Unger...just keeps getting better at writing irresistible thrillers; this one thrums with tension from its first pages and never lets up ... Wren...narrates the book as if she’s speaking to Adam, but the repeated 'you' has the effect of drawing the reader in so we feel we, too, have an intimate connection with Wren, whose voice is humorous and empathetic ... many finely tuned twists and surprises. But I promise you it will be a dark and wild ride—and you might think long and hard next time you swipe.
Lisa Unger’s Last Girl Ghosted...sets up a five-alarm fire of a situation ...Marrying these two stories—the story of Wren’s childhood with a crazy survivalist father, and the story of her ill-fated romance with the world’s creepiest cyber-expert—is a challenge Unger doesn’t always rise to. Wren’s present-tense narration, with its stream-of-consciousness anxiety, could have used some disciplined editing. But the surprises keep coming, and there’s something about Wren that makes us root for her.
Part of what makes Unger such a terrific storyteller is her ability to put characters in danger physically, emotionally, and psychologically. She is also adept at playing with time and character points of view in ways that build suspense. In the hands of a lesser writer, jumps in time and character points of view can jar or confuse the reader, but Unger’s skillful layering of the past and the present alongside the viewpoints of different characters only makes the tension on the page that much greater ... yet another spine-tingling, whirlwind of a journey for the characters and the reader. No one does psychological thrillers better than Lisa Unger.
... there’s an ever-escalating tension as Wren, Adam, and Bailey all seek their vindication. The resultant game of predator and prey—but just exactly who’s who?—doesn’t simply apply to Wren and Adam but to Wren and Bailey, each of whom needs the other to accomplish what they’ve set out to do. Lisa Unger continues to impress with the quantity and quality of her work. Last Girl Ghosted is a deeply resonant cautionary tale about dating in a digital age. Equal parts clever and creepy, it’s also imbued with keen psychological insight and hard-won wisdom. While each reader will find their own takeaway(s), perhaps one worth mentioning is this: that the more plugged in we are, the less connected we become—both to our inner selves and each other.
... a story that is simply bigger than what we get, as readers, in most thrillers. Here it gives us a broader picture, there are deeper emotional connections to the characters, and encompasses more character development over time than can generally be found in a single novel. This is the type of thriller that, if I heard it was being turned in to a movie I would be furious, but if it was being turned into a mini-series I would not be able to contain my joy. There is just so much story here, it can not possibly be over-stated ... Unafraid to tackle elements that are both disturbing and gritty, Unger takes what could be a standard cat and mouse chase to a much higher level as she takes the reader back to Wren’s terrifying early life and how that plays into the dangerous situation she is now involved in. With twists, reveals, and surprises throughout, readers will be turning pages late into the night, needing to find out what comes next. Perhaps the best advice I can give is to go ahead and plan a spa day when you finish because in Last Girl Ghosted, Unger is going to emotionally wear you out—in the best possible way.
The book does an excellent job of using modern-day technology and applications and tying them into a psychological thriller that could have been directed by Alfred Hitchcock ... Lisa Unger drops enough tidbits and red herrings to keep the wheels turning for the armchair detective reader. Last Girl Ghosted is so intricately plotted that this will be no easy task.
The well-drawn secondary characters make Unger's mystery even more dynamic, and the plot twists come fast ... Unger keeps readers guessing, with revelations that will make them stop and question what they thought they knew. She might also make them think twice about online dating. Recommended for those who like psychological thrillers with women protagonists, such as Andrea Bartz's We Were Never Here.
Unger has said that 'plot flows from the characters,' and the finely nuanced Wren is a perfect example of such a character, leading the reader through an immersive tale of passion and vengeance with a startling ending.
... enthralling ... Readers will root for the appealing, intelligent characters, even when they’re not acting in their own best interest. Believable plot twists related to questions of identity and the value of friends who become family further elevate the story. Unger is on a roll.
Unger crafts Wren’s first-person narration skillfully, creating an engaging, witty character and drawing the reader into her life and only slowly revealing that she has secrets of her own. Almost no one in this thriller is who they appear to be. Unger always ratchets up the tension, and the revelations, in her final chapters. But in this book, she spins like Simone Biles—and sticks the landing. A young woman’s foray into online dating becomes a heartbreak—and then a deadly nightmare.
