To say that I was just plain ol' excited to see on Netgalley that John Hart had new material, then have the good fortune of being given the opportunity to read and review that new treasure would be a gross understatement. The Hush was calling my name for a while but I wanted to read it closer to the release date and especially when I had the time to dive in. I've had the pleasure of being acquainted with Hart's work and I can honestly say I've never been let down... until now... but only kinda, sorta, if that makes sense.One of the books that made me an instant fan of his, directing my literary compass was The Last Child. The Last Child followed Johnny Merrimon and his best friend, Jack Cross, as they journey through the depths of hell to find Johnny's missing twin sister. This coming of age (so to speak) journey they embark on forever changes them. The Hush, picking up 10 years later after the explosive conclusion of The Last Child (actually a couple a years shy of the original release date), gives fans an update of what's been happening with the two since.
When I initially requested The Hush for review, I approached it like I do most titles I receive as an ARC. If I'm familiar with the author, I usually begin the book without reading the back jacket blurb or any reviews until about 20% in. As I read the first chapter, I was vaguely reminded of a character in one of John Hart's other titles. My incessant need to figure out where I'd heard the seemingly "common" name before forced me to read the promotional summary. The Hush brags about being the long awaited sequel to the harrowing story of Johnny and Jack, yet... and in all fairness it's been quite some time since I'd read The Last Child... I didn't see much resemblance.
For those who wish to read The Last Child I must warn I will spoil that a little with my recap. The Hush opens with Johnny Merrimon reveling in the land he inherited from a great, great grandfather. Land that was once gifted to the freed slave men that lived and died on that same land. Johnny has become somewhat of a hermit, living in seclusion from the local town and the celebrity that came with finding his twin sister and busting up a crime ring grown men were too afraid to embark upon.
I won't pretend to remember much about the 13 year old Johnny of The Lost Child but he certainly wasn't anything like the Johnny introduced in The Hush. Actually, that mystery thriller is replaced with a more mystical, mythical, fantastical story of past ghosts, magical swamps, and dreams of a tortured past. I love a good ghost story. What I don't love is how this ghost story exploited a crime procedural and kinda disappoints those who are looking for an actual follow-up to The Last Child.
Just to be fair, I actually enjoyed The Hush. I am very familiar with people from the south's penchant towards promoting stories involving ghosts, spirits, or tortured souls that roam the earth in a state of unrest. It's almost as if John Hart put together all the stories he'd been told as a child and made a book of them. I'm fine with that no matter how convoluted. The ghosts of the past don't need to make sense. The magic of the Hush doesn't need to make sense in order to make for captivating reading.
The only problem is that... ultimately it does. The links in this title felt a little far fetched after a while and by 80% I was just ready for the end. John Hart doesn't sacrifice good writing, descriptive atmosphere, fully fleshed characters, and an initially intriguing plot in hopes of pulling in readers for the long haul.
I can't find much negative to say about The Hush except it wasn't what I expected in a follow-up to The Last Child. In Hart's defense, I just may need to re-read The Last Child. It's possible I missed all signs leading to The Hush. ***
Copy provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley
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