Occasionally, while on vacation, I find an author who is new to me. John Hart has written several books but THE LAST CHILD was my introduction to this Edgar Award winning author.
A year ago, fourteen year old Johnny Merrimon’s twin sister disappeared. His father has gone and his mother has fallen into drugs and a boyfriend who abuses her. The town officials have tried to convince Johnny that there is no hope that his sister is still alive.
Armed with determination, a bike, and a map Johnny has a plan to find his sister. His map shows the home address of the known sex predators in town and Johnny spends his nights circling the town watching some very dangerous neighborhoods.
Police detective Clyde Hunt has also been searching for Johnny’s sister. His obsession with the case has caused his wife to leave him and is threatening the relationship with his teenage son. He also knows how dangerous this quest can be for Johnny.
Then another young girl, a classmate of Johnny’s, disappears. This time Johnny has an idea of several men who could be involved.
This book is filled with well developed, sometimes flawed, characters whose stories wind through out the plot. The dialogue is crisp and the motivations ring true. The story is told from several points of view, giving the reader an insight into the minds of the lead characters. Hart also weaves several sub-plots together to take us down some twisted paths.
One of the earlier reviewers said that the book was a combination of Huck Finn and Lord of the Flies. This is only partially true. In THE LAST CHILD it is not the children who are the savages.
I really enjoyed this book. Trust me; I am going to be searching for John Hart titles in my favorite book stores.
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