The Last Word: A Novel by Taylor Adams

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

After posting a negative book review, a woman living in a remote location begins to wonder if the author is a little touchy—or very, very dangerous—in this pulse-pounding novel of psychological suspense and terror from the critically acclaimed author of No Exit and Hairpin Bridge.

Emma Carpenter lives in isolation with her golden retriever Laika, house-sitting an old beachfront home on the rainy Washington coast. Her only human contact is her enigmatic old neighbor, Deek, and (via text) the house’s owner, Jules.

One day, she reads a poorly written—but gruesome—horror novel by the author H. G. Kane, and posts a one-star review that drags her into an online argument with none other than the author himself. Soon after, disturbing incidents start to occur at night. To Emma, this can’t just be a coincidence. It was strange enough for this author to bicker with her online about a lousy review; could he be stalking her, too?

As Emma digs into Kane’s life and work, she learns he has published sixteen other novels, all similarly sadistic tales of stalking and murder. But who is he? How did he find her? And what else is he capable of?

my thoughts:

Whoa! Taylor Adams' latest novel, The Last Word, is AMAZING! I enjoyed every second I spent with this story - it was just so damn good. An author getting revenge over a bad review - classic! 

Emma is housesitting. It's just her and her dog, Laika. The home is located right on the beach in a remote area. Her only human contact comes in the form of texts with the home's owner, Jules; and, the next door neighbor, Deek, who communicates via a whiteboard facing the window. She spends her time reading e-books. Deek recommends a book called, Murder Mountain. Emma devours it in one sitting and can't believe how awful it was. So, she decides to leave a review on Amazon and shares what she really thought about the book.  Suffice it to say, the author does not take kindly to her one star review, and asks her to take it down. Emma refuses and the two wind up bickering online. Shortly after, some strange and disturbing incidents occur and Emma finds herself spooked. Did the author find her? What's he going to do to her? Should she leave? How safe is she? Talk about an unwelcome surprise. And, that is all I will write about this awesome story, because you have to experience it for yourself. It is such a fun and entertaining story - the mystery and suspense - oh, my! I loved getting caught up in this story - Emma's secrets, Deek's history, the author's real identity, and just everything in between - talk about a thrilling escape! 

I found myself hooked right from the start and could not stop thinking about this story long after I turned the last page. I loved Adams' storytelling - it kept me on the edge of my seat and had me guessing what would happen next. What a fantastic reading experience! I would happily recommend The Last Word to fans of Taylor Adams and to anyone looking for their next great read  - you are going to LOVE this book! Make sure to check it out ASAP! 

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!