Best of Psychological Thrillers: The Last Mrs. Parrish | Liv Constantine (book review)

This is a spoiler-free review of Liv Constantine’s The Last Mrs. Parrish. If you are looking to find out how The Last Mrs. Parrish ends, that can be found in my spoiler-review where I explain the ending and unpack the controversy about this and another popular book.

A deliciously unlikable narrator, a twist you won’t see coming, and a secret game of cat and mouse all make The Last Mrs. Parrish an undeniably delicious psychological thriller. This is one of the greats, and easily makes my list of best psychological thrillers! It’s also a well-deserved Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick–and she rarely misses. Now that a sequel is coming, it’s a perfect time for a re-read of this addictive book.

What is The Last Mrs. Parrish about?

Amber Patterson is fed up. She’s tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more—a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted.

To everyone in the exclusive town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, Daphne—a socialite and philanthropist—and her real-estate mogul husband, Jackson, are a couple straight out of a fairy tale.

Amber’s envy could eat her alive…if she didn’t have a plan. Amber uses Daphne’s compassion and caring to insinuate herself into the family’s life—the first step in a meticulous scheme to undermine her. Before long, Amber is Daphne’s closest confidante, traveling to Europe with the Parrishes and their lovely young daughters, and growing closer to Jackson. But a skeleton from her past may undermine everything that Amber has worked towards, and if it is discovered, her well-laid plan may fall to pieces.

What did I think?

Amber Patterson is one of the most delightfully hateful narrators in the business. The magic of a character like Amber is that while she is completely detestable, there is a small element of sympathy that I couldn’t ignore. I wouldn’t say I rooted for her, but I did love being inside of her twisted mind.

The first portion of the book centers entirely around the reader getting to know Amber and her games. It’s a slow build, at first it seems that Amber just wants to become part of the same wealthy, elite world that the Parrishes inhabit. Eventually, it’s clear that Amber has much bigger plans. She systematically and relentlessly pursues a calculated friendship with Daphne Parrish, who by all accounts is a benevolent and kind soul. Daphne may be richer than sin, but Amber seems to be the only one who resents her for it.

As Amber inserts herself into Daphne’s life, claiming to have a sister who passed away from the same illness as Daphne’s sister, she easily begins to manipulate her. It isn’t long before the reader realizes that Amber has not only put herself in the position of Daphne’s best friend, but she also has her sights set on the attractive and wealthy Jackson Parrish, Daphne’s husband. Amber will go to great lengths for the con, including reading up on The Odyssey because Jackson likes it, learns wine pairings, researches hedge funds, art, and eventually information about people Jackson is meeting with. She weasels her way into an administrative assistant position at Jackson’s work, then sabotages his executive assistant so she can take the role herself.

As Amber becomes more beautiful and tailored to Jackson’s exact specifications, Daphne is falling apart. Her once glossy exterior begins to show cracks. She puts on weight, stops being meticulous with her hair and make up, and becomes obsessed with the suspicion that Jackson is cheating on her with someone at work. Unfortunately, she doesn’t realize that person is Amber.

The twists and turns make this an unputdownable read. This is nearly a masterpiece in terms of how to craft a thriller. Not unlike The Wife Between Us, the story is plotted to perfection and the reveals are expertly timed for maximum shock. I’m going to post a spoiler review of The Last Mrs. Parrish so that we can keep up with how this all played out before the new book drops. Suffice it to say, I consider this a must-read psychological thriller!

If you liked The Last Mrs. Parrish, what should you read next?

About the Author

Liv Constantine is the pen name of sisters Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine. Lynne and Valerie are Wall Street Journal and USA Today international bestselling authors with over one and a half million copies sold worldwide. They are Library Reads Hall of Fame authors.  Their books have been translated into 29 languages, are available in 34 countries, and are in development for both television and film.  Their books have been praised by The Washington Post, USA Today, The Sunday Times, People Magazine, and Good Morning America, among many others. Their debut novel, THE LAST MRS. PARRISH, is a Reese Witherspoon Book Club selection.