4.5 stars. I enjoyed this book a lot, and was kept guessing until the very last page about all the details of what was going on. It was a fun, fast read, in which my suspicions were ever-changing. Though I was racing to see how it would end, I’m now bummed it’s over. Another Liv Constantine book I thoroughly enjoyed!

Unfortunately, I found this one to be predictable and too long to support the story line. It became clear fairly early on who was torturing Kate, and while her mother’s killer was a surprise, by the time it was revealed, I didn’t really care all that much anymore.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Despite some negative reviews, I really enjoyed this story. I was immediately interested in the plot from the gripping prologue, onward. The writing style was a bit simplistic, but that factor also made it easy to follow, compulsively readable and fast-paced.

The story starts off with a fire, a tragic death, and then focuses on the ensuing investigation following mainly two main points of view, Dr. Kate English, a privileged surgeon, and her childhood friend and accomplished mystery writer, Blaire Barrington. What follows is a twisted, creepy saga of the attempt to unravel the truth of who murdered the victim, all while tensions heighten, new threats present themselves, anxiety clouds judgement, accusations are thrown about, all seem suspect, and no one really seems to know the truth.

At one point I couldn’t stand one of the main characters and was highly suspicious of the other, but it was apparently all a part of the plan. Midway through the novel, I found certain elements to be implausible and unrealistic, but again, later it seemed that it was a part of the authors’ intentions. I will admit that the portrayal of the detective in the novel was less than credible and the plot did lean towards the convoluted side, but honestly, I find that to be the case with many mystery/suspense novels.

The final portion of the story not only surprises the reader with many twists and reveals, but proceeds to offer a thorough explanation of events, as well as a shocking epilogue allowing a glimpse of what happens after things wrap-up, a feature left out of so many thrillers these days. I thought the authors served up a very comprehensive, well-fleshed out conclusion to a complex mystery and an enjoyable, if somewhat incredible, story.

This is a tough one for me to review because after reading The Last Mrs. Parrish I was grateful to get my hands on another novel by Constantine. My expectations were high and while I quite enjoyed the writing (which is a big part of my rating), I strongly felt that in The Last Time I Saw You character development is lacking. Kate is a hard character to tolerate. Her grief, fear, and worry come off as annoying and deranged. She is not a nice person and by halfway I would have gladly clapped upon her exit. Harsh, but truthful.

Something about the story just failed to click for me. The backstory, the friendships, the familial relationships, they were all fraught with distrust. Distrust that in each case is deserved. There really isn’t anyone to root for in this novel. Apart from the poor nanny, the characters are all uninteresting and self-serving. The suspense was missing simply because I was wondering why someone hadn’t succeeded in getting rid of her right from the beginning. The story felt to me as though the authors threw in a lot of theories just to see which would stick and in the end it didn’t feel concise or well timed.

I wanted to love it, but just couldn’t get there with these characters.
3.5stars

I was a little late to the party with Constantine’s debut, The Last Mrs. Parrish and I had kind of put it off because it was so hyped up and I didn’t want to be underwhelmed. I ended up really liking it and was fairly certain I would like this one as well, the premise sounded good, nothing groundbreaking, but I was interested for sure. Unfortunately this one just work for me and I found myself sorely disappointed in the end. I will admit it was a weirdly fast read for me, I think I kept expecting some sort of shift that would turn things around but that never happened 🤷‍♀️

I’m not going to waste a bunch of time bashing this book, I HATE writing negative reviews but I pride myself on honesty and believe in transparency, so I’m just going to quickly give you some highlights as to why I can’t recommend this one.

🙊 For anyone that’s read more than a handful of thrillers this is predictable throughout and then by the end, things take a turn towards the ridiculous with strange “twists” that reminded me of a soap opera. I like soaps but this was just too much.

🙊 The characters behaved so oddly, everything was over the top and dramatic, think bad lifetime movie. Again, I like those movies, but no.

🙊 The believability factor was at like a zero, it was absurd and outlandish.

Overall rating: 2/5

Kate's mother is brutally murdered. Then taunts and threats start appearing to Kate, making her feel as if she is losing her mind. Kate is desperate to find the killer before she is the next victim.
I love this author's novels. This one definitely did not disappoint. It kept me guessing until almost the very end. Lots of edge of your seat suspense combined with a great storyline, makes this one a must-read!

I have not read their debut book so that might be good that I don’t have anything to compare it to. The book is essentially about the death of Kate’s mother, Lily. Who killed her? Was it murder? Accident? Robbery?

Told in dual perspectives, Kate’s and her long lost friend, Blaire, I actually found myself enjoying the drama in this book. With that being said, I didn’t like all the characters but do you have to always like all of them in order to like the book? There were so many potential suspects that I didn’t know what to think at first. As time progressed I was able to kind of guess who it was.

In the end I was still able to enjoy this book. It’s Pretty Little Liars and One of Us is Lying but in adult version.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for my review copy.

THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU by Liv Constantine is a suspenseful and gripping psychological thriller that kept me guessing nearly to the end. It is filled with sinister twists and turns and a cast of unreliable characters that keep the plot moving at a rapid pace. Kate English is grief-stricken when her mother, Lily, a prominent society woman in Baltimore is brutally murdered in her own home. Who could possibly want Lily dead? Soon after Lily’s murder, Kate begins receiving creepy, threatening texts that imply that Kate might be next on the killer’s list. Someone is messing with Kate’s sanity and trying to destroy her life, but why? Everyone around Kate becomes a suspect as secrets, lies and betrayals are gradually revealed. Friends, neighbors, staff and even family members have possible motives and questionable alibis. As part of the plot, the authors delve into the complex relationships between parents and children, husbands and wives and between friends. I enjoyed this compelling and twisty thriller and look forward to reading more from Liv Constantine. I am grateful to the authors, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Last year I read and love The Last Mrs Parrish so when the publisher granted my wish for an advanced copy of The Last Time I Saw You I was super excited. And I am happy to say that it did not disappoint. Once I picked this book up I did not want to put it down. The story had me hook, line and sinker! The ending was clever and although I suspected who I did not pick the why or how. Brilliant! A fantastic story of friendship, betrayal and lies - what more could you want.

Kate English has a perfect life - a career, beautiful daughter, handsome husband and more money than anybody will ever need. But just before Christmas her world comes crashing down when her mother is murdered in her own home. The woman who was her best friend growing up Blaire turns up to the funeral and they reconnect. After the funeral strange things start to happen - anonymous threatening texts, horrific gifts and the feeling that she is being watched. Who can she trust and why is somebody doing this to her?

Thanks so much to Harper Collins and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.

I liked this book but it missed the mark on being much of a mystery. It was very obvious Blair was involved. The husband that never made an appearance made it very obvious something was up there. The adoption and the actual killer were a surprise but the book didn’t do what it intended to do. I still love Liv Constantine and think she’s a great storyteller, but I feel this one could’ve been better.

"Dr. Kate English has it all. Not only is she the heiress to a large fortune; she has a gorgeous husband and daughter, a high-flying career, and a beautiful home anyone would envy.

But all that changes the night Kate’s mother, Lily, is found dead, brutally murdered in her own home. Heartbroken and distraught, Kate reaches out to her estranged best friend, Blaire Barrington, who rushes to her side for the funeral, where the years of distance between them are forgotten in a moment.

That evening, Kate’s grief turns to horror when she receives an anonymous text: You think you’re sad now, just wait. By the time I’m finished with you, you’ll wish you had been buried today. More than ever, Kate needs her old friend’s help."

I loved The Last Mrs. Parrish so you can imagine how excited I was when I received a copy of The Last time I Saw You, this one was a highly anticipated release for me. Sadly it didn't work this time.

I came into this book hoping to find a terrific thriller fill with unexpected twits, unreliable and mean characters but instead, I got a predictable story, I didn't connect with any of the characters and the plot got boring and slow.

I really wanted to love this one, maybe this book work for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins for an E-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley #TheLastTimeISawYou

Right before Christmas, Kate's mother is murdered, she is devastated...
then her estranged but childhood best friend returns to stand beside her and help her through this difficult time.
Kate begins to receive threats and menacing messages,
she is tormented, her anxiety is all time high and
she is unsure who she can trust.

I could not stop reading until the end where the big reveal/surprise was waiting!

I typically love thriller/stalker/murder books so this one appealed to me. When Kate's mother, Lily is found murdered, Kate starts receiving threatening messages targeting her as the next victim. Fearing for her daughter, Annabelle and her husband (who she suspects is having an affair), she calls on once-best-friend Blaire to comfort her as she deals with both tragedy and fear. There are many suspects and the threats continue to escalate; Kate even begins to question her own sanity as she "forgets" things she has done and becomes even more suspicious about family members and friends near her. So be prepared to question everyone and everything! Now I'm on to the other one in my queue that's gotten rave reviews, The Last Mrs. Parrish!

While I enjoyed this book quite a bit, I felt myself (perhaps unfairly) comparing it to "The Last Mrs. Parrish". I absolutely loved that book and could not put it down. This one, I could put down, but I always picked it back up, so that tells me that I liked it. (I don't waste my time reading books that I don't get "into"). So without reading "The Last Mrs. Parrish" I would have probably rated this 4.5-5 stars, but since I had the memory of that book in my brain, coupled with the anticipation of another Liv Constantine book, it let me down a bit. But just a bit. Definitely an easy, quick beach read. I will certainly buy a copy for our library.

Thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book!

The Last Time I Saw You is a psychological thriller that involves a wealthy family and a death. After Kate’s mother is found murdered, she begins to receive menacing text messages. As the threats escalate, Kate finds herself suspecting everyone and trusting no one, except her childhood friend, Blaire.

I have some mixed feelings about Liv Constantine’s latest book. While the story kept my attention most of the time, I didn’t feel much of a connection to any of the characters. Kate’s escalating anxiety became uncomfortable, especially in the light of the fact that she is a cardiac surgeon and someone I would hope would be a bit more level-headed. The wealth of the family, which is on constant display, was also off-putting for me. Finally, there is a fair amount of backstory throughout the book but it seemed rather clumsy, sometimes making it difficult to follow the story line.

However, even with these reservations, I still found the basic premise of this book interesting and overall it was a decent novel. I would probably give it 2.5 stars but will round it up to 3.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine starts off with a murder in Kate's family. From there the story begins and we meet Kate's family and some close friends, who are all grieving the loss of her mother. Kate starts receiving horrible nursery rhymes that state she is the next one to die. Kate's former best friend Blaire comes back into Kate's life to try and help solve the crime. But who is really trying to help and who is out for blood. That's what the reader is left to find solve.

Overall this was an okay read. I felt like there were too many story lines going on that really didn't make much sense to me until the final twist at the end. It just felt a little unrealistic to me. I loved The Last Mrs. Parish, and is still a book I recommend when someone is looking for a great thriller to read, but The Last Time I Saw You fell a bit short for me.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with this ARC. This is the 2nd book by Liv Constantine that I have read and I enjoyed them both. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the story flowing and I remained enmeshed until the end. Though I didn't find myself shocked by most of the revelations; there were so many of them that anyone who reads it will have at least one surprise! This will be a perfect summer read and I highly recommend it. I will continue to read Liv Constantine's work and look forward to book 3!!!!

I was lucky to get an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m so disappointed in this book! I loved The Last Of Mrs. Parrish and was looking forward to this book for months!! I was super excited when I was able to get an advance copy!
The opening chapters had huge promise. The book is told for the view point of the two major characters Kate and Blaire. I enjoyed both of their character initially and they’re viewpoints based on the murder that happened.
However, as the book continued the plot line became too predictable and many characters were introduced that I felt I had no connection to - positive or negative. The plot also shifted from a “who-done-it” murder to who was stalking the main character Kate.
About 80% in you find out who was stalking Kate. I wasn’t super shocked to find out who was stalking her but the chapter that revealed it just kind of told you and that was it. And then I felt the last 20% of the book was wrapping up the murder, stalking, and then closure. I felt that there was unnecessary twists and the author wanted to every cliche into this book.
I was very disappointed in this book and sadly not a thriller I would recommend.

From the author of "The Last Mrs. Parrish" comes a story of murder and mayhem in the posh enclaves of Baltimore's elite upper class. Dr. Kate English is beautiful and successful. While her marriage may be floundering, she finds satisfaction as a surgeon and as a mother to a beautiful little girl. When Kate's mom. Lily, is found murdered inside her home, Kate is devastated. Kate finds comfort and solace in her best friend from childhood, Blaire. Blaire is a successful novelist in her own right. As Blaire rushes to be with Kate, Kate only become more distraught as she begins to receive sinister messages from Lily's killer. Lily's killer does not appear to be a stranger at all. In fact, Kate begins to worry that he/she may be far closer to the family than she previously thought.

As Blaire takes over, assisting with the investigation and sleuthing on her own, Kate continues to unravel. Who is the killer, and do they have Kate in their crosshairs next? More and more secrets come to light, and Kate realizes the lies and deception that have existed in her family. Lies that the killer is desperate to expose.

While this book did not have me on the edge like Constantine's first novel, I still enjoyed the ride. I was not particularly shocked when the culprit was revealed, although some of the secrets that were brought to light I definitely did not see coming. Great beach read, or a good read to snuggle in bed with. It won't blow your mind, but it kept me turning pages for sure.

First let me say that the authors' last book, The Last Mrs. Parrish, is one of my absolute favorites!!! I was really looking forward to the next one, but this didn't quite live up to the last. It started out a little slow for me with too many characters. It could be confusing at times and by the end I didn't have anything invested in the main character or the storyline. I wish I liked it more! I'll look forward to what they have in store next!
Thanks to Liv Constantine, Harper and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.