Her Last Affair
by John Searles
Pub Date: March 22, 2022
Mariner
Thanks to the author, Mariner, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Part page-turning thriller, part homage to film noir, and dazzling in its insight into the often desperate desires of the human heart, Her Last Affair is a tense and atmospheric novel of love lost and found again.
I was able to listen to the author on a webcast and from then on I knew I wanted to read this book.
I found the book very compelling and I am eager to recommend it.
4 stars

The main characters are quirky, unsympathetic personalities, and their coming together in this book means more mayhem and disaster. The plot is good, the story interesting, but you must be in the mood to spend your time with 95 percent of the characters being people you really don't like. A good read, nevertheless, for thriller readers looking for an unusual book.

I love character-driven thrillers written from multiple points of view. This did not work for me as I found all of the characters unlikeable and the pacing slow and tedious. It was a slog to get through and did not pay off in the end.

Thank you to William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Her Last Affair and provide an honest review.

John Searles creates a captivating and genre-defying story in his upcoming book, Her Last Affair. Skyla Hull is a widowed former nurse who’s losing her eyesight, and might just be losing her mind as well. Her property includes two small houses, and as the book opens Skyla rents the unoccupied one to Teddy Cornwell. He’s a charmer with a lovely British accent, and soon they’re sharing candlelit dinners.

But as they tell each other about their past, the tale unravels. We learn the details in bits and pieces, never completely able to trust the stories they tell. Secrets run deep and fast in this book, and I struggled to put it down.

Skyla lives in a small town and her property also includes a deserted drive-in movie theater. Pretty much everyone in town knows her, but she keeps them all at arm’s length. The way she connects with Teddy seems like an aberration, and Searles waits until the last moments to explain what they really have in common.

My conclusions
This is a literary, convoluted, mystery with odd characters. Reading it is like looking at life through Skyla’s failing eyes. The corners are dark and nothing is at all clear. If you’re in the mood for something off-kilter but not off-putting, this is for you.

Searles never hits just one genre, and that’s a hallmark of his writing style. There’s an undercurrent of horror, but not so much that you miss the relationship between the characters. Of course, they’re all damaged goods, which only made me love them more.

Like any good grave digger, Searles show us each deeper foot slowly. Just when you think you’ve settled into the worst secret, the story burrows deeper still. If you want every layer doled out as the author intended, don’t read the author acknowledgments until the book is finished!

I originally picked up Searles’ books because my father was also John Searles, although I don’t think we’re related. But now after reading two of his books, I’ll keep coming back for his storytelling skill.
I recommend Her Last Affair if you like a good, creepy mystery with strong pacing and a unique storyline.

Acknowledgments
Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow / Custom House / Mariner Books, and the author for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of Her Last Affair which is scheduled for release March 22. The story starts out being told by Sklya, a former RN whose career ended under some questionable circumstances. She and her husband lived on his family’s property which contained an old drive-in theater, until her husband of nearly 50 years died in an undefined accident. Now suffering from Macular Degeneration, Skyla's vision is severely compromised. All these factors come into play when she rents out her cottage next door to a stranger, Teddy Cornwall III, who she can only hear and imagine.
The story takes off from there as it introduces us to multiple characters who have had an impact on each other over the years. As they reacquaint themselves, there’s the thought “…I guess that makes us even when it comes to the trumped-up versions of our lives we presented each other.” And “Who wants the world to think they’ve failed? Who wants anyone to think their lives aren’t perfect, that they’re not happy and successful and fulfilled every second of every day? Who wants anyone to know the truth: that the things they wanted most from this life, they either messed up on their own or they just plain got screwed out of for no good reason?” As the stories unfold and the odd group of characters come together, there are more questions than answers until things turn darker. I found the story took some time to get where it was going and was a little confusing at times but, ultimately, it paid off. I liked the use of movie quotes to introduce each chapter and the nostalgic look at drive-ins. “I’m a teenage girl who’s ridden my three-speed to the edge of a field on a summer evening in 1960. In an attempt at inconspicuousness, I forgo the kickstand and lay the bicycle down before sitting on the grass. In the distance, over the roofs of so many parked cars, I see a film flickering on the enormous movie screen, an old picture even then. And though I can’t hear the voices of the actors up there—falling in and out of love, telling secrets, telling lies, making threats, making promises, breaking hearts—I don’t mind, because those nights spent under the stars, conjuring the specifics of their stories for myself, are among the first real thrills of my life.”

I thought this book was going to be more of a domestic thriller but I was very incorrect. It’s a bit confusing at first as none of the character POVs seem to fit with one another. I didn’t like them. The story was odd and the writing wasn’t my favorite. Also, no one gets a happily ever after, which is fine but eh.

I see what this book was going for, multiple storylines that at first seem to not be connected but then overlap in unexpected ways. But as the stories went on, it wasn't so much that the characters became more unlikable (they were never particularly likable), but that they were harder and harder to connect to. And when it all came together, there was no longer a whole lot of stakes in the reveals. I didn't love it, but I also didn't hate it.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for an early copy of this e-arc.*

Wow. What the heck did I just read?! Don’t get me wrong. I liked it, but this story was weird! From the mannequins to the nurse outfits, these people were just straight up weirdos. I knew all of their stories would end up interconnected, but I could not have predicted this.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow/Custom House I was able to read the newest John Searles novel. While hard to place in a specific genre, the book is a brilliant character study and a definite page turner.

We are introduced to the characters in alternating chapters. First we meet Skyla who is a widow, former nurse and blind woman. She lives next to a defunct drive in movie theater which had been her husband's family business. Also on the property is a duplicate, empty cottage next to her home. She decides to rent the empty cottage to a charming British man named Teddy Cornwell. While she is a rather quirky landlady, Teddy proves to be an ideal tenant. He encourages her to confront issues in her past that she is struggling with. Both Skyla and Teddy have broken hearts from past relationships and Skyla also encourages Teddy to face his issues. Teddy contacts his first love Linelle who is in a loveless marriage and they try to reconnect. Also suffering from a broken heart is Jeremy a less than successful writer who accepts an assignment in the town where his heart was broken. He decides to contact his first love Maryanne with hopes of rekindling their love.

Searles does an admirable job of interweaving the characters and their story lines as well as adding an unexpected twist at the end of the book. The characters are odd, as are their stories but are also believable in the author's deft hands. This is the first John Searles novel I have read, but his work is now definitely on my radar and TBR pile. Thanks to both NetGalley and William Morrow/Custom House I now have a new author to enjoy! Three and a half stars rating.

Her Last Affair is a character-focused psychological thriller that will keep you wondering where this is all going, right up until the end! The novel centers around an older nurse with a cottage for rent, a charming British man, a housewife at the crossroads of her marriage and a failed writer returning to his hometown.

There are a lot of secrets and themes of exploring the past, the people who shape our experiences and what might have been that impacted each character's arc. I loved the movie quotes and references throughout, it was an engaging thread weaved into each chapter.

This is one of those books that you have to hang tight with. The author doesn't reveal how these characters relate to each other until the right moment. I promise it comes together, in some unexpected ways!

Thank you to NetGalley, Mariner Books and William Morrow & Custom House for the advanced copy and the opportunity to share my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wasn't really sure what to expect based on the synopsis, but this wild ride was incredibly enjoyable. The characters are fascinating, and the plot was a roller coaster that spanned decades - even managing to have a happy ending. While I did see some of the twists coming, they were presented in such a unique way that I was still surprised. Truly a captivating read.

I found this book to be different, I felt like they was just to much going on to try to keep things straight. I felt mostly confused for most of it but I will try to read this one again later on to see if I can get a better understanding of it.

Loved it and didn’t want to put it down. There are multiple times Her Last Affair could be a bit scary, definitely creepy and even emotional. But to even it out or maybe get a small reprieve, there were some truly funny moments. Something was up and I just couldn’t put my finger on it. Told in three perspectives - Skyla, Linelle and Jeremy - each has a very interesting story. Their connection wasn’t clear and the suspense of that was great. Just when I was feeling sorry for a character, bam, some crazy twist gets thrown in. And when I thought I had it figured out? Nope! Fantastic the way it all pulled together. I’m being stingy with my 5 star ratings, but for me, this one deserves it.

Her Last Affair by John Searls is a psychological thriller that had me guessing until the very end. This compelling story was a bit confusing at times, but the ending tied up everything in a very satisfactory way.

Skylar’s husband Hollis died about a year ago in a tragic and mysterious accident. She now resides in a small home on the premises of an old, decrepit drive-in movie theater. She decides to rent out the house next door that is identical to the house she lives in, because her eyesight is almost gone, and she likes the thought of someone living close by. She finds Teddy, a nice British man, who wants to rent the house and they form a friendship.

Teddy decides to look up an old girlfriend Linell, who lives in Florida with her husband. After getting fired from her job, and her marriage starts to disintegrate, Linell corresponds with Teddy and they start to reignite their old relationship.

Jeremy is an old friend of Teddy’s and is trying to write the great American Novel in New York City. One day, Jeremy decides to look up his old girlfriend, Maryanne who now lives in Providence, RI.

All these characters have a past, and when they collide, it’s a twisty, gripping story of lies, loves, and miscommunications.

This story started off a bit slow as we get to know these characters and their pasts. Then everything gets quite confusing as the twists in the story don’t seem to make any sense at all. But, I suggest you hang on, as I did because the ending is surprising and very satisfactory.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a character-driven thriller. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this book in advance!

This novel is about three people who all share a past and are connected. Skyla, a former nurse and widow, lives alone until she rents her cottage out to a very charming man named Teddy. Linelle is sick of her marriage and is seeking so reconnect with her first love, Teddy. Jeremy is a failed writer who is searching for someone whom he loved and also someone who broke his heart.

This book started off with a bang and then it started to get a little confusing. I would recommend that you keep pushing and I promise it gets good!

It takes a few chapters to figure out exactly how these people are connected. I felt like the story bounced back and forth so many times that it left me a bit confused. Searless did a great job bringing life to this character driven novel. He makes us feel sorry for these characters and then completely hate them!

I would definitely recommend this book to my bookish community.

Hmmm... not sure what to say about this one. Yes, it was a good, yet slow moving read. The story centers on depressing, sad and lonely people. They start reminiscing about the past loves and actions and then the fun starts. Told from three main POV's, like I said, it is slow until about halfway, or so. That is when it all starts to come together, and we see the connections. I'm glad I stuck with this one, and while depressing, the character did seem realistic. There are a lot of unhappy people out there! This is my first from this author but will definitely find more.

Thank you to #NetGalley, John Searles and William Morrow and Custom House for this ARC.

“Her Last Affair” was a very interesting book, unlike any that I've read before. The characters were so quirky and flawed that I feel like this book must be based on a true story. It is a very unlikely, yet believable tale of friendship, marriage, love, betrayal, and loss. The depth of the characters, their emotions, really pulled me in. At times, it was a little stressful to read because the emotions and stories rang true. It was almost like talking to a dear friend, someone you are rooting for, yet fear they may be heading in the wrong direction. I also enjoyed the flow, the way it jumped from character to character, from past to present, in a way that made me curious to know what was going to happen next.



Thank you Harper Collins, Net Galley & John Searles for this ARC - what a fun ride!

I cannot read this. 1/3 of the way through and it is not for me. I don't like any of the characters.

As the title implies, this is an adult novel with explicit descriptions. The settings are a Florida theme park, Providence RI, and an upstate New York area. The chapters alternate between the main characters. The Big-Star, a defunct old drive-in movie theater, and its noir films are referenced throughout.
Elderly Skyla Hull, a widow, has early symptoms of macular degeneration. After her nearly fifty year hohum marriage to Hollis, she discovers it was all a sham. She was a nurse for about thirty years at a hospital in Albany. Her abrupt departure/resignation from her career is murky. Her husbands "accidental" demise leaves her with obsessive regret, revenge and a need to find answers.
The next character introduced is Teddy as Skyla's new tenant next door. He also has regrets and secrets. They form a very strange relationship as they share bits of their selves to each other. There are omissions, lies and skewed  perceptions of their memories. The story wasn't always easy to follow and it took quite awhile to connect the characters.
No one in this story has a happily ever after. The choices made and outcomes were depressing. While it had thought provoking subject matter, it was not enlightening for me. The characters were realistic for the most part, not memorable or particularly likable. Recollections became attempts to relive and recreate past loves lost.
This genre was not for me. I would like to thank Netgalley, John Searles and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read the advance digital copy of "Her Last Affair". These are my personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily.

Book was slightly slow and confusing in some parts because of multiple povs. I guess this is important in the plot. I think the author deliberately wants readers to be ‘confused’ and have that slow burn. The flow was enticing and this is the first book from the author that I have read and I am intrigued on what his other novels are.