BOOK REVIEW
The Final Chapter by Jerome Loubry

Publication date: August 12th 2021

Synopsis:

Three good friends.
One tragic summer.
A book that tells it all.

When little Julie goes missing in summer 1986, David and Samuel share the terrible secret of her disappearance. Thirty years later, David has become a famous author and Samuel his publisher. Both receive identical manuscript chapters telling the story of what really happened that tragic summer.

3.5/5

Review:
This book had a lot going on and was at times hard for me to follow. Several subplots are happening at once, which made for an interesting story, but as stated before was sometimes confusing. Things became clearer as the book progressed and ultimately I felt it was a pretty good story with a twist I didn’t see coming.

Thank you @netgalley and @hodderstoughton for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Julie, David and Samuel are childhood friends. When Julie goes missing, David and Samuel keep a secret, but now years later, that secret will be exposed. David is now a famous author and Samuel is his publisher. They both receive a manuscript in the mail which tells of their childhood lives and they both know what the end will reveal, so have to discover the writer before their secrets are disclosed.
This mystery was rather slow and did not fully hold my attention. I liked the concept of the story and do thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love when the title of a book plays into the story perfectly. In this story, we find David and Samuel, lifetime best friends, who both receive a mysterious manuscript in a plain manila envelope at their doorsteps. The note inside describes that 3 manuscripts were delivered to what it described as 3 guilty people, one deaf to love, one silent and too afraid to speak, and one blind to the solution right in front of his eyes. David and Samuel figure out that their manuscripts are the same except for the last chapter. The book then goes on to delve into their past and the events leading to this mysterious manuscript.

The book intersects three timelines through David’s voice. In the second timeline, in 1986, we meet Paul Vermont, a multi-generational factory owner in a small French town. Unfortunately, for financial reasons, he must close the factory and is devastated to think of all the families that will be hurt by it. David and Samuel were young boys at the time, who met each year at the summer beach houses owned by Mr. Vermont – at a yearly one week stay that was gifted to their parents as a part of working at the factory. The rumors are already spreading about this being the final year for this vacation, and for the factory to remain open. This knowledge leads to turmoil and two tragic events which provide the basis for the mysterious manuscripts.

The first timeline is known to David through stories and rumors about the suicide of Paul’s wife many years prior to this. Stories abound regarding the circumstances that led her to hang herself, rumors of ghosts speaking to her and of her madness. The rumors and thoughts of ghosts continue throughout the story. The final timeline is present day, in which David reads the manuscript and must relive the events of that fateful summer in 1986 when his world was turned upside down. There were several times in the story that I was confused, either by the timelines or characters, but overall the story was engaging. The twist at the end had me thinking, oh, of course!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance copy to read and review.

I like the idea of a story in a story or a book in a book. So this grabbed me from the beginning.
It is a very tense story with a mystery that happened long time ago and now creeps back into the lives of those involved.
The grande finale is a perfect ending for this one which meets all the points for a perfect psychological thriller!
Thanks #NetGalley #Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC

David is a young boy who falls in love in the summer of 1986 with Julie. Now, 30 years on, he receives a manuscript detailing everything from that hot week in France, which ended with Julie’s horrific death.

Who knows so much that they are able to write the text? Three copies are in circulation, each delivered to a different person, with a different final chapter.

Can David work out the truth of what happened on that fateful day in August 1986?

I enjoyed this book, though it was slightly confusing bouncing back and forth from the manuscript to the main character story. The writing style is clear and concise. Hoping to enjoy more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

The final chapter is a very tense and thrilling read, which will keep you on the edge of your seat!

I could not put this book down, I had to continue and finish it until the very end.

Description
"A tremendously compelling page-turner"-Independent bookseller
"Terribly addictive" -Le Parisien

Three good friends.
One tragic summer.
A book that tells it all.

When little Julie goes missing in summer 1986, David and Samuel share the terrible secret of her disappearance. Thirty years later, David has become a famous author and Samuel his publisher. Both receive identical manuscript chapters telling the story of what really happened that tragic summer.

Chapter after chapter, the author reveals their darkest secrets. They know the book will end with its 12th chapter. A race against time begins: will David and Samuel expose the mysterious author's identity before he exposes them? And did one of them kill Julie?
This story kept my interest. It was a bit predictable in my opinion but still a good read. I really liked this authors style of writing. I could picture every scene taking place. Thank you to Netgalley for an opportunity to review this book for my honest opinion #Netgalley📚📚📚

Terrific plot here, centring on three children meeting on holiday in the idyllic setting of a French beach. Their families are not as innocent as the children, and this becomes increasingly apparent as the story unfolds. Arson, murder, suicides, lies and secrets consume the lives of not just the main characters, but of the many other people involved in the terrible events of that Summer. The plot was more convincing than the writing style for this reviewer, with the narrative suffering from a lack of flow at times, and an occasional confusion over whose voice was telling the tale, but the ending was excellent, drawing all the various strands together and was not predictable until very close to the final paragraphs.

The Final Chapter by Jerome Loubry begins with childhood friends David and Samuel both receiving a manuscript that has been pushed through their doors. David is a famous write of crime thrillers and Samuel is his publisher. The manuscripts tell the story of a holiday they took in the Summer of 1986 with their parents and the other employees, and their families ,of the factory where they worked were having the annual holiday paid for by the their Boss. On this holiday the boys meet and befriend Julie , a girl their age, whose disappearance is just part of the terrible events of one horrific night.
David and Samuel's manuscripts are identical apart from the final chapter and they are told a third person has also received one. Each final chapter is specific to the recipient and their memories of the events of 1986

From there the story is told in 2 timelines, the build up to Julie's disappearance and the events that the manuscripts and what they contain bring about. It becomes very obvious that someone doesn't want the truth known while the author of the manuscripts wants exactly that.

This is an entertaining story,in both timelines the suspense mounts in 1986 as the reader already knows something deeply unpleasant is about to happen and in the later era events escalate and threaten to derail the lives of those sent the manuscripts. There's an overall sense of menace throughout the book.
My only disappointment was that I figured out a major plot twist a long time before the main characters did and as I read on "why can't see what's in front of you?" was in the back of my mind. David is also quite an irritating character. That aside it's a great read and I'd like to read more of Jerome Loubry's books.

France 1986. Sweltering heat. Twelve-year-olds meeting a girl. Infatuation. Factory workers gathering mysteriously. A girl missing. And meanwhile, there’s so much tension under the surface.

This story is about David and Samuel, mostly told from David's perspective. Friends from childhood and still friends 31 years later when they both receive a manuscript describing what happened that summer in 1986. But one chapter is different, the final chapter.

Another book by Jérôme Loubry has been translated into quite a few languages, including my native one. And now this one has been translated into English. And I’m glad Hodder took the opportunity to do so. Because this is such a well-written book that deserves a much larger reading public.

Like I said above, this story has a very tense atmosphere, especially in the flashbacks in the first half of the book. The writing is captivating and vivid, and therefore I could see those kids on the beach, playing in the arcade, feeling the tension but not knowing how to deal with it. Because of the tension in 1986, I liked the first half of the story more than the second half. The second part wasn’t bad at all, but I guessed the major plot twist that made the story a bit more predictable. For me, at least.

When little Julie goes missing in summer 1986, David and Samuel share the terrible secret of her disappearance.
Thirty years later, David has become a famous author and Samuel his publisher. Both receive identical manuscript chapters telling the story of what really happened that tragic summer.

This book was not what I was expecting! The character were so real and believable! The story is what kept me hooked from the beginning such awesome writing. Very enjoyable quick read!

This book has an interesting premise I really enjoyed. A mind-bending thriller where even you are not sure whose responsible. I highly recommend this fast paced book.

When little Julie goes missing in summer 1986, David and Samuel share the terrible secret of her disappearance. Thirty years later, David has become a famous author and Samuel his publisher. Both receive identical manuscript chapters telling the story of what really happened that tragic summer.

Chapter after chapter, the author reveals their darkest secrets. They know the book will end with its 12th chapter. A race against time begins: will David and Samuel expose the mysterious author's identity before he exposes them? And did one of them kill Julie?

I really enjoyed reading this book - however, I felt that it was a little short and maybe a little rushed. I think that the book could have done with being a little bit longer and a bit more padded out and then this would have made a perfect crime thriller book.

However, the characters and the concept of the book, I thoroughly enjoyed and engaged with the characters. I will look out for more by this author.

Guilt can slowly eat a person from inside out, well if you feel any guilt that is. Samuel and David have done their best to forget what happened to Julie in 1986, they were so young at the time. Really, who could blame them? Thirty years on and both men work in publishing, Daniel writing books while Samuel acts as his publisher. Then one day, both men begin to receive identical manuscripts, a chapter at a time, each telling the real story of that long ago summer.

The Final Chapter by Jerome Loubry is a fast-paced mystery filled with intrigue that keeps you hooked!

The plot is intricately created through flashbacks and discussions interwoven with the writing of three manuscripts – all identical except for the last chapter which holds the clues to solving the mystery. I enjoyed the way in which the story was crafted and found this style interesting.

The characters are relatable and well developed and I felt I got to know them through their childhood memories, such that I understood them in present day.

The writing flowed smoothly and quickly, and the transition between the manuscripts and present day created a tense atmosphere which kept my interest and kept me turning the pages.

I thoroughly enjoyed the ending which was completely unexpected! Even with all the clues presented, it remained unpredictable.

A great novel and an author I will be reading in future.

#netgalley #thefinalchapter #jeromeloubry #hodder&stoughton

#TheFinalChapter #NetGalley
Psychological thriller with an outstanding final twist. Superb plot.
1986, Julie goes missing in summer 1986, David and Samuel share the terrible secret of her disappearance.
Thirty years later, David has become a famous author and Samuel his publisher. Both receive identical manuscript chapters telling the story of what really happened that tragic summer.Chapter after chapter, the author reveals their darkest secrets. They know the book will end with its 12th chapter. A race against time begins: will David and Samuel expose the mysterious author's identity before he exposes them? And did one of them kill Julie?
To know more, just read it. It's really worth your time.
I loved it's narration.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder Straighten for giving me an advanced copy.