John Hart is the New York Times bestselling author of Down River and The King of Lies. The only author in history to win the best novel Edgar Award for consecutive novels, John has also won the Barry Award and England's Steel Dagger Award for best thriller of the year. He was born and raised in North Carolina. For a time he practiced criminal defense law, but left to focus on his writing.
"With his best novel yet, the Edgar Award-winning Hart (Down River)
firmly cements his place alongside the greats of the genre."
--Library Journal (starred review) "John Hart's The Last Child is a
rare accomplishment--a compelling, fast-paced thriller written with
a masterful, literary touch. You'll feel this story as much in your
heart as in your gut." --Jeffery Deaver, author of The Bodies Left
Behind "Hart spins an impressively layered tale of broken families
and secrets that can kill." --Publishers Weekly "In his third
novel, Edgar-winner Hart confronts murder, depravity, betrayal and
the like, while still finding room for tenderness." --Kirkus
Reviews (starred review) "Hart once again produces a novel that is
elegant, haunting, and memorable. His characters are given an
emotional depth that genre characters seldom have, and the
graceful, evocative prose lifts his stories right out of their
genre and into the realm of capital-L literature. A must-read for
every variety of fiction reader." --Booklist (starred review) "The
Last Child is a beautifully written, gripping story that will have
you staying up late, torn between a desire to know what happens and
a reluctance to get to the book's end and break the spell. But
don't worry: The characters will stay vividly alive in your
imagination long after you've raced through the pages."
--Winston-Salem Journal "Hart...is brilliant in the art of
misdirection...But his attention to language and tempo, his
descriptions of settings and people, and his development of
characters and their personal relationships all add a wonderful
richness to his work. It is a richness that should make The Last
Child a pleasure for any reader." --News & Observer (Raleigh, NC)
"Hart artfully employs the pattern of a whodunit to lead the reader
down a twisted, thrilling path. What lies at the end, though, is
wholly unexpected. There is no easy solution to this story, as we
are asked to contemplate the senselessness of fate and the
sacrifices some people are willing to make for their families. With
the deft characterization of any good work of literary fiction and
the subtle, satisfying plotting of a favorite mystery, The Last
Child brings readers deep into the pathos of a small North Carolina
community. This page turner will stay in your mind long after
you've read the final page." --Atlanta Journal-Constitution "The
missing-child story has been done so often that it takes something
extraordinary to make it rise above the commonplace. And that is
what John Hart has accomplished in his third novel, The Last Child.
In the end, this is a novel about blood--the blood of life and
death, the blood of kin, the blood of the past. And Hart has again
brought forth a mystery/thriller that surpasses the humdrum and
rises to serious literature." --Richmond Times Dispatch "Hart's
third novel, The Last Child, surpasses its superb predecessors. The
Last Child's atmospheric, hard-boiled story allows Hart to delve
into a town's sinister secrets with a complex tale of broken
families, despair and hope." --Florida Sun-Sentinel "John Hart is
already much praised, but his third and most complex psychological
thriller is a risk which has paid off with that same unshakeable
sense of discovery. The risk lay in the rarely attempted feat of
writing a convincing child hero for adults. His success injects
extra poignancy into an already compelling blend of southern gothic
mock-epic, outright horror and dues-paying whodunnit. This one
stays with you." --The Daily Telegraph (UK) "Be warned: the young
hero of this compelling read will break your heart. The Last Child
is one of those books that stays with readers long after the last
page is turned." --Calgary Herald (Canada) "Hart is still far too
young for The Last Child to be called a crowning achievement, but
the novel's ambition, emotional breadth and maturity make it an
early masterpiece in a career that continues to promise great
things." --The Washington Post "... The Last Child is also a
terrific mystery chock full of twists, turns and red herrings as
the truth behind Alyssa's disappearance becomes clear in a
denouement that offers some degree of hope, however jaded.
Many books strive to build complex mythologies into their tales.
Hart, instead, ambitiously sets out to debunk the greatest
mythology of all: childhood itself. A study in reverse literary
engineering, his is a brilliant vision beautifully realized."
--Providence Journal "If you haven't read John Hart, whose latest
novel is The Last Child, you ought to." --Mike Lupica, New York
Daily News "This book should settle once and for all the question
of whether thrillers and mysteries can also be literature."
--Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Down River "Evocative
storytelling and lush prose." --Boston Globe on Down River "Down
River falls squarely in the league of the best of Southern novels."
--South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Down River "A sensitive rumination
on the emotional force of family dynamics." --Washington Post on
Down River "There are few books published that can legitimately be
called a 'must-read, ' but this is one of them." --Chicago
Sun-Times on Down River "If you value Harper Lee, James Lee Burke,
Truman Capote, and Michael Malone... it's time to add John Hart to
your bookshelves." --Otto Penzler, New York Sun, on Down River "A
truly splendid novel with a deep emotional core." --Booklist
(starred review) on Down River "Hart's sophomore effort surpasses
his debut....The writing is simply superb." --Library Journal
(starred review) on Down River "Sometimes, early success can be a
curse for a writer....That's definitely not the case with North
Carolina's John Hart...With Down River...he's only gotten better."
--Winston-Salem Journal on Down River "A striking new talent."
--Entertainment Weekly (Grade A) "A gripping performance." --People
Magazine "A masterful piece of writing." --The News & Observer
(Raleigh, NC) on The King of Lies "The King of Lies moves and reads
like a book on fire." --Pat Conroy on The King of Lies
Adult/High School-Thirteen-year-old Johnny searches for his twin sister who disappeared a year earlier while also mourning the loss of his guilt-ridden father and trying to cope with his mother's abusive boyfriend. Parallel to the rapidly unfolding events is an intriguing and adrenaline-rich mystery that unfolds through Clyde Hunt, lead police detective in Johnny's North Carolina town. Hart develops both characters fully and credibly and brings to life a cast of supporting actors that includes Johnny's depressed and drugged mother and his best friend. The climate and history of the place offer both clues and a well-delineated setting for the plot, giving readers a "you are there" sensibility and an appreciation for how the past creates the present in both evil and good ways. Hart's writing is rich and flowing. Teens looking for adventure, and a story in which a kid shows himself to be smarter than most of the adults around him, will find this novel wholly satisfying.-Francisca Goldsmith, Halifax Public Libraries, Nova Scotia Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
When 12-year-old Alyssa Merrimon disappeared a year ago, her family fell apart. Her twin brother, Johnny, became obsessed with trying to find her, their father took off, not to be heard from again, and their mother sank into a world of drugs and booze, helped along by an abusive, wealthy boyfriend. Det. Clive Hunt is also obsessed, both with finding Alyssa and with her mother, and his preoccupation costs him his marriage and jeopardizes his job. But this is Johnny's story and his quest to find the sister he lost. Taking his mother's car while she's passed out and occasionally taking along his best friend, Jack, Johnny spies and keeps meticulous records on the townsfolk of small Raven County, NC. The world is a dark place when seen through his eyes, and Johnny is an unforgettable character in this finely drawn yet disturbing thriller. With his best novel yet, the Edgar Award-winning Hart (Down River) firmly cements his place alongside the greats of the genre. Highly recommended for all public libraries. [175,000-copy first printing; library marketing.]-Stacy Alesi, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., Boca Raton, FL Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
"With his best novel yet, the Edgar Award-winning Hart (Down
River) firmly cements his place alongside the greats of the
genre." --Library Journal (starred review) "John Hart's
The Last Child is a rare accomplishment--a compelling,
fast-paced thriller written with a masterful, literary touch.
You'll feel this story as much in your heart as in your gut."
--Jeffery Deaver, author of The Bodies Left Behind "Hart
spins an impressively layered tale of broken families and secrets
that can kill." --Publishers Weekly "In his third novel,
Edgar-winner Hart confronts murder, depravity, betrayal and the
like, while still finding room for tenderness." --Kirkus Reviews
(starred review) "Hart once again produces a novel that is
elegant, haunting, and memorable. His characters are given an
emotional depth that genre characters seldom have, and the
graceful, evocative prose lifts his stories right out of their
genre and into the realm of capital-L literature. A must-read for
every variety of fiction reader." --Booklist (starred
review) "The Last Child is a beautifully written,
gripping story that will have you staying up late, torn between a
desire to know what happens and a reluctance to get to the book's
end and break the spell. But don't worry: The characters will stay
vividly alive in your imagination long after you've raced through
the pages." --Winston-Salem Journal "Hart...is brilliant in
the art of misdirection...But his attention to language and tempo,
his descriptions of settings and people, and his development of
characters and their personal relationships all add a wonderful
richness to his work. It is a richness that should make The Last
Child a pleasure for any reader." --News & Observer
(Raleigh, NC) "Hart artfully employs the pattern of a whodunit
to lead the reader down a twisted, thrilling path. What lies at the
end, though, is wholly unexpected. There is no easy solution to
this story, as we are asked to contemplate the senselessness of
fate and the sacrifices some people are willing to make for their
families. With the deft characterization of any good work of
literary fiction and the subtle, satisfying plotting of a favorite
mystery, The Last Child brings readers deep into the pathos
of a small North Carolina community. This page turner will stay in
your mind long after you've read the final page." --Atlanta
Journal-Constitution "The missing-child story has been done so
often that it takes something extraordinary to make it rise above
the commonplace. And that is what John Hart has accomplished in his
third novel, The Last Child. In the end, this is a novel
about blood--the blood of life and death, the blood of kin, the
blood of the past. And Hart has again brought forth a
mystery/thriller that surpasses the humdrum and rises to serious
literature." --Richmond Times Dispatch "Hart's third novel,
The Last Child, surpasses its superb predecessors. The
Last Child's atmospheric, hard-boiled story allows Hart to
delve into a town's sinister secrets with a complex tale of broken
families, despair and hope." --Florida Sun-Sentinel "John
Hart is already much praised, but his third and most complex
psychological thriller is a risk which has paid off with that same
unshakeable sense of discovery. The risk lay in the rarely
attempted feat of writing a convincing child hero for adults. His
success injects extra poignancy into an already compelling blend of
southern gothic mock-epic, outright horror and dues-paying
whodunnit. This one stays with you." --The Daily
Telegraph (UK) "Be warned: the young hero of this compelling
read will break your heart. The Last Child is one of those
books that stays with readers long after the last page is turned."
--Calgary Herald (Canada) "Hart is still far too young for
The Last Child to be called a crowning achievement, but the
novel's ambition, emotional breadth and maturity make it an early
masterpiece in a career that continues to promise great things."
--The Washington Post "... The Last Child is also a
terrific mystery chock full of twists, turns and red herrings as
the truth behind Alyssa's disappearance becomes clear in a
denouement that offers some degree of hope, however jaded.
Many books strive to build complex mythologies into their tales.
Hart, instead, ambitiously sets out to debunk the greatest
mythology of all: childhood itself. A study in reverse literary
engineering, his is a brilliant vision beautifully realized."
--Providence Journal "If you haven't read John Hart, whose
latest novel is The Last Child, you ought to." --Mike
Lupica, New York Daily News "This book should settle once and
for all the question of whether thrillers and mysteries can also be
literature." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Down
River "Evocative storytelling and lush prose." --Boston
Globe on Down River "Down River falls squarely in the
league of the best of Southern novels." --South Florida
Sun-Sentinel on Down River "A sensitive rumination on the
emotional force of family dynamics." --Washington Post on Down
River "There are few books published that can legitimately be
called a 'must-read, ' but this is one of them." --Chicago
Sun-Times on Down River "If you value Harper Lee, James Lee
Burke, Truman Capote, and Michael Malone... it's time to add John
Hart to your bookshelves." --Otto Penzler, New York Sun, on Down
River "A truly splendid novel with a deep emotional core."
--Booklist (starred review) on Down River "Hart's sophomore
effort surpasses his debut....The writing is simply superb."
--Library Journal (starred review) on Down River "Sometimes,
early success can be a curse for a writer....That's definitely not
the case with North Carolina's John Hart...With Down
River...he's only gotten better." --Winston-Salem Journal on
Down River "A striking new talent." --Entertainment Weekly
(Grade A) "A gripping performance." --People Magazine "A
masterful piece of writing." --The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC)
on The King of Lies "The King of Lies moves and reads
like a book on fire." --Pat Conroy on The King of Lies
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