The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain. New York, St. Martin's Press, 2021. 344 pages. Author's Notes and Acknowledgements. *****
Told in the alternating voices of Kayla and Ellie during the years 1965 and 2010. Growing up in a privileged family in Round Hill, North Carolina, Ellie Hockley is awakened to the plight of blacks in the south and the extreme poverty encountered there. Kayla Carter and her husband, both architects, have built their dream home, the last house on Hockley Street. Unfortunately, her husband has an accident and dies before they can move into the house. Rumors have been spread about the house including tales of ghost and accidents. Kayla dismisses her uneasiness about moving into the house until unexplained events occur and her daughter is missing.
Having gone to school in the tumultuous 60s, I was immediately drawn into Ellie's story. The schools I attended were not diverse and my neighborhood was white and predominantly Catholic. There were black girls in my all-girl Catholic high school, but I can't recall a name or a face. The 60s nightly news was filled with images of the inequities in the voting process and voter intimidation, it is so hard to believe that in 2022 we are still talking about these very same topics. Chamberlain tells the tale of two teenagers in a forbidden love that ends tragically. Secrets never stay hidden for long. Some of the reviews have been mixed and unless you lived through that time, it may be hard to believe the brutality that existed. Chamberlain chooses a societal issue and brings it into the light. The Last House on the Street is an excellent choice for a Book Club, filled with many relevant issues to discuss.
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Diane Chamberlain is the New York Times, USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author of 27 novels published in more than twenty languages. Influenced by her former career as a social worker and psychotherapist, she writes suspenseful stories that touch both heart and mind. Additional information: here
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