A gently paced thriller

5 stars

Jane Harper does it again but this time with a slower pace, a more thoughtful approach. A great deal of introspection as Ro joins her estranged husband (Griff) and daughter (Della) in Carralon Ridge to mark the 5th anniversary of her son's disappearance. The town is a mere shell of what it used to be as a nearby mine buys up properties to expand operations. Once vibrant and a lovely place for families, Carralon Ridge is now a ghost town with the constant drone of mining works and empty homes being consumed by vegetation as they fall into disrepair. Only a handful of families remain, Griff among them, with the local pub opening for business every now and again.

Five years is a long time to live in limbo regarding the fate of a loved one and Ro encounters many memories with each step taken in this once familiar place. Much time has been spent retracing Sam's final known movements on the day he goes missing - his twenty first birthday - and we revisit the evidence from drone footage and notes Sam left of local interviews for his course work. 

This is a quiet, sombre book reflecting on what may have been in lieu of knowing what was. Though Ro and her family live in hope of finding Sam, the reality of disappointment is one they know too well. Last One Out is a touching novel that dwells in a place of loss and resignation. The heat of volatile emotions has long been burned up as Ro and her family try to pick at the pieces of a life cut short. I really enjoyed this though it felt a departure from Ms. Harper's typical thrillers. This is a thriller, too, of a sort, full of questions, past injuries and unspoken words that keep the characters apart whilst the mystery unravels around them. It is dark and moody, full of atmosphere. The end, though heartbreaking, is satisfying and brings a conclusion worthy of Ms. Harper's talents. As ever, her novels are not to be missed and I am glad to have read Last One Out.