"This novel is sexy, suspenseful, and boot-spur sharp." —Eli Cranor, Edgar-Award-winning author of Don't Know Tough
Set in the country music world of 1970s Nashville, a struggling musician writes a hit song that both promises her long-sought-after fame and implicates her in a heinous crime.
Nashville, 1977: A broken heart. A terrible crime. A song the world would sing.
When aspiring musician Twyla Finch arrives in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1977, the nineteen-year-old Texan is dazzled by the fringe-and-rhinestones country music scene. Live music flows from bars, open mic nights tempt with the chance of stardom, and record label execs seek the next hot new act.
As Twyla finds her way in this vibrant town, she soon falls for Chet Wilton, country music hopeful and son of blue-blooded Nashvillians. When a night out with Chet goes terribly wrong, Twyla finds herself involved in a shocking crime. Hoping to process what happened that fateful night, she composes a haunting ballad that she performs only once in an empty bar. But weeks later, when she turns on the radio, she hears another woman singing her song.
Twyla must decide: Should she claim her ballad and secure the fame she’s always wanted? Or stay quiet and avoid implicating herself in the terrible crime she’s desperate to put in the past?
Seductive and bold, tense and unflinching, The Last Verse is the story of a woman’s ambitions, obsessions, and determination to claim her voice.
Genre: Mystery
Set in the country music world of 1970s Nashville, a struggling musician writes a hit song that both promises her long-sought-after fame and implicates her in a heinous crime.
Nashville, 1977: A broken heart. A terrible crime. A song the world would sing.
When aspiring musician Twyla Finch arrives in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1977, the nineteen-year-old Texan is dazzled by the fringe-and-rhinestones country music scene. Live music flows from bars, open mic nights tempt with the chance of stardom, and record label execs seek the next hot new act.
As Twyla finds her way in this vibrant town, she soon falls for Chet Wilton, country music hopeful and son of blue-blooded Nashvillians. When a night out with Chet goes terribly wrong, Twyla finds herself involved in a shocking crime. Hoping to process what happened that fateful night, she composes a haunting ballad that she performs only once in an empty bar. But weeks later, when she turns on the radio, she hears another woman singing her song.
Twyla must decide: Should she claim her ballad and secure the fame she’s always wanted? Or stay quiet and avoid implicating herself in the terrible crime she’s desperate to put in the past?
Seductive and bold, tense and unflinching, The Last Verse is the story of a woman’s ambitions, obsessions, and determination to claim her voice.
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"I loved all the twists and turns in Caroline Frost's gripping exploration of what it means to be an artist, and a woman, and the intersection between the two. And the thought and care that went into the rich backdrop of the 1970s Nashville music scene was no small feat. The Last Verse is a hugely satisfying, cleverly layered, addictive read." - Jami Attenberg
"Caroline Frost reveals the sharp edge of a country star's rhinestones in this compulsively readable story about a singular talent caught between dreams for her future and the secrets of her past. Haunting and lyrical, The Last Verse will have you turning pages and turning phrases over in your mind long after Twyla has sung her last note." - Emma Brodie
"Frost follows her award-winning debut with a sophomore slam dunk. The Last Verse is a blood-chilling crime novel set amidst 1970's Nashville, Tennessee. Don't let the rhinestones fool you, though. This novel is sexy, suspenseful, and boot-spur sharp. I feel lucky to have read it." - Eli Cranor
"A tremendously wise and talented writer." - Ben Fountain
"The Last Verse is an intoxicating exploration of the agony of finding, losing, and reclaiming an artistic voice, set against the teeming, soulful backdrop of 1970s Nashville. Caroline Frost drew me whole into a cutting world of beauty, possibility, and pain, and its notes reverberated long after the final lines. A stunning, unforgettable work that solidifies Frost as one of my favorite writers working today." - Katie Gutierrez
"Told with the perfect amount of twang, The Last Verse pulls readers deep into the timeless allure of Music City and the raw female ambition that lights up the intimate stages of Nashville. An irresistible southern gothic dripping with atmosphere, Frost deftly weaves together class tensions, the struggle for country music stardom, and the vulnerability demanded of every artist trying to hit it big. A perfect read for fans of Taylor Swift or Kacey Musgraves." - Katy Hays
"The Last Verse unfolds like a perfect country ballad, winding its way through a tale of heartbreak, perseverance, and redemption. And like the best songs, you'll want to revisit it again and again, finding new depths and beauty each time. Immersive and suspenseful, this novel is not to be missed." - Amy Meyerson
"After a stunning debut, Caroline Frost is in enviable form for her sophomore novel, deftly blending sardonic humor with coming-of-age enlightenments and a breathtaking plot. The Last Verse is a big-hearted ballad that takes readers on a grand ole odyssey through bygone Nashville, replete with murder, mystery, and plenty of music. Frost is a wholly original writer and The Last Verse hits all the right notes." - James Wade
"The Last Verse weaves a tale as plucky and fierce as the songs its heroine writes to heal her broken heart and discover her voice after an act of violence upends her world. This page-turner of a novel reminds us to trust our dreams while Frost's voice crackles like a freshly pressed vinyl record." - Laura Warrell
"Caroline Frost reveals the sharp edge of a country star's rhinestones in this compulsively readable story about a singular talent caught between dreams for her future and the secrets of her past. Haunting and lyrical, The Last Verse will have you turning pages and turning phrases over in your mind long after Twyla has sung her last note." - Emma Brodie
"Frost follows her award-winning debut with a sophomore slam dunk. The Last Verse is a blood-chilling crime novel set amidst 1970's Nashville, Tennessee. Don't let the rhinestones fool you, though. This novel is sexy, suspenseful, and boot-spur sharp. I feel lucky to have read it." - Eli Cranor
"A tremendously wise and talented writer." - Ben Fountain
"The Last Verse is an intoxicating exploration of the agony of finding, losing, and reclaiming an artistic voice, set against the teeming, soulful backdrop of 1970s Nashville. Caroline Frost drew me whole into a cutting world of beauty, possibility, and pain, and its notes reverberated long after the final lines. A stunning, unforgettable work that solidifies Frost as one of my favorite writers working today." - Katie Gutierrez
"Told with the perfect amount of twang, The Last Verse pulls readers deep into the timeless allure of Music City and the raw female ambition that lights up the intimate stages of Nashville. An irresistible southern gothic dripping with atmosphere, Frost deftly weaves together class tensions, the struggle for country music stardom, and the vulnerability demanded of every artist trying to hit it big. A perfect read for fans of Taylor Swift or Kacey Musgraves." - Katy Hays
"The Last Verse unfolds like a perfect country ballad, winding its way through a tale of heartbreak, perseverance, and redemption. And like the best songs, you'll want to revisit it again and again, finding new depths and beauty each time. Immersive and suspenseful, this novel is not to be missed." - Amy Meyerson
"After a stunning debut, Caroline Frost is in enviable form for her sophomore novel, deftly blending sardonic humor with coming-of-age enlightenments and a breathtaking plot. The Last Verse is a big-hearted ballad that takes readers on a grand ole odyssey through bygone Nashville, replete with murder, mystery, and plenty of music. Frost is a wholly original writer and The Last Verse hits all the right notes." - James Wade
"The Last Verse weaves a tale as plucky and fierce as the songs its heroine writes to heal her broken heart and discover her voice after an act of violence upends her world. This page-turner of a novel reminds us to trust our dreams while Frost's voice crackles like a freshly pressed vinyl record." - Laura Warrell
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