Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Review: "The Only Survivors," Megan Miranda


I wanted to like The Only Survivors more than I did.

Usually I thoroughly enjoy Megan Miranda’s psychological thrillers. She has a clear, solid writing style, her plots are taut and there are plenty of twists to keep readers on their toes.


Her latest is no exception. I never finish books I don’t like, and I moved speedily through this one—so what’s the problem?


I suspect it’s that none of the characters is very likable, including the protagonist.


Cassidy Bent is reluctantly joining a group of old classmates at a beach house in the Outer Banks. She’s an event planner who seems to be drifting through life. She’s recently met a a decent man, Russ, and they’re getting along well. But she hasn’t told him what her “vacation” is all about.


The seven classmates share a tragic past—they are the only survivors of a school trip that ended in a horrific vehicle crash. They gather yearly to support each other—or so they tell themselves.


They also need to stick together because there are secrets to hide. What really happened that fateful day?


The true story unfolds in flashbacks narrated by the survivors. Meanwhile, in the present, the get-together is not going well. Amaya, who brought them all together, goes missing. Cassidy is receiving strange notes. It feels like someone is watching the group. When a storm hits, it seems like the last straw.


The final revelation is startling and heartbreaking but rings true. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so surprised that people who spent a decade suffering survivors’ guilt aren’t much fun at all. I just wish they had been.


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