The Last Thing To Burn

This was my first book by British author Will Dean, and it won't be my last. This tense, slow-burn psychological thriller is a riveting read that brings the reader deep inside the mindset and horrific living conditions of a woman held captive.

The story centres around Thanh, a young woman called Jane by her captor Lenn, a disturbed man whose whims and demands determine Thanh's entire world. Any transgressions against his specific rules and she loses one of her beloved possessions ... or worse. 

Based on themes of human trafficking, physical and mental abuse, this is clearly not an easy read, but it is well-written and compelling and features a character in Thanh that readers will easily get behind. Her desperation, fear and physical pain from her enslavement are vividly portrayed, but what I remember most is her tenacity and her determination to protect the one thing she holds most dear. 

While aptly compared to Stephen King's Misery and Emma Donoghue's Room with its similar claustrophobic setting and intense feel, The Last Thing to Burn is a fantastic, character-driven and compulsive read in its own right. This equally harrowing and powerful story about bravery and resilience easily falls into the 'unputdownable' category. 

Suspense lovers won't want to miss this book. Look for it April 20, 2021.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for my complimentary copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 5 stars

Author: Will Dean

Genre: Suspense

Type and Source: eBook from publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

First Published: April 20, 2021

Opening Lines: I'm not going back. Not now, not ever.

Book Description from GoodReads: A woman being held captive is willing to risk everything to save herself, her unborn child, and her captor’s latest victim in this claustrophobic thriller in the tradition of Misery and Room.

On an isolated farm in the United Kingdom, a woman is trapped by the monster who kidnapped her seven years ago. When she discovers she is pregnant, she resolves to protect her child no matter the cost, and starts to meticulously plan her escape. But when another woman is brought into the fold on the farm, her plans go awry. Can she save herself, her child, and this innocent woman at the same time? Or is she doomed to spend the remainder of her life captive on this farm?

Intense, dark, and utterly gripping The Last Thing to Burn is a breathtaking thriller from an author to watch.