I have read one of this author’s short stories, and enjoyed it, but I was not able to get into this book. The story felt repetitive and the plot was too slow for me. Unfortunately, I had to DNF at 23%.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

On a fictional island off the coast of Cancun lies trouble for this group of ex-pats that are living the low-impact high life when one of their own is found dead. The girl's lover arrives and she tries to put the pieces together and what happened to her partner and why. The mystery moves along at a good pace, and the supporting cast of ex-pats is interesting, sometimes amusing, sometimes dark and potentially dangerous. The island holds many secrets as you will find out (but not from me here) and many interlocking relationships that can be at odds with the simple island life that is initially portrayed in the opening chapters. I thought the combination of plot, characters and mystery was just the right mix, and kept my interest until the final resolution of what happened to the poor victim.

After hearing so much buzz about both this book and the author I was elated to receive an ARC copy via NetGalley. Unfortunately from the very first page I had mixed feelings about this book. I was surprised to see the trigger warning before the book started since I know a lot of authors usually don’t add that but was really glad the author included it in this book. I struggled with whether or not to start reading this book because of the content warning but went ahead and decided to read it. I wanted to connect to the characters especially the main character Abby but she seemed very dull and immature. Honestly all the characters weren’t likable the only one I understood and sympathized with was Brady. The plot development and pace were slow and some parts seemed repetitive or unnecessary, I found myself skimming through a lot of the chapters particularly the “Then” chapters of Abby and Eszter. I really don’t think so much back story was required for the book to work, I think if the author went a different direction and removed a lot of excess plot then this could be a great thriller. I’ll admit I did get emotional concerning how Eszter passed away since I battle with food allergies as well and was horrified to know her cause of death, how it happened and who caused it. The graphic imagery and details of a certain character who is suicidal was very alarming to me as I personally experienced this and I understand the trigger warning from the start. I expected this to be more of a thriller and mystery but there was more trauma and drama for my liking. There were various bombshells revealed towards the end but I couldn’t really grasp and wrap my head around them to make any sense. I thought certain characters seemed suspicious and the author could’ve done a better job at recreating the storyline and changing who the “villain” turned out to be. The ending was unbelievable and farfetched to say the least. I really don’t think that epilogue was necessary since it seems more like the author just added that at the very end to make the story make sense but it did the exact opposite and frankly was annoying to me as a reader. In my opinion this book needs way more revision and editing so I hope the author looks carefully at all the negative criticisms and feedback and decides to change some things. I know there are mixed reviews early on but I’m baffled as to those people who gave this anything above 3 stars. It makes me wonder whether I read the exact same ARC as all those high reviewers. I hate leaving such disappointing feedback but with this book I feel it is crucial to revise it and it has the potential to be a really great thriller. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC copy in exchange for my honest feedback and review.

The Last Ferry Out is a great thriller! I would read this on the beach or on vacation due to the tropical setting. I could see it being made into a TV show or movie!

THRILLER ALERT! This book had all the ingredients for a juicy mystery - isolated island, secrets, murder... but somehow it fell flat for me. Loved the creepy vibes at first, but the narrative's pacing suffered as the story progressed. Multiple POVs and timelines = confusing. Despite this, I appreciated the novel's suspenseful nature and unexpected twists, earning it 3.5 stars. Would I recommend? Yeah, if you're into moody settings, mysterious secrets and don’t mind a slow burn!
I received a complimentary copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Chapter one lays a very endearing framework. I genuinely want to know what happened to Eszter, what her last argument with Abby was about, who the people in the photos are, and if the abandoned resort means anything. But as the book went on, I liked it less and less. Many plot holes and last minute explanations used to pull everything together. Without giving too much away, I really dislike when legal proceedings are used to reveal hidden information. It’s lazy. Throughout, there was minimal suspense or thrill. Mystery? Yes; but the epilogue was the only moment I felt that gave me a true “thriller” feeling. The title is misleading. It’s not about the ferry or even leaving the island. If anything, it’s about why people go to the island.

Really good read. It was my first book by this author and i definitely plan on reading more !!! Four stars!!!

This was a good book. It took me a little while to get into it but after about 1/3 of the way through I couldn’t stop reading. It was very tense and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened. I will definitely read more from this author.

A little too twisty for my taste. There are a lot of POVs and a sort of dual timeline that makes following the plot difficult. I did like that I immediately spotted the final twist and I think if you are paying attention you will too. Eszters father is a real piece of work and I wonder if eszters mother has any comments to add as she was a very limited character in the book. While this was a little too twisty for me in that there were a bunch of stories and narratives interwoven making the true story difficult to realize until the end, the weaving of all of the threads was done very well. Especially considering all of the different POVs that each add a different layer to each event. The pacing of this did feel a little weird because it takes place over about 3-4 days, making the book feel slow at times. I think if this had been limited to two or 3 POVs it would have been a little more concise totally called that Gloria did some shit to those cookies but I did not see her having poisoned hilde coming. Brady’s dedication to the island w a also a little thin. I was really expecting Pedro to have had a bigger role in Eszter’s death. Also red rum is a terrible boat name, and that is never addressed in the book.

A solid 4.5 for me. Started strong and i got involved right away and it kept my interest. It is more a subtle slow moving psychological story with a mystery built in. A love story between two women, told mostly from Abby's perspective as her fiancee dies a sudden unexpected death. She goes to a small island for closure and ends up uncovering lots of secrets that make her doubt what she knew about her and their love. While their love shines through the story, she has to take a hard look at herself and what she values. Their is an underlying theme of how we spend our time and the resources of the earth.

Received the ARC of The Last Ferry Out from NetGalley! I didn’t love this book, but didn’t hate it either. It was just ok for me. The plot development took too long, in my opinion, and none of the characters were particularly likable. They all just existed. There were several reveals toward the end, but none of them were particularly surprising or exciting. It seemed like the author made a list of all the plot twists and then just threw things together at the end to make them all make sense.

I was excited about this one from cover and description. I thought this would be gripping, locked room thriller but it had more emotional trauma and drama in it. Abby goes looking for answers on how her fiancé died and goes to the last spot she was at. She tracks down the expats that were her friends. The expats all have secrets they are hiding. She realized that she didn’t know her fiancé as well as she thought.

This has two time lines and it is a slow burn. It takes place on a remote island with a storm approaching so it gives it an eerie feeling but didn’t wow me. Didn’t love any of the characters and found it depressing.

The Last Ferry Out is a gripping thriller with a dual timeline and a grieving partner. Abby needed to see the place her fiancé, Ezster, died to try and overcome the overwhelming grief. Isla Colel is not what Abby expected - it is not a tourist destination, but rather a place for people to hide, and hide their secrets. Abby meets and befriends a group of people who knew Eszter, and before she can get answers from any of them, one suddenly disappears from the island. Abby goes on a mission to find out what happened to Eszter and the missing man, and uncovers dark secrets, lies and people who might not be who they said they were.

This was a quick read, and I enjoyed the character and the twist at the end. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC!

Abby found in Eszter, everything she wanted in a life partner. So when, Eszter unexpectedly dies while visiting Isla Colel, Abby is wrecked by grief and decides to see where Eszter passed and try to make sense of it. Abby wasn’t expecting the warm and friendly group of expats living on the island. They share stories about Eszter, trying to help Abby with her grief. But when one of the expats, Brady, messages he needs to tell her the truth, then disappears, things begin to unravel. Why is no one looking for Brady or seem to care that he has disappeared, why does Abby get the feeling people are withholding the truth from her, is it possible one of the group killed Eszter, with Abby’s anxiety growing, she becomes more suspicious and wonders if she is next to die?

This is an intriguing mystery, well-crafted with plenty of suspense and twists. I have not read Andrea Bartz before but I enjoyed her writing style. She does a wonderful job of using the characters background to set up twists and turns. Thoroughly enjoyed this book, don’t miss out!

Andrea Bartz has done it again! The Last Ferry Out is a propulsive thriller about a woman trying to find out the truth about her fiances untimely death.
After losing her fiancé, Eszter, Abby heads to the secluded island where Eszter died to find answers. Abby is convinced she isn't getting the whole truth from Eszter's family. While digging around on the island, Abby begins to suspect that Eszter's friends from the island aren't being truthful either.
Being stuck on an island, during a storm, without phone service, the truth starts to come out.
I was hooked from the very beginning and loved the wild ride. This is exactly what I look for in a thriller!
The Last Ferry Out will be available on May 20, 2025.

The Last Ferry Out is an intriguing mystery and an easy read. I was glad to read it thru NetGalley and finished it quickly because I needed to know the ending. It covers a lot of current issues while hooking you on the mystery.

This is a mystery, this is a story of losing your love and trying to understand what happened and what formed her and what formed yourself. It is a story of personal growth and understanding.

Abby's journeys to Isla Colel to uncover the truth behind her fiancé Eszter's death . As she meets the group of expats who were close to her fiance the plot thickens when Brady, one of the expats, mysteriously disappears after texting her to meet him with something important to share.

The secrets that Isla Colel holds are slowly unveiled, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat! I just had to know what really happened to Eszter and Brady.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted mystery with rich characters and an unexpected ending. It's a captivating read that you won't be able to put down!

I was so happy to get this as an ARC because I had it on my list of books I was looking forward to reading this year. I LOVED the premise and the setting of the island. The book had a really interesting set of characters that were all hiding different things for their own reasons. Loved the main character and I loved the alternating viewpoints of our main narrator and her deceased fiancee. Well paced and tightly written with lots of different moving pieces coming together in the end, in a way that made sense! Would love to read more from this author!

Ever set out to solve a unsolved mystery? This book was quite the journey and kept me turning pages throughout. Thanks for the opportunity to read it!