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The Last Passenger
When Caz steps onboard the exclusive cruise liner RMS Atlantica, it’s the start of a vacation of a lifetime with her new love, Pete. On their first night they explore the ship, eat, dance, make friends, but when Caz wakes the next morning, Pete is missing.
And when she walks out into the corridor, all the cabin doors are open. To her horror, she soon realizes that the ship is completely empty. No passengers, no crew, nobody but her. The Atlantica is steaming into the mid-Atlantic and Caz is the only person on board. But that’s just the beginning of the terrifying journey she finds herself trapped on in this white-knuckled mystery.
And when she walks out into the corridor, all the cabin doors are open. To her horror, she soon realizes that the ship is completely empty. No passengers, no crew, nobody but her. The Atlantica is steaming into the mid-Atlantic and Caz is the only person on board. But that’s just the beginning of the terrifying journey she finds herself trapped on in this white-knuckled mystery.
482 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 8, 2023
About the author
Will Dean
16 books1,166 followersWill Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. He was a bookish, daydreaming kid who found comfort in stories and nature (and he still does). After studying Law at the LSE, and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden. He built a wooden house in a boggy clearing at the centre of a vast elk forest, and it's from this base that he compulsively reads and writes. He is the author of Dark Pines.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,504 reviews
May 17, 2024
I know fiction is called fiction for a reason. But this is so far from reality that it's almost bordering on science fiction.
Caz is on board the luxury cruise liner RMS Atlantica for a well-deserved vacation with her new boyfriend, Pete. When she wakes up after a night of fun and delicious food, Pete is not there. She steps out of her cabin to investigate and soon realizes that everyone is gone. There is not another soul on board, and that is only the start of her nightmare.
Dun, dun, dun!
Ah, that premise is so good. It makes it seem like this is a locked-room mystery/thriller, and I love those! So of course I dug in with gusto. And the initial 100 pages were exactly what I wanted. I was on the edge of my seat, turning the pages as fast as I could, trying to figure out what happened to Caz. Could it be aliens, or ghosts, or interdimensional visitors?! What could it possibly be?
But then we reach a turning point about a third of the way through, and it took all the wind out of my sails. (See what I did there? Sorry, couldn't resist.) I thought I was reading a thriller, but it turned into a survival/gory horror story, which I'm just not into.
And from then on, it became more and more bizarre, to the point where it wasn't believable anymore. The more I read, the more incredulous I became. Sure, I didn't see the developments coming, but that's because they don't really jive with reality. I had a hard time investing in the story because it felt like someone was pulling my leg the whole time.
Also for a thriller, this really dragged on. Every time there is an action scene, we take a detour inside Caz's mind as she ponders about her parents and sister, their problems, and how that follows her around everywhere. It feels like 100 pages could've easily been cut out and we would still have the same story.
Oh, and right when I thought it was over, we were smacked with one last parting shot at the very end. Talk about pulling someone's leg. Not only did it not make sense, but it felt like the biggest troll of all.
I'm so disappointed. The beginning of this book was amazing, and I thought I had a 5-star thriller on my hands. But as I read on, slowly but surely, I came to enjoy it less and less. It feels like I was deducting a star for every 100 pages, until I arrived at the ignominious 2 stars.
Still, I applaud the author for trying something different. Just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for you. In fact, this is one of those books that's so crazy, I hope everyone reads it just so we can all talk about it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
Caz is on board the luxury cruise liner RMS Atlantica for a well-deserved vacation with her new boyfriend, Pete. When she wakes up after a night of fun and delicious food, Pete is not there. She steps out of her cabin to investigate and soon realizes that everyone is gone. There is not another soul on board, and that is only the start of her nightmare.
Dun, dun, dun!
Ah, that premise is so good. It makes it seem like this is a locked-room mystery/thriller, and I love those! So of course I dug in with gusto. And the initial 100 pages were exactly what I wanted. I was on the edge of my seat, turning the pages as fast as I could, trying to figure out what happened to Caz. Could it be aliens, or ghosts, or interdimensional visitors?! What could it possibly be?
But then we reach a turning point about a third of the way through, and it took all the wind out of my sails. (See what I did there? Sorry, couldn't resist.) I thought I was reading a thriller, but it turned into a survival/gory horror story, which I'm just not into.
And from then on, it became more and more bizarre, to the point where it wasn't believable anymore. The more I read, the more incredulous I became. Sure, I didn't see the developments coming, but that's because they don't really jive with reality. I had a hard time investing in the story because it felt like someone was pulling my leg the whole time.
Also for a thriller, this really dragged on. Every time there is an action scene, we take a detour inside Caz's mind as she ponders about her parents and sister, their problems, and how that follows her around everywhere. It feels like 100 pages could've easily been cut out and we would still have the same story.
Oh, and right when I thought it was over, we were smacked with one last parting shot at the very end. Talk about pulling someone's leg. Not only did it not make sense, but it felt like the biggest troll of all.
I'm so disappointed. The beginning of this book was amazing, and I thought I had a 5-star thriller on my hands. But as I read on, slowly but surely, I came to enjoy it less and less. It feels like I was deducting a star for every 100 pages, until I arrived at the ignominious 2 stars.
Still, I applaud the author for trying something different. Just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for you. In fact, this is one of those books that's so crazy, I hope everyone reads it just so we can all talk about it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
February 19, 2023
*4.5 stars*
Oh wow - What a cracking ending to a book. But forgive me, I’m getting carried away with myself, as there’s an awful lot to experience before we get to this point.
A luxury cruise has never been high on my list of vacations, not really keen on the idea of being a captive audience. ‘The Last Passenger’ merely confirms that decision!
Caz wakes up after her first night on a luxury cruise - the holiday of a lifetime, only to find that her partner Pete isn’t in the cabin, and he’s not even left her a text. She decides to go look for him and quickly throws on some clothes. Now it gets real scary, because every cabin she passes has its door wedged open, and each of them is completely empty, like they’d never been occupied at all! Added to that is the fact that even the crew have disappeared - Caz is alone on the RMS Atlantica, on this vast ocean that is the Atlantic, and that is completely overwhelming.
An unwilling passenger, I totally put myself in Caz’s shoes and honestly, it was a scary place to be. ‘The Last Passenger’ was terrifying, the tension unbearable, never knowing what was coming next. The twists were terrific with some really shocking moments, and as for the end! Well, it was magnificent!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
Oh wow - What a cracking ending to a book. But forgive me, I’m getting carried away with myself, as there’s an awful lot to experience before we get to this point.
A luxury cruise has never been high on my list of vacations, not really keen on the idea of being a captive audience. ‘The Last Passenger’ merely confirms that decision!
Caz wakes up after her first night on a luxury cruise - the holiday of a lifetime, only to find that her partner Pete isn’t in the cabin, and he’s not even left her a text. She decides to go look for him and quickly throws on some clothes. Now it gets real scary, because every cabin she passes has its door wedged open, and each of them is completely empty, like they’d never been occupied at all! Added to that is the fact that even the crew have disappeared - Caz is alone on the RMS Atlantica, on this vast ocean that is the Atlantic, and that is completely overwhelming.
An unwilling passenger, I totally put myself in Caz’s shoes and honestly, it was a scary place to be. ‘The Last Passenger’ was terrifying, the tension unbearable, never knowing what was coming next. The twists were terrific with some really shocking moments, and as for the end! Well, it was magnificent!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
December 15, 2023
Caz and Pete are on a vacation and are onboard the cruiseliner RMS Atlantica. Caz wakes up the next morning and reaches for Pete. His side of the bed is empty and the sheets are cool. He's not there. The ship is moving full speed. She opens the balcony door and he's
not there either. She then looks in the bathroom and he's not there either.
She checks her phone and finds out that her phone doesn't have any
reception. She thought she might of received a text from Pete.
All the cabin doors are open and every single one is unoccupied and unlocked. She takes a lift down to the Ocean lobby. There is no sign of anyone. She runs through the Captain's lounge and the Gold Grill and there is not any crew or passengers.
The RMS Atlantica is steaming out into the ocean and she thinks she is he only one on board. She then starts to panic.
Why would she be steaming into the North Atlantic with no passengers
on board? Where did all the passengers go and what happened to Pete?
I was really disappointed with this one. I loved the author's book
The Last Thing To Burn.
This book was so bizarre!
I did not feel like I had a connection to the characters, so this didn't feel like a thriller to me since I didn't care what happened to the characters. I also thought the book was implausible. It had a slow burn in the first half.
There is another reason why I didn't like the book and I can't discuss itbecause it would be a spoiler. I can see why others loved it. There are a lot or four and five star reviews. This book just wasn't for me. It's also a long book.
I want to thank Netgalley, and Atria Books for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
not there either. She then looks in the bathroom and he's not there either.
She checks her phone and finds out that her phone doesn't have any
reception. She thought she might of received a text from Pete.
All the cabin doors are open and every single one is unoccupied and unlocked. She takes a lift down to the Ocean lobby. There is no sign of anyone. She runs through the Captain's lounge and the Gold Grill and there is not any crew or passengers.
The RMS Atlantica is steaming out into the ocean and she thinks she is he only one on board. She then starts to panic.
Why would she be steaming into the North Atlantic with no passengers
on board? Where did all the passengers go and what happened to Pete?
I was really disappointed with this one. I loved the author's book
The Last Thing To Burn.
This book was so bizarre!
I did not feel like I had a connection to the characters, so this didn't feel like a thriller to me since I didn't care what happened to the characters. I also thought the book was implausible. It had a slow burn in the first half.
There is another reason why I didn't like the book and I can't discuss itbecause it would be a spoiler. I can see why others loved it. There are a lot or four and five star reviews. This book just wasn't for me. It's also a long book.
I want to thank Netgalley, and Atria Books for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2023
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4.5 Stars
I Loved The Last Thing to Burn by this author, it was my favourite read in 2021. This book was so different from that in a very good way. This review is going to be scant in detail because I think the reader should try going into this one knowing as little as possible because you don't want to spoil the surprises this one has in store for you.
I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't flip the pages fast enough, the plot is very intense and the story is so engaging that the pages practically turn themselves. My heart was pumping so fast and found myself holding my breath. I love when a book can evoke such a rush in me. This book was also very sad at times. I felt heartbroken for the characters. Loved learning about each character's personality along the way, it is told from Caz's point of view with a lot of internal dialogue.
This is an adrenaline rush locked room thriller that is over the top in the best way possible. So entertaining and very cleverly done. It is just short of five-hundred pages but it didn't feel that long, it kept my butt in the chair and I managed to read it in a couple of sittings.
Now for the reason of the half-star taken off. There is sort of a two-part ending and the first ending disappointed me, a lot. The second ending was an amazing cliffhanger and I am so hoping for a book two!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
4.5 Stars
I Loved The Last Thing to Burn by this author, it was my favourite read in 2021. This book was so different from that in a very good way. This review is going to be scant in detail because I think the reader should try going into this one knowing as little as possible because you don't want to spoil the surprises this one has in store for you.
I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't flip the pages fast enough, the plot is very intense and the story is so engaging that the pages practically turn themselves. My heart was pumping so fast and found myself holding my breath. I love when a book can evoke such a rush in me. This book was also very sad at times. I felt heartbroken for the characters. Loved learning about each character's personality along the way, it is told from Caz's point of view with a lot of internal dialogue.
This is an adrenaline rush locked room thriller that is over the top in the best way possible. So entertaining and very cleverly done. It is just short of five-hundred pages but it didn't feel that long, it kept my butt in the chair and I managed to read it in a couple of sittings.
Now for the reason of the half-star taken off. There is sort of a two-part ending and the first ending disappointed me, a lot. The second ending was an amazing cliffhanger and I am so hoping for a book two!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
April 19, 2023
I've been wobbling between giving this book one star and two stars. I loved the premise - being trapped aboard a cruise ship is a nightmare on so many levels - so the setup was strong. But then... the explanation for what was going on was... not good. [[ SCROLL WAAAAY DOWN FOR SPOILERS ]]
There was also not enough character development for Caz -- yes, her dad was a gambler and thief who ruined their family and her sister was a drug addict but now they run a cafe and all is well but her dad was a gambler and thief who ruined their family... and that's her internal monologue on repeat. And the ending was infuriating and kind of undid everything.
I will say this sucked me in, and I wanted to know what was going on, I was just very disappointed in how it all played out. A lot of other reviewers have really enjoyed this book, so I'm clearly in the minority here.
* thanks to Atria & Emily Bestler Books for the NetGalley review copy. The Last One publishes August 8, 2023.
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The more I think about this book the angrier I get that I got sucked into finishing it and didn't DNF. I kept hoping something would make sense! It never did! So consider this short, cranky spoiler my gift to humanity. Here goes:
* It turns out Caz was unknowingly on a reality tv show that was being broadcast on The Dark Web? lol
* The only other real contestant was Smith? ok
* Hot Dude and Young Lady (I can't be assed to look up their names) were plants and not actual contestants and they faked dying? um
* And now Caz gets $15 million? yay
* But then she goes to the bathroom on the plane and comes out and the plane is empty? Oh, fuck off.
And super fuck her boyfriend, Peter or Kevin or whatever his stupid name was, because he was clearly a willing participant in messing with her TWICE.
There was also not enough character development for Caz -- yes, her dad was a gambler and thief who ruined their family and her sister was a drug addict but now they run a cafe and all is well but her dad was a gambler and thief who ruined their family... and that's her internal monologue on repeat. And the ending was infuriating and kind of undid everything.
I will say this sucked me in, and I wanted to know what was going on, I was just very disappointed in how it all played out. A lot of other reviewers have really enjoyed this book, so I'm clearly in the minority here.
* thanks to Atria & Emily Bestler Books for the NetGalley review copy. The Last One publishes August 8, 2023.
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The more I think about this book the angrier I get that I got sucked into finishing it and didn't DNF. I kept hoping something would make sense! It never did! So consider this short, cranky spoiler my gift to humanity. Here goes:
* It turns out Caz was unknowingly on a reality tv show that was being broadcast on The Dark Web? lol
* The only other real contestant was Smith? ok
* Hot Dude and Young Lady (I can't be assed to look up their names) were plants and not actual contestants and they faked dying? um
* And now Caz gets $15 million? yay
* But then she goes to the bathroom on the plane and comes out and the plane is empty? Oh, fuck off.
And super fuck her boyfriend, Peter or Kevin or whatever his stupid name was, because he was clearly a willing participant in messing with her TWICE.
August 8, 2023
*Outlier Opinion*!
This book has A LOT of 5 star reviews but every book needs an outlier so, 👋🏻 here I am!!
“I WISH YOU FAIR WINDS AND CALM SEAS…”
Caz and her new love, Pete, enjoy a wonderful first evening aboard the luxury cruise liner, the RMS Atlantica, but when she awakens the next morning, Pete is gone.
In fact, as she enters the corridor, she finds that all of the cabin doors are open, and the ship’s crew and its remaining passengers are all missing.
Described as a locked room mystery, I expected an atmospheric tale, which might be Dystopian or perhaps be a reimagining of what might have happened to the real life Merchant ship, the Mary Celeste-found adrift in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. ( It was in excellent shape, with months of provisions aboard, but no Captain or crew, and they were never seen or heard from again-It remains an unsolved mystery.)
The book synopsis doesn’t say much more than what I wrote above in the first few sentences, and you won’t learn what is ACTUALLY going on until the 33% point, so, I won’t spoil this for fans of the author who are looking forward to reading this.
But, I will say that it is much more of a “Beat the Odds” kind of survival book, than it is a locked room mystery,(think Hunger Games) - so it didn’t work for my personal tastes.
It wasn’t what I was hoping for or expecting.
I also don’t think ANY book needs to be 448 pages in length-It’s hard to sustain interest for that long!
I am going to play with the title of the U.S. release here and say that THE LAST ONE (as in the last chapter) has been VERY polarizing in the reviews that I have read.
Will you be #TeamLovedIt or #TeamHatedIt?
It’s the ONE part of the book, I actually DID find very CLEVER, so count me in as #TeamLovedIt!
But, unfortunately, it could not save the rest of the book for me.
AVAILABLE NOW!
This title has also been released as “The Last Passenger” in markets abroad.
Thank You to Atria for the gifted ARC, provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
This book has A LOT of 5 star reviews but every book needs an outlier so, 👋🏻 here I am!!
“I WISH YOU FAIR WINDS AND CALM SEAS…”
Caz and her new love, Pete, enjoy a wonderful first evening aboard the luxury cruise liner, the RMS Atlantica, but when she awakens the next morning, Pete is gone.
In fact, as she enters the corridor, she finds that all of the cabin doors are open, and the ship’s crew and its remaining passengers are all missing.
Described as a locked room mystery, I expected an atmospheric tale, which might be Dystopian or perhaps be a reimagining of what might have happened to the real life Merchant ship, the Mary Celeste-found adrift in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. ( It was in excellent shape, with months of provisions aboard, but no Captain or crew, and they were never seen or heard from again-It remains an unsolved mystery.)
The book synopsis doesn’t say much more than what I wrote above in the first few sentences, and you won’t learn what is ACTUALLY going on until the 33% point, so, I won’t spoil this for fans of the author who are looking forward to reading this.
But, I will say that it is much more of a “Beat the Odds” kind of survival book, than it is a locked room mystery,(think Hunger Games) - so it didn’t work for my personal tastes.
It wasn’t what I was hoping for or expecting.
I also don’t think ANY book needs to be 448 pages in length-It’s hard to sustain interest for that long!
I am going to play with the title of the U.S. release here and say that THE LAST ONE (as in the last chapter) has been VERY polarizing in the reviews that I have read.
Will you be #TeamLovedIt or #TeamHatedIt?
It’s the ONE part of the book, I actually DID find very CLEVER, so count me in as #TeamLovedIt!
But, unfortunately, it could not save the rest of the book for me.
AVAILABLE NOW!
This title has also been released as “The Last Passenger” in markets abroad.
Thank You to Atria for the gifted ARC, provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
June 16, 2024
The Last One, the latest release from Will Dean, is the epitome of a book you want to go into blind. Trust me on this, the less you know about the story, the better.
I first heard of this book via my friend, Holly's, review. Within her first two paragraphs, I learned this was set on a cruise ship and frankly, that was all I needed. I was sold.
Cruise Ship + Thriller = Something I'm Gonna Read.
I requested this one from the publisher and was so excited when they approved me for a copy. I started it pretty quickly after that, because it seemed like a perfect Summer Thriller.
Spoiler alert: I was right.
I was immediately intrigued and by the 8%-mark, my jaw was on the floor. What the heck had I gotten myself into?
Dean wastes no time getting the ball rolling. It went in a direction that I never in a million years would have expected. It was giving me eerie, Twilight Zone vibes and I was over the moon about it.
I read this so quickly. I couldn't put it down once the suspense sets in. I had to know what was at the heart of this story and even after I found out, it didn't answer everything. In fact, it got even more perplexing.
I just had a complete blast reading it. Fun, fast-paced, original and entertaining as heck. I also liked how, without giving too much away, it shined a light a bit on modern life; the way we function day-to-day as humans.
Finally, that ending. Oh my word! That was great. I love a story that can leave me with a little sinister smile on my face at the end and this one absolutely did.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an out of the box Thriller, especially if you think a Cruise Ship setting sounds enticing.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This one was ever more fun than I expected.
I'm looking forward to picking up more from this author!
I first heard of this book via my friend, Holly's, review. Within her first two paragraphs, I learned this was set on a cruise ship and frankly, that was all I needed. I was sold.
Cruise Ship + Thriller = Something I'm Gonna Read.
I requested this one from the publisher and was so excited when they approved me for a copy. I started it pretty quickly after that, because it seemed like a perfect Summer Thriller.
Spoiler alert: I was right.
I was immediately intrigued and by the 8%-mark, my jaw was on the floor. What the heck had I gotten myself into?
Dean wastes no time getting the ball rolling. It went in a direction that I never in a million years would have expected. It was giving me eerie, Twilight Zone vibes and I was over the moon about it.
I read this so quickly. I couldn't put it down once the suspense sets in. I had to know what was at the heart of this story and even after I found out, it didn't answer everything. In fact, it got even more perplexing.
I just had a complete blast reading it. Fun, fast-paced, original and entertaining as heck. I also liked how, without giving too much away, it shined a light a bit on modern life; the way we function day-to-day as humans.
Finally, that ending. Oh my word! That was great. I love a story that can leave me with a little sinister smile on my face at the end and this one absolutely did.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an out of the box Thriller, especially if you think a Cruise Ship setting sounds enticing.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This one was ever more fun than I expected.
I'm looking forward to picking up more from this author!
August 5, 2023
Tired of reading the same thrillers all summer long? Ready for something completely different?
An ocean liner steams its way to New York. Thousands of guests on-board enjoying the luxuries from Gold level status on up!
After the evenings first party on the ship, Caz slowly wakes and automatically reaches for her boyfriend. He’s not there. Not on the balcony, not in the bathroom. Totally confused, she emerges from her suite and notices all the cabin doors are ajar and not a soul in site.
Turns out all but four (not so) lucky travelers are all the only ones left on board. On the bridge, no captain piloting the ship…no engineer to keep the boat running. Nothing. No one.
Where is everyone? Why are these four the only ones left on board? How do they get off this ship?
Eventually they discover there is more at play here. Now the question is, will they work together or will it all descend into primal survival with everyone for themselves?
I’m staying quiet and saying nothing more because this is one that is best to go in blind!
Is it over the top? Yes! Do all the pieces fit together? Well mostly. Did any of that take away from my enjoyment? Not one little bit!
There I was, thinking finally… a book to get me out of my recent reading slump. Clearly a solid four, maybe even 4 and ½ star read.
Then came the ending!🤯😱 OMG!! One of the best endings ever!🙌🏼
Deserves all the stars!🤩
Will Dean is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I cannot wait to see what he comes up with next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books
An ocean liner steams its way to New York. Thousands of guests on-board enjoying the luxuries from Gold level status on up!
After the evenings first party on the ship, Caz slowly wakes and automatically reaches for her boyfriend. He’s not there. Not on the balcony, not in the bathroom. Totally confused, she emerges from her suite and notices all the cabin doors are ajar and not a soul in site.
Turns out all but four (not so) lucky travelers are all the only ones left on board. On the bridge, no captain piloting the ship…no engineer to keep the boat running. Nothing. No one.
Where is everyone? Why are these four the only ones left on board? How do they get off this ship?
Eventually they discover there is more at play here. Now the question is, will they work together or will it all descend into primal survival with everyone for themselves?
I’m staying quiet and saying nothing more because this is one that is best to go in blind!
Is it over the top? Yes! Do all the pieces fit together? Well mostly. Did any of that take away from my enjoyment? Not one little bit!
There I was, thinking finally… a book to get me out of my recent reading slump. Clearly a solid four, maybe even 4 and ½ star read.
Then came the ending!🤯😱 OMG!! One of the best endings ever!🙌🏼
Deserves all the stars!🤩
Will Dean is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I cannot wait to see what he comes up with next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books
July 27, 2023
3.5 STARS
Welcome aboard! The Atlantica is ready to sail and it will be a trip beyond your wildest imagination. 😲
I do love a cruise ship setting and was thrilled to have an arc after enjoying the author's last novel, First Born.
Caz and her boyfriend are looking forward to a break and enjoying a week on the water. Lets just say that Caz has no idea what is about to happen to her! She wakes up to an empty ship. Is she alone? Where has everyone gone? I had so many thoughts!
I went in blind and would advise that to all who are intrigued. I can't say much more about the happenings. It gets very intense, twists come often and keep the narrative flowing, lots of action filled scenes which induced panic and widened eyes! 👀
I couldn't put this one down and at the same time there were parts that were somewhat tedious. I couldn't shake the feeling of NOT knowing what would happen next! I loved that I had to quickly swipe to the next chapter (just one more).
I felt like I opened Pandora's/Caz's box and then could NOT close it until I finished. 😱 I was settled on the end and then slapped once again! 🤚
I wish I could reveal more, but that would spoil the whole journey. Happy sailing and hold on tight if you decide to venture into these unchartered waters! 🚢🛟🫦
Thanks to EW for my ARC! OUT soon, August 8, 2023
Welcome aboard! The Atlantica is ready to sail and it will be a trip beyond your wildest imagination. 😲
I do love a cruise ship setting and was thrilled to have an arc after enjoying the author's last novel, First Born.
Caz and her boyfriend are looking forward to a break and enjoying a week on the water. Lets just say that Caz has no idea what is about to happen to her! She wakes up to an empty ship. Is she alone? Where has everyone gone? I had so many thoughts!
I went in blind and would advise that to all who are intrigued. I can't say much more about the happenings. It gets very intense, twists come often and keep the narrative flowing, lots of action filled scenes which induced panic and widened eyes! 👀
I couldn't put this one down and at the same time there were parts that were somewhat tedious. I couldn't shake the feeling of NOT knowing what would happen next! I loved that I had to quickly swipe to the next chapter (just one more).
I felt like I opened Pandora's/Caz's box and then could NOT close it until I finished. 😱 I was settled on the end and then slapped once again! 🤚
I wish I could reveal more, but that would spoil the whole journey. Happy sailing and hold on tight if you decide to venture into these unchartered waters! 🚢🛟🫦
Thanks to EW for my ARC! OUT soon, August 8, 2023
July 13, 2023
What did I just read? That was exactly what I thought when I finished this book! The Last One is a gripping, shocking, jaw dropping page turner!
Caz has boarded the RMS Atlantica with her boyfriend, Pete. She is in love and looking forward to their time together. They have a lovely first day but when Caz wakes up the next morning Pete is nowhere to be found but he's not the only one. It appears that she is completely alone on a ship on the open sea.
Enter The Twilight Zone vibes stage left.
Where has everyone gone? How will she get off the ship?
I had no idea what I was getting into with this book, and it was quite a wild ride! The Last One did not make me want to set sail any time soon! Just when Caz thought she was in the worst possible situation, she learns that she is not even close to being in the worst possible situation - let's just say it will not be smooth sailing for her. The worst is yet to come!
I had no idea about what was going to happen and was left blind sighted with my jaw hanging open with each shocking twist and reveal. Will Dean you clever, clever, man. I enjoyed the sense of unease, tension and danger that flowed throughout the book. Wowza! I could not put this gripping and shocking book down! It became a jaw dropping page turner for me!
A gripping, shocking, well written, and twist filled page turner!
Thank you to Atria Books, Edelweiss, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Caz has boarded the RMS Atlantica with her boyfriend, Pete. She is in love and looking forward to their time together. They have a lovely first day but when Caz wakes up the next morning Pete is nowhere to be found but he's not the only one. It appears that she is completely alone on a ship on the open sea.
Enter The Twilight Zone vibes stage left.
Where has everyone gone? How will she get off the ship?
I had no idea what I was getting into with this book, and it was quite a wild ride! The Last One did not make me want to set sail any time soon! Just when Caz thought she was in the worst possible situation, she learns that she is not even close to being in the worst possible situation - let's just say it will not be smooth sailing for her. The worst is yet to come!
I had no idea about what was going to happen and was left blind sighted with my jaw hanging open with each shocking twist and reveal. Will Dean you clever, clever, man. I enjoyed the sense of unease, tension and danger that flowed throughout the book. Wowza! I could not put this gripping and shocking book down! It became a jaw dropping page turner for me!
A gripping, shocking, well written, and twist filled page turner!
Thank you to Atria Books, Edelweiss, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
September 27, 2023
Ok this was way too long but WTF just happened 💀
March 13, 2023
4.5
Caroline (call me, Caz) Ripley and her boyfriend Pete board the RMS Atlantica, an ocean liner, bound for New York City. They enjoy a pleasant evening, a good meal and some drinks and head back to the cabin. The following day Caz wakes, Pete is not next to her, she goes in search and realises she’s entirely alone, she is indeed The Last Passenger aboard the Atlantica. Except she’s not as during the day she discovers three others, Daniel Cho, Franny and Smith. What is going on and why? How did 1000+ passengers vanish into thin air?
Well, I don’t fancy a cruise and I definitely don’t now, this puts you off for life!! A few chapters in my initial thoughts are how are you going to square this one Mr Dean?? He does although I do figure it out but my lips are sealed. It’s actually very hard to say too much about this go with the ocean flow novel without spoiling things but I suggest you strap on those infamous disbelief suspenders! All I will say is that things go from bad to worse, it’s tense, desperate, a bit creepy and ghostly in a Marie Celeste kind of a way as it shocks and makes you shudder. At times the atmosphere is so icy cold that hell could freeze over, or is that Atlantica hell? On display here we see all sides of human nature, everything from a selfish to selfless to the survival of the fittest. The theme is very thought provoking, there’s a morality slant in how far people will go especially if they are tested to the extreme. It’s fast paced, suspenseful and has multiple clever twists and just when you think scenarios couldn’t get any worse, they do. Will Dean is definitely pushing boundaries in this one and it does dive into the far fetched at times but the I ask myself is it, is it really???
So, yes I really enjoy it, it’s a bit (a lot) bonkers but it makes valid points to mull over. Why not five stars then? Well, parts of the ending I’m honestly not that sure about but as for the ultimate ending- oh yes, well played sir!!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review
Caroline (call me, Caz) Ripley and her boyfriend Pete board the RMS Atlantica, an ocean liner, bound for New York City. They enjoy a pleasant evening, a good meal and some drinks and head back to the cabin. The following day Caz wakes, Pete is not next to her, she goes in search and realises she’s entirely alone, she is indeed The Last Passenger aboard the Atlantica. Except she’s not as during the day she discovers three others, Daniel Cho, Franny and Smith. What is going on and why? How did 1000+ passengers vanish into thin air?
Well, I don’t fancy a cruise and I definitely don’t now, this puts you off for life!! A few chapters in my initial thoughts are how are you going to square this one Mr Dean?? He does although I do figure it out but my lips are sealed. It’s actually very hard to say too much about this go with the ocean flow novel without spoiling things but I suggest you strap on those infamous disbelief suspenders! All I will say is that things go from bad to worse, it’s tense, desperate, a bit creepy and ghostly in a Marie Celeste kind of a way as it shocks and makes you shudder. At times the atmosphere is so icy cold that hell could freeze over, or is that Atlantica hell? On display here we see all sides of human nature, everything from a selfish to selfless to the survival of the fittest. The theme is very thought provoking, there’s a morality slant in how far people will go especially if they are tested to the extreme. It’s fast paced, suspenseful and has multiple clever twists and just when you think scenarios couldn’t get any worse, they do. Will Dean is definitely pushing boundaries in this one and it does dive into the far fetched at times but the I ask myself is it, is it really???
So, yes I really enjoy it, it’s a bit (a lot) bonkers but it makes valid points to mull over. Why not five stars then? Well, parts of the ending I’m honestly not that sure about but as for the ultimate ending- oh yes, well played sir!!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review
August 8, 2023
Count me into the group who has enjoyed this wild ride. Although there are a few plot holes, it is a fast-paced, engaging thriller and I finished it in less than a day.
Caz and her boyfriend Peter are on a cruise from England to the US, enjoying the amenities of a high end cabin. On the first night they go to sleep after dinner, and Caz wakes up alone. Peter is gone, as is his luggage. When she goes out to see if he's somewhere else on the ship, she finds the ship empty. Every single person is gone. How and what happened?
I think readers should go into this book knowing only the bare minimum about the plot. Just know that everything gets explained decently well and that no paranormal/supernatural phenomena are involved. There are some really good twists and turns and it kept me thoroughly and completely glued to the pages to find out what exactly would happen.
If you like surprising, fast-paced thrillers, then this is certainly a unique one. Suspend your disbelief and grab hold of your life vest for a wild ride!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Caz and her boyfriend Peter are on a cruise from England to the US, enjoying the amenities of a high end cabin. On the first night they go to sleep after dinner, and Caz wakes up alone. Peter is gone, as is his luggage. When she goes out to see if he's somewhere else on the ship, she finds the ship empty. Every single person is gone. How and what happened?
I think readers should go into this book knowing only the bare minimum about the plot. Just know that everything gets explained decently well and that no paranormal/supernatural phenomena are involved. There are some really good twists and turns and it kept me thoroughly and completely glued to the pages to find out what exactly would happen.
If you like surprising, fast-paced thrillers, then this is certainly a unique one. Suspend your disbelief and grab hold of your life vest for a wild ride!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
May 10, 2023
EXCERPT: I perch on the edge of one of the chairs, built for a captain or a first officer.
Firm leather.
Eerie silence.
My instinct is to reach for the handbrake, which is a preposterous idea. There is no brake, not that I can see, and why would I want to stop in the eastern north Atlantic? What good would that do? I check my phone again but it's not connecting. And then I see the radio on the side of the centre console.
Thank goodness.
I pick up the handset and inspect it, trying to work out how it functions. I press a button but then I pause and look around and yell, 'I'm going to call the Coastguard now. If there's someone on this ship you should come and stop me.'
No noise save for the gentle hum of the screens,
'Hello?' I say into the radio, the button depressed, my voice unsteady, trembling. 'This is Caroline Ripley on the RMS Atlantica'. This is a mayday call. We have no crew. I don't know how to steer a ship. We need urgent assistance from the coastguard. Mayday. Mayday.'
ABOUT 'THE LAST PASSENGER': When Caz steps onboard the exclusive cruise liner RMS Atlantica, it’s the start of a vacation of a lifetime with her new love, Pete. On their first night they explore the ship, eat, dance, make friends, but when Caz wakes the next morning, Pete is missing.
And when she walks out into the corridor, all the cabin doors are open. To her horror, she soon realizes that the ship is completely empty. No passengers, no crew, nobody but her. The Atlantica is steaming into the mid-Atlantic and Caz is the only person on board. But that’s just the beginning of the terrifying journey she finds herself trapped on in this white-knuckled mystery.
MY THOUGHTS: I read all night, unable to put this down. White-knuckled isn't all. This is heart-attack material.
The Last Passenger is scary to the point of being terrifying. The tension mounts, palpably; I still have nail marks in the palms of my hands. You should probably get a doctor's clearance before starting reading this. My heart was either beating triple time, or lodged in my mouth and not beating at all.
The ending had me laughing, a tad hysterically perhaps, but laughing just the same.
Definitely at the top of my list of Top Ten Books for 2023.
This needs to be a movie.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheLastPassenger #NetGalley
I: @willrdean @hodderbooks
T: @ willrdean @HodderBooks
#contemporaryfiction #mystery #suspense #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. He was a bookish, daydreaming kid who found comfort in stories and nature (and he still does). After studying Law at the LSE, and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden. He built a wooden house in a boggy clearing at the centre of a vast elk forest, and it's from this base that he compulsively reads and writes.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Last Passenger by Will Dean for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Firm leather.
Eerie silence.
My instinct is to reach for the handbrake, which is a preposterous idea. There is no brake, not that I can see, and why would I want to stop in the eastern north Atlantic? What good would that do? I check my phone again but it's not connecting. And then I see the radio on the side of the centre console.
Thank goodness.
I pick up the handset and inspect it, trying to work out how it functions. I press a button but then I pause and look around and yell, 'I'm going to call the Coastguard now. If there's someone on this ship you should come and stop me.'
No noise save for the gentle hum of the screens,
'Hello?' I say into the radio, the button depressed, my voice unsteady, trembling. 'This is Caroline Ripley on the RMS Atlantica'. This is a mayday call. We have no crew. I don't know how to steer a ship. We need urgent assistance from the coastguard. Mayday. Mayday.'
ABOUT 'THE LAST PASSENGER': When Caz steps onboard the exclusive cruise liner RMS Atlantica, it’s the start of a vacation of a lifetime with her new love, Pete. On their first night they explore the ship, eat, dance, make friends, but when Caz wakes the next morning, Pete is missing.
And when she walks out into the corridor, all the cabin doors are open. To her horror, she soon realizes that the ship is completely empty. No passengers, no crew, nobody but her. The Atlantica is steaming into the mid-Atlantic and Caz is the only person on board. But that’s just the beginning of the terrifying journey she finds herself trapped on in this white-knuckled mystery.
MY THOUGHTS: I read all night, unable to put this down. White-knuckled isn't all. This is heart-attack material.
The Last Passenger is scary to the point of being terrifying. The tension mounts, palpably; I still have nail marks in the palms of my hands. You should probably get a doctor's clearance before starting reading this. My heart was either beating triple time, or lodged in my mouth and not beating at all.
The ending had me laughing, a tad hysterically perhaps, but laughing just the same.
Definitely at the top of my list of Top Ten Books for 2023.
This needs to be a movie.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheLastPassenger #NetGalley
I: @willrdean @hodderbooks
T: @ willrdean @HodderBooks
#contemporaryfiction #mystery #suspense #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. He was a bookish, daydreaming kid who found comfort in stories and nature (and he still does). After studying Law at the LSE, and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden. He built a wooden house in a boggy clearing at the centre of a vast elk forest, and it's from this base that he compulsively reads and writes.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Last Passenger by Will Dean for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
September 3, 2023
Caz and Pete take the trip of a lifetime, ready to celebrate their new relationship. They have a fabulous first night aboard a luxury liner, but the next morning, Caz wakes to find herself aboard a ghost ship. Pete is gone and she is apparently the only occupant of the ship.
No passengers, no crew…no one.
This is the stuff of nightmares and the ultimate locked door mystery.
I was on the edge of my seat as I followed Caz on her explorations of the ship and was in the dark right along with her.
But is Caz totally alone? Hmmm…
Then at the 30% - ish mark we find out what is really happening. It’s not something I can mention in my review without a major spoiler, but the reveal will work for some readers, and not so much for others.
I found it intriguing but yet there was something about the story going forward that failed to completely engage me.
At 450-ish pages there was a lot of filler and bloat. I found myself skimming sections of backstory that slowed down the narrative. I think the book would have been better had it been 75-100 pages shorter.
I love an edge-of-your-seat story that has me flipping the pages furiously to find out what is happening next. I did not get that response with this book, even when her access to food and water was closed.
The premise has a ton of potential but who knows why a book ticks all your boxes and others do not? This is one I liked but did not love. I appreciate the author trying something different. I definitely liked it and could see this successfully playing out well on the big screen.
This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, do check out her review to see what she thought!
* I received a digital review copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
No passengers, no crew…no one.
This is the stuff of nightmares and the ultimate locked door mystery.
I was on the edge of my seat as I followed Caz on her explorations of the ship and was in the dark right along with her.
But is Caz totally alone? Hmmm…
Then at the 30% - ish mark we find out what is really happening. It’s not something I can mention in my review without a major spoiler, but the reveal will work for some readers, and not so much for others.
I found it intriguing but yet there was something about the story going forward that failed to completely engage me.
At 450-ish pages there was a lot of filler and bloat. I found myself skimming sections of backstory that slowed down the narrative. I think the book would have been better had it been 75-100 pages shorter.
I love an edge-of-your-seat story that has me flipping the pages furiously to find out what is happening next. I did not get that response with this book, even when her access to food and water was closed.
The premise has a ton of potential but who knows why a book ticks all your boxes and others do not? This is one I liked but did not love. I appreciate the author trying something different. I definitely liked it and could see this successfully playing out well on the big screen.
This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, do check out her review to see what she thought!
* I received a digital review copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
March 19, 2024
Umm i beg your pardon... WTF did i just read
No cruise ships for me anytime soon... i promise you that!
Ok so let me set the scene for you about this book. You go on a cruise with your man, only to wake up the next day and not only is he gone but so is the other 1000 passengers... If that doesn't scare TF out of you, i don't know what will.
This is the predicament that Caz finds herself in and we as the readers are following her journey and inner monologue to get to the bottom of it.
It's hard to review this one, because anything said past what i mentioned above will be a major spoiler. So what i will say is that the 1/3 of this book was amazing... the middle had me wiping drool from my mouth, as i was in a state of comatose and that ending/ final line in the book... PASS GO AND GO STRAIGHT TO HELL!
⋆｡°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆｡°✩
➽ Short chapters
➽ Cliff hangers after the end of each chapter
➽ Survival thriller
⋆｡°✩WHAT I DIDNT LIKE⋆｡°✩
➽ Caz's inner monologue... sweetie you are lost out in sea. I understand you would want to reminisce about your sister, gambling father and poorly mother... but gurlllll it was too damn repetitive and it was taking away the suspense and claustrophobic vibes!!
➽ Why was this 482 pages!? A thriller just cant thrill for that long and if does, that author has one hell of a TALENT. The pacing after Caz finds out what is going on was soooo long winded and a bit boring, I struggled to stay awake and became quite disinterested at times.
➽ When I found out the reveal of the plot, i was so excited, because it had a lot of potential, but it just didn't hit. It was just so mid for me!
➽ The ending had me rolling my eyes right to back of my sockets and the final line in the book potentially could have had me slapping a stranger had i been reading this in public... IT WAS RID👏🏾 ICU👏🏾LOUS
From the blurb i went into this read expecting a claustrophobic, eerily locked room kind of thriller, but instead it was more of a survival thriller, which is a new subgenre read for me. I didn't mind it but my issue is with a book dealing with survival i would expect an action packed, edge of your seat kind of read and unfortunately with the book being way to long IMO, it just didn't deliver. Its not a bad book by any means, but i also wasn't jumping up and down in excitement to pick it back up to get to the end.
Its my first by this author and I'm willing to give another of his books a try. This one was just OK.
No cruise ships for me anytime soon... i promise you that!
Ok so let me set the scene for you about this book. You go on a cruise with your man, only to wake up the next day and not only is he gone but so is the other 1000 passengers... If that doesn't scare TF out of you, i don't know what will.
This is the predicament that Caz finds herself in and we as the readers are following her journey and inner monologue to get to the bottom of it.
It's hard to review this one, because anything said past what i mentioned above will be a major spoiler. So what i will say is that the 1/3 of this book was amazing... the middle had me wiping drool from my mouth, as i was in a state of comatose and that ending/ final line in the book... PASS GO AND GO STRAIGHT TO HELL!
⋆｡°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆｡°✩
➽ Short chapters
➽ Cliff hangers after the end of each chapter
➽ Survival thriller
⋆｡°✩WHAT I DIDNT LIKE⋆｡°✩
➽ Caz's inner monologue... sweetie you are lost out in sea. I understand you would want to reminisce about your sister, gambling father and poorly mother... but gurlllll it was too damn repetitive and it was taking away the suspense and claustrophobic vibes!!
➽ Why was this 482 pages!? A thriller just cant thrill for that long and if does, that author has one hell of a TALENT. The pacing after Caz finds out what is going on was soooo long winded and a bit boring, I struggled to stay awake and became quite disinterested at times.
➽ When I found out the reveal of the plot, i was so excited, because it had a lot of potential, but it just didn't hit. It was just so mid for me!
➽ The ending had me rolling my eyes right to back of my sockets and the final line in the book potentially could have had me slapping a stranger had i been reading this in public... IT WAS RID👏🏾 ICU👏🏾LOUS
From the blurb i went into this read expecting a claustrophobic, eerily locked room kind of thriller, but instead it was more of a survival thriller, which is a new subgenre read for me. I didn't mind it but my issue is with a book dealing with survival i would expect an action packed, edge of your seat kind of read and unfortunately with the book being way to long IMO, it just didn't deliver. Its not a bad book by any means, but i also wasn't jumping up and down in excitement to pick it back up to get to the end.
Its my first by this author and I'm willing to give another of his books a try. This one was just OK.
August 8, 2023
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!
“The crew of the RMS Atlantica wish you fair winds and calm seas.”
Caz Ripley and her boyfriend Pete board the RMS Atlantica, a luxury state of the art cruise ship to begin an amazing vacation. They enjoy themselves the first night by dancing, eating fabulous foods, and meeting other passengers. But when Caz wakes up the next morning, Pete is gone and so are the other passengers. Caz soon meets Frannie, Smith, and Daniel, the only other passengers who have been left behind. The ship is sailing at 29 knots and no one seems to be in control. There is little food and water on board, no cell phone service, and none of the radios are working.
What happened to the passengers? Why are Caz and her new friends left behind? Are they in danger? How will they get off the boat?
Will Dean is a fantastic writer. I loved The Last Thing To Burn, but felt that the plot of First Born was very over the top. His third thriller, The Last One, is a super fast-paced read, containing very short chapters with cliffhangers at the end of each one. I couldn’t stop flipping the pages to see how this book would end!
The Last One is a dark and disturbing variation on the locked room thriller. The characterization is superb and I was rooting for all of the passengers equally.
The plot is not wholly original, as it appears to be inspired by another popular book series. However, Dean makes proper references in order to give that story credit.
This book was a five star read for me until the very end. It just went one twist too far…unless it is the first in a series…Hint, hint!
I really enjoyed The Last One and don’t think I will ever board a ship again without thinking about it!
4/5 stars
Trigger warning: Suicide
Expected publication date: 8/8/23
Thank you to Edelweiss and Atria publishing for the ARC of The Last One in exchange for an honest review.
“The crew of the RMS Atlantica wish you fair winds and calm seas.”
Caz Ripley and her boyfriend Pete board the RMS Atlantica, a luxury state of the art cruise ship to begin an amazing vacation. They enjoy themselves the first night by dancing, eating fabulous foods, and meeting other passengers. But when Caz wakes up the next morning, Pete is gone and so are the other passengers. Caz soon meets Frannie, Smith, and Daniel, the only other passengers who have been left behind. The ship is sailing at 29 knots and no one seems to be in control. There is little food and water on board, no cell phone service, and none of the radios are working.
What happened to the passengers? Why are Caz and her new friends left behind? Are they in danger? How will they get off the boat?
Will Dean is a fantastic writer. I loved The Last Thing To Burn, but felt that the plot of First Born was very over the top. His third thriller, The Last One, is a super fast-paced read, containing very short chapters with cliffhangers at the end of each one. I couldn’t stop flipping the pages to see how this book would end!
The Last One is a dark and disturbing variation on the locked room thriller. The characterization is superb and I was rooting for all of the passengers equally.
The plot is not wholly original, as it appears to be inspired by another popular book series. However, Dean makes proper references in order to give that story credit.
This book was a five star read for me until the very end. It just went one twist too far…unless it is the first in a series…Hint, hint!
I really enjoyed The Last One and don’t think I will ever board a ship again without thinking about it!
4/5 stars
Trigger warning: Suicide
Expected publication date: 8/8/23
Thank you to Edelweiss and Atria publishing for the ARC of The Last One in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2023
My thanks to Atria books, Will Dean and Netgalley.
This was a fantastic story that had the misfortune of not stopping while it was ahead.
Honestly? I kinda dug the heck outta this book.
For the life of me, I hadn't a freaking clue as to what the hell was going on! Then, things started making sense and I was baffled. How the hell could something like this happen?
I'll be the first to admit that the "big bad" once revealed was a hoot!
Unfortunately, the final few pages were even too much for me. I'm a great one for falling into a story and wrapping my head around the unbelievable. This though? Ridiculous! Took the book from a 5 star review to 3.
This was a fantastic story that had the misfortune of not stopping while it was ahead.
Honestly? I kinda dug the heck outta this book.
For the life of me, I hadn't a freaking clue as to what the hell was going on! Then, things started making sense and I was baffled. How the hell could something like this happen?
I'll be the first to admit that the "big bad" once revealed was a hoot!
Unfortunately, the final few pages were even too much for me. I'm a great one for falling into a story and wrapping my head around the unbelievable. This though? Ridiculous! Took the book from a 5 star review to 3.
September 22, 2023
Caz Ripley and Pete Davenport have boarded the luxury ocean liner RMS Atlantica for a trip from Southampton to New York. She wakes the first morning to find herself utterly alone. One thousand passengers have vanished into thin air. Poof!
Even the bridge is deserted. Without a crew, the liner appears to be running on autopilot.
Is there a supernatural element at play here? Is she in a waking dream? Dead, but doesn’t realize it? Those and more thoughts race through my mind.
We soon learn, however, that things are not as they seem, and it’s certainly no accident…
Will Dean creates intense tension from the first page to the last in his most recent release The Last One. The novel is structured in short, fast-paced chapters, full of action and suspense.
He’s certainly not the first writer to set a mystery afloat – in Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, the Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot is aboard a steamer when the murder of the title takes place.
But Dean has shown that he is capable of understanding great cruelty and of bringing to life the lengths to which people will go in order to survive.
He takes an ordinary woman and places her in an extraordinary situation, and asks us to suspend our disbelief for long enough to enjoy this twisty, edge-of-your-seat, breathtaking voyage.
Wishing you fair winds and calm seas.
Even the bridge is deserted. Without a crew, the liner appears to be running on autopilot.
Is there a supernatural element at play here? Is she in a waking dream? Dead, but doesn’t realize it? Those and more thoughts race through my mind.
We soon learn, however, that things are not as they seem, and it’s certainly no accident…
Will Dean creates intense tension from the first page to the last in his most recent release The Last One. The novel is structured in short, fast-paced chapters, full of action and suspense.
He’s certainly not the first writer to set a mystery afloat – in Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, the Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot is aboard a steamer when the murder of the title takes place.
But Dean has shown that he is capable of understanding great cruelty and of bringing to life the lengths to which people will go in order to survive.
He takes an ordinary woman and places her in an extraordinary situation, and asks us to suspend our disbelief for long enough to enjoy this twisty, edge-of-your-seat, breathtaking voyage.
Wishing you fair winds and calm seas.
August 26, 2023
4.5 stars..
Let me just say that I have read only two @willrdean books and both were so incredibly good and original.I will never… ever… ever forget this ending.😳🤯🤯🤯🤯 Literally in 10 years you can say… Hey…remember that @willrdean book? I will DEFINITELY remember.😂🤯
Seriously this is just best to go in totally blind… it’s an extremely unique locked 🔒 room mystery on a cruise 🚢 ship… that ends in one of the most mind blowing ways… for ME there are three books that I will FOREVER remember the end… The Silent Patient 🤐… Behind Her Eyes 👀… and… The Last One…😳😳😳
Trust me… you want to read it! 😉
🚢🚢🚢 Is this one on your list?? What is a book that the ending was so 🤯🤯🤯 that you will never forget it?? 🚢🚢🚢 Thank you @atriabooks for my gifted copy
Let me just say that I have read only two @willrdean books and both were so incredibly good and original.I will never… ever… ever forget this ending.😳🤯🤯🤯🤯 Literally in 10 years you can say… Hey…remember that @willrdean book? I will DEFINITELY remember.😂🤯
Seriously this is just best to go in totally blind… it’s an extremely unique locked 🔒 room mystery on a cruise 🚢 ship… that ends in one of the most mind blowing ways… for ME there are three books that I will FOREVER remember the end… The Silent Patient 🤐… Behind Her Eyes 👀… and… The Last One…😳😳😳
Trust me… you want to read it! 😉
🚢🚢🚢 Is this one on your list?? What is a book that the ending was so 🤯🤯🤯 that you will never forget it?? 🚢🚢🚢 Thank you @atriabooks for my gifted copy
September 20, 2023
I wish you fair winds and calm seas 🛳️⚓
Well... this was NOT what I had in mind when I started this book. Without ruining it for other readers, I will say that for me this is a locked room-style thriller and not horror.
The premise really drew me in. Caz and love interest Pete are taking a vacay on a luxury liner, RMS Atlantica (💙 the name!). The characters are excited about the trip to the US and I like the vivid descriptions of the amenities, restaurants, and lounges. The do's and don'ts onboard a cruise ship.
Waking up the next day after fine dining, Caz found herself ALONE on the ship. Pete was nowhere to be found. No crew, no passengers.
WTF is going on? 😱
The beginning hooked me real good!! I was invested in the story until the first reveal and I thought to myself...nooo! I was disappointed with the theme and began to lose interest as the story progressed. I skimmed most of the second half to finish it. With the insane amount I skimmed, I should be giving this 2 stars but I think it's me and not the book.
And the ending...the very end? I loved it!!! 😆👏👏
There are many who loved this book and I hope The Last One works out better for you!
October 24, 2023
This book was not what I expected… I expected a thriller, a locked room mystery, or a suspense novel- but I got a lot more than that. This book was about survival of the fittest, and it’s left me with a bad feeling in my stomach.
Caroline (Caz) Ripley, wakes up alone after a wonderful night with her boyfriend Pete on the RMS Atlantica cruise ship. Not only is her boyfriend Pete missing, but so are 1,000 other passengers and 600 crew members. What happened during the night that Caz doesn’t remember?
Thankfully Caz is able to find three other lonely members like herself. She finds a young woman Frannie, and two men Daniel and Smith. The four of them are alone on this ship without any electricity, food, or water. They do not know how they will survive and make it home. And then the sick games begin…
All I can say is that if it wasn’t for Smith’s character, I probably would have liked this book even less. He was sarcastic, and maybe the smartest one of the bunch. I believe I kept reading for Smith. I did feel bad for Caz and her past, but it didn’t help the rest of the nonsense going on in the book.
Oh, and that ending? Is there going to be a sequel, or was that the last one?
This book was fast-paced with short chapters, so I will give it props for that. However, I did find most of this book implausible, so I can’t say that I would recommend it- unless of course you are a survivalist type of person.
Caroline (Caz) Ripley, wakes up alone after a wonderful night with her boyfriend Pete on the RMS Atlantica cruise ship. Not only is her boyfriend Pete missing, but so are 1,000 other passengers and 600 crew members. What happened during the night that Caz doesn’t remember?
Thankfully Caz is able to find three other lonely members like herself. She finds a young woman Frannie, and two men Daniel and Smith. The four of them are alone on this ship without any electricity, food, or water. They do not know how they will survive and make it home. And then the sick games begin…
All I can say is that if it wasn’t for Smith’s character, I probably would have liked this book even less. He was sarcastic, and maybe the smartest one of the bunch. I believe I kept reading for Smith. I did feel bad for Caz and her past, but it didn’t help the rest of the nonsense going on in the book.
Oh, and that ending? Is there going to be a sequel, or was that the last one?
This book was fast-paced with short chapters, so I will give it props for that. However, I did find most of this book implausible, so I can’t say that I would recommend it- unless of course you are a survivalist type of person.
August 17, 2023
The Last One requires oodles of suspension of disbelief but remains a compelling thriller.
Caz and her relatively new boyfriend, Pete, board the exclusive RMS Atlantica ocean liner, excited for their journey to NYC. They spend their first evening enjoying the ship and listening to safety drills. The next morning, Caz wakes up to no sign of Pete and soon realizes she may be the only one on the ship. The other cabins are open and empty, with practically no indication that anyone was ever there.
What happened, and where the heck did everyone go?
I thought this thriller would hinge on one of two possibilities, and it turns out one of my guesses was correct. So a point for me.
It’s pretty dark and disturbing, but at the same time, it could have been a lot darker. Caz has a whole backstory of why she wanted to go on the cruise, but I did not find it added anything interesting to the plot.
While this isn’t my favourite thriller, as it’s fairly unrealistic, it is extremely tense and compelling. I enjoyed the author’s last book, First Born, making it two for two, so I think I’ll keep reading his books as they release.
3.5 rounded up.
Thank you to Atria Books for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
Caz and her relatively new boyfriend, Pete, board the exclusive RMS Atlantica ocean liner, excited for their journey to NYC. They spend their first evening enjoying the ship and listening to safety drills. The next morning, Caz wakes up to no sign of Pete and soon realizes she may be the only one on the ship. The other cabins are open and empty, with practically no indication that anyone was ever there.
What happened, and where the heck did everyone go?
I thought this thriller would hinge on one of two possibilities, and it turns out one of my guesses was correct. So a point for me.
It’s pretty dark and disturbing, but at the same time, it could have been a lot darker. Caz has a whole backstory of why she wanted to go on the cruise, but I did not find it added anything interesting to the plot.
While this isn’t my favourite thriller, as it’s fairly unrealistic, it is extremely tense and compelling. I enjoyed the author’s last book, First Born, making it two for two, so I think I’ll keep reading his books as they release.
3.5 rounded up.
Thank you to Atria Books for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
April 30, 2024
Let me first say that you have to prepare yourself for a very unlikely plot. Also prepare yourself for being throughly entertained. I loved the trope, as I always do (I always feel nervous when enclosed spaces are described) so that spoke in its favor. I still felt it went a bit too far, and when the words came I thought; oh, man!! I also found the backstory unnecessarily long, but I did sympathize with the main character and liked her.
August 31, 2023
Can you hear the ship's horn? The RMS Atlantica is setting sail across the Atlantic. Caroline (Caz) and her boyfriend Pete are on board. The next day a harrowing experience begins for Chaz. This had some Stephen King vibes and a Hunger Games undertone. How far would you go to win a huge prize? Scarier still is the dark web component. I may never set foot on a cruise ship ever again.
March 30, 2024
SOS.
Mayday. Mayday. This book is calling for help.
I wish that I could be more positive because I loved another of the author’s titles "First Born" which prompted me to request this one.
A closed room mystery on a cruise ship sounded like something I’d enjoy. Except that I should have read the fine print because I was thinking “tropics” and what a nice change from the usual snowed in cabin stories. Of course the water was cold in this one too.
Oh well, I continued reading. And reading. And reading.
At 446 pages, this was long and seemed even lengthier because of the extraneous information throughout. So much filler and for all the wordiness, I still wasn’t connected to the characters.
The author wrote with a curious detachment which I especially noticed regarding the dogs in the story. I want to mention that no harm comes to them but they sounded like mere props. I get the impression that he likes dogs since they’re included in another book, but you wouldn’t know it based on the prose.
And that ending. Ugg. I felt deflated and that I’d expended my concern for nothing. My mood was so foul after finishing this that I needed to sleep on my opinions or this review would have contained a string of expletives.
I appreciate that the author was trying something different and although the story wasn’t for me, I could envision this being palatable or even fantastic for other readers. However, it’s calling for a serious pare down and clean-up.
Life Preserver Needed.
Thank you to Marie Genao from Simon and Schuster, Edelweiss, and Will Dean for my Advance Review Copy.
Mayday. Mayday. This book is calling for help.
I wish that I could be more positive because I loved another of the author’s titles "First Born" which prompted me to request this one.
A closed room mystery on a cruise ship sounded like something I’d enjoy. Except that I should have read the fine print because I was thinking “tropics” and what a nice change from the usual snowed in cabin stories. Of course the water was cold in this one too.
Oh well, I continued reading. And reading. And reading.
At 446 pages, this was long and seemed even lengthier because of the extraneous information throughout. So much filler and for all the wordiness, I still wasn’t connected to the characters.
The author wrote with a curious detachment which I especially noticed regarding the dogs in the story. I want to mention that no harm comes to them but they sounded like mere props. I get the impression that he likes dogs since they’re included in another book, but you wouldn’t know it based on the prose.
And that ending. Ugg. I felt deflated and that I’d expended my concern for nothing. My mood was so foul after finishing this that I needed to sleep on my opinions or this review would have contained a string of expletives.
I appreciate that the author was trying something different and although the story wasn’t for me, I could envision this being palatable or even fantastic for other readers. However, it’s calling for a serious pare down and clean-up.
Life Preserver Needed.
Thank you to Marie Genao from Simon and Schuster, Edelweiss, and Will Dean for my Advance Review Copy.
June 8, 2024
This was RIDICULOUS 😂
A woman with a troubled past goes on a cruise with her new partner, and awakes to find that everyone is missing. All passengers, crew, even the captain- all gone. She is completely alone on the ship. What’s going on? Where did everyone go? How will she survive?
That’s the gist, and I won’t really get into much else for spoilers (this is SOOO easily spoiled with even the slightest details), but yeah it was just so crazy/silly/fun/over the top.
I will say, I do wish things played out differently, and I wish things were a bit more grisly, but the ending was PERFECT. Honestly loved how it ended, I laughed out loud it was so out of pocket 😂
I recommend you go into this with an open mind and are prepared to suspend your belief, and rec if you like short chapters that almost always end in cliff hangers. This was too long imo, but even though it came in at like over 500 pages I still flew through it because it’s just so crazy I *needed* to know what happened next.
A woman with a troubled past goes on a cruise with her new partner, and awakes to find that everyone is missing. All passengers, crew, even the captain- all gone. She is completely alone on the ship. What’s going on? Where did everyone go? How will she survive?
That’s the gist, and I won’t really get into much else for spoilers (this is SOOO easily spoiled with even the slightest details), but yeah it was just so crazy/silly/fun/over the top.
I will say, I do wish things played out differently, and I wish things were a bit more grisly, but the ending was PERFECT. Honestly loved how it ended, I laughed out loud it was so out of pocket 😂
I recommend you go into this with an open mind and are prepared to suspend your belief, and rec if you like short chapters that almost always end in cliff hangers. This was too long imo, but even though it came in at like over 500 pages I still flew through it because it’s just so crazy I *needed* to know what happened next.
January 22, 2024
Abandon Logic, All Ye Who Enter Here...
THE LAST ONE by Will Dean
Spoilers ahead, proceed at your peril. 2 stars. I'm not going to go into too much detail regarding the plot, I'll just say it is ridiculous and far-fetched...
MC Caroline...
... or Caz, as she insists throughout the story that everyone call her, is one of four passengers on the cruise ship RMS Atlantica...
... that woke up on the first morning of their cruise after departing Southampton for NYC to find everyone else gone...
Even the crew...
All the food and fresh water are locked behind closed doors, and there are many dogs in kennels below decks...
There are no lights, no heat, etc. and the four passengers don't know one another...
The boom is lowered...
When the four hapless folk are told that they are participants in a sick reality show similar to SURVIVOR and they will not only be playing for money, but...
For their lives...
I looked forward to this novel after reading this author's THE LAST THING TO BURN (which was excellent), and I had just finished a really bad (and expensive) read, only to find this book was even worse than the last.
I started skimming through this tome at about 25%. I should have just abandoned ship, but because of its exorbitant price, I forced myself to push on to the end.
Finally finishing the story, I felt nothing but relief. This author asked his readers to suspend all logic when they entered the pages of this story.
What became of the 12 dogs in kennels below decks, and why were they even a part of this story, you may ask? Nobody knows!
The MC Caz was so needy for a boyfriend that she actually missed the jerk, even believing that he had helped the show's producers get her into that life or death struggle in which she was also being starved for food and water. She pines and pines away, page after page, wanting to be reunited with him... ugh!!
Recommendation: Put that money of yours toward another more worthy novel.
THE LAST ONE by Will Dean
Spoilers ahead, proceed at your peril. 2 stars. I'm not going to go into too much detail regarding the plot, I'll just say it is ridiculous and far-fetched...
MC Caroline...
... or Caz, as she insists throughout the story that everyone call her, is one of four passengers on the cruise ship RMS Atlantica...
... that woke up on the first morning of their cruise after departing Southampton for NYC to find everyone else gone...
Even the crew...
All the food and fresh water are locked behind closed doors, and there are many dogs in kennels below decks...
There are no lights, no heat, etc. and the four passengers don't know one another...
The boom is lowered...
When the four hapless folk are told that they are participants in a sick reality show similar to SURVIVOR and they will not only be playing for money, but...
For their lives...
I looked forward to this novel after reading this author's THE LAST THING TO BURN (which was excellent), and I had just finished a really bad (and expensive) read, only to find this book was even worse than the last.
I started skimming through this tome at about 25%. I should have just abandoned ship, but because of its exorbitant price, I forced myself to push on to the end.
Finally finishing the story, I felt nothing but relief. This author asked his readers to suspend all logic when they entered the pages of this story.
What became of the 12 dogs in kennels below decks, and why were they even a part of this story, you may ask? Nobody knows!
The MC Caz was so needy for a boyfriend that she actually missed the jerk, even believing that he had helped the show's producers get her into that life or death struggle in which she was also being starved for food and water. She pines and pines away, page after page, wanting to be reunited with him... ugh!!
Recommendation: Put that money of yours toward another more worthy novel.
July 31, 2023
Right now I'm seeing stars ⭐️ of fireworks! Seriously, y'all! (Yes, I'm a Texan) I feel like a nuclear bomb exploded from the beginning and somehow I survived the carnage! This book is that powerful! Will Dean held me captive for two whole days... as nothing else mattered except for work and food. It's that powerful. **Takes deep breaths**
Caz and Pete take a holiday on an exclusive cruise liner, the RMS Atlantica. The trip of a lifetime. The next morning Caz awakes where Pete is nowhere to be found. As she investigates the rest of the ship, all passengers and crew have disappeared. That's it. That's all I can tell you. I do apologize in advance but if I tell you anymore it would be considered "spoilers". You will either love it or hate it. There is no in-between. Not even a gray area. Period.
I felt so many emotions while reading this. Excited, hopeful, fury, rage, disbelief, empathy, relief, and many more. At first, I didn't know how to feel about it with first major reveal. Confused for sure. As I trudged on, I knew I just had to finish it. This was my first Will Dean novel and it will not be my last. Bravo, Dean! Well done! 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I would like to thank Atria Books and NetGalley for my ARC copy in an exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Caz and Pete take a holiday on an exclusive cruise liner, the RMS Atlantica. The trip of a lifetime. The next morning Caz awakes where Pete is nowhere to be found. As she investigates the rest of the ship, all passengers and crew have disappeared. That's it. That's all I can tell you. I do apologize in advance but if I tell you anymore it would be considered "spoilers". You will either love it or hate it. There is no in-between. Not even a gray area. Period.
I felt so many emotions while reading this. Excited, hopeful, fury, rage, disbelief, empathy, relief, and many more. At first, I didn't know how to feel about it with first major reveal. Confused for sure. As I trudged on, I knew I just had to finish it. This was my first Will Dean novel and it will not be my last. Bravo, Dean! Well done! 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I would like to thank Atria Books and NetGalley for my ARC copy in an exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 23, 2023
A tough book to review, because the less said the better, but plan on suspending your disbelief in spades for this one. The Last One is an entertaining read, and I really had fun with it overall, but the two things that kept me from giving this full stars were the page count and the final page. This story clocks in at almost 450 pages, which in my opinion does the story a disservice in preventing it from having that snappy, compulsive, can’t flip the pages fast enough feel. The ending… well. Once you’ve read this book, you’ll understand that you have to accept the over the top twisty turn not once, but twice. Definitely check this one out for yourself, as it is definitely memorable, just try not to read too many reviews ahead of time.
TW:
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
TW:
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
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