John Hart's, THE LAST CHILD, is a stellar contribution to the mystery, thriller, genre. It also fits the drama category, as well, for its dramatic emotional effects. So, I label this read a MTD, and, for me, one that excels on all of these levels. When I read the book description, I almost passed on this opportunity. I wasn't sure I wanted to read about child abduction, since we are being bombarded with media and Amber alerts and, unfortunately, living this sad reality. So why bring it into my limited, leisure time? My mind was screaming, enough already, it's too depressing of a theme. But, I decided to give it a chance and I'm SO glad I did. I immediately fell in love with Hart's writing style, which is poignantly descriptive. His characters became fully realized for me, as well as the small town, southern atmosphere. Simply put, it is a very classical writing style, which is one of the strengths of this novel, and sorely missed in many works within the genre. Hart's style motivated me to add his previous novel, DOWN RIVER, to my 'wish list,' as he now has another devoted fan. Hart's primary characters are profoundly wounded and fragile, as they all strive to cope with the abduction of Alyssa, Johnny's 13 year old, twin sister. This once ideal family, falls into the depths of dysfunction. The father goes missing; mom battles her demons through anesthesia with drugs and alcohol. In an attempt to restore normalcy to his family, Johnny becomes obsessed with finding his sister, with the help of best friend, Jack---a most colorful character. Meanwhile, you, as the reader, are left biting your nails, hoping for this family's safety and the redemption of the fallen, while scratching your head wondering---who did this terrible thing! Several felt Johnny was too young to have such mature behaviors and dedication to the cause. I tend to disagree. He was, after all, a teenager---many of whom can be quite mature for their age, particularly when driven by neglect, physical and emotional abuse. In essence, his childhood was stolen from him, the day Alyssa was stolen. And, he makes some foolish mistakes on his journey, that could be attributed to his youth and lack of worldly experience. A couple that almost cost him, and Jack, their lives. Be prepared, that as Johnny and Jack set out to find Alyssa, this book will become 'unputdownable.' You will be introduced to multiple integral characters and, twists and turns, that will keep the pages flying. Solving the crime does not come easy; the ending provides realistic closure. You will find yourself grieving, but cheering at the same time, over several situations, as this multi-layered story unfolds.
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