Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your immediate reaction to the book’s pacing? Did you find the build-up of suspense effective, and at what point did the story really take a turn for you?

2. The novel situates itself in a tradition of wilderness survival thrillers. How did you feel it compared to other well-known books in the genre, including classics like Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet and more recent works like Kimi Cunningham Grant’s These Silent Woods and Jenny Milchman’s Wicked River? In what ways does The Last to Drown follow genre conventions, and where does it offer a fresh perspective?

3. The epilogue gives readers a glimpse of the survivors six months later. Did you find this resolution satisfying? How did Kaia’s discovery of Parker’s letter affect your final impression of her journey?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Kaia’s journey begins as a way to honor her husband, Parker, but becomes a brutal fight for her own life. Think about a time you embarked on something for one reason and had it become something else entirely. How do unexpected challenges reshape our original intentions or motivations?

2. The phenomenon of “Third Man Syndrome,” where Kaia hears Parker’s guiding voice, is central to her survival. Have you ever felt an inner voice or the memory of someone giving you strength during a difficult moment? What does this experience suggest about how we carry our relationships with us?

3. Allie’s fascination with true crime is a major part of her character before the trip turns deadly. What is your own relationship with the true-crime genre as a form of entertainment? Did this book make you think differently about the stories we consume and the real people behind them?

4. The women on the trip are strangers who are forced to trust one another under the most extreme circumstances. Think about group dynamics in high-stress situations. What qualities do you think are most important for building trust and cooperation quickly?

5. Near the end, Kaia realizes she has been “holding her breath” since Parker died and must choose to live again. Can you recall a moment in your life where you had to make a conscious choice to move forward or embrace a new chapter, even when it felt difficult?

6. Deborah’s reaction to her sister Beth’s death is a mix of deep grief and fierce determination. How did her way of processing loss in the midst of a crisis resonate with you?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The novel grounds Leo Marsden’s motivations in the real-world incel subculture and references the killer Elliot Rodger. How does connecting the story to this specific form of misogynistic ideology make the horror feel more immediate or relevant to today’s world?

2. Allie’s character embodies the modern phenomenon of true-crime web sleuthing. What does the novel suggest about the potential benefits and the significant dangers of online communities attempting to solve real-life crimes? Where have you seen this play out in the media?

3. A remote river trip is often seen as an escape to a pure, natural world. How does this story disrupt that idealized view of the wilderness? What might it be saying about the idea that we can ever truly escape the dangers present in human society?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the author use the Garnet River as more than just a setting? In what specific ways does its character shift from a beautiful escape to a deadly trap, mirroring Kaia’s internal journey from grief to a fight for survival?

2. The novel alternates between epigraphs from river-rafting texts and posts from a misogynistic online forum. What effect did this structural choice have on your reading experience? How did it create dramatic irony and build suspense?

3. What key moments mark the most significant turning points in Kaia’s transformation from a grieving widow to a resilient leader?

4. What is Allie’s primary function in the narrative? How does her role as a true-crime expert serve both the plot’s need for exposition and the novel’s exploration of true-crime media and its cultural impact?

5. The Last to Drown emphasizes survival as a group effort, a departure from the “lone survivor” trope common in thrillers like James Dickey’s Deliverance. Which specific collaborative acts, like the decoy plan or the final “Fight Night” confrontation, best illustrate the theme of collective resilience?

6. The initial portrayal of Leo as the incompetent guide “Flip-Flop” is an important piece of misdirection. How does this facade of harmlessness play into the novel’s exploration of misogyny and the way violent men can weaponize perceived weakness?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were tasked with creating a public safety campaign for wilderness trips inspired by this book, what would be your key message? Would you focus on physical preparedness, the dangers of isolation, or the unpredictability of human behavior?

2. Imagine you are adapting this book for a film. Which scene do you think would be the most powerful on screen, and which might be the most difficult to capture effectively? Why?

3. The six survivors form a bond through a group chat in the epilogue. Picture yourself writing a scene that takes place a year later, showing a conversation from that group chat. What would they be talking about, and how would their shared experience continue to shape their friendship?