A review by travsbookshelf
The Last Word by Taylor Adams

4.0

Wow. I’m almost speechless.

Almost.

The only thing I can compare this to is “No Exit”, by Taylor Adams of course, as it definitely resembled his writing style to that book as well. Nothing wrong with that, sure, every writer has their formula. “No Exit” had everything I look for in a perfect thriller.

This one matched the same intensity, fast pacing, ominous atmosphere, and character development as “No Exit” did. Same with the unexpected plot twists, and it grips you right out of the gate.

But there were times I felt this book sort of derailed in execution. While said plot twists were indeed surprising (and a couple even shocking), a fair bit of it was actually predictable. Certain phrases by characters and note-worthy moments were just a wee bit too obvious. And while I enjoyed the tragedy of Emma’s backstory and appreciated her complexity as an emotionally wrought character, sometimes it felt a little too dramatic and maybe a twinge unbelievable. Some aspects were a tad confusing. The “secondary story” that interspersed with the main plot throughout was highly enjoyable as I didn’t know where it was going and most of the cutaways between the two were brilliantly done. This made for a very unique writing style. The ending was powerful and very pleasing. This is a truly tragic but entertaining tale.

I’m giving this 4.8 stars. It just missed the mark of being a perfect read for me like “No Exit” was, but it was damn near close. I highly recommend this book if you want the style of a great, fast-paced thriller and a few really shocking moments. And who doesn’t love reading about a beloved golden retriever as an actual side character?