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.

A good read. Some monumentally screwed up characters. Tidy ending, strange story. Quick read. Would work well on vacation. Enjoy!!

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.

I enjoyed the book but felt there were a lot of repeated thoughts and comments that felt like they were there just to add pages.

I love this book. I love the story. I really appreciate how it’s written in short chapters. The characters are multi layered. The story is gripping. So good I had to read it twice. One of my favorites from one of my favorite authors.

I’ve never read such a book where I hated the characters more. I mean never. I hate them so much. So I couldn’t stop reading! There were some slowdowns and a chapter that felt like a repeat but that’s on the editorial team. I threw my kindle across the room in disgust twice in early development of the story. But I kept at it and it’s now 3am. I have to get up at 7! When I think of what hipsters and new money musketeers have done to my city I am enraged and he taps into so much here. Just excellent. The ending infuriated me!! I need to call this guy.

I chose this book because I enjoyed Greg Olsen's true story, "Tell No One." Thinking it was another true crime book I was not disappointed in his ability to write fiction, as well. There is something about books written in the far northwest states of Oregon and Washington that set the stage for subtle yet sinister plots and deep secrets in each charachter. This book begins with a terrifying accident which changes the life of Liz on a typical Summer day heading to the river that twists through Bend with friends and ends up altering her life when a flash flood alters her life which she survives and the loss of Dr. Martin's son who saves Liz and looses his own young life in the act. The book focusses on a grown up Liz and husband, their new neighbors with a small son newly transplanted from California and the sordid underbelly of these perfect marriages as they unravel after three year old Charlie dissapears. Cracks show up in each of the charachters and their friendships as a month goes by with no sign of Charlie. Liz accidentally had hit Charlie one hectic day while rushing off late to take her law exam and not thinking clearly leaves him in the garage covered with a tarp thinking he is dead. She relies on her manipulative husband to get rid of Charlies's body, only Charlie isn't dead.The lies and secrets each character conceals make as many twists and turns as the river running through the town of Bend. Gregg Olsen weaves a psychological page burner with the search for Charlie shaping the plot into a book that's written well and hard to put down until the truth finally reveals the truth.

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.

You know a crime has been committed from the the very start...and by who, but it's the fallout that kept me gripped to this book. The consequences of some very poor decision making. Families trying to hold it together, relationships buckling, a devastated community speculating the worst. Well crafted characters, all with their own agenda, some really are despicable and it was good to see them crumble. Tense and twisty with lies and revelations plentiful. This is only the third book I have read by this author and I can't wait to read more.

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.

I have read a few of Gregg Olsen's books and he is a good writer, the subject matter here is hard to stomach and you have to brace yourself.I read a lot of thrillers and I'm sure they are getting more vivid in their descriptions once you get past that though the book is good but definitely not for those of a nervous disposition ,the pace of the book is good and I did enjoy it and will read more books by this author in the future.I would say that this is a good book and well worth a read as long as you are aware there are upsetting scenes.

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