The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain - Book Review

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

Publication Date: 11th Jan 2021
Genre: Social Drama, Dual Timeline, Mystery (sort of)

3 Stars 

One Liner: A social drama with a bit of mystery

2010: Kayla’s Carter lost her husband in an accident when building their dream house in Round Hill. The house is now complete and ready for Kayla and her four-year-old daughter to move in. However, a strange woman walks into the office and tells her not to move in. The meeting leaves Kayla shaken, but she has no choice but to move into the new house. 

Kayla soon meets Ellie Hockley, a woman with secrets from her past. Ellie is a lovely lady, but what does Kayla know about her anyway? 

1965: Ellie is determined to do something worthy in her life. Marrying her boyfriend and having kids isn’t on her list. When Prez Johnson announces a change in voting registration, the civil rights activities plan SCOPE, a program to convince black voters to register and vote for their rights. 

Ellie knows she needs to be a part of the program even if her family and friends don’t see the reason. But life is hardly easy when a revolution is brimming. Ellie’s decision changes many lives, including her own. What had happened back then that Ellie still holds resentment in her heart and maybe even desire for justice? 

How do Ellie’s and Kayla’s lives converge with so many decades between them? Why is the house on the hit list? What will happen when the secrets come out in the open?

What Worked for Me:

• The second half of the book, or rather the last 100 pages or so. 
• Side characters seemed more defined (with their flaws) and real than the main leads. 
• Rounded ending with no loose ends. 
• Not a happy ever after but hopeful and assuring. 
• The portrayal of racism, KKK, and bigotry. 

What Didn’t Work for Me: 

• The first 65% of the book is slow and left me wondering what the mystery was and when it’ll be solved. 
• Kayla paled when compared to Ellie. Her track didn’t feel emotional or touching despite her apparent sorrow and fear. 
• Ellie’s track was the primary focus of the book, and that affected the mystery angle as well as the modern-day Kayla’s story. What saved the story was how the two came together at the end. 
• Ellie fights for the cause, against racism, and for black rights. All good. She has better character development than Kayla. But she appears too good, too innocent, and unwilling to believe the worst of those she loves. 

Ellie finds solace in yoga after whatever happens in her life and is a yoga teacher in the present track. She is also vegan and loves Middle Eastern cuisine. Of course, she couldn’t find solace in any other profession (despite being a pharmacologist) or fall in love with another cuisine. Talk of irony! Racism is much more than abusing a race/ culture or burning crosses. 

To sum up, The Last House on the Street deals with poignant issues and is more of a social drama than a mystery. Many people loved the book, but some elements didn’t work for me. 

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

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