The Last Session

From the instant New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat, a white-knuckled locked-room 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 the psychiatric unit, social worker Thea swears she knows her from somewhere. She's shocked to discover the patient holds a link to a traumatic time in her 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 harrowing past. However, time is running out, and if she stays for the last session, she too might lose her mind...or worse.

Author: Julia Bartz
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: 04/01/2025
Pages: 368
Weight: 1.2lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.00w x 1.50d
ISBN: 9781982199494


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 11/01/2024 pg. 5
Publishers Weekly 02/10/2025
Kirkus Reviews 04/01/2025
Booklist 04/01/2025 pg. 40

About the Author
Julia Bartz is the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Session and The Writing Retreat, a practicing therapist, and a creative coach. Her fiction writing has appeared in the South Dakota Review, InDigest Magazine, and more. She lives in Brooklyn. Connect with her on social media @JuliaBartz.