Release date: February 17, 2026
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Synopsis:
From the critically acclaimed author of No Exit and The Last Word comes a story of two friends who embark on an ill-fated caving expedition—and the dark truth of what happens deep underground.
After years of excuses, Tess has finally agreed to go caving with her best friend Allie. Their lives have diverged sharply since high school—Allie is a self-made travel influencer, while Tess is a shy (and claustrophobic) legal assistant struggling to pay for law school. Maybe she’s a little jealous of Allie’s globe-trotting life. Who wouldn’t be?
As Tess and Allie descend into the depths, they realize they’re not alone. A stranger who claims to be a fellow caver harasses them. Confident, take-no-shit Allie insults the guy—and he retaliates. Soon, Tess is trapped inside a narrow crawl space hundreds of feet underground, fighting to stay alive.
Twenty-four hours later, as a hospitalized Tess recounts her harrowing story of survival, the detective interviewing her shares new and shocking secrets about Allie’s true past. Together, they begin to suspect the brutal attack wasn’t so random after all.
Who was Allie, really? Why did this man target them? And did Tess really leave the danger behind when she escaped the cave?
Review:
Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams scared the absolute shit out of me—and I loved every second of it. This is claustrophobic, skin crawling, heart pounding suspense that crawls straight under your skin and refuses to leave. From the moment Tess and Allie descend into the cave, the tension is relentless. Narrow tunnels, total darkness, limited air, and the constant awareness of being trapped underground made this almost physically uncomfortable to read. I will simply never go near a cave again (not that I was planning to, but now it’s a hard no 😂).
What makes this even more effective is how tightly Adams weaves character and plot together. Tess’s claustrophobia and insecurity clash perfectly with Allie’s bold, confident influencer persona, creating emotional friction that feels real and layered. The alternating timeline (between the cave ordeal and Tess recounting events afterward) adds another layer of unease, especially as unsettling truths about Allie’s past begin to surface. The twists are genuinely surprising, at times downright shocking, and they completely reframe what you think you know about what happened underground.
Short, fast paced chapters keep the momentum brutal and unrelenting, making this nearly impossible to put down. This is a smart, complex, and incredibly well plotted thriller that delivers on both psychological tension and survival horror. If you like books that make your pulse race and leave you staring at the wall afterward, Her Last Breath absolutely delivers.
Overall rating: 5/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
Novelgossip 