The Last Morning
One phone call is all it takes to shatter Sadie Wilson’s world.
Her worst nightmare is confirmed when she learns that her five-year-old daughter, Emma, boarded the bus for her first day of kindergarten but never arrived at school. Paralyzed by fear but driven by a mother’s instinct, Sadie begins a desperate search that reveals a community full of dark secrets.
From a secretive teacher and a delusional neighbor to a bitter ex-wife, everyone seems to have a connection to Emma—and a grudge to settle. Even Sadie’s husband, Allen, her supposed rock, appears to be harboring secrets of his own. Told through shifting perspectives, The Last Morning is an emotional, twisting thriller about the dangers lurking in plain sight.
- Sadie - Allen’s wife
- Allen - Sadie’s husband, 38
- Emma - Sadie and Alan’s Daughter, 5
- Teresa - Allen's first wife
- Forest - Allen and Teresa’s son, 10
- Cass - Sadie and Alan’s neighbor
- Kate - Emma’s teacher at Stonefield Elementary
- Dotti - Kate’s teaching assistant
- Shane O’Reilly - Cop working on Emma's case, Kate’s boyfriend
- Caleb - Registered sex offender living in Sadie's neighborhood
- Meemaw - Dotti's mother
- Chelsea - Caleb's ex-wife
- Nellie - Caleb and Chelsea's daughter
- Sadie puts Emma on the bus but she never arrives to her classroom.
- Teresa is seen on the bus camera putting something in Emma's backpack.
- Kate knew Allen from when they were teens; their families used to vacation together but Allen doesn’t recognize her.
- Kate's sister Diane drowned in the ocean while swimming with Allen.
- Sadie finds the name of the sex offender, Caleb, who lives in the neighborhood and goes to confront him, thinking he took Emma but she isn't there.
- The cops question Allen and he admits he was sleeping with Teresa at the time Emma was kidnapped.
- Years ago Allen was on the jury that sent Caleb to prison for the sexual charges.
- Sadie finds Emma's backpack in Cass's backyard.
- A few years prior, Cass and her husband, Richard, got divorced and shortly after that Richard and their son got in a fatal car accident.
- Teresa runs because she is afraid of being arrested for Emma's kidnapping.
- Sadie goes to Emma’s room and finds it destroyed and Emma’s favorite stuffy is missing.
- The cops tell Allen that Kate is Diane’s little sister.
- 21 days missing: A cop reviewing court footage notices that Dotti was at Caleb’s trial.
- Dotti is Caleb’s mother.
- Kate recalls finding Emma’s backpack under her desk on the first day of school.
- Dotti lost contact with her granddaughter, Nellie, after Caleb’s conviction. Nellie’s mother, Chelsea took Nellie away.
- Dotti always blamed Allen and Principal Rand for Caleb’s conviction and losing Nellie.
- On the first day of school, Dotti takes Emma and hides her in the media room and eventually hands her off to Meemaw.
- When Dotti notices Emma’s backpack is missing, she stashes it under Kate’s desk to dispose of later.
- The cops arrest Dotti and Caleb.
- Dotti tells Meemaw that Emma is Nellie and asks her to keep her for a while.
- Teresa returns home after Caleb and Dotti’s arrest.
- Kate gets charged with accessory after the fact for putting Emma's backpack in Cass's backyard.
- Police find Emma at Meemaw's house and return her home safely.
- One month later: Sadie forgives Allen for sleeping with Teresa.
- Dotti receives forty four months in prison.
- Dotti is the one who broke into the house and took Emma's stuffy.
- Chelsea brings Nellie to visit Dotti in prison.
- Final twist: Chelsea is really Diane, Kate's sister who everyone thought drowned.
- Allen did try to kill her but a riptide pulled her under and washed her up on another beach.
- She stayed away since her parents were abusive alcoholics.
- She changed her name to Chelsea and met Caleb while living at a homeless shelter where he volunteered.
- Dotti is the only person who knows Chelsea is really Diane.
The Last Morning is a fast-paced thriller. Camden Baird creates a situation where everyone is a suspect with a believable motive, keeping the tension high throughout. I had so much sympathy for the mom Sadie and felt myself rooting for her the whole book.
The plot itself is filled with twists that keep the mystery of who-dun-it fresh. However, while the final twist was clever, the execution stumbled. The last chapter felt like a massive "info dump," throwing a huge amount of exposition at the reader all at once to explain the mechanics of the reveal.
It was a satisfying conclusion in theory, but that overwhelming delivery felt a little sloppy. Despite the clunky finale, the book was a great read. This book is great for lovers of gripping thrillers who don't want to be able to predict the ending.
- Sadie - Alive - Working through trust issue with Allen, happy to have Emma home
- Allen- Alive - Relieved to have Emma home
- Emma - Alive - Seems completely fine after her ordeal
- Teresa - Alive - Moved on from Allen, dating someone new
- Kate - Alive - Charged with accessory after the fact for not turning in Emma's backpack to the police
- Dotti - Alive - Serving forty-four months in prison for kidnapping Emma.
- Meemaw - Alive - Has fond memories of 'Nellie' staying with her; dementia prevents her from fully understanding what really happened
- Chelsea - Alive - Relishes the pain Dotti caused Allen; open to Dotti having a relationship with Nellie after her release
- Kidnapping
- Infidelity
- Alcohol abuse
- Child abuse
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
ISBN: 9781662530241
Publication Date: October 1, 2025
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.
