The Hush: A Novel

I love John Hart for the heart pumping thrillers and twists and turns. Then out of no where he gets when you least expect it. I read all sorts of super natural books. I love them. Unfortunately this one is not a favorite. I was a bit disappointed by the direction this took. A bit far fetched but a good story non the less.

I loved this book....but no surprise. I. Love all of his books. I cried
Over the friendship of these two young boys, and their complete
Devotion to one another, and the beauty Johnny saw in his land.
I always eagerly await John’s next book, because I know that he takes his time ,and it will be worth the wait.Thank you John, from
A devoted fan.

Having recently discovered the world of John Hart, I was eagerly awaiting this new novel. I even read “The Last Child” to prepare. I wasn’t prepared for second rate Stephen King. Mr. Hart is way out of his element here and I wanted to give up so many times, but had to know the ending. It wasn’t worth the wait.
But I would read him again.

Like always Mr. Hart kept my interest from page to page. I have read at least five of is most recent books, and found each one very interesting and intriguing. His climax and conclusions are extremely well written. Having said that: I was disappointed with this books conclusion and epilogue. Still will give it five stars.

First John Hart book that has disappointed me. And I even pre-ordered! I still have questions about the early years of the main characte’s life that we’re not answered...this would have helped me understand more about him and how his early life effected his behavior. Just plain disappointed this Southern girl! Next time I’ll try a sample before I spend my heard-earned money! ?

so disappointed!! I preordered this book and couldn't wait. I do not like supernatural books like Stephen King or Dean koots if this is your taste go for it.. I have read 28% and may not finish it. I like a book that brings you right into the story emotionally, this didn't even come close. Even the places that were meant to be scary weren't. Hart is an awesome writer, but i will never preorder one of his books. Please get back to reality Mr Hart.

A major disappointment from a very gifted writer. A laborious tale in a mysterious fake world where almost everything and everybody is destroyed. The prose was so excessive that it felt like a major accomplishment to finish....and I still felt empty and dissatisfied.

Award-winning author John Hart has struck gold again with another story set in the American South.

Johnny Merrimon has tried to put the tragic events of ten years prior behind him. It's not easy when stories have been written about him and there seems to be nowhere he can go to escape himself. However, the people of this town don't know the whole truth. You see, Johnny has a certain gift that he keeps to himself. Even though this gift allows him to see unspeakable horrors. Another winner!

This is a well-structured novel which starts out rather slowly building momentum, velocity and complexity as it goes. At the center is a mystery which, as it turns out, has an origin over 150 years in the past. As the novel unfolds revealing a skein of initially unseen relationships between the various players, it also develops more than a scattering of the supernatural finally finishing more like a horror novel than as a mystery.

Curiously, there is no single protagonist, but rather an ensemble of players each of whom makes a unique contribution to the mystery’s solution and final plot resolution. Initially it seems the protagonist is Johnny, a nature boy who lives in a swamp off the grid for the most part. There is a steady stream of narrative about Johnny’s previous adventure where, it seems, he ended up taking on some bad guys when he was about 10 years old and prevailing by not only doing away with the criminals, but saving a little girl. For that, he gained a bit of fame.

I saw no benefit from the rather persistent but obscure references to this previous escapade especially since at the novel’s start, it seemed like the superior narrative to the one in the present. I have no idea if the references are to a previous novel or just pulled out of the air, but in either case, I, even now, find myself more intrigued by the hints of that story over the one I just finished.

Rather curiously, the society portrayed is set in today but describes a racially segregated community. Whites live conventional lives but blacks are universally shown to be living on the margins existing on subsidized this or that while sometimes engaging in lite criminal activities. The whites seem indifferent to the blacks but the blacks universally burn with outright hatred of whites. It’s a rather grim portrait drawn throughout the book.

Overall I was intrigued by the mystery element as well as satisfied by the resolution. I could have done without the segregation and race hate, though.

John Hart has always proven himself a seasoned author, and "The Hush," he sets the bar even higher. With “The Hush,” Hart goes for a sequel to “The Last Child,” which happened to be an Edgar and Barry Award Winner, and it hasn’t been forgotten, even if it was Hart’s 3rd offering as an author. Man, this guy is good!

Ten years ago, the world learned about Johnny Merrimon, and while the people around him have become curious, all Johnny wants is nothing more than his privacy. Hush Arbor is his land, and he wants people to leave it alone, and he doesn’t want people even hunting on it where they shouldn’t be. He’s taken a shot in the general direction of people who shouldn’t be there in the first place. But then there’s Jack, his childhood best buddy, who is now a lawyer, and determined to stay friends with Johnny, and protect what he loves so dearly. Unfortunately, Johnny knows more than he says he knows about “The Hush.”

But some people are dumber than they appear to be, and some people aren’t going to take the hint to leave Johnny alone. Some of it is beyond people, and some would say this is supernatural. There are things to be feared, in and beyond the woods and the swamp, and stories that will chill you to the bone! Are people besides Johnny and Jack really desperate enough to push their luck?

John Hart is one of these gems as a writer, and he always does it well! I never expected a sequel to “The Last Child,” but here it is with “The Hush.” Now I don’t have a clue what to expect from the man, except a really good release that people will be itching like poison ivy to grab!

Two best friends since childhood now live starkly different adult lives: one beginning his first year as an attorney in a top-notch law firm, the other living hermit-like in a huge piece of contested land. The land, called The Hush, was given to Johnny’s family before the Revolution, his ancestor in turn deeded acres of it to a freed slave until the last male descendant died and then it would revert back to the original family. It has reverted back, although a female descendant of the freed slave is appealing. The book starts out seeming like a legal contest between families. Are they fighting about a piece of Eden or about potential vast wealth? Slowly the tale becomes twitchy and mysterious. There’s more going on in that swamp than we could imagine. This is a great story about things that go bump in the night, rippling through our unconscious and stirring our dreams. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I appreciated the magical world created by John Hart. I've never read a John Hart novel before and noticed the excitement that comes from his fans when a new one comes out. The magical world he created in this book is extraordinary and it pulls you in. It was interesting to learn about the life of solitude cultivated by Johnny Merrimon. You attempt to learn about the present story and crave the past because it is what has built the main character. The book delves into the past and present in a unique way and you learn about the cultivated bond between our main character and his old friend Jack. The world that surrounds Johnny is magical beyond belief and you definitely didn't want this story to end. I appreciated the exploration of friendship, being taken into a world that my own mind could have never thought of, and the connection between a person's past and present, and what it may bring to their future. Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for an advanced e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

In John Hart's newest novel he revisits two characters from The Last Child, Johnny Merrimon, and Jack Cross. Ten years on, their lives have diverged widely, but the two are still the closest of friends. Jack is beginning his career as a bankruptcy lawyer, and Johnny has inherited a six thousand acre tract of swampland called "The Hush."Johnny built a cabin on the land and has essentially become a hermit, seldom going into town and living off the land. The notoriety from the events of The Last Child still clings to both, and they would prefer to stay out of the public eye as much as possible. But other people want the land; a billionaire game hunter, and the family of Isaac Fremantle. The property formerly belonged to the Merrimons but was deeded to the Fremantle family, along with manumission in 1853.The death of the last Fremantle male triggered the reversion of the property to Johnny. But there are very odd things happening both on the property and to Johnny himself, things that Jack finds frightening and dangerous.Old sins and secrets are coming to a head in The Hush.

John Hart has taken a significant risk with this novel with its jump from traditional thriller into magical realism. If you have difficulty with the suspension of disbelief, this may be a disappointment. Thinking back to The Last Child, the roots are there for this new story. I am, as always, dazzled by Hart's storytelling. It's not often that I read a book cover to cover in one day, but I couldn't put this one down. It is not necessary to read The Last Child to thoroughly enjoy The Hush, but I recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

Gripping! I couldn't put this one down. John Hart brings back the Johnny and Jack from The Lost Child with a supernatural twist tied to the land and racial history. What is going on in Hush Arbor? Why do people disappear there? What evil lurks in the swamp?

The tension builds gradually throughout the book and sucks you into the lives of Johnny and Jack. I tried to make this book last longer - I really did - but I couldn't help turning page after page until I found out what was happening. John Hart is such an excellent writer. I've read all his novels and every one was well written. 5 stars for this one - I loved it!

Thanks so much to John Hart and St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Although The Hush can probably stand alone, I decided to read The Last Child (its predecessor) just in case - and I’m glad I did. There are many references to what came before The Hush, and reading more about the central figure, Johnny Merrimon, does help with the reader’s understanding of his unusual life choices.
Ten years before, Johnny endured life-changing events which have prompted his decision to live alone in Hush Arbor, a six thousand acre area of swamp and terrain which would test the strongest of us. In a hidden cabin, Johnny meets regularly with old friend Jack Cross who has become an attorney. Jack played a large role in Johnny’s past - a role that required forgiveness on Johnny’s part. And so, they unite to fight Johnny’s newest challenge - the possible loss of his domain.
Hush Arbor is straight out of a Stephen King novel - a dangerous, creepy, foggy, slimey, killing field. It’s history has never made peace with current times - but it provides cover and comfort for Johnny. Tales of those lost in the swamp, those who enter and never return, strange sounds, eeiry lights, reverses in directions, etc. are no problem for Johnny, as he possesses strange powers himself.
Here, John Hart surprises me, as I’ve read a number of his books (loved them all) and none delved into the paranormal or fantasy. Yet Hush Arbor’s history makes it all believable, and the pace of the plot makes it impossible to put the book down! There really was an area in North Carolina they called Hush Arbor (and several derivations) - which provided refuge for runaway slaves - I looked it up! And what I found, just made Hart’s story come alive for me.
I identify with those who read this novel from cover to cover in only a few sittings. Once ensnared, I did not want to be interrupted - by anything!
John Hart is a fine writer, and this is one of his best.

The Hush picks up Johnny Merrimon's story ten years after the conclusion of The Last Child, my favorite among Hart's previous works. Johnny now owns Hush Arbor, the large, wild area that his ancestor deeded to the Freemantle family. Johnny has developed a deep feeling for the land, living with minimal conveniences, able to see and feel what is happening throughout his property. Johnny's old friend Jack Cross, now an attorney in Charlotte, is his only regular visitor. Strange things, sometimes fatal, always inexplicable, have happened to others who have entered the Hush.

The last remnants of the Freemantle family are challenging Johnny's rights to the land, aided by a billionaire who wants to purchase it from them. When the billionaire dies a horrible death on a hunting trip into the Hush, the sheriff assumes that Johnny, whom nobody understands, is
responsible. Jack works to protect his friend, who is tortured by dreams of his ancestor's actions. Creola Freemantle, the last of her line, also dreams of the same history, from the point of view of the line of women descended from Merrimon's first female slave, who had been a queen in Africa.

Hart has created a wonderful genre-busting novel that incorporates mystery, magical realism, history, the supernatural, and horror. He creates a strong sense of foreboding about the experiences of unwelcome visitors in the Hush's swamp. Nobody, including Johnny, knows what happens in these incidents. As Johnny learns more about his ancestor's story through guided dreams, we finally begin to see some answers, and to understand the choices that Johnny must make in the end.

Hart's characterizations are sharp as usual, and his attention to setting is superb. He keeps the reader in the dark, revealing tantalizing bits of knowledge as Johnny and others gain them. The book grabbed me and wouldn't let go; it's been a while since I've wanted to put aside everything else to stay immersed and find out what's going on. The Last Child was and still is a wonderful book, but with The Hush Hart has surpassed it.

THE HUSH: A NOVEL is a mesmerizing ghost story, a story about the sins of fathers (and mothers) being visited on subsequent generations. It’s a novel about a haunted swamp (the Hush) that welcomes a chosen few, but kills most who dare to venture in after nightfall.

In the novel, a handsome “wild child” (Johnny) lives alone in a cabin deep inside the Hush, visiting the town that is the Raven County seat just once a month for supplies. He’s notorious for having avenged the murder of his twin sister when he was only 13 years old, and for shooting up the hunting camp of a billionaire (Boyd) who was killing bear in the Hush out of season. Johnny owns the Hush--all 6000 acres of it. It came to him under a mysterious land transfer agreement made between his ancestor (John Merriman) and a freed slave (Isaac Freemantle) after Isaac’s last male descendant passed away.

Johnny needs legal help, because title to his beloved Hush is being challenged by a freed female slave’s descendant (Cree). Johnny has no money, so he turns to his lifelong best friend (Jack), a newly minted lawyer with a congenitally deformed arm. When Jack visits Johnny at his cabin (as he has done many times before), Jack finds that something has changed in the Hush. There is something heavy and oppressive hanging around the cabin, and it terrifies him.

Jack flees back to town, but Johnny’s legal problems have only just begun. A hunter is murdered, horrifically, in the swamp, and his hunting companion emerges with a broken mind, babbling. The local sheriff is determined to arrest Johnny for the murder, without any evidence, because, after all, Johnny is the only resident of the Hush.

A partial plot summary doesn’t do this novel justice. It’s an intricately plotted page-turner that is really hard to put down. The characters are well developed, the ending is satisfying, and the writing is excellent. This is a sequel to Hart’s first novel, The Last Child, which I can’t wait to read. It works fine as a standalone.

The Hush
Mysterious Book Report No. 336
by John Dwaine McKenna

One of the awesomest young writers to come down the literary turnpike in the new millennium is a southern gothic wordsmith named John Hart. The accolades, superlatives and awards directed at him keep piling up at an astonishing rate; making him one of the hottest new novelists; one that all thriller enthusiasts will want to be acquainted with. He’s just finished an electrifying new installment in the saga of Johnny Merrimon, the pure-hearted prince of bad-assery we first meet in The Last Child. Now, he’s returned in The Hush, (St. Martin’s Press, $27.99, 418 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-01230-2).
Ten years have passed since Johnny Merrimon came home from prison and made the discovery that upended life in the small North Carolina town where he was born and raised. The case was so sensational that books have been written about it and news people of all disciplines around the world have beleaguered him day and night, looking for additional gossip to add to the astonishing story. Shunning all publicity, Johnny has taken up residence in the middle of a six-thousand acre swamp known as Hush Arbor. It’s the last of a fifty-thousand acre tract that was owned, and lost, by his great, great grandfather in the decade before the Civil War. But the chain of ownership has a flaw in it because the Hush, as it’s called by the locals, was first gifted to some freed slaves and reverted back to Johnny due to a certain clause that’s being contested by the descendents of the freed men. Johnny’s prevailed in the court proceeding, but the decision’s been appealed, with the trial about to begin. Johnny Merrimon however, is broke. He ekes out a subsistence living from the land, and his only hope at trial is Jack Cross, a boyhood friend with a newly minted law degree, who specializes in tax law. The other side is backed by a hedge fund billionaire who wants the land for a private hunting preserve where trophy animals thrive in profusion. The Hush, however, is a notoriously strange place. The local folk avoid it . . . for those who do enter it get lost, die, or come out catatonic; unable to talk because they’ve been scared out of their minds by something unspeakable that lurks out there. It’s something evil and ancient, something cursed, unholy and undead. All of which only adds to the legend of Johnny Merrimon. Has he made a deal with the Devil . . . or is Johnny some sort of a supernatural being? The only way to find out, is to read this thrilling novel for yourself and you, like the MBR, will be all in for the works of John Hart, the only writer to ever win the coveted Edgar Award in back-to-back, consecutive years. To paraphrase legendary Texas songwriter Billy Joe Shaver: “John Hart is the real . . . real, real deal!”

Plot: mountainman gets blamed for the deaths that occur on his haunted property.
I see others are upset this is a book with supernatural overtones, but that why I picked it up. I came to this never having read the other books. Because of that I would have guessed Hart named the main character after himself or Johnny Appleseed. I guess, now, Johnny Appleseed is out.

It's just really too long. Often the same phrase is repeated by different characters or the same one within a short amount of pages (something like "dark celebrity" that sticks out). A good editing could have taken out that and all the superfluous stuff. As it is, it reads like it was rushed into production shortly after the author wrote "the end." Just as you can miss a summer's worth of Days of Our Lives episodes and pick right up with no confusion, so too can you skip chapters of this.

If you HAD to pick spots to miss, coming from someone who read it all, I'd suggest the entire second half. It falls apart, isn't scary, has too many backstories, fewer and fewer likable-people moments, and never quite explains enough to satisfy reading 400+ pages, although they do go by quickly. I notice other reviewers are saying they didn't like that the second half turned into a horror book, but the supernatural stuff was there (heavily!) from the beginning. I think it's more apt to say the second half is just not as good as the first.

I actually looked up the phrase "what the hell,man" to see if boys in the 30's would have said it, and it seems to check out. The more things change, I guess. Also, it seemed very old fashioned to make a wealthy big game hunter the bad guy, but then again, with that lion-killing dentist and certain presidential sons posing with elephant trunks, I guess that's "new" again too. Too bad. I would like to see the end of that.

John Hart's latest, THE HUSH, defies categorization. While all of his previous books have been mystery thrillers, THE HUSH falls somewhere amongst historical mysteries, metaphysical treatises, and supernatural horror stories. It picks up Johnny Merrimon's story ten years after the end of Hart's 2009, THE LAST CHILD. For those who have read that first book, the background will provide additional depth to the reading of the current book, but THE HUSH can be read as a standalone with no loss of impact.

Johnny lives off-the-grid in a remote area called "the hush," an area that has a strong sense of the past remaining from the days when his grandfather owned and then freed slaves on that very land. He has a deep relationship with the land, particularly the swamp, feeling the trees and animals around him intimately. He takes his stewardship of the swamp and its surrounds seriously, and something in the swamp takes care of him in return. While Johnny sees his symbiotic relationship with his land as warm, caring, and essential, his boyhood friend turned lawyer, Jack, sees it as sinister. And the townspeople of Raven County agree with Jack.

When a trophy hunter with a bad history with Johnny goes missing and is then found dead in the swamp, the sheriff declares war on Johnny. Things go from bad to worse for both Johnny and the sheriff as the presence in the swamp protects Johnny and itself. We are filled in on the nature of that presence through dreams in which Johnny and a descendent of the freed slaves who lived in the swamp relive their ancestors' pasts. Hart places the reader in the minds of Johnny, Jack, and other main characters as well as providing glimpses of what it feels like to be a victim of the presence. He effectively transitions from past to present, making us feel the thinness of the temporal division. Suspension of disbelief is necessary, as events and Johnny's protector are unnatural, but the plot is logical within its own construct and the ending satisfying.

It will be interesting to see if this is a one-time departure toward the supernatural for Hart, or if it is a new interest he wants to explore. Either way, his writing is masterful and his books among the best. This review first appeared at reviewingtheevidence.com.

Scrappymags 3-word review: Supernaturally Thrilling Sequel
4.5 stars

Genre: Mystery/Supernatural/Contemporary
Fiction/Crime. A long-awaited sequel to one of my favorite books of all time, The Last Child (5 Stars). Not mandatory to read the first book but highly recommend.

Shortest summary ever: It’s 10 years after tragedy and Johnny Merriman is isolating himself from unwanted fame in his 6,000 acre forest/swamp NC home, one that holds an eerie and spectacular history.
Jack is still his best friend, a newly hired attorney at a prosperous law firm. Johnny requires his help with a legal matter over the land, but Jack senses something amiss on the land, a danger lurking that might not be entirely human… Why is Johnny so connected to this land and is it something worth dying for?
What’s good under the hood: like most sequels, it’s best to start with The Last Child (TLC) a book so astounding, touching, and heart-pounding I successfully converted scads of teenagers (okay 10 ) into readers by the mere thrill of the novel. That relationship helped with my rating as I felt the story jived with characters I connected to in the first book. That foundation was there thus I felt invested.
The suspense in the book is palpable. My dog barked while I was reading and took two years off my life, I was THAT on edge (bad Finnegan!!) That is an element Hart brilliantly retained in his writing from TLC. The suspense… that feeling of “what IS it?” drawn out into agonizing drama??

I also curiously (and pleasantly) enjoyed looking more into Jack’s perspective in this novel as he was more the “side kick” to Johnny and eagerly and metaphorically loved kicking around the thoughts from his brain, learning what’s behind his character. I liked what I found.

What’s bad or made me mad:
Can’t say anything major. My 1/2 point off was simply I don’t think any sequel could measure up to TLC and there were a few motivations of characters I struggled with, but ultimately accepted. So in a nutshell, nothing major.

Recommend to:
If you read TLC you MUST read and I’d love to hear your feedback.
Lovers of the genre need to give this a try. It’s different in The irreverent way only Hart can do.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and Mr. Hart for an advanced copy (and delivering a rare and unexpectedly thrilling sequel) in exchange for this completely honest review.

Well, that was not what I was expecting.....but I really enjoyed it. I did not read "The Last Child" and found that this book worked well as a stand-alone novel for me. Although, I was not privy to the events of that book prior to reading this one, I felt the Author did a good job describing how close Johnny and Jack were and have been since childhood. How each feels a closeness and kinship with the other. Of course, there were references to events in the past, but I don't feel that not having knowledge of them affected my enjoyment of this book in any way.

Johnny Merrimon lives in a Cabin on the six thousand acres of land that he inherited from his father's side of the family. Johnny's ancestors owned the land which contained the swamp and rocky sections. A distant relative signed over the land to freed slaves and the land reverted to Johnny when the last male relative of the freed slave died. Johnny values his privacy and enjoys living off the land. One part of the land he owns is called "the Hush" and he is drawn to the Hush and seems at times to be attuned to it. He mainly comes into town for supplies and has been known to run off anyone who attempts to hunt or travel onto his land. Johnny knows this land has secrets and he is more than willing to protect those secrets even if he means keeping secrets from the people who care about him.

Jack Cross is an attorney and he enjoys attempting to sneak up on Johnny in the woods but Johnny always seems to sense him coming. Jack understands Johnny's desire for privacy, but he has concerns about the land and his friend's connection to it. Jack fears what he feels and what he observes of his friend's behavior in the swamp. He worries about his friend's safety and his mental status. Jack does not appear to feel the heaviness or other symptoms other's feel when they step foot on Johnny's land, but he does feel the eerie cold and senses danger.

I do not want to say much else about the plot as I don't want to give any spoilers. What I will say is that there is a magical/paranormal vibe to this book. I was not expecting this from John Hart. There is a whole other story going on here, but I don't want to give anything away except to say that Johnny is not the only character in the book with a connection to the land. There are others who are connected to land as well. Their stories are also told, and we see more of them as the plot unfolds.

Well written, eerie, dark and entertaining. I found this to be good story-telling. Sure, you have to suspend some disbelief, but the tale is a good one. I can see how this may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it worked for me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Hush by John Hart is a highly recommended thriller. It is also a sequel to 2009's The Last Child, although it can be read as a stand-alone novel.

Johnny Merrimon and Jack Cross are back. It's been ten years since the events from The Last Child (Johnny became a national celebrity after capturing the man responsible for murdering his sister Alyssa and their father). Johnny, now 23, is living a solitary life on the six thousand acres called Hush Arbor in North Carolina. He struggles to keep his life private, despite the fact that a book has been written about what happened when he was thirteen. Jack is now an attorney and has returned to Raven County to practice law. He and Johnny still have an unbreakable bond and connection to each other.

Johnny has been fighting a legal battle to keep the land that he inherited five years ago. Cree Freemantle, a young woman who also has a claim to the land, is challenging him legally for ownership of the property. Johnny won the initial suit, but the case has now reached the appellate court. Johnny is land rich, but cash poor and he needs Jack to help him fight the legal battle for the property. Jack wants to help Johnny, and tries to arrange a more qualified attorney on a pro bono basis to handle the appeal. But he also senses an unseen menace and feels like there is something dark and sinister living in Hush Arbor. He also questions Johnny's ability to heal so quickly.

There is no doubt that Hart has written a very compelling novel in The Hush. The quality of the writing is excellent. The setting is described picture-perfect, creating an atmospheric setting for what soon heads down the path of magic realism and a supernatural presence. It does start out rather slow, but soon events take off, violently. There is some shifting back and forth in time in the narrative as characters connect to others who lived in the past. "There is no normal in the Hush. There is only story and magic."

I haven't read The Last Child, although I'd like to after reading The Hush. While it is true that this novel can be enjoyed without reading the previous novel, in some ways I feel like I would have enjoyed The Last Child more than The Hush. Once the novel headed down the magic supernatural dark forces path along with the tie-in to events that happened in the 1850's, I began to question why I was reading it. Still, it is a satisfying story and well written, which matters a great deal to me. I didn't particularly like the ending, but it does bring the story to a conclusion. 3.5 rounded up

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of St. Martin's Press.

St. Martin's Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Hush. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

The Hush is a supernatural thriller, but is missing the level of spookiness that is required to push a story in this genre past the no man's land between paranormal and normal thriller. The cold fear of the swamp, as it tries to repel all that dare to cross its boundaries, is clearly felt, but the evil that resides within is simply vague and elusive.

All Johnny Merrimon wants is to live on his six thousand acres and to keep the mysteries of the swamp from prying eyes. The only connections to the world outside that Johnny wants to keep are his friendship with his friend Jack and his relationship with his stepfather and his mother.
When a murder occurs on the land, will the sheriff, bent on revenge over Johnny's past missteps, force the young man to admit to certain perceptions of the truth? Will the fight to keep the land out of others' hands end in more pain and misery for all concerned?

The Hush had the potential to be a nail-biter, but I thought the story dragged instead. The supernatural element did not bother me and, in fact, the author did not go far enough to give this idea strength. When it comes down to it, the book was about a young man trying to keep the land he loves out of the prying hands of others. The Hush was not groundbreaking or unique and had a plot that was slow in its pacing. Although I did feel sympathy for Johnny as to the way he was treated, it was not enough to elevate this book for me. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend The Hush to other readers.

The Hush. This sequel to The Last Child takes plaee ten years after a thirteen-year-old boy has tracked a serial killer and found his missing sister’s body. Johnny is now twenty-three years old. He lives in a shack deep in the woods on property that he inherited. Strange things have happened on this land since before the civil war. People who trespass vanish or die or go insane. Johnny loves this land and fights to keep it in this sci-fi thriller. His best friend Jack tries to help him, but Jack knows that something is not right with the property and Johnny is not normal. People in town know about Johnny’s troubled childhood and wonder if it left him unhinged. When unexplained deaths occur, Johnny becomes the main suspect, but when the police invade the forest, bizarre things happen and the deaths multiply.Romanov CurseRomanov QuestHimmler'S MistressUltimate DutyGood Fortune's CurseAn Innocent LieThe Weather Girl's Assassin

A young man's hermit like existence in an undeveloped wilderness area is threatened by a lawsuit. Johnny inherited six thousand acres in a mystical area known as Hush arbor. Cash poor his ownership is threatened by a woman who claims her ancestors lived in the area for centuries. Johnny turns to a childhood friend who is now a lawyer at a big firm. A wealthy man seeks to buy the Hush from Johnny but winds up horrifically murdered. Naturally Johnny is the prime suspect but soon it becomes obvious that something supernatural is at play.

Frankly I am mixed about this book. The first half is slow but the second half is is chilling. The Hush is really the main character. Part swamp, part dry with spooky connections to the past it is home to the strange and supernatural, Johnny included. Although i enjoyed the supernatural elements they overpowered the story. Characterization suffers as a result. Johnny, despite this colorful past and supernatural "gift", lacks depth and nuance and the secondary characters seem flat. The writing is good but the story gets swamped by the supernatural emphasis. 3.5 stars

Johnny Merrimon has a problem. Someone is trying to take away his land. It’s not just any plot—-actually thousands of acres of pristine North Carolina forest and swamp land—but rather has magical properties (as does Johnny) and has been in his family for many generations. But, someone else has laid claim. A quirk in the deed that just might transfer the property to a previously unknown sole descendent of the family Johnny’s ancestor had allowed to take possession until no descendant remained alive. But is this the true sole survivor? Who else has a horse in the race? And why? The law in murky even to his old friend attorney Jack Cross. Lines are drawn. Deadly lines. This story has many twists and turns, wonderful characters, a definite supernatural feel, and is superbly written.

DP Lyle, award-winning author, lecturer, and story consultant.