“Five years ago, Sam Crowley vanished on his twenty-first birthday. The only clues were his footprints in the dust of three abandoned houses.
One set in. One set out.
Now, his mother Ro returns to the dying town of Carralon Ridge. The community is a ghost of its former self, fractured by the encroaching mining operation and years of unspoken grief.
Ro is looking for answers. But in a town where everyone is leaving, the few who remain are guarding closely held secrets.
In this disappearing landscape, can Ro find the truth before the dust settles forever?”
Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of Last One Out by Jane Harper. Last One Out was published by Macmillan on 23rd April 2026 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats. I chose to read a free eARC of Last One Out but that has in no way influenced my review.
Jane Harper is an auto-buy, auto-read author for me. I’ve loved every single book she has published. I partly blame Harper for my Australian crime fiction obsession (yes, that’s still going strong!) as The Dry, Harper’s debut, made me fall head over heels in love with Aussie mysteries. If I could read Australian-set crime thrillers all day, every day, I would. So I was eagerly anticipating the publication of this latest standalone novel.
Ro Crowley’s twenty-one-year-old son, Sam, disappeared without a trace five years ago while visiting three abandoned houses in their hometown. The only clues left behind were Sam’s footprints in the dust. Now, five years later, Ro has returned to Carralon Ridge for the anniversary. The town, which was in trouble before she left, is a shadow of its former self. The Lentzer Coal Mine was the death of a once-busy, once-thriving community. Now, the few remaining residents scrape by knowing that before long, they will need to either somehow sell their property (but who would want to buy it?) or leave it to ruin. The coal mine is expanding and creeping ever closer; the risk of a fire wiping everything out is heightened with each passing day. Life in Carralon Ridge is grim. It’s only a matter of time before the last remaining resident packs up and cuts their losses. Ro was reluctant to return, but spending time with her adult daughter, Della, and her ex-husband, Griff, is the family’s way of remembering Sam. And Ro needs answers. Someone left in the small community must know what happened to Sam. Knowing she’s running out of time, Ro is determined to find the truth before the town crumbles to dust…
I really enjoy the way Jane Harper tells a story. Her mysteries are always believable, her characters feel real and relatable, and her settings are always exquisitely drawn for the reader. In Last One Out, this was very much the case. I felt invested in Ro’s quest for the truth. I believed in her as our main character. She’s steeped in grief and surrounded by people and places that sharpen the acute sadness within her. But she still soldiers on. Ro herself has moved on and moved away from Carralon Ridge. Her relationship with her husband fell apart after the family’s loss. Griff remained, getting a job with the coal mine as their fire warden. He spends his days watching the landscape; day in, day out, searching for the first inkling of a fire. And perhaps, for his missing son? Beautifully written characters again from the author. The intricacies of their relationships, the small-town vibes with the last hangers-on doing everything they can to eke out just a little more time in the place they’ve known and loved. They’ve built families, lives and community, only for the coal mine to muscle in and drive them out.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Last One Out is an atmospheric, slow-burn, character-driven mystery drama. Fans of the author may find this book a little different to Harper’s other books. The pace is a little sedate at times, and the repetition did become a little frustrating. I don’t mind a slower-paced book, but for me, the story did drag its heels a little. Some parts I absolutely flew through, other sections took a little longer to read. The mystery aspect doesn’t really kick in until you’re a good way through the book. And when the big reveal did happen, I wasn’t at all surprised. It wasn’t all that shocking and I almost felt as though I had expected it, without knowing I was expecting it (does that make sense?!). As I said earlier, the characters are superbly written. Harper has a real skill in creating truly believable characters. The setting is *chefs kiss* perfect. I could taste the dust in the back of my throat, I could picture the deserted houses and businesses, the dry, barren landscape. All in all, Last One Out is a book about grief and loss. For loved ones, for a sense of place and for community. It was an emotional read, full of heart, and packed to the brim with atmosphere. Harper remains one of my favourite authors. Recommended.
I chose to read and review a free eARC of Last One Out. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
Jane Harper is the international bestselling author of The Dry, Force of Nature and The Lost Man.
Jane is a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller, and has won numerous top awards including the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year, the Australian Indie Awards Book of the Year, the CWA Gold Dagger Award for Best Crime Novel, and the British Book Awards Crime and Thriller Book of the Year.
Her books are published in more than 36 territories worldwide, with The Dry in production as a major motion picture starring Eric Bana.
Jane worked as a print journalist for thirteen years both in Australia and the UK, and now lives in Melbourne.
damppebbles.com 
I’ve heard may others say the same about it dragging in places…I still want to read it bit I’ll wait for my library hold.
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