Title: THE LAST TIME I LIED
Author: RILEY SAGER
ISBN: 9781524743086
Publisher: Penguin Randon House
Pages: 402
Source: Private Copy
Fifteen years ago, summer camper Emma Davis watched sleepily as her three cabin mates snuck out of their cabin in the dead of night. The last she–and anyone–saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.
Now a rising star in the NYC art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings.. They catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the socialite and wealthy owner of the very same Camp Nightingale–and when Francesca implores Emma to return to the camp as a painting counselor, Emma sees an opportunity to find closure and move on.
Yet, it is immediately clear that all is not right at Camp Nightingale. Already haunted by surfacing memories, Emma is suddenly plagued by a security camera pointed directly at her cabin, mounting mistrust from Francesca, and, most disturbing of all, cryptic clues Vivian apparently left behind about the camp’s twisted origins. And as history begins to repeat itself and three girls go missing again, Emma must face threats from both man and nature in order to uncover all the buried secrets–including what really happened all those years ago.
Official Summary
28 May 2026
As part of my mission to work through Riley Sager’s backlist, The Last Time I Lied became my third book by the author. Based purely on the blurb, this is probably not one I would have picked up on my own, but true to Sager’s style, the story was packed with twists, surprises, and a mystery that kept me completely hooked.
At thirteen years old, Emma attends Camp Nightingale, nicknamed “Camp Bitch,” where she becomes fascinated by the older and effortlessly charismatic Vivian. Emma is quickly drawn into Vivian’s orbit and becomes almost obsessed with her. However, everything changes when Emma discovers Vivian secretly sleeping with Theo, the older camp counsellor Emma herself has a crush on.
Then Vivian and two other girls vanish without a trace.
Frightened, confused, and angry with Theo, Emma accuses him of having something to do with the disappearances. But with no evidence and no answers, the mystery surrounding the missing girls remains unsolved.
Years later, Emma is shocked to receive an invitation to return to Camp Nightingale. Deciding it may finally give her the chance to uncover the truth about what happened that summer, she returns to the place that has haunted her for years.
This coming-of-age thriller revolves around the search for truth and the dangerous gap between who people really are and the versions of themselves they choose to show the world. Riley Sager masterfully keeps the real story hidden until the very end, constantly shifting suspicion from one character to another. Even though Emma is emotionally fragile and increasingly unreliable, you cannot help but root for her. At the same time, the novel makes you suspicious of absolutely everyone — right alongside her.
Camp Nightingale itself proves to be the perfect eerie setting. The camp’s dark history, including the nearby asylum that once housed troubled women, creates an unsettling atmosphere that acts as both a distraction and a clue to what is really unfolding beneath the surface. The isolated woodland setting adds a constant sense of tension and unease throughout the story.
At its heart, this is an age-old tale of revenge, deception, and a young girl desperately searching for justice and closure. It was a wonderfully entertaining read filled with suspense, nostalgia, and shocking reveals, and it has only made me more excited to continue exploring Riley Sager’s books.
Also by Riley Sager
FINAL GIRLS
Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to—a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout’s knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them, and, with that, one another. Despite the media’s attempts, they never meet.
Now, Quincy is doing well—maybe even great, thanks to her Xanax prescription. She has a caring almost-fiancé, Jeff; a popular baking blog; a beautiful apartment; and a therapeutic presence in Coop, the police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Her memory won’t even allow her to recall the events of that night; the past is in the past.
That is, until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit, and Sam, the second, appears on Quincy’s doorstep. Blowing through Quincy’s life like a whirlwind, Sam seems intent on making Quincy relive the past, with increasingly dire consequences, all of which makes Quincy question why Sam is really seeking her out. And when new details about Lisa’s death come to light, Quincy’s life becomes a race against time as she tries to unravel Sam’s truths from her lies, evade the police and hungry reporters, and, most crucially, remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started ten years ago is finished.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Riley Sager is the New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, most recently With a Vengeance, Middle of the Night and The Only One Left.
His novels have been published in 40 countries, with more than 4 million copies sold worldwide. His latest book, The Unknown, will be released on August 4.
A native of Pennsylvania, he now lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
That’s the last review for May, thank you for visiting once again. Your support means the world to me. Are you a Sager fan? Which is your favourite book? The next one on my lost is With A Vengeance. I cannot wait to start it. Until next time… Happy Reading!
