The Last Word

I was thoroughly impressed by Taylor Adams’ novel, No Exit, and immediately wanted to explore more of his books. I eagerly added The Last Word to my reading list, and I’m so glad I did. This psychological thriller takes a seemingly simple one-star book review and transforms it into a nightmare of isolation and paranoia.

Emma Carpenter is house-sitting a remote, windswept beach house on the rainy Washington coast, accompanied only by her golden retriever, Laika. Her limited human interaction comes through cryptic texts with the homeowner and distant exchanges with her enigmatic neighbor. When she reads a poorly written but gruesome horror novel by an obscure author named H.G. Kane and posts a brutally honest negative review, she show more inadvertently sparks an online argument with the author himself.

As the story unfolds, eerie disturbances begin to plague the house at night, blurring the line between coincidence and targeted terror. Emma starts to wonder if she’s being stalked by a writer with an easily bruised ego or if she’s provoked someone dangerously unhinged.

Adams’ writing style is strikingly similar to No Exit, and the suspense remains consistent throughout the entire novel. I found myself constantly glued to the narration, thinking the story was nearing its conclusion only to be surprised by yet another unexpected twist. Adams’ masterful storytelling made me genuinely feel the fear and anxiety that the protagonist experiences. I was also pleasantly surprised by the emotional depth of the ending.

This book is definitely earning more than a one-star rating on Goodreads. And, it’s definitely going to make me more cautious about my future book reviews. LOL

I borrowed the audiobook of The Last Word from my local library using Hoopla. The narrators, Carlotta Brentan and Jim Meskimen, did an excellent job of evoking feelings of terror and despair, making the experience even more immersive.

I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog show less

DNF at 64%/214 pages

Entirely too long for what it is. If a book is going to be almost 400 pages it needs to be paced better. It got right into the action and then the action never stopped. It was like those action movies that never have any lulls. You just become bored eventually. I did think the plot was intriguing and original, and I did enjoy the first part of the book. It lost me when it shifted to people chasing each other around a house for 100 pages. I'm not opposed to reading that (I love slashers!), but it didn't have any breaks. And if it doesn't have breaks where the reader/characters can take a breather then it needs to be less than 200 pages.

This was an absolutely incredible read, which I did in one shot, unable to stop. I loved how the author used the device of the unreliable narrator to its fullest extent, showing the alternating perspectives of Emma and the man stalking her with widely differing nuance. Part of me almost wanted to chafe at the amount of hyperbole used in the description of Howard, the murderous writer (referring to him as a virgin seemed out of place and rude in multiple unnecessary ways), but that was the only minor complaint I might lodge. The action was breathless throughout, and there were so many twists and unexpected surprises that I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book. The ending, too, was such a shock that I was stunned into tears show more twice--after all, we were kept guessing until the very, very end, and there are various reasons one might cry. I'll not spoil more than that.

Oh, except for one part, because this is a point I'll always spoil: the dog lives. You're welcome. show less

The Short of It:

Relentless.

The Rest of It:

Emma escapes to a secluded beach house with a fully loaded ebook reader, her sweet Golden Retriever, and a backpack full of rocks. From the first pages, it’s clear that she’s battling some demons and a boat load of guilt. She’s also mourning an impossible loss. All she wants to do is read trashy crime books, hang out with her dog and then walk into the ocean with her backpack full of rocks. It’s a simple plan but it’s a plan that quickly falls apart.

After finishing a particularly lame .99 cent ebook, she decides to post a one star review on Amazon. What she doesn’t anticipate is that the author immediately takes offense and tells her so. He demands that she delete the review. Emma show more finds this ridiculously unreasonable. People are allowed to have opinions and so she adamantly refuses to cave to the request. Who does this guy think he is?

From this point on, the story goes absolutely haywire. Emma begins to hear strange noises in the house and she feels watched. Oddly enough a neighbor at the other end of the Strand befriends her by writing notes back and forth on a whiteboard. They are then viewed by each through a telescope. Emma takes comfort in this stranger’s messages and when things take a crazy turn at the house, she relies on this new friend to watch things from afar.

Is there really a threat? Is she overreacting? Can this author really be so bent over a review that he comes after her? The thing is, he’s a horror writer and the numerous deaths in his stories are grisly and graphic. Painstakingly so. He almost seems to relish “the kill”, so is it really all that far-fetched to think that he could carry that hunger into real life?

Taylor Adams must have had fun writing this one. He jerks you one way, then the other, provides the truth, only for the reader to find out that what he’s just set up is quite the opposite of truth. At first, there was a small piece of me that quickly grew bored with the teasing. A few times I literally cried out, “Really? Come on!” But I gotta tell you, I could not put the dang book down and read it in one sitting.

Plus, I don’t know how he kept it all straight. All the minute details that are revisited later in the story. It’s just wild how it all comes together. The intensity of this one is quite good. My advice to you? Read it, enjoy the craziness of it. Don’t spend too much time trying to critique it. I loved No Exit and this one has that same crazy pace. show less

Gripping plot and clever story-telling that doesn't just word vomit the story and characters' backstories at you in one overwhelming go. Instead, the author provides breadcrumbs throughout, helping to segment the story while slowly revealing more about the characters and the plot-relevant context. This is often done through impressively executed POV switches/flashbacks to help enrich the storytelling. The main character is very openly flawed and still incredibly likable and relatable. Definitely a bit gruesome, but besides the more graphic scenes just adding visceral imagery, I do believe they serve an immersive and suspenseful purpose which is why I found it easier to stomach. The story lines up perfectly at the end, all the pieces show more click in to place (even with the plot twists). Most importantly the ending is SATISFYING. As violent and sad as parts of the book were, it ended with a uniquely uplifting tone that I found inspiring. The plot was a good mixture of realistic, cliche, and exceptional enough that it proves to be a story worth telling. show less

Wow - I don't even know how to start talking about Taylor Adams' latest book - The Last Word!

I've read all of Adams' previous books. He's perfected the 'everyday person in a really bad situation' type of tale that keeps me on the edge of my chair every time. However, this latest has knocked it out of the park.

Emma is housesitting a remote home. Odd things start happening - sounds, smells, things moved - or is it all just in her head?

Next question - have you ever left a one star review for a product? What if the author or vendor asked you to take down the review? And you said no. And... yeah, I'm going to leave it there for you to discover what's next. Great premise.

The delivery of this story is cunningly and deviously crafted. Who is show more the un-named narrator and his point of view? Emma also has a voice. And the two narratives definitely don't match. It feels like two different stories are being told. (which made me so curious!) A critical event happens more than once (almost every chapter, in fact) completely changing the direction of the story every time. I'd be sad or angry about what has transpired, only to be proven wrong in the next chapter. Kudos to Adams for this twisty, turny tale and how it was presented.

Yes, some of it is a bit over the top. Just go with it - you won't be able to put The Last Word down! I've often thought that Adams' books would make good thriller movies. show less

How could a book blogger specializing in crime fiction not read a book about the dire consequences one character has when she posts a one-star review? I certainly couldn't resist the temptation!

The Last Word feels like it was written to be turned into a movie, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I think it would be better as a movie. Emma Carpenter is a sympathetic character, and I was quickly drawn into her solitary life on the rainy Washington coast. Her golden retriever Laika made a good companion, and her telescope-and-white-board games of Hangman with her nearest neighbor did give her some human contact. But the more I read, the more questions I had. What was Emma hiding from? And that neighbor of hers was a bit strange, show more too. Why would an author seemingly go off the deep end over a one-star review?

The questions were piling up, and I was engrossed in the story until everything started unraveling at the halfway mark. This is when readers started being told the story from the point of view of a serial killer who kept dropping hints about what was going to happen to Emma.

At that point, the twists and turns of the plot started coming thick and fast. There were just too many of them, and I had two reactions to them. One, it felt as though the author was showing off. Two, I felt like Wile E. Coyote, getting repeatedly hammered by his latest ACME purchase.

Before the halfway mark, The Last Word was a winner. After that point, I was tempted to throw it against the wall (but I couldn't because I didn't want to damage my Kindle). If you've read, or intend to read, The Last Word, I certainly hope your mileage varies. show less