Diane chamberlain can do no wrong and this book was no exception! Every time she releases a new book I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

This was not an easy book to read. It follows a young white girl from North Carolina in the 60s who decides to participate in the SCOPE program that helps black people register to vote. I had never learned about this program and found the story very insightful. It was heartbreaking to see the fear that black people faced. The story ends with a jaw dropping twist and was heartbreaking. Diane Chamberlain is extremely gifted with crafting her characters and making them real. I normally don't feel for fictional characters but even days after finishing the book, my eyes tear up when thinking about these people.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/NetGalley to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

This book is difficult for me to write a review of - I don’t want to spoil anything if you haven’t read it. It was also hard for me to read - it is a story of love, but also of hate, and I didn’t want to see where it was going to end up. It is a story people trying to change things and make a difference, and the resistance that is faced by these young idealists from people that don’t want those changes. It’s a story that you wish would turn out one way, but know it will not. But, it is not without some unexpected revelations at the end. I didn’t love it, possibly because of the tension I felt in what was going to come, but it is a well written book.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley; all opinions are my own.

I love Diane Chamberlain and this book is no exception.
I don’t usually read historical fiction, but I think I should start now. I love the dual timelines, the characters and everything in between.

Loved this book so much! The dual timelines were done so well. I really enjoyed reading this. This was a very well written book and both timelines were done credibly especially the past one.

4.5⭐️ The Last House on the Street was right up my historical fiction addiction alley! Really enjoyed the two different timelines. I couldn’t put this one down. It touches on some very dark subjects pertaining to racism, but as horrifying as it was to read at times, it’s such an important topic to learn more about.

Not what I was expecting at all, but in a good way! Very good historical fiction about the south in the 60's and not just a suspense tell that I was expecting.

I loved the dual story lines and loved getting to know these characters. Diane chamberlain is so talented.

Sometimes using a dual timeline in a historical fiction novel enriches the story and the reader’s experience of it. Sometimes use of a dual timeline feels like it’s done because it’s the current trend. The Last House on the Street is an example of the latter. Ellie’s story felt like the “real” story as I was reading, and Kayla’s story felt like it was tossed together so the novel would check the “dual timeline” box. This book just missed the mark for me in comparison to what I've come to expect from Chamberlain.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Last House on the Street follows a woman named Ann, who builds a home in the town that her father grew up in. After losing her husband in an unfortunate accident weeks before the home was completed, Ann decides to move in anyway and is met with a series of threats and ominous warnings for her to leave her new home and the town.

I enjoyed the duel timeline. Admittedly, I enjoyed the “flashback” timeline, which takes place in the 1960’s, so much more than the current. I felt like the mystery of the current day story was heavy handed and forced; and I could really feel the effort that Chamberlain put in to make it “thrilling.” Conversely, the drama and the mystery of the flashback timeline had me gripped from the beginning. In truth, that is what saved this book for me.

The flashback timeline has so much texture to it. The characters felt fleshy and filled out. I believed them and cared what happened to them. The journey of their day to day lives intrigued me and when they faced hardship, or experienced excitement, disappointment, or joy; I could feel it. The setting dragged me in and immersed me in the grit and drama of the time and place. I felt like an actual bystander, watching the story unfold before me. And what a story it was. This part of the story was constructed beautifully.

The exact opposite can be said about the current timeline of the book. It felt like a vehicle to tell the actual story, which was the flashback. Once the two stories converged, I was able to enjoy the ending.

This was a 3 star read, but would have been much higher if the book would have simply been a historical mystery.

Diane Chamberlain is quickly becoming one of my favorite historical fiction writers. This novel that explores racial tensions in the south was a fantastic read that left me feeling very emotional. Definitely recommend!

This book was different than I thought it was going to be, in a good way! I enjoyed this book and was surprised at some of the twists in the story. I will definitely recommend this book!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for letting me read this book.This is my first book by this author.When I wasn’t reading this book, I was thinking about it.This is a good story.

Set in the south during the civil rights era and in 2010, this suspenseful historical mystery, follows the story of civil rights fighter Ellie and modern-day architect Kayla. Recently widowed, Kayla is set to move in into the new home she and her late husband lovingly built when a mysterious red-head visits to warn her against moving in. The author then takes the reader back to Ellie, a local college student, who joins the fight for voting rights in North Carolina. Diane Chamberlain deftly weaves the story of the past with the present with a tragic story and a mystery that's revealed throughout. I couldn't put this book down. Great book for a book group.

I usually am not a lover of historical fiction, but this was a book that captured and kept my attention. I will certainly look into more books by Diane Chamberlain.

Diane does it again. She continues to draw me in with her dual timelines and character development. I enjoyed how the two timelines weaved together. The 1960's was such a challenging decade to say the least. The mistrust, lies and murder were emotionally and perfectly executed!

This book was nothing like I expected, in the best possible way! From dual timelines and perspectives we get to know two women who have found themselves in the present day as neighbours. This book was heartbreaking and made me feel angry and sad and all the emotions in between. Beautifully written and I was so invested in these characters and their story.

Diane Chamberlain is amazing at dual timelines and with giving us wonderful, compelling historical fiction and this one definitely had both. Her interest in the SCOPE project, which she first heard about in her teens, is prevalent in one of the timelines in this story. We go back and forth from 1965 to 2010 and both storylines were interesting but I was definitely pulled into the 1965 storyline more in this one. I started 2022 with Big Lies in a Small Town and loved starting 2023 with another Chamberlain novel. One strange thing is that my library had this under "Romance" and not their general fiction. It's definitely just particular to my library but I found that a little strange!

Past and present collide when two women are brought together through interesting circumstances- circumstances which begin to unravel mysteries and secrets that were meant to be kept hidden.

Beyond pleased with this one! I've heard great things about the author & this did NOT disappoint. I need to be grabbed by the beginning, otherwise I find myself hesitant to keep picking up a book. The way Diane captivated us right from the get-go was brilliant and I needed to know more. The past was my favorite part, even though so much of it aggravated me - prejudice and the fight for civil rights is a HUGE (and important) part of our history. It's so hard to read about though, it just makes me angry the way others were treated. Even between family members, I was disgusted. BUT- that's what good writing and plots do...they are meant to make me feel whether it's happiness, sadness, anger, or anything else. I loved Ellie and her story- the struggles she faced and
her perseverance through every obstacle. I yearned for her to be free from the restrictions of her family and to be with the man she loved- I cried when choices were taken away from her, I cried for all of those who should never have been treated differently based on their skin color.

This was such an impactful and emotional read, but there also was a mystery within that I did not see coming. All of the elements came together beautifully & this is one I will never forget.