The Last Girls Standing

By: Jennifer Dugan

Narrated by: Mia Hutchinson-Shaw

This queer YA psychological thriller from the author of Some Girls Do is now in paperback!

“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 and The Counselors

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?

Critic reviews

Praise for The Last Girls Standing:

“Hand this to fans of Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and Stephen King’s IT.” —School Library Journal

“Haunting and compelling . . . A queer psychological thriller with teeth.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A thriller that grapples with the loneliness of trauma and the bonds that, for better or for worse, are forged there. The slow spiral to an unsettling, well-earned end will leave readers with much to think about.” —Booklist

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

“Dugan ably balances Sloan’s unprocessed trauma, her exhausted defiance, and her desire for unconditional love to make her a twisty and complex unreliable narrator.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“A feral Sapphic psych thriller slasher that digs into how well we can ever know the people we love.” —Paste Magazine

“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

“Full of scares and suspense, The Last Girls Standing is a whipcrack summer slasher. Dugan’s unforgettable characters are sure to break your heart.” —Rory Power, New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls

“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

left me unfulfilled because you get no answers

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

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

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.