This was a strange and unique tale of an arrogant, narcissistic scientist that is trying to determine the cause of a sinking city. Dr. Tamsin Rivers is the head a research team assigned to identify the cause and effects of the anomaly in the city of San Siroco. After another long work day Tamsin comes home and discovers that her basement is also sinking. She becomes obsessed with her basement and is focused on determining if there is a connection. She comes home from work to check the status of her basement and discovers a door that will not open. One night it opens and Tamsin is confronted with an exact copy of herself.

This was such a strange and interesting story. It starts off painfully slow and left me scratching my head a few times wondering what was happening and when things were going to pick up. The last third of the book took off and made it worthwhile. So be patient with this one.

The narration was done well, I think it helped to listen to it instead of reading through the slower parts.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3 ⭐️

This was a strange and creepy read! I loved the blend of science fiction and horror. It builds the suspense well and has a claustrophobic feel. It has psychological and supernatural elements to it. While I liked the main character well enough, I never fully felt a deeper connection, which left me feeling a little withdrawn from the story. I also wish the pacing were a little more consistent because it does drag at times. Things just get crazier and crazier throughout the story and I thought the way that the structure evolves as the character does was really well done. It gave me House of Leaves vibes with the house being something “other” and unexplainable. I didn’t feel quite fully satisfied with the ending and the level of explanations we got. I’m still not sure I’ve even fully processed it all. Weird is the perfect descriptor for this one. If that’s what you like, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a read. I’m sorry to say that I didn’t like the style/voice of the narration in the audiobook, something about it was irritating. I’m not saying that to be mean but it’s just my honest experience with it. Overall, I thought it was a good read, a solid three-star for me, and I’d read from this author again.

I am fairly new to the speculative horror genre maybe "House of Leaves" would fall into this category and that book was the bee's knees! This story follows Tamsin Rivers, a scientist who is researching phenomena in the city of San Siroco, in which the town is sinking and anomalies are occurring. These anomalies involve distortion and change in a spatial reality. The public is unaware of these distortions and becoming aware of the sinking of the city. Tamsin keeps the biggest distortion, and her obsession, a secret from her team, a secret door, and an ever-expanding basement. The secret gets even bigger when out of the door a doppelganger appears and Tamsin's obsession increases 10 fold.

While I had high hopes for this story, it failed to captivate me throughout its entirety. The first half of the book was procedural and uneventful, and even up to three-quarters of the book was on the verge of becoming tedious. I think the biggest hint about what Tamsin will discover lies in the cats, though it is only briefly touched upon. The story only becomes intriguing when Tamsin's life starts to unravel and she reaches her breaking point (beware, this part is a bit grotesque). I feel that the duality of the doppelganger and the question of what makes a person human could have been explored more intensely, and that the build-up failed to create the level of suspense I had hoped for once the plot reached its climax. Additionally, I think more could have been done with the spatial anomalies to create more tension for the characters.

In my opinion, the story was average. It did not elicit the same level of anxiety that I have felt in similar stories involving strange events and spatial anomalies. The narrator was decent, but the delivery felt more like a clinical procedure than a captivating story. Despite the possibility that the lack of emotion was intentional, I felt more like a passive listener than an active participant in the story.

This wasn't what I expected. And not in a good way either.

I think this story would work really well as a novella or shorter novel. I loved the cosmic horror and thriller vibes of the doppelganger and the door. There was a bit of body horror that really perked my attention too.

But none of this was enough to capture my attention. The concept felt very long and drawn out. Even though it was a quick read for me, it felt like it took days to get to the meat of the story. There were parts with the doppelganger and Tamsin that probably could've been left on the cutting room floor to increase the pace.

There was a point in the story where the author pulled a huge switcheroo, and it felt like a deus ex machina since it wasn't fully explained. I knew it was supposed to keep me on the edge of my seat, but at that point, I really stopped caring.

Lastly, the relationship between Tamsin and her boss/ex felt so very unrealistic and robotic. Hell, Lachlan read more like a robot or AI than a human.

By the end of the novel, I stopped caring for any of the characters, even though I was technically supposed to be sympathetic to the MC.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this arc.

This is the first book I have listened to by Caitlin Starling and WOW this was such a good book. First off Xe Sands narration on this book was really good. I didn't want to stop listening. This book had a unique premise and a spooky story that made me ask what the heck did I just read. I think she did a good job bringing the characters to life. I think this is a great book for spooky season. I recommend giving this book a try. It's an interesting ride.


Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this ARC for my honest opinion.

Prior to a few years ago, I could probably count the number of horror books I enjoyed on one hand. Over the last two years, with the assistance of a horror-loving book buddy who has made it her goal to find my horror sweet spot, I’ve read and enjoyed so many more! The first one in this category was The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling. I still think about this book regularly even two years later, so when I found out she had a new book coming out, I pounced on trying to get an advanced copy of it.

I absolutely love that I can count on Starling to give a unique premise and a spooky story that leaves me asking myself what the heck I just read. I don’t think I’ve ever read sci-fi/speculative horror before, and this is a unique sub genre that I might need to delve further into!

Some other aspects of the book I quite enjoyed:

💡 The horror elements build slowly, and the further in I got, the more engrossed I was in the plot.

💡 Descent into madness is a trope I LOVE in literary horror, and Starling does it better than most other authors I’ve ever read. I really enjoy being in a character’s head as they question their own sanity and memory, and this one was fascinating on several levels.

💡 There is a small cast of characters, and we get to see many different facets of each of their personalities. The relationships they have with each other are fascinating and full of depth.

💡 There is so much suspense and second-guessing, and I love the unease I felt throughout most of the book.

If you enjoy weird books with descents into madness, this is one I’d definitely recommend!

I went back and forth between the ebook and audio, and I quite enjoyed the narration that Xe Sands did for this book. She also narrated Just Like Home, and she truly has a knack for narrating intimate and chilling books such as these two!

Narrated by Xe Sands, this book had the potential for a compelling audiobook experience. However, despite Sands' excellent narration, I found it challenging to engage with the story and its characters. Unfortunately, I was unable to finish the book, likely due to a mismatch in my personal preferences. While the book may resonate with some, it didn't connect with me as a reader.

* 4.5 stars *
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Last to Leave the Room by Caitlin Starling is about Dr. Tamsin Rivers, a selfish research team lead who is in charge of the group trying to determine why the whole city is slowly sinking. What she hasn't told anyone is her basement is also sinking and a random door has appeared that she has never seen before. When her doppelganger comes out of that door the good sweet side to her cruel ambition she slowly starts to forget her own world around her.
This book was really strange in an amazing way. The town slowly sinking and the changing doppelganger were mind bending to say the least. You slowly lose sight of the world around the main character as she loses herself and fights to regain what she has lost. It was an incredible story that had me at the edge of my seat. I just couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a trippy thriller! I will for sure be looking out for other releases by this author!

I started this book last night and it was okay. To be honest, I was confused some of the time and kind of bored. So for that I would give it a 3 star rating. I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it! Just not my cup of tea. One size doesn’t always fit.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author the opportunity for me to read it!

DNF @ 43%

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

I was really excited to give this author another try after having mixed feeling on Jane Lawrence. I thought that going in with the knowledge of things turning weird and paranormal would make this a favorite horror story. Because I loved the unexplained.

But this was too weird for me.. and I did not understand anything that was happening..

There is SO much technical detail dumped on you in the beginning of this story. I didn't follow any of it (what was she researching? I'm still so confused...). And I can't tell if any of it was actually important to the story.

At the nearly 50% point we were just getting to what was described in the synopsis. It was slow and meandering and overly descriptive and I quickly lost interest in what was happening or why.

Starling proves yet again why she is a must read author for me. The Last to Leave the Room is a surreal exploration of a doppelganger. It examines the humanity in characters, the scientific ponderings of what would happen if more than one of you existed, and the marvelous spiral of one's own sanity. If you love either of her previous books than this is a must. If you love nothing books than it is a delightful meshing of the best parts of each one. A complete must read.

A gripping psychological horror that confronts the reader with the existential question at the root of it all: what makes a person?

For lovers of psychological and speculative horror who don't need to like the main character - Dr. Tamsin Rivers is ruthless and proud of it.

I received a copy of this e-audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Last to Leave the Room was a slow burn sci-fi/horror read. It took me a while to get into it, but by the midpoint I was wondering who the monster actually was. Maybe it was everyone.

Dr. Rivers has a mysterious door in her basement. Out of this door comes doppelgängers. She makes her personal doppelgänger, Prime and starts running experiments to find out if Prime is a monster…or human.

Lots of technical jargon, but I was able to listen along with the story. I enjoyed the narration and the story. The characters were well fleshed out and relatable.

Great listen!

I have to admit I had to restart this one two times before getting into it. I started listening late at night and wasn’t able to focus on the storyline. Did the same thing the next night, but you know what they say the third time is the charm. That being said, take it from me and make sure you’re wide awake and can focus on the story, which revolves around Tamsin, a scientist tasked with uncovering the reason her city is sinking. Sound odd? Wait until you hear that she finds a door in her basement and behind that door is an exact copy of herself! Who is she? Where did she come from? And of course why is she there? This was a wild mix of sci-fi and horror. I’d like to thank Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of the audio version of Caitlin Starling’s The Last Leave the Room.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R2F9GG6EL5N4FN/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I had a fantastic time with this book! I really liked The Death of Jane Lawrence when I read it last year so I was eager to give this book a try and I liked this book just as much. I was hooked by this story from the beginning and was curious about what might be happening to Dr. Rivers. I love that the story left me questioning everything and I found it to be a very entertaining read.

The city of San Siroco is sinking and Dr. Tamsin Rivers is trying to figure out why. Her basement seems to be sinking even more than the rest of the city and a mysterious door has appeared. When she meets her doppelgänger, she does not know what to think but things start to go horribly wrong as they spend more time together. I had a great time trying to figure out how everything fit together. The story kept me guessing until the very end with plenty of twists and turns along the way, including a few really big surprises.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Xe Sands did an amazing job with this story. I really felt like I was there with the characters experiencing this story. I thought that she did a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life by adding just the right amount of emotion to her reading. I know that her performance added to my enjoyment of this story.

I would recommend this book to others. I found this to be a rather unique story that blended the genres of horror, science fiction, and thriller quite nicely. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of this author’s work in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press.

I had a tough time connecting with the writing in this story. Maybe it was the narration and the pacing? I liked the premise, but never was fully immersed in the story, I could always feel myself reading. The ending felt rushed. I did like the creepy factor without trying to be out right gorey.

Here are my two reviews for Last to Leave the Room, I thought it was a really good book! I actually have it 3.5 stars .. very strange, very trippy, but super fun and exciting. Kept me engaged .. I read it in one day!

Synopsis

Last to Leave the Room is a new novel of genre-busting speculative horror from Caitlin Starling, the acclaimed author of The Death of Jane Lawrence.

The city of San Siroco is sinking. The basement of Dr. Tamsin Rivers, the arrogant, selfish head of the research team assigned to find the source of the subsidence, is sinking faster.

As Tamsin grows obsessed with the distorting dimensions of the room at the bottom of the stairs, she finds a door that didn’t exist before - and one night, it opens to reveal an exact physical copy of her. This doppelgänger is sweet and biddable where Tamsin is calculating and cruel. It appears fully, terribly human, passing every test Tamsin can devise. But the longer the double exists, the more Tamsin begins to forget pieces of her life, to lose track of time, to grow terrified of the outside world.

As her employer grows increasingly suspicious, Tamsin must try to hold herself together long enough to figure out what her double wants from her, and just where the mysterious door leads…


This is my first time reading this author work and It took me a while to get into this book I found it hard at first but eventually I was absorbed by the story even though I found the ending unvaried.

Thank you to Netgalley & Macmillan Audio for sharing this ARC and letting me share my thoughts!
This book will be out on October 10th.

This had a “House of Leaves” feel with the description. The actual book was a little more slow paced and dragged in the middle. Still. In the right mood, the whole thing comes together. You just need the patience to plod on through a very unlikable character to get there.

This had a great plot, a cold-hearted mad scientist and a doppelganger. The story follows Dr. Tasmin Rivers, a scientist doing research investigation on why the city is sinking and whether or not her company had any involvement in in the geological issues that are happening. Right from the start we see that Dr. Tasmin is coldhearted, arrogant and unlikeable when she fires her loyal assistant simply because he tries to help her and knows secrets she has been keeping from the company. From that moment on I was waiting for Dr. Tasmin to get karmic justice. Then from there up pops a door and a doppelgänger spring from it. From there we are taking on a journey of the relationship between Dr. Tasmin and her doppelganger Prime.

Although this plot was great it was not executed very well, and it was way longer than it needed to be. It took me some time to get used to the narration and for me this was not a quick or easy read. I had to relisten sections to understand what was happening and found many reviewers saying they were a bit confused even after getting to the end. After relistening a few times and going back I was able to navigate through, but it was so long and repetitive that I lost the joy of listening. and I don't think I was very invested in the characters. I think for me Lockland was the best character. and the interaction between these two characters was the most interesting. As far as Dr. Tasmin, I really don't see or feel any growth from her. What did she really learn and how will she use these experiences to make her a better human being? I feel this book could have explored the doppelganger concept a bit further and made it more interesting. The book started out really well but for me lost its way. I do however think it ended well. I also feel that this book may be better read in the physical or eBook form.
I do appreciate the author's hard work and I would definitely read another book by this author in the future. Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for this Arc for my honest review.