The Last Thing To Burn: A Novel by Will Dean

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

A woman being held captive is willing to risk everything to save herself, her unborn child, and her captor’s latest victim in this claustrophobic thriller in the tradition of Misery and Room. 

On an isolated farm in the United Kingdom, a woman is trapped by the monster who kidnapped her seven years ago. When she discovers she is pregnant, she resolves to protect her child no matter the cost, and starts to meticulously plan her escape. But when another woman is brought into the fold on the farm, her plans go awry. Can she save herself, her child, and this innocent woman at the same time? Or is she doomed to spend the remainder of her life captive on this farm?

Intense, dark, and utterly gripping The Last Thing to Burn is a breathtaking thriller from an author to watch.

my thoughts:

Wow. What an intense read. Will Dean's latest book, The Last Thing To Burn, explores human trafficking. It is a raw, horrifying, and, truly emotional story. This book is a definite MUST-READ for everyone.

Jane (not her real name) is being help captive.  It's been seven years since Lenn kidnapped her.  She does everything he orders her to do, because if she doesn't she will be punished.  Punishment can be in the form of him burning her personal items (things from home she cherishes) or him threatening to harm her younger sister.  Jane's life is a living nightmare.  It gets worse when she finds out she is pregnant. She is horrified at first, but then she grows to love the baby.  She decides she must escape to protect her child.  However, a new woman has been brought to the house.  She can hear her crying from the basement.  Jane begins to make new plans to escape.  She wants to save her child and herself, but also the woman in the basement. Will she succeed? Will she finally be free? Talk about a disturbing and riveting story. I could not stop reading once I started. I just had to know what would happen to Jane. I had to find out if she would ever be free. 

Dean has written an important story that is smart, suspenseful, terrifying, graphic, harrowing, and just about everything you can imagine a book about human trafficking to be. He has created a book that will haunt you, lead to discussions, and make you more aware of a topic that needs to be addressed.  His writing is top notch and his storytelling is compelling. The Last Thing To Burn is the book that I will be recommending to anyone and everyone this reading season. 

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!