After hitting rock bottom, Kerry has taken a position as temporary caretaker of a roadside motel in the remote mountains. Upon her arrival, it's clear something is very, very wrong. Snowed in, shadowy figures lurking, no power, a missing former caretaker, a mysterious and handsome stranger, this close horror is a great winter read.

I was excited to dive into this fast paced psychological thriller with lots of my favorite elements: an isolated location, a locked room mystery to solve and a dreary wintry setting.

This might be my favorite thriller of Leah Konen’s! I had a great time with this one. It was fast paced, and kept me guessing the whole time.
This book follows Kerry, an author with writer’s block who takes a position as a temporary caretaker for a hotel in the middle of nowhere. With no one around and no distractions, Kerry is hoping to finish her book before her deadline. However, things are definitely not as they seem at the hotel and she soon finds herself pulled into the drama of this mysterious place.

There were many twists and turns and I liked seeing Kerry (who is also a struggling alcoholic) second guessing herself and struggle with the possibility that she is hallucinating or whether the strange things she has witnessed are actually true. In my opinion this was not a retelling of The Shining but more of a female perspective. It does give Shining vibes.

Thank you NetGalley & Penquin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

If you enjoyed "The Woman in the Window" or a female take on the "Shining" you will enjoy this thriller/suspense novel.

Kerry's life is falling apart, she is separated from her husband after his betrayal, she isn't talking to her best friend and she has major writers block. She takes the caretaking position at a remote inn to try to find inspiration for her next novel but soon it turns into a harrowing situation.

This novel is told from multiple POV and with clearly labeled chapters with POV and timeline (my favorite way a novel can be organized). Some of the twists were unexpected and others had some foreshadowing. But overall this is a gripping suspense novel I enjoyed.

Thank you Putnam for the ARC.

An isolated mountain motel, a caretaker with a drinking problem, a book to write and a dead body....

*Sigh* I really wanted to love this one as I love Leah Konen’s writing. When a book is said to be a “twisty, addictive, feminist take on The Shining” then it had better deliver. The Shining delivered and then some, but sadly the comparison will have readers of this book feeling let down. It's not the author's fault, but when a publisher decides to use that in the blurb, it leaves readers expecting certain things and that is not fair to the author's work, in my humble opinion.

Kerry is a little bit of a mess. Her husband has left her, her drinking has gotten out of hand, and she has a book to write. She is hoping that taking a job as a caretaker at a motel in the Catskills, will be just when she needs to recharge, being writing, and getting her life back on track. As a blizzard approaches, she sees an arm sticking out of the snow. Yikes. But when the police arrive, there is no body......

Is there a killer out there and is Kerry in danger? Did Kerry's alcohol use cause her to see something that wasn't there? Is someone toying with her? How reliable is she as a character? So many questions swirled through my mind.

I have read many of Leah Konen's books and enjoyed them all. The Last Room on the Left is my least favorite. It is not a bad book, but it failed to wow me as I had hoped that it would. The plot is a decent, the setting is fantastic, and Kohen is a wonderful writer, this one just didn't work quite as well for me as I had hoped it would. We can't love them all and this is certainly the case here.

The positive parts of this book were Kohen's writing as I mentioned before, the pacing, the descriptions, the setting, and the unlikeable characters. This was a solid 3 stars for me; I enjoyed it but didn't love it. I will still be on the lookout for more of Leah Konen's books as I have loved the previous ones which I have read.

Atmospheric, wonderfully written, and unsettling.

Wow! This book took me for a ride! What an engaging and addicting thriller! I loved the layout of the book with past and present timelines and the dual povs. You learn little snippets of information at a time which made me so anxious for answers. There is such an eerie and unsettling vibe throughout with the isolated motel setting and and a crazy snow storm. I really had no idea where the story was going and how everything was going to fit together which is what I love in a thriller! It had me flipping the pages so fast! I had a few guesses and they were all wrong. Things continually escalate and I loved the intense moments. The twists were shocking and you even get a twist at the very end!

The Last Room on the Left - Leah Konen
Pub Date - January 14, 2025
Rating - 3.5/5

Summary - Locked in thriller + spine tingling storyline that keeps you reading to find out what happens next. Kerry, an aspiring writer, decides to become a caretaker for a month of a roadside motel in the Catskills so she can get her life together and finish her book. Once she's there, a blizzard comes through and leaves her without internet, a working car, or power. Then bodies start turning up one by one. Is this really happening or is it all in her mind?

Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely love Leah Konen's books and this one was no different! Kept me at the edge of my chair and sometimes I found myself holding my breath! This one was great, really good writing and storyline. The ending as the building up of the story continued, was predictable in my opinion. The last twist at the very end I was not expecting, but overall, the clues led to the person I thought was responsible. Overall, great read-- definitely will recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not at all what I expected by the end of the story! I was really surprised by how the story progressed and didn't see the ending coming until I got close to the end of the story. I loved the isolated hotel vibe and the surprises along the way. No spoilers!

This is the perfect winter read when you want a good psychological thriller!

Thank you Net Galley for a copy of this book for my honest review. This book took me longer than usual to get through. It was very repetitive because it was told from three characters point of view and kept repeating what would happen from their perspective. I was bored with the story and didn’t really see any plot twists. It was just an ok read for me.

Oh, this was so good. One of my all time favorite books is “No Exit” by Taylor Adams. This one had the same vibe. Woman no friends/ family alone in a remote location in a snow storm, no cell service, forest nearby.

Kerry Walsh is an alcoholic. Her husband has left her. Her BFF has been ghosted. Kerry takes a “job” as a caretaker for a remote motel in exchange for a month-long lodging. Perfect to write her novel that is long overdue. Kerry has been looking forward to peace and quiet, but that quickly changes the moment she reaches down and looks in the planter for the motel keys – but nothing is there.

I read this one in one sitting, my heart pounding the whole way. I could not turn the pages fast enough.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT – HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #TheLastRoomOnTheLeft in exchange for an honest review

Initially, I was drawn in by the premise of murder that takes place at an isolated motel, but my interest in the book waned near the half way mark. I felt no connection to the characters or what happened to them and I found a lot of things repetitive (how many times can a body disappear?). As a thriller, this book did not hit the mark for me.

I was super intrigued, and loved the spooky vibes of this book. I was hooked from the start, but I found the pacing to be a bit sower than I would have liked. Overall, I stayed for the vibes and the twists!

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Two creatives are given the opportunity to stay at a trendy motel during the off season to unplug and seek inspiration. What happens nexts brings their winter getaway in a different direction. Just when you think you know what you’re going to get from this book, it turns on you. What starts as a straight forward creepy storyline quickly turns into a twisty thickening plot. There was a period in this book where I was slightly disappointed and felt let down, but then the twists keep coming.

I’m not sure I’d call this “a feminist take on The Shining”, though there were a few similarities. I’m not even sure I’d call it a psychological thriller. I found it to be a good, solid whodunnit more than anything.

I thought the pacing was a bit slow and the characters mostly unlikeable, however, the ending was definitely the twist that I’d been waiting for. Overall, I think this is a 3-star read. Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.

The Last Room on the Left had me intrigued from the start with its spooky hotel setting and mysterious disappearances. I enjoyed the atmospheric descriptions and the suspenseful build-up as the main character tries to uncover the truth behind the strange occurrences.

However, the plot felt a bit predictable at times, and I found myself guessing some of the twists before they were revealed. Additionally, the characters could have been developed a bit more, as I struggled to fully connect with them.

Overall, The Last Room on the Left is a decent read for fans of thrillers. It's a quick and easy page-turner, but it didn't quite leave a lasting impression.

Good book. A bit cheesy, but overall I enjoyed it. The overall plot was good, but it felt like something was missing. Kind of random how all the characters fit together. Seems like it was trying a bit too hard.

Great potential as a psychological thriller but I honestly had a hard time wading through this book. It grabbed my attention as soon as I started but half way through the story was lagging. Thanks for the advance read and for accepting my honest opinion.

Unfortunately not for me. In a world with SO many books being published, I just don't see this as a must in our collection.

"The Last Room on the Left" by Leah Konen is a twisted psychological thriller told from three points of view that complement one another. It's marketed as a "feminist take on The Shining," but it bears only a faint resemblance to King’s classic. But more on that later.

The story centers around Kerry, an aspiring author whose life has hit rock bottom due to her struggles with alcoholism. Her drinking has cost her both her husband, Frank, and her best friend, Siobhan. On top of everything, she’s battling writer’s block. In an effort to turn her life around, Kerry accepts a month-long position as a caretaker at a revitalized roadside motel in the Catskills. Since the motel has no Wi-Fi, she hopes to finish her novel without distractions.

She’s assigned to stay in the last room on the left but finds it mysteriously occupied upon arrival, with no trace of the tenant. The plot thickens when she discovers a body and clues suggesting foul play. With a snowstorm cutting off electricity and cell reception, Kerry must rely on her wits - no easy task, given that she’s fallen off the wagon again.

I was excited to dive into this psychological thriller, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. While I enjoyed the eerie setting, unsettling atmosphere, and overall sense of dread, the story dragged at certain points, and the writing felt repetitive at times.

Although the book echoes "The Shining" in its isolated setting, unreliable alcoholic caretaker, and tense mood, it is nothing like "The Shining". Kerry is no Jack Torrance, and the plot diverges significantly from King’s novel. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing for me, since I’m not overly fond of "The Shining".

None of the characters were particularly likable, though. Kerry is full of excuses to justify her poor choices and a drinking problem, and the other two protagonists aren’t much better. One character constantly seeks male adoration (which undermines the feminist take), while another engages in non-consensual S&M and returns for more, disregarding her safety.

Even the side characters, though well-drawn, didn’t resonate with me. The constant drug and alcohol abuse was hard to relate to, and I struggled to warm up to any of the cast. Additionally, the book could use another round of editing to smooth out some rough patches. For instance, in one scene, Siobhan gives her keys to another character but then uses the same keys herself in the very next scene to access the boiler room.

Overall, The Last Room on the Left had a solid premise, and I appreciated the suspense and spooky atmosphere. The story is readable, fast-paced, and offers a few chilling moments along with twists I didn’t see coming. However, while I enjoyed certain aspects of it, I wasn’t blown away. The idea was interesting, but it fell short in execution. As a result, I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. This was my first book by Leah Konen and definitely will not be my last! Each page was mysterious, full of twists and turns, and reminded me of a female version of The Shining meets Psycho in a very refreshing way. Set in a motel, Kerry (the FMC) is stuck alone and without access to power or cell service during a winter storm, with a dead body that she found buried in the snow outside. Any time she finds help from the police or other locals, the body ends up missing from where she saw it last, causing her to question her sanity, and whether or not the alcohol and isolation are getting the best of her mind, or if there really is a danger lurking out in the snowy woods with no sign of any real help to be found. I devoured this book in one day, waiting to figure out what was going on with Kerry and the dead body, and I wasn't disappointed by the result. Not to mention, the ending was a big shocker that I didn't see coming! This is one, if you are a fan of fast-paced thrillers, to add to your TBR.

I really like this author so I was excited to see her new thriller that was inspired by The Shining. It has lots of twists and turns, an unreliable narrator, many cliffhangers at the end of chapters that made me keep turning the pages, and a surprise ending. I recommend this book!