This was so good! 5 stars for a moving, sometimes tragic, heartfelt story of Americas past. I grew up in California and I’ve heard a lot about my families opinions on race. And if I’m honest it all makes me sad. Our part, our future, it’s something we have to decide will be different. We aren’t our parents and we have to choose. I want to see people the way God sees people. And I want that more than ever.
This book was painful and I had those nervous feelings….like something big was going to happen. Like I was being pushed out of my comfort zone and BAM! That’s exactly what happened. Diane Chamberlain’s write is unique and special. She draws me in and asks me, “What would you do?” And then I proceed to struggle and always wonder if I answer honestly. Will you?
I highly recommend this and hope you are better for it, like I am.
Thanks St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

This book is very compelling and deals with racial injustice, which still plagues our society today. Although set during the civil rights movement, unfortunately it could of as easily been set in the present day. In my opinion, that is the message the author wanted to convey.

My first Diane Chamberlain read, but definitely not my last!

This is one of those genre-defying books. Part historical fiction, part thriller--this dual-timeline story packs a lot into it!

The present-day timeline centers on Kayla, who's moving into a house where her husband died while building it. But her property has a bit more history behind it than the new owners were aware of. The past comes into the present through Ellie's storyline, dating back to her roots with the SCOPE movement in the 60s as she worked with Civil Rights leaders to register Black voters in the South.

I was completely enthralled with this book, from the characters, the pace and the revelations. I really did not want to put this down and stayed up way too late just to see how it ended. I know this story will stick with me for some time and I highly recommend reading it!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this and the opportunity to share my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Last House on the Streer:

“She may spend her life around books, but her mind is shuttered closed,” Aunt Carol said. “Think about it. There’s a reason you share what you’re writing for the school paper with me and not with her, isn’t there?”

This book had me yelling WHAT THE FUCK because of how easily the racism just rolled off the tongue. I had to remember this was literally the norm with segregation. It’s still the norm for some people today. It angered and saddened me.

I loved reading Ellie’s story, and I wish I could have loved Kayla’s just as much. I didn’t really feel as connected with her and husband’s death, and wish that could have been discussed more.

Susan Bennett is such a wonderful reader to such a good story. I always kick myself for not reading Diane Chamberlin, but man, I don’t realize she was THIS good. Susan brought the anguish to Ellie and the sweetness to Rainie.

Thank you so much MacMillan for the gifted copy.

This is my first book by Diane Chamberlain and I was impressed. I quite liked her writing style, it was easy for me to become fully engrossed with this story from the very beginning. It revolves around two separate story lines: one taking place in 1965 at the height of the civil rights movement, and in 2010 with a young widow getting ready to move into the dream house she and her recently deceased husband built.

I didn't realize before I started reading that this book would be so rich with historical information about what was happening during the civil rights movement when Dr. Martin Luther King and other prominent black activists were trying to hard to get the voting rights bill passed so colored people could start voting. This was definitely a very contentious and hot button back then, especially in the southern states, like North Carolina where Ellie was living with her family. Initially I was a little tempted to just skim through those parts because I was here for the mystery and suspense that was supposed to be happening! But I really did get caught up in everything that Ellie was experiencing in trying to be a freedom fighter and help the black people gain voting rights and some independence. I was trying to jump ahead and figure out how the past was interconnected with the present, and it didn't take long at all for me to start figuring out what characters from that timeline were in the present day timeline with Kayla.

The present day timeline with Kayla offered that suspense I was looking for, with her first interaction in the book being with a very strange woman who shows up in her office one day, warning her not to move into her newly finished house. And then throughout the story, other strange things occur, all seemingly wrapped around that red haired woman who issued the ominous warning. All of it was an apparent attempt to get her off the land she and her husband had built their house on, but the question remained as to why? Why did someone want her off that property?

I really couldn't wait to see how the two timelines converged together, and when they did, it was not what I was expecting at all. It was so much more than I could have guessed! The puzzle pieces all started falling into place and I commend Ms. Chamberlain for crafting a complex, interwoven story that I really could not put down!

I had a few lingering questions that weren't answered by the time the story wrapped up, so I know those will be nagging at me for a bit, and is really my only criticism for this story. I've seen some other reviewers complain there was way too much time spent in the past chapters talking about the events during the civil rights movement that Ellie was dealing with, but I felt like so much emphasis was put on what she went through because those events, and that period in time, shaped her entire life from that point on. What occurred then is what caused her to leave home and never come back, not until she was 65 years old and her brother needed her.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story, it wasn't what I was expecting as I started reading, but it really turned out to be a story I won't soon forget.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Last House on the Street is a wonderfully written story about love and loss. With dual timelines each told from a different person's perspective, we are thrown into two separate worlds that are connected, yet worlds apart.

In one perspective we follow Kayla in 2010. She and her daughter move into a house that her husband died in while building it. In the other we have Ellie in 1965 as a young girl who is trying to make a difference in the world by volunteering with the SCOPE project. Throughout the story we experience a piece of each woman's life as she navigates through her own trials and tribulations until finally their two worlds collide.

This book is wonderfully written. The story captivates you as it breaks your heart and teaches you about true healing.

My favorite point of view was Ellie's. While both were good, I found Ellie's brought out the heartbreak and emotion in me much stronger than Kayla's did.

This is my first Diane Chamberlain novel and I can't wait to read more.

3.5 stars

The Last House on the Street is told in dual timelines, alternating between the civil rights movement in 1965 and modern time 2010. This book is historical fiction blended with a domestic thriller. I typically gravitate towards historical fiction novels but found myself more motivated to read the chapters written in modern time. I found the book to be a little slower pace until the last 100 pages or so. Overall, I do think the author did a great job blending these stories together and I really did enjoy how she wrapped up the ending. This book was heavy to read, but it is one that will stick with me for awhile. This book releases January 11, 2022.

Thank you to NetGalley, Diane Chamberlain and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC I’m exchange for an honest review.

The Last House on the Street takes place in the South during two time periods. In 1965, the main character is being raised by a proper Southern family but Ellie has her own opinions on her future. When she begins college and decides to spend her Summer volunteering to help black voters register, she quickly sees another side of the world and soon learns of her neighbors true feelings about civil rights.

During 2010, Kayla and her daughter are set to move into the dream house she and her husband designed. After her husband suffers a tragic accident at the house, neighbors warn her against living there and she begins to learn about the secrets haunting the property.

Diane Chamberlain weaves these two storylines together to gradually reveal the plot and hooks readers into a riveting story. This is my first novel by Diane Chamberlain but it won’t be my last.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this novel before it’s release.

The Last House on the Street was an enjoyable dual timeline read but not the can’t-put-it-down page-turner that I was hoping for. It does however meet an ambitious goal of merging historical fiction set in the civil rights era with a modern-day thriller. I liked that the older storyline was set in the 1965 just before LBJ signed the Voting Rights Act. It felt like a detailed and accurate depiction of that time and the characters were well developed – though it felt a little bit slow. The modern storyline set in 2010 had some tension and mystery and a satisfying ending. I will definitely pick up books from Diane Chamberlain’s backlist and watch for any future books. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an early copy to read and review. This book will release in just a few weeks in January 2022.

Told in dual timelines, both equally enthralling, I could not put this down. Themes cover racial prejudice, interracial relationships, forbidden love, resentments, small town community, love, loss, death, activism, social justice, family, friendships, heartbreak, warmth, and humor. Many feelings ran through me as I read this novel. As one can imagine, 1965 in a Southern state does not make for an easy read. The books portrayal of the characters really brought them live and made them memorable and highly believable. The characters actions and impact that they brought to the story as well as what they went through, brought to life the emotional crisis and times of the 60's rallies.
The year was 1965. Ellie was twenty years of age. She was home from the University of North Carolina for spring break. Ellie was in a five year pharmacology program. She still had two years more to go. Usually during summer breaks - home from college, Ellie worked at the local pharmacy owned by her father. This summer was one that changed the course of her life. Many white students from Northern and Western colleges were spending their summer in the Southern states registering Negroes to vote. This story explores Ellie's summer and the impact on her life.
2010 Kayla Carter, an architect, had been designing a dream home for seven years — along with her husband Jackson, who was also an architect. Jackson died from an accident while building their new home. Kayla had many reservations about moving forward with her daughter - moving into the house without her husband. Then things started to happen. People still living in the area in 2010, thought the area might be haunted, some tragic history lived in those woods….history that Kayla was unfamiliar when picking out a location. .
This gripping story involves romance, tragic deaths, prejudice, intrigue, and a decades-old mystery with its shocking conclusion. The storytelling is brilliant.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, who kindly provided me with a widget of the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 1/11/22.

I really enjoyed this book. The content was hard to read but undeniably part of history and I can't imagine how hard it would have been to live through those circumstances. I thought the tough topic of KKK and hate crimes were tactfully handled and didn't create a sense of hate for one side or the other, but rather tried to give understanding to both sides of the awful situation. There is always going to be animosity from both sides of this time in our history, but I truly think the answer to mending the hate is knowledge and understanding. Good job Diane Chamberlain.

Diane Chamberlain can tell a story! I loved this mystery that has historical significance. It took a minute to see how the two storylines were going to intertwine but once it did, it was great! Don't miss this one!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the early listen and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. I finished this book a few days ago and had to process what I had read/listened too. Wow what an amazing read! The depth the author went to to tell this amazing, sad, mysterious and thrilling story. Loved reading about all the characters in this story. The narrator did a fantastic job telling the story, Highly recommend!

While I have really enjoyed Chamberlain's previous works, this one was just ok for me. I felt the story was too forced and predictable. I guessed the ending from the premise of the book and honestly it was just too "easy" in that way. I wish there was more suspense with the "haunted" woods, but unfortunately it just wasn't there. The dual timelines almost seemed disjointed in this one as well. The current day timeline lacked purpose and wasn't well flushed out. And the historic timeline was too basic. Just not for me I guess.

The Last House on the Street is Diane Chamberlain at her best.
Set in 1965 and 2010 in the south.
In 1965 Ellie has joined the SCOPE project, encouraging black people to register to vote.
In 2010 Kayla is moving into her new home set in the woods.

This is an emotional book to say the least. It is not any easy read due to subject matter, but one very worth reading. I felt so many things while reading it. The characters all seemed so real. Some, like Ellie are very involved, some are just bystanders looking the other way.

Chamberlain once again tackles the difficult subjects with as much sensitivity as possible while still getting the message across.

I was very invested in seeing how the two timelines would connect and boy did they.

Expect to feel deep sadness for some and outrage at others actions and so very much more.

A book that would have been relevant back then and unfortunately is still relevant today!

Thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

What’s it about (in a nutshell):
The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain is a powerfully haunting story about love, loss, and racial divides told through two timelines and two narrators.

What I Enjoyed:
I loved the mystery storyline that runs throughout the tale and both timelines. The suspense that the mystery created kept the pace fast throughout, and even in the few lulls, the compelling story filled in and kept my attention unwavering.

I also loved how the mysteries and timelines came together and intermingled flawlessly. There is a connection between the timelines from the beginning. As the true nature of the relationship slowly reveals, it truly amazed me how well the integration of the two lines complements each other.

The 60s timeline tells a compelling and profoundly moving story around the efforts to register voters in the black communities in the US south. I felt the dangers of such work were so well told that I found myself worrying for the characters more and more as the story progresses. I’m not sure how well it aligns with facts from that period. Still, it feels authentic, so I was more than happy to suspend any disbelief and let myself be taken back in time so fully and completely, hating the bigotry of large parts of society and championing the people who wanted to make a difference.

The current timeline tells the very emotional story of Kayla, the recent loss of her husband and father to her daughter Rainie. Her emotional journey as she determines whether or not to live in the house she and her husband designed together is touching and heartfelt. It also feels acutely authentic that it is easy to empathize with her and the decisions she must face.

Characters:
All of the characters are relatable and deeply sympathetic, and they jump right off of the page and into your heart in the most profound ways.

Ellie, the narrator of the chapters from the past, came into adulthood in the ’60s and has dedicated her life to bridging the gap between the races that make up our country.

The narrator of the more recent story, Kayla, lost her husband and struggled to determine the right path for her and her young daughter, Rainie.

What I Wish:
I can’t imagine any ways that this story could be improved technically. It awed me how well it handled all aspects, even the ones that are notoriously mishandled in other books by other authors.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you are looking for a story that will not only keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end but will also leave you with the feeling that you have been immersed in something bigger than any one person, The Last House on the Street should be the next stop you make.

I requested this book from Netgalley after seeing a lot of positive reviews and talk about it. It's classified as a thriller which isn't my usual fave genre to read. I was very pleasantly surprised to find after I started reading that it has a lot of historical fiction in it which is totally my jam!

The Last House on the Street alternates between two characters' stories- Kayla in 2010 and Ellie in 1965. Kayla is widowed when her husband is injured while building their new home in a secluded new neighborhood. She encounters all sorts of scary, odd and disturbing things when she and her young daughter move in, including the abduction of her daughter. Kayla questions her husband's decision to build in the neighborhood and that particular location which has a haunting past.

Ellie in 1965 is a young adult who feels a passion for civil rights and joins a group called SCOPE. This group's mission is to encourage and enable poorer black families to vote so their voices can be heard in the era of the KKK. Even though it was extremely dangerous and against all of the rules, Ellie falls for a young black man who is part of SCOPE. This relationship causes a domino effect of events and a mystery that isn't solved until the end of the book. Ellie in 2010 is actually a neighbor to Kayla and her family used to own the land that Kayla's house is on. Her experiences in 1965 aren't resolved until she has Kayla's help.

I really like the blend of mystery thriller and historical fiction. A lot of problems in Ellie's life really struck me- the severity of racism and inequality in the past was difficult to read in parts. I felt more connected to 1965 Ellie than any of the other characters and I loved how she was always dedicated to her passions. It was very clever how the author used little clues in the book to lead to the ending. She wrote about things that seem almost insignificant until the truth about everything is revealed. The story was layered well and had so much depth that it drew me in and kept me guessing until the last chapter.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. This review will be posted to Goodreads and my bookstagram today and will be posted to Amazon upon publication.

I read this one in just a couple sittings and although I enjoyed it overall, I thought the ending was a bit over-the-top. Definitely not my favorite Chamberlain novel I've read, but it's not the worst.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-copy.

Pub Date: 1-11-2022
3.5/5⭐️

In this dual timeline story we are transported to the tiny town of Round Hill, North Caroline. A current day death and threatening situations reveal there is more hidden in this town than anyone ever expected.

I really enjoyed both timelines but the flashbacks felt the most engaging. At the beginning (as I read the 1965 timeline), I got to the end of the chapter and had to check the genre. I had thought it was just a mystery but it’s a combo of that and historical fiction. The content was so poignant and continued to be that way throughout the story.

I thought the historical areas that discussed the Voting Rights Act and the kids canvassing to register voters was incredible. Being transported to that time period in the south was a very emotional experience.

I can’t really explain why without giving things away, but there were a few areas that didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t feel as connected to the characters as I’d hoped and felt terribly frustrated with one of the characters on multiple occasions. I know so many have loved this one, and I definitely enjoyed a lot of what was written, it just didn’t live up to the hype for me.

*A lot of the creepy backyard wooded vibes hit home. I lived in Maryland as a child and had a densely wooded backyard filled with poisonous snakes. I ran through it daily and built forts with my friends. So crazy to consider doing that now! 😳

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this digital arc in exchange for an honest review.