The Last Time I Lied - by Riley Sager (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

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 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.

Review Quotes

"Sager's second thriller is as tense and twisty as [his] bestselling Final Girls (2017), but this one is even more polished, with gut-wrenching plot surprises skillfully camouflaged by Emma's paranoia and confusion, the increasingly creepy setting, and a cast of intriguingly secretive characters."--Booklist (starred review)

"Breathtaking--brightly written, scalpel-sharp, and altogether inspired. This swift, red-blooded thriller set my pulse thrumming."--A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

"Sleekly written and involving . . . [The ending is] a startling, film-noir turn of fate."--The Wall Street Journal

"Another gripping thriller . . . intricately interweaves the past and present. . . . Sager remains a writer to watch."--Publishers Weekly

"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."--Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Stranger

"A haunted summer camp. A lake darker than midnight. This chilling tale will keep you awake long after you've turned the last page."--Liv Constantine, national bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish

"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."--J. D. Barker, international bestselling author of The Fourth Monkey and The Fifth to Die

"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."--Jennifer Hillier, author of Jar of Hearts

"No review will do this book justice. The author has done a fantastic job creating a tale that leaves you breathless. If not a fan yet, read this and you will be one for life!"--Suspense Magazine

"Read under the covers with the flashlight on."--Family Circle

"A heart-pounding mystery."--Bustle

"[The Last Time I Lied] might just be the perfect summer book."--Providence Journal

"Need a good mystery to tide you over while you wait for season two of Big Little Lies?"--Apartment Therapy

"If you liked Final Girls, you will love Sager's latest novel, which is a touch better and nearly impossible to put down. . . . Even veteran readers of psychological suspense will be blindsided by the jarring conclusion."--The Real Book Spy

"Nothing short of spectacular . . . Sublime writing . . . and through a deliciously satisfying ending, [Riley] answers each question."--Star-Ledger (Newark)

"Riley Sager has done it again! The Last Time I Lied hooks you in from the opening words and never releases you until the stunning conclusion. It's an ideal summer read that allows you to participate in the action and try to determine what is true and what is a lie in the face of one of the most clever and unpredictable narrators in recent memory."--Bookreporter.com

"Sager strikes a pitch-perfect balance between horror elements and a lighter suspense plotline in his newest book, and the result is an endlessly entertaining summer binge-read. Pick up The Last Time I Lied for its gorgeous cover, stay for its addictive and twisty story of years-old secrets and a summer vacation gone very wrong."--Crime by the Book

"Promises to be just as good [as Final Girls] for the beach (and even better for the edge of a lake)."--CrimeReads

"The Last Time I Lied has all the earmarks of a campy Friday the 13th-type horror flick, but Sager elevates the story with a strong lead character and a grounded, realistic threat."--BookPage

"This story has so many twists and turns, the reader will be shocked by the truth of what really happened."--The Parkersburg News and Sentinel

"The Last Time I Lied . . . is every bit as riveting as Final Girls."--The Big Thrill

"The summer camp setting is beautifully haunting."--Woman Around Town

About the Author