The Last Thing She Ever Did

**********SPOILERS******** This was a tremendously enjoyable novel! It was enthralling! I read it in 3 days; I was very desirous to reach the conclusion. The major male characters——David & Owen——were such disgusting human beings. I absolutely abhorred the both of them. Mr. Olsen did a marvelous job creating disgusting, selfish, sociopathetic SOBs in the characters of David & Owen. I was very pleased how things ended for the both of them. Carole (David’s wife) was once a high powered, effective executive of Google before she gave birth to her son Charlie. After his birth, she resigned from her position and became a textile artist so she could stay home & raise her son. After her son disappears, she becomes a gray shadow of her former, confident self. She disintegrates & becomes undone under the stress of not knowing if her 3 year old son is alive or dead. The author paints a vivid and believable picture of her downward spiral. Her next door neighbor Liz Jarrett (Owen’s wife) witnesses Carole’s disintegration with her own personal torment. Liz has had her own lifelong misery to contend with. When she was 9 years old, she was traumatized when a flash flood destroys her neighbor’s car during a trip to the lake, and her friend is drowned. This was the second worst thing that ever happened to her. The worst thing that will happen to her is vividly described by Mr. Olsen’s deft, polished, & vivid writing style. The novel ends in a kind of indefinite way, as we don’t really know what happens to Liz when she finally speaks out. The reader can only imagine. The author, in ending his novel as he did, creates a more impacting & memorable novel. I just loved this book! I recommend buying it now while the book is on sale. I’ve read a few of Gregg Olsen’s other novels. They were terrific, but I liked this novel best of all.

This book kept me intrigued even though I kind of knew what happened towards the beginning. My issue is that it regurgitated the same conversations over and over for about 3/4 of the book. Like it was just stuck and didn't move forward. I could see several directions that it could have went to make it more interesting instead of revisiting the same feelings and situations. The ending was good, even though I feel it's unbelievable that Owen would do what he did, he would fight tooth and nail to save himself. That was a little disappointing to me. But I liked this book much better than If You Tell and finished it, although I did skip through some of the repeated conversations.

I was drawn into this saga hook/line/sinker. Rarely will I pick up my Kindle during the day, usually await bedtime...this novel was the exception whereby I interrupted numerous tasks every day needing to know 'what happens next'. The stage is intensely set with the opening: "Twenty Years Ago". The description of the flood is mind boggling - you see and feel it all. Then comes Chapter One "Just Before", present day. Interestingly, I almost wasn't going to continue reading after what happens in this chapter, I was so upset by what occurred. Fortunately, I continued because I would have otherwise missed a thoroughly engrossing story. Talk about some messed up lives - shocking minds. I read a LOT of mystery/criminal/suspense novels, this was absolutely one of the best. Loved Esther, the detective. I also enjoyed some of the characters' (author's) thought-provoking passages: "People born rich don't try to hard. They know they don't need to. They already have everything they want, and they never have to break a sweat to show it off. Showing it off is for those at risk of ending up back where they started." "A tragedy's main players have no control over how other people might choose to perceive an error in judgment." Tighten your seatbelts, get ready to neglect of many things in your daily living, including reading way too late into the night. Well done, Mr. Olsen.

Too much filler and endless description. Eventually I started skipping paragraph after paragraph where the author described (yet again) the anguish and guilt of the main character. How many times can you describe emotional torment before the reader tunes out? You’ll find out the answer to that question in this book. In all honesty I’m disappointed by the characters and the plot dragged. The book was easy to read and was a “page turner”, so that’s why I gave it three stars. Unfortunately, I won’t purchase from this author again. Descent writing, but it’s rather hollow and definitely too repetitive. The language and style is very simplistic. Additionally, the characters are mostly drunk throughout and certain scenes were difficult to believe. I can’t swallow the main character going into that house, because she couldn’t even take initiative to get out of bed. I don’t recommend the book.

Kept wife quiet for a bit

This novel was really amazing. The storyline is incredible and will get your emotions going, and I do not mean tears, anger and disbelief are more appropriate. I am going to read more books written by Gredd Olsen for sure.

This book is quite different to other books I have read by [author:Gregg Olsen|15035] in that this one isn't quite a graphic and macabre as others. The books starts with Liz hurrying to sit her bar exam, she is stressed and strung out on pills that enabled her to study into the early hours of the morning. In reversing her car she hears a sickening thud, and discovers she has hit her neighbours three year old son. From here a steady and widening path of havoc unfolds. In a spur of the moment decision, Liz in an effort to protect herself lights a fuse. This was so hard to put down, with various twists and the ugly side of many of the central characters brought into the spotlight.

Great book. Hard to put down to find out what haooens. GreAt ending . Definitely recommend it. How 2 lives overlap from past to future

Good, thrilling and amazing reading experience