The Takeaway: Lakes are creepy, that's it.
Have you read Final Girls yet? If not, drop what you're doing and do it now! If you answered yes, then you are probably already in love with Riley Sager's writing like me. The Last Time I Lied is Sager's second novel. And boy, it is one hell of a mystery!
I love Sager's settings in his books. They have a campy 80w slasher-feel to them. The Last Time I Lied occurs at Camp Nightingale, centering the very creepy Lake Midnight, which is a little reminiscent of Camp Crystal Lake from the Friday the 13th series if you ask me.
The Plot
Fifteen years ago, Emma Davis watched from her bunk as her three friends left their cabin in the middle of the night and ventured into the darkness. It was the last time they were ever seen again.
Flash to the present day where Emma is talked into returning to the newly opened camp as a painting instructor and assigned to the same cabin she stayed in as a teenager. Although she wants to use the time to heal, memories of her lost friends continue to haunt her, and secrets surrounding their disappearances are unearthed. As more lies are exposed, Emma is left wondering if there is anyone at camp she can truly trust.
"Everything is a game, Em. Whether you know it or not. Which means that sometimes a lie is more than just a lie. Sometimes it's the only way to win."
-Riley Sager (The Last Time I Lied)
The Drink
In the novel, there are rumors that Lake Midnight is haunted. Most of them are blown off as children's stories, but something is unsettling about the lake. It is so dark and murky you can't see much beneath the surface, never mind glimpse the bottom. Because Lake Midnight is such a central aspect of this story, I wanted my cocktail to pay tribute.
Therefore, I've chosen to pair this novel with a Blueberry Martini. Like most of my recipes, this martini is quick to make, low in added sugar, and free of artificial colors. Perhaps more importantly, the blueberry juice stains this cocktail a deep blue. A blue, I imagine being a similar shade to Lake Midnight.
Blueberry Martini
Yield: 1 serving
Total time: 5 minutes
What You Need:
5 ounces unsweetened blueberry juice
2 ounces vodka
1 ½ tsp sugar
1 tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice
Fresh blueberries for garnish
More sugar for rim (optional)
What You Do:
Add ice, blueberry juice, vodka, sugar, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker.
Shake, Shake, Shake.
(Optional) wet the rim of a martini glass with water. Sprinkle sugar on a plate. Holding the glass by its stem, rotate the rim in the sugar until evenly coated.
Strain mixture into a martini glass.
Skewer or float fresh blueberries for an edible garnish. Serve immediately.
*You can find unsweetened blueberry juice in most grocery stores, usually in the natural aisle.