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One Last Scream
New York Times Bestseller
When You're Caught In A Killer's Web. . .
Twelve women have vanished, leaving behind no trace or clue--their whereabouts still a mystery after eleven years. . .
The Only Thing That Can Save You Is. . .
Amelia Faraday is beautiful, smart, and a walking disaster. Suffering from blackouts, she also suffers from something worse--the feeling that she is personally involved in a series of deaths.
One Last Scream. . .
Now as a new series of murders begins, and she continues to suffer from blackouts, Amelia is left wondering if she is a cold-blooded killer--or a pawn in a deadly game that's only just beginning. . .
Praise for the Novels of Kevin O'Brien
"A fast-paced thriller. . .O'Brien's crisp, clear writing, and taut suspense elevate this above similar fare." -- Publishers Weekly
"Another page-turner."-- Seattle Post-Intelligencer
When You're Caught In A Killer's Web. . .
Twelve women have vanished, leaving behind no trace or clue--their whereabouts still a mystery after eleven years. . .
The Only Thing That Can Save You Is. . .
Amelia Faraday is beautiful, smart, and a walking disaster. Suffering from blackouts, she also suffers from something worse--the feeling that she is personally involved in a series of deaths.
One Last Scream. . .
Now as a new series of murders begins, and she continues to suffer from blackouts, Amelia is left wondering if she is a cold-blooded killer--or a pawn in a deadly game that's only just beginning. . .
Praise for the Novels of Kevin O'Brien
"A fast-paced thriller. . .O'Brien's crisp, clear writing, and taut suspense elevate this above similar fare." -- Publishers Weekly
"Another page-turner."-- Seattle Post-Intelligencer
480 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 18, 2007
44 people are currently reading
963 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
March 17, 2017
I liked this better than my GR friends. Beautiful, young Amelia Faraday is plagued with horrifying premonitions of murder that seem to come true. Adopted, with no memory of her childhood, she is being counseled by therapist Karen, who bonds with her because she reminds her of another young woman she had not been able to help. Amelia seems to lose time during these murders, making her a likely suspect. Karen believes in her innocence despite mounting evidence, and eventually Karen and Amelia's grieving uncle team up to unravel the senseless deaths of Amelia's foster parents and aunt as well as the haunting cases of a number of young women, who have disappeared over the years. Suspenseful.
December 17, 2025
3.5 rounded up
October 30, 2015
I had only read one thing by Kevin O'Brien before but after reading One Last Scream, that is going to change. The author starts with a young woman who is abducted by a man who has his 4 year old daughter Annabelle in the vehicle with him which had led the woman to allow him to give her a lift in the first place after her own vehicle wouldn't start after work when there were no businesses around open. The year is 1992. Annabelle sits in the vehicle alone as her dad takes the woman to the woods and rapes and murders her. She wants to go home and thinks that when the screaming stops, it will be time to go home. This isn't the first time this has happened and it is far from being the last.
Fast forward to 2007. Therapist Karen Carlisle lives alone in her father's big house since she had to put him in a rest home because of Alzheimer's. It is a nice rest home with caring staff and Karen calls and visits all the time plus volunteers there on some days to keep watch on her darling dad. Her dad's long time housekeeper/cook Jessie, a very sweet and nurturing lady, works for Karen now and also visits Karen's dad. Then there is Rufus, Karen's adorable dog.
Karen's life and that of her dad, Jessie, and Rufus, becomes dangerous the day she agrees to take 19 year old college student Amelia Faraday as a patient only none of them know it. Amelia has horrible issues. She has phantom pains, nightmares, glimpses of terrible "memories" and a drinking problem she has battled-alcohol is what she used to mask the weird problems. She has stopped drinking but one night goes to a party with her boyfriend Shane and steals a bottle of tequila and Shane's car. She wakes up the next day having driven halfway to her adoptive family's lake house and has horrible memories of being there and murdering her mom, dad, and aunt. She can see every detail. She had already told Karen she had murdered her teenaged younger brother Collin a few months earlier giving graphic detail and now she calls her Uncle George and Karen telling them she feels like something is wrong at the lake house again.
Something was wrong. Amelia's parents and aunt were murdered just in the exact way and locations Amelia said and with the weapon she described.
I won't give more details except to say that Karen is torn, wondering if Amelia has a split personality but links up with Uncle George (who is a sexy hunk and new widower) to discover Amelia's past which includes a mysterious twin sister and a serial killer dad and that there are more deaths but in places Amelia couldn't have been though she was seen there and she knows all the details and that Karen, Shane, Jessie, Rufus, a nosy cop, Uncle George and his two kids and even Karen's dad are all in danger of being killed-their deaths being planned. Does Amelia have a split personality? Does she have an evil twin? And who is that weird guy driving a beat up back Cadillac and wearing dark glasses? Is someone else altogether from her past involved? Its worth reading to see.
Fast forward to 2007. Therapist Karen Carlisle lives alone in her father's big house since she had to put him in a rest home because of Alzheimer's. It is a nice rest home with caring staff and Karen calls and visits all the time plus volunteers there on some days to keep watch on her darling dad. Her dad's long time housekeeper/cook Jessie, a very sweet and nurturing lady, works for Karen now and also visits Karen's dad. Then there is Rufus, Karen's adorable dog.
Karen's life and that of her dad, Jessie, and Rufus, becomes dangerous the day she agrees to take 19 year old college student Amelia Faraday as a patient only none of them know it. Amelia has horrible issues. She has phantom pains, nightmares, glimpses of terrible "memories" and a drinking problem she has battled-alcohol is what she used to mask the weird problems. She has stopped drinking but one night goes to a party with her boyfriend Shane and steals a bottle of tequila and Shane's car. She wakes up the next day having driven halfway to her adoptive family's lake house and has horrible memories of being there and murdering her mom, dad, and aunt. She can see every detail. She had already told Karen she had murdered her teenaged younger brother Collin a few months earlier giving graphic detail and now she calls her Uncle George and Karen telling them she feels like something is wrong at the lake house again.
Something was wrong. Amelia's parents and aunt were murdered just in the exact way and locations Amelia said and with the weapon she described.
I won't give more details except to say that Karen is torn, wondering if Amelia has a split personality but links up with Uncle George (who is a sexy hunk and new widower) to discover Amelia's past which includes a mysterious twin sister and a serial killer dad and that there are more deaths but in places Amelia couldn't have been though she was seen there and she knows all the details and that Karen, Shane, Jessie, Rufus, a nosy cop, Uncle George and his two kids and even Karen's dad are all in danger of being killed-their deaths being planned. Does Amelia have a split personality? Does she have an evil twin? And who is that weird guy driving a beat up back Cadillac and wearing dark glasses? Is someone else altogether from her past involved? Its worth reading to see.
October 5, 2017
I just can't put his books down. But I must be the only person who believes most people murder bc they're evil and for no other reason.
The first book I read was Helter Skelter. HE did it for that reason and should have gotten the gas chamber instead of costing the state of California almost 40 years of tax money. There's no way in hell Manson's execution would have cost more than his living all this time.
The first book I read was Helter Skelter. HE did it for that reason and should have gotten the gas chamber instead of costing the state of California almost 40 years of tax money. There's no way in hell Manson's execution would have cost more than his living all this time.
March 20, 2009
I almost quit reading this book early on - and I'm so glad I didn't quit! I almost did, because it started out pretty icky, and I wasn't sure how far the author was going to take the "ick" factor. I had never read a book by this author before, and so I wasn't sure. However, I stuck with it and the author never cross the line when it came to describing the violence that happened to these girls. The violence occurred "off-stage" and the I was fine with the rest of what he wrote.
I took me forever to read the first 175 pages (because I was worried the author was going to take it too far) but then I BLEW through the last 300 pages because I couldn't wait to find out who was going to live and who was going to die.
I especially loved that I paid less than five dollars for this book and it had 475 pages. I hate paying $17 for a book that has less than 300 pages. Value matters.
The author did a great job developing the characters and so I was invested in them when it came time for some of them to die.
There were no actual sex scenes in the book - but there were plenty of sexual references. The language was pretty good. There is a lot of violence in the book - but the worst is "off stage."
It was a great read, and I look forward to reading more books by Kevin O'Brien.
I took me forever to read the first 175 pages (because I was worried the author was going to take it too far) but then I BLEW through the last 300 pages because I couldn't wait to find out who was going to live and who was going to die.
I especially loved that I paid less than five dollars for this book and it had 475 pages. I hate paying $17 for a book that has less than 300 pages. Value matters.
The author did a great job developing the characters and so I was invested in them when it came time for some of them to die.
There were no actual sex scenes in the book - but there were plenty of sexual references. The language was pretty good. There is a lot of violence in the book - but the worst is "off stage."
It was a great read, and I look forward to reading more books by Kevin O'Brien.
March 10, 2011
A good, fast paced thriller. The main character--Amelia Farady--is very well-written. A second main character is her therapist, Karen Carlisle. Using her pint of view in scenes where Amerilia does not appear gives us a different "view" of Amelia, and adds to the novel.
I figured out most of the mystery early on--but I still was kept reading by wanting to know how and why things occurred. The summary above--copies fromthe book jacket is quite accurate.
There is some violence but it is mainly "off screem" and is not dwelt on too much. There is a great deal of tension and psychological suspense, and it is well done.
Recommended for all mystery fans over age 18---a bit too intense for YA. Especially recommended if psychological suspense is a type of mystery you enjoy.
I figured out most of the mystery early on--but I still was kept reading by wanting to know how and why things occurred. The summary above--copies fromthe book jacket is quite accurate.
There is some violence but it is mainly "off screem" and is not dwelt on too much. There is a great deal of tension and psychological suspense, and it is well done.
Recommended for all mystery fans over age 18---a bit too intense for YA. Especially recommended if psychological suspense is a type of mystery you enjoy.
December 30, 2016
O'Brien writes THRILLERS and this one keeps you going. Have liked others by him better tho... to me this one had tendency towards the characters seeming whiney or something. Oh yeah and two vigilantes that couldn't be bothered with the police irritated me a bit!
March 4, 2015
Very disturbing but could not put down.
June 12, 2018
After about 1/3 of the book and a ton of POV changes and flashbacks, I finally figured out who the main character actually is, I think. I’m not sure all of the different PoVs were necessary, and I could’ve definitely done away with at least one or two of the flashbacks, but the story still remained gripping for the most part. I have to admit, the head hopping was especially annoying in the very beginning, but I got used to it after a while, and not too many new characters were introduced as the author slowly established the story.
I had a hunch within the first 50ish pages about what was going on, really. Although the author continuously tried to mislead the reader in a number of ways, while also giving legit hints at the truth, my opinion of what the truth was couldn't be swayed. Now, on page 308 the characters have finally figured out what I already knew from almost the beginning. It was almost frustrating to follow them so stuck on one of their theories, when the truth was blatantly obvious.
But the characters’ blindness doesn’t stop there. By page 402 we’re investigating an incident on a deeper level, an incident whose truth, based on what we’ve already learned or rather, what the characters have already learned, should be so very obvious, it might hit you in the face. I wanted to smack the main character on the head for not seeing it right away. Six pages later, she finally gets it.
The final confrontation was well done and suspenseful. Nonetheless, at the end of the book I was left with little more than, ok, so that was that.
In terms of writing style, one phrase repetition started to really irritate me about half way through: whenever the characters feel any kind of dread, they feel it in the pit of their stomach in some form or fashion. The author really could’ve dug a little deeper into his imagination and word pool here. Aside from that the language and style were enjoyable.
I had a hunch within the first 50ish pages about what was going on, really. Although the author continuously tried to mislead the reader in a number of ways, while also giving legit hints at the truth, my opinion of what the truth was couldn't be swayed. Now, on page 308 the characters have finally figured out what I already knew from almost the beginning. It was almost frustrating to follow them so stuck on one of their theories, when the truth was blatantly obvious.
But the characters’ blindness doesn’t stop there. By page 402 we’re investigating an incident on a deeper level, an incident whose truth, based on what we’ve already learned or rather, what the characters have already learned, should be so very obvious, it might hit you in the face. I wanted to smack the main character on the head for not seeing it right away. Six pages later, she finally gets it.
The final confrontation was well done and suspenseful. Nonetheless, at the end of the book I was left with little more than, ok, so that was that.
In terms of writing style, one phrase repetition started to really irritate me about half way through: whenever the characters feel any kind of dread, they feel it in the pit of their stomach in some form or fashion. The author really could’ve dug a little deeper into his imagination and word pool here. Aside from that the language and style were enjoyable.
July 1, 2018
Amelia Faraday is a young woman plagued by phantom pains and blackout spells. She drinks alcohol in excess, trying to escape the unexplainable pain she feels.
Amelia can vividly remember the death of her brother. She remembers suddenly feeling such hatred toward him. She remembers the feeling of hitting him over the head with a board and the sound of surprise and pain he makes just before he falls into the lake and drowns. The only problem is, Amelia was out of town at the time of his death, attending an Alcoholics Anonymous retreat, and everyone believes her brother's death was an accident. She tried to tell her aunt, Ina, about her premonition and her fear that she killed her own brother, but everyone just thinks she's crazy.
Now she's getting the same "premonition" about her parents and her aunt, Ina, up at their cabin by the lake. The same place her brother had died.
Is Amelia suffering from multiple personality disorder? Or is something else more sinister to blame? With the help of her therapist, Karen, and one of her only remaining relatives, uncle George, they seek to solve all the mysterious deaths surrounding young Amelia.
This book was a page turner, and I am also interested in the premise of the book, just as Karen's character is. However, I found the ending to be a little lackluster in its final showdown. I would still recommend it, though.
Amelia can vividly remember the death of her brother. She remembers suddenly feeling such hatred toward him. She remembers the feeling of hitting him over the head with a board and the sound of surprise and pain he makes just before he falls into the lake and drowns. The only problem is, Amelia was out of town at the time of his death, attending an Alcoholics Anonymous retreat, and everyone believes her brother's death was an accident. She tried to tell her aunt, Ina, about her premonition and her fear that she killed her own brother, but everyone just thinks she's crazy.
Now she's getting the same "premonition" about her parents and her aunt, Ina, up at their cabin by the lake. The same place her brother had died.
Is Amelia suffering from multiple personality disorder? Or is something else more sinister to blame? With the help of her therapist, Karen, and one of her only remaining relatives, uncle George, they seek to solve all the mysterious deaths surrounding young Amelia.
This book was a page turner, and I am also interested in the premise of the book, just as Karen's character is. However, I found the ending to be a little lackluster in its final showdown. I would still recommend it, though.
March 11, 2021
Another Great O’Brien Read
Anytime I am struggling to decide what to read, Kevin O’Brien books are my go-to’s. His stories are so intricate and twisty, I don’t know how he keeps it all straight and then ties it up at the end. This one was no different. Good, fleshed out characters, clues dropped throughout as you try and figure out how it all ties together and exactly what is going on. I also like that most of his books are stand alone stories, it makes them easy to grab up and bury yourself within the story. Part who done it, part what the heck is going on here, I liked it a lot.
Anytime I am struggling to decide what to read, Kevin O’Brien books are my go-to’s. His stories are so intricate and twisty, I don’t know how he keeps it all straight and then ties it up at the end. This one was no different. Good, fleshed out characters, clues dropped throughout as you try and figure out how it all ties together and exactly what is going on. I also like that most of his books are stand alone stories, it makes them easy to grab up and bury yourself within the story. Part who done it, part what the heck is going on here, I liked it a lot.
January 3, 2023
Für eine 14-jährige sehr interessant aber ich glaube nicht das jmd der zb mitte 20 ist es besonders spannend findet. Es ist ein toller Plottwist der mich zwar nicht unbedingt überrascht hat aber es war wirklich toll zu beobachten wie sich die Story entwickelt da man selber viele Theorien aufstellen kann. Generell finde ich das Buch wirklich okay geschrieben was ich schade finde ist das die Handlungen so basic und ab und zu sehr vorausschauend sind. Trotzdem ein schöner Thriller.
February 26, 2018
Captured me from the very beginning & kept me intrigued and horrified throughout and right to the very end. Highly recommend for fans of psychological thrillers, murder mysteries @ residents of Washington state.
July 8, 2018
Very good book! I was hooked with the first opening line. This was an honor paperback that took me a little bit to get to but so glad I did. I will look for some of his other books to read now. He made a new follower.
October 23, 2019
Another great book by this author probably my least favorite this is # 7. I think the book could have been a little shorter a lot of information was repeated several times. A few slow spots in the first 1/3 of the book but don’t give up it is worth finishing.
inventory
October 25, 2019This was my first book I ever read of Kevin's and boy was I not disappointed! I loved the characters, and the background of Amelia and finding out about her past as a child. The opening of the book was fantastic and kept me wanting to read more!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2023
Confusing story
This was a great read other than the fact all the paragraphs run in together. I don’t know why they weren’t separated. Makes it very confusing when reading along. This is why I didn’t give it a 5 Star rating.
This was a great read other than the fact all the paragraphs run in together. I don’t know why they weren’t separated. Makes it very confusing when reading along. This is why I didn’t give it a 5 Star rating.
August 16, 2018
Kept me on edge! Great read!
September 17, 2018
The perfect book for exactly what I needed it for... an airplane book that keeps me engrossed so that I don’t notice that I’m flying. Very entertaining.
April 2, 2019
a good book!
July 18, 2019
4.5 stars
October 1, 2019
Always good, always far fetched. This is no exception
April 14, 2022
Great book
Can't believe I've never read this book . I've read all of his books , some several times . Great book .
Can't believe I've never read this book . I've read all of his books , some several times . Great book .
May 23, 2022
great read - lot of turning pages quickly for me.
July 10, 2022
This psychological thriller kept me guessing throughout the book!!
August 8, 2023
Another great read!! I am hooked from the first page until the end. I loved the twists in this. Fantastic ending also!
August 21, 2025
8.75 - 9.0
December 10, 2025
I listened to the newly released audio book. It was amazing! I couldn’t turn it off! Such a great book!
December 28, 2025
Uses F word and other profanity a few times. 2.15 audio
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews