Genre: Psychological Thriller
The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager left me breathless, chocking on twisted, sharp, and jagged lies. Just when I believed that Sager was going to reveal the truth, lies would be woven discreetly in and left me to decipher what was factual and what wasn’t but I couldn’t. I couldn’t find where the truth ended and the manipulating lies began. This psychological thriller will leave readers with a satisfying shock that leaves you grasping what little sanity you have left. The Last Time I Lied will have you wanting to reread it as soon as you turn the last page. Highlighting and searching like a mad person for the easter eggs you know have been woven in throughout this incredible story.
Emma is an artist on the brink of making a name for herself. Her paintings are haunting and fascinating, and in the foundation of the painting are always three girls. Three dead girls to be specific, Emma’s old campmates. Emma always buries them under paint hiding them, but she knows they are always there, always watching her. Emma was young when it happened, a first-time camper, and younger than most. When she arrives late Emma is assigned to be campmates with three older girls. Vivan was the ring leader and takes Emma underneath her wings guiding her to be a queen bee. The girls spend their days under Vivian’s fingernail and spend their nights playing two truths and one lie. The game is a normal game played amongst friends, but with these four girls, it quickly becomes a game of life or death.
One night after playing a tense round of two truths and a lie the three older girls leave the cabin while Emma is asleep. Emma wakens long enough to see Vivian shutting the door, but when she catches Emma’s eye Vivian puts her finger over her mouth signaling for Emma to keep quiet. The three girls aren’t in the cabin when Emma wakes up, and when she can’t find them Emma wades into the camp’s lake and screams and screams until the entire camp is awoken by her blood-curdling cry.
Now years later the three girls are still with Emma and not just in her paintings. Emma for years thought she saw Vivian, even had conversations with her. Emma’s therapist would write it off as post-traumatic stress and after some time Emma’s illusions would vanish, but not her questions of what really happened that night at Camp Nightengale years ago. Emma gets the opportunity to possibly get her answers as well as healing when the owner of Camp Nightengale offers Emma a position to be the art teacher for the summer. After some consideration, Emma decides to take the job. She tells everyone it’s for closer but deep down she knows it’s to get the answers she knows lies at the camp. When Emma arrives all the memories come rushing back, as well as the visions of Vivian. Is Emma crazy or is Vivian’s spirit leading her to the answers she’s so desperately seeking?
I think it’s easy to say that I loved this book, and it is hands down one of my favorites that I have read this year. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys psychological thrillers espcially those that are just getting into the genre. It’s paced quickly, filled with shocking twists, and will keep the reader’s attention from start to finish. The Last Time I Lied is a solid 5 out of 5 stars for me.
Grace With My Coffee 