Megan Miranda’s The Only Survivors is a gripping thriller that masterfully combines tension, suspense, and psychological intrigue. Building on the suspenseful storytelling of her previous work, The Last House Guest, Miranda delivers a novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.

The story centres around a group of nine survivors of a tragic accident that occurred a decade ago. They have made it a ritual to meet on the anniversary of the event, bound by a promise to remember and protect each other. For Cassidy, who always felt like an outsider at school, this annual gathering has been a rare source of solace and connection.

However, this year’s reunion is marred by the death of one of their own and the mysterious disappearance of another. As the week progresses, Cassidy begins to sense that something more sinister than mere survivor’s guilt is at play. The promise they made to each other may be less of a safeguard and more of a looming threat.

Miranda excels at creating an atmosphere of unease and suspense, weaving a tale that delves into the complexities of trauma, friendship, and trust. The unravelling mystery of what truly binds these survivors together keeps the reader guessing, and the novel’s pacing ensures that the tension never lets up.

While the book’s twists and turns are engaging, some elements of the plot may feel familiar to fans of the genre. Despite this, The Only Survivors offers enough fresh suspense and emotional depth to stand out. The character dynamics and the dark secrets that emerge throughout the story are handled with skill, making for a satisfying and thought-provoking read.

Overall, The Only Survivors is a well-crafted thriller that will appeal to fans of suspenseful, character-driven mysteries. Megan Miranda’s knack for creating intense and immersive narratives shines through, delivering a novel that is both captivating and chilling.

This was an interesting read I enjoyed the mystery around it however it was difficult to keep up with all the different characters and it felt a little
too slow in parts.

I really liked this book, the premise was interesting and I was hooked pretty early. It’s the sort of book that keeps you guessing the whole time and all the twists were brilliantly done, definitely recommend.

Another amazing book by Megan Miranda. An expertly crafted plot with larger than life characters and twists and turns that I never saw coming. Well worth a read!

A good read
Quite dark but totally gripping
Plenty of twists and turns
With lots of secrets
Thanks NetGalley

I absolutely loved the author’s previous novel Last One to Vanish and so was looking forward to reading The Only Survivors.
I love the way the author writes and that did draw me in but I found it to be fairly slow paced and I was very confused by the number of characters . I do enjoy dual timeline novels but this reunion genre felt a little unoriginal as I feel like I’ve read many with a similar premise recently.
A disappointing read but I look forward to reading the author’s next novel.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

A big thank you to the publishers of this book and Net Galley for allowing me to read the ARC of this book. Unfortunately, I did not read past the fourth chapter. I could not get into the story, or keep the characters straight in my head. I am not the biggest fan of the writing style and found the conversations between the characters didn't feel natural. I have read another book by this author and gave it 3 stars but this one was not for me. Sorry.

Absolutely compelling, dark and twisty and full of atmosphere. I didn't want to put it down and stop reading

I love novels that have past and present timelines where you don't know who you can trust and the truth is slowly revealed so this book had everything I love in a book! I did find it slow in places and all of the characters are unlikable but in that way where you're still so invested in finding out who did what and if they have any redeeming characteristics in the end. This isn't my favourite Megan Miranda book but it was still a really engaging read.

#TheOnlySurvivors #NetGalley
Awesome.
Seven hours in the past. Seven days in the present. Seven survivors remaining. Who would you save? A decade ago, two vans filled with high school seniors on a school service trip crashed into a Tennessee ravine—a tragedy that claimed the lives of multiple classmates and teachers. The nine students who managed to escape the river that night were irrevocably changed. A year later, after one of the survivors dies by suicide on the anniversary of the crash, the rest of them make a pact: to come together each year to commemorate that terrible night. To keep one another safe.
To hold one another accountable.
Or both. Their annual meeting place, a house on the Outer Banks, has long been a refuge. But by the tenth anniversary, Cassidy Bent has worked to distance herself from the tragedy and from the other survivors. She’s changed her mobile number. She’s blocked the others’ email addresses. This year, she is determined to finally break ties once and for all. But on the day of the reunion, she receives a text with an obituary attached: another survivor is gone. Now they are seven—and Cassidy finds herself hurling back toward the group, wild with grief—and suspicion. Almost immediately, something feels off this year. Cassidy is the first to notice when Amaya, the annual organizer, slips away, overwhelmed. This wouldn’t raise alarm except for the impending storm. Suddenly, they’re facing the threat of closed roads and surging waters…again. Then Amaya stops responding to her phone. After all they’ve been through, she wouldn’t willfully make them worry. Would she?
And—as they promised long ago—each survivor will do whatever he or she can do to save one another. Won’t they?
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for giving me an advance copy.

The Only Survivors

A group of former classmates reunite to mark the tenth anniversary of a tragic accident something they do every year, but this year, something is very wrong, and what actually happened on that night ?

I flew through and couldn't put it down ! It's definitely a slow burn, but I still found myself completely hooked. I'm not sure what I wanted from the ending, but I was slightly disappointed if not for that. This would have easily been a 5 star read.

Thank you to Netgalley, Quecus Books, and Megan Miranda for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was really looking forward to reading this, and although I enjoyed it, it didn't blow me away like I was expecting it to.
Was quite a slow book at times, and there were lots of different characters which meant you didn't really get to know any of them too well, or relate to them etc.
Everything came together at the end, and like I said, an enjoyable read - just not what I expected.

An ok read, though I found it a little slow in places . It took awhile to get going and all the action seemed to come at the end of the book so the storyline did seem to drag a little in places.

Following a catastrophic catastrophe a decade previously, the survivors reconvene for their annual reunion only to discover that their group is beset by mistrust after one of their numbers dies, and the rest appear to be hiding something.

It's a gradual build with many characters to keep track of, but this allows the suspense to build and allows you to second everyone's motives and wonder what secrets they're holding.
Honestly, rather than being astonished or surprised, the finale left me feeling terrible for everyone affected.

The Only Survivor is an intriguing story with a split timeline, a past trauma, a potentially nefarious background, and a beautiful remote beach setting. While it wasn't as exciting as some of Miranda's other novels, it was still intriguing. Throughout the book, you are given bits and pieces of what happened ten years ago, which is quite effective. I found myself rooting for Cassidy as a primary character and thought the way everything came together was startling and well done. Overall, considering the environment, this would make an excellent beach read.

I always enjoy Megan Miranda's books. I know that they will be entertaining and will keep me engaged.

This latest story fit the usual mold with mystery, twists and turns and a story full of suspicion and regret.

Cassidy and her friends survived a terrible car wreck when their high school bus on its way to a school retreat fell off a cliff. Some of their group didn't survive and were left behind. Cassidy and her friends worry they should have and could have, done more to save those left behind and now 10 years later, still come together every year to be together on the anniversary of the accident.

But, when some of their group start to die and go missing, the group worry that they are being targeted.

I’m a huge Megan Miranda fan so I’ll always pick up any new releases by this author. That said, my mileage does vary from book to book. The Only Survivors is an interesting one – it’s got a dual timeline, a past trauma, something potentially sinister going on in the background and an isolated beach setting which I really enjoyed. While I don’t think it was as thrilling as some of Miranda’s other novels, it was certainly a compelling read. Throughout the book, you’re given pieces of what actually happened ten years ago which was super effective. I found myself rooting for Cassidy as a main character and felt that the way it all came together was shocking and really well done. All in all, this would make a great beach read especially given its setting.

Another excellent tale from Megan Miranda, the dual timeline/ flashback sequences keep the suspense as a group of friends meet for their annual reunion. As with her previous books you are kept guessing as to what really happened and how it all affects the current plot.
Highly recommend.
Thank you for letting me read this book.

Following a tragic accident a decade prior, the survivors gather together for their annual meet-up only to find their group plagued by mistrust after one of their number dies and the rest each seem to be hiding something.

I flew through The Only Survivors; Megan Miranda's writing style had me hooked, and I kept turning the pages to find out what happened next. It's a slow build with a lot of characters to keep straight, but this also allows the time and space for the tension to build and to second and third guess everyone's motives and wonder what secrets they're keeping.

Unfortunately, I felt like the reveals, bar one at the very end that I thought hit really hard, fell flat. I kept waiting for something more shocking to be revealed, but it never was. Honestly, the ending just left me feeling kind of sad for everyone involved rather than shocked or surprised.

While I enjoyed the reading experience for its propulsive "just one more page" style, I was ultimately left dissatisfied as it didn't provide the kind of shocking twists it appeared to be setting up.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC via Netgalley.

I went into this with not too high of an expectation. Just due to how I've felt about other Miranda books I've read.

This felt kind of slow to read. While there was things happening throughout. I found it hard to stay invested. Until around 65/70% then I couldn't put the book down.
The THEN chapters being a countdown didn't give me enough to really get invested at first.
While the current day ones felt like they were missing some suspense.
I had guessed some twists but not the main one about the past.

Overall this is a decent read. Just missing a bit of suspense and build for me to really get gripped.

Megan Miranda’s “The Only Survivors” is a gripping story of survival and friendship. It follows the journey of a group of friends who are stranded on an island in the Caribbean after their boat capsizes. Through their struggles to survive, they learn about themselves and each other, and ultimately discover the strength that comes from friendship and trust. This book review will discuss the characters, setting, plot, and themes of “The Only Survivors” in order to provide an overview of this thrilling novel.