The Last Session
A Novel
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1.0 • 1 Rating
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
The instant New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat “weaves psychology and mysticism into this strikingly original” (Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author) thriller about a social worker who, after coming face-to-face with her dark past, must infiltrate a mysterious wellness center in the deserts of New Mexico.
When a catatonic woman shows up at her psychiatric unit, social worker Thea swears that she knows her from somewhere. She’s shocked to discover the patient holds a link to a traumatic time in her own past. Upon regaining lucidity, the patient claims she can’t remember the horrific recent events that caused her brain to shut down. Thea’s at a loss—especially when the patient is ripped away from her as suddenly as she appeared.
Determined to find her, Thea follows a trail of clues to a remote center in southwestern New Mexico, where a charismatic couple holds a controversial monthly retreat to uncover attendees’ romantic and sexual issues. Forced to participate in increasingly intimate exercises, Thea finds herself inching closer not only to her missing patient, but also to tantalizing answers about her own harrowing past. However, time is running out, and if she stays for the last session, she too might lose her sanity…and maybe even her life in this “hypnotic fever dream of a book” (Jennifer Fawcett, author of Keep This for Me).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The arresting latest from Bartz (after The Writing Retreat) blends spirituality, suspense, and a dash of sci-fi to tell the story of a woman who's roped into a dangerous cult. Thea, a 32-year-old social worker in New York City, has struggled with vivid dreams of life on another planet ever since she saw the fantasy film Stargirl as a teenager. After she finds herself inexplicably drawn to a Jane Doe at the psychiatric clinic where she works, Thea realizes the patient is actually Stargirl lead Catherine O'Brien. Then Catherine vanishes, and Thea becomes obsessed with tracking her down. With the help of a handsome PI, she pursues Catherine to an isolated area outside of Albuquerque, N.Mex., which is hosting a retreat for members of a bizarre organization called the Center for Relational Healing. Led by charismatic shamans Moon and Sol, the Center's rituals involve orgies and intense group therapy. Eventually, it begins to seem that the ceremonies are designed to convince a fevered Thea that she and Catherine are sisters from another world, and that she's destined to fulfill a world-changing prophecy—even if it kills her. Bartz keeps tensions high and answers behind locked doors as she immerses readers in the frightening daily power plays of cult life. It's a wild ride.
