“Last Liar Standing” by Danielle M. Wong

Last Liar Standing

Danielle M. Wong
Red Adept Publishing (2022)
ISBN: 978-1948051965
Reviewed by Chelsy Scherba for Reader Views (08/2022)

“Last Liar Standing” is a spooky, exhilarating novel that will keep you spellbound from the first to the last page. Veronica Kwan wakes up in the hospital having no memories from the past nine years of her life. Her relationships are shattered, she has no idea who this older version of herself even is, and she’s now being questioned about her husband’s murder. The thing is, Vonny doesn’t even remember meeting her husband, let alone marrying him. Will her lost memories reveal a side of her that is too sinister to contemplate, or will she awaken to a past that will continue to haunt her future?

This book was pretty amazing, and I don’t say that lightly. From the first page, I felt drawn into Vonny’s bizarre world. As each chapter unfolded, something new and mysterious was revealed, keeping me interested and trying to figure out what was going on. Because Vonny has no idea of her past, you get to take the journey alongside her. Much of the book is like a scary ghost story, making the entire story that much creepier.

I thought towards the end I had predicted the plot a few chapters before, but the author threw in one last twist that I honestly hadn’t seen coming. As Vonny discovers the truth about herself and the people she knew, there are some truly spine-tingling individuals you’ll meet. I was genuinely disturbed by one of the more prominent characters in her life. I wish I could say more, but even saying names would take away so much of the fun for future readers. Honestly, I think the best thing for me was having no idea what was going to happen next.

As an author, Wong is fantastic. Her characters are believable, three dimensional, and make you feel things for and about them. Vonny was very likable and yet, some revelations made me question her at the same time. Each discovery she made only deepened the mystery and my interest in finding out the truth with her. I wanted to root for her, but I wasn’t sure if I should. I loved how the book flowed from one chapter to the next. It didn’t feel like there was any filler, and yet there was so much detail as well. At times, I felt like I was watching a great movie full of suspense, and I loved that I couldn’t tell what was fact or fiction until the author skillfully revealed it.

If you love mysteries, suspense, and psychological stories, “Last Liar Standing” by Danielle Wong will scratch every itch. I generally don’t gravitate to murder mysteries, but the way this book was written kept me glued to the page. I enjoyed the satisfying conclusion and would read more from this author in the future. I actually hope this story gets adapted into a film one day.