley has a laundry list of other problems: like an estrangement from her stalkerish husband (who is accusing her of something nebulous, maybe illegal); a beloved mother in chemotherapy (who wants to tell Haley a life-changing secret); an awkward attraction to a lawyer who is acting as an intermediary for someone else; a crappy car; a phone that needs a new battery; a mean cat; and a new familial relationship that could be the great change in Haley’s life (if he’s not connected to the shooting of the woman on the train or corporate evildoing). Whew!

As Haley nearly gets overwhelmed with even more odd discoveries, we get totally invested in her (c’mon, Moose the cat — don’t scratch the hand that feeds you!) There’s multiple twists — the first one of them really stings and all my empathy poured into Haley. The surprises continue until the very end; almost all the characters seem good, then bad, then good again with me hoping there isn’t a final bad time. The clever plot made the revelations a genuine page turner that I couldn’t put down. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
The author did not give the main female character green eyes and palm trees were not swaying in the Loop, but, weird question from a native Chicagoan: Why do Haley and Lauren take their coats off on the elevated train in winter?

Thank you to Greyt Companion Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

[Morgan Oldack · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 star popcorn thriller!!! Great writing where you love everyone but trust no one. Would definitely recommend and BONUS - has a heartfelt ending.

[Kristina Poole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read couldn't put it down

[Shanquelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story with twist after twist. Good thriller that was entertaining and exciting.

[Lindsay Mildenberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haley is an ER nurse headed to see her mother when a man shoots another woman on the train. Thankfully Haley‘s medical knowledge enables her to save the woman’s life. What starts as a freak incident turns into a complicated twist of family secrets and mistaken identity.

This book literally started with a bang. Fast paced and exciting the first half flew by. Sadly as details became more clear that pace slowed and the story became more predictable. If 3.5 stars was an option, that would have been a better rating. Enjoyable and worth a read.

[cyndireadss · Rating 1 out of 5]

started so good then quickly just went down hill.

[JiaJia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ read this in one sitting, very good!

[Hanna Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good thriller with a unique plot! Loved this one and the characters a lot. I was waiting for Elliot to a bad guy I’m glad he wasn’t

[Deys · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why is this considered a thriller?

[Kristina Douglas · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was interesting enough to finish but I did not enjoy this book. Women are not this indecisive in real life, and the main character got on my nerves.

[Dori Eby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another disappointing one. The writing and the way the characters spoke and thought was too formal for me. I also found the main character to be annoying and stupid

[Brittany Fournier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book so fast and could not put it down. The series of events that all connected in the story and the way it all came together was perfect .

[Alicia Herold · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need a book to get you out of your reading slump, this is it! Short chapters that grab your attention from the first chapter and has you second guessing every theory you have!

[Sherida L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging story. Keeps you guessing until the last 3 chapters. Worth it

[Tackyj · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read and enjoyed several of Jenifer Ruff’s books but this one is my least favorite. Started strong but quickly devolved into a simplistic plot with a definite YA feel. Characters made so many obviously bad decisions and their behavior often seemed childish. Conclusion was predictable without any real surprises.

[Cortney Broad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this one based on the reviews. The beginning hooked me, but the author lost me 65% of the way through. I mean, I know it’s fiction… but wow, it really committed to leaving reality behind. And the ending? Truly the cherry on top—if the goal was to make it worse.

[Mridula Siddique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was a bit different. Nothing fancy though. Short chapters played a role to get the rating to 4. Was an easy read. Thought it was political but found out I was wrong. It was family....connected and all. Whatever. I won't recommend it as a must read but it was not that bad either.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75*
I enjoyed the fast paced twists, but I found it all a bit predictable. I did have different theories at first, but I wasn’t shocked at any point. Definitely a good book to get out of a reading slump though. Side note : I love the cat’s name, Moose. It’s so cute.

[Manasvi Agarwal · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was entertaining. The beginning was powerful and suspenseful. Why the woman was shot and the ER nurse trying to save her but they had switched seats just before a hitman comes and shots to an intended seat number, draws attention. Making us think was it an intentional move by either ER nurse or somebody else. Later on, the narrative becomes dull. The ending felt empty and unsatisfying.

[Jill Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️I believe this was my first book of hers and it won’t be my last. I was hooked from the start, chapters were short and made you want to keeping reading and reading until you got to the end. This book was so well written, each sentence flowed so easily. There was never a time I had to go back and reread bc it was confusing or choppy. A few things were frustrating but overall a great into to get work.