"Last One at the Party" by Bethany Clift

Many of the books I read are selected based on writers-recommending-writers on their social media.  I love that they are so generous with their praise for others who may be considered their competition in some respects.  Although, there are also times I'm wondering if these quotes are simply exchanged quid pro quo without the books ever being read.   But that's not how I came to read "Last One at the Party".  That can definitely be chalked down as a win for Hodder & Stoughton's marketing team.  How could I not instantly buy a book which was recommended in an email with the subject -"A dystopian Bridget Jones meets Shaun of the Dead..."?  

And that does pretty well encapsulate Clift's book.  Fun and horrific in equal measure as our heroine makes her way through a fairly standard post apocalyptic landscape.  Albeit one that by February 2021 most of us we contemplating much more than we would like.  Given the obvious parallels between Covid-19 and the novels 6DM virus (Six Days Maximum) this shouldn't really be one for those wanting to escape the realities of a difficult time, but despite the brutality encountered here, there's much of it that's also uplifting and hopeful.

However, I'm left very conflicted by this one.  It's not that I'm unsure how I feel about it - it's that my feelings are entirely contingent on one factor outwith my control. And possibly even outwith Clift's.  I'd struggle to describe the conclusion as in any way satisfying.  I've not had as strong a "Wait.  Is that the end?" feeling since Back to the Future Part II in the cinema.  If there's a sequel in the works, then this gets a straight 10/10 - and bring it on.  If there isn't one planned, then I'm sorry, but "Last One at the Party" is really only half a book.  

So do me a favour please - buy a copy to support it and give the chances of a sequel a boost.

Check it out here.