I have to say I love to read any stories set during WWII. I have read many and they have all been diverse in the area of the war the stories are centred on.

The Last Line is set in country England on the outskirts of the war zone but the citizens are still very much aware that the Germans could arrive at any minute.

The protagonist John Cook is a farmer but he has fought in WWI and Afghanistan. He is a trained killer.
When a young woman is found murdered on his land he is the prime suspect to a lazy police force. Knowing the murder won't be investigated further, John turns vigilante and starts his own reconnaissance work, never expecting the level of corruption he will become embroiled in.

The Last Line is a fast-paced mystery thriller written in a crime noir style narration. It is hard not to barrack for John, he is a marvelous anti-hero. There is a lot of violence throughout the novel and the main subject is quite confronting. However, I loved all the intrigue and the character of John was very believable. He made mistakes and took them badly.

The setting is fabulous - distanced from the war yet right there amongst it with children being evacuated from London and billeted to country families, whilst underground groups are setting up defence tactics if the Germans reach them.

The Last Line is a great read! I'm looking forward to another John Cook novel and wondering where he will go from here.

Wham, bam, lots of action man! Cross between Lee Child and older WW2 thriller writers like Jack Higgins and Alistair MacLean. Deftly plotted with plenty of historical detail to keep the reader hooked. Superbly entertaining wartime thriller.

May 1940: With Nazi forces creeping across France, invasion seems imminent. The English /channel has never felt so narrow. In rural Sussex, war veteran John /cook has been tasked with preparing the resistance effort, in case the worst happens. But even as the foreign threat looms, it's rumours of a missing child that are troubling Cook. A twelve-year-old girl who was evacuated from London and was never seen again, and she's just the tip of the iceberg - countless evacuees haven't made it to their host families. As Cook investigates, he uncovers a dark conspiracy that reaches the highest ranks of society. He will do whatever it takes to make the culprits pay, There are some lines you just don't cross.

WWI veteran John /cook has been tasked with establishing the resistance effort. But when he learns that twelve-year-old Elizabeth is missing, John discovers she is not the only evacuee that's gone missing.

There are various threads to this story. It has also been descriptively written and that made me feel like I was one of the characters in the book, witnessing everything that was taking place. The characters are well-developed. The author has definitely done his research into war veterans. All the loose ends were tied up by the end.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HodderStoughton and the author #StephanRonson for my ARC of #TheLastLine in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll admit historical war tales are not usually my kind of genre, but saying that I did really enjoy this book

A fast paced action story and for me as a new thriller fan this was really enjoyable.

Thanks to Stephen Ronson for a copy of this book through NetGalley, I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for the next one.

An action packed novel set in 1940, England. Germany in the brink of invading the UK and everybody is on edge. War veteran John Cook wants to sign up again and go to war. The powers that be have other ideas for him at home.

This book has everything.. there is murder, smuggling, spies, conspiracies and many many bodies. John was a character with a big heart and a lot of strength. You don’t want to be in his bad side. He will fight for what he feels is right, no matter what he is told. I love the way he worked with the others to make things right.

I don’t often read war stories but I really enjoyed this. Short chapters and realistic characters made this a fast read. So much research has gone into writing this book, I learnt so much.

Thanks to the author and Hodder and Stoughton via NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published on November 16th

It’s May 1940, and with rumours circulating that Germany will be in the U.K. shortly, war veteran, John Cook, is preparing the resistance, just in case.

When a twelve year old girl goes missing when being evacuated from London, John starts to look into where she could be.

With a murder, quite literally on his doorstep, John has his work cut out in trying to find out just what is going on.

I loved this book, it was fast paced and thrilling, as well as being extremely dark at times. Such great and interesting characters throughout.

There were a few sub plots throughout the story and they all flowed well together at the end.

My thanks to the author, Hodder and Stoughton & NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Stephen Ronson writes a frenetically paced WW2 historical action thriller, with some dark themes, that will have readers racing through the novel. It is 1940, and 40 year old WW1 veteran, farmer John Cook, is keen to enlist, travelling to London to do so, but he is turned down. Instead, he is tasked with forming a tight group of resistance fighters to take on an invading German force, thought then to be a highly likely possibility, given the way the war was going. He returns home to Uckfield in Sussex, but finds himself arrested for the brutal murder of Mary Staunton, who had been slapped by Billy Baxter in a local pub. Cook thinks he knows the real killer, but is he right? He has his attention drawn to a missing evacuee, the young, pretty, 12 year old Elizabeth Potter.

As Cook investigates, he finds himself stumbling across a horrifying conspiracy when it becomes clear that Elizabeth is far from the only young pretty girl who has gone missing. Cook is a man who is not afraid of the dangers he faces, he makes the best use of all his special training and skills to hunt the perpetrators down, with no mercy in his heart. There is a rising body count, and the criminal cospiracy has tentacles that reach to the highest echelons of society, meaning the authorities cannot be relied on to do anything. At the same time, Cook is integral in forming a resistance group, which includes the courageous Lady Margaret, and Eric, who are intimately acquainted with the local area, but can they all be trusted?

This is a thrilling WW2 historical adventure that will appeal to a wide variety of readers, and John Cook makes for an attractive, flawed, central protagonist, willing to do whatever it takes to wipe out everyone he comes across who is part of the terrors and horrors facing young girls that are taken when they are ironically supposed to be heading towards safety. This is a blend of fact and fiction, where a few liberties are taken by Ronson, and is the start of a series. Whilst I enjoyed this action thriller, I personally would have preferred a little more focus on character development and a few more details on Britain's progress or otherwise in the war. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Thank you to Stephen Ronson, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my approval to read and review book.

I don't read a lot of historical crime fiction but I am so glad that I read this book. The time is 1940, during the Second World War, set in and around Uckfield, East Sussex. John Cook, a gentleman farmer, is in his forties living with his Mother and Uncle Nob, he owns a large area of farmland. John becomes involved in discovering the body of a young girl he knows, Mary. He sets about looking for the killer or killers. Throughout the story John and his friends - Doc, Jane, Margaret, Bill, Cyril find themselves at the centre of a mystery and how to fight off the Germans should they bomb or land their corner of England. There is a also a mystery surrounding missing girl evacuees but I don't to spoil be revealing more of the book. This is one book that I didn't want to finish as it's full of plot twists and turns, red herrings, and a roller-coaster of a read!! I will be recommending this book.

First of all, I want to express my sincere gratitude to @stephen Robson for sending me an ARC of his debut novel!

It was May 1940 and a beautiful early summer day near Uckfield in Sussex. The war pretended to be over, Germany invaded the Netherlands and France was threatened. Most British troops were in France. John Cook is a veteran who fought in World War I and now manages his farm. Wanting to contribute to the war effort, Cook agreed to form a local resistance group in case of an invasion. Well written with a good plot and engaging read.

Long story short, Cook was walking in his fields when a damaged Spitfire landed near him. He was followed by a Messerschmitt which landed next to it and the German pilot got out to check that the British plane was okay. In doing so, he returned to his plane and the Spitfire pilot, the son of a local landowner, shot him in the back. The war was brutal but it set off a chain of actions involving Cook, the murder of a young girl and the disappearance of several young men evacuated from London. Reading is sometimes quite brutal but realistic because there are always people ready to take advantage of difficult times and others are the opposite. It's fast-paced, full of suspense and twists, a Jack Reacher-style story set in the English countryside. It looks like this is the start of a new series.

Firstly a massive thank you to @stephen Robson for sending me an ARC copy of his first book! If he hadn't reached out I probably never would have read this book as I'm not usually keen on war/historical fiction. I am so glad I gave this a chance!

Book review -
Stephen Ronson - The Last Line
4 ⭐️

It's 1940 and John Cook, war veteran, is preparing for what to do next if the first line goes down.

He ends up investigating the disappearance of a 12 year old evacuee and gets drawn into a dark conspiracy... and those to blame do not want to mess with him!

One of the things that usually put me off these novels is that I find them hard to focus on and a lot I've came across have long chapters. I loved that these chapters were such a good length and especially near the end I found it so effective in terms of it becoming more fast paced.

John is a brilliant character, reminds me a lot of Jack Reacher. He's definitely a man you'd want in your corner! The side characters were also great though, particularly Margaret and Doc.

I liked how the book made you think about and question so many things relating to war... like the soldiers on both sides, the evacuees and how they must have been feeling and the processes worked.

If you're a fan of war/historical fiction, action, thrillers I definitely recommend it. If you fancy something slightly out of your comfort zone and you don't normally read this genre...I still recommend it. I will definitely be looked out for future books of his 😊

It is May 1940 and a beautiful early summers day near Uckfield in Sussex. The Phoney War has come to an end and Germany has invaded the Low Countries and France is threatened. Most of the British Army is in France. John Cook is ex army having fought in WW1 and is now managing his farm. Wanting to help with the war effort Cook agrees to set up a local resistance group in case of invasion. Well written with a great plot and a compelling read.

Briefly, Cook is walking his fields when a damaged spitfire lands near him. It is followed by a Messerschmitt which lands beside it and the German pilot gets out to check the British flier is ok. Having done so he heads back to his plane at which point the spitfire pilot, who is the son of the local landowner, shoots him in the back. War is brutal but it sets off a chain of action that involves Cook, the murder of a girl and the disappearance of a number of young evacuees from London.

Quite a brutal read at times but realistic as there are always people ready to take advantage of bad times and other people the complete opposite. It was fast paced and full of thrills and spills, a Jack Reacher type tale in the British countryside. It sounds as if it’s the start of a new series and if so it promises to be a good one, I’ll definitely be reading it. 4.5⭐️

May 1940.

With Nazi forces sweeping across France, invasion seems imminent. The English Channel has never felt so narrow.

In rural Sussex, war veteran John Cook has been tasked with preparing the resistance effort, should the worst happen.

But even as the foreign threat looms, it's rumours of a missing child that are troubling Cook. A twelve-year-old girl was evacuated from London and never seen again, and she's just the tip of the iceberg - countless evacuees haven't made it to their host families.

As Cook investigates, he uncovers a dark conspiracy that reaches to the highest ranks of society. He will do whatever it takes to make the culprits pay. There are some lines you just don't cross.

When the author first made me aware of this book I wasn’t sure if it would be my cup of tea. I occasionally read historical fiction but not often war related. With a crime twist and an open mind I wanted to give it a read and I’m so glad I did. The book is fast paced from the beginning so you are immediately drawn into the whole atmosphere of the 1940’s and the issues people were dealing with at that time. Things were described so well I really felt like I was there with them. I found the book sad in parts, particularly where children were involved. Overall a great read.

The Last line by Stephen Ronson is an excellent read and a fabulous debut novel from the author. I am a fan of Historical novel, but I found this to be well researched and unique storyline. So different from Historical novels that I have read previously.
It’s May 1940, John Cook is a farmer in the town of Uckfield in Sussex. But he is also ex-military. He served in the war of WW1. He is now 40 years old, and the Nazi invasion is imminent, and he wants to do his bit for the war. But at first, they refuse him because of his age. But then he is contacted by some government officials to go on a ‘Hush hush’ mission to be part of a resistance group in his local area to try and prevent the German invasion.
While he is recruiting individuals for the good cause he is accused of murdering a young girl that was asking for help of a friend who has gone missing. The girl is an evacuee that never arrived at the destination she was sent to. He soon discovers that she was not the only one that has gone missing, there is more, and no one seems to be doing anything about it.
This is an action-packed thriller, like others have said and I agree a ‘Jack Reacher’ type thriller. A lot of bodies in his wake. It is well researched and has well developed likeable characters especially John cook. I really enjoyed this and couldn’t put this down and I hope there is more of John escapades in another book. I think it would make a great series. 5 stars from me.

This was a great read and an excellent debut combining two of my favourite genres historical fiction( especially WW11) and crime novels!

John Cook is not somebody you want to mess with. He joined the army at the age of 15 and fought at Somme. He was awarded a distinguished conduct medal. Afterward, he re-enlisted and received specialist training.
He is now a farmer but is itching to serve his country again against the onslaught of the Germans. The threat of Germany attacking England is imminent but most of the soldiers as well as weaponry are in Europe and there are not enough people to defend on home soil. John is asked to form part of a small team calling themselves the Auxiliary Unit. He must find a few more men who "get things done without being told how to do it." Their mission will be to "kill as many Jerry as you can"

Then a girl John knows is found dead on his land on the day she visited him and he is a suspect. Who killed her and why are they trying to frame him?
How is this linked to the disappearance of 15 young girls who were evacuated from London?
One of the sad things about war is that it sometimes showcases the ugly underbelly of society.

A highly recommended read!
I can't wait for the next book!

Thank you so much to the author, Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the chance to be 1 of the early readers and congratulations on this great debut!

"one thing I learned in the trenches - you win every fight you don't have"

I must admit historical war tales are not my genre, but saying that I absolutely loved this book 😍
A mystery, murder, threat of nazi invasion all rolled together.
John Cook, Lady Margaret, Doc & Jane there are some of the great characters in the fast paced action story, some violent altercations ensue but as a big thriller fan this was just up my street.

Thanks to Stephen Ronson for a copy of this book through NetGalley, I will definitely be looking out for the next one.

This story was really engrossing from the start. A murder, a kidnapping, a gunfight to name a few. All the action. Loved Lady Margaret and her wanting to know the truth with Elizabeth.

I felt like I was right in the action, helping to solve the murder and kidnapping of two women. It's hard to write a review sometimes without spoiling the storyline but this was so full of action, suspense and thrills that it became a quick read and also an enjoyable one.

The gunfight had me on the edge of my seat at times, it was suspenseful, you couldn't tell who was going to make it out alive, if any at all even if one was a military guy.

This is well worth a read and the blurb intrigued me from the start!

Thank you so much to Stephen for getting in touch and will look out for more in the future!

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley + Stephen Ronson for reaching out to provide an ARC review for The Last Line, due out in November 02nd. All opinions are my own.
It is 1940 and Cook who served in the first world war is called upon to help out again as an auxiliary for which he needs to pull a team together. However, something more pressing takes Cook's attention. The disappearance of a young evacuee called Elizabeth. Soon something more sinister in their small town becomes apparent and Cook is out to investigate.....
First thing that stands out is the exceptional writing, the in-depth knowledge of this era demonstrating how much Ronson has researched extensively to bring us this story.
The thriller is exciting and fast paced. The characters are well developed and likeable. My favourite naturally being Cook and Doc.
This is a superb debut novel and I could easily see this made into a movie. I'd be the first to watch it.
Kudos to Ronson for this fantastic debut and I wish him every success with such a fantastic piece of work.
Kerry Kennedy Author

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is set at the start of WW 2. I found it fast moving and well researched. We all have family members who has been through these times. I loved all the small details such as the privations of rationing and the 'make do and mend' ethos that went with it.
I certainly hope that this author carries on with one similar adventures for the leading characters. He says he will so further works will be greatly appreciated.

Summary: John Cook is a gentleman farmer living in Uckfield, Sussex, England in 1940 when he decides that it is time to do his bit in the war and decides to journey to London to enlist. When he arrives there and meets with an officer, he is advised that the army declines to take him, a forty-something man who has already seen service during the first war and in Afghanistan. He is offered another option instead – to head up a top-secret unofficial militia – operated entirely by private citizens and provided with weapons and supplies. The idea appeals to him and he heads home to commence preparations, in a time when Germany was riding roughshod over Europe on its way to England.

While this is happening, thousands of young children are being evacuated out of London and sent to the countryside to protect them from the expected German bombing raids. When the evacuations commence, it is chaotic and disorganized, and a pretty 12-year-old girl goes missing. Cook becomes aware of this disappearance and when he discovers that other young girls are also missing, he suspects that a more sinister operation is at work.

Thoughts: I don’t read much historical fiction, especially books set during wartime. Something about that time period and setting just depresses me and turns me off from reading war-era novels. The Last Line just proved me completely wrong! This was an excellent wartime thriller/mystery/action novel with a sexy, courageous soldier-turned-gentleman farmer as the hero.

It sounds unlikely. John Cook is an unassuming man of few words who is trying to do right in the world. Although we know he is a former soldier, it is a bit of a shock to realize that he knows many excruciating ways to harm and kill an enemy. He does just that.

The pace is quick and the action keeps coming. With well-chosen prose, the author gives the reader a snapshot of English countryside during wartime, with victory gardens, makeshift landing strips in farmers’ fields and railway platforms full of evacuated children. It was a page-turner and I couldn’t get enough. From the author’s comments at the end, it sounds like a second book is in the works and I will definitely be reading it.

Many sincere thanks to Stephen Ronson, the author, for offering me a copy of his excellent book to read.

Absolutely loved this book! It's totally different to what I usually read but I loved the originality and historical theme.
Really well written and easy to follow yet there's so much content packed in. A real page turner!

I'd highly recommend reading this first book from Stephen and really hope it's a huge success for him.