This was a twisted thriller of a read! Perla and her husband Grant seem to have it all. The large house, the perfect careers and the single well behaved child. But the past is never far it seems. It is coming up on the anniversary of a horrific event, where three girls were brutally stabbed at a sleep over. The accused murderer was the father of one of the girls. The police took him in custody, he was charged and is serving a life sentence in prison. Grant's sister was one of the murdered girls and he has never gotten over that something seemed off about the whole thing. He never really fully believed Leewood did it, or at least not by himself. When a doctoral student shows up with meal offerings to Leeward in exchange for answer his questions, Leewood agrees to feed him a bit here or there. His heath is quickly declining and he may just be on his death bed soon. Plus this student has proven a few times he is out for the truth and has given inside information about the crime. So when a birthday party of a girl that same age is nearing and she will have two friends over, this just might be the time to prove who really did that crime over two decades ago. Has Leewood been innocent this whole time or was there a second person that can no longer keep the urge under control? This was so twisted, so crazy and the ending is just nuts! This was a very fast read. This is a novel Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse is talking about and will take the summer by storm! Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the complementary ebook and for Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse putting this author on my radar. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

“Sometimes it’s not the people that change. It’s the mask that falls off.”

Y’all, this book…. People are chatting it up and loving it over at @thrillerbookloversthepulse and now I see why!
It’s dark, twisted, wild and I LOVED it. The twists are not just at the end, they are throughout the story and it makes you want to binge it. It’s told in multiple POVs, includes some interviews and journal entries and has short chapters. I can’t wait to check out more of this authors work because this is phenomenal. My thrillers friends are going to want to check this one out!

Rapidily becoming one of my favorite authors, each book is tightly plotted and reads at a fast clip! Thanks for the arc!

Thank you to @thrillerbookloversthepulse for the #gifted copy.

WOW!!! This one you do not want to miss! This was the first book I have ever read by this author and it will certainly not be the last. Multiple POV. Lots of twists. Never a dull moment. And Perla? Boy, was she something else!!!

Thank you @netgalley for an advance digital copy!

A.R. Torre continues to cement herself as an autobuy author for me. I will devour anything she writes, knowing I will be satisfied! This read was no different. I loved the different viewpoints and the little twisty ending. I can't say too much without giving stuff away, but for a fun, fast, a lil bit psycho read, this is for you!

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Let’s start this review off with this statement - Perla is the MOST f*cked up character I’ve ever read in a book!! 😳 (sorry for the language but seriously, she was CRAZY!!!) I couldn’t believe what I was reading but yet I could not put it down. This book is a quick read that grabs you from beginning to end.

So if it’s that great, why 1 star from being a perfect 5 star book? Well I thought it was predictable and not many shockers in there. I felt like I had the whole thing figured out early on. With that being said, I still very much enjoyed reading how it all played out. I liked the chapters alternating between different character’s POV. Another reason for knocking off one star is because of Grant. When you get further into the book you can’t help but think that the guy is a moron for several reasons that I can’t say without spoilers.

I definitely enjoyed this one and highly recommend it. I look forward to reading more by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

To see other reviews I’ve left, check out my Instagram and Goodreads:
*Instagram - bookworm_traveler808
*Goodreads - Cherihy808

The Last Party: A.R. Torre ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Perla Wultz seems like the perfect mother and wife in the prestigious Pasadena community. No one knows she is harboring a deadly secret that occurred 23 years ago. No one but inmate Leewood Folcrum who was convicted of murdering 2 teenage girls.

Oh my god. This book just confirmed A.R. Torre is my absolute favorite author. The main character Perla was despicable and cringey. I could not put this book down and finished in 2 shorts days.

Thank you A.R Torre for the wonderful read as always, and NetGalley + Thomas & Mercer for the advanced reader copy.

Sinister

The Last Party is an aptly named psychological thriller about an infamous murder that took place over 20 years ago and the ongoing obsession with crime in the present day.

The novel revolves around the brutal murder of three 12-year-old girls, a convicted murderer in prison, and a woman determined to have fame and fortune. How these events are linked together is the driving force of the novel.

Narrated primarily by Perla, a mother who has a mysterious connection to the notorious murder, the points of view of Leewood, a prisoner, and 11-year-old Sophie Wultz, they all have issues and are not likable. But this is not a novel that requires one to like the characters. Perla has a strong personality, and her voice is coldly compelling. She is soulless. Sophie, who is 11 years old going on 12, sounds and acts like she is 32 years old. And Leewood is disgusting in his own ways. All three characters are keeping some big secrets. All three kept me turning the pages.

The plot unfolds in small tidbits as Perla reveals her plans. While there are some twists and turns, some are easy to predict if you pay close attention to the details. However, this didn't detract from my overall enjoyment, as I was engrossed in the twisted minds of the characters.

This is a dark, disturbing read with a satisfying ending. It's fast-paced, and the batsh*t crazy game of cat and mouse kept me riveted. If you like novels with a good dose of obsession, manipulation, and a twisted plot, this one is for you!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.

An author that can write from spicy dark romances to psychological suspenseful thrillers as effortless as A.R. Torre? Sign me up! Wow The Last Party may be my newest book by her and I will be adding it to my favorites of 2024! I was blown away by the twists and turns and never ever saw it happening. Such a great, deliciously amazing story that had me gripped from the beginning to the very end. I literally had to read this in one sitting. JOB WELL DONE!

This author doesn't disappoint! I won't give anything away, but my interest didn't flag and I wanted to race to the end, yet also savor this thrill ride. I was able to keep track of the characters, as they were fully fleshed out, and the plot was intricate enough to keep me guessing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy. My opinions are my own.

Holy. Sh**.

I usually inhale A.R. Torre’s books in a single sitting. The Last Party was no exception. And this has to be her best yet. It was disgustingly diabolical. I was shocked at the dark depths she took this thriller, because usually she goes there, yes, but this time, wow. She went there. It was devious. It was despicable. It was delicious, delectable, divine. I easily figured out the twist - but that’s in part to the cleverly laid clues throughout the book. Despite it being easier to figure out, the twist is no less satisfying. I love to hate narcissists and A.R. Torre gave us the perfect narcissist. You need to read this one asap.

Wow! This book was so wild! The best by A.R. Torre yet. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading. This book was fast paced and so twisty that I could not put it down! The characters were so intriguing. I enjoyed everything about it. Can't wait to recommend!

I loved this, but heads-up, it is Dark!

Energy: Blunt. Resolute. Disastrous.
Scene: 🇺🇸 A gated community in Pasadena, California
Perspective: We follow four characters: a couple each with a tragic past raising their 12-year-old child; excerpts of the child’s summer journal writing project; and an inmate sentenced to life for killing their 12-year-old and friends at a birthday party in the 1990s. We also get snippets of true crime media & interviews relating to the murders.

🐩 Tail Wags: The characters. Getting the tea upfront. The tangled web of twists and reveals. The evil scheming. The ending.

🤔 Random Thoughts:
This was so terribly fun, but it hits sometimes that although this is fiction…these things do happen 🤯

I love the upfront storytelling and reveals. No sneaking around behind the reader’s back trying to trick us. I was hooked (and horrified) watching it all unfold. If someone told me every spoiler leading up to the end, I think I’d still read this just to watch it all play out 🫣

If you are a fan of characters you love to hate and deep diving into twisted minds, this could be perfect for you. 😅

Check content warnings and proceed with caution if you’re not a fan of dark psychological thrillers involving family/children.

----
🤓 Reader Role: Ghost in the room, ghost in their minds, eavesdropping on everyone. Thrown head-first into the story and the blurry picture of what’s happening gradually becomes clearer.
🗺️ World-Building: Immersive. Not overly detailed so lots of room to imagine yet sets a good foundation for later scenes.
🔥 Fuel: There’s twists and regular reveals, with the suspense from piecing together the motivations of the characters and how they’re connected. And watching the ending come to fruition, since we already know something criminal will happen.
📖 Cred: Plausible, like one of those ‘truth is stranger than fiction’ crime cases.

Mood Reading Match-Up:
-Baking brownies. Pill bottle. Hot tub. Summer sun poolside. Party balloons. Prison gates. Security doors. Tinny phone conversations. Burgers and fries. Coughing.
-Domestic horror with scheming and a twist…not the typical thriller mom trope
-Parents behaving badly psychological suspense

Content Heads-Up: Personality disorder (narcissism, antisocial). Pedophilia (mention; recall off page). Pet cruelty, death (rabbit; brief recall). Terminal illness (lung). Child murder (preteen). Family annihilation. Possible false accusation, planting evidence. Jealousy, obsession. Blood. Emotional incest. Body shaming. Cosmetic surgery.

Rep: White and ambiguously described Americans.

📚 Format: Advance Reader’s Copy from Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley

My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶

😅 Potential Fav of 2024

4.5 wild birthday candle stars

This author continues to be a winner for me. This one is oh so dark, though! Perla is one of the vilest characters I’ve ever encountered in fiction. She has everyone fooled. She looks like she has everything: a loving husband and a great daughter. So why is she plotting to kill her daughter? That is the puzzle for the reader to solve!

Perla’s secrets and dark past surface as we read deeper into the book. We also hear from Perla’s daughter, Sophie, through her diary.

There’s an alternating storyline with a convicted killer, Leewood. He’s been behind bars for over twenty years for the murder of young girls at a birthday party. We read the letters that his fans wrote to him. And a doctoral candidate is visiting him to do research.

My brain was busy trying to connect the dots while I turned the pages as quickly as I could. How is Perla connected to Leewood, and why is she obsessed? Is she one of his fans and mimicking his crime? As the clock ticked down, the twists just kept coming. It is a winning and entertaining thriller, for sure!

The Last Party by A.R. Torre
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

**Release Date: August 20, 2024**

**Genre: Dark Psychological Thriller**

The Last Party dives into the depths of human darkness, providing readers with a captivating and unsettling narrative. The protagonist, Perla Wultz, stands out as a uniquely unlikeable and vile character. 💀

Torre's masterful storytelling unfolds through multiple perspectives and short chapters, creating a fast-paced and engaging read. The plot is riddled with unexpected twists and turns, resulting in a mind-bending conclusion that will leave readers questioning if people like this exist. 😳

If you love ❤️
- Unconventional and unreliable narrators
- Multifaceted perspectives
- Short, captivating chapters
- Unpredictable plot twists
- An unsettling exploration of human nature

This book is a must-read for those who appreciate dark psychological thrillers that challenge conventional storytelling. If you enjoy unlikeable protagonists, intricate plot structures, and mind-bending endings, then this book is for you.

Pre-order your copy of The Last Party today and immerse yourself in a literary experience that will haunt your thoughts long after the final page.

what a wild ride!! even though some of the twists and turns were predictable (well, maybe just for me because my brain is creepishly twisted by all the books i read), they were still so fun to watch play out and had me second guessing the whole time. a.r. torre has definitely becoming one of my “must read” authors with every new release!

You are going to want to add this one to your summer reading list. This was a wild one. Lots of twists in this one. I did see a few coming but it absolutely did not ruin my reading enjoyment. Pretty fun story here!! Perla is a loving mother of Sophie, and married to Grant. They live in a gated Pasadena community. But she got some skeletons in her closet. You will read journal entries of Sophie throughout the book. Leewood Fulcrum is serving a life sentence after he confessed to killing two little girls at a birthday party 23 years ago. Perla has an obsession with this man and his crime. So does a doctoral student that's been interviewing him. Told through past and present, all three of these people and their stories end up connecting. This was fast paced, dark and suspenseful. It's not gory, which I liked. I can't wait to read more by Torre.

Thank you @thrillerbookloversthepulse the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thriller fans - you need The Last Party on your #summerbtr !

I’m a big A.R. Torre fan and I know this is a BOLD STATEMENT, but The Last Party just might be my favourite of her books. Since many of my besties in @thrillerbookloversthepulse are also big fans, we’ve had some fun chats about the book.

One of my favourite things about A.R. Torre’s books are how they’re so psychologically messed up. To be clear, this is one of the biggest compliments I can give a thriller. The Last Party’s characters get inside your head and stay there until the final page. The combination of everyday life with evil hiding behind cashmere sweaters is *chefs kiss*.

The format of The Last Party is rich and engaging. By using multiple narrative styles (multi POVs, witness statements, a podcast and diary entries), Torre makes the story dynamic, drops red herrings and introduces twists that will keep your mind spinning.

My recommendation? Put on your OOO, grab your favourite drink and block a day to read The Last Party. Once you start, you won’t be able to stop!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. I love this author. This one was another must read! The writing style never disappoints.

The Wultz family, Grant and Perla with their daughter, Sophie, is a wealthy family with a messed-up dynamic. Perla has a habit to lie as she thinks of it as part of a play, and she's also obsessed with a crime that happened about twenty years ago. You'll get that dark energy from Perla and she'll keep you on edge of what she's planning to do.
Not far from where they live, it's a prison where Leewood Folcrum who served his sentence after murder spree on his daughter's twelfth birthday party.
How Wultz family's live intertwine with Folcrum?

It's dark and addictive (read carefully, and you'll find the clue),a total page turner, and I will highly recommend this book for those thriller booklovers. I love those short chapters as each chapter will have you wanting more.