This book was a fun, atmospheric read. But ultimately, it was full of plot devices and loose ends that went nowhere. Or maybe it was just misdirection. All of the characters were kind of jerks and the “bad guy” twist was pretty obvious.

It was a bit confusing to read the same things happing in the past and present. And why DID person A have a sketch of person B? I also find it very unlikely that person B wouldn't recognize person A, even from the back.

Things that did work: descriptions of the cold snow, the feeling of isolation, the allure of a mysterious and sexy guy!

Wow! What a twisty thriller. I really enjoyed the plot and the suspense throughout this novel. Would definitely recommend to fans of psychological thrillers!

Thank you so much for this ARC! I really enjoyed her title, Keep Your Friends Close and was excited for this next read.

The setting captured me immediately! I am an Upstate, New York girl and I have an inkling of what motel likely inspired this book. The isolation of this story - no cell service, completely snowed in, a foreign location for Kerry and oh, a dead body, made this book ready more horror over thriller in my opinion. That was a good twist for me as I don't typically pick up "horror".

Next, the dual point of views was great. Both characters were a bit naive and unlikeable but in the very best way. The unreliability mixed with alcohol and hallucinations created a great depth and made them more complex.

I did not fly through this book, I read it slowly and enjoyed it. It had an ongoing sense of dread which I think led to my pacing.

The ending did catch me off guard and the very last twist was a good one!

Cannot wait for Leah Konen's next book!

I think 2 stars is a little generous, but the storyline had some funny/interesting parts. It was your average psych thriller type book. Honestly, I can usually plow through books but this book took me over a month of on and off reading. It took a while to get into and I was not really hooked until well more than 50% through. The idea of the story mirroring a female version of The Shining was not at all what I expected and I could not go as far as saying I even somewhat agree. All in all - not a terrible book. I don't think I wasted by time, I just wish it was a little better..

Thank you, NetGalley, for this uncorrected ebook ARC of 'The Last Room On The Left' by Leah Konen - expected release date 01/14/2025

This book had quite a few unexpected twists and turns, and while I figured out the "killer," I didn't guess the motive. The book dragged on a bit but had enough action to keep me interested in finishing. The last twist at the end surprised me too, I didn't see that one coming. Overall, it fit the psychological thriller mold nicely, lots of mess with your mind action.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kerry is estranged from her husband and best friend due to her increasingly problematic drinking habit. She takes a wintertime stint as caretaker at a summer motel in upstate New York thinking that the solitude will help her finally finish the short story she has been working on. Shortly after her arrival, the power goes out and she finds a dead body. Is this real or is it the effects of alcohol?

4.5 stars.

This was a good read. At first I wasn’t sure where it was going to go and I was a little nervous that it would veer off into horror territory which is not my thing. Thankfully that didn’t happen. I found myself pretty interested in what was actually going on and I wasn’t disappointed with how it all played out. I will continue to read more from this author.

The Last Room on the Left is described as a feminist take on The Shining. I was hoping for a mystery, but this novel seemed more like horror., which is not my favorite genre. The emphasis is on creepy, scary, jump out from behind the door scary. When Kerry opened the freezer, I was disappointed. That section of the novel was so cliche. I wanted better. Author Leah Konen describes this novel as an experience in isolation. There is a lot of snow and no phones and a creepy atmosphere. At the same time, there are a lot of characters. Maybe the problem is the comparison of The Last Room on the Left to The Shining, a novel I read and later watched as a film. This comparison does Konen's novel a disservice.. There are only a couple of characters alive in The Shining, but Konen actually populates this novel with a surprising number of characters. Perhaps the isolation and fear would have worked better with fewer characters?

Additionally, fewer comparisons to The Shining would have set up The Last Room on the Left more effectively to succeed.. This is a book that should stand on its own. Stephen King cannot be easily matched. So why try? I can appreciate the effort to be inspired by King, but inspiration by King should be writing style, not content. The characters are good, but the narrative style bothered me, but maybe that is just me. I did notice that any number of Konen's books have been compared to those of other authors, but perhaps let her work stand on its own.

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC. I suspect that many people will enjoy this novel. I did struggle, but fans of Konen will likely enjoy it.

Kerry is a struggling author and alcoholic who agrees to be an innkeeper at this upstate motel (yes, this is the shining). When she’s up there, she finds a trashed room and a dead body, leading her to believe she’s next. That’s about where it starts and stops being good. I did not like the narration style, as every character who had a POV spoke TO the reader (that’s my least favorite style). I also felt like the writing was very juvenile and cringy, feeling like someone unfamiliar with “cool lingo” was trying to speak like a young adult. I didn’t hate it, but I’m extremely indifferent to it.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, please note that this ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Room on the Left is a psychological thriller by Leah Konen. While it is billed as a feminist take on The Shining about the only thing they have in common is an isolated hotel/motel and a snow storm. Don't get me wrong, the story was great but billing it as The Shining just didn't fit. The story revolves around Kerry, who has a bit of a problem with alcohol and drugs, arriving at the Twilite Motel to serve as the caretaker for the month of February. When she arrives she finds the room she is supposed to be staying in is a mess and looks as though a party had been thrown. After investigating around the room she comes to realize that the person there before her was her friend Siobhan, whom she had a falling out with a couple months back. Siobhan is no where to be found and Kerry quickly notices something outside sticking out of the snow. This leads Kerry to seek help down the road from a neighbor. When police arrive, nothing can be found and Kerry's character comes in to question due to her alcohol and drug use. Is she really seeing what she is claiming or is it all in her head. This trope is something that has been seen recently in such books as The Girl on the Train and The Woman in the Window. I thought I had the whole thing figured out about 25% in but I was completely wrong. Definitely not what it was billed as, but still an overall good book.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #TheLastRoomontheLeft #LeahKonen

I LOVED this one. Locked room thrillers are 100% my jam, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read this one. What more do you want than a remote motel in the Catskills in the middle of a snowstorm? Nothing, really. Add a murder in there and it is the perfect recipe for a bingeable thriller. The main character is a struggling alcoholic, so that adds a bit of frustration to the book, as it's hard to tell whats reality versus hallucinations from drunken haze. I loved the setting and of course, the twists just added to the intrigue.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own

*review post on IG as well

I love mystery books and this is the first one that I have read by this author. I will definitely be reading her back list of books.
Kerry’s life is in shambles: Her husband has left her, her drinking habit has officially become a problem, and though the deadline for her big book deal—the one that was supposed to change everything—is looming, she can’t write a word. When she sees an ad for a caretaker position at a revitalized roadside motel in the Catskills, she jumps at the chance. It's the perfect getaway to finish her book and start fresh.

But as she hunkers down in a blizzard, she spots something through the window: a pale arm peeking out from a heap of snow. Trapped in the mountains and alone with a dead, frozen body, Kerry must keep her head and make it out before the killer comes for her too. But is the deadly game of cat-and-mouse all in her mind? The body count begs to differ . . .

This book took on several genres: horror, thriller and mystery.

Kerry is a little bit of a mess. On the cusp of a nasty divorce, behind on her latest novel and using alcohol as her own brand of therapy,... she agrees to be the caretaker of a seasonal hotel in the Catskills. It is the off season, so what better way to focus on her writing than being isolated with no wifi and distractions in a snowbound location?

If this premise sounds familiar, it is- thats the exact storyline the Shining presented to us many years ago.

This takes different spins, but has that same creepy, isolated atmosphere. A few times I felt the back of neck tingle for sure- sign of a good creepy book.

I did not see the turns coming, and while they lean more towards a psychological thriller than horror, I was entertained the whole time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin House for the opportunity to read in return for my honest opinion.

A creepy, engaging story reminiscent of THE SHINING, this book had me flipping the pages quickly. Perfect for fall, and brimming with intrigue and twist, this thriller was good fun!

I love thrillers and this one was great. I loved the setting, a lonely roadside motel is so cool and such a unique place to set a thriller. I thought Kerry was a fun character and I loved reading about her. It was suspenseful and exciting.

The comparison to The Shining is what drew me into this book. I didn't think it was all that similar except being at a hotel and in the winter. That being said I still enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a fast-paced psychological thriller. This book had plenty of twists and turns that made it entertaining. Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC. I did enjoy it overall.

I was genuinely excited to get my hands on this ARC. This is a extremely atmospheric, physiological thriller with lots of twist. I loved all the horror references, and multiple POV's. However, This book dragged in some parts. I'm not saying this book is bad, it's just not amazing either.

Big thanks to Netgalley and Penquin Group for providing me with this ARC for review.

This book gave me The Shning v4ibes and i was all for it. I like locked room mysteries and this one did not disappoint.

This locked-room mystery takes place in a remote, snowbound motel. Kerry, staying as the motel’s caretaker during its off-season, hopes the isolation will help her finish her book. But shortly after her arrival, she discovers unsettling items in her room—and a dead body in the yard. When the police finally arrive, the body is gone, and Kerry’s past struggles with alcoholism lead others to question her account. Determined to uncover the truth, she presses on despite the skepticism.

The reviewer enjoyed the dual POV and pacing but felt the repetitive writing style detracted from the experience, especially the frequent use of repeated words. While the ending was somewhat disappointing, the reviewer still found the story engaging and plans to read more by the author.

Rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.

Okay let me begin by getting past the elephant in the room.
This is obviously A LOT like The Shining. This book was pretty good. I would suggest this to people. Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group.

This was a fun and fast-paced thriller that chilled me to the bone! I love an atmospheric thriller and this one definitely delivered with a snow storm in the Catskills.

When Kerry takes a caretaker job at a remote motel in the mountains to work on her next book, it gives major The Shining vibes. The Last Room On The Left is more psychological thriller than horror though and the multiple POVs and timelines add to the elements of suspense. This one also had some really great quotes on loving someone struggling with addiction.

I loved to hate Konen’s characters and I will definitely be checking out more of her work! Preorder this one now if you love chilling thrillers, flawed main characters, and endless twists!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the eARC of this atmospheric title!**