The Bitter End

Publication Date: October 2024 |Thanks Netgalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A closed circle mystery that is not at all plausible or strongly written, but provides an entertaining series of events that make you question each character.

3/5 Stars

Book Summary: Eight teens get stuck with a last minute change to their Senior trip, and find themselves in a remote ski cabin for a long weekend. With the intend of being a ‘digital detox’ retreat, they are cut-off from the outside world, and when a blizzard strikes they become even more isolated. Survival becomes paramount when not only are they trapped, but people start dying. With secrets revealed and constant betrayals, everyone becomes suspect.

My Analysis: I enjoy a closed circle mystery, and wanted to give this one a try. The premise of teens trapped in a snow storm always has merit. This book is based on Agatha Christies And Then There Were None, which was interesting and overall it does keep you guessing on who is responsible. It is told in dual time lines and multiple POV’s which can get a bit tricky to understand but still works. And ultimately is very necessary to the plot. You can definitely tell though that this is an adult writing what they think teens talk and act like. I didn’t find it to be very realistic, based on my experiences. I do think Donne is getting stronger with her writing, but to me she’s just not quite there yet. If you can look past that though it is a decent thriller. There is casual alcohol and drug use throughout, in case you need to be aware of that. Ultimately it’s a quick thriller that I can see some YA readers get into if they enjoy a murder/survival story.