The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Abby worked at an inn in Cutter’s Pass, North Carolina. The Passage Inn had a fantastic view of The Appalachian Mountains, and hiking from the inn could put you on The Appalachian Trail. Cutter’s Pass was a typical small town where everybody knew everybody’s business. However, nobody knew one thing, and that was what happened to the Fraternity Four. Four guys disappeared in the mountains and were never heard from again. This mystery was as much a draw to Cutter’s Pass as its outdoor offerings, of rafting and hiking, with access to the Appalachian Trail by way of a gorgeous waterfall. The disappearances happened long before Abby came to work at the Passage Inn, but others had disappeared over the years. Just as the thing settled down after the last disappearance, Mr. Clarke comes in out of the rain seeking a place to stay. But it turns out that his name is really Trey West, the brother of the last person to disappear.
The story is a slow stroll through the days in the end and getting to meet the town’s people. As you follow Abby’s days, you begin to feel like she is happy with her job as manager of The Passage inn but she is also looking for answers. The last person to vanish was actually a guest at the Inn. He was a journalist. Landon West had come to Cutter’s Pass to find answers about the previous disappearance only to disappear himself. The story takes place between August 2022 when Trey West arrives, filling the pages with backstories about the others who vanished as it meanders its way to an explosive conclusion September 2022
This is a good read if you like slow-building momentum in your mystery. It was not an action-packed page-turner until near the end. I have to admit that at first, I was not really into it, but it did begin to grow on me as little hints and clues are shown in the thoughts of Abby as she goes through her daily routine. It will definitely keep you guessing until the end.
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