This was a compelling and moving read that held me completely within its grasp from start to finish.

The story is unveiled through Ellie's story, in 1965, as she is becoming a young woman with her own mind and beliefs and through Kayla's more current experience of facing life in a new home, built with her husband but where she now finds herself bereaved and with a young daughter to care for. Both women are stronger than they think, but are afraid of what they face and, as their stories begin to interweave, you literally hold your breath.

I don't want to spoil this book for anyone by saying too much but do read it. It is tense, it is heart breaking but it is also beautiful and tender. It made me angry, it devastated me, it made me cry, it made me nervous but it also made me believe in the power of humankind to change and to challenge and to love - it is wonderful.

Absolutely loved this book. The plot centres on two woman and how the past can affect the futures of others. Its easy to think the issues raised in the book are behind us but recent events are perhaps proving otherwise.
Highly recommended

The book, set in North Carolina, at a time of intense white hostility towards the negroes, weaves between two different time zones.

In 2010, Kayla moves with her little daughter, Rainie, into their new home, which had been designed by her architect husband, and in which he had lost his life through an accident. The house, the first to be completed in a new estate, although stunning in design, had a sinister element in its proximity to dense woods that separate it from a murky lake, and it’s soon clear that there’s someone who doesn’t want Kayla to live in that house.

Ellie Hockley, 65, has recently returned to the area, where she lives in the family house, which is next to Kayla’s new home.

The second time zone is 1965, when Ellie, who has yet to come to terms with an incident from her past, joins an organisation called SCOPE, which has the goal of persuading the negro population to sign up to vote when it becomes possible for them to do so, since this will give them a chance to improve their lives in the future. In the highly colour-prejudiced community, Ellie’s boyfriend, Reed, and her parents, are appalled by her action, as is everyone in her community who knows what she’s doing.

The repercussions of Ellie’s actions will reverberate in the years to come, and the reader will discover a link between her and Kayla.

I've always loved Diane Chamberlain’s books, and this is another addictive read. But although it keeps you reading, I found it less satisfying than her other books as I never truly believed in Ellie, the central character.

Before the conclusion of the novel, the reader is given some sort of motivation for the action Ellie takes in joining SCOPE, which has meant her turning her back on the boyfriend she cares for, and ignoring the negative affects it will have on all the members of her family. Growing up in such a community, with the Klu Klux Klan active in the area, Ellie must have known the consequences that could result from her action. yet she ignored them. This could be seen as an action, therefore, that’s both brave and selfish.

As soon as she settles into SCOPE and comes to understand the way in which to approach the people she meets, she allows herself to fall for one of the negro volunteers, a thing forbidden by SCOPE because of the inherent risks to them all. She is warned of the dire consequences to him should their relationship persist, but she ignores everything and continues to see him, even though it negatively impinges on the important work of SCOPE, and even though she is told of the real difficulties that her actions are causing her family. This is more selfish than brave.

After taking the stance she had in joining SCOPE, with the real difficulties she was causing not only to her family, but also to the host families in whose homes the volunteers stayed while working the area, that she didn't walk away from her feelings before they'd grown too strong, but let herself fall for a man she was working with, whose skin colour meant that a relationship with him put him at serious risk in a prejudiced community like hers, made her come across as intensely shallow, selfish and self-centred. I suspect we weren’t meant to feel like that about her!

I’m grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the novel.

Omg omg omg!! THIS WAS AMAZING!! And so relevant to the current time qere living in. All I can say is read this book, you will not regret it. And to be honest, whether you like mystery thriller, romance, domestic noir, real life, historic.... this book actually has something for everyone. It's beautifully written and I was literally reaching for it every spare second I had. Just read it, you'll be hooked!!

I simply love this authors storytelling. It is a brilliantly written book with two main characters and timelines simultaneously being told. Love the way the connections between the dual time frames are revealed layer by layer. And the final conclusion to the entwined story was a surprise! Recommending this to all my friends ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am an avid reader of Diane Chamberlain novels and felt privileged to be given the chance to review her latest novel The Last House on the Street. Chamberlain is a master writer of dual time frame novels and this was perfectly executed and unputdownable.
The setting is a small town in North Carolina where in 1965, Ellie Hockley joins Scope as a civil rights campaigner to fight for the right to vote for the black townsfolk. Ellie is a strong minded young woman who is prepared to go e up everything that summer to fight the cause. What becomes clear is how bigoted her neighbourhood is as everyone turns against her and her fellow civil rights activists. Things reach a new level of anxiety and become very dangerous when she falls in love with a black co worker.
Current day Kayla recently widowed is moving into the beautiful home she and her husband had designed before his tragic death. She is hoping to rebuild her life with her young daughter. However, someone doesn't want her there and a series of nasty incidences jeopardise this.
I thoroughly enjoyed how the character of Ellie returns in current time as a 65 year old woman and how the characters are then woven together.
At times this novel was difficult to read due to the nature of the content and in particular the involvement of the Klu Klux Klan but Chamberlain doesn't overdo the graphic detail. It was more a case of my over imaginative head painting in the images and I did find those difficult to shift.
I absolutely loved the ending and had not worked it out at all which is always a great thing.
If you like powerful, moving stories which deal with big issues and relationships then this is one not to be missed. Thank you to Net galley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest review.

Diane Chamberlain is the master of dual timelines and weaving thrilling narratives that combine events in the past and the present. This is another engaging, engrossing read, starting off in 2010 in the fictional Shadow Ridge Estates, where 65 year old Ellie has returned to live in her family’s old, unrefurbished house next door to Kayla and her young daughter, who live in a new-built house chosen by Kayla and her husband just before he passed away. But when Kayla begins to receive hostile messages, the it becomes clear that this is going to be no suburban dream. The dual timeline then splits to Ellie’s experiences as 1965 college student and civil rights activist and Kayla’s life in 2020. As the atmosphere becomes more and more threatening, little by little secrets that Ellie and Kayla have each kept are revealed and the link between the two women becomes clear. Diane Chamberlain is to be commended for addressing sensitive, traumatic topics in a contemporary, spellbinding way. This is another of her novels that deserves as wide a readership as possible. I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for the free ARC provided in return for this unbiased and honest review.

A fantastic story across the two time lines.
The issues seen in the 1965 storyline around the right to vote for Black people in the Southern states were well written, from the KKK to the casual racism the population faced every day, The romance that develops in this time line is fraught with tension and the reactions of the young girls family and friends is awful.
In 2020 the story starts with pain and loss but develops into a mystery surrounding that last house on the street.
The truth resolves in both time lines and tie together in the present beautifully and leaves you wanting to know more about the times and the people.

With grateful thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest opinion.
Having read numerous books by this lady I was delighted to be reading this one.
This book is full of pain sorrow and harrowing times yet tenderness is always there, it flows quite beautifully and was a sheer joy to read, strong women at the helm what you expect from this outstandingly brilliant author.

What a tremendous page-turner!

Told simultaneously from the point of view of Ellie, a college student turned civil rights campaigner in 1964, and Kayla, a recently widowed architect adjusting to her new home with her young daughter in 2010, this novel will grip you from the very beginning. It's a while since I've read an entire novel in one sitting but I could do nothing else until I unravelled the mystery of what bound these women together.

I feel in love with these wonderfully realistic and relatable characters instantly and thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I could not put down this book. Both timelines are engrossing, with Ellie's arguably more enthralling, and all the characters are entirely believable. You know you're in safe hands here when it comes to writing different perspectives. Yes, it's gritty and real and shocking, but it's a story that needs to be told. And you can really see the deep impacts of decisions and actions on everyday lives. I liked that everything wasn't neatly tied up, because life isn't like that. There were hardships and losses and a sense of a battle still being fought. The setting too was incredibly well done - I could feel the heat and see the town and the areas around it come to life, even at times feeling that sense of claustrophobia of the trees and the lake. I'll be recommending this to everyone as soon as it's published.

A beautiful, powerful and moving book - packed with such raw emotion, I found it impossible to stop reading.

Kayla is recently widowed and moving into The Last House on the Street (a brand new home in North Carolina, designed by Kayla and her late husband) with her young daughter. It appears however, that a certain person would rather she didn’t…

The book is told seamlessly over two timelines - Kayla’s in 2010 and Ellie’s in 1965. In 2010, Ellie is staying in her family home down the road from Kayla and is her only neighbour. Ellie is in her 60’s and returned to her hometown after years of absence to care for her sick brother and mother. The reader is shown how these two women’s paths were destined to cross.

Ellie’s narrative tells the tale of a passionate young girl standing up for the civil rights movement in the 1960’s. Faced with opposition from her family, friends and townspeople, Ellie has a strong moral compass and is determined to help the cause. It is her honest and innocent voice that completely engaged me - the segregation and discrimination was painfully vivid throughout and I felt propelled back to the past..

A difficult read but one that I could not put down. Thank you so much to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the chance to read in return for my review.

Diane Chamberlain has worked her magic yet again, The Last House On The Street made for a fabulous, enthralling read that captured my every emotion, anger, fear, sadness, disgust, and surprise. Set across two timelines in North Carolina, the story follows two women on a voyage of heartbreak, injustices and prejudices. 1965- Ellie is determined to alter the injustice in the world and joins SCOPE that set about helping people of colour to register for the vote. Fast forward to 2010- Kayla a recently widowed architect, moves into the home she and her late husband designed. Decades later, past and present are set to collide in the last house on the street. 

The characters are true-to-life and multi dimensional; I felt I connected to the characters from the very beginning of this book as Ellie and Kayla struggle to come to terms with their losses. I really liked the fact this book incorporates so many themes, forbidden love, historical fiction, social justice, and even an intriguing mystery.  

There are sensitive issues including racism, interracial relationship, and grief, but the author deals with each one sympathetically. The two timelines blend perfectly together, creating a read that grips you firmly in its clutches until the last page in its clutches until the last page.

The setting, a small Southern town in Carolina, divided by bigotry, during a volatile period of history, made this book such a powerful read. The authors’ writing is impeccable, creating a story that’s raw and emotionally charged and beautifully written. Highly recommended

2010 - Kayla and her young daughter are just about to move into their new house in North Carolina. A dream house that she and her late husband designed, but where he tragically died, following an accident.

1965 - Ellie, passionate about civil rights and also hiding a guilty secret from her past, joins SCOPE, an organisation committed to persuading the negro population to register to vote, in order to end segregation and better their lives.

Just before she’s about to move into the house, a mystery woman appears at Kayla’s office. She knows a lot about her life and warns her not to move in.

As the story unravels we find out what links these women to each other and to the last house on the street.

Diane Chamberlain’s portrayal of racial prejudice and forbidden love in the 60’s is heartbreaking and a story that needs to continue to be told so history does not repeat itself.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

As with all of Diane chamberlains previous books this book was impossible to put down once I had started it. It was a shocking, heartbreaking and a fantastic book to read. Would definitely highly recommend reading it.

I am a huge fan of Diane and was over the moon to receive a copy of her newest novel from NetGalley- thank you!

Told in 2 timelines - 1965 and 2010 - just what links the last house on the street to the events that happened, and are happening, generations apart?

In 1965, Ellie is determined to help the Negro population of her Southern county with registering to vote. When her worst fears happen, she flees home for. California and swears never to return.

In 2010, Kayla, a recently widowed young architect, is preparing to move with her young daughter into the house designed by her and her late husband. The first to be finished and lived in on a plot that now seems spooky and dark instead of modern and welcoming. When a strange woman warns Kayla not to move in, sinister things follow. Just what is going on and what is the link to the past?

I devoured this book and if you are. Diane fan, you will live the dual timelines, the characters and the twists abs turns we have come to expect. Highly recommend.

This is an outstandingly informative book in the context of the struggle for racial equality in the United States. LBJ is president and about to open up the voting franchise to all black people. A young girl from a white racist community goes to volunteer her help in encouragement black peoples to register to vote. She falls in love with a black man. That triggers a fierce reaction. He disappears feared killed. She isolates herself from her family. Then someone from the same community but in the next generation gets caught up in the aftermath of what happened and many puzzles are solved. This is an important analysis of race relations in America demonstrating the life shattering effect of prejudices. Very well written, it leaves serious messages. It is a good story as well as an important use of the history of the period. I strongly recommend it.

Another brilliant book from Diane Chamberlain, this time focusing on civil rights workers in the 1960s. The story switches from past to present easily, building up a picture of life in Carolina before black people were given the right to vote, not an era or place I was familiar with. As always Chamberlian’s skill for narrative and writing detailed, believable characters and relationships kept me hooked. I loved the way the story unfolded, and felt like I learned a lot about the lives and dangers for civil rights workers in this era. I also loved how the story came together for a satisfying ending. A must read! Thank you so much for this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Kayla, a widow, has moved into a small town in North Carolina with her young daughter. She is living in the house she designed with her architect husband, who met his untimely death on the property. Her story in 2010, runs parallel with that of her neighbour, Ellie’s, story which is set during the civil rights movement of 1965.

The dual timeline worked really well and I was captivated by the stories of both women particularly Ellie’s who, against her parents wishes, became an activist within the movement.

Prejudice is a theme which runs throughout this book. It’s an important piece of history, which is very cleverly told from the viewpoints of both women.

This is a great read. The characters were well crafted and the racial prejudice of the time was written with honesty and a real rawness making it very difficult to read in places.

The ending was unexpected and brought the book to a satisfying conclusion. I would certainly recommend this novel particularly if you are interested in this era of social history.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After reading numerous Diane Chamberlain’s previous novels I was expecting a powerful and edgy novel and I was not disappointed. A small Southern town divided in their beliefs during a volatile period of American history comes back to haunt a future generation.

It is a brilliantly written book with two main characters and timelines simultaneously being told. Love the way the connections between the dual time frames are revealed layer by layer. And the final conclusion to the entwined story was a surprise!

I thought it had a quite unique story with one character set during the civil rights movement in the 60’s and the fight for social justice and a modern day character. In 2010. Showing the power of time, family secrets, revenge and lost love.