The Last to Vanish: Megan Miranda

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Abby has sometimes felt like an outsider within the community, but she’s come to view Cutter’s Pass as her home. When Landon’s brother Trey shows up looking for answers, Abby can’t help but feel the town closing ranks. And she’s still on the outside. When she finds incriminating evidence that may bring them closer to the truth, Abby soon discovers how little she knows about her coworkers, neighbors, and even those closest to her. The novel is told from the POV of Abby and honestly, she was boring and it wasn’t that interesting to be in her head the entire time. The first person POV didn’t work here. Ten years ago, Abigail Lovett fell into a job she loves, managing The Passage Inn, a cozy, upscale resort nestled in the North Carolina mountain town of Cutter's Pass. Cutter's Pass is best known for its outdoor offerings—rafting and hiking, with access to the Appalachian trail by way of a gorgeous waterfall—and its mysterious history. As the book begins, the string of unsolved disappearances that has haunted the town is once again thrust into the spotlight when journalist Landon West, who was staying at the inn to investigate the story of the vanishing trail, then disappears himself. I’ve been an unabashed fan of the author since reading her first adult novel, All the Missing Girls and was looking forward to reading this, her latest release. My traitorous brain, which always says that there is no way I'd go on a cruise, spend time on a deserted island, or go down into a dark basement, none of those dumb book character choices for me...it kept wanting to go hiking, as I listened to this book. Of course, not hiking at the book's location since seven people had gone missing there. Hiking somewhere else, safe and not in a town that seems to be holding in secrets.

The Last To Vanish - Jen Ryland Reviews Review of The Last To Vanish - Jen Ryland Reviews

The writing, as usual, was very good. There was a Stephen King-like tension throughout, with a few hair raising scares thrown in for good measure.

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The best thing about this book is the atmosphere. Cutter’s Pass is portrayed as dark, isolated, moody, and cold, and the atmosphere comes through in almost every chapter. It plays a central role in the plot and the characters, as it adds a layer of deceitfulness and distrust that permeates the town. Abby’s character grated on the nerves a bit too. It’s no secret that her imagination runs away with her, but it did induce some eye-rolling from this reader. Her tendency to accuse people without evidence and beg for the truth was a bit irksome. When she wasn’t doing that, I did like her character.

THE LAST TO VANISH | Kirkus Reviews THE LAST TO VANISH | Kirkus Reviews

It’s become home over the past 10 years, and she feels protective of it-even if the town still treats her as an outsider much of the time… A new guest arrives on a stormy night. He's got a connection to Landon. In fact, he's Landon's brother Trey. Abby feels unsettled with him there giving off vibes that darken the reputation of the inn. But soon she realizes that Trey may be on to something. And that something may be putting herself in danger. The author attempted to write a tension-filled atmospheric tale, but I found myself irritated and bored, despite the appealing setting. The characters were not fully developed enough to make me care what happened to them. If you have thoughts on this book, opinions on the best Megan Miranda book, or ideas for readalikes, talk to me in the comments!Abby takes Trey to talk to the sheriff. Since the phone lines at the inn have been out, she calls for phone line repair. Harris Donald, the repairman, says they lines have been tampered with. What role does technology play in this novel? Consider how it’s used by characters as it relates to the truth (both the uncovering and the obscuring of it). Additionally: you might explore the difference between the author’s de- scriptions of nature and the author’s descriptions of manmade objects. Do they vary in any significant way? Discuss. The overall premise is totally my catnip story: The small mountain town of Cutter's Pass, gateway for hikers to the Appalachian Trail, has seen more than its share of disappearances. Over the past twenty-five years, seven tourists have disappeared without a trace after visiting the town. What happened to them? Ten years ago, after losing her mom and with nowhere else to go, Abby Lovett came to the Passage Inn in Cutter's Pass and has worked there ever since. The last person to vanish, Landon West, was staying at the Inn when he disappeared. Now Landon's brother Trey has arrived, wanting to know what happened to his brother and why. Can he figure out what no one else has been able to over the years? I prefer plausible to twists that come out of left field, and the revelations were surprising without being OTT, which was much appreciated by this reader! The next morning, the front desk information binder is misplaced. That, in addition to the phone line tempering and a lost guest key, has Abby on edge.

The Last to Vanish | Book by Megan Miranda | Official

Slowly, the stories of each person who disappeared over the years unfold. When I got close to the end, I admit to being surprised. I do think there were a few loose ends that were not quite tied up and while that vexed me, I still enjoyed this novel as I like slow burn character-driven mystery/suspense novels. Having read all of Megan Miranda’s novels, I think this was her best since All The Missing Girls. Miranda, who makes the setting, where everyone knows one another and ends up fearing one another, all the more chilling for its seeming normality, is a master of misdirection and sudden plot twists, leading up to a wallop of an ending. A powerful, paranoid thriller.” – Booklist (Starred Review) I liked the twist that Abby was the daughter of one of the Fraternity Four. But I struggled a bit with the whole intervention and gun thing, which all happened in narrative summary and didn’t really seem tied to the rest of the story.Many different forms of “reality” appear in The Last to Vanish . Characters divulge rumors, talk about myths, and share practical (as well as comforting) explanations for the vanishings of past visitors. What does the novel suggest about truth and its relationship to myth?