Ceecee's Reviews > The Last Housewife

This is the story of three best friends who meet at Whitney College, New York - Shay Evan’s, Laurel Hargrove and Clem Jones. Pivotal to this ugly tale is a fourth girl, their strange roommate, Rachel Rockwell who brings her father Don into their orbit. He’s enigmatic, attractive in a Don Draper way, powerful and sophisticated and the girls are beguiled. Several years on, post college, Shay, now married to a hedge fund manager, joins forces with her old friend Jamie Knight, who has a podcast known as Transgressions. This is their quest for the truth. Their search to discover if the deaths of first Clem and later Laurel are indeed suicides as the authorities decide.

This is a courageous book which has clearly divided people but as the five stars clearly demonstrates, I think it’s one of the most thought provoking novels I’ve read in a while. This is a multilayered story as a dangerous if not deadly spider lures these flies into a disturbing web. It’s about power, obedience and the fight for control. It explores several concepts such as victimhood, feminism and its polar opposite, corruption along the route to the astonishing truth. There’s guilt and redemption as it hurtles to an ending where I hold my breath. It’s very scary, extremely dark and chills to the bone. It’s a rollercoaster read but I like the way you get the chance to catch your breath.

I love the inclusion of Scheherazade, which is so apt.

Ashley Winstead is a very talented author and is an auto read for me without doubt.

The copy of this book is a gift from a very special friend and I will always treasure it. Thank you ❤️