The Last House on the Street: sometimes the secrets of the past won't stay in the past

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain is the story of two women, a generation apart, find themselves bound by a small town and a decades old mystery. In 1965, Eleanor “Ellie” Hockley grew up in the well-to-do town of Round Hill, North Carolina. Raised to be a proper Southern lady, she enrolled in college and is practically engaged to her bank manager boyfriend. Inspired by her late aunt, Ellie decides to spend her summer break as a volunteer with the SCOPE  project helping register black voters. Forty five years later, Kayla Carter prepares to move into the dream home she and her husband designed in the new Shadow Ridge Estates development. As she moves in, a mysterious woman warns her against living there as the woods and lake behind the house are rumored to be haunted. Soon she’ll learn the dark history of the land and a long buried secret that someone will do anything to protect. 

Diane Chamberlain is known for her intense dual timeline stories. She often features the dark and difficult racial history of the South and The Last House on the Street does not disappoint in that realm. Ms. Chamberlain does not shy away from the horrific, evil and vile acts done against the black community. It is a story that slowly builds to the climatic last chapters as the events seem to build and unravel at a fast pace. As I began to read, I was drawn more to Kayla and her story than Ellie. While I admire Ellie’s commitment to helping the black community gain their civil rights, I felt she was very naïve and even selfish. She was so determined in her desire to help that she plays down the potential violence and even the actual violence doesn’t open her eyes that she’s walking a dangerous line. Overall, I enjoyed the story. If you are a fan of Diane Chamberlain, you may enjoy The Last House on the Street. 

The Last House on the Street is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook