Only the Guilty Survive had so much potential - a fictional cult preying on young college students, a town forever tied to the group’s mysterious downfall, and a lone survivor grappling with the past. Unfortunately, the execution just wasn’t there. The protagonist, Claire, is the cult’s only known survivor and is pushed to finally search for answers when a true-crime podcaster revives the case a decade after the tragedy. Unfortunately, Claire felt completely one-dimensional. I never formed even the slightest emotional connection with her, which made it difficult to stay invested. It’s hard to enjoy a book when you don’t care about the character whose perspective dominates the narrative. On top of that, the ending was confusing (and lazy). Overall, this one was a flop for me.

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(I received an audio recording of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)