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?

Perla, Grant, and Sophie live in a wealthy neighborhood in Pasadena. Perla, a picture perfect mother, can't seem to get Leewood Folcrum out of her mind. Leewood is a well known serial killer who killed 2 young girls at his daughter's birthday party 23 years ago. Told in alternating POVs of the obsessed mom, Leewood inmate 82145, and Dr. Timothy Valden, tasked with interviewing Leewood for his dissertation. Leewood has never spoken with anyone about the events that took place 23 years ago, so will he finally tell his story now that he only has a short time to live?
Review:
4.5 stars. The Last Party packed a serious punch of twists and turns I did not see coming! I slowly started to put the pieces together about half way through reading this, but was not expecting the twisted outcome! I really enjoyed the alternating POVs and the dual time line. It is a bingeable read that you simply do not want to put down! I loved the quick interviews/quotes at the beginning of each chapter. They gave glances at what the side characters and people around the situation were thinking/feeling about the conclusion of this "event" the book was leading up to.
I did find myself a little confused at the beginning of the story. It was hard to navigate all the characters and get a feel for where we were in the storyline since there are a couple of different events being spoken about. Once I was able to separate the events and pinpoint the characters, I was okay, but something to be aware of going into the story. Overall, this was a twist psychological thriller that I highly recommend! A.R. Torre never disappoints!!
The Last Party publishes on August 20th, be sure to pick it up!!!
Thank you to NetGalley, A.R. Torre, and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC of The Last Party in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve long been a fan of Torre’s work, and while this one is one of her darker thrillers, it was less twisty than those I’ve read from her in the past - I found myself waiting for more to happen and perhaps didn’t temper my expectations accordingly.

I still very much enjoyed and will look forward to more from her in the future, but this will not rank in the top of her books for me, unfortunately.

The last party was a thrilling, fast paced read that kept me guessing! Perla is cunning, calculating, manipulative and down right despicable. She has everything in life a women could want. An attractive husband, a smart independent well mannered daughter and a stunning house in an upscale gated community. But past events in Perlas life cause her perfect little family persona to crack. Perlas obsession with the Folcrum murders two decades earlier grip her life in a way I did not see coming bluring the lines of reality.

What is the truth behind the infamous murders 23 years ago? Why is Perla so obsessed? Do yourself a favor and pick up A.R. Torre The Last Party! Absolutely a 5 star read!

Now THIS was a thrill! The twists in this story will really keep you awake! Perla has an odd approach to motherhood, and it just gets stranger and stranger! If you enjoy domestic drama, this is definitely for you!!!

This is one book you won't want to put down! From the very start, you know Perla has a mysterious past, and the suspense of how it all ties together keeps you glued to the pages. The build-up to the big event is brilliant—it makes you anxious, but you can't help but keep reading as the tension ramps up with every chapter. Perla’s meticulous planning pulls you in, and the way the story jumps between characters only adds to the thrill. I loved the clever addition of little news snippets at the start of each chapter—it was a nice touch that made the story even more gripping.

The pace is fast, and once it hooks you, it won’t let you go until you find out how the party (the central event of the story) unfolds. While the ending was satisfying and wrapped everything up neatly, I did wish it had been a bit darker and twistier.

Big thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for letting me dive into this ARC!

This is a dark twisty and fast paced thriller that's often just over the top but you'll keep turning the pages to get answers. The main character-Perla- has no redeeming qualities but it's hard to turn away. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.