Ever need a creepy and wacko idea for a villain scheme, look no further than the character of Grace. Steph Nelson offers us an onion of a book; one with many layers, and as each layer is peeled open, we have an antagonist whose motives keep the pages turning and try to figure out what exactly is going on.

The story very much begins as a SIMPLE JACK/TRUMAN SHOW-type scenario, where Brooke, our protagonist, has survived 10 years in captivity, playing the same character over and over. The story twists and winds its way into becoming a ‘small-town-with-secrets’ horror, but getting there requires getting to know, and tolerate, the ‘protagonists,’ as they are irrational, ill tempered and flat out dangerous in their behaviour. Indeed, there may be parts where you just start cheering for Grace to accidentally butt-press a certain remote to save yourself from the attitude problems.

All in all, though, Steph Nelson does write well. The narration and pacing holds up, despite the unforgivable characters, yet Grace was a character I enjoyed, a villain with an interesting premise.

Title: The Final Scene

Author: Steph Nelson

Genre: Thriller/Horror

Rating: 4 Stars

Started: 2/22/24

Finished: 2/26/24

Page count: 248 pages

"The Final Scene" by Steph Nelson is a wild ride of twists and turns, entertwining stories and should be on the radar of Hollywood. When you start the story, it's nightime in a big city, and we first meet Brooke, a recently divorced, mom of an infant girl, Jessi. Any woman reading the first chapter of this book will recognize the stomach-dropping feeling of being followed. The hair standing up on the back of your neck, the urge to run but knowing if you do, this could put you more at risk. This first chapter does an amazing job of setting the scene of a single woman just minding her own business, on her way home from a day of work, when a shady man decides to make her their prey. Most of us women have witnessed a scene much like this and can feel the fear our main character is experiencing.

The nightmare begins so early in Brooke's story, being yanked by the hair inches from her front door, but this just a drop in the pond of misery about to unfold. At first it seems like your typical (I hate to call it that) kidnapper situation. Nab a pretty girl, lock her in a cabin, blah blah blah. But then you come to find out that the victims in the story have been chosen to play the part of our psychopath's mother Helen, father Albert, and a young, childlike version of Grace. Yes, that's right. Grace. The mastermind is a woman. (Not so typical now, eh?)

By breaking the mold of the sterotypical crazy kidnapper, Nelson only adds to the mystery and intrigue. What could possibly drive a woman to do these things? Why is she so set on recreating these moments fom her life? And while we never quite get the answer as to why Grace has gone down this path, it's very evident that whatever made her break, must revolve around this moment in her life that she so desperately wishes to relive.

As the story progresses, we have several other players introduced:

Mitch: Grace's henchman, the one that sources the "cast members" for this horrific production.

Kinsey: A young, pretty law student turned sex worker playing the part of Young Grace, when Old Grace is not around.

Derek: A hulking, former Portland PD officer, playing the part of Albert Hamilton

Mina: An author on a solo trip to the town she grew up in, trying to both solve her relationship issues with husband, Brady, and to deal with the pent up grief of losing her 4 year old daughter, Paxton years earlier. All under the guise of working her latest book.

That leaves Brooke, in the role of Helen Hamilton. She's had the most tenure of any former and current "cast member" and has resigned herself to just follow the rules and wait for the end to come. Once Derek arrives, we see the dynamic of the "cast" change. His fiery, at times overly aggressive, attitude spurs Brooke and Kinsey to work towards a plan of escape. Once Grace issues the verdict that the timeline is about to rapidly excelorate, it becomes a race against time for Brooke and Derek to seduce their respective captors, Mitch and Grace, in hopes they can overpower them and find a way past the perimeter and make it to freedom.

The action goes right down to the wire, as Mina has her own mystery to solve. Is the young girl across the street okay? Who is the rude man that she sees coming and going? Why won't the police help?!

Do our "cast members" escape with their lives? Does Mina help save the young girl with the red lips? Do we make it to The Final Scene?

If you love a great, page turning mystery, then you need to RUN don't walk, to get a copy of Steph Nelson's new book "The Final Scene"!

Early last year, I read Steph Nelson’s horror short story called ‘Into the Barn’ (Dark Matter’s 2022 Human Monsters Anthology) and immediately took note of her name - I knew I wanted to read more from her.

The Final Scene is something altogether different - it’s got TV mini series written all over it! I don’t want to give away any plot because it’s worth the blind read, but I will say this… our protagonist has been held captive for over ten years 😮 I love a good kidnapping story!

WOW. I loved this book so much and can’t wait to grab a copy for to keep on my shelf! I was hooked in the very beginning and could not put it down, reading it in just one day! I loved the short chapters and how Steph Nelson had them going back and forth with two different stories and having them come together at the end. Can’t wait to read more by this author!

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Steph Nelson taking readers hostage with her new kidnap novel however this is not your average kidnapping story, a pulse pounding page turner yes, but also an examination and insight into the very real fears women have, rooted in the truth makes this all the more terrifying and creepy, this was nerve shreddingly good, one of those thrillers that just *smacks book* HAS OOMF dya know what I mean? I thought the concept was utterly unique I've never come across another thriller like it, as the plot unfolds it becomes somewhat unbelievable but Nelson pulls it off rather convincingly, this was fast paced and rather fun, like doing yoga in the dark, I didn't see things coming and we had some unexpected twists, was that too weird an analogy? Promise I don't do my yoga in the dark 👀 A multi layered thriller with complex characters that shines a light on the resilience and strength of women and their will to survive, intense and chilling, loved it!

first of all, thank you netgalley and publisher for the chance to read and review!


the story follows a few individuals who were kidnapped and placed in a theatrical setting. the mastermind behind it all is very active in their lives, and cannot stand an anomaly.

i'm so obsessed with this book. it had creep factor, it had a crazy good plot, it had a touch of romance, it truly had everything i could want in a book. i read it in 2 sittings, i truly just couldn't put it down.

i think the pacing was perfect, and i thoroughly enjoyed the writing.

SOO GOOD.

The plot, the characters, the twist, the short chapters, and how everything comes together at the end -- love! This was a really great, easy read and I'm so glad I was given the opportunity! This book will do fantastic with its publication. 🖤

“The Final Scene” is an excellent thriller with perfectly planned twists and turns, and a beautifully crafted storyline that connects in an unexpected (to me) way. My only criticism is that the ending felt just a touch rushed.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ticking Clock Press LLC, and Steph Nelson for allowing me to read an ARC of this wonderful book. Highly recommend!

🖤🖤🖤🖤
4/5

Back to my roots and reading my first thriller in a while! I enjoyed this one too! The plot was so unique and I thought it worked really well in this too. We start off with one of our main characters, Brooke. She is traveling home from her dream job that she just landed after her divorce and birth of her child, Jessi. A mysterious man follows her every move and then boom…just like that she finds herself kidnapped and stuck in a cabin with an electric collar around her neck. Fast forward ten years later and she is still there. While many others that have come and…mainly gone. I won’t say too much more than that so I don’t give away anything, but there’s so much more to the plot! The characters in this are so well written. I could really feel the realism in their character development. This was the first book I read by Steph Nelson. I would definitely give her other reads a try, as well!

Overall, I am a tough reviewer of thrillers and horror because I’ve read so many. If I can guess what’s going to happen, I get bored easily. I am so glad (and was surprised) that one of the twists I didn’t see coming at all! And afterwards I was like “wow how did I not see that coming? It was so obvious!” And I honestly feel that the way Nelson wrote this and the flow of each chapter with another character (usually) and a new scene really kept you distracted from thinking too much into what was going to happen next. I didn’t feel bored in this at all. But I feel the ending kinda left me wanting a little more. The epilogue link worked after a few tries (it wasn’t exactly user friendly), but I enjoyed that extra scene. But definitely wanted more!! I wasn’t sure if I could trust the ending and there wasn’t something behind it!

Thank you to net galley and Xpresso Reads for this ARC!!

The pub date for this is tomorrow, February 27th! Definitely grab yourself a copy if you’re up for a good thriller!

Locked room thriller/horror?

Yes, please!!!!

This was my first book by Steph Nelson, but now that I have concluded The Final Scene, I downloaded both of her previous publications. The answer is yes, I like her that much!!

The Final Scene, had my pulse racing and heart throbbing. The suspense is ever present and will riddle you with anxiety throughout the entire book. There are so many twists, I swear Im suffering a bit of whip lash.

I binge read The Final Scene, and could not get to the next page fast enough.

Check out this teaser :

The cabin is unlocked, but there’s no escape.

When Brooke was kidnapped on her way home from work, she thought her life was over.

That was ten years ago.

She’s been held captive in an isolated cabin on the Oregon coast ever since, scrambling to follow her kidnappers’ twisted instructions to the letter. Because the price of a mistake is death.

But when a new victim shows up, everything changes. Including the rules. And this time, the only way to survive is to break them.

Title- The finale scene
Rating-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The story turned out to be way beyond my expectations of an average kidnap narrative. Ten years ago, Brooke was kidnapped on her way home from work. For ten years she’s been kept in a cabin playing “ roles” of the kidnappers life with other victims that have been kidnapped by the same person for the same purpose. There’s rules that must be followed but when a new victim shows up the rules change…

I read this book in one sitting, it had my attention from the beginning, I loved all the characters. I do wish we were told more about the kidnappers storyline, I’ll leave it at that as I don’t want to spoil anything.

If you are looking for a fast read, this one is for you.

This book will be available on kindle unlimited and for purchase on February 27th. Add to your tbr now, as it’s right around the corner.



Thank you, #NetGalley and #TickingClockPress, for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

Thank you, #NetGalley and #TickingClockPress, for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

A woman was abducted as she went home from work, but it wasn't for ransom or revenge but to satisfy the twisted desire of a psychopath. Brooke has been a captive for ten years, and in her isolation, she is joined by other victims who have failed to survive. Brooke's key to survival was following the game's rules, and escape has long since evaded her. Until the arrival of a down-and-out cop who may or may not help her finally put an end to their abductor's reign of torment. As the victims are killed off one after the other, Brooke's decision to break the rules and plot her escape gives her a sense of momentum that propels the story toward a gripping climax.

I'm unsure whether I received an uncorrected proof of the book, but despite the minimal errors, this novel's "cabin in the woods" trope is dealt with in a refreshing arc. One aspect of the story explores Brooke's struggle to survive and maintain her sanity over ten years in captivity. The author has expertly portrayed her desperation, resiliency, and the psychological effects of her trauma. The dynamic between Brooke and the other kidnapped victims adds tension and intrigue to the narrative as each character battles their secrets and demons, and the stakes of their imprisonment rise.

"The Final Scene" by Steph Nelson is one mystery novel I couldn't quite identify the emotions it evoked. The first few pages already had me on the edge of my seat; then, as the story progressed, the plot commenced into absurdity with an atmosphere of uproariousness. I can't tell if the book is a mystery or a smutty romance novel, yet I couldn't stop myself from leafing through the pages. It was nothing I'd ever read before. However absurd it may seem, this book pulled me out of a reading slump, sparing me the struggle of not finishing it.

Overall, "The Final Scene" is a gripping read that keeps you guessing until the end. Rooting for the characters came quickly - hopeful for a satisfying end to their fate. I got giddy after signing up for the author's mailing list to get a copy of the book's epilogue simply because I couldn't stop obsessing over what had happened to the characters.

The Final Scene by Steph Nelson was was an excellent read.
Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. I finished it in one night.
This was fantastically written with vivid descriptions that really put you in the storyline.
The plot is intriguing and complex and full of twists.
A creepy story that was truly unputdownable.

Thank You NetGalley and Ticking Clock Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

The Final Scene was just a crazy book. There are outrageous situations and coincidences. I still like it. I just wanted to see where it went next. I read through the last half in one sitting. I think this is what we call a guilty pleasure.

Wow wow wow - I'm obsessed. Read this in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. This claustrophobic thriller has me holding my breath the entire time. I swear I could envision the story in my mind like a movie and needed to know how it ended before doing anything else. It's twisty, wild, entertaining, and nearly perfect. The romance aspect didn't work for me.

This book was incredible. I was so invested the entire time and I couldn't put it down. The Final Scene is twisty, gripping, and shocking, and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The only thing I didn't LOVE was the romance aspect. It felt unnecessary and out of place. 4.75 stars

So so good! This book had action from the start, good twists, great cliffhangers that left me wanting to keep reading! Loved! thank you NetGalley for this ARC

thank you so much net galley for the arc. this book is so so good, ok so this story follows brook who gets kidnapped on her way home by mitch. they are in this cabin off the oregon coast. ten year ago. there are other who get kindnnaped s well there are to play a role in this sick twisted game . if they break charahter they will die. this is a crazy roller coster ride.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ticking Clock Press, LLC for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book officially publishes on 2/27/24!

This book was a wild ride from start to finish! It is a quick read with short chapters and multiple POVs. I read the majority of this book in one sitting, as the author did an amazing job of creating urgency within the scope of the plot that I found myself not being able to put it down until I learned the resolution of this story. I found the characters to be well-written within the scope of their own stories, and the overall premise behind this one is terrifying. This book could be considered a thriller or light horror, with a sub-plot of romance in the midst. Definitely recommend giving this one a read!

This is a tight crisp thriller with a plot that's unlike other books in the genre. I like things that are a bit weird while still feeling familiar at the same time.

A woman is kidnapped one night and is held captive for over ten years. Her captor is an older woman with a henchman serving as her muscle. But it's WHY this woman was kidnapped and the purpose behind her captivity that I don't want to spoil. Let's just say it's out there and the less you know going in, the better.

The woman is not alone. Other victims are brought to this house and each one has a role to play in the twisted game of this old woman. Escape is impossible. Failure to comply results in death and another person is brought in to replace the fallen.

While all of these victims have dark, sometimes tragic, pasts, there will be revelations and twists at the end that will reveal things which makes it appear not so random after all. There are others, in other houses, playing their roles and things are going to get twisted!

There is a romantic angle involved in this book which I'm not personally a fan of but I also know a lot more readers like a bit of romance in the mix. So, good on the author for including it (wisely) but it's just not my thing.

Overall, I recommend this book for fans of well crafted thrillers with some surprising elements you're not likely to find elsewhere.