Review: The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager (Spoiler-Free)

Omnes vulnerant; ultima necat. All hours wound; the last one kills.

4.5 stars

I've been in a reading slump since mid-March and this was exactly what I needed to get me out of it. Was this a completely perfect thriller? By all means, no. But did it leave me glued to the pages as hours ticked by and darkness consumed the world around me? Most certainly, yes.

This was my first read by Riley Sager, and I'm hungry for more. I found his writing to be simple, yet effective, and incredibly addictive.

In this book specifically, I was a huge fan of the setting and aesthetics. I went to summer camp every year of the majority of my childhood, so the Camp Nightingale setting was both nostalgic and eerie. I also really enjoyed the added layer of the insane asylum intrigue-- it really gave me some Shutter Island vibes.

I also always love a good unreliable narrator, and this book pulled it off very well. The structure/premise of the book was great too-- the Two Truths and a Lie motif was both fun and fitting.

I had a great time reading this, and I must admit I did spend a few minutes jumping at every sound I heard around me after I finished.

I'd highly recommend this to anyone who wants a good twisty (and slightly over-the-top) thriller!!

Song I was reminded of while reading: Look At Me Now