Wow I was unable to put this book down. It was fast paced and I read it in two sittings.

It was not an easy read at times and my heart went out to Jane and the way she was forced to live and the mental cruelty inflicted on her. Just when you thought she was about to break free events changed.

I would highly recommend this book it really was a great read. One of my top reads of the year..

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a copy of this ARC for which I have given my voluntary and unbiased review

This is a gripping story about the harsh abuse suffered by Jane, who is held captive by Lenn, in an outlying farm miles from anywhere.
Jane (whose real name is Thanh Dao) and her sister Kim Ly were brought into the country from Vietnam by people traffickers, being promised high wages and good working conditions. However, they were lied to and Jane is no more than a slave without any means of escape from the brutal treatment of her abuser. The book title refers to Jane’s small amount of precious possessions which is all she has left. If she disobeys Lenn, he burns one of her possessions and she has few left to give her comfort. She bravely suffers all this in order to give her sister Kim Ly a better life.
The author describes the characters so skilfully, you feel that you know them, and empathise with Jane, which isn’t her real name, but the name chosen by Lenn. He is a brutal, domineering character who has no respect for his captive who is watched by cameras every hour of the day, which he sees as his right.
The story tells in graphic detail about the harsh reality of people trafficking, and I felt total empathy with Jane, who has no escape from the brutality and drudgery of her existence. I needed to know that she would eventually find freedom from the bitter depravity of her life and find freedom and peace. And became totally absorbed in how she managed to put up with such pain and anguish, and became totally engrossed in the story.
The last few chapters of the book were so fast-paced I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended.

I love Will Dean's Tuvy Moodyson books, but this is something a little different. Set in the UK, 'The Last Thing to Burn' is the story of' 'Jane' - a trafficked Vietnamese woman, kept prisoner by her husband, Len. Len is brutally controlling, although it is the moments when he expects Jane to sit as his feet as he watches TV, strokes her hair and elicits reassurances from her that this is a good life, that are perhaps the most chilling. Jane only has three possessions left that she cares about: a photo of her parents, a copy of 'Of Mice and Men', and the letters that her sister sends as she works off her debt to the traffickers in another part of the country. But Len is intent on destroying every last connection that ties her to the outside world. A thoroughly gripping but a heartrendingly difficult book to read. (Len goes straight to the top of my list of most-hated literary characters.)

Wow, what a wonderful, albeit brutal story of despair and hope which is hard to read at times but so very satisfying in the end. I won’t repeat the blurb of the story but will just say if you’re looking for a gripping read that is a little uncomfortable in places whilst willing on the survival of an abused human being then this is as good as it gets. The characters are engrossing and the descriptions of the dilapidated farmhouse along with the Fens is just so atmospheric and perfect.

Just when you thought there was hope the author brings it all crashing down forcing you to keep turning the pages to see whether survival for anyone is possible.

An absolute brilliant, well written read with parts you’ll enjoy not enjoying!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a lover of thrillers but this one really gave me the chills. It’s the horror of the plot and the fact that can be a true story for many people that tried to find a life elsewhere and fell to the hands of traffickers. My heart broke many times reading the terrors and the struggles of the main character. I felt myself breaking reading it, and this is the amazing part of this book. It was intense, disturbing (quite often for me), unsettling and definitely food for thought and at the same time brilliant and compelling. This will stay with me for some time...

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for an ARC
This is the first Will Dean book I have read. It is a stand alone thriller. It isn't "twisty turny" beloved of so many but then a stonking good read doesn't have to be, especially when a lot of twists and turns are so contrived as to be off the scale with unbelievability.
Jane- not her real name is "married" to Lenn. She lives in a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. She has to cook, clean, have sex with a monster who videos her every move and keeps her a virtual prisoner. Jane has been trafficked and what follows is a harrowing story of every human right's abuse imaginable.
Lenn is utterly loathsome, a vile, evil man with seemingly all the power until Jane gently begins to start to assert herself, using her new circumstances to exert pressure on him. Jane is a brave, strong woman. These two characters mostly dominate the book and the powerplay between the two is riveting. Some call the ending predictable, I disagree. In these situations there are only a few scenarios that will happen at the end. Beaming onto an alien starship would be unbelievable. I am thankful for the way it ended. The book does offer helplines at the back for anyone to report trafficking or seek help if a victim. This also highlights our attitude to refugees. They face the most appalling atrocities and seek a new life only to be abused when they arrive in what is supposed to be a civilised country. This is the 21st century and slavery was supposed to have been abolished centuries ago.. This is a cracking read, tense, full of drama and I hope it opens people's eyes

Don't want to give any spoilers away, but the premise is that 'Jane' not her real name has been trafficked from Vietnam along with her sister. Jane lives in a farm with her British 'husband' who treats her like a slave, she believes her sister got away and is living happily somewhere else..... Until one day she finds out the truth. Such a harrowing story of human trafficking that unfortunately still happens in the 21st century.

Thank you net galley for the opportunity to read this novel and to Will Dean for writing it, will certainly be looking out for more from you.

What a read, i think slightly terrifying to be honest and reminds of some sinister horror movie. That said i didn't want to put it down to be honest as i had to know what happened in the end. No spoilers but the book is basically about a woman that was human trafficked from Vietnam, and is now trapped in the house with her British husband. Basically it's a depressing situation for the lady and grim at times but that made the read even more exciting to know what happened. i finished this in 3 days.

Amazing, clapping and cheering for all four of them. A moving and stomach churning look at human trafficking. This story gives a brief glimpse into the horrors and daily abuses of one young girl whose identity is slowly stolen from her each time Lenn thinks she has transgressed. The last thing is the letters written by her baby sister, she is living free, out in the world and "Jane" dreams of the day their debt is paid in full.

With thanks to #NetGalley and #Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC.

Jane. That’s what he calls her but that’s not her name and never will be, but she must play along as he has her trapped on his farm miles from anywhere. Jane has to cook, clean and fulfil his every wish or she will be punished. She can’t escape as he records her every movement. She’s imprisoned. Then she discovers she is pregnant and this gives her a reason to fight back. But when another woman is imprisoned by him, Jane’s life becomes desperate. Can Jane fight back, for her and her baby and also save this strange woman, or is she condemned to be his for the rest of her life?
Will Dean has created a masterpiece of dark intense literature that is nothing short of perfection. With its highly emotive scenes and sense of utter desperation, every page leaves you on edge. This is a book that’s impossible to put down until it’s dramatic end. A truly great piece of writing.
Simply put, you won’t read a better book than this all year. The easiest five star review I’ve ever given. Just brilliant.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC.
Thanh Dao, aka Jane to her “husband”, is human trafficked from Vietnam to England, held in a farm cottage surrounded by miles of nothingness. Leonard believes he is her loving husband, monitoring her every move, each breathe she takes he is there to hear it or at least play it back when he watches the tapes every single day like clockwork. Thanh has to stick to his routine, she has to wear his mothers clothes, and isn’t even allowed sanitary products instead using moth eaten towels. A story filled with punishment, degradation and revolting control. How can Thanh ever leave when her every move is watched, her last remaining possessions are burned to a crisp when she ‘steps out of place’ and her ankle is destroyed with her only option being able to take unlabelled pills meant for animals. A claustrophobic novel that traps you in that very farm with Thanh, desperate to escape.

This was an absolutely fantastic read, and one I just couldn’t put down! I read it in one day, despite there being many parts that were too difficult for me to read. Prepare for your heart to break and your body to shiver, the book explores every detail of Thanh’s traumatising ordeal.

The author’s clever writing style constantly creates unsettling imagery for the dark, decaying farm house that you almost believe you’re there yourself, trapped as prisoner.

I would have liked to hear more about Lenn’s back story, I was surprised when we didn’t hear more about his childhood, his upbringing and his mother. I wanted to explore the inner workings of Lenn’s mind and how he came to be such a monster. But perhaps some people are just the way they are. Some monsters are just seemingly ordinary people with no real reason for their unjust and cruel crimes.

If you’re after an intense, thrilling and horrifying read, then look no further!

Ive just spent about three days with Jane. Jane is married to Lenn and they have a farm in Kings Lynn, except, her name is not Jane, and he is her captor.
An exciting and tense tale, addressing a very real subject matter.
The characters in this story are all sharp and alive, with tangible emotional depth
This is very much a 'can't put down, edge of your seat, holding your breath' kind of book, the best kind.

‘I remember his terrible threat every time I see the long dyke. I look at that unending line of still water and my heart collapses in on itself.’ So says ‘Jane’, the latest in the number of Vietnamese wives whom Lenn has incarcerated in his Fenland farm cottage. He has threatened to drown their baby daughter in one of the surrounding dykes should Jane ever think of escaping, an almost impossible act given that he has horribly maimed one of her feet. Geographically, too, she is up against it. Given the extraordinarily flat scenery, Lenn can see her outside wherever he is on his farm. Cameras inside follow her every move too. Flight is impossible.
This novel is extremely painful to read. Nevertheless, whilst never sinking to gratuitous description of the horrors that unfold, Will Dean conjures up Jane’s terrible half-life so convincingly. It would be a mistake to write off Lenn as a stupid ox of a man; he knows just how to punish Jane psychologically as well as physically. Yet, above all, it is a celebration of human resilience, a tribute to the power of love, and an acknowledgement that people can be braver than they ever thought possible.
At a time when we have become more aware of modern-day slavery, this novel is a prescient reminder that it can happen in the most ordinary of places, executed by those who appear entirely conventional. This is an engrossing, powerfully written story, very well told. I urge you to read it notwithstanding the pain it will bring in thinking of the many real stories yet to be told.
My thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

Outstanding writing! A suffocating, gruelling, heartbreaking, IMPORTANT book about human trafficking, an abusive relationship and a mother’s love. This book will stay with me for a long time, as will the brave and brilliant protagonist, Thanh Dao. I haven’t read anything from this writer before and I was pleasantly surprised that this novel was written by a male.

I am recommending this to everyone. I rarely hand out 5 stars but this beautifully horrific masterpiece deserves every star.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

My thoughts about this brilliantly written gripping intense thriller, was just mindblowing, what can I say just fantastic, Author Will Dean has written a powerful story that deals with human trafficking,slavery and cruelty, that is so painful, you feel sorry for its lead character Jane. Will Dean's The Last Thing To Burn, tells the story of Jane what her husband calls her,who is kept as a prisoner, in a farm house in Fenland, by her husband Leonard, who is watching Jane's every move on CCTV, if she does something wrong, he punishes her, Jane tells her side of story, about what she's going through, you feel sorry for her character. Talented author Will Dean, not only writes a fantastic story, but he takes you on a journey through darkness, bravery, and survival, being kept as a prisoner in middle of nowhere, you have to make a choice to survive. A well  written thriller, that had me turning the pages. The Last Thing To Burn, is completely different what I've read before, and its definitely different what Will Dean's written before. This book is going to be a game changer for Will Dean. A brilliantly gripping thriller that takes you on a journey through darkness,bravery and human  trafficking in a different way. Highly Recommended. Will Dean's The Last Thing To Burn, is just a incredible book,that you won't be able to put down. Will Dean's writing is just incredible. I would like to say thank you to author Will Dean, Publisher's Hodder And Stoughton and Netgalley, for giving me a chance to read and review this outstanding thriller. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💥💥💥💥💥

Having read and enjoyed, but not loved, previous Will Dean books featuring the character of Tuva, I was hoping I would enjoy a stand alone book more and boy was I right!

What an incredible book.
This gripped me from the beginning and as much as it's a cliché to say, I couldn't put it down and when I had to, it was all I could think about.
Incredibly well written and well paced. The descriptions of the house, surrounding areas and everything else were so good I felt I was there seeing, smelling and tasting everything.

The story is tense, atmospheric and claustrophobic which at times took my breath away.
Although the story is told through the eyes of a female character, written by a male author, it worked well which is brilliant (as some times men writing female characters just doesn't work)

Sensational.

I felt quite disappointed in this book. After all the good reviews it received I was expecting something more original. It's very much like Room by Emma Donahue. Once Jane tells Lenn she's pregnant it all became a bit predictable. The good point to it is the highlighting of the sex trafficking trade which unfortunately we all know happens!

Not a normal thriller. So many adjectives come to mind when thinking about this book. Powerful, bleak, cruel, unsettling, but a few. I found it hard to read; human trafficking is not something we think much about, but reading Will Dean’s book puts it firmly in the headlights. This is an important book as well as a thriller, and the writing is excellent bringing the details out. Lyrical at times, unflinching in the degradation; shocking the reader with details of a young Vietnamese girl held prisoner on a remote Fenland farm being systematically abused and tortured and yet threaded through with hope and glimpses of the resilience of the human soul. There is tension too which keeps the reader wanting to reach the end. It’s a book that will stay with me for a long time and I will definitely be recommending it.

Oh, my! Prepare yourselves for this amazing book about the incredible strength of the human soul and the appalling things human beings can do to each other.

This is a heart wrenching, poignant tale, so beautifully written. Thanh Dao has been human trafficked and is being held against her will by an oaf of a man who, amongst other things, insists that she answer to Jane and does his bidding, all the while, suffering a terrible affliction. It's such a difficult, emotional read, but, one that has human survival at it's very core.

Thanh Dao's life is only made bearable by her 'treasures' which are burnt if she disobeys her captor and the thought of her Sister, Kim-Ly who is working in a nail bar in Manchester. One of the treasures is a copy of the literary masterpiece ‘Of Mice and Men’ and that’s a book that had a profound effect on me in my youth and this book resonated in the same way. Despite the bleak situation, so vividly described, there is hope, so, hang in there.

I began reading this book just before sleep and then found that I couldn't and that when I eventually did, my sleep was haunted by kidnappers and fear. It's that powerful.
I honestly can't explain how deeply this book affected me and Thanh Dao is the most fabulous character, beautifully crafted and one that will stay with me forever.

Overall, an amazing, difficult, heartbreaking, important book and I'm incredibly grateful to Will Dean, NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the opportunity to preview this excellent read.

I mean I have absolutely no clue how to review this book because so much happened I don't even know where to begin.
First of all, the message this book carries regarding human trafficking is so STRONG and I would recommend everybody to read it for this reason alone. Not enough is spoken about these real realities of life and definitely unheard of in fiction books.

- The writing was great and the plot was so unique to me. I was so interested in Jane's backstory and her life and I couldn't imagine what she was going through.
- I thought the character development could be better. I wanted more from Lenn and why he choose Jane and what happened to Jane number one. I feel like this would have added more substance to the story.
- I think the ending was alright. I didn't find anything wrong with it but I wasn't gripped like I was in the first half of the book.

Overall, a decent thriller that will keep you guessing. This book has strong messages behind the writing and I think any thriller fan would enjoy this.
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.