I found this book at my "Dumpbrary" - my little town's transfer station which keeps an indoor book corner (and yes, it is named the "Dumpbrary" :D). I work at a jail and weekly I browse the Dumpbrary for books to bring to the inmates. I picked up a well-read copy of The Last Child, quickly scanned the back cover, and was intrigued. It's always those first few pages that tells you if you will continue with the story or not. I was hooked on page one! Okay, maybe page 2 or 3. I downloaded the Kindle version because it's just easier to see and handle an e-reader in bed, and of course I could pass along the paperback to the jail library.
The character development was amazing. The author made it easy to visualize them, their expressions, voices and mannerisms - to love them or hate them or feel sorry for them. I LOVE that about an author! I struggled with the setting. I'm from very rural New Hampshire and have never been to the Carolinas. But I've been to northwest Georgia so I used a little town there as my Last Child town. I assumed the story was set in a small town, until later in the book the multi-level mall, hospital, large police station, etc revealed it as a small or midsize city. I had to readjust my town setting a few times. Hush Arbor and Johnny's journey to it was perfect though. I could see every track, swamp, river and trail (I suppose easier because the landscape was familiar to my own region - I'm surrounded by bear trails, swamps, dirt roads, and meadows in the middle of deep woods).
At first I was a bit let down by the ending but the writer skillfully and nicely lifted me up. The ending was beautiful. It leaves the reader with a sense of hope and rightness and that is exactly how I love stories to end. I also loved how the writer stayed neutral about politics. He didn't have an agenda. So many authors nowadays use their stories to attack certain religions or political parties. (I stopped reading Stephen King novels entirely several years ago because of this. It is just childish, shortsighted, and boring!). Hart's writing sees the good and bad in all people, of all backgrounds and beliefs. It goes to a deeper level. I really enjoyed and appreciated that.
This story HAUNTED me when I wasn't reading it. I read mostly at night because it makes me sleepy. The Last Child did make me sleepy but then I would wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it, debating whether to stay up and read more, then cursing that it was keeping me awake! :D That has never happened to me with any other story. THAT is GOOD writing! I have already purchased The Hush and can't wait to begin!
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a novel that explores life after tragedy and the enduring spirit of love. | Learn more
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Gripping and Emotional
I found John Hart’s “The Last Child” to be a truly mesmerizing thriller. I was on the edge of my seat basically from the beginning right to the end. The book tells the story of 13 year old Johnny, who is obsessed with finding out what happened to his twin sister who went missing a year prior. Johnny’s once stable and loving home was completely broken now. His mom was a shell of the person she was before the disappearance, having given into the power of drugs and alcohol. And his dad had run off. Johnny turned his attention to the desperate, and increasingly dangerous search for answers about his sister. And when another girl goes missing nearly a year after his sister’s disappearance, Johnny’s search for answers finds him tangled in a web of crime, corruption, and the darkest of secrets.What I found so captivating about this novel was the way Hart so expertly brought his characters to life. Johnny especially was complex and sympathetic. You could just feel the heavy burden he was under, and the gritty determination for answers that kept him going. But you never forget he was still just a kid, and your heart breaks for him. Johnny isn’t the only compelling character though. He’s surrounded by a cast of characters that Hart fully brings to life, making them feel like real people.The plot itself was expertly woven together, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. Multiple storylines come together to create a rich mystery full of suspense and emotion. Hart also does an amazing job of painting a vivid portrait of the North Carolina town where the story takes place.If you enjoy a good thriller that has no agenda beyond telling a good story, “The Last Child” is a must-read. It’s gripping and emotional and will keep you thinking long after you’ve closed the book for the last time.
Top reviews from other countries
Carolyn
"John Hart" I first read this book about 2010 which was the year it won the Edgar Award for best mystery novel
Reviewed in Canada on March 8, 2018Siddhant D.
Great book with compelling characters
Reviewed in India on March 3, 2019