THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From the author of Survive the Night and Final Girls comes a tense and twisty thriller about a summer camp that’s impossible to forget—no matter how hard you try. Two Truths and a Lie. Vivian, Natalie, Allison, and Emma played it all the time in their cabin at Camp Nightingale. But the games ended the night Emma sleepily watched the others sneak out into … the night Emma sleepily watched the others sneak out into the darkness. The last she—or anyone—saw of the teenagers was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips….
Fifteen years later, Emma is a rising star in the New York art scene, turning her past into paintings—massive canvases filled with dark leaves and gnarled branches over ghostly shapes in white dresses. When the paintings catch the attention of the wealthy owner of Camp Nightingale, she implores Emma to come back to the newly reopened camp as a painting instructor.
Despite her guilt and anxiety—or maybe because of them—Emma agrees to revisit her past. Nightingale looks the same as it did all those years ago, haunted by a midnight-dark lake and familiar faces. Emma is even assigned to the same cabin she slept in as a teenager, although the security camera pointed at her door is a disturbing new addition.
As cryptic clues about the camp’s origins begin to surface, Emma attempts to find out what really happened to her friends. But her closure could come at a deadly price.
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Breathtaking — brightly written, scalpel-sharp, and altogether inspired. This swift, red-blooded thriller set my pulse thrumming.
A good book keeps you turning pages even when the clock insists reminding you that it’s way past your bedtime. The Last Time I Lied kept me up several nights employing a compelling story line in a twisty mystery. Emma is only thirteen the first time she arrives at a summer camp tucked on the shores of Lake Midnight. Through happenstance, she gets to bunk with older girls Vivian, Allison, and Natalie in a shared cabin. When all three sneak out one night, leaving Emma behind, it’s the first step in a tragedy that will haunt Emma forever.
Fifteen years later, she’s invited back to the camp—this time as an art instructor. And once again, she finds herself in the same cabin, overseeing three young charges. The ghosts of Vivian, Allison, and Natalie linger in Emma’s mind, their disappearances and deaths still unsolved.
Riley Sager layers plot threads upon plot threads in this atmospheric read that harkens to the days when teenage girls engaged in secrets, jealousies, betrayals, and—yes—lies. That theme runs throughout the book, with a satisfying tie-up at the end. If you like a story that will have you racing ahead to solve the mystery only to find yourself surprised by the way the pieces fall into place, you’re sure to enjoy this well-crafted novel.
Man, oh man, Riley Sager is a master at messing with the mind of the reader! Last Time I Lied should’ve been titled Everybody Lies because there are secrets buried everywhere, both literally and figuratively. The story starts a bit slow, but once it has its hooks in you, there’s no breaking loose as the tension builds little by little. Every answer brings another question as past merges with present and everyone is a suspect, including our less than reliable narrator. With the exception of Emma’s friend, Marc, there’s not a character in this twisted tale that I was completely sure about for more than a hot minute. Everyone has an agenda of one kind or other and every conversation is laced with what could be a clue, a veiled threat, or on the other hand, mean nothing at all. With some whiplash inducing twists, mysteries within mysteries, and so many secrets, this one will keep you guessing right up to the mind-blowing conclusion, and I absolutely loved it!
Not in my usual reader wheelhouse but I really enjoyed this. Loved all the misdirection and the twisty ending. The setting descriptions were so well done that it felt like I was in the woods, which made it an immersive read. Recommended. (Full review on my blog.)
Gripping and intense. Riley Sager paved his literary road with Final Girls. With The Last Time I Lied he tears up the pavement. One of my favorites of 2018 so far.
An edge-of-your-seat thriller full of twists and intrigue, The Last Time I Lied had me riveted from the first page to the stunning conclusion. A fantastic read — eerie, sharp, and all-around captivating.
For me… This one was alittle slow until about pg 80. If your already reading it and feeling the same way, stick with it, it’s 100% worth it. After the first part the pages fly, I couldn’t put it down. If your questioning on whether to get it… YES! Get it! Riley Sager’s ‘The Last Time I Lied’ is an evocative blast of nostalgia with an eerie feel and a haunting premise! A touch of supernatural…(or is it mental?!) vamps up the creep factor to high on the dial, and that is just one small tidbit of why I loved this one so much. I thought I knew everything that was happening but- surprise! That ending…. I love the ending, and this thriller left me craving more summery settings in my “next to read” picks! The best summer read? Yes Check! What the hell is more summer laden than camp?! Grab it asap!
My review is my un-biased honest opinion and I give my thanks to Penguin First to Read for the opportunity to read an advanced galley.
The story, told by a narrator that you are unsure of, unpacked well but slowed down a bit in the middle. It picked up and had a series of twists, including a surprise ending.
I should have known how twisty and creepy this novel was going to be, but it still took my by surprise! Sager’s depiction of girls at camp was dead on, the personalities and cliques were completely authentic. And that mystery… so juicy! If you’ve ever been to camp, or even just camping, the fear of someone walking away and never coming back can be real. Sager throws in a few red herrings, throwing you off track just as Emma is thrown off track. What is important and what is distraction? Who can you trust? So much fun, and completely satisfying, this is a great read!
Final Girls was outstanding, but dare I say it, The Last Time I Lied is a next-level thriller. Crisp writing, perfect pacing, and with tension that never lets up, Riley Sager’s latest propulsive tale is a one-weekend read that will leave you chilled to the bone.
Two truths and a lie. A game the girls played in their cabin at Camp Nightengale. Emma Davis at thirteen was the youngest of the group. Needy and longing for attention, she played along. It was, after all, just a game. Until it wasn’t. Emma sleepily watches the the others sneak out of the cabin and into the dark. The last she—or anyone—saw of them.
Fast forward 15 years and Emma’s dark and haunting paintings are the new thing in the New York art scene. Offered a job for the summer at Camp Nightengale as an art instructor Emma is determined to find out what happened to the girls. She is never sure who to trust or what is real or a product of her own parinoia and confusion . The story is full of twists, secrets and a game gone very wrong.
This my favorite book of 2018, I loved every moment of it and you will too.
A haunted summer camp. A lake darker than midnight. This chilling tale will keep you awake long after you’ve turned the last page.
15 years ago, Emma was at Camp Nightingale and her 3 roommates disappeared. Now the owner of the camp wants to reopen it and have Emma teach painting to the campers. Emma agrees because she would like to find out what happened to her roommates. This book is full of secrets, lots of mystery, and teenage girl drama. Are Emma’s memories reliable? Can she find out what happened to her roommates and stay safe in the process? This book was a great mystery and keeps you reading until the very end. I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Dutton. All opinions are my own.
4.5 Stars
“Everything is a game…Whether you know it or not. Which means that sometimes a lie is more than just a lie. Sometimes it’s the only way to win…”
Emma has never fully recovered from the traumatic events from summer camp 15 years ago. Camp Nightingale was the scene of the bizarre disappearance of her cabin mates, Vivian, Natalie & Alison. The camp closed after the three girls disappeared in the night without a trace. Emma has spent the following years trying to move on from that night…the secrets she’s kept…the lies she told…
Even after all this time, Emma is unable to let go of the past and uses her artwork as an outlet painting the girls over and over in a series of portraits that hides them in the woods around Camp Nightingale. During one of her gallery showings, Emma is approached by the family that owned and operated Camp Nightingale and is asked to return as an art instructor. Emma is both shocked that the camp is reopening after the scandal of the girls disappearance, as well as intrigued. Why is she of all people and with her history with the camp being asked to return? Don’t they realize “two truths and a lie isn’t just a game…for most people, it’s a lifestyle…”
Camp Nightingale is no Camp Crystal Lake, but it will certainly give you chills! Every time I thought I had figured out what happened to Vivian, Natalie & Alison, the author put another twist to the tale and proved I was totally off track! THE LAST TIME I LIED is your perfect summer read guaranteed to keep you guessing till the very end! Loved & highly recommend!
Mesmerizing! I loved this summertime thriller. Sager’s work is impeccably charted, lean, and twisty.
The Last Time I Lied, was in a word: captivating. It kept me turning pages long after I was supposed to be finished reading, wanting just another hint to be revealed or another question to be answered. With a twist that made me gasp about three-quarters of the way through, I found this book un-put-down-able.
What I loved: Atmospheric tension was thick throughout the novel which is set in a dreary, remote summer camp. Character development was really good, especially with the main character, Emma. Her fragility and strength were warring throughout the plot, adding a very real tension. The relationships between the girls were spot-on (cattiness, envy, but admiration and care, too), so much so that I had a hard time believing at first it was written by a man.
What I didn’t like: I had to suspend disbelief a bit regarding the location of the missing girls. I can’t say much more than that without giving away key details. Also, it was semi-strange that the camp–which was specifically for wealthy young ladies–would serve such unhealthy and gross food. A little thing, but it stuck out at me.
Really glad to have picked up this novel and am definitely looking forward to reading more of Riley Sager’s work.
engrossing page turner great plot
Frankly speaking, this book is incredible. There are a lot of aspects in this book. All of them are really great. The reader will definitely get attached to the book . With a little tension here and there, this book the amazing
He did it again. And this time Riley Sager dropped us at summer camp and left us pointing fingers at everyone while we get creeped out by the cracks in the walls of the community showers. I don’t like to rehash the synopsis or plot since you can read that above but I will say this book carries the tension Sager is known for without graphic terror, instead relying on the fear of the unknown in a deeply twisted mystery that will literally keep you guessing until the last pages.
There are many great quotes too: “Yes, boys can break your heart and betray you, but not in the same stinging way girls can.”
While it’s not a perfect book, as I believe Final Girl was close to, my complaints are only that I wanted more regarding a few loose ends, I got sick of the theme of liars being shoved down my throat, and I had a hard time believing one character’s motivation. Of course, I can’t talk about which one because I refuse to spoil the mystery. Hopefully these points won’t deter you from reading because it really is a great mystery. I will admit it dragged a little in the early middle but then it picks up and I couldn’t put it down.
I LOVED this book! It’s the one that made me a true Riley Sager fan, and I love that he embraces the kind of premise that reminds of scary stories told around camp fires but notches it up by ten levels!