"The Last Thing She Told Me"

“The Last Thing She Told Me”

Written by Linda Green

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“The Last Thing She Told Me” was absolutely wild. We have two different perspectives: current time Nicola and past William in letters. This is a thriller that would be very effective in forcing you to question your family and the secrets they could hide.

We meet Nicola, who is told by her dying grandmother that she must protect her babies in the garden. Nicola's mind is consumed by questions; who are the babies? Are they just the angel statues in the backyard? Her determination unlocks horrific family secrets.

I was intrigued by this premise, but I was surprised in unexpected ways. I had figured that certain characters were untrustworthy, certain were strange, and certain characters were hiding a secret. The secrets that were hidden were much more surprising to me. We have a very uncomfortable tale, with molestation and sexual abuse, told side by side by young lovers separated by the war. It’s a horrifying juxtaposition as we rack our brains to figure out who could have committed the Lolita-like crimes. Was it William, and we are misinterpreting the letters? Or was it someone else, but we are meant to think it is William?

This is a very sad thriller with little resolution, but it is written wonderfully. The characters are fleshed out and relatable, using dialogue that sounds absolutely reminiscent of how real people speak. You’d be surprised by the thrillers I read and their lack of decent dialogue.

Without revealing any of the big spoilers, I hope you read this. If sexual abuse and pedophilia are topics that you cannot handle, please avoid this. This book is very sickening and uncomfortable to read, even to someone who normally can read strong and unflinching books.

I received a complimentary reader’s edition for reviewing purposes.