He is her husband. She is his captive.

Her husband calls her Jane. That is not her name.

She lives in a small farm cottage, surrounded by vast, open fields. Everywhere she looks, there is space. But she is trapped. No one knows how she got to the UK: no one knows she is there. Visitors rarely come to the farm; if they do, she is never seen.

Her husband records her every movement during the day. If he doesn’t like what he sees, she is punished.

For a long time, escape seemed impossible. But now, something has changed. She has a reason to live and a reason to fight. Now, she is watching him, and waiting . . .

Phenomenal. So Cleverly Written!

Phenomenal! Suspenseful doesn’t even begin to describe the feelings this novel evokes.

Jane lives an isolated life; she is subjected to the whims and demands of a man who calls himself her husband – but he isn’t. She interacts with no-one – he sees to that. She has lost everything, including her own name, and although she dreams of escape he has a hold over her so immense that she cannot contemplate going through with it. He has cameras watching her for every hour that he’s not there. Then something happens which changes things . . .

I was first aware of Will Dean when I saw his posts on Twitter; he has the most magnificent dog and anyone who knows me will realise that it was Bernie who grabbed my attention. When I saw that he had a new novel on it’s way, of course I requested it. Had I known his writing is of this calibre, I would have rushed out and bought them all before now! This is one of those rare novels that you begin reading, a little unsure of what it’s all about and, truth be told, not too sure you’re going to like it. Then, before you know it, you are completely invested and whilst you want to rush through it as fast as you can, you force to read and digest every single word thoroughly in fear of missing something vital. An absolutely awesome read, and one I wish I could read all over again without knowing where it was heading. A stunning novel, so cleverly written, and one which sets the benchmark for the coming year. No less than a full house of stars and the highest recommendation will do for this book; if you haven’t read anything by this author then I strongly suggest that you add this one to your list – pronto!

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.

Tags: suspense thriller

• Format: ebook, paperback, hardcover, audiobook
• Size: 281 pages
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
• Publication Date: 07 January 2021
• Book Links: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54303965
• https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=o1PpDwAAQBAJ
• https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-thing-to-burn-will-dean/1137251613
• https://uk.bookshop.org/books/the-last-thing-to-burn-gripping-and-unforgettable-one-of-the-most-highly-anticipated-releases-of-2021/9781529307054
• https://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/fiction-poetry/the-last-thing-to-burn-gripping-and-unf,will-dean-9781529307054
• https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-last-thing-to-burn
• https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/the-last-thing-to-burn/will-dean/hardback/9781529307054.html
• https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-last-thing-to-burn/will-dean/9781529307054
• https://wordery.com/the-last-thing-to-burn-will-dean-9781529307054
• https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Thing-Burn-unforgettable-anticipated-ebook/dp/B089NBWKFP

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.

Twitter: @willrdean

Facebook: @willdeanauthor

Instagram: @willrdean