Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - The Last Time I Lied

Just like Sagers other books I've read - this was nothing short of amazing! The entire book keeps you guessing up until the very last 3 pages and then BAM! You're hit with a truth you never saw coming. You think you know what's happened, how it happened, etc... but trust me when I saw, as someone who reads A LOT of mystery/thriller books... I didn't see this ending... And I am HERE FOR IT! I love when I'm unable to guess the plot line, it makes it all the more enjoyable.

The author also describes the environment so vividly that you feel like you are there at Camp Nightingale with the girls. It has that creepy, deep woods vibe that I love reading about. I would 10/10 recommend this read!

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laceybananareads's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

This book took until the last quarter to keep my attention and the ending was not worth reading the whole book.

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savvyrosereads's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Rating: 4/5 stars

Emma returns to Camp Nightingale as an art instructor…fifteen years after her friends vanished from the very same cabin where she’s now staying.

I’m thrilled to say that with this book I’ve officially finished Riley Sager’s entire backlist! I enjoyed this one, though it doesn’t take my top spot for Sager (which is reserved for THE ONLY ONE LEFT). I will say that I’m rarely surprised by thrillers and I was genuinely shocked by at least two twists in this one, which is the primary reason for my rating.

That said, there was a part of me that was a little let down by how everything ultimately resolved here, and I felt like there was a lot of slow foundation laying in the beginning that took me forever to get through (this one took me 4-5 days to read which is LONG for me given the length and genre). But, I’d still recommend this one overall and I know a lot of people have LOVED it, so even the criticisms might be a me problem!

CW: Kidnapping; death/injury; mental illness

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weyheyitsrachel's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was my first Riley Sager book and I am obsessed! I loved the writing, I loved the plot, I loved the twists, and that ending was mindblowing! This book was also super bingeable. I found myself losing track of time when I picked it up.
Emma was a great main character. I liked seeing her POV from the past and present. Sager did a great job portraying the teenage girl friendship dynamic. I didn't question any of their actions leading up to what inevitably happened. It all made sense, so when the twists came, I kid you not... my jaw dropped.
I'm so glad I picked this as my first Sager book. It was one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time. It had that sort of horror element to it, too, which I enjoyed. If you're looking for a truly haunting thriller, I highly recommend this book!

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