Diane Chamberlain is a favorite of mine. This book alternates between Kayla’s story in the present and Ellie’s story from 1965. Ellie is a smart young gal who wants to do right by black people by helping them get registered to vote. However, her family is against this for many reasons, but Ellie is quite headstrong and determined. Kayla is a young mother, recently widowed, who is just about to move into a large brand new house. But she is scared because it’s in the woods and things are happening that are very strange. Then Ellie as a 65 year old connects with Kayla and the plot grows further. I liked the storyline. It was well done. It wasn’t my favorite Diane Chamberlain book, but a good read.

Told in dual timelines, one in 2010 and the other in the mid 1960’s, this book is a remarkable story about a time in US history that shaped the future of integration and cultural acceptance between races.

You would have thought that in the 60’s the US would have moved beyond segregation and racial hatred, but not so in the South. I personally remember a trip my family took to Tennessee and Arkansas, and I remember seeing the bathrooms and water fountains that were marked as white or black only, and I asked my parents why this was. I don’t remember that either of them had a reason, but throughout my life that vision has stayed with me.

I wasn’t aware of the SCOPE project until now, but given the time, it makes unfortunate sense. The people who drove this effort are heroes but weren’t seen that way by many. Very sad time. The author has done an excellent job of capturing the time and the outcomes.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC, but my opinions are my own.

The Last House on the Street does indeed have it all: mystery , intrigue, history , social justice , characters we love and those despicable ones.

The story takes place in two timelines 1965 and 2010.

Ellie is out for social change in 1965 throughout a time of civil unrest and wants to change the world at any cost.

Kayla in 2010 is grieving the loss of her husband and has just moved into her new house .

These two ladies are destined to meet as their stories intertwine in a fascinating way.

I cheered for both these ladies, I cried for both these ladies and I admired them both.

The Last House on the Street will stay with the reader for a long time to come. Put this book on the top of your TBR pile and get lost in the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for a fascinating read.

This was a 3.5 read for me. I think it was sold as a thriller but it's more of a historical fiction novel. The thriller aspect doesn't feel connected to the rest of the story. The story takes place mostly in 1965 and all roads lead from there. Kayla was very much placed to bring the story in the future but didn't really have much to the with the whole journey. Ellie and Reed, Kayla's father, is what really drives the story. Mostly Ellie and her messed up family. This is based during the civil rights movement and the racism portrayed is horrific. Without giving away much of the story, Ellie is a passionate, naive girl who believe North Carolina is not like the rest of the South. You would think Ellie would get rid of this notion after she experiences horror after horror but it doesn't until it's really too late. She pulls emotion out of you as you both want to shake her and hug her after everything that happens to her. The story doesn't even deliver justice but it does leave behind angry emotions and a deep message

I love Diane Chamberlain's books and while I am slowly catching up on earlier novels, I am right on top of reading her latest as soon as I can get my hands on a copy! The Last House on the Street will be available in a few weeks and I definitely recommend grabbing a copy as soon as you can!

While this novel mostly takes place in the mid-sixties, the storyline is extremely relevant to present times. I found myself comparing it to the original movie of Hairspray, starring Ricki Lake, as Ellie reminded me of Tracy Turnblad. However, the situations in this novel are more intense and horrifying than that movie. And at least Tracy's mom was on her side.

The story was incredible throughout. I felt so bad for Ellie with how everyone was treating her for doing the right thing. There was an interesting mystery going on for Kayla and I was definitely along for the ride. I guessed part of it correctly later on, but I was curious to see how Kayla would make that discovery. I like how she and Ellie connected in the present and how Ellie's story unfolded over the course of the story.

While some parts are unsettling to read, they were important to what was going on and the story wouldn't carry the same emotional weight without those situations. If this is the first book of Diane's that you read, you'll definitely want to check out her others when you are done, as she is that great of a writer!

Movie casting suggestions:
Ellie (1965): AmyBeth McNulty
Ellie (present): Reba McEntire
Kayla: Margaret Qualley (they'd have to change her daughter's name since Margaret's sister has the same name, which would be weird)
Win: Niles Fitch
Reed (1965): Garrett Wareing
Reed (present): Peter Gallagher
Greg: Desean Terry
Brenda (1965): Jade Pettyjohn

Diane, Diane, Diane...Diane Chamberlain does it again! Her books are always favorites of mine and The Last House on the Street did not disappoint. The past is haunting the present in so many ways and Chamberlain lays the story out in a way that kept me turning pages to find out what was really going on. Never a dull moment in this one. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an ebook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Last House on the Street is a another thought provoking and compelling novel written by Diane Chamberlain. Once again, she writes in the dual timeline story format. The first timeline takes place in 2010 in North Carolina and then the second one is in 1966 North Carolina when the Voting Act was in the process of being voted into law. This is a poignant, compelling, and thought provoking novel about racism and forgiveness. I am a huge fan of Diane Chamberlain's novels. Once again, she does not disappoint! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

4 Stars

I gravitate towards reading memoirs, biographies and historical fiction, but steer away from murder mysteries and thrillers. At some point I read some books by author Diane Chamberlain and liked them (perhaps offered by the publisher), so through author recognition decided to give this one a try.

As with her other books, there are dual timelines here, 1965 and 2010. The 1965 storyline involves a young female college student named Ellie who hails from North Carolina. The scourge of the Ku Klux Klan is prevalent in her home town of Round Hill. However, Ellie is very supportive of the upcoming voting lesiglation to be signed by President Johnson enabling blacks to vote. While out taking photos, she spontaneously decides to join a protest and gets arrested. She is further inspired to join an activist group called SCOPE which canvases black neighborhoods to encourage them to register to vote once the legislation is signed into law. She is an outlier because all the other white volunteers are from the northern states like New York. She is paired with a black young man named Winston as they walk for miles visiting prospective black voters.

The 2010 storyline focuses on Kayla, a young widow with a young daughter, Rainie. Tragically, her late husband Jackson had a deadly fall in the house they had both designed. As architects, they had painstakingly poured so many details into what would be a dream home. Despite the morbidity of the situation, Kayla is determined to try to live in the home they so lovingly planned together. However, the atmosphere is further troubled by a very strange woman who visited Kayla's architectural firm the week before Kayla was to move in. Her threatening tone regarding building on this land frightened Kayla so much she chased her out of the firm and called the police.

The dueling timelines weave together a tragic story on several levels to uncover an abominable incident from the past. This was an interesting and mysterious story with elements of forbidden love and racism. It was a very sad and unsettling topic, so I actually dipped into reading a couple of other books to lift my spirits while reading this. The last third of the book's action kept me locked in and the author succeeded once again with a quality, thought-provoking story.

Thank you to the publisher St. Martin's Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

It’s 2010 and Kayla Carter is preparing to move into the beautiful home in Shadow Ridge Estates, a new upscale development in North Carolina, that she and her architect husband Jackson designed. Although he tragically died in an accident while under construction, Kayla plans to live in the home with her three-year-old daughter Rainie. A strange woman, calling herself Ann Smith, comes to Kayla’s office appearing to be interested in an addition to her home but instead reveals she knows all about Kayla’s life and makes alarming threats. Once in her new home, she meets Ellie Hockley, a woman in her 60s who has returned to her old home to care for her ill brother and aging mother. It is the only pre-existing house on the street where the new homes of Shadow Ridge are being built.

The story shifts to 1965 when Ellie, a white college student, decides to spend the summer volunteering with a group of students from the North to encourage Black residents to register to vote once President Johnson’s Voting Rights Act goes into effect. Kayla’s family, boyfriend and friends urge her not to participate as she and the other volunteers face danger from the local members of the Ku Klux Klan. She discovers that some of her loved ones are harboring racists beliefs that she was never aware of. As she faces being ostracized from her community, the situation gets more complicated when Ellie and Win, one of the young Black volunteers, fall for one another.

When the story alternates back to 2010, strange occurrences start taking place at Kayla’s new home threatening her and Rainie. As Kayla gets closer with Ellie, she discovers that her father Reed was the boyfriend Ellie left behind that fateful summer. Kayla learns the terrible secrets from the past that surround the place she now calls home.

Author Diane Chamberlain’s books never fail to captivate. The Last House on the Street is an incredibly heartfelt and emotional story. When I finished it, I had to sit for a while and absorb it all. Start your new year off with a fabulous book by a great storyteller which should not only appeal to fans of historical fiction but also those who love a good mystery.

The Last House on the Street was a winding and unflinching story about prejudices and search for justice. Told from two point of views, two women, two times lines intertwined to bring together a heartbreaking and mysterious journey. The last 30% of the book had me on the edge of my seat. Characters beautifully crafted, story well developed and I didn't want to put the book down. I must say I really enjoyed the historical fiction aspect and slightly preferred following Ellie in 1965. But overall it was a great book.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an advanced copy

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain is a touching, well researched and engaging story. Chamberlain has a knack of making every world that she inhabits, come alive. She easily transported me between the 1960’s to 2010. Each timeline gripped me and I was impressed with how the details were so well thought out and depicted. The two stories wove together seamlessly and I really enjoyed this book.

4.5 stars

I really enjoy Diane Chamberlain’s books, and this was another wonderful addition to her growing literary collection.

The present meets the past in this suspenseful mystery that takes place in the small town of Round Hill, North Carolina. Unfortunately, Round Hill harbors tragic memories and it’s elderly citizens haven’t forgotten how it tore them apart.

When Kayla Carter moves into her newly built home in the Shadow Ridge Estates, it’s bittersweet for her and her four-year-old daughter. Her husband died in a tragic accident while their dream home was being built, but rather than walk away from it, she chose to stay. It quickly becomes clear that not everyone is happy to see her move in, especially after being warned by an odd, older woman. Strange happenings begin to occur around her new home, and after meeting her neighbor’s sister, Ellie Hockley, and learning the history of the area, she begins to understand the turmoil that once occurred on their land.

This story literally had everything I could want in a book: suspense, mystery, romance, and history. I loved that it was told through dual POV, Ellie in the past and Kayla in the present, and I really enjoyed getting the backstory of what happened in Round Hill all those years ago. As heartbreaking as it was, I felt like the characters had finally gotten some closure by the end. There was so much that they kept secret for so long, it seemed like it would never be brought to light, but once it was, I can’t say that I was surprised. It was clear that the prejudice and hate expressed by certain characters had spanned across a lifetime, but it was no less disheartening to hear.

This was a beautifully written story that touched on prejudice, the fight for racial equality, forbidden love, and the search for justice. These are subjects that continue to resonate with society today, and I think it’s important to remind this generation that racial prejudice still exists and the fight for equality is an ongoing battle. I truly enjoyed reading this story and highly recommend it!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4375697911

I’m a huge fan of the author and while this isn’t a favorite of mine I did grow to love this one the more I read it. I became particular invested around the 50% mark. I will say that I preferred Ellie’s storyline in 1965 and while they came together I thought Kaylas sections were a tad underwhelming.

This is a heavy one friends and leaves me deeply saddened by the social injustices of the past and still today.

This is a dual time line story. It is set in 1965 and 2010. The 2 main characters are Ellie Hockley and Kayla Carter. I loved both of these characters. Both time lines are heartbreaking and beautiful and deal with very hard issues. I enjoyed the 1965 storyline the best and enjoyed learning about the SCOPE project. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

This is the second book I’ve picked up from this author and both have been five star reads. I can’t wait to read more from Diane Chamberlain.

This author seamlessly weaves together historical fiction and mystery through a dual timeline and completely pulls me into her stories. In this book, we meet Kayla who is questioning moving into her dream home- the same dream home that her husband died in after suffering a fall during the building process. Kayla considers backing out, but everyone around her reminds her that her husband would want her to move in with their young daughter. She begins experiencing threats and warnings strongly discouraging her from staying in this home/neighborhood. As she connects with her elderly neighbor, Ellie she learns more about the history of this land than she ever imagined.

The story also jumps back to the 1960s, as we follow Ellie during the summer she worked for the Scope Project- canvassing neighborhoods to try to get the Black community to register to vote. Ellie was heavily involved in civil rights movements against her family’s wishes and experienced her own devastating loss. As Ellie and Kayla learn more about each other, their backgrounds are revealed. There is such a tragic past that Ellie experienced and Kayla is made aware of that is absolutely heartbreaking. I loved Ellie so much and connected with her character. I could say so many amazing things about this story, but I’ll just leave you with this…this is a MUST read!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advance reading copy- this book is available 1/11/22.

The Last House on the Street is an engaging, historical fiction novel that provides a story rich in mystery and relevant to today's issues. The story takes place over duel timelines-in 1965, with Ellie, a young woman working with a social justice program encouraging African Americans to register to vote and in 2010 when a young widow, Kayla, is reeling from the loss of her husband and attempting to raise her young daughter in the house built on land shrouded in history and potentially something more sinister.

This novel reads like a slow burn to it's shocking climax. The duel timelines are masterfully woven together so that we see both Ellie and Kayla's connections to each other and the characters around them. I found myself racing through the story as the character's fates were revealed through a satisfying conclusion.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I love multiple timelines of past/present when the past is a different generation, and Diane Chamberlain does it best! Both were equally compelling and interesting. I really liked that the timelines connection was evident immediately and it wasn't a mystery. There were also really important stories around race and interracial relationships that were very thought-provoking.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Last House on the Street is a story told in duel time lines, 1965 and 2010. The story is beautifully blended together.
The story covers small town community, loss, death, interracial relationships, family, racism, coming of age and so much more.
This was a story I could not put down!
Kayla and her husband Jackson have built their dream home in Round Hill in 2010. Seems the property they built their house on has some secrets that someone doesn't want discovered.
Twenty year old Ellie Hockley joins the SCOPE project in 1965. Ellis is from Round Hill.
Have things really changed much from 1965 to 2010?
The more things change the more they remain the same.
This is a powerful story that will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book.

What a heartbreaking, powerful read. Both the past and present were done well, and I really liked some of the characters (and hated others). I guessed some parts of the twist, but other parts were really surprising. Diane Chamberlain is one of my favorite authors, and this was done so well.

1965 - Ellie is inspired to help with the civil rights movement in the South and begins to realize she will have resistance, not just from her family, but everyone she loves and trusts.

2010 - Kayla and her daughter moves into a new home after the loss of her husband.. Although she’s excited about her dream home, the place may be haunted by ghosts from the present and the past.

I love all of Diane Chamberlain’s books and this one didn’t disappoint. Historical fiction at its best. Give her books a try if you are a fan of the genre.

Thanks NetGalley for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.