Description

An unforgettable small-town mystery with huge emotional resonance from International No. 1 bestselling author Jane Harper, perfect for fans of Val McDermid, Chris Whitaker and Elly Griffiths.

‘Utterly brilliant . . . I could not put it down’ – Marian Keyes
‘A book to get lost in’ – Ann Cleeves
‘Heartbreaking and wonderful’ Andrea Mara
‘I was glued to it for days’ Jennie Godfrey
‘Jane Harper delivers unbearable tension’ Val McDermid

He had been here, that was clear from the marks in the dust. And he had been alone.

In a dying town, Ro Crowley waits for her son on the evening of his twenty-first birthday.

Sam never comes home. His footprints in the dust of three abandoned houses offer the only clue to his final movements. One set in. One set out.

Five long years later, Ro returns to Carralon Ridge for the annual memorial of Sam’s disappearance. The skeletal community is now an echo of itself, having fractured under the pressure of the coal mine operating on its outskirts.

But Ro still wants answers. Only a few people remain. If the truth is to be found in that town, does it lie among them?

Last One Out is a hugely atmospheric mystery from the author of The Dry, Force of Nature, The Lost Man, The Survivors and Exiles.

Publisher Review

This is a slow-burn of a novel, claustrophobic and compelling. It's a wonderful exploration of fractured families and communities, and the conclusion is both shocking and inevitable. A book to get lost in -- Ann Cleeves, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Killing Stones Jane Harper is mistress of the threats and secrets that threaten life in the backwoods small towns of Australia. She delivers unbearable tension every time -- Val McDermid, bestselling author of 1989 An exceptional book. The sense of place is very powerful and her characterization is utterly brilliant . . . I could not put it down -- Marian Keyes, Sunday Times bestselling author of My Favorite Mistake A tale of old sins casting long shadows. It is like a locked room mystery with narrow silos of suspects and motives, but it is much more than that. Harper excels at making the reader feel every emotion, every moment of doubt, the thrill of a possible breakthrough, the wrench of another dead end. She takes the reader on a memorable journey that will pull at the heart, stiffen the spine, and thrill the reader. No one can ask for more than that. -- David Baldacci, Sunday Times bestselling author of Nash Falls This intricate story of a dying town and its residents is beautifully written and incredibly atmospheric. Heartbreaking and wonderful. -- Andrea Mara, No. 1 bestselling author of No One Saw a Thing I am a huge Jane Harper fan, and absolutely loved Last One Out. The atmosphere of a dying town, combined with Jane's brilliant characterisation plus a confounding mystery meant I was glued to it for days -- Jennie Godfrey, Sunday Times bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things Jane Harper delivers another intricate and compelling novel, this one exploring the myriad ways in which 'home' can hurt and heal us. An unforgettable book with a shocking and satisfying twist. -- Sarah Hilary, author of Black Thorn I love Jane Harper's Australia-based mysteries -- Stephen King Jane Harper . . . she remains incontrovertibly the reigning queen of Aussie crime fiction -- Financial Times