I haven’t read anything by Amy Gentry. This is a dark book. That being said, I think her character development was good, not overdone and not all the history in one fell swoop. ( )

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

I've been reading a lot of dark books lately, maybe because it's winter and typically pretty dark and gloomy outside. Or maybe just because I tend to love psychological thrillers and suspense and they tend to be pretty dark. And Last Woman Standing is definitely one of those dark reads.

Comparisons have been made to Strangers on a Train and I can definitely see why. When Dana Diaz, a comedian trying to find her place on stage, meets Amanda Dorn after a difficult show, the two start talking about the difficulties they've faced in their lives, especially when it comes to men. When Dana finds herself drawn into a pact, she realizes the consequences are far more than she could have anticipated.

This is a fascinating and disturbing look at what it means to be a woman in a man's world, the danger and violence women can and do face anywhere at any time. Gentry dives deep into this, through the world of stand up comedy (highly unique), as well as the tech industry (highly timely). Gentry also explores the bonds (or lack thereof) between women, and the power and harm of obsession.

I did guess a large percentage of the major revelation before it happened, but this actually upped the tension for me, because I could see what was coming and as a reader could do nothing about it.

Gentry has proven with this and her debut book that she is a talented writer who knows how to write dark, tense psychological thrillers and suspense. I'm excited to see what she comes up with next. ( )