Despite the horrific subject and my horror at the injustices being committed, this was riveting and suspenseful reading. Dean's writing is lean and powerful, conveying the claustrophobic atmosphere of the small house so well. Lenn is a truly monstrous and brutal, with an unhealthy fixation on his dead mother, while Jane's character is so strong and resilient despite everything she has been through. Unlike many novels featuring a captive woman, this one felt chillingly plausible, particularly given the isolated location of the farm in the English fenland and the circumstances that bring 'Jane' to the to it. The tension builds superbly through the novel to a very intense ending with a few surprises and a small moment of triumph for Jane that resonates with the title of the novel. This is a book I won't forget in a hurry. 4.5★

The Last Thing to Burn by Will Dean | Waterstones

Jane is the narrator, and man, can she tell a story. Okay, I’m going to call her Jane in this review, though I feel awful about it—so sorry, Thanh Dao! It’s just that that’s the name I know her by. I hate to “listen to” Lenn and call her Jane; I feel like I’m betraying Thanh Dao by using the name her tormentor gave her! Now the fact that I’m freaking out by calling her Jane in a review shows you how much this book got under my skin. OMG, I think these people are real! Thank You to NetGalley, Author Will Dean, and Simon & Schuster Canada for my advanced copy to read and review The Last thing to Burn is a gripping, exciting thriller from author Will Dean. It is the first book of Will’s that I have read but judging by the fact that I began this book at 10 am Saturday and finished it at 4 pm the same day, I can tell you it won’t be my last. I just couldn’t put this book down for long, always eager to return.It did have a lot of similarities to Christina Henry’s Near The Bone, but that is neither books fault. I just happened to read two kidnap/survival stories in a short space of time. The main character is held against her will for over 7 years, and although the topic is a hard one to read, it is a book so well written and captivating. I could not put it down, as I just wanted to know what was to become of her. For starters, I have a bionic ankle. Fourteen doctors were in the surgery room in San Francisco when I was given a new ankle five years ago.

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Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own. But this is the kind of read you just cannot stop reading because the writing is really calm and intense in a way that wouldn't leave you in peace unless you know what happens in the end. My 1 star rating is not because the book wasn’t well written.... but because it was too dark, HORRIFIC... for me personally. I know a thing or two about razor-sharp throbbing ankle pain .... so it’s not a subject I care to read much about in a story. I love books told in first person, especially when the hero is captive and must figure out how to escape. The tension builds continuously here, making it irresistible. There are some major plot surprises that make the story even more intense. I’m being vague on purpose. (Avoid reading the blurb if you can; it gives too much away.)

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. After studying law at the LSE, and working many varied jobs in London, he settled in rural Sweden with his wife. He built a wooden house in a boggy forest clearing and it’s from this base that he compulsively reads and writes. I rated this a little lower than I otherwise might have because of the slow start but also because I felt a bit flummoxed by a few plot-holes. Perhaps I missed some crucial points. Lenn showing Thanh honeymoon pictures that she couldn’t remember, for example. A heart-racing exploration about human survival. An addictive and insightful thriller’ Maxine Mei-Fung Chung

The Last Thing To Burn | Hachette UK The Last Thing To Burn | Hachette UK

Due to the subject matter, it would be weird to say I “enjoyed” the writing. But this author definitely knows how to push you from your comfort zone & evoke an emotional response. The fact I kept a mental list of ways to torture Len is a testament to his skills ( note to self: delete search history) Jane is not her real name but the name Lenn has given her. Her real name is Thanh Dao, she came to the UK with her sister and the promise of a good job but instead is sold to Lenn. A claustrophobic feeling is created here with the isolated wooded farm Jane is imprisoned in. Lenn is creepy, disturbing, and unsettling with the way he uses psychological coercion in a haunting way and physical abuse to control Thanh Dao. Lenn uses threats against her sister and the possessions that keep her connected to who she is. When Thanh displeases Lenn or breaks the rules, he burns one of her possessions. She loses a piece of who she is and struggles with being replaced as Jane, his wife, and the image of his mother. But now it’s more than just “Jane’s” freedom on the line. She has a child to think of. And maybe more casualties of her captor. The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean will be published in Australia by Hachette in late January, but available elsewhere from 6 January 2021. We get to know Thanh pretty well and – though I was occasionally frustrated by her inaction – we’re in her head so we know that she’s weighing the implications of any potential courses of action.The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a thriller as: One that thrills; especially a work of fiction or drama designed to hold the interest by the use of a high degree of of intrigue, adventure, or suspense. The story of Thanh Dao's struggles is an emotional and heartbreaking one. It is one that, although fiction, depicts the plight of many and deserves to be shared. Will Dean has done his research well. I appreciated the fact that in the afterword he listed organisations able to help if you suspect someone needs help. Doug and I went to bed last night around 12:30, our normal bedtime when he has to work the following morning (late, I know, but we're night owls at heart).