Thrilling, dark and incredibly clever, THE LAST MRS PARRISH is a story of greed, envy and psychological manipulation at its best
Never judge a book by its cover – or by its title. I’ll admit that when I first picked up THE LAST MRS PARRISH, the title put me off a little. But, as Liv Constantine’s book cleverly demonstrates, appearances can be deceiving.
THE LAST MRS PARRISH tells the story of Amber Patterson, a young woman in her 20s running from her sordid past. Fed up of being a nobody, Amber sets out to befriend Daphne Parrish, a beautiful and rich socialite who lives in a picture-perfect mansion with her millionaire husband and their two children. Gradually, Amber insinuates herself into the Parrish family’s life, becoming Daphne’s closest confidante and catching the eye of Daphne’s handsome and powerful husband, Jackson. But a skeleton from Amber’s past could undermine everything she has worked for, and if discovered, her well-laid plan may end in disaster.
Thrilling, dark and incredibly clever, THE LAST MRS PARRISH is a story of greed, envy and psychological manipulation at its best. From its well-developed characters to its highly-crafted plot packed full of secrets, scandal and suspense, every inch of this addictive psychological thriller will have you gripped from the very first page.
Divided into three parts and narrated by the two main characters Amber and Daphne, the first half of the novel follows the heartless and manipulative Amber as she sets out on her plan to steal Daphne’s husband and take over her ‘perfect’ life. The second half sees Daphne tell the story from own perspective, before both sections come together in part three with an exploding ending.
Considering this is Liv Constantine’s debut (the pen name of sister writing team, Lynne and Valerie Constantine), the writing in THE LAST MRS PARRISH is first-class. The author cleverly intertwines the characters, drawing you into the cunning plot at a relentless pace.
In terms of characters, first prize goes to the cold and calculated Amber, the woman you love to hate. Here, Constantine has put together a fascinating psychological profile of a sociopath who is a master of duplicity and manipulation. Daphne and Jackson are equally fascinating characters, each with their own secrets that will both shock and surprise.
But the true beauty of THE LAST MRS PARRISH is the unexpected twist the author throws in half way through. Just when you think you know where the story is going, the plot suddenly veers off in a completely different direction, leaving you shell shocked yet completely gripped. From then, the book races towards the delicious and explosive finale, which will leave you with a smile on your face and a satisfied feeling of time well spent.
A great piece of escapist melodrama.
THE LAST MRS PARRISH
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Donna is the Founder and Editor of Frankly, My Dear UK. By day, she works as a digital marketing specialist, by night she reviews film, theatre and music for a wide range of publications including WhatsonStage and The Reviews Hub. Loves Formula 1, prosecco and life.
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