The Last to Drown
The rafting trip was supposed to be the adventure of a lifetime. But Kaia's starting to think she made a mistake.
Because ever since the whispers about Camas Creek began, all she feels is dread.
Seven years earlier, a guide murdered a group of rafters on this same isolated stretch of water. The killer's body was recovered downstream--but the true-crime community has never stopped asking questions.
And for good reason.
The incidents start small--a flipped raft, missing supplies, and screams in the night--but the pattern is sickeningly familiar. And with eighty-four miles of whitewater until any sign of civilization, safety has never felt so far away.
Kaia suspects that one of the guides is lying. One of the guests knows more than she's saying. And somewhere on this river, someone is planning to finish what started at Camas Creek.
Published: September 3, 2026
Pages: 368
ISBN: 9798182735537
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Available in: Paperback
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2 ratings
Liz M.
This was a fun survival thriller with a creepy setting that immediately caught my attention. Being stranded on an isolated rafting trip after learning about a brutal massacre that happened on the same river years before made for a suspenseful premise, and I was excited to see where the story would go.
The atmosphere was definitely the strongest part of the book. The remote wilderness, the raging river, and the feeling that no one could escape created plenty of tension. I also liked trying to figure out who could be trusted because it seemed like everyone was hiding something.
Unfortunately, the story didn’t completely live up to its potential for me. While there were some intense moments, the pacing felt uneven, and I found myself wanting more surprises and stronger character development. I wasn’t as connected to the cast as I hoped, which made some of the bigger moments lose a bit of their impact.
Overall, this was still an entertaining thriller with an eerie setting and enough suspense to keep me turning the pages. It just didn’t quite deliver the payoff I was hoping for, making it a solid 3-star read.
Kayla W.
This is a nightmare come true.
Towering rock walls and a river filled with dangerous rapids. Isolated from civilization.
Unsettling fear.
Claustrophobic.
Cat and mouse.
Survival.
Kaia, fmc, is struggling after her life was shattered a couple years prior. This trip is a once in a lifetime. A chance for her to regain her spark to live. What happens when the horrid history of the Camas Creek is unveiled and things take an eerie turn, a full on race in the dark on treacherous water.
Noelle doesn't hold back. She sends your heart thumping and fills you with that creepy dread on page one. Fear settles deep within and carries throughout the story. Honestly your heart doesn't get a break. You are fighting right along with each character within the story. At times you want to look away, yet you can't peel eyes away from words. She has a way for the emotions to bleed from the pages. Feeling exactly what Kaia and everyone else does.
Thank you Netgalley and Dynamite Books for the ARC!! This is my honest review in return.