The Last Child

Johnny Merrimon, who was thirteen years old, had the ideal life: a cozy house, devoted parents, and a twin sister, Alyssa, with whom he had an unbreakable relationship. Until the day Alyssa disappeared from the side of a desolate roadway, he had no experience with loss. A year later, Johnny feels abandoned and alone after the people he was raised to trust let him down. Though no one else thinks Alyssa is still alive, Johnny is certain that she is—confident in a manner he can never quite understand.

Johnny is adamant about finding his sister and will stop at nothing to discover the dark underbelly of his city. Though it is a terrible and desperate quest, Johnny is not as alone as he may believe. Not only does Detective Clyde Hunt have affections for Johnny, but he has never given up on Alyssa too. Hunt keeps an eye on the youngster and tries to keep him safe, but he is forced to step in when Johnny finds a deadly lead and promises to pursue it.

Then another youngster vanishes...

Johnny, unfazed by Hunt's threats and his mother's entreaties, enlists the aid of his last buddy and the two of them go into the wilderness to a long-forgotten location with a violent past dating back over a century. There, they meet a giant of a man, an escaped convict on his own tragic quest. What they discover from him will demolish whatever preconceived notions Johnny had on his sister's destiny and lead them to a distant location and a reality that will put both boys to the ultimate test.

Through its journey through the desert between faith and despair, between innocence and harsh knowledge, The Last Child transcends all classifications and reveals John Hart as a writer of extraordinary talent.