I have enjoyed several books from Andrea Bartz before. I love her combination of suspense, unique vacation settings, and sapphic main characters. So I eagerly dove into The Last Ferry Out. 

This is the story of Abby, who is visiting the small island of Isla Colel after her fiancée died there four months ago. Losing Eszter has devastated Abby, and she doesn't believe that her conscientious fiancée would have accidentally eaten something she was deathly allergic to. It just doesn't fit, so the trip is about answers as much as closure. 

When Abby falls in with the group of expats that Eszter was also spending time with before her death, Abby is unsure who to trust and who to turn to for help. Bartz does a great job of maintaining suspense throughout with this ragtag group of expats who are muddy and believable characters. 

When I first finished this book, I was so disappointed. It did not deliver the thrills that I expected based on previous experiences with the author and I feel the food allergy card is overplayed lately in this genre. However, I found myself reflecting on this book days later and I decided I appreciate the inspection of grief at a young age and in a precarious position- Abby was just the fiancée of a woman whose family did not accept her queer identity. How tragic to suffer that loss with no legal connections on top of all the rest. I also think the side characters, a couple in particular, were well done. If I had gone in expecting a character study in a remote location, I might have experienced this very differently. 

Overall I think this book has great potential for those looking for suspense with a character focus.