Last Seen Leaving

by Caleb Roehrig

Flynn's girlfriend has disappeared. How can he uncover her secrets without revealing his own?

Flynn's girlfriend, January, is missing. The cops are asking questions he can't answer, and her friends are telling stories that don't add up. All eyes are on Flynn—as January's boyfriend, he must know something.

But Flynn has a secret of his own. And as he struggles to uncover the truth about January's disappearance, he must also face the truth about himself.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, LGBT, Contemporary, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 4, 2016

About the author

Caleb Roehrig is a writer and television producer originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Having also lived in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Helsinki, Finland, he has a chronic case of wanderlust, and can recommend the best sights to see on a shoestring budget in over thirty countries. A former actor, Roehrig has experience on both sides of the camera, with a résumé that includes appearances on film and TV—as well as seven years in the stranger-than-fiction salt mines of reality television. In the name of earning a paycheck, he has: hung around a frozen cornfield in his underwear, partied with an actual rock-star, chatted with a scandal-plagued politician, and been menaced by a disgruntled ostrich.

Reviews

[Caleb Roehrig]

I had to add this mostly so that Goodreads would stop telling me I should read it.

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wish I could somehow rate this book in two parts; I felt the mystery of the story was a 2 star for me, while the coming of age/self discovery aspect was a 4 star and much more enjoyable. While the suspense and intrigue around the disappearance of Flynn's girlfriend January was a bit formulaic and easily solved (possibly due to the sheer amount of mystery books I've read), I found myself lost in the character's becoming self aware and journey to finding out who he really was. Was there anything ground breaking or new about this book? I didn't feel so, but I still found it a worthy read that drew me in and kept the pace going quickly. I'm very intrigued to see what the author writes next; I'd be super interested in reading something of the YA/GLBT/Coming of Age genre by him; he definitely has 5 star potential IMO and hope to see more from him soon!

*many thanks to NetGalley, publisher, and author for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Drcong O ']

DNF @ pg 75

this was actually really good. seriously, it was really good, but like, i really dont have the patience for this story and the fucking drama and yelling thats going on. its freaking triggering me and making me want to punch someone.

this made me so mad that i flipped to the last 5 pages and read everything and spoiled myself r.i.p i hate myself. why do i do this every. single. time with every. single. book. it's a fucking problem omg.

pros:
-this is a thriller about a gay boy struggling to keep his identity bc he's afraid for some reason for coming out.
-the love ineterests name is Kaz
-we get some gay romance.

errrrr....thats pretty much it (for me anyways)

cons:
-its triggering me hard.
-the characters fighting about all these misunderstanding is pissing me off. (it's just annoying to me and im just getting heated bc of it)
-it's kind of really slow???

i would actually have forced myself to finish this, but i spoiled myself in a rage moment. le sigh. i already spoiled myself and no longer care to finish it

Im also rating this book unrated bc it was amazing and its not the books fault i dnf it (well kinda) but its mostly me bc i have rage issues and just couldnt stand it.

overall, if you want a thriller about self discovery and coming of age, pick this one up. i recommend it 10/10.

[Korrina (OwlCrate) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book! It was such a cool blend between a mystery thriller and a contemporary coming out story. It got my heart pounding so hard at times from suspense! It has mixed reviews, but I would definitely recommend it.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I work at Macmillan and therefore spend most of my time talking about books I love, but this book is SO GOOD. This is without a doubt one of the best books I've read in recent memory. Pitched as Gone Girl meets 13 Reasons Why, it absolutely lives up to the comps and I cannot wait until fall 2016 when this book is out and in the world. If you love any kind of Gone Girl, Girl on the Train, etc. thrillers or YA or just well written books, this book is for you. It will super stress you out while you're reading it and you will love every second of it.

[Larry H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flynn returns home one night to find the police at his house. His mind races as to why they could be there—did they find the small amount of pot he had hidden in his desk? But he is utterly unprepared for what the police detectives tell him, that his girlfriend January is missing. The thing is, Flynn hasn't seen her in almost a week, and the last time he did see her, she broke up with him. And she's been ignoring his texts and calls since then.

January had been unhappy since her mother's new husband, a wealthy politician running for the Senate, moved her to a private school where she felt alienated from all of the other rich students. And although Flynn and January's relationship had its challenges, he cannot figure out why she would have disappeared or what could have happened to her, and their closest friends don't understand it either. But as Flynn digs a little deeper, he finds that the stories January was telling others don't match up with reality. He knows something must have happened to her, and he's determined to find out the truth.

But as Flynn tries to uncover the truth about January's disappearance, especially as disturbing evidence surfaces, there is another truth he must face as well—the truth about himself. That may be harder and potentially even more painful than figuring out what happened to January.

Last Seen Leaving is really two books in one. It's both a mystery, as Flynn and others try to figure out the truth behind January's disappearance, and it's also a book about self-acceptance, and finding the strength to embrace your true self. I think the book succeeds more on the latter than the former, and in fact, I think I might have enjoyed it a little more if that was all it focused on. Flynn was a really interesting character, and I liked his interactions with his peers, and his memories of his relationship with January.

It's not that the mystery part was bad; I just felt like it was a little formulaic, with stereotypical villains and the predictable (at least to me) red herrings to throw you off the real trail. Everything was wrapped up (somewhat) a little too seamlessly for me, and I kept remembering that Flynn was actually just a high school sophomore as he was acting like the brave detective all of a sudden.

While the book is a little uneven, at its heart it's an enjoyable and moving story, one which I can identify with very strongly in places. (The self-acceptance piece, not the disappearing girlfriend one.) Caleb Roehrig is a talented writer and I would have loved more time with Flynn, so I look forward to seeing what's next in Roehrig's career.

NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley.)

“I have this awful feeling that… that we’re never going to see January again. That she’s just… gone.”

This was a YA mystery story, about a boy whose girlfriend went missing.

Flynn was an interesting character, and I felt quite sorry for him the way January went missing and the police wanted to know if he was involved. He should have been more honest with her about his sexuality though.

The storyline in this was about Flynn’s girlfriend January going missing, and about Flynn trying to work out what had happened to her. We did get a couple of twists, and a GLBT romance as well.

The ending to this was okay, although it wasn’t quite what I wanted.



7 out of 10

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last Seen Leaving is a solid young adult story about keeping up appearances and keeping secrets. It's also a heartwarming story about friendship and love.
The first-person narrator is 15-year-old Flynn whose girlfriend, January, goes missing. Under scrutiny because, as her boyfriend, he surely must know more than he admits to the police, Flynn starts to look into January's disappearance himself and discovers that he didn't know his girlfriend as well as he thought. January had recently moved to a prestigious new school after her mother married a rich guy with political aspirations. Feeling alienated in her new environment, January had become increasingly distant.
Debut author Caleb Roehrig quite skillfully combines two storylines: the mystery of what happened to January and Flynn's story of learning to be true to himself.
I enjoyed this. Flynn was a very likable character and I enjoyed his interactions with his supportive parents and with his peers, in particular with Kaz. The mystery element of the story kept me guessing right to the end. This was generally well written, but in parts the author over-explained and sometimes Flynn's choice of vocabulary didn't seem authentic for a teenage boy. Well, at least I don't know any that could use words of that caliber in everyday speech.
However, Flynn's path to self-acceptance and being comfortable in his own skin was portrayed in a realistic and certainly poignant manner.
Overall, this was a good mix of suspense with Flynn becoming a determined amateur sleuth and emotional storytelling as Flynn's life changes when he reveals his true self.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Malia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll start with the good first. I really liked Flynn and his development. He started out as a fairly typical teenager, and it is only when his girlfriend, January, goes missing that he begins to reveal more about himself and his inner life. For me books can be really memorable when their characters are well done, even if the story falls a little flat, but Flynn was the only character I really connected with, so I don't know how long this story will stick in my mind, unfortunately. Which brings me to the not so great...
The story was quite predictable, which may be because I read a slightly ridiculous amount of crime fiction (for someone with a rather mellow temperament;-) In any case, I never felt hooked by the plot, which was disappointing. I also felt there was a distinct lack of police presence and it felt fairly unrealistic that a teenage boy would solve the mystery before they did, because it wouldn't have taken much.
The writing also felt a little tedious at time, even though I think Roehrig is a good writer. I just felt the text was so bogged down with similes and metaphors, it seemed very unlikely that a boy like Flynn would think like that - not that teenagers can't have eloquent thoughts - but simply because it often felt odd given the stressful circumstances of the story.
I don't want it to sound as if this book was awful, because it definitely wasn't. It was simply a bit disappointing, because I had heard such good things. I would be curious in Roehrig's future work, especially if he wrote a novel from the perspective of an adult, to which his language might be better suited.

Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com

[Constantine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Mystery Thriller + Young Adult + LGBTQ

Flynn Doherty is a well-known and admired teenager who has a gorgeous girlfriend named January. On the surface, it would appear that he had it all. But everything shifts when he returns home one day to find that January has completely disappeared. Flynn, distraught and determined to track her down, launches his own probe into the circumstances behind her disappearance.

Flynn finds out several things about January's life that she had been concealing from him as he goes deeper and deeper into her world. In addition to this, he comes to the conclusion that he may not have known the genuine January as well as he had previously believed. Flynn is forced to face some unsettling realities about the girl and their relationship as he continues to follow the trail of clues.

During the course of his search, Flynn must contend not only with the difficulties of attempting to locate January but also with his own internal conflicts and difficulties. Adding even another layer of complication to the narrative, he struggles with his sexuality and is unsure how to disclose it to his friends and family.

The novel is riveting and somehow exciting, as it delves into topics such as identity, self-discovery, and the intricacies of interpersonal relationships. I think that Caleb Roehrig excellently captured the difficulties of puberty as well as the inner upheaval experienced by a young kid who is searching not only for a missing person but also for himself. The characters are well-developed and the events are quite appealing, which made this mystery thriller an entertaining one. I liked it.

[Dahlia]

Man, this was so good. Like, from page one, so good. I loved the mystery, how many possible villains there were, the red herrings, the romance, the coming out, the voice, everything. (And, while I really hate that this is a thing I actually still notice in gay YA because of its rarity - I love the complete and total lack of misogyny. Either you know what I mean, or you don't, but if you do, and you hate its prevalence as much as I do, you'll appreciate how much affection and respect Flynn has for January in this book.) Always a relief when you really like an author on social media and hope hope hope you'll love their book too, and then the minute you open it you know you'll be juuuuust fine.

[Stacee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love twisty mysteries, so when I saw the synopsis, I was all over it. Added bonus for it being in boy POV.

I liked Flynn well enough. He's a bit too dramatic for my tastes and I struggled with the juxtaposition between his constant use of "dude" and then a word like "metatarsal". There's a group of secondary characters, but I didn't feel like we really got to know any of them.

The plot was interesting. I didn't get it figured out until almost the end and there are an abundance of creepy characters to wonder about. I liked the use of the flashbacks to slowly learn about January and her relationship with Flynn.

Overall, it was captivating enough to keep me reading, but I wasn't clamoring to find out how it ended.

**Huge thanks to Feiwel and Friends and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**

[Cale Dietrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, LAST SEEN LEAVING was one of my most anticipated reads in recent memory. I loved the premise (a thriller starring a gay boy is like, the ideal combo of things for me), thought the cover was AMAZING, and Caleb is super lovely on Twitter. So yeah, I was really, REALLY hyped to read this book.

And then I started reading it, and holyfuckingshit. This book. To say it lived up to my massively high expectations is an understatement that doesn’t do this phenomenal book justice: this spooky, cute and intense book is now one of my favourite books of all time. I can’t stop thinking about it, and I already know I’m going to read it again multiple times. It’s seriously so perfect/addictive/amazing.

It’s complex. It’s thrilling. It’s got this Halloween/October-ey vibe to it that is so wonderful and so unique. It’s got the scary/fun balance down to an art.

I can honestly say I’ve never read a book that feels like this one. It’s like if you took what Halloween feels like: slightly scary, slightly thrilling, and a little bit edgy and dangerous, and made a book that feels like that. I have no idea how Roehrig captured this complex feeling in a novel, but I am so glad he did, because it’s incredible. After reading, I can safely say that the cover for this is one of the best I’ve ever seen. Looking at it, you really get a sense of the atmosphere. I know I’m going on and on about the feel of this book, but I honestly love it so much I think it deserves it. LAST SEEN LEAVING has a style all of its own, which I think is worth getting hyped about.

The characters in this are also so great, but I’m worried about spoilers, so I’ll just talk about our protagonist: Flynn. I love him. He’s smart and funny and is so effortlessly charming. This book works because of how incredible and likeable he is. Also, Flynn is also one of the most believable gay boys I’ve ever read, with very authentic struggles, fears and experiences. This book is #ownvoices, and it really shines through here – not that non #ownvoices people can’t write convincing gay boys (they totally can) but I feel like it’s fair to say that this book being #ownvoices makes it extra special.

AND THE ROMANCE IS LIKE WHOA. That’s all I’ll say about that. But yeah, it’s perfect.

I could honestly rave about this book endlessly. It’s definitely one of my favourite YA books of all time, and it’s one that I’m going to go back to time and time again.

[Lauren Lanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mix between a coming of age/coming out story and a missing persons mystery, Last Seen Leaving proved itself a really great book!

This story follows Flynn, who just found out his girlfriend January went missing. Amidst the search to bring her back, he begins realizing that January wasn’t the person he originally thought she was. When Flynn meets Kaz—another boy who knew January before she disappeared—the two begin uncovering the past together, while discovering themselves along the way.

It’s been a long time since I was this gripped by a story. I simply couldn’t be pulled away from it, and finished over the span of a few hours. I ended up staying awake into the late hours of night, completely enraptured in everything about this book!

Flynn was a great protagonist to follow. His narration had such a strong adolescent voice that I couldn’t help becoming intrigued. I loved the way Caleb Roehrig handled sexuality and self discovery through Flynn’s character as his journey felt truly authentic.

While the mystery is by no means the best I’ve read, I felt that when paired with Flynn’s internal struggles it became something more. I was thoroughly entertained by it all, and touched at how carefully certain topics were handled. I'm impressed!

[Linda Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flynn is 15-years-old. Flynn's girlfriend, January, is missing. The cops are asking Flynn some questions that he can't answer. Flynn has a secret.

Flynn teams with January's former co-worker to discover what happened to her. But he's learning there was much more to January than he knew. Why was she lying to her friends about Flynn? And where is she?

LAST SEEN LEAVING is mostly about friendships and love .... discovering who you are and where you fit in the world. The mystery part is fairly predictable.

The story is told in Flynn's voice. He is such a likeable character, full of that teenage angst that a lot of us remember from our own teen years. I didn't care as much for January. Her mother married a rich man and all January seems to do is complain. I didn't find her sympathetic at all. There are secondary characters that play an important role, but they weren't as completely defined as was Flynn.

While I can't give it a solid 5 stars, it was an interesting read. Teens and young adults should definitely read this one.

Many thanks to the author / Macmillan Children's Publishing Group / Negalley for the digital copy of LAST SEEN LEAVING. Opinion expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

I waffled a bit between 4 and 5 stars, but I thought if this novel had a fault it was that the mystery half was a bit predictable (if also absolutely lurid- and I admittedly am a sucker for lurid, so). Flynn's story of self-discovery and -awareness was truly wonderful though, and Roehrig's writing is a joy. I knew as soon as I read the first page that I wouldn't want to put this book down.

I'm really looking forward to whatever the author does next.

[Elle (ellexamines) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars.

First, let me give some credit: this book was really hard to put down. The first half has a fabulous mood. I distrusted everyone, including January. There was no way of knowing who was lying about what January had said. I even questioned the main narrator's motivations!! I suspected every single character in the mystery to some degree.

So for the first half, I was really feeling the potential of the mystery. That aspect, unfortunately, let me down. I really love when mystery books don't rely on red herrings, but show that many different characters did many different shady things. I hate when all the villainy is on one character, and I felt that happened too much here. The ending was a little underwhelming. There are one or two interesting plot twists, but nothing that turned me into a sobbing mess at 2 am. And 2 am me turns into a sobbing mess at everything. There's nothing bad about this mystery, just nothing particularly fabulous or standout either.

There's another interesting aspect of this book I wanted to talk through. This is a coming of age about sexuality as well as a mystery. I really liked the coming-age-aspect; that being said, it wasn't anything I hadn't read before. I do really appreciate the existence of lgbtq characters in genre fiction, as I'm sure none of you will be surprised by, and I enjoyed the interactions between main character Flynn and his love interest, Kaz. They made a sweet couple.

VERDICT: A terrifying first half led to a lukewarm second half and ending, but this was still a ton of fun to read, incorporating both coming-of-age and mystery. Not shockingly good, but a solid read. I'm not begging you to read it, but go ahead and pick it up if it sounds interesting!!

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[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

January is gone. A headstrong girl caught between the comfort of her past and the feeling of not belonging in her present life, her story would change with her audience, craving compassion, a chance to be the center of attention or just to feel alive and cared for. Now missing, the clues point to her having been abducted and killed, but there is no body.

Flynn has been January’s boyfriend for several months, but now that her mother has married a powerful politician, she must bow to appearances and be the perfect puppet, seen and not heard. Their last meeting together didn’t go well, and they break up, but Flynn senses there is more going on with January and he may just be right. Impatient with the lack of progress in her case, Flynn takes it on himself to investigate. What he discovers is that people are not as they always appear, including himself.

Caleb Roehrig’s Last Seen Leaving goes beyond a young man’s search for answers to his ex-girlfriend’s disappearance. Flynn has his own secrets and finally comes to terms with letting the world know, if only to save himself from becoming an even stronger person of interest. As the lies both he and January have hid behind are uncovered, Flynn admits the biggest secret of all, he is gay.

Filled with tension, and pain of loss and the fear of discovery, Caleb Roehrig’s Last Seen Leaving is an emotional tale of the types of pain people hide within and how far they will go to escape that pain. For Caleb, coming clean about his sexuality lifts the weight he has carried and gives him a sense of peace and self-respect. His hunt for January is an eye-opening experience about life, love and the need for simple human kindness. A wonderfully told tale that is both heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time.

I received an ARC edition from Feiwel & Friends in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (October 4, 2016)
Publication Date: October 4, 2016
ISBN-10: 1250085632
ISBN-13: 978-1250085634
Genre: YA Fiction
Hardcover: 336 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Ariadna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Actual rating is 1.6

This was a BR with the fabulous Gaby. I'm usually up for a good mystery and the premise for this one was eye-catching. Sadly, the book turned out to be kind of a bust.

What I liked

+ Diversity

Two of the characters were POC. Both of them were important to the story for different reasons. So, they spent some considerable time interacting with Flynn, the book's MC.

Also, there were two LGTBQ+ chararacters.

The reason why I liked this was that it would've been easy to just add bits here and there (like, for example, make either/and the POCs and LGTBQ+'s characters tertiary ones.) Adding them to the narrative (and not letting them slide to the background) made the story feel more real.


What I didn't like (Oh, boy...)

- A mystery that lacked suspense

The resolution was totally unsatisfying. You could've guessed how everything was going to work out and why right around the 30% mark.

Even worse was that there was a lot of logic fail. As in the more you think about the plot, the faster everything falls apart. :(

- Wonky writing style

FAIL no.1: Unrealistic Teenage Characters

Frankly, the teenagers characters' dialogue was way off. Sometimes, they would sound like teens. Others, they would throw in fancy words. In the case of Flynn, for example, it was easy to forget that he was 15 years old since he often expressed himself as someone who was 20 years older. #IJS

FAIL no.2 Cartoon-y adults

All the grownups behaved like exaggerated versions of certain archetypes: the hippie parents, the politician parent, the disturbing teacher, etc.

I couldn't take any of them seriously.

FAIL no.3: Snail-pacing

The story didn't take off until the 25% mark. And, even with all the ~twists~ (that, again, you could've seen coming from two galaxies away), I was bored more often than not.


- So-so LGTB+ content

There's a forced coming out, a surprise kiss, and semi-realistic reactions from [character]'s friends and family when [character] comes out.

Although there is a romance, it is sort of pushed all the way back. Also, there's an unsettling aspect to it in that I don't understand why everyone (parents, the police, and friends) are OK with a 15-year old dating someone who is college. It is true that we're talking about a 3 to 5 year difference (we know that the college age character is "not 21 yet"), but there's a pronounced gap between the two characters. I dunno, given the circumstances surrounding the mystery and its resolution, I was kinda like :-/ about the (HFN) ending for that pairing.

TL;DR: It's a YA mystery (with an LGTBQ+ angle) that takes a long time to get going plotwise. It ends on a note that will make you shrug everything you've read. I cannot recommend it and seriously doubt I'll read anything by this author again. :-/

[Jen Ryland]

LOVED this YA mystery. It's a mystery, a coming of age story, a story of love and friendship.

Flynn is truly perplexed when the police show up at his house one day. The cops tell him that his girlfriend, January, has been missing for nearly a week. (Flynn and January don't see each other as often as they used to, since January's mom married a rich, up-and-coming politician and moved her to a fancy private school.)

Flynn doesn't want to tell the police the whole truth: that the last time he saw January, they fought and he broke up. He doesn't want to tell them what he and January fought about. But Flynn does want to know what happened to January, so he turns amateur detective. He's determined to figure out what happened to January. He talks to January's co-worker, Kaz. He talks to the sort-of friends she complained about at her new school. He pokes around and asks questions until he discovers some surprising things about January -- but also about himself.

Loved Flynn's guy POV and his friendship with Micah. Loved the flashbacks where we got a better idea of Flynn and January's relationship. Loved Flynn's parents. Loved Flynn's budding romance with Kaz. The solution to the mystery wasn't the most surprising, but it worked for me.

Last Seen Leaving is my favorite kind of mystery - the kind that develops on multiple levels. There's the literal mystery of what happened to January, and then there's a more existential mystery. How well do we know others? How well do we know ourselves and what we're capable of?

Highly recommended!

Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin

Thanks to the publisher for providing a free advance copy of this book for me to review.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.75

Holy Criminal Minds...

I enjoyed this book! When I first started reading it, I was getting serious Gone Girl vibes. Like it felt almost identical. But, as it went on, it started to change to more of a twisted story that I'm pretty sure I've seen on Criminal Minds a few times. So, it wasn't the most original thing in the whole world. Now don't get me wrong, I really enjoy Criminal Minds. I watch it all the time. So I still thought this book was suspenseful and creepy af and enjoyable. I think I would give this aspect of the story 2.5/3 stars because I was really engaged (like I finished it in like a day and a half), but it was a bit predictable and not very original.

However, as a coming of age/LGBTQ+ story. I would give it maybe a 4/4.5 star. I thought this aspect of the story was done beautifully and I enjoyed it way more than the actual thriller part of it. I really loved that this self discovery aspect was set against this mystery/thriller background. I thought that was pretty unique. If it was just the coming of age part, it might have been not exciting on it's own, but combined with the suspense of a murder mystery story, it was amazing. (I ADORE KAZ *flail). The ending was a bit strange like idk I feel like the last few chapters didn't need to happen but whatever it's fine xD So yeah I decided to combine my ratings for a grand total of 3.75. It was pretty good =)

[Skye Kilaen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't realize how bad Caleb Roehrig was going to f--- me up with this YA murder mystery. Dude can *write*, and he does not go easy on the reader. Our main character is Flynn, a high school kid who is normal in every way, nothing to see here... except for one thing, which he's been keeping a secret. Not-a-spoiler alert: he's gay. When his girlfriend January disappears, suddenly all eyes are on him as a possible suspect. Flynn struggles to uncover what happened to a young woman he really cares about, but also has to go on a journey towards self-acceptance.

Props to Roehrig for making me feel Flynn's grief for January by including her as a person and not just a plot device, delving seriously into her life in a way that feels very feminist. I'm now bracing myself to read Roehrig's next book, White Rabbit, because forewarned (about writers smacking you in the heart repeatedly) is forearmed!

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hell, yes! It seems I now have a top-three YA novels list. The Art of Starving; Will Grayson, Will Grayson; and now Last Seen Leaving.

But before we get to the review part, some housekeeping. This is NOT a romance! No romance here. There's no sex either, gay or otherwise. So for all the m/m readers who can't seem to do anything but complain about any book with a gay character that doesn't fulfill their cookie-cutter m/m checklists, just move along please.

What this book is is a YA mystery, with an authentic as fuck fifteen year old main character who isn't quite comfortable with his sexual orientation yet. And unlike some other YA "mysteries" I could point to *cough* John Green *cough* this book is serious about its mystery. There's rape (off-page) and murder, including an on page death. There's also casual drug and alcohol use by underage kids.

*Actual legit coughs, I'm sick.

One of the book's weaknesses is that it's a touch overwritten in spots. Some of the phrasing and word choices are a bit hard to believe for a fifteen year old male narrator who's never portrayed as exceptionally well read. But the occasional authorial excess aside, I found Flynn realistic and believable in a way few gay teen protagonists have been for me. Roehrig's done something memorable here.

There is a coming out moment, and I loved how it was handled. I loved how the fallout from it was handled. It's a mixed bag, but and it's given an appropriate amount of attention, which to be clear, given there are DEAD PEOPLE, folks is not a ton. It felt realistic.

As for the mystery, it's not the toughest puzzle. I guessed the bad guy relatively early on, but Roehrig did keep me doubting myself. There were aspects of the resolution I didn't 100% like, but given this is the first YA, and one of few gay protagonist "mystery" stories to actually bring a proper mystery to the table and give it the proper level of prominence in the story, I am more than satisfied. I'm delighted. And I'll be buying White Rabbit asap.

I fully expect this to be on my best of the year list come December.

[Caroline Minic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything : the narration, the mysteries and the main character.
The story is really well written, the characters are amazing (especially Flynn - whom I fell a little in love with - though nothing could happen between us - who struggle with his sexuality and fighting to know and understand what happened to his girlfriend), the relationships moving.
It is a really good thriller : full of mysteries, unforseen developments and poignant characters.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO GOOD, GO PRE-ORDER IT IMMEDIATELY. Actual review to come closer to release date :D

[Zyra]

even though its a mystery book, it was boring for me. i just couldn't get in to it. this book is not for me.

[Ben Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not put down Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig. If I hadn't read until the last page, I know I would not have been able to sleep.

This book had such good atmosphere. The apartment scene towards the end had my heart racing. I don't read many mystery thrillers, but this did it for me.

A big part of the story, is Flynn's acceptance of his sexuality. He's repressed it for so long but it's reached a tipping point and he can't deny it any more. I enjoyed the romance but I wanted more, I guess I'm just too greedy.

While I did guess whodunit, or at least suspected early on, it didn't detract from the story as there were plenty of twists that I didn't see coming.

I really need to read more mystery/thrillers, especially if their queer like Last Seen Leaving!

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review posted on https://lauriesbookshelf.com
Op een dag kreeg ik een spontaan idee. Ik besloot voor onze spot op Hebban het boek Voor Het Laatst Gezien van Caleb Roehrig te lezen. Het artikel staat inmiddels online en vind je hier. Vandaag deel ik mijn recensie ook op mijn blog, want ik gaf dit boek een monsterscore. Het is lang geleden dat ik deze waardering gaf aan een boek in dit genre.











"Voor de fans van 13 Minuten en Thirteen Reasons Why." Dat is wat er wordt gezegd over de nieuwste thriller in Young Adult boekenland: Voor Het Laatst Gezien van Caleb Roehrig. Dat citaat was reden genoeg voor mij om een beetje sceptisch te zijn. Ik was namelijk niet de allergrootste fan van 13 Minuten van Sarah Pinborough, maar ik vond Thirteen Reasons Why van Jay Asher daarentegen wel weer goed. Toch bleef dit boek maar aan me knagen en uiteindelijk heb ik mijn instinct gevolgd en het boek gelezen.



Naar mijn mening is Voor Het Laatst Gezien eerder een mystery dan een thriller en om eerlijk te zijn ben ik daar blij om. De laatste tijd heb ik wat meer moeite met thrillers en met name met de voorspelbaarheid ervan. Dit boek is allesbehalve voorspelbaar, maar daar kom ik later nog op terug. Ik zou dit boek dus zelf niet als thriller bestempelen.



Zoals eerder gezegd bleef Voor Het Laatst Gezien maar aan me knagen en dat kwam door de achterflap. Waarom zou January verdwenen zijn? Zou ze nog in leven zijn? Zo'n soort plot kan echter heel voorspelbaar zijn, maar dat was in dit geval niet zo. Ik had tot op ongeveer 60% van het boek oprecht geen flauw idee wat er gebeurt zou kunnen zijn en wie er verantwoordelijk voor kon zijn. Dan heb je wel een goed plot neergezet, want ik heb zoiets meestal al heel snel door. Om eerlijk te zijn duurde het nog langer voor ik de verantwoordelijke had opgespoord, want dat wist ik op 60% van het boek nog steeds niet. Ik heb Voor Het Laatst Gezien binnen 24 uur uitgelezen, want ik werd helemaal meegezogen in het verhaal. Dat ik zo werd meegezogen is voor mij al een hele tijd geleden voor een thriller/mystery, dus wederom een goed teken.



Caleb Roehrig heeft de personages in Voor Het Laatst Gezien goed uitgewerkt, vooral Flynn. Flynn draagt een geheim met zich mee, maar dat geheim kon ik al snel raden. Desondanks voelde het niet geforceerd, het was er gewoon. Flynn is een aangenaam personage en hij weet wat hij wil, namelijk January terugvinden. Hij heeft ook lef, want wat hij allemaal onderneemt om aan informatie te komen is soms ronduit gevaarlijk.



De andere personages zijn ook goed uitgewerkt. Je leert wel het een en ander over January, maar vanuit de ogen van anderen en door middel van flashbacks. Hierdoor weet ik niet zo goed wat ik van haar moet vinden. Zou ik haar nou gemogen hebben of niet? Ik weet het niet. Ik snap wel waarom ze opeens verdwenen is, maar of dat nou helemaal terecht is? Ik denk het niet. Jonathan vond ik een enorm nare man, het leek alsof hij helemaal niets maar dan ook echt niets om January geeft. Daar houd ik echt niet van en dat maakt hem wel verdacht.



Daarnaast zijn Kaz, Cedric en Reiko er nog. Over Reiko komen we niet heel veel te weten, maar wat we van haar te zien krijgen is niet heel positief. Ik vond haar een beetje hypocriet, maar achter die reden kom je pas laat in het boek. Kaz worstelt met zichzelf en zijn achtergrond en dat is ook goed gelukt. Ook dit was er gewoon en voelde niet geforceerd. En dan Cedric. Tsja, wat zal ik daar eens over zeggen. Die man vond ik ook niet zo prettig.



De plot en de personages zijn dus goed uitgewerkt. Ik was zeer aangenaam verrast door Voor Het laatst Gezien. Het boek heeft een halve ster verloren omdat ik van sommige personages niet goed wist wat ik van hen moest vinden, maar 4,5 sterren is zeker een mooie score. Een aanrader dus!
This review was originally posted on Laurie's Bookshelf

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

** 3.5 / 4 stars **

OPENING LINE

There was a corpse in my neighbour’s front yard.

Let me start of with saying that I haven’t read any of the popular must read suspense/mystery thrillers yet. So while many were pitching this as a YA Gone Girl I really had nothing to compare to as I haven’t read Gone Girl yet.

Last Seen Leaving starts off with such a descriptive paragraph that had me instantly hooked and intrigued. Right away we start off finding out January missing (this isn’t a spoiler, it’s in the synopsis) and Flynn’s journey for answer and solving her disappearance begins. With trying to piece together what happened to January, Flynn learns that she had a lot of secrets. However, January isn’t the only one with secrets.

The whole book is from Flynn’s POV which I found was realistic, relatable, and humours. From the start I really liked Flynn’s character, his journey of self discovery and character growth is what really made me love this story. Caleb Roehrig did a fantastic job bringing Flynn’s character to life and making his voice stand out. While trying to piece together January’s disappearance Flynn is also reflecting on his life and the secret he’s keeping.

There was also a great selection of secondary characters.

- Kaz, I won’t say much because I don’t want to spoil anything…but OMG I LOVED KAZ!! I only wish this book was a little bit longer so that there was more Kaz time.
- Micah, Flynn’s best friend since they were 2 years old. I felt like Micah’s reaction and acceptance to what was going on with Flynn was realistic and a great approach.
- Tiana, Micah’s girlfriend, Flynn’s friend, January’s best friend. I like that Flynn had Tiana’s support and there conversations about January. Since Tiana and January were best friends their connection and thoughts of what happened to her were interested for readers to observe.

Last Seen Leaving had a great plot layout and a strong pace. Although, I couldn’t help but feel like it fell into that rut or what I like to call middle of the book syndrome. The first half was great and kept my attention but then I felt like there were filler pages (four chapters) with things were being drawn out. But it picked right back up and I couldn’t tear myself away from this book.

Would I recommend Last Seen Leaving? I imagine that if you’ve read Gone Girl, or maybe you’re a fan of mystery/suspense books then you’ll enjoy Last Seen Leaving. Caleb Roehrig is defiantly an author I will be keeping my eye on!

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grade: D

One Word: overwritten

Flynn's girlfriend January is missing; he's withholding some facts from the police while conducting his own investigation. Apparently January had more secrets than Flynn realized, and he has secrets too.

My immediate criticism starting in page one of LAST SEEN LEAVING is the narration sounded nothing remotely similar to that of a fifteen-year-old telling a story. Filled with SAT vocabulary no teen would utter, Caleb Roehrig's overuse of adjectives, adverbs and metaphors made for a clunky read and slow pace. Roehrig also told when he could have shown and over-explained the obvious.

Plot wise, the mystery of January's disappearance and presumed death didn't feel unique, with the exception of Flynn, the other characters were one dimensional, often stereotypes. I did think Flynn's parents were well written, supportive and concerned which is often missing in YA lit.

Roehrig did a nice job including diversity of race, class and sexual orientation into the story in a seamless manner. LAST SEEN LEAVING is an implausible story, which wouldn't have bothered me if it was better written or had held my interest.

THEMES: friendship, romance, LGBT, mystery, suspense, rape, family, parents, stepfamilies

I was given a free e-copy of LAST SEEN LEAVING in exchange for my honest review. I think this novel will have an audience, but I hesitate to recommend due to the writing.