The Last Party by A.R. Torre is a dark and gripping thriller that kept me on the edge with its twisted characters and shocking secrets. Perla Wultz appears to have the perfect life, but beneath the surface lies a disturbing obsession with a notorious murderer, Leewood Folcrum. As the story unfolds through multiple perspectives, including Perla's manipulative mind and her daughter's insightful diary entries, the tension builds up.
The book is unsettling at times, with its exploration of lies, manipulation, and evil, but it’s impossible to put down. While the twists may not be entirely unpredictable, the journey is still captivating, especially for fans of psychological thrillers. Torre's writing keeps the pace moving, and the flawed, unhinged characters add to the intrigue. Though the ending wraps up neatly, the novel remains a compelling read.
The Last Party is perfect for those who enjoy dark, character-driven thrillers.

"Sometimes it's not the people that change. It's the mask that falls off."

"Saving a life had been thrilling. Too bad it couldn't compare with the inverse."

A picture perfect family, wife, husband and daughter living in an affluent community and a murderer on death row who confessed to killing two young girls twenty three years ago. These worlds collide!

I don’t want to give too much away, because when I started reading this I had forgotten what it was even about, and the first chapter sucked me in immediately! Perla is one of the main characters and her point of view is....whew. I can honestly say I despised her. Being in her head is both fascinating and disgusting. Leewood, the prisoner on death row, is equally disturbing but for different reasons. Each of them harbor secrets. I quite enjoyed the diary entries of Perla’s daughter, Sophie, but I have to say, dark and twisted is definitely a theme here!

THE LAST PARTY is WARPED, full of secrets and lies and twists that will be sure to keep you riveted. Nothing took me by surprise, but it was still fun to follow the journey of the characters told through multiple POVs including letters. I AM a bit incredulous at the lack of clarity of a particular character. Really? C’monnnn. Okay, just go with it! Still, I love UNHINGED characters and over the top C r A z Y and that was delivered in spades! Near the end things seemed to drag just a tad while everything was neatly wrapped up. I would’ve preferred some ambiguity or even a shocking turn of events that left me hanging and thinking ‘WHAT?!’ All in all, immensely entertaining and I’d definitely read Torre again. Her brand of deranged is as tasty as chocolate cake!

Thank you Thomas & Mercer (Amazon Publishing) for the gifted copy. All opinions are mine.

Potential spoiler content warnings below.


































⚠️Content warnings by me: moderate language, violence, mild gore, death, Mention of: animal harm & CSA

This was a difficult read. The subject matter was disturbing. The characters were not likeable and the plot twists seemed unrealistic.

I loved this book. It was dual timeline and Multiple POVs. My kind of writing. I really enjoyed the twists and turns and how it kept me intrigued all the way through. Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.

Tension, tension, and more tension with surprises and twists and revelations around every corner…A. R. Torre has written a tour de force that kept me riveted and reading “just one more chapter” until well past midnight. Not wanting to reveal the surprises in this book, suffice it to say that one of the main characters is so very inherently evil with a shocking connection. There are several red herrings thrown along the path in an effort to mislead the reader, again very well executed.
I truly cannot say enough positive phrases about this psychological thriller that seems so much fresher and more creative than the last few I have read. I loved A. R. Torre’s writing style which made it flow flawlessly from various characters points of view, creating and questioning then rejecting new hypotheses regarding what was going to happen next.
A. R. Torre kept me on my toes reading avidly for hours until I reached the satisfying conclusion. Many many thanks to her, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for affording me the absolute heart pounding pleasure of reading an arc of this just published, August 20th, thriller. Would so love to see this one on the big screen one day. Please keep writing A. R. Torre as I am a huge fan.

Perla Wultz lives with her husband, Grant, and their daughter, Sophie, in a gated Pasadena community. Affluent, sociable, and accomplished, Perla plays the part of loving wife and mother to perfection. This novel looks at her connection to a crime committed 23 years ago, a crime to which Leewood Folcrum confessed and for which he is currently incarcerated.

My recommendation is for you not to read too much about this book before you start and also to read it in as few sessions as possible. I read most of it in bits and pieces, had to start over once, and was very confused through the first few chapters. Once I got to about 60% the pieces started to come together and I finished the last 25% in one fell swoop.

The story is told mainly from the points of view of Perla, her daughter Sophie and Leewood Folcrum interspersed with snippets of interviews with friends and neighbours after "the last party"! Lots of readers will guess what the truth is - I did so it must be pretty easy - but that doesn't take the shine off the enjoyment at all. I just had to know how it was going to end.

I'm a big fan of A.R. Torre and she has really outdone herself this time. Can't wait to see what's next!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: August 20, 2024

Well……Wow! What a crazy wild ride this book takes you on! It’s dark, twisted and unpredictable and I loved it! It kept me hooked from the very start and I literally could not put it down!

To everyone, Perla, Grant and Sophie Lutz look like a typical loving affluent family. However, Perla has become secretly obsessed with a twenty-three year old crime in which Leewood Folcrom confessed to killing his daughter and her two friends at her twelfth birthday party. Meanwhile, when a doctoral student begins visiting Folcrom in prison in hopes of getting a confession and details about the murders, he ends up getting more than he bargained for. Folcrom has sworn for years that he is innocent but never released any details that point to anyone else being the killer. So what secrets has he been keeping? It’s now Sophie’s twelfth birthday and Perla wants to make her party the the most memorable one yet!

This was such a gripping story that kept me wanting to know more until the very last page! It’s told through multiple points of view, which all end up connecting but not until the very end! Did Folcrom really commit the murders all those years ago? Why is Perla so obsessed with this crime and who is this mysterious doctoral student that has suddenly taken an interest in this story? Anyone who loves a good thriller that is almost impossible to put down should be adding this to their list of must-reads!

Thank you, Netgalley, A. R. Torre, and Thomas & Mercer for the ebook. This book had me with my jaw on the floor half the time! I just couldn't believe what I was reading. It read so crazy, almost triggering, but I couldn't stop at all. A new twist to crazy! A must-read!

Spellbinding!
This author never disappoints with her original highly imaginative stories that perfectly blend suspense, psychological thrills and twisted darkish elements!

Fast paced, and told in multiple POV’s the plot was methodically layed out, the author teased us with subtle hints to figure out what’s was going to happen next. With characters that are not likable, this story kept me on my toes trying to figure out whodunnit from beginning to end.

This story was on a league of its own and so much fun to read!

I am such a big fan of AR Torre books and this was the third book I have read by the author.

This book was so good and such a rollercoaster - it was honestly hard to put down! With the short chapters, you fly through it! The story is suspenseful, fast paced, twisty and very descriptive. I love the use of multiple media, like emails or interviews, within the story. It gives it a lot of depth. I enjoyed the true crime feel and learning about the past as it intermixed into the present.

Psychological Thriller
Mixed Media
Multiple POV’s
Short Chapters
Plot Twists

The Last Party delivers a one-two punch of a story that is the definition of unputdownable. I devoured this twisty book and was immediately drawn in by its fascinating yet reprehensible characters. Without giving away the plot, The Last Party is a most aptly named and fitting title for this intense thriller. Do not hesitate to read this, you won’t be disappointed!

Read this if you like:
-disturbing psychological thrillers
-morally bankrupt characters
-psychopaths, narcissists living among us
-secrets and lies, some deadly
-the planning of a murder spree through the lens of a diabolical, calculated would be killer
-seemingly perfect families whose veneer quickly vanishes
-twisty, dysfunctional family relationships between parents-children, husband-wife
-multiple POVs
-past and present storylines as well as characters and how they all connect
-seeing a glimpse in lives of the wealthy
-the wealthy gated community of Pasadena setting
-cat and mouse trope
-filicide
-first hand accounts and opinions of neighbours,/friends, etc as added aspect of plot
-twists and turns with satisfying ending

My rating 5 out of 5

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for this eARC that will be released August 20 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC.

A.R. Torre's books are always full of twists. I found some of the twists in The Last Party to be predictable, and others I did not see coming. This book truly gave me the creeps, the FMC was such a bad human being it made me so uncomfortable to be in her mind - and so honestly this was so well done. I wish I had a little more closure or understanding of certain pieces, but still such a good read.

Okay Torre, who gave you this magic power and where can I get some? This story is dark and devious and absolutely wild. Perla Wultz is awful and I hate her and I loved how much I hated her. Wow.

The Last Party by A. R. Torre was unputdownable from the first page to the last.
This story grabbed me and wouldn't let go.
The writing flowed easily, the story was fast paced and the plot mixed mystery and suspense.
It’s compelling and riveting, with fully fleshed-out characters who have intriguing secrets.

Thank You NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This was such a chilling, wild read! The writing format was unique and the dual timelines / multiple POV’s were interesting. I really enjoyed this one!

Perla, Grant and almost 12-year old daughter, Sophie live in a gated, wealthy suburb in Pasadena. They want for nothing. The Wultz’s lives are enriched with luxuries and wealth, yet Perla isn’t happy. And is hiding deep, dark secrets.

Twenty-three years ago, Grant’s sister was murdered along with 2 other 12 year olds, at a birthday party, dubbed the Fulcrum Party. That night changed both Perla’s and Grant’s lives.

Leeward Folcrum. The convicted killer of the Fulcrum Party. He murdered his daughter and her two friends during a birthday sleepover. Leeward maintains his innocence throughout the years, even on his deathbed.

Is Lee telling the truth and is he really innocent? If so, who is the killer of the Fulcrum Party? How is Perla involved and who is she?

𝓜𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼:
☁️☁️☁️
Perla is INSANE! A true narcissist. I can’t believe what she has planned for her daughter Sophie’s birthday! The revelation of Perla’s past wasn’t a shocker but I was still pleased that what I thought ended up being true. I really liked this MURDERY thriller! It was fast-paced and suspenseful. I loved how Perla planned everything out methodically but she just wasn’t clever enough. This was my first A.R. Torre book and I’ll definitely be reading more from this author!

If you love Darby Kane and Natasha Preston, you will love this Summer thriller!

What a wild ride this book takes you on, some of the crazy parts you learn pretty quickly but the OMG moments just keep coming. I know when I started this book I had to double check what I was reading because of what Perla was saying and great job to the author because Perla had my head spinning.

First off, a massive thank you to @netgalley and @amazonpublishing for the advanced digital copy!

Let me start by saying that I was absolutely blown away by the author’s previous work, so naturally, I was thrilled to dive into this one!

I initially began with the print version but then switched to the audiowhich was interesting due to multiple narrators.

I have to admit that the story took some time to captivate me; the early chapters felt slow and somewhat disengaging. There were moments when I found my attention wavering, which was disappointing. Probably because I had no idea where the story was heading. However, as I continued reading, the plot began to unfold and became increasingly compelling.

Without delving too much into plot specifics, we meet a complex cast of characters surrounding a chilling premise. A man in prison, guilty of a horrific crime involving three young girls, one being his own daughter! And as we reach the 22-year mark of his incarceration, the potential for revelations emerges.

Then there’s Pearl—the sociopath we can’t help but be fascinated by.
I must give Torre major props for crafting such a compelling sociopathic mind! Experiencing Pearl’s thoughts gave me chills. The fear and sinister brilliance she encapsulates in her POV is utterly mesmerizing! 😳

In the end, while it had a shaky start, the second half of the book roared to life, ultimately making it a cohesive and thrilling experience! This one is a ride you won’t want to miss if you love psychological thrillers! Grab your copy tomorrow and let me know what you think.

I haven't read much from this author. I really liked the writing of this book. I really thought this was rather unique. Which I read a lot of thrillers so that's hard to see for me.

I couldn’t wait to read The Last Party by A.R. Torre. I’ve really enjoyed her other books so I could not wait to dive into this one. At first, I wasn’t sure at all what the heck I was reading.

A mother plotting this ghastly event? I can’t. I almost set the book aside.

But I stuck with it, and I’m glad I did. I was glued to the pages from about 1/3 in until the end.

I can honestly say that I am on the edge of my seat waiting for another book from this author!

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?