The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain - two women, two stories – so good! 1965 we meet Ellie who is a NC college student who decides to spend her summer break as a volunteer helping to register black voters in the county she grew up in (part of the SCOPE project) without her family and friends support. 2010 we meet Kayla who is a recent widow and is moving into a home she and her late husband designed, She is nervous about the move with her young daughter after the recent death of her husband, and the property according to some is haunted. She and Ellie end up being neighbors where their stories collide as the Kayla learns more about Ellie’s history and the woods around her home. This is the first book I have read by Diane Chamberlain and I loved it! I felt like I was part of the story and am still thinking about it afterwards – I highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an eARC of this book which is scheduled to be released January 11, 2022.

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

4.5 stars

The Last House on the Street is told through two POV in two time periods—in 2010 recent widow Kalya Carter 2010 moves into new house in Round Hill, NC, with her four year old daughter. An odd woman warns her not to move in and some strange things are happening at her house. In 1965, Ellie defies her Round Hill family and signs up with the SCOPE Project (Summer Community Organization and Political Education) where white college students lived with rural black citizens to register them to vote. The two women’s story converge in 2010.

I loved Ellie's story and was heartbroken time and time again. Sadly, it is amazing that 56 years later, so many of the social justice issues remain the same.

I highly recommend this book.

I had both the digital copy and the audio book. I preferred the audio book which had excellent narration by Susan Bennett.

Two women are connected to a tragedy by a house in a well-to-do neighborhood. As one tries to make sense of what happened, the other wants to forget the entire incident. Author Diane Chamberlain returns with her attention to detail in the compelling yet incomplete novel The Last House on the Street.

Kayla Carter can’t focus these days. Her husband, Jackson, died in a terrible accident in the half-finished house the two of them designed together. Now the house is done, but she has no inclination to move in. Yet she doesn’t have a choice. She and Jackson sank most of their money into the home, and it was his dream house to live there and raise their three-year-old daughter, Rainie.

Even before Kayla moves in, though, there are problems. A strange woman visits her at the architecture firm where she and Jackson worked together. The woman threatens Kayla—at least, it sounds like a threat—and it freaks Kayla out. After she moves in, someone begins harassing her with property damage and fake phone calls but she doesn’t know why.

Her new neighborhood, Shadow Ridge Estates, was supposed to be a refuge in their small town of Round Hill, North Carolina. The woods behind the house leave Kayla feeling unsettled, but Jackson loved them and picked their lot because of the close proximity to nature. He even insisted on floor-to-ceiling windows so they could look out and see the woods.

Kayla’s apprehension remains when she meets the Hockley family who live in the only old house left on the street. Everyone else is gone and gave the developers their blessing to redo the entire area. The Hockleys are the lone holdout, and Kayla’s dad tells her he wouldn’t be surprised if they never let their house go.

The connection between her father and the Hockleys, particularly Ellie Hockley, puzzles Kayla. She discovers that there’s more than a social connection. At one time Ellie and Kayla’s father were in love. Ellie, in fact, saw herself settling down with Kayla’s dad.

All that changed when Ellie got involved with a civil rights organization in the 1960s dedicated to helping Black people register to vote. Ellie’s eyes are opened to the racism in her own backyard, and she’s also drawn to another volunteer. Her parents barely tolerate her sense of civic duty, but for Ellie it’s an eye-opening experience that changes her permanently.

As Kayla and Ellie get to know one another, Kayla discovers some startling truths about Shadow Ridge Estates. She and Ellie will both have to decide if they can live with what she finds—even if that means admitting uncomfortable realities about themselves.

Author Diane Chamberlain excels in her research into race relations in the past, and once again her story shines because of her careful detailing. Here Chamberlain highlights the SCOPE project, a 1965 civil rights initiative to reach rural Black families. Ellie’s involvement in the group gives readers another window into that tumultuous time of history.

The book alternates between Ellie’s story in the 1960s and Kayla in present-day Round Hill. Chamberlain’s prose and character building shine during Ellie’s sections. Ellie’s apprehension at getting involved with SCOPE as well as her change of heart toward the people in her life are natural and organic. Readers will have no problem getting involved with her side of the plot.

By contrast, Kayla’s storyline is weaker. There isn’t nearly as much movement in her subplot. Kayla’s main function is to mourn her husband and wonder why someone would want to harass her; her sections are clearly to heighten tension for Ellie’s sections and also to act as transitions back to Ellie’s story.

The style and methods of harassment against Kayla border on juvenile. When the harasser’s identity is revealed, readers might scratch their heads rather than be shocked. Also, the main portions of Ellie’s story are compelling, but readers will find themselves asking a lot of questions about the rest of her life.

Early on it’s revealed that she lives in California now, and vague mentions are made of her activism there. Yet readers never find out how she made it from North Carolina and the gut-wrenching events there all the way to the west coast. The leap is too big to make without some kind of information to bridge the gap.

The historical portions of the book are compelling and a must-read. The rest of the book doesn’t quite live up to that same benchmark.

WOW, I am emotionally charged after reading Diane Chamberlain’s new novel The Last House On The Street. The only bad thing about finishing one of her books is that I have to wait too long for her next one to come out.

The story takes place in 1965 in North Carolina during the time of segregation, civil rights, the Ku Klux Klan and Martin Luther King. I learned about SCOPE, the Summer Community Organization and Political Education Project, a civil rights initiative lead by King to get congress to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965. White college students were recruited to go to rural areas and educate African Americans on the importance of voting. As you can imagine this brought about major conflict, extreme danger and death. Many of the people involved in the project have been emotionally effected throughout their lives due to what they witnessed during this short time. Ellie along with the entire small community of Round Hill, North Carolina were never able to recover from the events that took place in their community during 1965.

I found the beginning of the story to be a little simplistically written and thought I might be disappointed but as I kept reading that was definitely not the case. I became so attached to the characters and felt such hatred towards the bad people and such compassion, love and respect for the good people. I wanted to jump in the story and be part of the action. I would love to see this as a movie.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Make sure to make this one of your first reads of 2022.

I have to say this wasn’t my favorite. It started out good but I lost interest in the middle of the book. The story is told from multiple viewpoints that despite being years apart they connect. I finished it, but it wasn’t a page turner. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Very engaging story and storytelling. I would say that it seemed a bit too long and probably could have done without Kayla's portion. It just didn't add the right layer.

I hate to say this one didn’t completely work for me. It started off strong. I was really compelled to keep reading, but it just dragged in the middle. By the time I got to the end I just wanted it to be over.

I really enjoyed this book. The author is one of my favorites, I love her ability to tell stories that keep me reading for more

(3.5⭐️) The exquisite, new house at the end of Hockley Street was designed with detail and attention. But more importantly, it was designed with love by two architects eager for a happy ever after there amongst the beauty of that land.

But that land’s history is one of tragedy. And tragedy rarely stays buried.

This story is told in dual narrative. In 2010, we meet Kayla, who is recently widowed and preparing to move into the Hockley Street house she designed with her husband. It’s hard to push aside the grief over him dying on the very steps he designed. Her anxieties are quickly compounded as she and her daughter are threatened by a mysterious woman.

In 1965, twenty year old Ellie Hockley has just finished her second year of college. Her family has lived in Round Hill for generations and are well respected. When Ellie joins the newly instituted SCOPE program, where she will assist in registering black voters, she is met with opposition from everyone, including her family.

History has a place in the present day, and though nearly fifty years apart, Ellie and Kayla’s stories intersect.

Though the writing is good and the storyline is solid, I never quite connected with the characters the way I desired. The emotions that Kayla went through, grief and anxiety, are ones I’ve dealt with recently. Yet, I didn’t feel as tied to her as I expected. Likewise, I believe strongly in the causes Ellie fought for. But again, I didn’t feel her fire and zeal as if it were my own.

Chamberlain tackles timely issues from a little known historical perspective. Sadly the issues she writes about in this book are still present today, and this book offers a poignant reflection on how far we’ve come, yet how far we have left to go.

Thank you Diane Chamberlain, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

Ugh - in a GOOD way. I feel a little speechless, a little sad, a lot disgusted (by certain historical events and characters in this story) and think Ellie is a character that’s going to stay with me for awhile.

The Last House on the Street is my first book by Diane Chamberlain, but definitely not my last *adds her backlist to cart*

Spoilers ahead -

This story is told in dual timelines - Ellie in 1965 and Kayla in 2010. Ellie is on the cusp of adulthood as she navigates who she wants to be during the civil rights movement. Kayla is navigating her feelings about moving into a home lovingly designed with her husband, who is recently and tragically deceased.

There is a little mystery as to how their storylines overlap and why.

I loved Ellie’s story and reading about how she was growing into such an tenacious, brave and admirable character. I found reading about her involvement in SCOPE very interesting. Her relationship with Win broke my heart.

I will be honest in saying that I didn’t connect to Kayla as well, and some of the conversations she had felt trite. As well, her grief surrounding her husband’s death felt contrived. Maybe that’s harsh, because we never really got to know Jackson, but it felt like he withheld information from her and was suspicious, but we never really got to dive into that.

I definitely recommend adding this to your must read list of 2022!

A big thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Diane Chamberlain for the free e-ARC in exchange for my review.

Five stars for this woven story. She had me at the reflective sunglasses!
We go through so much in life friendship, love, birth death. Diane Chamberlain writes it best.

Well-written story about two women, Ellis and Kayla. linked by events that took place in 1965 in North Carolina and decades later in the same town in 2010. I enjoyed the time period of the book - the Civil Rights movement - and the themes the book explores around the courage of many young white and Black students who tried to help Black Americans register to vote and the hatred and violence of the Ku Klux Klan who were desperate for society to remain unchanged.

Some scenes in this book are difficult to read but it is also a deeply felt story of courage, and doing the right thing when it is not the popular thing to do. The author did a good job creating what it must have been like to have been black and living with the blatant racism that existed in the 1960s in the deep South in the U.S. The author also effectively used dual timeframes to tell Ellis’ and Kayla’s story. At first, the stories appeared unconnected but came together smoothly as the story unfolded. I also liked that the story was well-paced and the main characters were very likeable and vulnerable. I read this book in a little over a day and I was sorry for it to end. A novel well worth your time!

Terrific story! A timely novel that explores issues of racism and voting rights. Told in two different converging points in time, it was interesting and evocative enough to keep the reader compelled to continue reading. Some of the dialogue was trite which took away from the story. Still, worth reading this book.

Beautifully written, told in the past in 1965 and the further 2010. Kayla now in 2010 is dealing with her own tragedy that happened in her newly built home when some one comes and starts making threats. In her quest to find normalcy and she gets to know her new neighbors who happen to know her dad. Ellies part is told in 1965 when she join SPOKE civil rights activists. These chapters seemed so much deeper, I really looked forward to them and finding out more about the work she was doing and how that effected her life and others. I loved how it all came together and you get to see how things worked out.

The Last House on the Street is told in alternating time lines. Kayla's story take place in 2010 when she is about to move into her dream house with her husband and daughter when her husband dies unexpectedly. Kayla experiences some events that make her afraid to move into her new home. The people in town hint to some mysterious things that have happened and she fears that someone is trying to scare her into not moving into her new home.
Ellie's story takes place in 1965 where she becomes involved in a group that helps people register to vote during a time of racial injustice.
One of my favorite things about Diane's writing is trying to figure out how the characters in each time line are connected. I have never been disappointed in anything that I have read by Diane. Although, I was able to read an advanced copy through NetGalley, I have pre-ordered my copy to keep on my shelves.

Diane Chamberlain could write the phone book, and I’d gobble it up and savor each page. While I wasn’t head over heels for this particular story, I still found the dual timeline format taut, smart, historically interesting and compelling enough.. It was a slow build to an engrossing finish.

I have loved every single Diane Chamberlain’s book I have ever read and “Big Lies in a Small Town” and “The Dream Daughter” were phenomenal!!! Her latest book “The Last House on the Street” just did not do anything for me. Told in 2 different time lines 1965 and 2010 - I just had to put down the book at 38%. It’s not for me and I see I’m definitely in the minority. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release and look forward to more of her books in the future. To be published January 2022.

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain is an informative piece of fiction by this wonderful writer.

The Last House on the Street is told with a dual timeline. In 2010 we have Kayla, a recently widowed single mother. Kayla and her daughter are threatened by a mysterious woman after moving into the house that Kayla and her husband built. As Kayla works to become more comfortable in the house where her husband passed away, she uncovers the harrowing history of the property where she lives.

In 1965 we have Ellie Hockley. Ellie is a young woman impassioned by the civil rights movement. Against the wishes of her family and community, Ellie decides to join SCOPE, and organization dedicated to registering black voters. While part of this organization, Ellie undergoes a transformation that will forever change the course of her life.

The two storylines come together when Kayla and Ellie meet in 2010. The two form an at first strained friendship as the history of their street finally comes to light.

Diane Chamberlain is a wonderful writer and I have enjoyed several of her previous books. That being said, something in this one was lacking a bit for me. It took a long time for the book to get started. The beginning was very repetitive both in Kayla and Ellie's storylines. Kayla reiterated how "creepy" her property was, and the entire process of Ellie joining SCOPE.

As the book progresses, Ellie's timeline becomes the stronger of the stories. Several of the events of the book are foreshadowed and/or so predictable that I felt the book lacked suspense. It is not hard for the reader to put together an idea of the events that take place or the "whodunnit" aspect of the book. I found Ellie's naïveté a bit hard to believe, especially regarding one plot point that is a spoiler. The book picks up in pacing at around the 80 percent mark when everything begins to tie together.

The plot of this book certainly feels timely, and Chamberlain is a wonderful writer who paints vivid scenes in her novels. However, I felt the repetitive and obvious nature of the plot kept me from being fully absorbed in this book.

This historical mystery takes place in 2010 and 1965. The 2010 is less depressing, even though it’s about a widower who is about to move into the house that killed her husband. Both Kayla and her husband were architects, and they designed their dream house in a heavily wooded area at the end of the street. They would be the first ones to move into the area, which, once vacant except for one house, is now being developed, with construction all around them. Jackson died when the house was partially finished by slipping on some screws and falling down the stairs that didn’t yet have a handrail. So the house has hard memories for Kayla, but she and her three-year-old daughter are planning to move in anyway. It doesn’t help Kayla feel good about her decision when a strange woman comes to her office and warns her away from the house. How does this stranger know so much about Kayla?

The alternating part of this book happens when twenty-year-old Ellie decides to use her summer to help educate black folks in preparation for when Lyndon Johnson passes the Voting Rights bill Act. None of her North Carolinian family and friends think this is a good idea. They think that if black people haven’t registered to vote it’s because they’re lazy, not that there are so many obstacles in their way. What’s painful about reading that half of the book is that Ellie doesn’t want to believe the people she cares about are racist, and also that we’re still battling whether it should be easy to vote like it is here in Colorado where we’ve had vote by mail since 2013, or whether people should have to wait in line for hours on a November workday. Also, all the opposition Ellie and her fellow activists face from the Klan and the community in general is so appalling, especially because we still have to put up with a lot of that same idiocy today.

I enjoyed the mystery and Kayla and Ellie. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel, which RELEASES JANUARY 11, 2021.

Ellie is a healthy, typical young high school graduate in 1965 North Carolina until she learns about the “Freedom Fighters”. This is an organization of young people who travel to the southern states to meet and enlighten the black residents about their upcoming new right to vote, a bill waiting for signature by President Johnson.
Ellie goes against the wishes of her family, her boyfriend, and all of her society in order to join this group. Her incentive comes from her late Aunt Carol, who had always been a champion for human rights.
Flashing forward to 2010, we meet Kayla and her daughter as they’re recovering from the recent loss of her husband. They’re preparing to move into the home Kayla and her husband lovingly designed, but a dark cloud hangs over the home. It’s where her husband Jackson died from a freak accident.
Kayla’s new home is just down the street from Ellie’s childhood home, and numerous other new homes are being built around the old homeplace.
Flashing back to Ellie, we’re exposed to the dangerous, yet compassionate daily responsibilities of the freedom fighters. Ellie’s living conditions drastically change, but her biggest threat is the bigots who mean to harm her, especially if she, a blond-haired white girl, is seen with a black man. She’s constantly running out of sight, ducking in the car, avoiding the eyes of these predators. In defiance of this hatred, Ellie can’t help but develop a strong attraction to her co-worker, Winston. Win, a charming and intelligent black man, tries to avoid the growing attachment they feel for each other, but the bond is too strong. This relationship is something that isn’t tolerated in 1965 North Carolina, and the consequences are severe.
Meanwhile, Kayla has moved into their new home and someone is taunting her. She’s visited by a threatening stranger, her trash is thrown all over the yard, dead squirrels are draped in her front shrub, and odd noises can be heard at night in the woods behind her home. While investigating their new backyard, Kayla and her daughter Rainie find a murky pond, a years-old treehouse, and an odd round blank spot in the middle of the woods. Kayla learns there’s a history of KKK meetings in this area, which adds to her increasing fear of the place. She tries to befriend her neighbor down the road, but 65-year old Ellie seems to have an issue with Kayla, so she knows she’s going to have to work to earn her trust.
As the connection between these two settings, forty-five years apart, slowly evolves and reveals itself, tension builds.
The author does a great job depicting the sensitive era of the sixties in the south. As I was reading this book, I ran across a headline about the Battle of Hayes Pond, when on January 18, 1958, five hundred Native Americans (the Lumee tribe) drove the KKK out of their peaceful home of Maxton, North Carolina. This factual event supports the atmosphere that Ms. Chamberlain created for her fiction story.
Sad, but beautiful, this is a book that’s hard to read, yet necessary, so we can “stay focused, on the goal, keeping our eyes on the prize”. All are created equal; we need constant reminders of this commandment.
Sincere thanks to St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is January 11, 2022.