Hunt for missing girl a page turner

Johnny Merrimon’s twin sister, Alyssa, disappeared a year ago and still has not been found. Everyone appears to have given up hope of finding her except for Johnny and Detective Clyde Hunt, a man haunted by his inability to find the little girl. Johnny and Hunt have nothing to lose and everything to gain as they devote their lives to finding Alyssa.

In John Hart’s novel “The Last Child,” Johnny’s world has fractured. He believes that if he can solve the mystery, he may be able to get his father home, reclaim his mother and begin a new life. Because of the investigation, Hunt has lost too much —- his marriage, his relationship with his son —- to allow the mystery of Alyssa’s disappearance to remain unsolved. If he can find her, he may be able to find himself. As both man and boy dig deep into the secrets of their North Carolina town, they realize that finding Alyssa would provide salvation for both of them.

What begins as a thrilling mystery soon evolves into an astute character drama where the preservation of family is critical. The central issue —- the mysterious disappearance of a beloved sister —- is expanded through Hart’s deft hands into a rumination on what people will do to keep their families together. In such a small town, though, families are often more than just parents and children, and what happens in one household can affect what happens in others. Love, sacrifice and duty are not always what they seem. Boundaries are blurred, and the solution to Alyssa’s disappearance will reveal a tangled web of deception and misplaced loyalties that threaten the ties that bind.

Hart artfully employs the pattern of a whodunit to lead the reader down a twisted, thrilling path. What lies at the end, though, is wholly unexpected. There is no easy solution to this story, as we are asked to contemplate the senselessness of fate and the sacrifices some people are willing to make for their families. With the deft characterization of any good work of literary fiction and the subtle, satisfying plotting of a favorite mystery, “The Last Child” brings readers deep into the pathos of a small North Carolina community. This page turner will stay in your mind long after you’ve read the final page.