A quick suspenseful read! Character-wise, Abby seems a little dense--does she actually know her fiancee/partner? Each flashback gives the impression that she is dragging her partner along, and Eszter doesn't show affection in the same way. The mystery and the pacing are reasonable, and Abby doesn't do anything unreasonable or challenging to believe. The expat culture on the island is fascinating, and I would be interested in hearing more if other places have similar pockets. Brady, Pedro, and Rita were pretty suspicious characters, but there were no clear red herrings which I appreciated.

Grief stricken after the loss of her fiancée, Abby returns to the island where it all happened. Hoping to find some closure, what Abby finds instead tilts everything she knew about her fiancée upside down.

I felt the book was well paced for the first 50% but it felt slower up until the final twist. Personally, I felt the book continually stated that there was more to know about Ezsther but it took a long time to actually tell you what was really going on. 

I enjoyed it but I felt the author’s first book was better paced. I’ll still read her next book though for how much I enjoyed We Were Never Here

The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz is a solid thriller with some intriguing twists, but it didn’t completely blow me away. It’s definitely a page-turner, but not without its flaws.
The story revolves around Abby, who goes to the Isla Colel to find out about the last days of her fiancée Eszter’s life, only to get tangled in a web of secrets and lies. The suspense builds slowly, and for a while, I was really hooked. The atmosphere of the small, tight-knit community is eerie and adds to the tension, which I thought was a great touch. Bartz does a fantastic job of making you feel like you're right there with Abby, navigating through a world that feels increasingly dangerous and unpredictable.
The characters are well-developed, especially Abby, who has that perfect mix of vulnerability and strength. She’s flawed, which makes her relatable, though at times, I found her a little frustrating. Some of her decisions felt a bit forced, or maybe I just wanted her to act a little smarter given everything going on around her. The secondary characters could’ve used more depth, too; some of them felt more like plot devices than real people.
As for the plot, it’s definitely a slow burn. While that works in some parts, other sections dragged on a bit. I found myself skimming through certain scenes where the tension didn’t really build, and the pacing started to feel a bit slow. The twist at the end is a solid one, though not as jaw-dropping as I had hoped. I saw parts of it coming, and by the time it hit, I wasn’t as shocked as I’d been expecting to be.
The main issue for me was that while the book had all the right ingredients for a gripping thriller, it didn’t always hit the mark in terms of keeping me fully engaged. There were moments of brilliance, but also stretches where I felt a bit too disconnected from the characters and the stakes.
However, what really stood out to me, though, was how Bartz also weaves in themes of self-discovery and redemption. It’s not just about the mystery; it’s also about the characters grappling with their own mistakes and figuring out who they really are.
Overall, The Last Ferry Out is a good read if you’re a fan of atmospheric thrillers with a slow build and a few twists along the way. It’s definitely worth picking up, but it didn’t quite leave the lasting impact I was hoping for. If you’re in the mood for something suspenseful but not too mind-blowing, this one’s a solid choice.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.5/5 stars

In The Last Ferry Out, Abby travels from frigid Wisconsin to the hidden paradise of Isla Colel, a Mexican island where her fiancee recently passed away. On a mission to meet the last people her fiancee bonded with (a scrappy group of expats), Abby wanders the small island alone. Bound by grief, she slowly becomes more and more determined to solve the puzzle of Eszther's seemingly straightforward death.

This read like a thriller to me. I never expect to find good writing in a thriller so this was a pleasant surprise. The figurative language combined with the tension kept me turning the page.

What took me out of the story a bit was the lack of consistency in switching the POVs. Some characters only get one chapter through their perspective, and I wasn't crazy about it.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley for this Advanced Reader Copy.

The Last Ferry Out follows Abby as she desperately tries to retrace her fiancée's (Eszter) last days before she tragically passed away. She travels to a secluded island off the coast of Mexico and meets a group of expats that knew Eszter in order to gain more insight. As time goes on, she begins to wonder whether she ever knew Eszter at all. There are many twists, and an ending I did not see coming at all. My major complaint is with the pacing of the book. It moves very slowly in places, and at times, I was wishing it would move along quicker. Because of that pace, I wouldn't call it a thriller, but I did enjoy it and would definitely recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC of The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz.

This gripping novel follows Abby’s journey as she seeks to uncover the truth about the final days of her fiancée, Eszter. Set against the lush and mysterious backdrop of Isla Colel, the story weaves through unexpected twists and turns, keeping the reader engaged until the very end. Bartz blends suspense with emotional depth, creating a compelling narrative that explores love, loss, and the lengths we go to for the truth.

A solid four out of five stars—highly recommended for fans of queer stories and thrillers.

Un fortunately, this Bartz thriller missed the mark. Leaning too emotional/romantic for my taste in thrillers, I was left questioning where the story was going, what was in fact mysterious, and why should the reader care. This will likely be my last from Bartz.

The Last Ferry Out is a slow burn mystery told on a non linear timeline from multiple view points. The book moved slowly but had good character development that kept you reading to see what happens.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Last Ferry Out. Andrea Bartz doesn’t just write books. She provides interesting insights and crafts stories that bring the reader together with the characters.
A woman's loss of her fiancé creates the need to understand what happened and how. She goes to a small island to find out more about the fate of her loved one
She gets more than she bargained for and soon she finds herself caught between reality and badly wants to know what happened.
She becomes lost in what she learns and is forced to confront the reality of loss and despair. And answers may not be easy or what she needs to move on in her own life. 3.5 stars

Andrea Bartz is back with a new novel about a woman who travels to an island where he fiancé died. While she is there she doesn't believe the death was an accident after all.

I enjoyed this novel and Bartz writing. There were a few slow parts, but overall this is a good thriller to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group | Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was okay. I found it hard to connect with the characters and was not able to relate to them. The storyline was good and it did offer suspense. A big thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc!

Abby, reeling from the death of her fiancée Eszter, visits the secluded island of Isla Colel, where Eszter tragically died, hoping to meet up with some friends Eszter made there and gain some insight into her death. However, the group seems a little strange and guarded, and when one of them goes missing shortly after Abby’s arrival, she is convinced that they are hiding something from her. The Last Ferry Out is part mystery, part love story, and the author does a great job of melding the two into a suspenseful and heartfelt book. The writing is eloquent, the characters are interesting, and there’s no shortage of surprises as Abby has a fierce determination to uncover the truth about her fiancée’s death, and the power of love is on full display. Highly recommended. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There were a few pieces that I felt were missing from the book but I thought the plot was interesting. I just needed it to be a bit faster to get into. The last third of the book was great! I’ll continue to read this author.

"When Abby sets foot on Isla Colel, she isn’t sure what she’ll find—but she knows she needs answers. Her fiancée, Eszter, died there under mysterious circumstances, and the only way to make sense of her loss is to confront the island’s secrets herself."

I had a little trouble getting into this at first. I found it slow and it was hard to keep my attention. But about a third of the way through, the story starts to take off, and is a constant string of twists and turns up until the very last page!

I received this novel as an Advanced Reader copy. Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Abby lost the love of her life after a tragic accident. She’s going to the island to see if she can piece together how she lost Eszter. While there, she meets many people who have tidbits of information about the accident. She meets one man who says he knows what “really happened”, but then he disappears prior to her getting any information.

This was a solid, but basic thriller. It is a dual-timeline book and goes over many of the characters' backstories. It’s one of the books where everyone feels like a suspect. It was well-paced except for the middle it slowed down and was a bit boring. The characters were decently developed, but they still felt a little one-dimensional. The ending had a decent conclusion. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a solid mystery thriller.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine Books for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

This book didn’t resonate with me. I had a hard time getting interested in the characters. The plot had a lot of promise, and I had hoped it would live up to that potential, but it fell short for me.

Because of @cece_lyra_agent I keep a magic notebook full of things from books that move me and uses of language that thrill me. After reading this book I filled three more pages. @andibartz use of words is absolutely gorgeous. Her characters feel so real I could practically see the small pores of their skin. The setting was beautiful and immersive. There are twists and turns but what I really loved about this story was the nuanced moments between the characters. I loved it.
Thank you @penguinrandomhouse and @netgalley for the arc.

Andrea Bartz delivers an emotional and compelling thriller that interrogates what it is to be an expat and claim some place that doesn't actually belong to you. Great twists and characters.

Another amazing thriller from Andrea Bartz that is full of twists and turns!

I think of all her books, which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, this one was my favorite! I really liked how much heart was in it and it also made me kind of sad. The writing was great and the story was fast paced.

Getting to know each of the expats was so much fun. I love that I never knew who to fully trust until the very end.

Isla Colel felt so real and like a character just as much as the rest of the gang. The descriptions made it feel so lifelike that I almost felt like I was there. This book makes me want to sit on the beach or be somewhere tropical and sip a fruity drink and befriend some strangers. Just thinking about traveling to a small island like that and making friends along the way seems so scary but also so much fun. What an adventure!

Smart, exciting, twisty and heartbreaking. Andrea Bartz takes you on a journey you will never forget.

📚🏝 The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz 🏝📚
Genre: Thriller
Length: 320 pages
POV: Dual, plus 2 timelines
Pub Date: May 20, 2025
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to Random House Publishing for the e-ARC of this book. The opinions stated here are solely my own.

Synopsis:
Abby makes a trip to Isla Colel, a small island near Cancun, Mexico, to find out what happened that caused the death of her fiancée, Eszter. After arriving, she realizes that there were things Eszter was hiding from her as she made friends and acquaintances with some of the locals and expats that lived there.

Abby tries to piece together Eszter's last moments while exploring the island and getting to know the people who spent time with her. Unfortunately, she uncovers more questions than answers while receiving strange messages that make her wonder just how well she actually knew Eszter at all...

Opinion:
Overall I did enjoy this book and the mystery of Eszter's death. I found Abby's determination to uncover the truth very engaging and I thought all the side characters on Isla Colel were all equally interesting. There were a lot of back stories that made you suspect so many different people along the way. The truth of everything was possibly the one thing that made this book not quite make it to four stars, but it was still worth reading.