eighteen years after the Cedrics bandleader is killed in an accidental explosion, they are making a documentary,. but everyone remembers the day different.

The Last Encore by Rebecca Heath is a slow-burning, thriller with a Behind the Music-meets-Knives Out vibe. Heath shows that she is the queen of rock ‘n roll disasters.

Eighteen years after the suspicious death of frontman Johnny Rake, The Cedrics are reuniting for a private island concert and documentary filming. Orchestrated by Rake’s enigmatic daughter Monet the reunion quickly devolves into a suspenseful whodunnit as secrets are unearthed,and the past literally comes back to haunt everyone.

Each band member has a different story about Johnny’s final night. But when a new body turns up before the cameras even start rolling, the mystery explodes into something far darker than anyone signed up for.

If you like Locked-room thrillers and Vacations-Gone-Wrong then this is a book for you!
#TheLastEncore #RebeccaHeath #AriaAndAries #MusicThriller #BandDrama #MonetKnowsMore

It’s been eighteen years since the accidental explosion that killed The Cedrics Band lead singer Jonny Rake, and a special documentary is bringing the rest of the band back to play together for the first time. With Jonny’s daughter, Monet, stepping into her father’s role, and a private island secured as the perfect reunion backdrop, it’s set to be a special occasion. But everyone remembers what happened on that fatal night differently, and as questions are asked about the band’s rise and sudden tragic fall, not everyone likes the answers. Old wounds reopen and tempers flare… Then a body is found! Wow! Fantastic read! This book had high suspense, gruesome murders, mystery, intrigue, action, and some shocking twists and turns! The story was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Rebecca Heath reinvigorates the classic island‑mystery setup (think Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None) with a sleek, character‑driven thriller in The Last Encore. When a formerly successful band is lured to a remote island under the pretense of a reunion, everyone arrives with hidden agendas. Heath uses multiple first-person perspectives to great effect, shifting seamlessly between characters and allowing the reader insight into fractured motives—and bitter grudges—that simmer beneath the surface.

At its core, The Last Encore examines betrayal; specifically how long-held resentments and past betrayals can erode trust. By placing familiar conflict (professional and personal) in an unfamiliar, secluded setting, Heath magnifies the stakes. The island setting becomes almost a character itself, amplifying paranoia and forcing characters to confront both literal and psychological isolation.

The Last Encore delivers a tense, character‑focused thriller that pays homage to its classic roots while delivering fresh dynamics. If you enjoy psychological suspense and unraveling group secrets in an isolated setting, this is a solid and entertaining read.

If you love locked-room mysteries with a rock-and-roll twist, The Last Encore is your next obsession. A remote island, a band reunion, and a murder that refuses to stay buried. Secrets, suspense, and a killer encore you won’t see coming.
#ThrillerReads #TheLastEncore #RebeccaHeath

A intriguing story moulded around revenge, leaving the reader not sure whom is the guilty person or persons. A great twist at the end. A must read from this great author. I couldn't put it down, having to read on, to see if I could work out what was happening. All came together at the end. I enjoyed how the author puts the twists and turns together, to keep you wanting to read on

I was really enjoying this book, when it just seemed like it was a tale of getting the old gang back together again after so long... the old resentments still there, the new found allegiances... and of course the ghost of the dead lead singer.
Then there were a few creepy things, and a body.
Non of this is helped by the claustrophobic location.
Pretty much ramps up from there into an incredibly fun read whilst I worked out the who's and whys.
I read for entertainment, and I definitely got it here.
Highly recommend... perfect for that beach read you might be looking for.

A tragic explosion takes the life of The Cedrics Band front man. Eighteen years later, the band reunites on a small vacation island to film a documentary. Taking the lead role this time round is the teenage daughter of the deceased frontman. Everyone on the island has a secret they will do anything to keep hidden, and when a body is found, it's clear one of the party will even go as far as murder.

The first half is a slow burn where we are introduced to each of the characters, and hints are placed at what they might be hiding. Once the body is found, it is a high-speed journey of twists and turns, misdirection, and second guesses until we reach this thrilling books conclusion.

I struggled to keep going during the first half as there wasn't enough happening to drive my curiosity, but I'm so glad I stuck with it. Every character has a significant part to play, even though it may be presented to the reader in a manner that says otherwise. Rebecca Heath has delivered to us an intricate web of lies, secrets, and long-awaited revenge.

Review of ‘The Last Encore’ by Rebecca Heath, due to be published on 22 January 2026 by Aria & Aries.

A band reunite on a remote island marking 18 years since the death of the lead singer Jonny.

The former band members all have different accounts of what happened that night, past recriminations and anger flares, and then a body is discovered.

Twists, turns, death, destruction and revenge make for a dark thriller. Recommended read.

A gripping, atmospheric thriller that hits all the right notes!

Rebecca Heath’s The Last Encore is a fast-paced and twisty whodunnit that kept me hooked from the first chapter. When rock star Jonny Rake is killed on stage in a tragic accident, the band falls apart. Eighteen years later, the surviving members reunite on a remote island for a documentary and reunion show—but secrets don't stay buried. Told through multiple compelling POVs, each character brings their own hidden motives and buried truths, intensifying the mystery. When a body is discovered on the island, the real story behind Jonny’s death begins to unravel. The isolated island setting adds a tense atmosphere, and Heath masterfully balances character drama, suspense, and rock 'n' roll nostalgia. A must-read for fans of tightly woven mysteries and locked-room thrillers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC for review. The expected release date is 22 January 2026.

The Last Encore by Rebecca Heath is a suspenseful page turner, with an unexpected twist.

The Cedrics Band were at the height of success when tragedy struck with the untimely and shocking death of their lead singer, Johnny Rake. Was his death really an accident, or was it murder?

Eighteen years later, the estranged members of the band reunite on a secluded island to film a documentary and stage a special concert, with Johnny’s daughter taking center stage.

Not everyone is happy to be there, whilst others have hidden motives. It seems that everyone there has a secret to hide. The unease, tension and conflict between the characters is ever apparent, slowly building to a climax. Then, a body is found. The question is who amongst them is guilty? Who will be next?

An atmospheric whodunnit set off the coast of South Australia that will keep you guessing until the very end.

I really enjoyed this book, but what surprised me the most was how much I liked the Australian setting, with a mix of rugged coastline and countryside. It seems innocent on the surface, but foreboding all the same. I was also surprised by the twist at the end. Would recommend this book.

Thank you very much to the publisher for the advance copy!

The Last Encore is such an interesting book! Author Rebecca Heath depicted the story with unexpected twists and turns. Never thought that a reunion concert would turn out to be a nightmare and a story of survival.

The multiple point-of-view narration gave more depth to the story and how the tragic past affected them and the band members' present relationship. The setting of the story, being in a remote island, already presets the isolation and paranoia that the characters will be subjected to.

Heath meticulously tapped on the other side of fame that is not often talked about, which involved long due resentment and betrayals, which I think is a powerful asset that will keep the readers wanting for more.

Another great read by Rebecca Heath. A pop band reunited years later after the accidental death of their lead singer, on an island with limited facilities, would be a great place to have their big media-controlled come back concert. But everything that can go wrong, does. Loved the isolated setting with the claustrophobic feel. Plenty of despicable characters that you wouldn’t mind killing yourself, alongside a few you sympathise with, and others who you really don’t want to share is island with. Great read

Gripped me from beginning to end. In places I could feel myself holding my breath it was so tense. Loved it.

Wow what a ride! So many secrets, all colliding on a small island slated for the band’s reunion/ memorial gig. So many hoping for revenge. So many thinking they controlled the narrative but in reality it was already out of control. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A gripping thriller with unexpected twists and turns.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it . From the first chapter I was hooked .

Moody, tense, and brimming with buried secrets, The Last Encore is a slow-burn thriller that crescendos into a gripping, high-stakes finale.

Eighteen years after a tragic explosion killed The Cedrics Band’s charismatic frontman, Jonny Rake, the surviving members reunite on a remote island for a documentary shoot. Stepping into her father’s spotlight is his teenage daughter, Monet – a poignant and risky choice that stirs old tensions. But what begins as a nostalgic tribute quickly turns dark when it becomes clear that Jonny’s death was no accident. And now, trapped on the island with a killer among them, no one is safe.

The first half carefully builds atmosphere, introducing each character and scattering hints of long-buried betrayals and rivalries. Once the body drops, the pace accelerates into a tightly wound game of misdirection, red herrings, and escalating danger. Heath balances the simmering interpersonal drama with the claustrophobic suspense of the island setting, ensuring the reader is hooked until the very end.

A sharp, character-driven mystery that delivers both the slow burn and the explosive payoff.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

You know it's going to be good when you are unable to put the book down. This is a serious page turner which I completed over the weekend. The book keeps you guessing and has some serious character development to keep the reader invested.

Told in multiple perspectives, every character is filled with red herrings and suspicious motives. The remote locked room mystery brings in the chills and has good visualization to raise the stakes.

The music backdrop is a good setting. I also liked how some of the twist came together which I didn't see coming. Absolutely recommend!

Thank you Aria & Aries and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

This was an interesting plot line, something a bit different which made it interesting to follow. There is good character development and enough going on to keep you hooked. I’d recommend this book to my crime and thriller friends!

Eighteen years after Jonny Rake’s “accidental” death, the surviving band members gather with his daughter Monet stepping in to sing. The past collides with the present, secrets bubble over, and soon it’s clear: Jonny’s death wasn’t an accident at all.

I was hooked—Monet is a brilliant lead, Adam is flawed but impossible not to root for, and the tension had me rationing chapters (and failing miserably). Yes, I guessed some of the relationship mysteries, but it didn’t spoil a thing. I was on edge the entire time. Heath is clearly stepping into her stride as a thriller writer. My only complaint? The use of the word panties. It makes me squirm more than the actual murder plot. It generates visions of creepy old men. But I loved the fictional South Australian setting.

Pop this on on your TBR or even better, preorder it!

Another fun read by Rebecca Heath, my current favourite out of all my reads by the authors work.

A pop band has reunited after 18 years to make a documentary after the tragic explosion that killed the lead leader, the survivors from that day will soon dig up secrets that others would rather they stayed secret. Revenge, secrets, twists and turns all occur throughout this book and you learn more about the tragic past and what lead up to it. I enjoyed the characters and i was wondering how some were with each especially after such an event if they were ever as close as maybe they once were.

Not everybody is happy about the documentary but soon after a body is found and now tension, suspense and mystery are all piled up and wonder if someone else is going to be next and what everyone is hiding.

A fun filled experience with draws in what comes with fame and is it really what everyone makes it out to be, i enjoyed this arc and would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers Aria & Aries for the copy of this arc in exchange of my full honest review.

4.5 stars

I loved Rebecca’s previous thrillers and was excited to read her latest offering. The Last Encore is a cross between Daisy Jones and the Six and Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. Eighteen years after The Cedric’s Band lead singer Jonny is killed in an explosion at a concert, the band is brought back together for a reunion concert with Jonny’s daughter taking the starring role. During some tense interviews with the band members, the band’s manager is found dead and the wife of the keyboardist goes missing.

The novel starts with a bang, it’s then slows its pace as we meet the different band members and get their back story. The story unfolds over multiple points of views and The Cedric’s Band fan blog run by Ricky, the band’s number one fan. Once I got my head around all the different characters I was hooked and loved all the juicy behind the scenes gossip. There was an interesting mix of characters some likable and others who were not! The secrets and twists then start coming and it builds to a big finish.

Moving away from Heath’s usual party setting, the remote island of Sparrow Hawk made for the perfect atmospheric backdrop. Rebecca was masterful as she set things up, both the victims were extremely unlikeable and I developed many theories as to what happened to them both. I was kept guessing and taken by surprise by a few twists. The tension she built towards the end had my heart racing and my body tight as I turned the pages to see what happened next. Another fabulous thriller for Heath who has now cemented herself as one of my auto-buy authors.

This was a great thriller! I couldn't figure out who the killer was! There were so many twists and I think the author did a great job in wrapping everything up. This book kept me interested from the very beginning. I enjoyed the multiple POVs.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. I enjoyed this book and am interested in more from the author.

The reunion of a boyband who haven’t spoken for 18 years, on a remote island with no wifi… where do I get this! The Last Encore was a book that was made for me I feel. A locked room mystery with a boyband at the centre of the story…and written by an Aussie author. Whats not to love there.

The Cedric Band were the hottest thing in music almost 20 years ago. That is until their lead singer was killed in a horrific accident. They have all since gone their seperate ways, but now a documentary maker has convinced them all to come back for a one off weekend to film and do an exclusive concert, with Jonny’s daughter singing. There is no phones, no social media, it is all secret squirrel. What could possibly go wrong?

I do love a story where the characters are stranded or isolated when trouble happens. I was hooked, trying to put all the pieces together and work out who had killed one of them. They certainly all had motive and opportunity. So many secrets being kept from each other and built up tension just had to explode eventually. The storyline was clever and the ending so well done. So much fun to read.

Thanks so much to Aria and Aries on NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Get it preordered. Now. Out on January 21st

Another great read from Rebecca Heath! I have read all her party series and this one didn’t disappoint, I couldn’t put it down and of course the great twists at the end were awesome.

With so much thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher Aria & Aries for an amazing arc.

The Last Encore by Rebecca Heath features the gathering of surviving members of a once-popular band on a remote island to play one last concert with the daughter of the lead singer replacing her father (the aptly-named Jonny Rake) who died tragically 18 years before. Heath offers us an interesting group of rather unlikeable characters including three remaining band members who seemingly do not get on at all and their manager who grates on everyone's nerves. Then there's Ivy, Jonny's former partner and mother of his daughter (Monet) who seems to have inherited her parents' talent. We also meet the fame-hungry wife of one of the band members, the owners of the resort and a documentary-maker and his wife, there to capture the reunion and live concert.

Heath offers us several narrators so we get to see events unfold from multiple points of view. Florence owns and manages the resort and determined to make the event a memorable one by going above and beyond to please the guests... although she seems to have an agenda of her own. Adam, is Jonny's brother and has pretty much cocked up much of his life since his brother's death - estranging himself from the rest of the band and never having met his niece. Lara is the girlfriend of former keyboardist, determined to get her five minutes of fame, and frustrated by her husband's lack of interest in it. And of course Monet, who believes the father she never met was murdered and who tells us she has orchestrated the entire weekend in order to meet her uncle.

There's a lot festering here and open hostility between most of the players who - on the surface at least - aren't particularly likeable. Much of the early part of the novel involves arguments, threats and even spates of physical violence. The novel's pace picks up when a body is found however, and the group tries to work out if anyone else could have arrived on the island, or whether the murderer is amongst them.

There's a lot of movement towards the later stages of the novel with characters missing and others searching for escape options. I must confess I got a little confused at one point because so many of the characters have secrets and grudges, but it also means Heath keeps us guessing at motives and the identity of victims AND killer/s. She also throws in a few late twists for good measure making this an addictive read.

Eighteen years after tragedy tore them apart, a mega-popular band reunites on a remote island for one last concert — and a documentary capturing it all. But as the cameras roll and old wounds resurface, long-buried secrets and simmering tensions threaten to destroy more than just the comeback performance.

Suspenseful and atmospheric, The Last Encore is told in multiple POVs and is filled with unreliable characters, hidden motives, and an undercurrent of unease that keeps you guessing right to the end. Rebecca Heath perfectly blends glamour, grief, and tension in this moody, page-turning mystery.