One Last Breath by Ginny Myers Sain (review)

Reviewed by: One Last Breath by Ginny Myers Sain Quinita Balderson Sain, Ginny Myers One Last Breath. Putnam, 2024 384p Trade ed. ISBN 9780593625453 19. 99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593625460 10. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 7-10 For Trulee, growing up in a small Floridian town known for gators and serial killers sets the stage for a unique upbringing. Her love of deep diving outweighs fears of lurking predators of any kind, particularly in Hidden Glen Springs, the location of a famous unsolved double murder of two teens. The twentieth anniversary of the killings finds the town overrun by true crime enthusiasts rekindling interest in the case where everyone's a suspect. Newcomer Rio, determined to get to the bottom of the murders, propels the plot into a thrilling exploration of hidden secrets laced with supernatural implications that explain her instant attraction to Tru. As they get closer to the truth, the two must grapple with forces drawing Tru deeper into the depths of the spring and the attention of a stalker threatening their lives. Sain's skillful use of mystery, supernatural, and romance elements plunges readers into a tale that proves to be no ordinary whodunit. Gendered expectations and nascent queerness also make an appearance: everyone expects Tru and her boyfriend to leave for college together and marry, but she's inexplicably drawn to Rio, with whom she shares a deep attraction. Tru feels most alive submerged in the deep blue waters, End Page 261 pushing her lung and mental capacities beyond normal limits as supernatural forces challenge what she believes to be real. Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois