Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC to review!

3.25/3.5??? stars! Rounded up!

Okay, as I put in my little update while reading this, the premise of this was right up my weird little alley and I jumped at the chance to read it.

When I read what Brooke and the others were being made to do, I did let out a big cackle. She has been held captive in a cabin that is unlocked but hey, there's a bomb around her neck that will go off if she dares to go out too far, and being made to play a part in an re-enactment of Grace's childhood. Grace is the woman behind all of this. Why is she doing this exactly? There is a slight explanation but also not fully why she's put all of this energy and time into watching people re-act her life.

I got annoyed with Brooke with how she was just DONE with Derek the moment he woke up. Of course this dude is going to ask questions about where tf he is and why is he here, but Brooke just seemed to overly annoyed at him being confused and asking questions like, jeeez I get you've been here for 10 years doing this against your will but why get annoyed at someone who was in the same position as you?

It didn't have enough dark moments for me because I was expecting some really messed up stuff from the premise saying twisted instructions.

But, gotta admit it kept my attention!

What a wild ride! The Final Scene is a fast paced, “locked room” thriller. But the room isn’t locked, it’s just surrounded by a perimeter that will kill you.

Brooke has spent 10 years in captivity. She is a “cast member” in a sick game (more like a play from hell), and has seen many cast members come and go. Unfortunately when they go, they are no longer alive.

This story is so layered, and it was fun to see all of the pieces come together at the shocking final scene. Steph Nelson told a horrifying story about strength, perseverance, loss, and the will to survive. She has gained a new fan, in me.

Thank you to Ticking Clock Press, LLC for allowing me to read this in exchange for my honest review.

A very unique, fast-paced thriller/horror! The author is very creative!
The plot is full of twists and turns and the suspense is the heart of the story. I was on my toes the whole time. The ending, however, felt rushed. It wasn’t flushed out, it was quite abrupt. There was no epilogue and I needed more closure with these fabulous characters.
Nevertheless, a highly recommended dark thriller!

gorgeously unique thriller thats really well done. thanks so much for the arc, and i would recommend this one

Really enjoyed the novel and the premise was exciting. Several people kept captive at any one time having to act out their captors memories. It's strangely compelling and I couldn't put it down. My only criticism would be that the novel did not need a love story squeezed in with Brooke and Derek.
Will definitely read more books by this author

Not really sure how to feel about this one. It is certainly fast-paced and hard to put down, but I'm not sure I really enjoyed it. I think my biggest critique is that the characters felt so rushed - I didn't particularly "care" about any of them as the plot just dove right in. I think this can be done well, but I think this fell a bit short. Entertaining, but a bit disappointing.

𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒕𝒖𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒍, 𝒂 𝒉𝒖𝒈𝒆, 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒎 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒂 𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒉 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔, 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒕. 𝑰'𝒎 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒊𝒆.

This book started out so strong! The tension, the build-up was so palpable, but then that intensity fizzled out. The premise was interesting. A woman has been held in captivity for a decade, along with some other people, who are constantly acting out scenes from one of their captor's lives, to her strict instructions. Getting everything right is important. One slip-up could mean death.

I would have liked a little more back story on the captor and less romance among the captives, as that seemed a little strange to me. Overall, it was a good read, and I'm sure this one will appeal to thriller fans who love kidnapping tropes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ticking Clock Press for the early copy. This title will publish February 27, 2024.

Thank you Ticking Clock Press LLC, Netgalley & Steph Nelson for the ARC of this book.

Wow from the very start I was completely gripped. This was a very unique thriller/horror with some unexpected twists and turns. It was well thought out, really heart breaking, unsettling and made me so angry at those responsible!

It was fast paced and addictive. I look forward to reading more of this authors work.

From the beginning I was hooked into this book! The overall feel was creepy and unsettling. While reading I definitely put myself in their situation and it had me in a chokehold from the first page. I can’t wait to read what else this author has to offer! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a disappointment. I had no connection to any of the characters. I had a lot of trouble being invested in the events of the story because they were flat characters.

I was hooked from beginning to end. I had a few tears. I can't wait to see what else this author has in store

This was an interesting concept for a kidnapped and held against their will story. The main character has been held 10 years. Other prisoners have come and gone. The three being held now are the main characters. I wish the underlying reasons and characters had been developed to a greater extent. There seemed to be so little background on the kidnapper’s reasons. I did read this in one sitting, so it definitely holds your attention. I wish to thank Net Galley for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Final Scene
By: Steph Nelson
Ticking clock Press

The most unhinged kidnapping/hostage story I have yet to come across!
In this horror/thriller what seems to be a typical remote wilderness kidnapping story develops into SO much more. You are sucked into a macabre and twisted story that gets more unhinged and deranged as you read. This book kept me engrossed and I could not put it down! I was thoroughly invested in the characters and the level of despair I felt was palpable. The ending was incredible and I loved how all pieces of the puzzle came together. A well thought out and clever new horror/thriller that is sure to keep you on your toes and grip you by the neck.

This book is so unlike anything I’ve ever read and definitely captivated me and made me wanting more and more! This book I don’t even have words for is so amazing! The plot the characters, everything to me was perfection and I definitely need a physical copy!

Thank you thank you thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

And quite honestly I have never read a thriller as thrilling as this one! I was hooked from the first line all the way to the last line. I swear I learned to read even faster than usual because I just NEEDED to continue finding out what was going to happen. This book is a thrill ride and I promise you will be on the edge of your seat until the final scene!

Some things that make this book special to me are:
1. You really get to know all of the characters very well. Any and all characters are relevant to the plot.
2. The story line is incredibly unique. I read mainly thrillers and if I’m not reading…I’m watching the id channel…and I’ve never come across a story line like this.

If YOU like many people are looking for a book that is unputdownable or if you need a book to pull you out of a reading slump….or if you just love thrillers…then this is a must read!

"Brady would call the precaution ridiculous. But Brady's never been a woman."

give me any kidnapped and locked up for months or years trope and I'll bite. I especially loved the feminine twist in that one as the psychos tend to be men but here we have a batshit crazy old lady recreating her childhood memories through her prisoners and killing them when they don't follow the script.

I loved the simultaneous POVs from 2 different locations, I won't say more but that was really interesting to follow and see how they'd end up meeting.

for once I actually didn't care for the romance part but it was kept as a subsubplot so it didn't take over the story. the progression of the storyline was well paced and never boring, something many thrillers fail to maintain through the whole thing

"How easily they keep forgetting that the police are not their friends."

so why isn't it 5 stars??? because for me it wasn't dark enough, especially for a decade long kidnapping and several deaths around the whole thing. I expected more horror, more fear, more scary power trip from the evil lady keeping them locked there. it was easy sometimes to forget how serious and dangerous and terrifying their situation is

the plot twist(s) were still nicely brought together and though they weren't the craziest revelations they were a nice addition to the plot.

definitely recommend to anyone looking for a soft dark thriller ✨️

[review posted on goodreads and will be posted during the week on tiktok @lenaasty and Instagram @readingsty]

The Final Scene by Steph Nelson is a sickly twisted masterpiece that captivates from start to finish with its twisted plot, suspenseful narrative, and jarring revelations. Nelson skillfully weaves a web of intrigue that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eager to uncover the next shocking twist. Each page is filled with tension and mystery, making it nearly impossible to put down. The characters are complex and compelling, drawing readers deeper into the story with every turn. A must-read for fans of gripping thrillers!

WOW, what a read!!

The Final Scene primarily follows Brooke, who was kidnapped 10 years ago and is being forced to act out scenes from her captor’s childhood.

The story had me hooked in the first chapter, and it never let up until the final page. I enjoyed the storyline being so unlike anything I’ve read before, and I was never able to guess what was going to happen next. This was definitely a page turner for me, and I found it hard to put down once I started reading.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Steph Nelson, and Ticking Clock Press, LLC for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC. The Final Scene publishes February 26, 2024.

My love for books like this is unmatched. I am so grateful to have gotten an ARC copy of this. Thank you netgalley.

There were so many scary and creepy elements to this book, especially when you imagine Brooke's life of being held hostage for 10 years.