The Last to Vanish is set in Cutler’s Pass, North Carolina. Though I loved the idea of a mystery set in the mountains, one of my all time favorite places to go, I found this story a bit difficult to get through. I’m not sure if it was my mood or the fact I felt it took a long time to get to the point where it held my interest. I would say this is a good story but not a great one. I’ve read other books by this author and haven’t had this issue before. I felt the ending a bit convoluted and messy, and some of the reveals just feel flat.

Though I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I have some others, I would still recommend it for readers that enjoy mystery/thrillers and have enjoyed Megan Miranda’s books before. Sorry this one just wasn’t for me.

I will add, that I probably will go back and read this book at another time to see if it was just me. If so, I will be revising my review.

Thank you to #netgalley and #scribner for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

This book is a great mystery .Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Cutter’s Pass, North Carolina. Most known for the disappearance of “The Fraternity Four” who set off for the Appalachian Trail more than 20 years ago never to be seen again. But the four young men aren’t the only ones who have vanished from this tourist location. Along the years Farrah Jordan, Alice Kelly and, most recently, Landon West also vanished. As far as statistics go, seven people in two decades isn’t a very remarkable statistic – especially considering the terrain they all presumably were tackling. Or maybe Cutter’s Pass was simply a means to an end where they either walked away from the lives they were leading . . . or walked over the edge of a cliff. Whatever the case, the investigations into each disappearance have gone cold, until Landon’s brother shows up unexpectedly at The Passage Inn.

This one was a miss for nearly all of my friends, but I found it perfectly satisfactory. Goes to show it can sometimes just be about timing. I really sunk in to this slow roller, and even though I had a hunch regarding the whodunit the big reveal ending up being A-okay for me. I dig Megan Miranda’s stuff and this was no exception.

3.5 Stars

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

Unfortunately, I have been locked out of my netgalley account for a few months and was not able to see which books I had on my list or even know to check if they downloaded properly, in order to properly read and review. I do apologize and am doing a 3 for neutral. Will update once I’m able to obtain a copy and read!

This book was absolutely creepy and atmospheric and had me in goosebumps!
I loved the story and I loved the fact that I had no idea where it was going to go… That ending! I love Megan Miranda’s writing and this is no exception!!
Wonderful characters and setting and a super spooky thrilling ride!!

Megan Miranda’s writing is superb! I loved the atmosphere in this story, which helped immerse me in the characters’ points of view. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but the storytelling devices were very good at getting me immersed in the story without trying to figure out what happens next. Highly recommend!

This was a very atmospheric read, I loved the mountain settings of Cutter's Pass and the Inn. I did find the reveal of the Fraternity Four underwhelming and the ending was a bit muddied and vague and the characters fell a little flat for me. Which really bummed me out, but overall it was a solid book.

I really wanted to love this one. The small town vibe with the mysterious cast of characters seems like a recipe for a great story. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat.

The first 2/3 of the book was pretty slow going. Lots and lots of set up. The last third of the book picks up and gets a little bit more compelling to read. But by then, I kind of just wanted it to be over.

Overall I give it a 3 stars because I did enjoy it but it was just a little slow for my taste. Still a fan of Miranda and looking forward to see what she puts out next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I debated on what to rate this book. It had a slow start but I got really interested about 35% of the way through. I found that there was one too many twists for me and that is why I debated on what to rate it. Overall, I thought it was enjoyable and I liked the ending. However, the middle got a little complicated.

I love how atmospheric and engrossing Megan Miranda's books are, and thankfully, The Last to Vanish was no exception. I actually ended up starting it twice, because the first time I wasn't paying close enough attention and I didn't want to miss anything. The second time was the charm though, and it had my full attention as well as my interest. It was the perfect fall read, and I loved the descriptions of the North Carolina mountains as well as the inn itself. I bought the Target copy because I wanted a physical book, and I loved the bonus chapter at the end of it. It built on the story just a bit more, and it was a nice addition (although you aren't really missing anything if you don't get this edition). I really had no idea what was going to happen, and the twists managed to surprise me quite a bit.

Besides needing to make sure you pay attention; the audiobook is a great way to go, and I was really happy that Alex Allwine was the narrator. She was spot on as our MC Abigail, and I thought she did an excellent job of heightening the emotion and action that takes place. The Last to Vanish is a bit of a slower burn and I thought that made it even better for audio with the help of our talented narrator. There was a wonderful eeriness to the story as well, and quite a bit going on as Abby works with Trey to not only figure out what happened to his brother but the women that went missing as well. I was so drawn into what was going on by Miranda's clean and stylistic writing, and I loved her execution of this intriguing premise.

Thank you to the publishers for my complimentary listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Megan Miranda is one of my go to authors for thrillers. She has the perfect amount of dark and twisty without keeping me awake at night. Lol

I'm a tad confused with my feelings for The Last to Vanish. There are certain points that are extremely predictable, yet, there are also points that leave you questioning the characters' behavior. It also took a long time for the author to get to the suspenseful parts of the book, and I wasn't a fan of most of the characters.

I do plan to read Miranda's other books, and actually have a few of them sitting on my physical tbr shelf.

Thank you to Netgalley & publishers for allowing me an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The Last to Vanish is a solid suspense novel. Megan Miranda excels at creating settings that are in effect characters in the novel. There was plenty of spooky factor with the isolation present on the trail, the remote location of the inn, and the very insular quality of the community. In typical MM fashion, the reader is never sure whom exactly can be trusted, which is both a positive and a negative. It certainly does create suspense, but it also can create a lack of empathy from the reader for any of the characters. On the whole, this will be well-received by Megan Miranda fans and readers of suspense.

Abby Lovett loves her job working at the inn in Cutter's Pass-a place where in the Appalachians where people come to commune with nature. The area has gained notoriety for another reason though-a string of unsolved disappearances. First there was the Fraternity Four who went walking the trails and disappeared. Then years later a female hiker goes missing, then another. Journalist Landon West decides to investigate these mysterious disappearances and goes missing as well. When his brother Trey shows up to find out what happened to Landon, Abby gets pulled into a hunt for the truth that will uncover secrets that her adopted town would much rather remain hidden. This is my second Megan Miranda read and I very much enjoyed this. Very suspenseful and I always admire authors who are skilled enough to infuse a novel with just enough slight of hand and misdirection to keep me engaged and guessing the whole time. Definitely a good choice for thriller fans.

Megan Miranda is a go-to author for me, so I was excited to receive The Last to Vanish as an ARC. One thing I really liked about this book was the setting. The atmosphere was thoroughly discussed and made me able to picture what was going on. The beginning really sets up this atmosphere; lays out some of the history of the vanished visitors, introduces us to the characters, and sets up the mysteries. The mysteries and overall story are a slow burn. I love twists at the end, but I didn't like who ended up being the *baddie*. (SPOILER) His character was one who I liked because he related to the main character in feeling like an outsider. He was likable and helpful, and seemed like an overall good person. Making him be the baddie in the end made me sad.

Compulsive read - Megan Miranda has become a must-read author that I can recommend to many types of readers. I enjoyed this one immensely.

Abby Lovett has lived and worked in the outdoor paradise of a resort town, Cutter’s Pass, North Carolina, for 10 years, and in that time she’s been through two high profile disappearances with the townspeople. In fact, the town is known for its strange disappearances, which go back to the “Fraternity Four” 25 years ago. All of the people seem to have vanished into thin air, never to be see again. But when the brother of the journalist who went missing four months prior shows up at the inn Abby manages, she can’t help but be drawn into his investigation into the disappearances and re-question everything she thinks she knows about her neighbors.

Megan Miranda knows how to write great thrillers, filled with plenty of plot to keep you interested and engaged as you desperately search for answers. I was hooked as the story went more and more into details of each of the stories of the missing hikers. I just NEEDED to know what happened to them and who could possibly be responsible for everything, if everything could even be connected. It really was a great mystery.

And the ending is really fitting. As with the other Miranda books I’ve read, nothing is straightforward and you are kept on your toes the entire time. There are plenty of twists and I was super drawn in and couldn’t put the book down until I the end by the time I reached about the 70 percent mark.

The atmosphere was also great - a small town, nestled in the mountains, near the Appalachian trail, with a tight-knit community, leaving you not sure who to trust since everyone could be covering for someone else. The few outsiders we’re introduced to are automatically labeled as suspicious which ups the tension and just creates a great list of suspects to work with. We don’t get too good a look at anyone, which allows us to suspect everyone.

Overall, this book is another winner from Megan Miranda, with a tightly woven plot and a great mystery at its core. A must-read!

I’ve received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This books was a little slower than I would have liked. I also had it mostly figured out by the time it got to the end. The plot line was interesting and the characters were good, but I expected more. A quick read.

The Last to Vanish was a moody and dark mystery of a town and the secrets that the people keep. This was my first Megan Miranda book but it will not be my last!

The story follows Abigail and he life in Cutters Pass - How the town has been shaped by the tall tales that have spread due to some disappearances in the mountains there. We follow Abby as she try’s to become one of the towns selected few insiders but also how she feels tied to those looking for answers of why the town is cursed with these disappearances. She meets Trey as he searches for the answers to his brother’s disappearance and it sets off a series of events for Abby in uncovering the secrets of the town she’s come to call home.

Loved the atmosphere and the slow unveiling of the secrets! Perfectly moody for the spooky fall season!

If there was a thriller hall of fame, Megan Miranda would have her own wing. When I read last year's "Such a Quiet Place," I thought she had reached the apex of her writing career and would be unable to top that masterpiece. She proved me wrong with "The Last to Vanish." This book is the star in Miranda's crown, a truly wonderful novel that will keep the reader hooked from the first page. Not only does she capture the spirit of distrust that can pervade a small town, making even transplants of over a decade still feel like outsiders, but she also builds a tremendous mystery around a set of disappearances spanning over twenty-five years.

Although she's been living in Cutter's Pass and helping to run the Passage Inn for almost a decade, Abby Lovett feels she can't quite shake the "outsider" label that follows her through town like a rain cloud. Through the polite smiles, the cursory greetings, and the reluctantly offered invitations, she can't help but notice the conversations that are cut off as she approaches, the events that she doesn't make the cut for, and the friendships she struggles to make. The vanguards of town aren't quite ready to invite her into the circle of trust, and she can't help but chafe at the rejection as the town endures another round of speculation and questions after the disappearance of journalist Landon West. Landon is the third to disappear down the trail to Vanishing Falls and never return in Abby's ten-year sojourn. Alice Kelly, Farrah Jordan, The Fraternity Four. Names as familiar to Abby as her own. Disappearances that have become larger than life, deaths Landon West was determined to solve.

When Landon's brother Trey arrives in town determined to find answers about his brother's death, Abby can't help but feel the town is doing everything they can to divert attention from the case and politely but firmly shut down Trey's inquiry. As Abby takes an interest in Trey and is drawn to helping him in his quest for knowledge, she can't help but feel she's drawing the line between town outsiders and insiders ever deeper. When she finds incriminating evidence, however, she knows she is too close to the truth to back down to the peer pressure being exerted by her acquaintances, peers, and family. As Abby discovers just how little she knows about the people she's spent the past decade trying to win over, the question becomes, can she find a killer before she becomes the next one to disappear?

From the remote setting of small town Cutter's Pass to the lonely atmosphere of the mountain trails responsible for the disappearances of seven people, Miranda transports the reader to the heart of her mystery and begs the question, how far is too far to go to keep secrets for the people you love most?

Special thanks to NetGalley and to Scribner/Marysue Rucci books for providing an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.