The Last Time I Lied: A Novel

The Last Time I Lied is a psychological thriller by American author Todd Ritter, written under the pen name Riley Sager. The novel, published in 2018, tells the story of three girls who mysteriously vanish from an elite summer camp. Fifteen years later, Emma Davis, who shared a cabin with the missing girls, returns to camp as a painting instructor, determined to face her childhood trauma and learn the truth behind her friends’ disappearance. However, Emma must untangle a web of lies and deceptions, including her own unreliable memories, to unravel the mystery.

Other works by this author include Middle of the Night, Survive the Night, Final Girls, and The Only One Left.

This guide uses the 2018 Penguin Random House Kindle edition of the novel.

Content Warning: Both the guide and the novel contain references to drug and alcohol addiction, suicidal ideation, and outdated and stigmatizing attitudes toward people with mental health conditions.

Plot Summary

When Emma Davis is 13 years old, her parents surprise her with a summer at Camp Nightingale, an exclusive all-girl summer camp in upstate New York owned by billionaire Franny Harris-White.