Last One Out

A Novel

By: Jane Harper

Narrated by: Angeline Armstrong

From the New York Times bestselling author of Exiles and The Dry comes a captivating new novel set in a modern ghost town.

“Angeline Armstrong’s measured, third-person narration suits the slow-burn pace of this character-driven mystery, her unwavering tone underscoring the tension as the novel builds to a twist ending. [Jane] Harper's fans won't want to miss it.” — Booklist

“Narrator Angeline Armstrong evokes a kind of quiet loneliness and creeping dread in this audiobook that's both a mystery and a study in family trauma.” — Kirkus

Carralon Ridge, a once vibrant village in rural New South Wales, has become a shell of itself, its houses and buildings bought up and left to rot by the mining company operating at its borders. A decade into its slow death, surrounded by industrial noise and swathed in thick layers of dust, the skeletal town is all but abandoned, with just a handful of residents clinging onto what remains.

After years of scorning those who left the Ridge behind as it fell into ruin, Ro never imagined she'd become one of them. But everything changed when she lost her son. Five years ago, Sam vanished while visiting during a break from college, leaving behind a rental car with his belongings inside. Sam had loved Carralon Ridge, and had been working on an oral history of the town to preserve its legacy before it vanished altogether. It wasn't long after his disappearance that the rest of the family began to crumble away too.

But when Ro returns to Carralon Ridge to be with her husband and daughter on the anniversary of Sam's disappearance, she begins to suspect that something important was overlooked in his case. Because while nothing can stop Carralon Ridge from dying, someone seems to want to make sure that its secrets die with it.

A Macmillan Audio production from Pine & Cedar Books

Critic reviews

“Harper is an expert at creating deeply atmospheric crime novels. Here she turns it up a notch. . . Harper has her finger firmly on the relentless pulse of quiet menace in this small-town mystery.”
—Kirkus (starred)

“As always, it’s an exceptional book. The sense of place is very powerful and her characterization is utterly brilliant. . . I could not put it down. Jane is amazing. Each of her books is such a huge event for me.”
—Marian Keyes, New York Times bestselling author

“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, New York Times bestselling author of the Vera Stanhope series

“Hauntingly rich and vivid. . . The characters are nicely nuanced and interesting, and the themes around
rural decay are adroitly handled, and give the book real substance. . . The final revelations are surprising and quite emotional in their impact. A solid and thought provoking read.”
—Deadly Pleasures

“Satisfying . . . with simmering tension. It’s a solid outing.”
—Publishers Weekly

“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, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things

“Harper remains a brilliant writer: her prose is fluent, her characters richly drawn, her setting alive. . . Compelling. . . Moving and memorable.” —Arts Hub

“Harper captures the taut dynamics between this strained ensemble. . . A satisfying read.”
—The Guardian

Great writing!

Jane always delivers a great story! I have listened to every one of her books and they never disappoint!

so much more than a simple mystery

I have listened to all of Jane Harper's books, she is a must but. As always the beautifully described landscape is a main character, in this case a small town being swallowed by a giant mechanized coal mine. The town is mostly empty and the few remaining people are clutching a lost cause. Sam comes home from university in Sydney and disappears, never found. The story takes place mostly 5 years later and a lot is revealed. This is beautifully told.

Such a wonderful story

Thank you so much for another wonderful book-just a glorious story. I patiently await your next endeavor.

First Jane Harper novel that was just OK

Even though she works in the mystery genre, Harper writes genuine literary fiction and takes time between books. (Real writers don't put out at least three books per year, à la hacks like Freida McFadden.) 'Last One Out' is by no means bad—it's still worth a read—but not up to the very high standard set by her previous work.

Very good narration.

I love all of Jane Harper's book. This one wasn't quite as gripping as her others, but still an enjoyable read.