The 52 Book Club: 2025 Challenge discussion

39. The final book in a series

Any book that is the final book in a series will count for this prompt. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a series with three books or a series with thirty – as long as the book you’re reading is the last one.

Tip: Don’t have an unfinished series on the go? Save this prompt for later in the year and try to match earlier books in the series to other prompts first. You might also want to try a series with books that double as standalones (many mystery series work this way.)

To stretch the prompt a little, you could also choose a series that hasn’t ended yet but pick the book that has most recently been released. For example: As I write this, the latest in the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny will be book number eighteen, A World of Curiosities, released November 29, 2022. While the series is not concluded, currently this is the last book in the series.


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The Girl With the Dragonfruit Tattoo by Carrie Doyle

Titus Alone

#3 of Gormenghast trilogy

While not intended to be the last Y is for Yesterday in the Sue Grafton series is likely the final book since she has passed away.

I’m using The Chosen Ones by Carol Wyer

The Storm by Virginia Bergin

I've decided to knock out three prompts with a series centered around a retired police detective - three Stephen King crime novels informally known as the Bill Hodges trilogy.

*Mr. Mercedes - #23 - an alliterative title
*Finders Keepers - #49 - books on the cover
*End of Watch - final book in a series

For me, it will be one of these:

The Rebirth of Venus by Linda Proud (3rd book in the Botticelli trilogy)

Tombland by C.J. Sansom (Shardlake #7)

The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante.

The Fallen

I plan to read The Winners by Fredrik Backman

I’m using The Choice by Nora Roberts. Guess there was a reason I didn’t get it read in December.

I plan on reading The lord of opium by Nancy Farmer
As I’m reading The house of the scorpion by Nancy Farmer for prompt 8

Till Murder Do Us Part by James Patterson for the ID series Murder Is Forever # 6 of 6

The Amber spyglass by Phillip Pullman

Synchronized Sorcery, by Juliet Blackwell

Battle King - Jillian Frost

The Trespasser by Tana French is the last book in the Dublin Murder Squad series. Not my favorite, but still worth 3-1/2 stars

The Attic on Queen Street by Karen White

I read Kingdom of the Feared by Kerri Maniscalco to finish the Kingdom of the Wicked series.
⭐️⭐️ - ⭐️⭐️+1/2 stars

I read Buttons & Grace by Penelope Sky ! I had read the first 5 about 4 years ago and finally got around to finishing the series.

I'm reading Still Me by Jojo Moyes

I also finished The Choice by Nora Roberts The third book in the Dragon Heart Legacy Trilogy was Spectacular. The audio version of this fantasy was delightful. Enjoy.

For this prompt, I read The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik.

Wild Fire (last of the Shetland series);by Ann Cleeves

I read The Bookshop Book by Jen Campbell for this prompt, as it's the third and final of her books about bookstores. So entertaining and interesting! I particularly loved the idea of the Columbian man who takes children's books around on his donkeys for kids in rural areas to read. Highly recommended.

I read A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny. This is the most recent instalment in the Three Pines/Inspector Gamache series. As always, Louise Penny does not disappoint. 5⭐️‘s

I read Exiles by Jane Harper. This is the last of the trilogy and my favorite.

After recently having read Beloved and Jazz, the first two books in the Beloved trilogy, I read the final one, Paradise by Toni Morrison.

I read Into the Riverlands by Nghi Vo since it's the last book published at this time. 4 Stars

I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. Loved it!

I read Escape

Mocking Jay by Suzanne Collins

I plan to read Curtain by Agatha Christie. It's the last Poirot book so I think it counts.

I've read The Fall of Koli by M R Carey -- final volume of the Ramparts trilogy, in which the origins of the dystopian setting become clear and the intellect behind the events of the novel is revealed. Really very good!

The Perfumist of Paris by Alka Joshi All three of the books in this series has been an absolute pleasure to read.

I finished the Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco for this one (used the rest of the series for various prompts as well)

I am reading Sympatico Syndrome trilogy by M.P. McDonald. The novels are each around 300 pages. I’ve knocked out dystopian, survivor, and last in a series.

Heather wrote: "The Perfumist of Paris by Alka Joshi All three of the books in this series has been an absolute pleasure to read."
Hello Heather,
I have this book but not the first two yet. Would you suggest I read them in order?
Thanks. Lynn

I read The War I Finally Won (second of a 2-book series).

A Radical Act of Free Magic

I haven't gotten to it yet, but I'm planning on reading Back in Society by Marion Chesney. It's the final book in The Poor Relation series. I love this series so much. Each book focuses on a different romance (insta-love), but it also has four core characters throughout the whole series.

I am going to read Before Your Memory Fades, the third (and right now last) book about the time traveling cafe in Tokyo. I will also need to find a prompt for Tales from the Cafe when I finish it!

Ok, looks like Book 4 is released in November...so I will read that one, Before We Say Goodbye, for this prompt as I've preordered it already.

meg wrote: "While not intended to be the last Y is for Yesterday in the Sue Grafton series is likely the final book since she has passed away."

Meg (or anyone else who has read the Sue Grafton series)- Would Y is for Yesterday be enjoyable if I haven't read the other books in the series?

🌟🌟

I just finished The Return of the King finishing the LOTR trilogy

The Perfumist of Paris by Alka Joshi

"A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor" by Hank Green. It's a sequel but it's the final at this point.

A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy I Lin is the last book in the Book of Tea duology.