The Last Girls Standing

By: Jennifer Dugan

Narrated by: Mia Hutchinson-Shaw

Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

In this queer YA psychological thriller from the author of Some Girls Do, perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, the sole surviving counselors of a summer camp massacre search to uncover the truth of what happened that fateful night, but what they find out might just get them killed.

“Shocking, captivating, and utterly chilling. A delicious thriller that will have you tearing through pages to get to the end, where you won’t be disappointed.”—Jessica Goodman, bestselling author of They Wish They Were Us

Sloan and Cherry. Cherry and Sloan. They met only a few days before masked men with machetes attacked the summer camp where they worked, a massacre that left the rest of their fellow counselors dead. Now, months later, the two are inseparable, their traumatic experience bonding them in ways no one else can understand.

But as new evidence comes to light and Sloan learns more about the motives behind the ritual killing that brought them together, she begins to suspect that her girlfriend may be more than just a survivor—she may actually have been a part of it. Cherry tries to reassure her, but Sloan only becomes more distraught. Is this gaslighting or reality? Is Cherry a victim or a perpetrator? Is Sloan confused, or is she seeing things clearly for the very first time? Against all odds, Sloan survived that hot summer night. But will she survive what comes next?

©2023 Jennifer Dugan (P)2023 Listening Library

Critic reviews

“Enthralling . . . A solid addition to the camp horror genre, boasting urgent mystery and queer romance alongside its psychological thriller foundation.” —Publishers Weekly

“Complex and realistic . . . Throughout the book, readers see the arc of how Sloan’s relationships with family and friends change after the trauma, as well as her growth as she learns to live with her PTSD and anxiety . . . Hand this to fans of Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and Stephen King’s IT.” —School Library Journal

“A worthy ode to final girls and camp slashers reminiscent of classics like Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp, Dugan has crafted a chilling tale with unexpected twists, breakneck turns, and an ending that will leave you stunned.” —Kalynn Bayron, New York Times bestselling author of Cinderella Is Dead

A bloody good time

Last Girls has great characters and a really interesting twist on the slasher genre. (kind of a reverse-slasher starting with the survivors). Mix in a little romance for a really unique take on an old horror trope. I want to read more horror from Jennifer Dugan. Loved it!

left me unfulfilled because you get no answers

the ending just....ended with NO answers to the mystery but was exciting until then.

Loved it until I didn't.

Loved the main characters and the angle of the story. The ending was ultimately disappointing, in my opinion, as it took away everything I was hoping for from the book.

The performance by the narrator was well done.

I think I got it?

Weird ending. I think I understood it.
None of the characters are likable. Which is fine, just wasn’t expecting it. Narrator did a great job. Fun ride but weird ending.

Also loved it until the ending

It just seemed so abrupt and didn’t answer anything. Was Cherry in on the whole thing or not? Was her mother? What happened when Sloan was taken to the police station? Was the ritual real or not? Sloan seemed to put all the pieces together, yet it was never truly confirmed whether or not her suspicions were correct. Great story with a truly dark and horrific feeling, but an unsatisfying ending.

I (also) loved it until I didn’t

The storyline was great, the characters were great… the ending was not. I learned a word in literature class—denouement—which means a quick and abrupt ending. This book is that. I loved it all until the very confusing ending.

What a ride!

A very wild ride with a unique view of mental illness and trauma. Definitely worth a listen