The Hush by John Hart is a highly recommended thriller. It is also a sequel to 2009's The Last Child, although it can be read as a stand-alone novel.

Johnny Merrimon and Jack Cross are back. It's been ten years since the events from The Last Child (Johnny became a national celebrity after capturing the man responsible for murdering his sister Alyssa and their father). Johnny, now 23, is living a solitary life on the six thousand acres called Hush Arbor in North Carolina. He struggles to keep his life private, despite the fact that a book has been written about what happened when he was thirteen. Jack is now an attorney and has returned to Raven County to practice law. He and Johnny still have an unbreakable bond and connection to each other.

Johnny has been fighting a legal battle to keep the land that he inherited five years ago. Cree Freemantle, a young woman who also has a claim to the land, is challenging him legally for ownership of the property. Johnny won the initial suit, but the case has now reached the appellate court. Johnny is land rich, but cash poor and he needs Jack to help him fight the legal battle for the property. Jack wants to help Johnny, and tries to arrange a more qualified attorney on a pro bono basis to handle the appeal. But he also senses an unseen menace and feels like there is something dark and sinister living in Hush Arbor. He also questions Johnny's ability to heal so quickly.

There is no doubt that Hart has written a very compelling novel in The Hush. The quality of the writing is excellent. The setting is described picture-perfect, creating an atmospheric setting for what soon heads down the path of magic realism and a supernatural presence. It does start out rather slow, but soon events take off, violently. There is some shifting back and forth in time in the narrative as characters connect to others who lived in the past. "There is no normal in the Hush. There is only story and magic."

I haven't read The Last Child, although I'd like to after reading The Hush. While it is true that this novel can be enjoyed without reading the previous novel, in some ways I feel like I would have enjoyed The Last Child more than The Hush. Once the novel headed down the magic supernatural dark forces path along with the tie-in to events that happened in the 1850's, I began to question why I was reading it. Still, it is a satisfying story and well written, which matters a great deal to me. I didn't particularly like the ending, but it does bring the story to a conclusion. 3.5 rounded up

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of St. Martin's Press.
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AMZ & B&N after publication

Scrappymags 3-word review: Supernaturally Thrilling Sequel
4.5 stars

All my reviews available at scrappymags.com

Genre: Mystery/Supernatural/Contemporary Fiction/Crime. A long-awaited sequel to one of my favorite books of all time, The Last Child (5 Stars). Not mandatory to read the first book but highly recommend.

Shortest summary ever: It’s 10 years after tragedy and Johnny Merriman is isolating himself from unwanted fame in his 6,000 acre forest/swamp NC home, one that holds an eerie and spectacular history.

Jack is still his best friend, a newly hired attorney at a prosperous law firm. Johnny requires his help with a legal matter over the land, but Jack senses something amiss on the land, a danger lurking that might not be entirely human... Why is Johnny so connected to this land and is it something worth dying for?

What’s good under the hood: like most sequels, it’s best to start with The Last Child (TLC) a book so astounding, touching, and heart-pounding I successfully converted scads of teenagers (okay 10 ) into readers by the mere thrill of the novel. That relationship helped with my rating as I felt the story jived with characters I connected to in the first book. That foundation was there thus I felt invested.

The suspense in the book is palpable. My dog barked while I was reading and took two years off my life, I was THAT on edge (bad Finnegan!!) That is an element Hart brilliantly retained in his writing from TLC. The suspense... that feeling of “what IS it?” drawn out into agonizing drama??

Damn right, I loved every second!

I also curiously (and pleasantly) enjoyed looking more into Jack's perspective in this novel as he was more the “side kick” to Johnny and eagerly and metaphorically loved kicking around the thoughts from his brain, learning what’s behind his character. I liked what I found.

What’s bad or made me mad:

Can’t say anything major. My 1/2 point off was simply I don’t think any sequel could measure up to TLC and there were a few motivations of characters I struggled with, but ultimately accepted. So in a nutshell, nothing major.

Recommend to:
If you read TLC you MUST read and I’d love to hear your feedback.
Lovers of the genre need to give this a try. It’s different in the irreverent way only Hart can do.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and Mr. Hart for an advanced copy (and delivering a rare and unexpectedly thrilling sequel) in exchange for this completely honest review.

No doubt John Hart is an amazing story teller. Telling tales that are beyond captivating. This is no different!

I was thrilled to have been given an arc of this book from Netgalley and the publishers. I loved The Last Child and was waiting to catch up with Jack and Johnny. And that I did.

Fans of this author, will LOVE this book!!

I'm a little torn over reviewing The Hush. The Last Child has been one of my favorite books with such real life, interesting characters and page turning suspense that when I heard of the sequel I went back and reread it. I believe I would of enjoyed the newest story The Hush more if I wasn't comparing it to The Last Child. In The Hush, Hart leans more toward the supernatural and slowly weaves a story from generations past. Although it involves the same characters everything else is so different from the first novel. I did enjoy the book and revisiting Johnny was a pleasure but it wasn't quite the novel I was looking for.

I was happy to see that John Hart decided to return to the characters of his previous book, The Last Child. The Hush takes place 10 years after the events of The Last Child. We are re-introduced to beloved characters like Johnny Merrimon, Jack Cross and Clyde Hunt. The events of The Last Child play a small part in The Hush, but it is not necessary to read one to enjoy the other.

After the traumatic events of his childhood, Johnny Merrimon retreats into his 6,000 acre property, Hush Arbor. Best friend Jack and Step Father Clyde try to bring Johnny back into the real world, but The Hush has other ideas.

The writing is excellent, tense and atmospheric. The bend towards the supernatural kept me interested in the story. I loved catching up with old characters and getting to know new ones.

The story deals with race relations, which is an increasingly important topic. While I think Hart has shown improvement in dealing with this issue, in future books I hope he can do so without relying too heavily on slavery and sexual assuult. I feel like it cheapens the narrative.

John Hart is a fantastic writer, but this book was quite a bit different from his other novels - which I thought were outstanding. Although this was a follow-up to “The Last Child” (which I loved), “The Hush” didn’t really seem like a continuation of that story even though the same characters were present in both. While there are mysteries to be resolved, the most significant of those involve supernatural and mystical elements. Depending on readers’ preferences and expectations, this aspect may influence whether they choose to read “The Hush.” One of the things I appreciate about Hart’s books is his propulsive storytelling and that was somewhat lacking in this book. However, the writing continues to be extraordinary - lush, lyrical, and captivating. I’m in the minority, and I certainly don’t want want to dissuade anyone from reading “The Hush.” It just wasn’t what I was expecting from Hart.

My review was posted on Goodreads on 2/20/18.

Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

John Hart is a master storyteller. This book is a follow up to "The Child" where Hart tells us what happens with best friends Johnny Merrimon and Jack Cross. Hart takes the reader on an unexpected journey filled with eerie secrets and magic like no one else can. You will think you know what is about to happen, but will end up surprised. The backdrop for the story really adds to the creepyness of this book and helps you really see the storyline unfold. Fans of the author will thoroughly enjoy this book!

The Hush follows on from John Hart’s excellent, The Last Child. Johnny Merrimon is now an adult and although he owns several thousand acres in Hush Arbor, North Carolina, called The Hush, he is cash poor. He has a strong connection with the land and although he still meets with his childhood friend Jack for monthly dinners, he is something of a recluse.
People who venture onto his land either mysteriously die or go somewhat insane. When an old nemeses of Johnny’s, a wealthy game hunter, dies on his land, the law is after Johnny for the murder.
There is a lot of mysticism in this novel, something I don’t usually like, but Hart’s prose is so evocative that one can’t help being drawn into the unlikely premise.

Johnny and Jack have been best friends forever and have been through more than most friends. Check out The Last Child for more information about their past. Johnny has chosen to be a hermit and live on his land called Hush Arbor. Strange things occur on Hush Arbor. These strange things land Johnny in a mess of trouble.

Well….this is different! Really different! I think this book is classified wrong. It is classified as general fiction. I think it is more thriller/horror/fantasy. It really could fall into all those categories. I have been a fan of John Hart for a very long time. He took a chance with this book. But, it does show a unique, creative side of his mind. And I am thoroughly impressed!

The story may be strange and out of my genre but it was so compelling I could not stop reading. I fell for Johnny during The Last Child. He is a character which begs to be saved. Jack tries so hard to be there for him through thick and thin. There are some things Jack just cannot save him from.

The characters, the story, the mystery, all of these come together to create a page turner, an edge of your seat read….all the cliches fit this book! If done properly, this book would make a great movie!

I received this novel from Netgalley for a honest review.

Good solid follow up to The Last Child. As always John Hart’s writing is beautiful and poetic. It was as nice to catch up with Johnny.

I’ve been a fan of John Hart’s novels for years, ever since I read his gripping thriller The Last Child so I was beyond excited to get approved for an ARC of his latest novel, The Hush. My excitement grew even more once I started reading and realized that The Hush actually revisits the characters and landscape that I fell in love with in The Last Child.

The Hush takes place ten years after the horrifying events that rocked the lives of both thirteen-year-old Johnny Merrimon and the rest of the folks who lived in Johnny’s hometown. Over the years, even though he has shied away from the spotlight, people have written books and tried to exploit Johnny’s story, so whether he wants the attention or not, he has become somewhat of a local celebrity and is both feared and revered by those around him. When the novel opens, Johnny is now 23 years old and, desperate to retain some element of privacy in his life, is living as a recluse in the middle of 6,000 once-sacred, wooded acres known as The Hush.

Johnny’s only real connection to his former way of life is his childhood friend, Jack Cross, who has just finished law school and landed his first job as an attorney. I don’t want to spoil anything from The Last Child so I’ll just say that what these two boys went through in that novel has made their bond of friendship stronger than ever. Jack would literally do anything and give up everything for Johnny, and I think Johnny feels the same way about Jack. Even though I’d classify this book as a mystery/thriller, it is a moving story about friendship as well.

There is something strange and ominous about the place Johnny now calls home, however, and Jack senses its hidden dangers. He tries to talk to Johnny about it but Johnny doesn’t want to hear anyone speak ill of his beloved Hush. It becomes more and more clear that what happens in The Hush is not normal. Most people cannot navigate the wooded, swampy land. Landmarks seems to disappear or flat out move about, strange mists appear and lead to people getting disoriented. In fact, many who attempt to travel into The Hush don’t come out alive. Because he lives there, Johnny of course is immediately considered a suspect every time something happens. Jack knows his friend is innocent and makes it his mission to prove Johnny’s innocence, but big questions remain: What the heck is really going on in The Hush? Who else is interested in it and why are they willing to pay so much money for it?

One element of the story I liked right away is that, without completely rehashing the plot of The Last Child, Hart provides his readers with just enough background information to remind us why Johnny would choose such a secluded way of life. In that sense, The Hush works quite well as a standalone novel. You don’t need to have read The Last Child to follow along with this story. (I definitely recommend reading it though, just because it’s a fabulous read.)

I loved The Last Child so much, so it was also just a thrill for me to revisit this story, and especially the characters, Johnny Merrimon and Jack Cross, who were both just such compelling characters. It was wonderful to meet these boys again and see what kind of young men they have grown up to become and that Johnny has attained an almost mythic quality in the years since we left him. The mysterious events that are taking place in The Hush also have Johnny pitted against local law enforcement, who seem eager to pin something on him, so legendary as he is, Johnny is also cast in the role of underdog in this story, and I’m always one to root for the underdog.

Hart drew me into this story, not just by revisiting some of my favorite characters, but also with the mystery of The Hush. Johnny loves this place so much that even though he is on the verge of losing it if he can’t come up with the money to pay his taxes, he still won’t part with a single acre of it, not even when someone offers to pay him 10 times what it is worth. The connection between Johnny and The Hush is almost surreal – Johnny is literally one with the land, and the land is one with him. This intense connection captivated me immediately and had me zooming through the pages because I wanted to know how and why Johnny could have such a connection to the land, especially since it seemed to literally chew up and spit out anyone else who tried to venture onto it.

I’m also a huge fan of Hart’s writing style. It’s a given that it’s filled with exciting twists and turns by virtue of the fact that it’s a mystery, but what I love about Hart’s writing is his gorgeous prose. His descriptions, in particular of the landscape, are so lush and vivid that it’s easy to feel that you are right there with the characters. What I love most is that he achieves this without making it feel forced or flowery; the descriptions are fluid and effortless. I know he’s a writer so duh, but John Hart just really has a way with words. His descriptions of The Hush were especially well done and just so atmospheric, especially when someone besides Johnny ventured in. It was so beautiful and yet so creepy and ominous; I literally had goosebumps on my arms and felt like I was looking over my own shoulder for signs of danger.

Lastly, because I really don’t want to give anything away, I just want to say that I also love that Hart is willing to challenge himself by trying something different. Whereas most of Hart’s novels are straight mystery/thrillers, The Hush actually ventures over into magical realism territory and is infused with a bit of the supernatural. This was new and unexpected since that’s not what I’m used to with a John Hart novel, but I thought he did a fantastic job with it overall. It kind of felt like a mashup of a typical John Hart novel and Toni Morrison’s Beloved, and since Beloved is a favorite of mine, it was a great fit for me.

There was only one time when I had any kind of an issue with The Hush and that was towards the end. I can’t really go into any detail without spoiling the plot, so I’m just going to say that it revolved around the supernatural aspect of the story. It’s hard to even explain what my issue really was except that it’s along the lines of me being willing to suspend disbelief and see where the author wants to take the whole supernatural thing, but then reaching a point where I’m like “Nope, too far. Reel it back in.” If you read The Hush, you’ll probably know the exact scene that I’m referring to as soon as you get to it. Aside from that one moment, I thought it was a fantastic read.

With his memorable characters and gorgeous prose, John Hart continues his streak of well-crafted stories with The Hush. If you’re looking for a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end and can open your mind to supernatural possibilities, The Hush should be right up your alley.

I have really enjoyed John Hart’s other books in the past, but this was a real dud for me. But don’t take my word for it. There are so many enthusiastic reviews. The things that irked me clearly didn’t irk many other readers. But, oh boy, at times how irked I felt!

Here are my top three complaints:

-I don’t particularly like books that rely on magic and supernatural events. Had I known that the plot is entirely dependent on unexplainable events and history conveyed through dreams and ghosts, I hope I would have had the common sense to stay away despite how much I’ve enjoyed Hart’s books in the past. I kept hoping the supernatural aspects of the book would die down or be explained away, but they only escalated to what felt like absurd proportions by the end.

-These characters live in a world of relentless heavy-handed melodrama. It soon became tiresome.

-At its core, The Hush draws on the ugly history of slavery and the relationship between slaves and their owners. There is so much good writing about this topic and there is still so much to be written about this topic. But my spidey sense kept telling me that there was something awry in the way Hart approaches the topic. The melodramatic supernatural plot just seems to be a bad fit for such a raw and difficult part of American history.

But, again, I am very much in the minority in my reaction to this book. Based on the reviews so far, The Hush will obviously appeal to many readers.

My apologies to Debbie as I shamelessly borrowed her complaint board without asking first. And thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to an advance copy.

John Hart knows how to write a story and what a story he weaves. So much different than his other books, this is a follow up to The Last Child, but with only a few scattered references, it can definitely be read as a stand alone. The story intrigued me even though I’m not a big fan of the mystical, paranormal realm, and kept me going until about 75% of the way through, at that point it all became a little too much for me as I pushed through to the finish. Hart took a risk with this one and while I know it will work well for others, it just didn’t work for me. It pains me to say that as I am a big fan of Hart’s writing and previous books. Nevertheless, I’m glad I took a chance and read this one as it shows just how creative of a writer Hart is!

Thx to Netgalley, St Martins Press and John Hart for this ARC. This is an honest review. After reading his “Redemption” I was hooked on this author. Read “The Last Child” and was anxious to read “ The Hush”. I was not disappointed. I enjoyed the continuing story of Johnny and a Jack, now as adults. It did start off a bit slow for me but when it finally picked up, I was all in ! A bit of mystical magic in the hush, that will have its reader wandering in circles...The enjoyed the undying friendship of these two characters.
Definitely a different world in the Hush, but wonderful story

I don't remember The Last Child but this book held up as a stand alone as well. Johnny lives in the Hush, its a strange and powerful place where people have been going missing for years and there is a strange presence that allows Johnny to feel connected to the earth, and heal from wounds almost instantly.

There is mystery and history to this land that goes back to when Johnny's ancestors owned it and slaves. The land was transferred to a slave family and has since reverted back to Johnny when the last male heir to that family died and he is fighting to keep it with the help of his best friend Jack.

After an important person goes missing the sheriff, whose had a beef with Johnny ever since he was a child decides Johnny is to blame. Things get heated and out of control and more and more strange things start happening.

Interesting story line that follows Johnny and a young African-American woman who have similar dreams. Their pasts intertwine and everything leads back to the Hush. Characters are well developed and while most of John Harts stories aren't supernatural in nature this one seems to fit. Very well done.

Johnny Merrimon has a problem. Someone is trying to take away his land. It’s not just any plot—-actually thousands of acres of pristine North Carolina forest and swamp land—but rather has magical properties (as does Johnny) and has been in his family for many generations. But, someone else has laid claim. A quirk in the deed that just might transfer the property to a previously unknown sole descendent of the family Johnny’s ancestor had allowed to take possession until no descendant remained alive. But is this the true sole survivor? Who else has a horse in the race? And why? The law in murky even to his old friend attorney Jack Cross. Lines are drawn. Deadly lines. This story has many twists and turns, wonderful characters, a definite supernatural feel, and is superbly written.

DP Lyle, award-winning author, lecturer, and story consultant.

I love most of what John Hart has written as they are usually tense whodunnits. The Hush strays from being a straight sequel to The Last Child, takes Hart’s typical thrillers and incorporates mystical happenings into the story of what has happened to Johnny Merrimon in the ten years since we last saw him. This is one heck of a ghost/love/redemption story

Author John Hart ranks among my top 5 storytellers, my favorite novel of his being The Last Child, an Edgar Award winner and near perfect book. I was among the many overjoyed readers to receive a NetGalley advance reading copy of Hart's newest offering, The Hush. Advertised as a sequel to The Last Child, the novel demanded my attention. The descriptions of the lush but unforgiving backcountry was there. The main characters from the first novel, ten years older, still demonstrated their individual quirks and firm loyalty to each other. The plot, like The Last Child, covered complex topics and relationships. However, the main character, in the end, was Hush Arbor, a harsh landscape of terror and supernatural happenings. I realized the story was taking that direction, but I personally did not enjoy it. I believe the book will appeal more to readers of the supernatural (think Stephen King) and those without the knowledge of the very different first book.

Gripping! I couldn't put this one down. John Hart brings back the Johnny and Jack from The Lost Child with a supernatural twist tied to the land and racial history. What is going on in Hush Arbor? Why do people disappear there? What evil lurks in the swamp?

The tension builds gradually throughout the book and sucks you into the lives of Johnny and Jack. I tried to make this book last longer - I really did - but I couldn't help turning page after page until I found out what was happening. John Hart is such an excellent writer. I've read all his novels and every one was well written. 5 stars for this one - I loved it!

Thanks so much to John Hart and St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.

A little disappointed, The Hush is not a typical John Hart book. If you enjoy paranormal and a bit of magic, this book may be for you.