The Last Party was way more than I expected, not that I had set the bars low or anything, but I just couldn’t wrap my brain around how a mother could do something so disturbing and cold. The story bounced between our main character Perla, Leewood, a man in jail for murdering his daughter and two classmates on her birthday, Perla’s husband Grant, and their daughter Sophie’s journal entries. It also included a couple of quotes from random neighbors and friends after the crime was committed, which added to the story with every chapter.
When I tell you I flew through this, I mean I flew through it like an overnight package being rushed for morning delivery. It read so quickly. The dialogue and character development were great but what kept me rushing through this one was the depravity of it all. I couldn’t get past it, would never be ok with this, but I couldn’t pull myself from it either. It’s like a train wreck, its awful and you feel sad about it, but you want to look all the same.
This was my first read from A. R. Torre, but will not be my last. Many thanks to the publisher, Thomas and Mercer, for my eARC. The Last Party will be published 8/20 and definitely needs to be on your TBR.

I don’t say this often, but I knew before the first page ended that this was going to be a five star read. OMG THIS BOOK!!!! I challenge you to read this in more than one sitting. Each of us over @thrillerbookloversthepulse INHALED this one!!!

It’s got everything… a full throttle pace, a narcissistic, sociopathic and full on cray cray MC (who I LOVED obvs…!) unreliable narrators. This was an utter headspin of a book. What does one do when you’re obsessed with a convicted notorious murderer…? Well, if you’re Perla, you plot to bin your own family Folcrum style… but why…?! And why is her darling sweet as pie hubby hiding photos of an old crime scene…? And just WTF is going on with the kid?! That journal 😳

Perfectly executed masterpiece of a thriller - dark, twisty and devilishly devious I URGE you to grab #TheLastParty by @alessandratorre4 on the 20th.

The Last Party is amazing. I could not put this down. You are kept glued to the pages as this whole story unravels. Grant is that doting dad and loves his family. Perla is the seemingly perfect wife and mom. Each has a secret that they hold onto. Grant is still mourning the tragic loss of his sister. Perla loves crime podcast. The one that ties them together is Leewood. Once you get deeper in this thriller the more you learn to why and the real who was behind everything. You see wheels begin to turn and the strength of a father's love. Grant and Perla will keep you on your toes. I loved every minute of this one. You need to one click this now.

This was such a crazy read. Torre has me wanting to throw my tablet. I couldn't get through it fast enough. It's definitely a top read of the year so far.

Torre does such an amazing job with twisty psychological thrillers. This one is on Wultz family who lives in a wealthy California neighborhood who appears the perfect family but both Perla and Grant both have so many secrets. The story is told in multiple POV and it's not confusing but I could not wait to see how Leewood Folcrum tied to them.

I liked that each chapter started with a short witness statement about the characters. Perla is so sick and twisted and I love how Torre wrote such an unlikeable character. I love how the story unfolded and kept me so entertained despite figuring out some of the twists.

Thank you @thrillerbooklovers @alassandratorre4 @netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Holy cow! With a blindingly fast pace, a mysterious past, and one character you’re simply going to love to hate, The Last Party showed A.R. Torre at her best, which is a fact upon all of us at @thrillerbookloversthepulse wholeheartedly agree. A gripping mix of suspense novel and thriller, the slow IV drip of clues led me to work extra hard to figure out where the plot was headed. Try as I might, however, the biggest of the big revelations totally slipped by my armchair sleuthing. And, boy, when it was delivered, it was a jaw-dropping, gasp-inducing success. But then, what was I expecting given who wrote this novel?

While not exactly character-driven, the personas in this dark, twisted tale definitely guided the plot to an extent. Especially Perla. A manipulative, cunning villain narrator drawn to perfection, her sociopathic personality hit all the right chords. Paired with the other deftly drawn individuals, there was a bit of everything for the savvy reader. What made it even better, though, were the multiple, round-robin POVs. Told via various sources including emails and journal entries from Perla’s eleven-year-old daughter, it was—you guessed it—utter perfection.

Just as a warning, however, you will most definitely have to suspend all disbelief before becoming spellbound by this one. Additionally, I did work out a few of the twists. Did that bother me in the slightest? Absolutely not. After all, this was one addictive ride full of palpable tension and evil motivations that had me 100% riveted all said and done.

All in all, the short chapters, twisty plot, and initially baffling connections meant an addictively fast-paced descent into sweet, sweet madness. Already one of my auto-buy authors, Torre merely cemented her name onto the list with her newest novel. She even included delicious witness statements at the beginning of each chapter. Needless to say, their inclusion only stepped up my habit of reading one more page over and over. Just a little advice, though. Perhaps be careful about what synopses you read before diving in. There are quite a few that give too much away and with this book you’re going to want all the thrills, chills, and surprises. Rating of 4.5 stars.

Thank you to A.R. Torre, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for my complimentary physical and digital copies. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for the advanced copy, NetGalley!
I have always enjoyed Torre’s book and was excited to receive an advanced copy.
I liked this book, but did not love it. It was a bit creepy and weird for me.
Upgrade to 3.25 stars.

A.R. Torre has done again, you guys! This dark, extremely fast paced thriller had me going into the night! I read this in 2 days. It's so wonder that everyone over at @thrillerbookloversthepulse has been RAVING about this book! The goodreads rating alone should be enough for you to preorder!!

It's no secret that A.R. Torre is an autobuy author for me, and the tension and twists in this book were one after another and I was here for it. There's extra commentary between chapters from other people which added to the mystery. The chapters are short, which make for easy bingability and you have multiple plots that come together for a chefs kiss of a finish!

Do not miss out on this book!!

Thank you to netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for an ARC!

The Last Party is an absolute masterpiece. A.R Torre is a literal mastermind in the thriller genre.

The story begins with Perla Wultz who is a despicable, vile, and manipulative human being obsessed with the Folcrum Murder. Well, we learn a few secrets about Perla towards the end but in short, she will do whatever to get her way.

The Last Party was “unputadownable”. I was invested from the very beginning. It was literally a page turner from the very beginning.

In efforts to not spoil the book for others, I will not go any deeper into this review. But, all I have to say is run and add to your tbr. It was my first A.R Torre read, and while I do own others, I have not yet read them. I love the writing style, the execution of the plot, everything.


Thank you NetGalley, Publisher and Author, A.R Torre for an opportunity at an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Last Party is a wild ride and I must say what a party it is.

The Wultz family has it all or so it seems.

They live in a desirable neighbourhood, a beautiful home and a mother (Perla) who is the most craziest , nastiest person you will meet and does she have a huge secret.

Perla is sinsiter and souless.

You want to shout to the her husband Grant and her daughter Sophie wake up and run for your life.

At the same time how trustworthy are these two.

Then there is the infamous murder 20 years ago of three 12 year old girls at a birthday party.

Mum is planning Sophie's 12th birthday one to end all parites.

A.R. Torre always does an amazing job of leaving red herrings, twists and turns ( that are twisted) and keeps you reading to the final page.

The Last Party is no exception.

Clear your calendar and your mind , get ready for a roller coaster of a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the privilege of reading and reviewing The Last Party.

The Last Party is another fun, captivating read from A.R. Torre. While the plot was pretty predictable, the book was hard to put down. I recommend The Last Party to readers who liked The Last Mrs. Parrish, The Drowning Woman, and A Flicker in the Dark.

📚 Readability 5/5
The super short chapters and jumps between character POVs created a compulsive reading experience.

📚 Character Development 5/5
The FMC is incredibly well developed. She is a vile, narcissistic psychopath. The author did a top-notch job crafting Perla's persona.

📚 Plot 3/5
While the story is unique, the major plot events are predictable. I found myself unraveling the 'twist' quite early, around 40% of the book.

📚 Writing Style 4/5
I enjoy A.R. Torre's writing. She captivates readers and perfectly balances description, dialogue, and suspense.

📚 Gut Rating 3.5/5
The predictability of the plot put me off a bit. I wish the author had withheld some details to make the final scenes more surprising. But overall, it was a fast, easy read that I enjoyed.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing an advanced copy of The Last Party!

This book is full of suspense and intrigue, with well-developed characters and a plot that twists and turns unpredictably. This novel is a thrilling ride from start to finish! I couldnt put this one down and read it in two night! Perfect for lovers of psychological theillers

Thank you to AR Torre for the ARC!

Perla is the ever-perfect wife and mother, at least on the outside. Not everyone knows of the crime that happened twenty-three years ago that shaped Perla’s life. After Leewood Folcrum confessed to murdering two young girls during a birthday party, Perla never forgot about him. And now a doctoral student is interviewing Folcrum for his dissertation. He has questions about the killer’s motive, which so far hasn’t been revealed. As the student digs up the past, the present gets a little more interesting as Perla begins to plan her daughter’s birthday celebration.

HOLY POOP!! What did I just read?! Every one of my friends at The Pulse told me this book was wild but I truly had no idea what I was in for! Perla was a very compelling character - from the opening pages, she grabbed my attention and didn't let up as I was trying to figure out what made her tick. Told over dual timelines, the student digging into the past explained the Folcrum Murders as Perla lived her picture-perfect life in the present. With dark secrets and jaw-dropping twists, AR Torre absolutely knocked this book out of the park! I had no idea how this story was going to end and I enjoyed every bit of the wild ride it took to get there. If you want to read a book you can’t put down, given this one a shot!

”The Last Party” releases on August 20, 2024. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4 ⭐️
THE LAST PARTY
🤍𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: thriller
📖 349 pages
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝗷𝗶𝘀: 🎉📧😮🔪✉️🚔😱👃🏼
𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 8/20/2024

𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱? 👍🏼

🧡𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲🧡

Thank you @artorre for the #gifted copy! @thrillerbookloversthepulse is loving this one!

THE LAST PARTY is a wild ride filled with twists & suspense that kept me guessing until the very end. Each chapter unfolds with a quote from a neighbor, friend, etc, about the family, juxtaposed with journal entries from Sophia, the daughter, & mysterious emails from an unknown sender. The story's structure adds to the intrigue, making it hard to put down.

The MC, Perla, is both hard to trust & sinister, adding another layer of mystery as I tried to figure out her motive. With the clever intertwining of 2 ✌🏼 crimes, this thriller is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats. It's a suspenseful & engaging read that earns a solid 4 ⭐️!

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
◽️ dual timeline
◽️ multiple POV
◽️ twists & suspense
◽️ lies & murder

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: Perla Wultz lives with her husband, Grant, & their daughter, Sophie, in an affluent Pasadena community. Though she appears to be a perfect wife & mother, Perla is secretly obsessed with a decades-old crime. 23 years ago, Leewood Folcrum confessed to murdering 2 young girls at a birthday party & is now serving a life sentence. An inquisitive doctoral student interviews Folcrum, uncovering hidden truths about the crime. As past & present intertwine, new deceptions emerge, & an intricate plan threatens more lives

On the outside, Perla lives the perfect life. She has the perfect husband and daughter, she lives in an well to do community, and she is the image of a perfect wife. Except she has a secret dark obsession with a crime that happened two decades ago. Over twenty years ago, Leewood Folcrum confessed to murdering two girls at a birthday party, and he's been in prison ever since. Now, a doctoral candidate is interviewing Leewood about what really happened that night. As Leewood's past and pressent collide, will more information come out about this case?

The Last Party is absolutely an insane ride, but in a good way! This is one where you think you know, but you don't know. It's is told in multiple POVs in short chapters that make this a fast, addictive read. The interview snippets and letters in the chapters add additional suspense to this already twisty thriller. Hold on tight because you will not want to put this one down until you get to the very end!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-ARC of The Last Party!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🎧 are obsessed with true crime
🤥 enjoy lying
📖 love short chapters
🌪️ want a twisty thriller

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Perla Wultz lives with her husband, Grant, and their precious daughter, Sophie, in a gated Pasadena community. Affluent, sociable, and accomplished, Perla plays the part of loving wife and mother to perfection. It seems an ideal life, if not for a decades-old crime that has become Perla’s dark and consuming secret obsession.

Twenty-three years ago, Leewood Folcrum confessed to murdering two young girls during a birthday party. Though he’s been condemned to a life sentence, his crime is not forgotten. Not by Perla, nor by an inquisitive doctoral student interviewing Folcrum for his dissertation. He’s getting the killer to open up―about his motives, his confession, and the truth of what really happened on that horrible night.

As the past and the present entwine, the deceptions behind the infamous murder begin to surface. But who’s deceiving who now? And why? And as an ingeniously twisted plan is set in motion, who will be the next to die?

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was such a good read! I was immediately hooked from the start when Perla, our MC, was already lying right off the bat. She’s a completely unreliable narrator and person. She was simply insane. I loved figuring out the twists as the story went on. It took me way too long to realize the biggest one though. I also loved the different POVs, as they helped bring everything together. My favorite parts were probably the quotes from all sorts of different people at the beginning of most of the chapters. I loved that added realism and the complexity of it!

The Last Party is breathtakingly suspenseful! The main female character is so bizarre and so evil. As the story races to the exciting conclusion, more shall be revealed and surprises continue. A super quick, thrilling read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This is a gripping thriller read told largely from the point of view of a psychopathic woman, Perla (we find this out very early on). We see the story largely unfold from her point of view, complemented with that of her daughter’s, a convicted felon’s, and newspaper clips and interviews with neighbors. The story is interesting, particularly once the many twists and turns start coming. Things really ratchet up in the second part of the book and there is a very satisfying ending.

At the outset the various plot elements seem unconnected but they really come together well. I enjoyed the multiple points of view, the short chapters, and the easy to read writing style. There are dark issues addressed in this book but it’s fascinating to see the thoughts and actions of a psychopath. Very engaging and entertaining thriller read!

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Perla and Grant are an affluent couple living in their dream house in Pasadena, CA. Their eleven-year-old daughter is a bright and well-behaved young girl. Grant is a bird-watching, go-with-the-flow kind of man, and Perla orchestrates her life in order to be noticed. At the heart of this suspense thriller is a well-known, true-crime case from twenty-two years ago that will make your head spin and have you rereading passages to ensure you read them correctly!

The story folds through multiple viewpoints, with each chapter offering hints toward the conclusion. The characters are well developed, and I enjoyed the tie-in with inmate Leewood Folcrum. Without dropping any spoilers, there was one character that I just loved to hate! The storyline made me uncomfortable at times, but I couldn’t stop reading although I predicted quite a few of the twists. This dark and diabolical thriller is one to add to your reading list!

This book was insane!

One of the best thrillers I have read this year!

With multiple points of view, this book has it all- a family of three living in a gated community, a murderer serving multiple life sentences, a doctoral student interviewing the man behind bars.

This book was so intense and twisty and had me gasping multiple times out loud.

If you love thrillers, you have to read this! Be warned the content is heavy but if you can handle it, the writing really is excellent.