Of the writers mentioned, I would say Conroy is the closest Hart comes to, in style, and that is no small feat. Having enjoyed his earlier work, "The King Of Lies," I was intrigued by the title of "The Last Child," and its central narrative thrust of the unsolved case of a missing child.
It takes place in rural North Carolina, somewhere outside of Raleigh, which community residents consider "the Big City." Thus, though its populace is divided among blue collar and middle class folk, they are all one step from being good ole Southern White Trash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Johnny Merrimon, and his precarious situation, forms the novel's crux. His sister, Alyssa, vanished a year ago, and has never been found. His father, Spencer, overwhelmed grief, abandoned his family, while his mother, Katherine, one of these women who, apparently, is nothing without a man, falls prey to local business magnate Ken Holloway, and through him supplying her with drugs, descends into a submissive, narcotized haze, delighting Holloway, by behaving like a White Trash slut, while he abuses both she and Johnny.
But Johnny is not one to let things go, and he sets out on a series of adventures that eventually lead to the novel's outcome, where everyone who is bad gets what they deserve. I questioned two things from Hart--Johnny, who is only 13, driving so freely through town in a car or pick up truck--and not being noticed by townspeople, who might object? And Holloway--he was bad as they come, but it seemed as if he were connected somehow to the whole schematic mess, but Hart never makes that clear.
That is as much as I will reveal, because I don't want to ruin this compelling story for potential readers. Hart has another novel out--Down River"--and I look forward to reading it eventually.
But nothing is as it seems in this town, and young or old, you just cannot trust those so-called good ole Southern boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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