the last passenger will dean book review

The Last Passenger (2023) Book Review – A compulsive page turning thriller

Will Dean’s latest is a compulsive page turning thriller

The Last Passenger is one of those books that’s going to divide audiences between those who love and those who loathe this. The premise itself is intriguing and there’s no denying that this is a proper beach read thriller. It’s a compulsive page-turner, there’s a million twists, and it’s armed with sharp, snappy chapters to keep you intrigued.

The trouble is, the book struggles to sustain interest across its lengthy 446 page length, and there’s no denying that this could very easily have been dropped to around 290 pages tops and not lost very much in terms of context.

The plot is simple and adds in layers of intrigue and plenty of game-changing twists across the 130+ chapters. To give much away about the story would be a disservice but as a simple summary, we follow Caroline (Caz) who hopes to start the vacation of a lifetime with her partner, Pete.

As they step onboard the cruise liner, the RMS Atlantica, everything seems to be going swimmingly… until Caz goes to bed. When she awakens, she finds herself alone onboard this ship bound for New York. There’s no crew or passengers, and as the pages turn, things become a whole lot more complicated and wild.

It’s difficult to go into this review and not say much about the plot but suffice to say that a few twists here really don’t work (including one very near the end), and others that really do. The explanation to the overarching mystery is pretty sound though, and most of the big plot points are wrapped up by the end, but it’s also one heck of a mission to get there.

Each chapter clocks in at around 5 minutes tops, and at times this actually works as a bit of a hindrance to the plot. One could actually draw some comparisons to the way R.L. Stine used to write the Goosebumps books (a cliffhanger ending to a chapter midway through a tense sequence) but in The Last Passenger it doesn’t quite work so well. In fact, having three or four chapters split across one action sequence almost counteracts the idea, derailing some of the tension. In fact, at times you find yourself craving a much longer chapter that never arrives.

A lot of time is also dedicated to Caz’s history, told through flashbacks from her point of view, but a lot of this feels like filler. While the desire here is clearly to help Caz grow as a character and develop, by the end of the story you never really get a sense that she’s changed much as a person. She still has the same worries, concerns, issues and world view that she did before, which is a little disappointing.

The book does feature some nice, thought provoking themes in here around the way we consume entertainment, which is actually a rather meta way of referencing back to books of this nature too. For those who have read this one, they’ll know what I’m talking about but suffice to say, there’s actually some purpose to this story and it almost draws inspiration from Black Mirror in the way it presents its ideas.

Overall, The Last Passenger is a very easy book to pick up, and a difficult one to put down. Sure, it’s about 150 pages too long and the characterisation is lacking, but it more than makes up for that with a moreish story and plenty of surprising twists and turns along the way. If you’re looking for something to read while lazing around outside in the sun – The Last Passenger is well worth cruising toward.

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• Verdict - 7/10 7/10

1 thought on “The Last Passenger (2023) Book Review – A compulsive page turning thriller”

I read this book on my Kindle and then my husband read it. We both thought it was one of the best books we have ever read, we don’t agree that it was too long. I am an avid reader and this book totally held me. In fact we have now downloaded more of the authors books. Totally wonderful and gripping read.

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The Last Passenger

482 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 8, 2023

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The Last Passenger Book Review

• Author: Will Dean
• Genre: Thriller
• Type: Novel
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
• Reading Time: 15 Hours

In “The Last Passenger” by Will Dean, readers are taken on a thrilling journey aboard the RMS Atlantica, a luxury cruise liner left abandoned at sea with only one passenger left on board.

Caz Ripley, a cafe owner from a small town, wakes up one morning to find that all the other passengers have vanished. As she navigates the eerie and surreal circumstances, she must confront the unknown and prepare for a journey filled with suspense and unexpected twists.

The theme of isolation and survival takes centre stage in “ The Last Passenger .” As Caz Ripley grapples with being the sole passenger on the ship, the psychological toll of her situation is palpable.

The novel delves into themes of fear, trust, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of extreme adversity.

Caz Ripley emerges as a complex and relatable protagonist in “The Last Passenger.” Her ordinary life is turned upside down as she finds herself in a highly extraordinary situation.

Through her eyes, readers experience the mounting tension and suspense of the narrative. The supporting characters add layers to the story, highlighting the unpredictability of human nature in desperate circumstances.

Will Dean delivers a gripping and atmospheric psychological thriller in “ The Last Passenge r.” With a premise that is both chilling and compelling, the novel keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

The intricate plot twists and turns, coupled with Dean’s skilful storytelling, make for a truly immersive reading experience. The sense of unease and mystery that permeates the narrative is masterfully crafted, drawing readers deeper into the heart-pounding storyline.

The Conclusion

In conclusion, “The Last Passenger” is a standout novel in the thriller genre , showcasing Will Dean’s prowess as a master of suspense.

With a riveting plot, well-developed characters, and a hauntingly atmospheric setting, this book is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. From its gripping opening to its breathtaking conclusion , “The Last Passenger” is a rollercoaster of a read that will leave readers craving more.

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Will Dean is a British author known for his compelling crime thrillers . Born and raised in the UK, Dean has always had a passion for writing and storytelling. After studying law at the London School of Economics, he pursued a career in journalism before turning his focus to fiction writing.

When he is not writing, Dean enjoys spending time in the outdoors , drawing inspiration from the rugged wilderness that often serves as the backdrop for his novels. With his captivating storytelling and complex characters, Will Dean continues to captivate readers around the world with his gripping tales of mystery and suspense.

Book Review

The last passenger by will dean.

4 star review of a book also known as The Last One

When Caz steps onboard the exclusive cruise liner RMS Atlantica, it’s the start of a vacation of a lifetime with her new love, Pete. On their first night they explore the ship, eat, dance, make friends, but when Caz wakes the next morning, Pete is missing.

And when she walks out into the corridor, all the cabin doors are open. To her horror, she soon realizes that the ship is completely empty. No passengers, no crew, nobody but her. The Atlantica is steaming into the mid-Atlantic and Caz is the only person on board. But that’s just the beginning of the terrifying journey she finds herself trapped on in this white-knuckled mystery.

The Last Passenger by Will Dean tells the story of Caz and her new boyfriend Pete who are on a luxury cruise across the Atlantic. However all is fine until on the first full day Caz wakes up and finds Pete and all of the other passengers have suddenly disappeared. The Last Passenger is a modern day mystery thriller that takes a twist on the lone mansion in the middle of nowhere, and turns it into a modern passenger liner, with no crew or individual in charge of the ship. With just a superficial read of the story you see a competent well researched mystery thriller with the usual twist and turns along the way, to keep the reader not only engaged but makes it into the classic page turner, as each new event takes the story in a new direction. However for readers what takes The Last Passenger above the usual thriller is the character development of the main character Caz who as readers we gradually learn more and more about her personality and how this has an affect on her actions throughout the novel. While I did feel that the plot line of the story worked very well, the writer was unable to meet the heights with the ending, which for me felt weaker than the story idea deserved, Having said all that, The Last Passenger by Will Dean is still a competent enjoyable mystery thriller for people who enjoy this genre.

Having said all that, The Last Passenger by Will Dean is still a competent enjoyable mystery thriller, that do for people who enjoy this genre.

Who Should Read

Meet the writer .

Jeffrey Archer

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. He was a bookish, daydreaming kid who found comfort in stories and nature (and he still does).

After studying Law at the LSE, and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden. He built a wooden house in a boggy clearing at the centre of a vast elk forest, and it’s from this base that he compulsively reads and writes. He is the author of Dark Pines.

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The Last Passenger – Will Dean

• Posted by by Tracy Fenton
• May 11, 2023

A luxury cruise liner, abandoned with no crew, steaming into the mid-Atlantic. And you are the only passenger left on board.

Caz Ripley, a cafe owner from a small, ordinary town, boards the RMS Atlantica with her boyfriend Pete and a thousand fellow passengers destined for New York. The next morning, she wakes to discover that everyone else on board has disappeared. And that’s just the beginning. Caz must prepare for a crossing that will be anything but plain sailing … With the drama of The Woman in Cabin 10 and the tension of And Then There Were None , The Last Passenger is a psychological thriller set aboard a cruise ship about a woman whose seemingly ordinary life is suddenly thrown dramatically off course. Will Dean is The Master of Intense Suspense and this novel is full of his trademark twists and turns.

Book Info: Print length: 444 pages. Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton. Publication Date: 11 May 2023

Biography: Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. After studying law at the LSE, and working many varied jobs in London, he settled in rural Sweden with his wife. He built a wooden house in a boggy forest clearing and it’s from this base that he compulsively reads and writes.

DARK PINES, the first in the Tuva Moodyson series, was published to huge critical acclaim in 2018, was shortlisted for Not the Booker prize, selected for Zoe Ball’s TV Book Club and named as a Daily Telegraph Book of the Year. RED SNOW and BLACK RIVER were both longlisted for Crime Novel of the Year at the Theakston Old Peculier Awards in 2020 and 2021 respectively, and RED SNOW was also shortlisted for the Independent Voice Award at the Capital Crime Amazon Readers Awards 2020.

Will’s first standalone novel, THE LAST THING TO BURN, was a word-of-mouth sensation reviewed positively by readers and media alike. It was shortlisted for Thriller Book of the Year at the Fingerprint Awards 2022, Crime Novel of the Year at the Theakston Old Peculier Awards 2022 and the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award 2022, and was longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award 2022.

I’m a huge fan of Will Dean’s books, I adore his TUVA series and THE LAST THING TO BURN is one of my all-time favourite standalone thrillers, so I was very excited to be invited on to the blogtour to read and review his latest standalone thriller THE LAST PASSENGER , published by Hodder & Stoughton on 11 May 2023.

This book is NOTHING like anything I’ve read before by Will Dean and it’s quite a difficult book to review without giving away any spoilers.

I’ve been cruising for years, having been fortunate enough to enjoy the Caribbean and most of the Mediterranean on board some absolutely incredible cruise ships, so I was a little hesistant at first about reading a book set on a ship. However, as I haven’t tried a transatlantic cruise yet, I wasn’t overly concerned and luckily this hasn’t put me off future cruises!

The Last Passenger is narrated by Caz (Caroline) Ripley, a 49 year old woman, who is going on her first ever cruise with her boyfriend Pete from Southampton to New York. Hoping this could be a romantic getaway which may lead to an engagement, Caz is excited, yet nervous for her maiden voyage.

Having enjoyed her first night aboard the RMS Atlantica, she wakes up the next morning, Pete is missing, his luggage and watch are still there, but upon further investigation it appears that EVERYONE is missing, all cabins are abandoned, all passengers and crew have vanished into thin air, leaving her lost, alone and very, very frightened.

Ahhhh…. I really wish I could say more, but that would absolutely ruin the story for you, but suffice to say, this is a fast paced thriller which kept me glued to my kindle screen.

If you can suspend your belief for the duration of the book and literally just go with the flow, you should enjoy THE LAST PASSENGER which is full of twists, turns and action.

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Tracy Fenton

My name is Tracy Fenton and I am a self-confessed book addict.  I love recommending books almost as much as I love reading them and that is why I set up this website: to tell YOU all about my favourite books.   So sit back, make yourself comfortable and have a look around – hopefully you will find a book here that is destined to become one of your best-loved reads too.

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The Last Passenger: The twisty and addictive thriller that readers love, with an unforgettable ending! Kindle Edition

A luxury cruise liner, abandoned with no crew, steaming into the mid-Atlantic. And you are the only passenger left on board. *RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK* 'Astonishing' IAN RANKIN 'The premise is excellent... [a] mile-a-minute, bite-your-nails-to-the-quick ride of a novel' OBSERVER 'Oh my goodness, what a rollercoaster of a read!' PRIMA Last night there were a thousand passengers on this ship. Where have they all gone? Caz Ripley, a cafe owner from a small, ordinary town, boards the RMS Atlantica with her boyfriend Pete and a thousand fellow passengers destined for New York. The next morning, she wakes to discover that everyone else on board has disappeared. And that's just the beginning. Caz must prepare for a crossing that will be anything but plain sailing ... With the drama of The Woman in Cabin 10 and the tension of And Then There Were None , The Last Passenger is a psychological thriller set aboard a cruise ship about a woman whose seemingly ordinary life is suddenly thrown dramatically off course. Will Dean is The Master of Intense Suspense and this novel is full of his trademark twists and turns. 'A rollercoaster ride. I barely had any nails left by the end!' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'This heart-stopping premise is one of the best openings to a book I've read' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'The apex of suspense writing' STEVE CAVANAGH ' Thrilling and terrifying in equal measure with a brilliantly heart-stopping ending. So good!' B.A. PARIS 'Expect not just the unexpected but strokes of genius' IMRAN MAHMOOD ' 'Brilliant, twisted and oh so clever. The Last Passenger is Will Dean at the top of his game. And just wait for that killer last line' CHRIS WHITAKER ' A fast-paced, snakily plotted treat for fans of the modern psychological thriller' VASEEM KHAN 'Will Dean is a master storyteller - this book is real edge of the seat stuff! I loved it. And what an ending!' CATHERINE COOPER ' I * guarantee * you will never read another thriller like this one. Sharp, unique, terrifying, page-turning and glorious. Clearly Stephen King and James Herbert had a baby and his name is Will Dean. It's bloody brilliant' JOANNA CANNON

• Print length 450 pages
• Language English
• Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
• Publisher Hodder & Stoughton
• Publication date May 11, 2023
• File size 2516 KB
• Page Flip Enabled
• Word Wise Enabled
• Enhanced typesetting Enabled
• See all details

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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BNC5H5CY
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hodder & Stoughton (May 11, 2023)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 11, 2023
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 2516 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 450 pages
• Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1668021153
• #3,510 in International Mystery & Crime (Kindle Store)
• #4,716 in International Mystery & Crime (Books)
• #10,303 in Crime Thrillers (Kindle Store)

About the author

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. After studying law at the LSE, and working many varied jobs in London, he settled in rural Sweden with his wife. He built a wooden house in a boggy forest clearing and it's from this base that he compulsively reads and writes.

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Reviews, new releases and more, the last passenger by will dean #review.

Title: The Last Passenger Author: Will Dean Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

When Caz steps onboard the exclusive cruise liner RMS Atlantica, it’s the start of a vacation of a lifetime with her new love, Pete. On their first night they explore the ship, eat, dance, make friends, but when Caz wakes the next morning, Pete is missing. And when she walks out into the corridor, all the cabin doors are open. To her horror, she soon realizes that the ship is completely empty. No passengers, no crew, nobody but her. The Atlantica is steaming into the mid-Atlantic and Caz is the only person on board. But that’s just the beginning of the terrifying journey she finds herself trapped on in this white-knuckled mystery.

The Last Passenger is a fast-paced, entertaining read with an intriguing premise: Caz is on holiday with her partner on a luxury cruise liner when one morning, she wakes up and everyone else on the ship – including her partner Pete and all the Crew – has disappeared!

That in itself is likely to be enough to draw you in – what could the explanation possibly be for their disappearance? It’s very hard to give much information about this book without spoilers, but in its simplest form Caz soon learns that things are not as they seem, and it’s certainly no accident…

The Last Passenger does a great job of really playing into your fears – it certainly had me thinking about how I’d react if I was in Caz’s place, and it was not a nice thought! It starts off a little slower but soon ramps up in terms of action and tension. There’s some surprises and some elements that require some suspension of disbelief, but it’s so much fun and Will Dean writes so engagingly that the plot just seems to flow brilliantly.

And that ending…!

My rating: 4/5

Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest review .

DON’T FORGET… FOLLOW ME ON:  INSTAGRAM   @SNAZZY_BOOKS  /  GOODREADS LAURA  / AND  TWITTER @SNAZZY_BOOKS !

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The Last Passenger: The nerve-shredding new thriller from the master of tension, for fans of Lisa Jewell and Gillian McAllister Hardcover – 11 May 2023

A luxury cruise liner, abandoned with no crew, steaming into the mid-Atlantic. And you are the only passenger left on board. 'Astonishing' IAN RANKIN 'The premise is excellent... [a] mile-a-minute, bite-your-nails-to-the-quick ride of a novel, but I will tell you to trust this writer because I guarantee you'll enjoy where he takes you. Extra kudos for the final twist, which brought me great pleasure' OBSERVER 'Oh my goodness, what a rollercoaster of a read!' PRIMA Caz Ripley, a cafe owner from a small, ordinary town, boards the RMS Atlantica with her boyfriend Pete and a thousand fellow passengers destined for New York. The next morning, she wakes to discover that everyone else on board has disappeared. And that's just the beginning. Caz must prepare for a crossing that will be anything but plain sailing ... With the drama of The Woman in Cabin 10 and the tension of And Then There Were None , The Last Passenger is a psychological thriller set aboard a cruise ship about a woman whose seemingly ordinary life is suddenly thrown dramatically off course. Will Dean is The Master of Intense Suspense and this novel is full of his trademark twists and turns. 'A rollercoaster ride. I barely had any nails left by the end!' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'This heart-stopping premise is one of the best openings to a book I've read' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'The apex of suspense writing' STEVE CAVANAGH ' Thrilling and terrifying in equal measure with a brilliantly heart-stopping ending. So good!' B.A. PARIS 'Expect not just the unexpected but strokes of genius' IMRAN MAHMOOD ' 'Brilliant, twisted and oh so clever. The Last Passenger is Will Dean at the top of his game. And just wait for that killer last line' CHRIS WHITAKER ' A fast-paced, snakily plotted treat for fans of the modern psychological thriller' VASEEM KHAN 'Will Dean is a master storyteller - this book is real edge of the seat stuff! I loved it. And what an ending!' CATHERINE COOPER ' I * guarantee * you will never read another thriller like this one. Sharp, unique, terrifying, page-turning and glorious. Clearly Stephen King and James Herbert had a baby and his name is Will Dean. It's bloody brilliant' JOANNA CANNON 'A story full of surprising twists and turns that hook the reader from the very start right to the denouement' IRISH INDEPENDENT

• Print length 496 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Hodder & Stoughton
• Publication date 11 May 2023
• Dimensions 16.41 x 2.54 x 23.83 cm
• ISBN-10 1529382823
• ISBN-13 978-1529382822
• See all details

From the Publisher

Product description

About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hodder & Stoughton (11 May 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 496 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1529382823
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529382822
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16.41 x 2.54 x 23.83 cm
• 8,452 in Psychological Thrillers (Books)
• 38,722 in Thrillers (Books)
• 39,648 in Mysteries (Books)

About the author

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. After studying law at the LSE, and working many varied jobs in London, he settled in rural Sweden with his wife. He built a wooden house in a boggy forest clearing and it's from this base that he compulsively reads and writes.

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 41% 28% 16% 8% 7% 41%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 41% 28% 16% 8% 7% 28%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 41% 28% 16% 8% 7% 16%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 41% 28% 16% 8% 7% 8%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 41% 28% 16% 8% 7% 7%

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Customers say

Customers find the book brilliantly written and easy to read. They also find the content thought-provoking and appreciate the attention to detail. Opinions are mixed on the characters, plot, and entertainment value. Some find the characters sympathetic and entertaining, while others say they're poor and annoying. Readers also disagree on the pacing, with some finding it fast-paced and others saying it starts slow.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book brilliantly written, with clever details. They also say the author is excellent and the book can be read in one sitting.

"...Overall easy to read but a bit too far fetched for me." Read more

"... It was readable enough but the whole concept of a reality tv competitive show taking place on a luxury cruise liner just wasn't for me...." Read more

"...The dialogue was horribly stilted with characters delivering lectures not conversations...." Read more

"This book kept me spell bound all the way through, Dean is an excellent writer , this is not the type of book I would normally read ,but kept me..." Read more

Customers are mixed about the plot. Some find it clever, thrilling, and thought-provoking. They say the book keeps them guessing right till the end. However, others say the plot doesn't make sense, the ending is disappointing, and the storyline changes when the writer has run out of ideas.

"...I won't reveal much about the plot. I thought the premise was a good one in outline. Caz wakes up after her first night as a passenger...." Read more

"...Sadly, the more I read, the less plausible it got. The final twist was so unbelievable I almost wanted the book to go on so I could see how the..." Read more

"...I enjoyed reading it and the premise was good ... the idea of waking up on a practically empty cruise ship wondering what has happened to all the..." Read more

"...aspects that were somewhat implausible, this was a complex, high-octane thriller , so you can't expect everything to be believable...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the entertainment value of the book. Some find it entertaining, fast-paced, unpredictable, and creepy, while others say it gets ridiculous, repetitive, and boring.

"...The ending was also very predictable, almost cliche ." Read more

"...It could be an entertaining and enjoyable story despite the terrible ordeals. It was too long and needed more editing...." Read more

"...happened, however the ending of the book was both disappointing and frustrating ...." Read more

"...It's a brilliant concept, yet it fails to engage or entertain ...." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the characters in the book. Some love the characters, while others say they lack attention to detail and personality.

"...Right from early on the interactions of the characters don't really work ...." Read more

"...I loved the characters , the plot twists and surprises, along with the short chapters ...." Read more

"...but lacked the wow factor fairly predictable format and the characters were paper thin " Read more

"...The reason it happens is dull, but gets LOTS better. The heroine is fine but get backstory is overdone and dull, and I ended up skim reading her..." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some find it fast paced and easy to read, while others say it starts slow and gets tedious after a while.

"...It is entertaining, fast-paced , unpredictable, and creepy as hell. Tick, tick, tick, tick!..." Read more

"...if im honest I didn't like the ending it was disappointing and felt very rushed once I finished I was like is that it is that the ending the ending..." Read more

"...the book is so fast paced and very readable and I do have mixed feelings about it and whether I enjoyed it...." Read more

"...It felt a bit rushed , lacking some explanations and outcomes, and a cliff hanger that I’m not sure is supposed to be real or imagined!..." Read more

Customers are mixed about the content. Some find it thought-provoking, well-written, and complex. They also appreciate the attention to detail. However, other customers say the book leaves them with unanswered questions.

"...there were some aspects that were somewhat implausible, this was a complex , high-octane thriller, so you can't expect everything to be..." Read more

"...of plot holes, unnecessary fillers, unlikely behaviour, and unanswered questions ...." Read more

"... It really keeps you guessing ! However it was hard to believe some of the weirder parts of the plot, and as for the ending …….!" Read more

"...It felt a bit rushed, lacking some explanations and outcomes , and a cliff hanger that I’m not sure is supposed to be real or imagined!..." Read more

Customers are mixed about the length of the book. Some find the short chapters surprising and well worth a read, while others say it's too long.

"...It was too long and needed more editing. I liked the twists and was wowed by the ending...." Read more

"...the characters, the plot twists and surprises, along with the short chapters ...." Read more

"...I found it too long and seemed to drag on in fact I gave up before the end" Read more

"...Just another chapter, just another chapter. There are loads and loads of chapters , and therefore very many draws through the book...." Read more

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Reader Dad – Book Reviews

Dark Crime and Speculative Fiction book reviews

THE LAST PASSENGER by Will Dean

THE LAST PASSENGER

Hodder & Stoughton ( hodder.co.uk )

Buy a copy from your favourite independent bookshop

When Caz Ripley steps onboard the RMS Atlantica with her boyfriend Pete, it’s the start of the holiday of a lifetime. Caz is a homebird, a café owner slowly repaying a debt run up by her father when Caz and her sister were still children. Despite the fact that this week-long cruise from Southampton to New York is only her thirteenth date with Pete Davenport, she already feels that they might have something special; and when she discovers that he has sprung for the Platinum cabin, she starts to think that younger sister Gemma might be right: maybe this is an elaborate setting to pop the question. When a proposed trip to the ship’s casino forces Caz to reveal family secrets sooner than she planned, the pair end up having a quiet evening and an early night. When Caz wakes the following morning, Pete is gone. So, too, she quickly discovers, are all the other passengers. And the crew. RMS Atlantica is travelling full steam ahead across the Atlantic with nobody at the helm, and no-one else, seemingly, onboard, except for Caz Ripley.

Let’s talk quickly about spoilers. Ever since I started reviewing books, even before the advent of Reader Dad, I have tried to avoid spoilers of any kind. Every so often, a book comes along, such as the recently-reviewed The Ferryman , that makes writing a review a very difficult prospect. When two come along in quick succession it makes me wonder if there isn’t a much easier way to spread the book love. Which is to say, for those who haven’t yet had their morning coffee, that Will Dean’s The Last Passenger is just such a book. The description above – which doesn’t reveal much more than the blurb on the dust jacket – is totally accurate. It also only covers the first fifty pages or so of this reasonably hefty tome. So forgive me if I talk about The Last Passenger in the most general of terms. The most important thing you should take away from this review is that, unsurprisingly to anyone who has read any of Dean’s previous novels, The Last Passenger is an absolute must-read.

Since his 2018 debut, Dark Pines (the novel that unleashed the wonderful Tuva Moodyson on an unsuspecting world), Will Dean has become a force to be reckoned with in crime fiction. Every novel is better than the one before it, which is even more impressive when you consider that he has been producing two books a year for the past few years. His standalone novels show a different side of the man behind Tuva’s adventures and for his latest release he has moved away from the “safety” of the psychological thriller. The Last Passenger is a high-concept thriller that takes an ordinary woman and places her in an extraordinary situation, and asks us to suspend our disbelief for long enough to enjoy this twisty, edge-of-the-seat, breathtaking rollercoaster ride. Let me tell you: it’s not a difficult ask. Dean puts us inside Caz Ripley’s head and we’re immediately thrown into the dark with her. Early on, it’s difficult to get a handle on just what The Last Passenger is: is there a supernatural element at play here? Has Will Dean finally crossed over into science fiction, and preparing to break out the anal probes? Or is there a more down-to-earth explanation for how almost one thousand people vanished into thin air? I have to admit, I think I would have been happy with any of those paths, but Dean keeps it real and the result is something you’ll want to return to again and again, looking for clues you might have missed the first time around.

The Last Passenger feels like the type of story that Matthew Reilly excels at. The non-stop tension coupled with short, sharp chapters combine to ensure that once you start, it’s very difficult to stop. In the novel’s early stages, Caz seems to be plagued by a series of unlikely coincidences ( “at least there’s plenty of food” ; the food stores lock down. “The ship still has power”; instant blackout. You get the idea), but when you discover where Dean is taking you, it all becomes clear and any thoughts of “lazy” writing are instantly banished. The Last Passenger covers a vast range of topics, from maritime law to the dark web, addiction, cryptocurrencies, family and <redacted>, all in service to a high-concept thriller with a distinctly human heart.

That heart is, of course, Caroline “Caz” Ripley herself. Like all of Dean’s previous novels, the central character is a strong, if slightly damaged, woman. He writes women extremely well and finds the perfect voice for Caz – a northern café owner struggling to stay afloat while she looks after her younger sister and her kids, and her mother who is succumbing to the slow death of dementia. Caz’s family has a troubled history, and she is trying to repay a debt – a very real debt – racked up by her father before he took his own life many years before. Now in middle age, Caz has finally found happiness. Until, that is, she wakes up to discover everyone has disappeared. If you’re worried about how this very ordinary woman can carry a 300-odd page novel on her own, you won’t be surprised to discover that the author has a few surprises in store. But the connection we have with Caz, through her first-person narrative, goes a very long way towards keeping The Last Passenger afloat.

Anyone who has read Will Dean’s earlier novels will not be surprised, I’m sure, to discover that the latest outing is as brilliant as you’ve come to expect. If you haven’t read him, this isn’t a bad place to start but beware: he is highly addictive. His most experimental novel to date, The Last Passenger is everything you’ve come to expect from the man in the moose forest: dark, pacy, exciting, but grounded in reality and anchored there by the very real character around which it is built. This is a novel that will keep you on your toes – every time you think you have it figured out, Dean takes great delight in pulling the rug from under your feet – and keep you guessing until the very last page. An absolute triumph, not to be missed.

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Books, movies and life in general. Lover of all things Stephen King, Star Wars, LEGO, Doctor Who, Foo Fighters. Reviews at http://readerdad.co.uk View all posts by Matt Craig

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Friday 5 May 2023

Review - the last passenger by will dean.

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A book review site reviewing mainly crime fiction

The Last Passenger by Will Dean  @willrdean  @HodderBooks @AlainnaGeorgiou

Source: Review copy Publication: 11 May 2023 from Hodder & Stoughton PP: 496 ISBN-13: 978-1529382822

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy for review

Caz Ripley, a cafe owner from a small, ordinary town, boards the RMS Atlantica with her boyfriend Pete and a thousand fellow passengers destined for New York.

The next morning, she wakes to discover that everyone else on board has disappeared.

And that’s just the beginning. Caz must prepare for a crossing that will be anything but plain sailing …

If you’re a devotee of crime thrillers and suspense novels, chances are you’ve already read some of Will Dean’s work. He’s the author of the intensely atmospheric Tuva Moodyson series about a deaf journalist in the remote rural Swedish town of Gavrik. So you’ll know he writes characters really well and can develop stories that have warmth and compassion as well as spine tingling murderers.

But it is in his stand alone works that the depths of the harshness and cruelty of which he is capable really come to the fore. The Last Thing to Burn was one of my top books of the year because it combined that harshness so beautifully with understanding and compassion.  But in this stand-alone novel, The Last Passenger, Dean has shown that he is capable of understanding great cruelty and of bringing to life the lengths to which people will go in order to survive.

Caroline Ripley (Caz) is on the luxury cruise liner RMS Atlantica bound for New York. Caz owns and runs a popular teashop and this trip is a treat from her boyfriend Pete who is with her on their first real holiday together.

After a fabulous first evening, Caz and Pete retire to their cabin and sleep. When Caz wakes up the next morning she finds that Pete isn’t in the cabin. In fact, as she walks along the corridors, she can’t find any signs of any living person.  All the cabins are empty, each has its door wedged open; there’s no-one in the communal areas and even the bridge is deserted. The liner, it seems, is running on autopilot.

Caz is alone on a huge ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Now, if you read a lot of fiction you may see where this is going. I had an inkling and I was partly right. But nothing prepared me for what Caz has to ensure.

As she searches through the ship, she discovers that she is not totally alone. There are three other people on board and we gradually get to meet them. Daniel is a Korean-American who loves to travel. He is fit, good with tools and has a young daughter from whom he is estranged.

Frannie is a 21-year-old Welsh girl. Travelling with her parents on their anniversary cruise, Frannie comes across as weak and dependent. Then there’s Smith, an acerbic older American with an entitled attitude who believes that if you paid for it, you should damned well have it and his Diamond tier status with this cruise line already has him reaching for his lawyers to begin legal action.

These four are going to have to work together to figure out what’s going on and how to handle it.

Will Dean has written a shocking and incredibly immersive, pulsating chiller of a book which is somewhere between horror and a chilling look at the contemporary  trend for manipulation and voyeurism for profit that is more than ever prepared to cross the line.

As food stocks rapidly disappear and even drinking water becomes scarce, what will these four be prepared to do to stay alive?

The Last Passenger is an ocean going nightmare. It is vicious and venal; unforgiving and relentless; without pity or mercy, this is a cold and heartless journey that delivers pain and fear in equal measure.

It is structured in short, fast-paced chapters, full of action and suspense. Dean makes it so that you can’t trust anyone in this astonishing scenario.  Which brings me back to Will Dean, the amiable writer who lives in a cabin in the woods. Here is a man who goes out of his way to help other writers and whose love for his family and his big softy St. Bernard is not hard to see. Yet here is also a man whose mind has envisioned the most visceral of cruel ideas and has turned them into a compelling, propulsive theatre of agony with the kind of twists that burn like a knife cutting through flesh.

And just when you think it’s safe to land in dry dock, Dean delivers the most unkindest cut of all.

You can go off some people, you know.

Verdict: A breath-taking, harsh and utterly compelling thriller that left me all at sea. If this doesn’t leave you questioning this society’s twisted appetites, I’ll be very surprised. This is a corker of a book which is exceptionally suspenseful. I’d urge you to read it, but be warned, this five star read is not for the faint-hearted.

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Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands and had lived in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. After studying Law at the LSE and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden where he built a house in a boggy clearing at the centre of a vast elk forest, and it’s from this base that he compulsively reads and writes. His debut novel, Dark Pines, was selected for Zoe Ball’s Book Club, shortlisted for the Guardian Not the Booker prize and named a Daily Telegraph Book of the Year. Red Snow was published in January 2019 and won Best Independent Voice at the Amazon Publishing Readers’ Awards, 2019. Black River was shortlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculier Award in 2021. The Last Thing to Burn was released to widespread acclaim in January 2021. First Born was published in 2022.

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Passionate book reader. Love all kind of books from 19th century novels to crime thrillers. My blog is predominantly crime, psychological thrillers and police procedurals with a good helping of literary fiction thrown in. View more posts

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A blog about all things bookish

Review: The Last Passenger by Will Dean

What on earth???

Normally, when I start a review, I like to include a little preamble. An analogy, perhaps, intended to put the review into some sort of context in a way that I hope readers find a little bit entertaining.

This time, though, I can’t do that. Because I can think of nothing suitable for comparison to The Last Passenger . It is, quite simply, like no book I have ever read before.

On the one hand: wow, it’s addictive. I can’t actually remember putting it down once after I had started reading but if I did, it can only have been with tremendous reluctance and an almost feverish desire to pick it up again just as soon as I had dealt with whatever distraction had got in the way. I do remember finishing it in the small hours because it would have been just impossible to stop reading and go to bed without knowing how the book finished.

The story begins with Caz Ripley, an unremarkable shop owner from an unremarkable English town, as she boards a luxury cruise liner with her partner for the trip of a lifetime to New York. The idea that she can fall asleep one night, and wake the next morning to find the entire ship empty apart from herself: well, that’s one hell of a hook. Where on earth can the book go from there?

Well, Will Dean finds a direction. The shocks just keep on coming. Each one sees the storyline ramp up that bit more in terms of pace and tension as Caz responds to everything that’s thrown at her, because … well, she has to. The plot really is superbly structured, and it was easily enough to have me reading into the small hours of the morning. I knew I had work the following day, but it made no difference. I had to keep reading because it was impossible – just impossible – for me to stop reading and go to bed without knowing how the book ended.

But on the other hand … it’s really a bit odd. The trouble is that whilst each plot twist is progressively more tense, and more exciting, it’s also more bonkers. Which means that, whilst it makes for great entertainment, it’s impossible to imagine anything like that happening to anyone you know, or have even heard of, in real life.

This is a problem if, like me, you’ve read The Last Thing to Burn by the same author. Because as that book progressed and became more tense and more disturbing in a wonderful and yet horrible way, it was easy for me to remember, and to recognise that there really are people in Jane’s situation. My heart went out to each and every one of them. But it’s impossible for me to believe, or even imagine that anyone in real life might experience Caz’s situation in The Last Passenger . Even television isn’t that mad. Yet.

And then we get to the ending, and it’s here that I have to disagree with B A Paris, who apparently called it “brilliantly heart-stopping”. Sorry, but no it isn’t. It’s ridiculous. Dare I say it felt as though the author himself hadn’t been able to decide how the book should end and got that idea from a ten-year-old. It made absolutely no sense and had me shaking my head.

This review, then, may have been hard for me to start. But it’s easy to conclude. If you’re already a fan of Will Dean, go ahead and read this book and be prepared to be engrossed. But if you’re looking for your first book by this author, I suggest you read The Last Thing to Burn instead. It’s just as addictive, but otherwise, much better.

My thanks to the author, Hodder and Stoughton and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book, which is due to be published in the UK on 11th May 2023. I will post my review to Goodreads and Instagram now, and on Amazon on publication day.

My rating: ★★★

15th April 2023

Caz Ripley, a cafe owner from a small, ordinary town, boards the RMS  Atlantica  with her boyfriend Pete and a thousand fellow passengers destined for New York. The next morning, she wakes to discover that everyone else on board has disappeared. And that’s just the beginning. Caz must prepare for a crossing that will be anything but plain sailing …

With the drama of  The Woman in Cabin 10  and the tension of  And Then There Were None , The Last Passenger  is a psychological thriller set aboard a cruise ship about a woman whose seemingly ordinary life is suddenly thrown dramatically off course. Will Dean is The Master of Intense Suspense and this novel is full of his trademark twists and turns.

About the author

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. He was a bookish, daydreaming kid who found comfort in stories and nature (and he still does). After studying Law at the LSE, and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden. He built a wooden house in a boggy clearing at the centre of a vast elk forest, and it’s from this base that he compulsively reads and writes.

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Words leave imprints in your mind like footprints in the sand...

• Location: Atlantic Ocean
• Submitted: 2nd December 2022

The Last Passenger

• Author/Guide: Will Dean

Why a Booktrail?

2022: This was supposed to be the holiday of a lifetime for Cas. Now she just needs to survive.

• ISBN: B0BNC5H5CY
• Genre: Mystery, Suspense

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What you need to know before your trail

My phone has no reception, something we’ve been told to expect from time to time out here, and my stomach feels uneasy. Maybe it’s the motion of the waves or maybe it’s the fact that Pete didn’t leave a note or a text. He usually leaves a note with a heart. I pull on jeans and a jumper and scrunch my hair on top of my head and take my key card and step out into the corridor. Thirty seconds later it hits me. All the other cabin doors are wedged open. Every single one is unoccupied and unlocked. My heart starts beating harder. I break out into a run. At the end of the long corridor I take a lift down to the Ocean Lobby. There’s nobody here. My mouth is dry. It’s like I’m trapped on a runaway train. No, this is worse. The RMS Atlantica is steaming out into the ocean and I am the only person on board.

• Atlantic Ocean
• A: Southampton Docks
• B: Greenland
• C: New York City harbour

Travel Guide

RMS Atlantica – from England to New York

Imagine a cruise ship with wonderfulfull -stocked kitchens, a gym, a library, luxury cabins floating out to sea. You’ve sailed from Southampton to New York and it’s going to be a wonderful holiday.

However, this cruise is being driven by master manipulator Will Dean. You wake up and realise that there is noone else on the ship. Walking around the decks, doors of other cabins are open and empty. You race to where the captain is going to be, steering the ship….except there is no one there. This ship is driving itself. You are the only passenger.

The descriptions of the ship, the vast space, the lack of phones and being so cut off from the world are wonderfully evoked. You feel as confused and as anxious as the woman on board. This might be a floating paradise in normal situations but here, it is a gilded cage. Trapped in paradise is still trapped.

Oh and that last line…..(cue evil laugh)

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TheBookTrail’s bookreview of The Last Passenger Will Dean

BookTrail Boarding Pass: The Last Passenger

Destination: Atlantic Ocean  Author/guide: Will Dean Departure Time: 2022

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The Last Passenger

The Last Passenger by Will Dean

Caroline Riley (she prefers 'Caz') is middle-aged and has found herself somewhat surprisingly in love with Pete. They're off on a cruise to New York on Atlantica . Caz's sister, Gemma, reckons that Pete is going to propose but Caz hasn't spotted a ring-shaped bulge in his suit pocket and she doesn't know whether she's relieved or disappointed. They've not been a couple for that long and the trip will be an excellent opportunity to get to know him a bit better. Meanwhile, Gemma is looking after Caz's cafe as well as their mother who has dementia. It's going to be good, isn't it?

The first evening goes well - they have a heart-to-heart about something in Caz's background which means that she won't go near the casino. When Caz wakes up in the morning, she reaches out to Pete's side of the bed - but he's not there. When she explores further, all the cabin doors are wedged open and not a soul is to be found. Eventually, she finds three other people on board - Daniel, Smith and Francine. Smith's a bit of an anarchist - when he's discovered he's raiding the on-board jewellery shop for as many high-end watches as he can fit on his arms and carefully destroying the paperwork so they can't be traced back to him.

Daniel's in his thirties and he's essentially on board as a lifestyle coach. He has a calming influence on Caz. Francine is in her early twenties and came on board with her parents. She's sensible but obviously worried and very frightened. I'm not going to tell you what's happened - you need to find that out for yourself - but initially, I really couldn't see a way out of the situation. The four were trapped on the ship with no food and little liquid other than alcohol. I had to remind myself that this was Will Dean and I was in safe hands - this was bound to be a good story.

What is particularly well done is the development of the group dynamics. They're out in the middle of the ocean and it's lawless. There's no authority to determine how they're treated or how they treat each other and it can only get worse once the possibility of a large sum of money comes into the equation. The situation does descend into horror at one point and I had a strong temptation to turn away. It's well done but not something you'll forget quickly.

The solution is satisfying but don't relax yet - there is a jaw-dropping ending.

I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy.

I knew Will Dean was top-class because I'm a fan of Tuva Moodyson .

Like to comment on this review?

Just send us an email and we'll put the best up on the site.

• Reviewed by Sue Magee
• 4.5 Star Reviews

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The Last Passenger: The twisty and addictive thriller that readers love, with an unforgettable ending!

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Crime & mystery , Thriller / suspense

• Paperback May 14, 2024 | 9781529382877 | RRP $24.99 Buy Now
• e-Book May 11, 2023 | 9781529382846 | RRP $15.99 Buy Now
• Audiobook May 11, 2023 | 9781529382853 | RRP $44.99 Buy Now

With the drama of The Woman in Cabin 10 and the tension of And Then There Were None , The Last Passenger is a psychological thriller set aboard a cruise ship about a woman whose seemingly ordinary life is suddenly thrown dramatically off course. Will Dean is The Master of Intense Suspense.

A luxury cruise liner, abandoned with no crew, steaming into the mid-Atlantic. And you are the only passenger left on board. 'Astonishing' IAN RANKIN 'The premise is excellent... [a] mile-a-minute, bite-your-nails-to-the-quick ride of a novel, but I will tell you to trust this writer because I guarantee you'll enjoy where he takes you. Extra kudos for the final twist, which brought me great pleasure' OBSERVER 'Oh my goodness, what a rollercoaster of a read!' PRIMA Caz Ripley, a cafe owner from a small, ordinary town, boards the RMS Atlantica with her boyfriend Pete and a thousand fellow passengers destined for New York. The next morning, she wakes to discover that everyone else on board has disappeared. And that's just the beginning. Caz must prepare for a crossing that will be anything but plain sailing ... With the drama of The Woman in Cabin 10 and the tension of And Then There Were None , The Last Passenger is a psychological thriller set aboard a cruise ship about a woman whose seemingly ordinary life is suddenly thrown dramatically off course. Will Dean is The Master of Intense Suspense and this novel is full of his trademark twists and turns. 'A rollercoaster ride. I barely had any nails left by the end!' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'This heart-stopping premise is one of the best openings to a book I've read' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'The apex of suspense writing' STEVE CAVANAGH 'Thrilling and terrifying in equal measure with a brilliantly heart-stopping ending. So good!' B.A. PARIS 'Expect not just the unexpected but strokes of genius' IMRAN MAHMOOD ' 'Brilliant, twisted and oh so clever. The Last Passenger is Will Dean at the top of his game. And just wait for that killer last line' CHRIS WHITAKER 'A fast-paced, snakily plotted treat for fans of the modern psychological thriller' VASEEM KHAN 'Will Dean is a master storyteller - this book is real edge of the seat stuff! I loved it. And what an ending!' CATHERINE COOPER 'I * guarantee * you will never read another thriller like this one. Sharp, unique, terrifying, page-turning and glorious. Clearly Stephen King and James Herbert had a baby and his name is Will Dean. It's bloody brilliant' JOANNA CANNON

More books by Will Dean

Ice Town: the explosive new thriller featuring Tuva Moodyson

The Chamber: gripping and terrifying, and hailed by reviewers as 'the ultimate locked room thriller' (Sun)

First Born: Fast-paced and full of twists and turns, this is edge-of-your-seat reading

The Last Thing to Burn: Longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and shortlisted for the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands and had lived in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. After studying Law at the LSE and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden where he built a house in a boggy clearing at the centre of a vast elk forest, and it's from this base that he compulsively reads and writes. His debut novel in the Tuva Moodyson series, Dark Pines , was selected for Zoe Ball's Book Club, shortlisted for the Guardian Not the Booker prize and named a Daily Telegraph Book of the Year. Red Snow was published in January 2019 and won Best Independent Voice at the Amazon Publishing Readers' Awards, 2019. Black River was shortlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculier Award in 2021. Will also writes standalone thrillers: The Last Thing to Burn, First Born, the top twenty hardback bestseller The Last Passenger and The Chamber.

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