The Last Line by Stephen Ronson #BookReview

 

May 1940.

With Nazi forces sweeping across France, invasion seems imminent. The English Channel has never felt so narrow.

In rural Sussex, war veteran John Cook has been tasked with preparing the resistance effort, should the worst happen.

But even as the foreign threat looms, it’s rumours of a missing child that are troubling Cook. A twelve-year-old girl was evacuated from London and never seen again, and she’s just the tip of the iceberg – countless evacuees haven’t made it to their host families.

As Cook investigates, he uncovers a dark conspiracy that reaches to the highest ranks of society. He will do whatever it takes to make the culprits pay. There are some lines you just don’t cross.

THE LAST LINE is a blistering action thriller combined with a smart noir mystery, played out expertly against the taut backdrop of the British home front.

I'm delighted to be sharing my review of The Last Line today. Many thanks to Stephen Ronson and Hodder & Stoughton for my digital copy of the novel, received through Netgalley.

There is perhaps a tendency for us to imagine that Britain's home front in the Second World War was a time of universal cohesion and courage but of course, criminals didn't take a break for the duration of the war and in The Last Line, Stephen Ronson takes a nuanced, exciting look at the darker side of society in what became known as the Darkest Hour. 

We learn that the lead character, John Cook signed up for the First World War aged just fifteen but unlike many of his contemporaries who survived that war, he didn't return home immediately and instead re-enlisted. He was sent to the North-West Frontier where he received specialist training in unconventional training and close-quarters combat. After eight years and five months in the army, he eventually returned to his home in Uckfield where he poured all his savings into his family farm, turning its fortunes as it became one of the largest farms in the area. Even in these early introductory chapters, it's clear that Cook is a determined, highly skilled character but he is still painfully aware of the cost of war and, noting that the previous war resulted in the country losing a generation, he offers his services to his old regiment as the German Army continues its apparently inexorable westward march. 

Stephen Ronson reflects upon the reverberations of war right from the start of The Last Line;  the opening scene starkly illustrates the dehumanising consequences, while Cook's mentally shattered, mute Uncle Nob, and his heavy drinking friend, Doc Graham are poignant reminders that the men who did return home were nevertheless irrevocably changed by their experiences. The mood of the time is captured perfectly too as the Phony War comes to an end and the British prepare for the invasion they believe is inevitable. With Uckfield lying in the path of the Nazis expected march towards London, Cook is tasked with forming a small team who will lie in wait until the initial stage of the invasion is over before wreaking as much havoc as possible. These highly secret, insurgent  Auxiliary Units had a life expectancy of just a few weeks and it's fascinating seeing him deciding the sort of people he needs to surround himself with. 

However, he has more immediate problems to deal with too after a young woman's murdered body is discovered on his land. As the obvious lead suspect, he has an invested role in figuring out who the real killer is but it's also evident throughout that despite his ruthlessness, he is an innately principled man whose conscience drives him to doggedly and sometimes brutally investigate both this case and a related one involving missing evacuees. A number of characters are introduced during the course of the novel, which makes it a complex but highly rewarding read as the various strands of the compulsive, thrilling storyline are drawn together. 

Despite not flinching from inflicting instant, often merciless violence at times, John Cook is an engaging, likeable protagonist. Meanwhile, the supporting cast of characters is excellent too, with Lady Margaret being particularly impressive. She proves to be a formidable ally to Cook and the chemistry they share adds a further layer of interest to proceedings. It can't be understated, however, that this is a dark, harrowing story which examines the worst of human behaviour. Perhaps what makes it especially chilling are the unavoidable parallels between the missing evacuees in this book and the scores of child asylum seekers who disappear in the present day. 

With its breathtakingly tense action scenes and taut, intricately plotted storyline, The Last Line is a gripping, vividly atmospheric historical thriller and a terrific introduction to a new series. I look forward to reading more.

The Last Line is published by Hodder & Stoughton, purchasing links can be found here but please support independent bookshops whenever possible. 

 About the Author

Stephen Ronson grew up in Sussex, and spent a large part of his childhood exploring the woods and fields around Uckfield, many of which were still dotted with reminders of WW2 – pill boxes, tank traps, nissen huts, and graffiti left by soldiers awaiting D-Day. He is a passionate student of local history, and when he learnt about Auxiliary Units – groups of men who were instructed to lay low during the predicted nazi invasion and lead the fight back, he knew he had to write about a Sussex farmer, one with a love of the land, and a natural desire and ability to get the job done. Many of the locations and characters in the John Cook series are inspired by real places and real people. In particular, Stephen was inspired by his grandparents, Eric, Bessie, Peter and Vera, each of whom did their bit on the home front. Nowadays, Stephen divides his time between Vermont, USA, and Uckfield, East Sussex. When he’s not writing, he can be found renovating his house, or walking the woods and the fields.

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