One of BookBub‘s Best Mysteries and Thrillers of Winter 2025
One of BookRiot‘s Best Books of the Week
One of Gizmodo‘s Most Anticipated SFF & Horror of January
One of Paste‘s Most Anticipated Mysteries/Thrillers of 2025
“Smart, fun, and fiercely feminist, this is an excellent thriller.” —Criminal Element
“A dark story populated with a cast of flawed characters whose actions have consequences . . . Skillfully plotted, the narrative takes several twists and turns as it races to the surprising conclusion. Engrossing and fast-moving, The Last Room on the Left, is a great psychological thriller. Highly recommended.” —Fresh Fiction
“Just when you think you have it all figured out, Konen throws a big monkey wrench into the works, twisting everything and making you wonder if you might be losing your mind.” —Bookreporter
“A textured romp through unreliable snow that ramps up tension while staying on the lighter side to deliver a chilling, nail-biting mystery.” —BookTrib
“It’s becoming a welcome pattern to spend the winter with a Leah Konen thriller set in upstate New York.” —Paste
“Cleverly constructed . . . Everything a winter read should be: addictive, chilling, tense and so twisty. . . If you enjoy dark, surprising thrillers about women on the edge, The Last Room on the Left is about to become your new favorite read.” —People, as Recommended by Andrea Bartz
“Konen deftly shifts the mesmerizing narrative between characters as well as back and forth in time, with nerve-shredding results, before delivering a pulse-pounding conclusion with a final, delightfully devious, Hitchcockian twist. Not since Paula Hawkins’s The Girl on the Train or A.J. Finn’s The Woman in the Window has an unreliable protagonist been used to such great effect. Tipping her literary cap to Stephen King’s The Shining, Konen serves up a superbly crafted novel of suspense that will thrill and delight fans of Lucy Foley, Alice Feeney, and Sarah Pearse.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“Full of creepiness and tenable red herrings, the story is solidly engaging, with the author offering just enough breadcrumbs to hint at the truth without giving anything away too soon. . . [The] setting of the secluded motel is evocative and entirely eerie, and the story is sufficiently dire to keep readers engaged. As the characters try to make sense of their situation while also tackling weighty issues like addiction and self-doubt, things eventually become clear. . . A fast-paced thriller that plays up the disorientating nature of isolated locations.” —Kirkus Reviews
“[A] fast-paced and engrossing read.” —Booklist
“Terrifying and taut, The Last Room on the Left is equal parts tantalizing mystery, scary snowstorm survival tale, and thoughtful portrait of a complex female friendship speeding toward a cliff. If you love tightly plotted thrillers about women on the edge—read this now.” —Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of The Spare Room
“Leah Konen’s The Last Room on the Left is a masterclass in psychological tension, weaving themes of creativity, ambition, and betrayal into a gripping narrative that kept me unable to look away until I reached the last page. Konen expertly explores the haunting space between truth and deception, both in the stories we write and the ones we live. A must-read for anyone who loves a thriller that lingers long after the final page. —Danielle Valentine, New York Times bestselling author of Delicate Condition
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