Intriguing mystery. Llya Smith is 18 and comes to a remote Great Lake island to be a nanny to the five year old child of her cousin. She is still grieving the loss of her twin sister, for which she blames herself. The Payne side of the family is very wealthy with their grandmother (Llya’s great aunt) ruling the family and its business. There are only seven on the island for a family dinner when the matriarch mysteriously dies. Police are investigating everyone.

Lyla is the narrator and stumbles upon secrets from the past. The story has good twists and turns, the biggest I suspected fairly early. I was genuinely surprised that there isn’t more finger pointing about a possible killer by the family. I like mysteries and zipped through this one quickly.

I can't even describe the ride this book took me on. What I expected and what actually happened were two totally different things. And Then There Was One by Michele Castleman is a very well-written mystery that kept me hooked from start to finish. The twists and turns were completely unexpected, and I loved every surprise. At first, it took me a while to get into the story. The main character, Lyla, is complex, and it was hard to figure her out. But you can feel her pain and misery right from the beginning, which made her real and relatable.

The story is filled with secrets. Every character seems to be hiding something, and I wanted to get a chart out just to keep track of it all. The suspense builds up, making it a great whodunit right until the end. Castleman does an excellent job of keeping you guessing. The narrative is straightforward but powerful, with natural dialogue and genuine interactions. The vivid settings reflect Lyla inner journey, adding depth to her character. This story is an emotional, engaging mystery that takes you on a thrilling ride. It's a story about loss, resilience, and the hidden truths that shape our lives. If you enjoy a good mystery with complex characters and plenty of twists, this book is definitely for you.

What an interesting read. The Payne family has,more stories than the local library and their secrets are about to come out.
Imagine just losing your sister and the upper riches want you to come and be a nanny. That’s Layla Smith’s story. The twists of the privileged will make your head spin and that’s just the beginning.,
The ending is a wild ride of who did what. So sit back, read and enjoy.

Thank you #Netgalley #Boldstrokesbooks #Andthentherewasone for this ARC