The Last Mrs. Parrish

Think: Big Little Lies meets Gone Girl

I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.
This book threw me across the room with the revelation of Daphne's scheme. The author does an excellent job of teasing, not telling and saving the twist, when a reader was deep and certain how this story would end.

Most importantly, I closed the book convicted to be more in tune to women in Daphne's position and never assume the character of a person because of the facade displayed.

It took me a bit to get into this one but about 100 pages in I couldn't put it down. Midway through the perspective shifts to the wife and it's a game changer. The ending is deeply, deeply satisfying on many levels. It was similar to The Wife Between Us. I'll be picking up their next book The Last Time I Saw You.

Wow. I think I'll need a minute to collect my thoughts here.

Firstly, you need to know that for the first two parts of this book I was 100% ready to dish out a five star review. I had been totally captivated by the premise and the terrible twisted nature of the main character. Amber doesn't hide who she is for a second on the page, although she conceals it from those around her. The second part of the book is from a different POV, whose I won't spoil, and that completely ramped up my love for the book. I was on the edge of me seat for the entire second portion of that book. The climax to the second portion was the most satisfying one I've read in a long time.

I wish the book had stopped there. The third section builds on the climax and pushes further to take a resolution that I had considered 90% tied up and had really enjoyed even further. I wasn't interested in this section of the book and it sounded like an overly braggy post of r/revengeporn. Over the top and spoilt the conclusion to a thrilling book for me. I think I love psychological thrillers now, and I need to read so many more.

An interesting thriller/mystery. Most of it I figured out ahead of time and the pacing could have been better at parts, but it was an interesting read that kept me going to see if I was right and how it would all be resolved. While one of the main characters is a bit too perfect, it had great villains. Part of the resolution bothered me, and still makes me think and feel uncomfortable. But I won't add what bothered me as it is a spoiler.

Finally, a psychological thriller that is right up my alley! I have not read a book in a while that I could not put down for the life of me! I wouldn't say that I am a fast reader by any means but I read this book in a few days because even though I was going to start watching my TV shows earlier yesterday, I had to finish this book because I was dying to see how it ends! It's also the reason I went to bed after 3 A.M yesterday, oh well. Addicting is the word I would use to describe this book because it hooked me in from page one. Also I loved the fact that we got to see the story from the eyes of the villain, that made for an even more thrilling read.

This novel is about a woman named Amber, who is tired of being poor and struggling with money her whole life, so she comes up with a plan to steal a rich woman's husband. I've read some domestic thrillers and this plot was unique to me. I loved that it was intricate and had many layers without being overly complicated and just all over the place. Also, there was a huge twist that I did not see for the life of me and many smaller ones all throughout the book. I have found one of my all-time favorite writers and I will be reading ALL of Constantine's other books because that's how amazing this book was to me.

Further on, the characterization is best of the best. As much as I absolutely despised the main character, Amber, there were many times in this novel when I felt like I could relate to her even though she isn't the person with the best intentions or character. It was easy to put myself in her shoes and yet I was walking the line between absolutely hating her and yet understanding why she was fundamentally the way that she is. Those are my favorite kinds of characters, the ones that are fundamentally flawed through and through and Amber had plenty of that. Also, when the perspective changed to Daphne's, I was masterfully transferred into Daphne's psyche and had no issues deciphering or going between the two. Amazing characterization, especially for a thriller, where the plot oftentimes overshadows the characters and puts them on the backburner.

In continuation, the writing style had a lot to do with me not being able to physically put the book down. It just sucked me right in and the story flawed effortlessly from the pages of the book into my very soul. It isn't a short book by any means but because everything was so masterfully executed, it forced me to inhale the book in a few days. I know that if I wasn't a full time stay-at-home-mom, I would have read this book in one day, that's for sure.

All in all, I would highly recommend this to all my psychological thriller/domestic thriller lovers! It was a wild ride and Liv Constantine is a master at her craft, which is why I am obsessed and will be picking up all her other works shortly.

I was hooked early, but as soon as we switched POV's, I was completely sold on this book. I loved the justice, I loved the explanation behind the behavior shown by Daphne and Bella, I loved the twist. Hating Amber the whole time and loving Daphne was refreshingly consistent for this type of twist. The only thing I would have changed about this book is the timing of when Daphne revealed what she knew about Amber. I don't think that it aligns with Daphne's character to ever willing put another woman, whether she was played and betrayed by her or not, in harms way when it came to the abuse that Jackson exhibits. I wish that Amber could have really thought everything was roses until both her and Jackson were exposed in their own way. She was already trying to do all of the things he was forcing on Daphne with being fit and wanting to wear expensive things. It would have been completely plausible that he wasn't able to reach the point of abuse before they were both caught because he was ignorant of who Amber/Lana was. Domestic abuse should never be a punishment. I loved literally every other aspect about this book though and I've already added the prequel to my wishlist. Was anyone else hoping that Amber would just fall for Daphne as a friend and stop being terrible before the POV shift?

Отличная книга. Первая часть выглядит довольно наивно, но я не так проста - догадалась, что есть какая-то изюминка. Более того, помимо этой изюминки авторам очень удалась атмосфера, антураж. С какого-то момента стало довольно понятна развязка, но все равно я ее ждала и мне очень понравилось как ее обыграли. Есть две женшины - богатая и бедная, добрая и злая, наполненная любовью - и наполненная ненавистью. Эти женщины встречаются (совсем не случайно), и какое-то время делятся своими жизнями. Вот только жизни их не совсем такие, какими выглядят

This is a spoiler-free review
Read on In The Sheets

The Last Mrs. Parrish is the debut psychological thriller by Liv Constantine, a writing duo consisting of sisters Lynne and Valerie Constantine, and what a debut it is!

The novel switches perspective between Amber Patterson, an unlikable and terrifying woman who's tired of being a nobody, and Daphne Parrish, wife to multi-millionaire Jackson Parrish, and mother to a couple of pretty awesome kids. 

The story kicks off with Amber putting a plan in place to insert herself into the lives of Daphne and Jackson to get what she thinks she's entitled to and, in the end, most certainly gets what she deserves. No spoilers.

I'm not sure if Amber should be classified as a Narcissist, a Sociopath, a Psychopath, or some combination of the three, but she's certainly unnerving. This is a very real look into what manipulation and gaslighting can do to a person.

What makes this books so incredibly terrifying, is that I think we all know an Amber or two. This could actually happen, and does happen, all the time. People like this are very real. I've certainly met my fair share of them. They're emotionless, ruthless people, who will stop at nothing to get what they think they deserve.

I have absolutely no complaints about The Last Mrs. Parrish except that I didn't want the book to end. I really of hope it get's picked up for a film, it would make an amazing movie.

The first part of the book got a little long and I couldn't help but start thinking “really?!” I was wondering why there were so many pages left and I couldn't imagine what else would or could be written. Once the 2nd part of the book started and from a different point of view, I flew through the rear of the book.

It was a delightful way to tell a story!!

Durante muitos momentos do livro me peguei pensando como o ser humano pode ser tão mesquinho e sem escrúpulos, envolvido demais com a história das personagens. A cada parte do livro ficava com mais interessante em conhecer o que estava acontecendo por trás de tudo. Gostei muito do livro, mas não achei que o final tenha acompanhado o nível da trama como um todo. Apesar disso, é uma leitura que valeu a pena e me prendeu até acabar.

Slow Burn Examination Of Sociopathy vs Psychopathy. Have you ever wanted to read a fairly slow, in depth, rather brutal look at what happens when a psychopath and a sociopath cross paths... and someone else is caught in the middle?

Well, then I have the book for you!

I'd owned this book for quite some time before finally reading it as its sequel, The Next Mrs. Parrish, was released - directly in preparation to read *that* book as an Advance Review Copy. While normally I do recommend that people go ahead and start series books early.... in my defense, I thought I *had* read this one a while back before realizing I hadn't. :)

This noted, any readers new to this series will be glad that the sequel is out now, as with the particular manner that this one ends... having the next one readily at hand was actually a great thing indeed.

Just, again, be warned that this is a S L O W book, where even the twists can seemingly take a few dozen pages to reveal themselves. And in the end, virtually *no one* looks overly great *and* there is quite a bit of abuse and other injustices discussed and actively shown. So if darker books aren't your thing... may want to rethink this one.

In the end though, this really was a fun book that I'm glad I finally read.

Recommended.