Ten years ago, two vans carrying high school students crashed into a Tennessee ravine. Nine of the students survived the crash. Since then, one has died, and one has gone missing. The survivors get together every year to commemorate that terrible night.

The book is told both in the past and in the present. As they gather at the beach home in the outer banks, they tend to stick together yet do their own things at the same time. They are bound by their shared experience, but someone wants to write a tell all and everyone is on edge.

This book was on the slower side and slowly - very slowly readers get to learn more about what happened that fateful night. We do get to learn a little about the survivors and their lives but not enough about most of them to really care. The survivors were not close before the accident, some barely knowing each other. I didn't feel a sense of camaraderie or friendship from them - just a shared experience that they needed to keep in check.

I typically enjoyed Megan Miranda's books and thought this would be a slam dunk for me. But the slow packing mixed with an ending that was not that shocking failed to wow me. Did I guess whodunit? Nope, not even close. I thought I knew and was wrong but even with the reveal, I wasn't blown away.

What did work was the setting and the mood. The beach house on the outer banks with the sandy shore, a storm coming in, and mistrust amongst the group really set the stage.

Although I didn't love this one, I enjoyed it but not as much as I had hoped. I'm still a fan and will gladly read what she writes next.

I've enjoyed Miranda's other novels so was excited to read this one. It centers around a group of friends who were on a school trip years ago that ended in tragedy. Now each year, they gather at the beach for a week to mourn the friends they lost and in a sense, celebrate those still alive. Told in alternating chapters of past and present, the novel is mostly from Cassidy's perspective (at least in the present) as she becomes increasingly confused with unexplained things that are happening now and recalling events from that fateful trip that they are all trying to forget as guilt plagues them for different reasons. It's action-packed and a bit confusing, but it all comes out in the end and I will continue to be a fan of Miranda's books!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Enjoyed this book and found it to be a quick read- I was guessing until the end even though I thought I had figured it out at times!

This is hands down my favorite Megan Miranda book so far.

Even though this is a slow burn, the tension that MM builds is so fantastic that I didn’t want to put it down and simultaneously felt the need to take breaks. But halfway through, I did not put it down because my heart was racing and by the end my stomach hurt (in a good way?) The way MM writes this book and pieces together the “Now” and “Then” is *chefskiss* perfection.

Not only are the characters great, but we get introduced to the different characters in such an interesting way and through different lenses which enhances the story. We think we know them, until we get to see their POV of the past events and then we try and match it up with who they are now. I could really sense how they all felt together and yet so alone.

If you don’t usually love slow burns, I would still give this book a chance because at one point it doesn’t feel slow at all and the story races along. I could feel the desperation of each character (both then and now) and love how both stories come together, even though it makes you feel more and more freaked out.

Megan Miranda had always been one of my fav authors, but IMO her books have gotten better and better with each new one. So if you haven’t tried any of her books or just tried 1, I implore you to give this one a try!!

I thought this was a middle of the road, pretty average thriller. Not great, but not bad.

I think you would like this if you liked: All The Missing Girls by Megan Miranda or In My Dreams I Hold A Knife by Ashley Winstead

I liked the initial hook! This group of people, who aren't really friends but are bonded by a past traumatic experience, come back together every year on the anniversary to be together. I also really like the flashbacks, I thought those were the star of the book because they were the actual thrilling and intense parts.
What I didn't like about it though was that it was told backwards, which seems to be a favorite theme of this author. Every few chapters we jump back in time, starting at the END of the traumatic experience, so we don't really know what happened until the very end of the book. I wanted more of that story line, and I wanted it told from start to finish. The story line of the friends 10 years later was uninteresting to me.

I will be posting a review of this book on my instagram closer to Pub Day!

This book left a lot of questions unanswered
For me. I feel like we never got a clear picture of what exactly happened after the accident that everyone was trying to hide. Then the ending was so rushed that it was very vague as to what happened with Grace and Russ.

I really enjoyed books by this author before but this one was just a slow burn for me.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda was somewhat of a let-down. I was expecting more from this book based on her other novels. Nothing really ever happened. There were many ideas that never really got followed through on and left me with questions. It was also confusing who was who: who survived the crash from high school vs current time. The flashback was pretty typical, but it just wasn't too eventful for exciting. There were many directions this novel could have went in and it just was blah. I'm finding it difficult to even say why it was good or bad because it was just mediocre at best. It could've been developed more, but it was just so-so.

I love anything Megan Miranda writes. Her style reminds me of a modern day Agatha Christie! This book was no exception. Great storyline, good characters and kept me guessing til the end. I couldn't put it down!

This book did not have one character that i liked, or could sympathize with. BUT, that's okay. I don't always like books where I like all the characters. I could see this one being a good book club book. And I library will be getting it, however... I just wasn't the biggest fan. I personally found it to be very predictable, and not much going on.

It was the worst or the best reason for a reunion. Ten years after a high school field trip goes horribly wrong, The Only Survivors get together every year on the event’s anniversary. They are sticking together to avoid the fate of two of their number. Survivor’s guilt and a Final Destination-like feeling of Death coming to claim them has caused two of the survivors to kill themselves. There are only seven of them left.

Now, someone may be stalking their reunion. Podcasters have been contacting many of the survivors. Could it be them looking for some dirt? Or could the feelings of being watched actually be caused by one of their own? There would be a lot of money offered for a true story, not the official story they all had agreed to tell ten long years ago, of what happened the night of the event. The settlement money from the school is starting to run out making money a powerful motive for a tell-all book.

Atmosphere, atmosphere, and more atmosphere! The feeling of dread is pervasive throughout the novel. Breaking up the first-person current day account by Cassidy, one of the survivors, are many flashbacks to the night of the event told in third person by the other survivors. So, there are two mysteries to solve: what happened during the event and what is going on at the reunion. Luckily, I found both to be compellingly told.

The Only Survivors is great for fans of the Final Destination movies as well as anyone looking for a can’t-put-down thriller. 4 stars!

Thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Title: The Only Survivors
Author: Megan Miranda
Publisher: Scribner/Marysue Rucci Books
Pub Date: April 11, 2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

📚Synopsis:
✨A high school service trip ends in tragedy when two vans careen down an embankment toward a ravine. Nine students survive and are left to deal with the aftermath of losing classmates and teachers. While the nine students - Amaya, Brody, Cassidy, Clara, Grace, Hollis, Ian, Joshua, and Oliver - weren’t necessarily friends or even acquaintances leading up to the trip, they will forever be bonded by the trip and the events that happen immediately following the crash. A pact is put in place among the nine - always protect each other and hide the truth about what really happened the night of the crash.
✨One year after the crash, one of the survivors decides they can no longer hide the truth and returns to the scene of the crash and commits suicide. The remaining 8 make a new pact to meet each year on the anniversary of the crash to check in and check up with one another.
✨By the 10th anniversary, Cassidy is ready to put the crash behind her and finally move on with her life. She’s changed her number and deleted her old contacts, including those of the other 8 survivors. But then Cass receives a text from an unknown number - it includes the obituary for another one of the survivors, leaving 7 of them. Cassidy hesitantly says good-bye to her boyfriend and makes the trek to meet up with the others. But Cass is concerned; she knows what the other 6 are capable of and she knows what they’re willing to do to survive. She’s seen their ruthlessness with her own eyes and vowed to never speak of it again. Soon after she arrives to the mini reunion, another one of the 6 disappears leaving 5. Are they being picked off one by one? And if so, who is behind it? Haven’t they already gone through enough? Flashing back to 7 hours before the crash and the seven days after the mini reunion, the story of that night unfolds along with the present day consequences of the decisions teenagers made 10 years ago.

📚Thoughts/Recommendations:
✨I had very high hopes for the book especially after reading the summary and early reviews. For me however, it was an excruciatingly slow burn. The action and true suspense didn’t really pick up until the last 15% of the book. I like my books to hook me immediately and for tiny action/thriller based breadcrumbs to keep me engaged until the end. Perhaps it’s my propensity for distraction but it took me much longer than normal to complete the book. I wasn’t excited and compelled to finish the book. My level of disengagement was also created due to the large cast of characters in a past vs current timeline that made it difficult to fully know and connect with them. For me, all in all, this book was a swing and a miss. However, I fully understand and am aware there are fans of the author who will absolutely love this. This is my first novel from the author so I came into this with no prior expectation or knowledge. I’m sure there are many out there who will love this book! I encourage everyone to read books that sound exciting to them to make up their own mind. I know I would be sad to miss out on a great read due to a “not for me” review from one person.

📚I’d like to extend my thanks and gratitude to Scribner/MarySue Rucci Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel ahead of its release in exchange for a candid review.

All The Missing Girls will always be my favorite Miranda book, but this one is a close second!

I love love thrillers about a group of friends who are hiding something. I felt this one had a unique twist to it.

Once I started it I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know what happened. I also felt it was nonstop. There was something happening every chapter.

There was a twist in the end that I didn’t see coming at all! I was like “What?!?! 😱. What a way to end it!

The least relaxing trip to the beach ever…….

Book Information

The Only Survivors was written by Megan Miranda. Its expected publication date is April 11, 2023, and it is 352 pages. Miranda is the New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls; The Perfect Stranger; The Last House Guest, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick; The Girl from Widow Hills; Such a Quiet Place; and The Last to Vanish. Thanks to Scribner for providing me with an advanced reader copy for review.

Summary

It’s the tenth anniversary of a horrible accident. A decade ago, two vans filled with high school seniors on a school service trip crashed claiming the lives of all but nine. A year after, one of the survivors dies on the anniversary of the crash and the rest decide to gather each year on the anniversary to support each other.

Cassidy Bent has had enough. She doesn't want to make the annual trip anymore. She has tried to distance herself and move on….but she gets sucked back in after receiving terrible news about another survivor and, despite her intentions, makes the trip to their usual spot in the Outer Banks (OBX) of North Carolina for the tenth anniversary.

But, something isn’t right…..people are on edge. The organizer leaves and doesn’t return, and a massive storm is on the way which promises to shut down the only roads in and out of town.

They are all there to support each other---or are they?

My Thoughts

The Only Survivors is both an easy read and a page-turner. Like a Russian nesting doll, each time you think you know what's going on, the story opens up to reveal a new layer of truth. It's a wild ride that will keep you guessing until the very end.

The story is well-paced and will keep you intrigued. I was so engrossed in the book that I would give my wife short updates as I was reading (we used to vacation in the Outer Banks). Even with just snippets of information, she was tense and a bit creeped out.

Miranda makes masterful use of different points of view, flashbacks, and red herrings to keep you on the edge of your seat and wondering what exactly is happening. Just about every assumption you make will be wrong as new information is provided and hairpin twists make your head spin.

It was an enjoyable book that I recommend.

Recommendation

If you like mysteries that keep you guessing and that are a pleasure to read—give this one a shot. Recommended.

Rating

4 OBX Stars

The Only Survivors survive a bus crash as children and came together to save each other. Meeting every year on the anniversary grows harder and one of the survivors begins to pull away then disappears.

Are the others working to save each other or is something more sinister afoot

The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda follows the mystery of seven survivors of a seven hour tragic accident, over seven days on the tenth anniversary. The story is told from the perspective of Cassidy Bent in the present day and her experience of someone mysterious watching the survivors on their annual anniversary trip to the Outer Banks. The characters meet to join in fellowship over their experience and to remind them of the pact they made so long ago. The story also intermittently tells the story of the other survivors over those grief stricken seven hours. This tale moves quickly and keeps you guessing to the end. I really enjoyed Miranda’s fast paced story telling and became quite invested in the story. I highly recommend!

This book was straight up awesome. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat the whole time trying to figure out the secrets and who to trust. I LOVED that the Past POV started at the end and went back to the beginning. It was so clever and really helped to build the suspense. I was thrown by the twists and would highly recommend this awesome thriller!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for access to this digital ARC.

Ten years ago they were the nine survivors of a deadly crash killing several of their high school classmates and two teachers. They gather every year on the anniversary in a cottage on the Outer Banks. One of them died by suicide on an anniversary and Cassidy cuts herself off from them until she receives a text with the obituary of another survivor so she joins the rest.. They’re down to seven when another disappears. With flashbacks to the aftermath of the wreck and multiple twists and turns, this builds to a strong climax. Miranda never disappoints.

This author always writes a great book. This one, however, wasn't my favorite. There were alternating timelines, which I like, but one of them was not in chronological order. There were a lot of characters to keep tracked of as well. It was a slow read for me. I wanted to know what happened, but I found myself not picking the book back up. Though I guessed the twist, I thought it was a good one. I will definitely continue to read this author.

This is my sixth book by this author, and I’ve come to really enjoy her books for their descriptive nature, atmospheric settings, slower burn mysteries, and complex characters. I do find her books more on the mystery side versus thriller but always enjoy the journey and the outcome of each. I was a bit nervous going in with so many characters to keep track of. I still found myself having to mentally remember some of their storylines at times, but the dual timelines from the past perspective of each character helped. I did have a bit of a hard time understanding exactly why they were all being so protective and living in such fear from an accident stemming from a decade ago but by the end I feel like I did have clarity, even if the justifications seemed not quite as shocking as I was expecting. Overall I would recommend! The stormy Outer Banks setting will make for a perfect summer thriller and I think that if you’re familiar with Miranda’s style of mysteries and enjoy her somewhat lyrical writing, I think you’ll really enjoy this!

Thank you so much to Scribner and Netgalley for this eARC!