The Last to Vanish: A Novel

"Cutter's Pass is best known for its outdoor offerings...Appalachian Trail...waterfall." (From the description on Netgalley.)I was sent this book electronically to review from Netgalley. The fun part of this book, if there is one, is discovering who did what to whom? Are all of the missing hikers connected? The setting, North Carolina on the Trail is intriguing in that one must wonder if there is something there that is disappearing the hikers...The protagonist, Abigail, is at the center of this novel...she doesn't know if she can trust anyone in her life...the outcome of this book was surprising to me...I can usually determine the ending...not in this story. The author is talented and gifted, and I cannot wait to read more from her. Do NOT miss reading this mystery...

The Passage Inn is an upscale hiker’s paradise in North Carolina near Appalachian trails. The views and hiking paths are extraordinary. People come from all over to hike, take in the small town and listen to the folklore of the town’s people of Cutter’s Pass. You see, the town and the inn have quite a history. For the people who live there, it is more of a curse as they always get tourists who think they can solve its secrets. And mysteries they are. Over the years, a few hikers have just disappeared, starting with a group of hikers named the Fraternity Four who together all went missing over ten years ago and not one body has ever been discovered. Then another hiker disappeared and another. The town had been quiet for a while until three months ago when Landon West, a journalist researching the missing hikers disappeared. He has not been found and the tourists are once again coming to the town in full force. Abilgail Lovett has been the manager of the Passage Inn for years after showing up one day looking for a job. Although she has lived there a good amount of time, she still does not feel like she belongs. Quite frankly she feels like an outsider who is not allowed to learn the secrets of the town. Curiosity is not her friend in a place where everyone holds what secrets they have to themselves. And as the manager of the inn where the missing hikers stayed, she feels like no one will give her the answers she is looking for. Because of this, Abby has always felt as if nothing really added up when it came to the disappearances. But when Trey West, Landon West’s brother comes to look for his missing sibling she can’t help but take him up on his offer to help him find clues as to his vanishing. As Trey and Abby begin to find clues, which make no sense, they find no one wants to listen to their theories, including the sheriff. Abby is warned to stop digging. But she can’t and when she discovers shocking revelations as to what happened years ago, she could possibly she could become the next missing person. All she ever wanted was to feel as if she was part of this small town. But perhaps the town will eat her up and spit her out because she now knows the truth. In true Megan Miranda style, with a thrilling mystery to solve and a shocking conclusion to digest, you are immediately sucked into the story starting on the first page. With twists and turns galore, The Last to Vanish is an epic thriller and wonderful read.

The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda is a very highly recommended excellent thriller. Miranda is one of my favorite authors and she delivers the goods again! Abby (Abigail) Lovett arrived in Cutter's Pass, North Carolina, ten years ago and is now managing The Passage Inn. Cutter's Pass, an access point to the Appalachian trail, is known as the most dangerous town in North Carolina based on the several unsolved disappearances tied to the city. The disappearances include the Fraternity Four, a group of students in 1997; Alice Kelly in 2012; Farrah Jordan in 2019; and Landon West in 2022. Landon West was a journalist who was investigating the disappearances before he became a statistic. Now four months later his brother, Trey, has arrived at the Inn and he has some questions. Abby, who often feels like an outsider, notices all the reactions Trey is getting while looking into his brother's disappearance, which causes her to start looking a bit closer into Landon's disappearance as well as that of the others. Cutter's Pass may be a picturesque tourist destination but it is also the most dangerous town in North Carolina and that moniker helps draw some tourists. It also seems that it might be true, but Abby can't get any answers and has to search for them. Then she finds some incriminating evidence and must look closely at everyone she knows The writing is exceptional in this suspenseful thriller and mystery. The narrative is told through five parts of the novel. Each carefully plotted part focuses on a disappearance, starting with the most recent. The tension and apprehension build slowly at first but then it begins to multiply, and accumulate, as Abby uncovers more information and begins to question everyone around her. How well does she know her neighbors and friends? The sense of menace and dread will begin to start immediately. There are several shocking twists I didn't see coming at all. Abby is a great character who will immediately garner your trust and you will care about her. All the secondary characters are equally interesting, realistic, and bring different dimensions to the unique plot. Even the setting, the mountains, hiking trails, and town, bring something unique to the narrative. Once you start reading, The Last to Vanish becomes un-put-downable and it exceeded all my expectations. Another winning novel by Megan Miranda! Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Scribner.