Book Review: The Last Time We Drowned

The Last Time We Drowned

By Saratoga Schaefer

What happens when you put a bunch of influencers on a yacht and then everything goes wrong…and there are some dead bodies too?

 The Last Time We Drowned by Saratoga Schaefer is a psychological thriller with a hint of locked-room mystery. If you enjoyed The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware or Below Deck, I guarantee you will be intrigued by The Last Time We Drowned. The novel was relentlessly fast-paced; it almost felt like there was a hint of supernatural horror along with mystery/thriller vibes.

Aspiring writer Charlie is desperate for a new job when she steps foot on the Empress, a yacht full of social media influencers with too many secrets off the coast of Florida.

She feels like she doesn’t fit in with the ambitious, fashion-forward influencers. Charlie is an aspiring author with writer’s block who started posting bookish content as “Chapters with Charlie” the behest of her (late) best friend. Her focus is on books, not fashion or the aspirational lifestyle. Charlie is thrown straight into the fire among Fiona, wellness-content and yoga-influencer twins Ashley and Rachel, Vivienne, the group’s leader but maybe a sociopath, and Piper, former-surfer -now-fashion-influencer.

Charlie has no idea who to trust, when a party goes wrong, a storm brews off the coast, and she thinks she sees or hears traces of Elena, the missing young woman who lived on the Empress before her. Danger, secrets, and summer storms abound, as the pacing of the novel heightens. The pacing kept me devouring this novel in 2 days!

Throughout the book, Charlie realizes she is drawn to toxic female friendships, and she is dealing with some mental health issues as she processes grief and the loss of her best friend, who was also a writing rival. Her character development was intriguing and the plot twists were twisting in a satisfying way! A great read for summer, but don’t read it on a boat.

Thank you to Cosmo Reads and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.