Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this early copy!

I really liked this one! I’ve read a few Diane Chamberlain books before and have yet to read one that I didn’t like! She is such a great writer and storyteller. “The Last House on the Street” is about the Scope Project in 1965, which I had never heard about before, but it’s basically the story of how white people would help black people to vote and have rights. It was eye opening even though I’ve read other books about this topic. I also really love how Diane normally writes in duel perspectives and I enjoyed both. I hope you take the time to pick this one up when it is released on the 11th of January!

I have read many of Diane Chamberlain’s novels and I must say this is probably my least favorite. The story starts off strong, but then it really begins to drag. I did enjoy the 1960’s historical backdrop of the story. It is a sobering reminder of those times. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I also listened to the audiobook. The narrator was excellent.

Another powerful dual timeline historical fiction mystery set in the South! In this book we get to know young Ellie as she eschews her expected path in 1965 to join Freedom Fighters in North Carolina, helping Black people register to vote. Of course there's lots of heartbreaking drama involving an interracial friendship, the Klan and disapproving friends and family. Fast forward to the present and we slowly learn what really happened back in 1965 one horrible night that changed Ellie's and a whole town's life forever. I couldn't put this one down it was just so so good! Great on audio narrated by Susan Bennett. If you loved The Help this one is sure to be a must-read. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy!

I enjoy reading historical fiction. I had never heard of the Scope project. I appreciate a book that will have me on Google afterwards learning more about the past. This is a book that will stick with me. I am moved and saddened. Diane Chamberlain is an excellent storyteller. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

I adored this book.  Told from the perspectives of both Kayla and Ellie, this story is emotional and compelling. Although the book is marketed as Women’s Fiction, those readers that enjoy a good mystery or historical fiction will also appreciate it.

I felt connected to both of these protagonists and their individual storylines.  For the most part, Ellie’s life is detailed as a college student in 1965 who signs up to volunteer for a summer spent encouraging black members of the community to register to vote.  This part of the book is particularly moving and the author does a great job of setting the tone of this time in American history.

Kayla’s story is set in 2010 and details the inner conflict she feels with moving into the house that both she and her late husband (both architects) designed together.  The neighbours she meets (including the much older Ellie), provide glimpses into the history behind the property her new home stands on.

As the past and present stories intertwine, the mystery of the history of this land is answered.  The story is memorable and I know this is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time.  Those of you who have read and enjoyed Chamberlain’s earlier books such as The Dream Daughter and The Secret Marriage will be equally as moved.

Susan Bennett performed the narration for The Last House on the Street and I loved it.  The quality of her voice is filled with the sweetness and compassion that was required for these characters and was a joy to listen to.  I recommend this version of this book to all that appreciate this format.

Two voices tell the story of the haunted forested area at the end of the street. One, Ellie, who once lived on the street, who tells of her time with SCOPE (Summer Community Organization mad Political Education) during the summer if 1965. The other of a young widow who now lives in a newly constructed house at the end of the same street. The chapters are told alternating between the present and 1965.

Ms. Chamberlain has developed a story of activism, love, and tragedy. The format is nicely laid out and easy to follow. I enjoyed how the characters interacted with each other as their story unfolds.

The narrator for this book was fabulous. She was able to provide the voices for all characters allowing the listener to easily recognize who was speaking.

I don't know what it is about Diane Chamberlain but she hasn't missed YET. I know I am way behind on her books, but I'm happy to catch up. This book is a tough read if you're sensitive to this nation's racist past. The ramp up was a bit slow (needed, but slow) so stick with it. The story that unfolds is a page. turner. I really enjoyed this novel.

THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET was absolutely compelling. Diane Chamberlain developed characters in two seemingly unrelated timelines and converged them beautifully.
In 2010, Kayla, an architect, is approached and threatened by a woman. The woman knows details about Kayla's recently deceased husband, and the house in which he died, the couple's dream home. She warns Kayla not to move there and issues a vague statement about her desire to kill someone.
In 1965, Ellie prepares for a summer with SCOPE, an organization committed to registering black voters. She fights to gain acceptance into the organization, and once she begins canvasing with the other members, she feels completely connected to her work. Ellie's hometown doesn't support SCOPES' mission. In fact, many of the people she grew up around despise the civil rights movement and those who are involved in it. When it's clear Ellie doesn't share their beliefs, will she and her friends become a target?
This story pulled most of my heart strings. To say I loved it would be an understatement. The book was well-planned, and each piece of the puzzle clicked into place until I completely understood the purpose for the dual timeline. I was so thankful for the glimpse into the challenges SCOPE workers faced, and livid that they had to endure them.
Susan Bennett was a lovely narrator. I'm a native southerner, and the voices she used for her characters had an accent with exaggeration. I was impressed by the gentle shifts in her intonation that signaled a character change,
This book is powerful, and it may raise thought-provoking questions. It would be perfect for a book club.
I recommend this book for new adults and experienced readers, as the book contains some mature content.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest novel by Diane Chamberlain, one of my favorites! 5 stars!

Told in dual timelines - in 1965, we meet Ellie, home on summer break from attending college studying to be a pharmacist like her father. She becomes involved with SCOPE, a civil rights organization trying to get Blacks registered to vote, a dangerous venture for a rich, white woman in those days. In 2010, Kayla is preparing to move into her newly-constructed home with her young daughter, Rainie, after the tragic death of her architect husband. She meets Ellie, home from CA to take care of her brother and mother, living next door - the only other house on the street. Kayla's home is the subject of much mystery and lore, with people saying it's haunted ground.

Diane Chamberlain is a master at intricately weaving historical fiction with current times, making the reader see the impact history has on our lives. I learned so much about a time in our nation's history about such dedicated volunteers and the risk they undertook. Unfortunately, racism isn't one of those lessons we learned never to repeat so that makes this book all the more worthy to read.

I alternated between reading the digital copy and listening to the audiobook, wonderfully narrated by Susan Bennett who had a whole cast of characters of both sexes to voice.

Absolutely brilliant writing. A beautifully devastating story written with two story lines that eventually cross paths.

The beginning was a bit slow, but after several chapters I couldn’t put it down.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the author for letting me review this wonderful audiobook.

I really enjoyed this book! Told in two different timelines - Ellie in the 60s and Kayla in 2010 - these two women end up connected in a way that ended up pretty organic.

Kayla, an architect, is building a house in North Carolina. Well, she and her husband had designed it and were having it built when he died while building the house. She and their young daughter are still going to live in the house once it is finished (which yes, is very creepy). She is visited by a strange woman at work who warns her against the house. Among rumors that it - and the land behind it - are haunted makes Kayla feel awfully nervous.

Ellie, meanwhile, is a 20 year old girl living on the street in North Carolina where Kayla is building her house 40+ years later. She decides to get involved with SCOPE, a civil rights initiative designed at getting black people to vote. Her family and friends can't understand why she wants to be part of this program, but she ignores them all and joins for the summer anyway.

This storyline is SO GOOD. Ellie is an amazing character and fully developed. The way her chapters were written are excellent. There is plenty of information on civil rights, but not in an in-your-face way, rather a discussion of what life was like during that time period. It was fascinating and a lot of it was new to me (with the understanding that this was a fictionalized account of the time period).

Kayla's storyline paled a bit in comparison but was still compelling. I loved how everything came together in the end, but trigger warning as it does get a little disturbing regarding the KKK and their treatment of black people in the 60s.

The narration on this audiobook was excellent, although I wish that there had been two different narrators for the two different points of view. The narrator did attempt to change her voice a bit, but I like distinct voices for multiple characters.

This is probably my new favorite by this author (and that says a lot!)
I love historical fiction, and what I learn from it. In this novel, it shines a light on the 1960s and the fight for voting rights for African Americans. Told in dual timelines (1965 and 2010) it reveals the history of the new development in North Carolina where Kayla (2010) and her recently deceased husband have built their new home. As tragic as Kayla's part of the story is, the real tragedy takes place in 1965, the bulk of the story.
Ellie, a 20yo in 1965, takes a summer job to help educate the black community before President Johnson passes the Voting Rights bill. As she works to be accepted by the black families, and her black coworkers, Ellie's more determined than ever to make a difference as she slowly realizes how many of the townspeople she has known all her life are racist and hateful.
It's a must-read story that reveals a part of history still being played out today. I loved the characters, the dynamics between them, and even when I figured out who was behind the threats, still couldn't wait to hear the rest of the story to see how it all played out.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this audiobook. The narrator did a great job with this story!

I've always loved Diane Chamberlain novels. I've read several. She has a unique way of including civil rights issues with incredible storytelling. The Last House on the Street is no exception.

Told in parallel timelines, we follow Ellie Hockings in 1965 and 2010. Back in the 60s, she joins a program called SCOPE where she canvasses black neighborhoods in the south in an effort to get people registered to vote as part of the The Voting Rights Act, A landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. There are also many story arcs withing the novel which I found engaging, primarily a murder mystery and love story.

The narration was extremely well done. From the very beginning, I could feel myself slipping into the south in the 1960s.. Highly recommended for lovers of historical fiction, family dramas, and civil rights.

Kayla, a recent widow, moves into the dream house she and her husband designed. Except people keep trying to prevent her from moving in. Turns out there are a lot of history in the woods. History people want to keep in the past.

The Last House on the Street is told over two timelines- Kayla in 2010 and Ellie in 1965.

Diane Chamberlain is an instant read author for me. The Last House on the Street did not disappoint. Historical fiction is my absolute favorite and Diane Chamberlain does it so well. I love that she not only tells a compelling story, but she often teaches you something as well. In this case, Ellie is part of the SCOPE Project- a project in 1965/1966 to help register African Americans to vote. I had never heard of SCOPE before, and have since read more on it. I love the history lesson! (Just like Necessary Lies brought life to the eugenics experiments.)

Anyway, if you love historical fiction, you will love this. If you are looking for suspense, it may not be the best choice. While there is a mystery of sorts, it was not hard to figure out. The only frustrating thing about the book was how oblivious some of the characters were, lol. But the rest of the story was so good, it was easy to overlook the minor annoyance.

I listened to the audiobook. The narrator is not one I am familiar with, but she did a good job. Standard narration. No complaints.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

In 2010… Kayla’s husband Jackson Carter died from an accident during the building of their dream home in North Carolina. Now the home is finished and Kayla is having second thoughts about moving into it without Jackson. As she is getting ready to move into it with her daughter, a woman by the name of Ann Smith who knows all about her warns her against it.
In 1965… Naïve college student Ellie Hockley has decided to leave her friends, family and all those she loves behind to work with SCOPE against their wishes. The telling of this story explains a lot of the trials and prejudices of the time in 1965.
This novel is told in alternating time lines, 2010 and 1965 telling events of the lives of 2 different ladies living in nearly the same location.
I received an audiobook ARC narrated by Susan Bennett from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is one of those books where you expect bad things to happen and you keep hoping that it will not happen. You want to protect the various characters from the hurt that unavoidable. The story goes back and forth between the mid to late sixties and 2010. What happens in 2010 is a direct result of what happened in the earlier period.
The location is North Carolina which might not have been the Deep South but in the sixties the Ku Klux Klan was very active. So much that if you wanted to succeed you had to be a participating member.
Prejudice and violence was a common occurrence and it really hurts that even today we having people feeling superior to others because of the color of their skin. Why can’t some people get past the color of one’s skin? In the story we see this hatred been carried forward more than 45 years and even resulting in the murder of a person they felt shouldn’t be living in the area to avoid discovering the horrors of the past. This is a book you will be thinking about a long time after finishing. Susan Bennett (Narrator) did such a terrific job bringing the story to live in the audio version that it was easy to visualize everything that was going on. Highly recommend the audio version.

Last House on the Streer:

“She may spend her life around books, but her mind is shuttered closed,” Aunt Carol said. “Think about it. There’s a reason you share what you’re writing for the school paper with me and not with her, isn’t there?”

This book had me yelling WHAT THE FUCK because of how easily the racism just rolled off the tongue. I had to remember this was literally the norm with segregation. It’s still the norm for some people today. It angered and saddened me.

I loved reading Ellie’s story, and I wish I could have loved Kayla’s just as much. I didn’t really feel as connected with her and husband’s death, and wish that could have been discussed more.

Susan Bennett is such a wonderful reader to such a good story. I always kick myself for not reading Diane Chamberlin, but man, I don’t realize she was THIS good. Susan brought the anguish to Ellie and the sweetness to Rainie.

Thank you so much MacMillan for the gifted copy.

This was ok but it took me quite some time to get into it.
I thought the narrator did a good job .

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the early listen and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. I finished this book a few days ago and had to process what I had read/listened too. Wow what an amazing read! The depth the author went to to tell this amazing, sad, mysterious and thrilling story. Loved reading about all the characters in this story. The narrator did a fantastic job telling the story, Highly recommend!

4.5

Diane Chamberlain is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine! She did a great job connecting the past to the present. This book broke my heart. It was not easy to read, but a reminder of a time in our history that we should not forget. This is a story that will stick with me for some time.