THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU - BOOK REVIEW

Title: The Last Time I Saw You

Author: Liv Constantine

Format: Paperback | Audiobook | E-Book

Pages: 316

Length: 08h40m

Published: 7 May 2019

Publisher: Harper Collins

Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5

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One of the trickiest parts of picking up a book by an author whose previous work you loved, is managing the sheer weight of your expectations. And unfortunately, that’s exactly the situation I found myself in with The Last Time I Saw You. After being absolutely hooked by The Last Mrs. Parrish—a debut full of layered manipulation, pitch-perfect pacing, and brilliantly unpredictable twists—I was eager to dive into Liv Constantine’s next psychological thriller. But this one, sadly, didn’t hit the same high notes.

The premise is promising: after the shocking murder of her mother, Dr. Kate English, a wealthy Baltimore socialite, begins receiving anonymous, menacing messages that suggest the killer is someone close to her. With paranoia mounting and old friendships resurfacing (particularly with Blaire, her estranged childhood best friend turned investigative journalist), Kate finds herself unraveling emotionally and psychologically, unsure of who she can trust.

Sounds juicy, right? A classic setup for suspense, betrayal, and secrets-so-deep-they-scar.

But where The Last Mrs. Parrish had that polished, tight narrative that made it hard to put down, The Last Time I Saw Youfelt oddly scattered. The tension was there in theory, but it never quite translated to the page in a way that held me. The pacing wavered—slow in parts that should’ve been tense, and abrupt in moments where build-up was needed. And while I wanted to care about Kate’s unraveling, her voice felt more distant than compelling. Her actions often felt inconsistent, and rather than rooting for her, I found myself detached and occasionally frustrated.

The dynamic between Kate and Blaire had potential—the whole rekindled friendship meets murder-mystery investigator setup could have been a standout. But instead, it came off as surface-level, occasionally verging on cliché. The emotional weight just wasn’t there. And the “twists”? Not entirely unpredictable, and definitely not the kind that made me gasp or flip pages in a frenzy.

Now, all that said, the writing itself is clean and accessible. Constantine still knows how to set a scene and spin a tale that’s glossy, glamorous, and easy to read. There were glimpses of sharp dialogue and a few suspenseful scenes that hinted at the brilliance I know these authors are capable of. But glimpses aren’t enough when you’ve set the bar so high with your debut.

So, if The Last Mrs. Parrish had you glued to the page like it did me, just know that The Last Time I Saw You may not deliver that same addictive thrill. It’s not a bad book—it’s just not that book. And that, sometimes, makes all the difference.

A solid concept with underwhelming execution. Here's hoping the next one swings back up.