Really couldn’t get on with this one so didn’t finish. I always give until 10% and see where we are but something about the writing wasn’t grabbing me. I was determined to carry on since I’ve read some great reviews but life’s too short. Seems like I’m in the minority. Sorry

I devoured Her Last Summer. I'm a big fan of destination thrillers and am immediately drawn to any novel set in Thailand so this was a huge win-win for me but the standard of writing blew me away!!

The characterisation, pacing and twists were brilliant. It felt like I was back in Thailand re-living my youth as a backpacker! If you love sultry summer thrillers with a huge twist then this book is for you. It really is exceptional.

Wow! What a page Turner, totally new author to me but will definitely go looking for her other novels. I was drawn in from the start to the story and then was treated to not one but two massive plot twists! I did not see either one coming, absolutely fabulous thank you so much

I really enjoyed this book as one could picture the idyllic journey as you were reading it but is it fact or fiction, I guess you will have to read it yourself to find out but a great book I have to say that it will not disappoint one x

Omg this was sheer perfection! Sun, sea, sand and secrets at its best. This is a must read for the summer.... or any time you want transported to a sunnier climate. Its well written and easy to read. I flew through it and didn't even notice half the day had passed. Thr characters were well fleshed out and given dimension and personality. They weren't the same characters you've read about a dozen times over, they didn't have stupid reactions that were completely unbelievable, its all just so very real and impossible not to become invested in. And the twists?! Oft! I did not see them coming and was completely taken aback! Must must must read

This was such a good read. I really enjoy Emily Freuds writing and I am always fully immersed in her novels.

This book has such great settings. Back packers visiting beautiful white sandy beaches, blue seas and a young party atmosphere. You feel like you're holidaying with them. Then, a change in mood with the tense and dark jungle. The novel gives a nod to The Beach by Alex Garland which I liked too.

The characters are all well developed and I particularly liked Cassidy. I couldn't make my mind up about Luke and I was keen to work out what happened to Mari all those years ago.

I enjoyed the flashbacks to the early 2000s as well as the filmmakers revisiting the crime scene now.
I loved the film making aspect, and it's clear that Emily Freud knows her stuff.

This is a real page turner and some really unexpected twists had me gobsmacked, I'd never have seen those coming!

If you haven't read any of this author's books yet I'd highly recommend this one and her previous books too. A fabulous thriller writer who always delivers fast paced and un-put-downable reads!

I'd love to see this story on the TV. (And I'm sure I say that with all of Emily's novels but I can always picture them so well).

Thanks again to Netgalley, Quercus books and Emily Freud for giving me the opportunity to read an arc of Her Last Summer!

This novel is published on 11th April 2024 .. available to preorder now!

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#herlastsummer #quercusbooks #netgalley #bookreview #bookarc #advancedreaderscopy #fivestarread #fivestarthriller

So I had a lot to do this weekend (and I mean A LOT!) but I made the mistake of just taking a look at Her Last Summer to set it up ready to read at some point in the coming weeks. OMG the rest of the day just passed me by as I physically couldn’t get off the sofa to do anything else other than read this book! It’s been a long time since a storyline grabbed me as instantly as this did and I finished it yesterday evening. And did the initial spark I felt on those first few pages develop into the flames I wanted? YES IT DID!! What a read and what an amazing and utterly shocking twist (one of quite a few I have to add) it had part way through-one of those twists where you doubt what you’ve just read and have to reread to make sure it’s not just been thrown in there to shake you up a little!
The writing here is beautifully authentic with attention to detail in both character and setting-I was there with Cass and Luke every step of their journey as though I was travelling alongside them as they search for the truth about the disappearance of Mari 20 years ago. The scenes in the UK we’re intrinsically connected to those in the jungle in such a seamless way that you could easily have believed this was a real case they were following and I was beside them every step of the way.
This is already a contender for my book of the year-absolutely brilliantly breathtaking from start to incredible finish.

A Scorcher…
Cassidy Chambers - filmmaker and truth seeker - is approached by Luke Speed, a man ready to tell his story. Cass is determined to find the truth and, perhaps, find Mari who vanished in the jungle twenty years ago when backpacking in Thailand with Luke. Cass is ever driven by personal past experience. As the filmmaking progresses, a decision is taken to move the filming to the actual jungle locus. With a fabulously well drawn cast of characters, a propulsive plot populated with hair bend twists and a well imagined setting this is an edge of seat one sit read. Tremendous character driven suspense- a scorcher.

I haven’t read Emily before and went into this one pretty blind but her writing style immediately captured my attention making this one pretty hard to put down.

I thought the storyline itself was really uniquely done and I loved how the main characters personal story and issues ran alongside the main plot line, I thought this worked really well.

I found the writing very engaging and consistently paced throughout the book. I didn’t love *small spoiler* the whole Cass and Luke thing but it didn’t ruin anything for me, I just didn’t really buy into it.

The last 20 percent of a thriller is always so important to the reading experience for me and this one certainly delivered. I couldn’t read the words fast enough. I found the showdown but a bit cringe but that’s always the way I think. The twists all played out really well

Overall this was a really compelling read with a unique storyline, well fleshed out characters and made for a great reading experience

What a page turner this turned out to be!
This was a new to me author and after finishing it I am definitely going to be reading her other books.
I was intrigued right from the start and was fully invested, so much so, I read this in two sittings.
The writing in this was really good and it flowed seamlessly, making me just want to to keep turning the pages. I felt like the pacing and plotting of this book was spot on.
Also going in to this I was expecting there to be dual timelines and thank goodness there wasn't.
I say that mainly because it has been overdone in the thriller genre, so the fact that this didn't was a big thumbs up from me!
One thing that I wasn't so keen on was the romance. I know why it was there but I felt it spoiled the book a little and it made me dislike the female main character of Cassie, who at the start I really liked. It made her come across as young, immature and naïve and I really could have done without that aspect. The connection between the two characters involved never came across to me unfortunately.
Also, some of the twists were a surprise to me, which is always great!
Overall this was a quick, fast paced, easy to read, well written psychological thriller that I highly recommend!

OMG what a brilliant read!! This fast paced , twisty thriller was one of the best I’ve read in a while. I got caught up in compelling plot and swept along not wanting to put this down. It had plenty of mystery, lots of red herrings and shocking twists and reveal and so I flew through its pages completely addicted to the storyline!! 5 stars from me and HIGHLY recommended

Mari disappeared while backpacking through Thailand. Her boyfriend Luke, who was with her, was accused of her murder. He’s always insisted his innocence and twenty years later he wants to talk. Cassidy Chambers, a filmmaker, wants to be the one to crack this case. Will she discover what really happened?

This is my first book by this author so I didn’t know what to expect but I can say after reading that it’s a good one! The true crime element is done very well and I enjoyed the writing style. The storyline was interesting and clever. I also enjoyed the captivating, tense atmosphere of the jungle, as well as the complex plotting. The characters were well written and I felt that I really got to know them. The twists were done well and were surprising. I will definitely be looking at other books by this author and could see this working as a series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

This was such an easy book to get sucked into. Set in the present day with flashbacks to the early 2000’s, I really enjoyed how this story was told. I liked Cassidy, she’s so focused on telling the truth of a story and Luke & Mari’s story is one that captured everyone’s attention.

It was so easy to revisit the early 2000’s - I was in my early 20’s & I remember The Beach being released. For many friends that did OEs, this movie was why they went to Southeast Asia instead of Europe. So it was very easy to imagine Luke & Mari as a real couple and to become invested in Luke’s story.

I loved how the tension shot up once Cassidy, Luke & the rest of the crew made it to Thailand. I was on the edge of my seat and on the edge about Luke - did he kill Mari or is he the victim of tragic circumstance? I thought I knew what was happening as I was reading & then my jaw was on the floor! This book left me guessing right up to the ending.

A very clever, intriguing and mysterious story. I absolutely loved it. Great characters. Cass is a documentary film maker who investigates cold crime cases. Travel from London to Thailand to uncover a mysterious missing person case. If you, like me, love a Netflix crime shows, you will absolutely love this story. Highly recommended xx

This book captivated me from the outset with its intoxicating narrative and thrilling storyline.

The character of Cassidy Chambers, a documentary maker with a compelling backstory, was so well written. I was totally drawn by her persona as well as her professional endeavours.

The writing in this book was exceptionally well done, creating a vivid atmosphere that, at times, felt almost claustrophobic. This massively added to the tension and immersion of the story.

The concept of revisiting a crime scene two decades later, accompanied by the prime suspect, was intriguing and kept me engaged throughout.

The author cleverly interwove twists and turns into the plot, some of which took me by surprise - which is not easily done for me.

From the evocative setting to the richly developed characters and gripping plot, there was nothing I didn't love about this book. It is undoubtedly a must-read for anyone looking for an exciting and thrilling read.

A superb fast paced and very addictive page turner.

The characters were all likable until one of them turned out not to be. Yes the twists were insane and I was absolutely there for it!!
It was just so clever how the author was able to completely blow my mind.

It's a must read for any fans of psychological thrillers.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Emily Freud is fast becoming my favourite mystery/ thriller writer and the new queen of suspense!

Her last Summer tells the story of documentary/ film maker Cassidy Chambers who following the hit doc series where she managed to find the true murderer of a cold case she is being offered the opportunity to make a new series about the missing teenager Mari who disappeared in a jungle in Thailand 20 years ago. Maris boyfriend was accused of murder but without a body he was never convicted and he wants Cassidy to finally clear his name. This is the biggest story Cassidy has ever faced. As Cassidy begins to delve into the past she unearths far more than she thought possible.

As with all of Emily Freuds books it is easy to read and impossible to put down. It will pull you in from the first page until the last and the twists just keep on coming with a plot that is masterfully weaved and truly unique.

It’s always so hard to review a mystery/thriller as there is so much that I want to gush about and hear everyone’s opinion on but I equally do not want to give anything away as I want you all to experience the journey this book will take you on. I really hope there is a sequel to this book as Id love to see more from cassidy, cleo, and the whole ensemble of characters!

My favourite scene has to be the moment by the river! If you have read this what was your favourite bit ( no spoilers though!)

If you have not discovered this author yet this is your sign to get your butt on amazon or down to your local independent bookshop today!

unbelievably good! This was such a fantastic thriller with absolutely everything to have the reader riveted to the end. I loved how the author didn't short change the reader with the ending, it was so well written. I cannot wait for the authors next book

I thought this book was incredible! I have never read anything by the author before, but I was intrigued by the concept and have seen positive reviews from other book bloggers, so I gave it a go and I'm so glad that I did.

The writing style was right up my street - conversational and beautifully descriptive without being too wordy. I could picture the characters and locations easily and was completely immersed in the story.

I'm often not a fan of the documentary/podcast angle as I feel that having the story told from a third party loses some of the emotion, but Cassidy was so involved in the story that I didn't feel that in this book. I loved the mystery and was really keen to find out what had happened to Luke and Mari in the Thai jungle. There was a twist near the end which genuinely shocked me, I didn't see it coming at all and that's pretty rare these days.

Overall I would 100% recommend this book, I think it is my favourite of the year so far.

WOW WOW WOW. this is without a doubt one of the best thrillers I've ever read!!! So tense! I was so scared for the characters in that jungle and I never guess the plot twists. Highly recommend this!!