The Last Time I Saw You

April 1, 2014

Olivia ("Livvy") Berrington's relationship with her best friend at university, Sally, was a seductive but poisonous one. It took all of her willpower to break away from it after three years. However, when Livvy hears of Sally's death in a car accident, she realizes that, at age 35, she is still caught up in Sally's games. In alternating chapter flashbacks, Moran (Stick or Twist) takes Livvy back to the traumatic years when she gloried in Sally's friendship and crashed with her moody rejections. Livvy recognizes that same sense of loss and rejection in William, who is unaware that the women's relationship ended in dramatic scenes of anger and betrayal. She is also shocked to learn that Sally's daughter was named after her. Since she's attracted to William, and both are haunted by Sally's memory, Livvy digs into Sally's past to find the truth behind her friend's frequent betrayals of those who loved her. VERDICT Moran's riveting fourth novel (after Breakfast in Bed) reveals how mental illness, unrecognized and untreated, turns so many people into victims. This compelling story of a troubled woman whose actions powerfully affect those closest to her will attract fans of Gillian Flynn's work. It may also appeal to readers who appreciate stories of women's relationships.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN

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