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.

This thriller was very interesting the first few chapters, but it quickly disappeared. I was told a lot of things that had happened previously but not shown, and I’d rather have the previous ten years of the main character (Brooke) entrapment in this sick “play house”, “reimagine life”-thing the perpetrator put her and the other captives through. That was scary and intriguing to read about.

If more focus had been put on that I feel like I would have cared more about the characters. I’m also not quite sure why they were put in the cabin to act out their captor’s childhood/adolescence /young adulthood either. I did skim a bit because I got bored when romance suddenly made an appearance so that might have been brought up.
To summarise – started very interesting but ended on a boring note.

What a unique thriller!

This was terrifying and addicting. I had to know what happened to Brooke and Derek. I truly was not expecting the twist at the end and how it all came together.

This was a great story, unique and twisty!

Imagine what it feels like to go through life, following a psychopath’s rules, playing a character in their story every single day for 10 years knowing that if you do ANYTHING wrong you will die. Brooke is in that position. She was abducted and held hostage pretending to be Grace’s mom in a sick play that depicts Grace’s childhood.
Other players come in and out of Brooke’s life over the years, but Brooke has followed the rules and manages to stay alive. The idea/premise behind this psychological thriller/horror novel is so original and while it does seem nearly impossible it could also be so very real.
From the first sentence I was drawn in and hooked and read this in one setting. The characters will come together and be tied to each other in unpredictable ways. This is my first book by Steph Nelson and she is forever henceforth on my radar. Thank you to Steph Nelson, NetGalley and Ticking Tock Press for this early copy.

Thank you Netgalley and Ticking Clock Press Publisher for an ARC ♥️
“The Final Scene” was a dark and haunting ride that left me with goosebumps. Brooke's story was an eerie whisper in my ear, a constant reminder of the horrors that lurk in the shadows. Steph Nelson masterfully crafted a tale of captivity and survival that had me questioning my own sense of safety. The twists and turns were like icy fingers down my spine, and the tension built up to a heart-pounding climax. I felt like I was trapped in the cabin alongside Brooke, desperate to escape the clutches of her captor. And that ending? Absolutely chilling. Steph Nelson’s skillful storytelling had me on edge, wondering what would happen next. This book was a haunting and unsettling read that I won't soon forget. If you're ready for a thriller that'll send shivers down your spine, definitely pick this one up 😵‍💫

2.5 stars (rounded up)

Outlier review here - sorry.
I read 'The Final Scene' in one sitting, drawn in by its creative and original premise, despite its improbability. The prospect of unraveling 'the final scene' kept me intrigued throughout the read, but unfortunately the positives end there. Despite the compelling premise, the book is plagued by grammar and tense-related issues. These become glaringly evident when the omniscient narrator abruptly shifts between different character viewpoints within a single paragraph (more than once!). The chapter structure is strange, as is sentence and paragraph structure. This significantly effected my overall reading experience. Character development is lacking, and the dialogue often reads like a movie script, focusing more on action directives rather than prose and narrative. I actually expressed my frustration with the editing flaws and poor dialogue out loud on numerous occasions.

While the twist failed to surprise me, the novel's premise and concept warrants a 3-star rating. Unfortunately, due to its edit and grammar shortcomings, I can only give 2.5 stars overall. I hope the novel gets another strong edit before release date as 'The Final Scene' has the potential to be a great psychological thriller!

My thanks go to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for giving me early access to this book. All opinions are my own.

This is an intense ride! It started out strong but overall just wasn't a favorite for me.
It's somewhat anxiety-producing given the content and it is also just plain creepy.
Thank you NetGalley, and the publisher, for access to this ARC.

Ugh this started out so good! It was something new and not just an average kidnapping story. It was creepy and insane! Got me hooked on the first few pages. Until it went downhill and I completely lost interest.

Probably because of the lack of chemistry between Brooke and Derek. Their mutual attraction seemed forced and out of place. There is no character development for Brooke and considering the situation they're in, the villains weren't developed enough, not sinister enough, not unhinged enough.

Also, can somebody explain why the author had to include romance and stuff in this narrative? I mean, they're being captive for pete's sake! Who got time for that? They're supposed to survive, escape and chase freedom, not end up together. Nope.

This book has a lot of potential to be a hit and I'm hoping the right readers would gove this a chance.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ticking Clock Press, LLC for the advanced copy! 👍🏻

After watching a video review on this book, I knew I had to run to netgalley to see if I could get an ARC. Thankfully I did! The premise alone reminded me of the book The DollHouse by Sara Ennis except it takes place in the woods. The cover is so creepy! It definitely was another reason I wanted to read this book. I love a good cover. 
Right from the start, I wanted to keep reading. The idea that these girls are kidnapped and forced to play pretend as someone from the kidnappers family is crazy! And if the kidnapped people don't play along, they will easily be replaced. Each chapter's end left with a sentence or two that made you want to know more. To keep reading so you can figure everything out. 

Stab Worthy Scenes:- When you find out what happened between Brooke and Tyson and also what happened when he was cut from the "play."- How Derek, Kinsey and Brooke start to work together to get out in 6 days.- The plan for Brooke to get one of the remotes from Mitch by flirting with him.- Kinsey trying to take off the electric collar around her neck with a nail file.- The reason that Derek and Mina know each other.- 
Thank you to @netgalley and steph nelson for allowing me to read this book in advance! The Final Scene comes out February 27th!

Final Thoughts: This one was so easy to read in the sense that the action was continuous and I just kept reading and would lost track of time. Also having short chapters was a huge plus. I love the character development between the three main characters. How they go back and forth from having hope to utterly giving up. The last 50 pages were intense and crazy. I became so invested in this book that I had to finish reading it as soon as possible to see if they escaped. The ending was *chef's kiss* revenge and justice all in one.

The final scene (the title will make sense as you get into the book) follows Brooke, a normal every day mother, who is kidnapped on her way home from work.

The beginning starts with an anxiety inducing climax as we witness the events of the kidnapping. The execution of the scene is done wonderfully and we witness every internal alarm go off in Brookes body as she is being followed by a man after getting off the bus and beginning her everyday walk home.

Brooke is sure this is the moment her life ends, and yet we flash forward to 10 years later where she is still being held captive.

We find out there are other captives with her, and the reason for this mysterious man kidnapping multiple people (it’s a weird one for sure, took me a minute to wrap my head around).

This is well written, unique and entertaining.

Publish date 27th Feb

Thank you to ticking clock press , Steph Nelson and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

"Tears, and the horror of knowing that you're going to die anyway, no matter what you do, but still, you try."

So, I want to start off by saying that this is a thriller, but it still falls under the horror category for me. The events are horrific. This book was extraordinary!

The main character, Brooke, was one of the most strong willed characters I have met. Her will to survive was admirable. She was such an empowering woman after all she'd been through. A tough as nails little spit fire.

Lets talk about the story, just wow. This was such an incomparable read. I have truly never read anything even close to this plot. I found myself holding my breath while reading certain parts of this book, scared to breath, because I was worried about what would happen next. My anxiety was in full swing. Steph builds up such a hopeless feeling, that the only thing I can compare it to, is a nauseating feeling of dread. I was rooting so hard for these characters that my stomach was doing flips at each twist and turn. This is a thrilling ride.

The horrors of being kidnapped and trapped, are real life things that happen every single day to unsuspecting victims. However, this story turns those into a whole new nightmare of its own.

Holy cow, I cannot give this book enough praise. It's so different from other kidnapping stories I have read. This is truly unimaginable. How she came up with this, it's just brilliant.

“Favorite stories are full of friends to visit when you have nobody else.”
📚
Brooke was 30 years old when she was abducted on her way home from work. A decade later, she’s the longest-tenured captive sequestered in an inescapable Oregon coastline cabin. Adept at following her volatile kidnapper’s warped demands, Brooke knows that attention to detail is crucial and even slight deviation means death. Hardened by trauma, she’s determined to go along in order to survive and somehow, one day, return to her mother and daughter. But after a new prisoner joins the fray and upends her controlled existence, Brooke quickly realizes that time is running out, and she must decide whether she’s brave enough to finally break the rules.

Gripping and suspenseful right from the start, The Final Scene is an anxiety-inducing, page-turning, pulse-pounding journey that exudes foreboding and dread. Nightmarish in its realism, it offers an exploration of and view into how cautiously women walk through life, programmed to please and accommodate — smiling, acquiescing, apologizing, ignoring primal instincts, and constantly dealing with intense fear in seemingly mundane situations where male entitlement crosses the line.

The result is a layered, twisty, fast-paced collision course built upon believable characters, captivating backstories, merciless tension, and intoxicating thrills that this reader devoured in only two days — an edge-of-your-seat must-read for horror and thriller fans alike!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ticking Clock Press, LLC for sending this forthcoming release for review consideration. All opinions are my own.