The Hush: A Novel
The Hush: A Novel book cover

The Hush: A Novel

Hardcover – February 27, 2018

by
Price
$15.47
Format
Hardcover
Pages
432
Publisher
St. Martin's Press
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1250012302
Dimensions
6.42 x 1.34 x 9.49 inches
Weight
1.36 pounds

Description

Praise for The Hush “Ambitious and surprising... an engrossing, cumulatively disturbing narrative that encompasses murder, magic, madness, betrayal and obsessive, undying love. The result is unlike anything Hart has done before.” ― Washington Post "A testament to friendship, an exploration of family, a meditation on slavery and its legacy, a lament on the prison of the past ― and a grisly and gritty ghost story ― The Hush displays Hart at his best. With richly imagined characters and depth of ingenuity, Hart forges a thoughtful and disturbing novel, one that delivers shocks in his story and joy in his storytelling. The author, who splits his time between North Carolina and Virginia, builds on his trademark take on the literary Southern gothic; the result is his most powerful work yet, one that plants a flag at the intersection where William Faulkner and Stephen King meet in unexpected harmony." ― Richmond Times-Dispatch "[Hart] ranks right along with John Grisham and other outstanding writers of legal thrillers. And “The Hush” is, in part, a gripping legal thriller ― but it is also a lot more.... Once again, Hart has given us not only a thriller of the highest order, but also a story about loyalty, friendship, family and love." ― Greensboro News & Record "Chandler himself would be a big fan of John Hart for reasons clearly on display in The Hush ... Like Chandler, Hart is a brilliant novelist as well as mystery writer, a lyrical wordsmith as comfortable turning a phrase as tension-riddled screws." ― Providence Journal “Hart’s career continues on its ever upward trajectory: five books, five NYT bestsellers, two Edgars, and steadily growing critical acclaim… [He] makes it six for six here, and behind this uncanny string of success is a rare ability to combine the most propulsive of popular fiction with beguilingly rich characters. The track record is enough on its own, but this time the idea of a sequel to a popular previous novel will have Hart’s fans squirming in anticipation." ― Booklist (starred review)"Hart proves his reputation as an Edgar Award–winning wordsmith is well-deserved." ― Library Journal "Ambitious and inventive, The Hush brings to mind the work of a wide range of authors, including William Faulkner, John Grisham, and Michael Koryta. Besides his winning cast of human characters, Hart manages to bring Raven County and its environs to vivid life, imbuing it with a dark personality all its own. A worthy sequel to the outstanding The Last Child..." ―Mystery Scene "Hart continues to deepen his palette in this ambitious sequel, which is distinctive enough in story and tone to be read as a stand-alone. Recommended for fans of Dennis Lehane's Shutter Island and Tom Franklin's Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter ." ― Library Journal "[Hart's writing is masterful and his books among the best." ― Reviewing the Evidence "Although I seem never to have time to read, I am a helpless addict when a new book by John Hart is published. I’ve read every one with great pleasure. He’s the only author ever to win Best Novel Edgars back to back, though I wouldn’t have complained if he’d won five in a row.... The Hush is a combination mystery, thriller, psychological suspense, and horror story, all neatly meshed by this master storyteller." ―Otto Penzler, Favorite Book of March 2018, The Mysterious Bookshop (New York, NY)"Boy, what a story! Haven’t read Hart’s previous work but am intrigued now about The Last Child . I raced through this. Found it thrilling, interesting, pulse increasing....pushed all the other books vying for my attention to one side and focused on this." ―Jayne Guitart, Westwinds Bookstore (Duxbury, MA)"I tried. I really, really tried to read John Hart’s latest masterpiece slowly as to savor every word, but to no avail. The Hush is too captivating, too thrilling and simply an amazing feat of storytelling. I started reading at 4 and finished by 9. I marvel at John's talents." ― Sally Brewster, Park Road Books (Charlotte, NC)"John Hart is UNSTOPPABLE! He is a master storyteller and his latest is no exception! He keeps me up at night! The Hush continues the saga of Johnny Merrimon and his friend Jack from The Last Child . Ten years have passed since the drama of that story and more evil awaits Johnny and Jack. A mesmerizing tale that you have to read!! Loved it!!!!" ―Stephanie Crowe, Page and Palette Books (Fairhope, AL) Praise for John Hart “John Hart can flat-out write.” ―David Baldacci, #1 New York Times bestselling author“Hart is still far too young for The Last Child to be called a crowning achievement, but the novel’s ambition, emotional breadth, and maturity make it an early masterpiece in a career that continues to promise great things.” ― The Washington Post “Edgar Award winning John Hart cements his status as one of America’s premier novelists.” ― The Providence Journal "With his trademark strength and deep insight, John Hart rolls out another masterpiece." ― Pamela Klinger-Horn, Excelsior Bay Books 'I love the richness of his stories and the paths this characters chose to in fact achieve some kind of redemption for the powerless." ― Sheryl Cotleur, Cooperfield's Books"There’s a magic in his work...Hart creates characters your heart bleeds for...thoroughly worth a slow, attentive read." - Raleigh News & Observer "Hart proves once again that great thriller writers can also be great novelists, and he’s one of the very best in both categories. The lyrical beauty of Hart’s writing contrasts beautifully with the sordid despair that roils his characters." ― Providence Journal on Redemption Road John Hart is the New York Times bestselling author of The King of Lies , Down River, The Last Child, Iron House , Redemption Road , and The Hush . The only author in history to win the Edgar Award for Best Novel consecutively, John has also won the Barry Award, the Southern Independent Bookseller’s Award for Fiction, the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award, and the North Carolina Award for Literature. His novels have been translated into thirty languages and can be found in more than seventy countries.

Features & Highlights

  • New York Times
  • bestsellerThe only writer in history to win consecutive Edgar Awards for Best Novel,
  • New York Times
  • bestselling author John Hart returns to the world of his most beloved novel,
  • The Last Child
  • Building on the world first seen in
  • The Last Child
  • (“A magnificent creation” ―
  • The Washington Post
  • ), John Hart delivers a stunning vision of a secret world, rarely seen. It’s been ten years since the events that changed Johnny Merrimon’s life and rocked his hometown to the core. Since then, Johnny has fought to maintain his privacy, but books have been written of his exploits; the fascination remains. Living alone on six thousand acres of once-sacred land, Johnny’s only connection to normal life is his old friend, Jack. They’re not boys anymore, but the bonds remain. What they shared. What they lost. But Jack sees danger in the wild places Johnny calls home; he senses darkness and hunger, an intractable intent. Johnny will discuss none of it, but there are the things he knows, the things he can do. A lesser friend might accept such abilities as a gift, but Jack has felt what moves in the swamp: the cold of it, the unspeakable fear.More than an exploration of friendship, persistence, and forgotten power,
  • The Hush
  • leaves all categories behind, and cements Hart's status as a writer of unique power.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(905)
★★★★
25%
(754)
★★★
15%
(452)
★★
7%
(211)
★
23%
(694)

Most Helpful Reviews

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Colossal disappointment

Colossal disappointment. The only book of John Hart's I had not read prior to reading The Hush was The Last Child. Well that was a mistake, as a lot of unanswered questions and plot lines from The Hush were apparently covered in The Last Child.
I pre-ordered this book and eagerly awaited its arrival. I saved it for my spring break go-to read, and wish I hadn't. The Hush takes a sharp departure from all of his previous novels (which I adored and recommended to friends). This book takes a supernatural turn which makes no sense and often leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth. It keeps you waiting and waiting for explanations, and many of them never come. By the time I was half way through, I seriously debated putting it down and switching to something else. I powered through hoping for the "old John Hart's" writing to show up, and it never did. I'll give him one more shot on his next book to return to the amazing writing from Redemption Road/Iron House/Down River/King of Lies (which are all great reads by the way), but if he continues to write supernatural stuff I'll probably never buy another one.
The bottom line - if you're looking for John Hart's usual stuff (which is REALLY good), don't waste your time with the Hush.
44 people found this helpful
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Stink, stank, stunk

Really? This book is not your typical John Hart. I did not expect that he was switching genres and writing supernatural fantasies and it was not a welcome surprise. I think I am crossing him off my favorite authors list since I was mildly disappointed with the last book and this book is so much worse. Even if I was a fan of supernatural fiction, I don't think I would applaud this book because there are all kinds of holes in the story line that never get answered.
23 people found this helpful
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I Love All Of John Hart's Previous Novels -- But This One Is A Hot Mess

It hurts me to say this. John Hart has been on my favorite author's list for several years now. I have looked forward to each new book and have been rewarded with each one. However, good authors are known to stretch themselves sometimes, seeing what else they can bring to the table. It works for some but doesn't work for others. Even Stephen King lost my interest for a good amount of time until he reverted to type and wrote the hell out of everything he thought of.

So I will give John Hart a pass on this one. The funny thing is that many of you will probably enjoy this tale. It starts out slowly like a heavy mist rolling into town (Stephen King) and then introduces characters who fly in and out like angry birds trying to build a nest. The continuity is tenuous, the pace slow, there is nothing that really hooks me other than the thought that there must be something good around the corner -- but it doesn't show up.

Perhaps Mr. Hart wants to push more into the supernatural realm yet leave the thriller part intact, kind of like John Connelly does. But that is a hard row to hoe and it takes a lot of balance to pull it off. I always wanted a BMW because it was a sportier version of a Mercedes, but when I got one I was sorely disappointed. It tried to be both a sporty car and a luxury car, failing at both. I only owned it for 60 days and took the hit. Life is too short.

Every author writes something outside their comfort zone sometimes. I will chalk this one up to experience and still look forward to his next novel. If you buy this one I hope that you aren't as disappointed as I was.
23 people found this helpful
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Disappointing horror sequel to a great mystery novel

I loved re-reading John Hart's [[ASIN:0312359322 The Last Child]], which I did to refresh my poor memory before starting his newest book, which is a sequel set 10 years later (also a prequel, as it turns out, via many flashbacks to the 1850s and on). I'm glad I did; his books up to now have all been worth a re-read.

THE HUSH was hard to put down; like all of Hart's books, this one is exceptionally rich in place and atmosphere, with a riveting story that keeps you turning the pages. However, while all his previous books have been mysteries, I'd say that this one is more of a horror story (think Stephen King or Dean Koontz), and I'm not a fan of that genre... so I must say that, while I enjoyed reading every page, overall I didn't care much for this book... it even diminished THE LAST CHILD in my mind, which is a shame. If you like horror, however, I can recommend this highly... but do start with THE LAST CHILD.
15 people found this helpful
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After reading "The Lost Child", I did not expect ...

After reading "The Lost Child", I did not expect a follow-on book that dealt with the supernatural. I don't mind watching a supernatural movie now and then but only if I know what I am getting into. I barely hung on to get through this with a glimmer of hope that maybe someone was working behind the scenes to create illusions so that there would be a logical explanation for everything. The story also seemed to drag along and I was loosing interest toward the end. I will not pre-order a Hunt book again and await comments in a forum such as this after it comes out to factor into a decision to buy or not buy.
11 people found this helpful
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I have loved every one of Hart's previous books

I have loved every one of Hart's previous books. Not this one, that's for certain. Let it be said that I abhor books in the paranormal genre and the whole premise of this book is based on it. Had i known, i would never have purchased it. If Hart continues in this direction, he will hit my "do not read" list, along with Koontz, King and others of their ilk. Totally unsatisfying!
8 people found this helpful
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Another winner from John Hart

Although The Hush can probably stand alone, I decided to read The Last Child (its predecessor) just in case - and I’m glad I did. There are many references to what came before The Hush, and reading more about the central figure, Johnny Merrimon, does help with the reader’s understanding of his unusual life choices.
Ten years before, Johnny endured life-changing events which have prompted his decision to live alone in Hush Arbor, a six thousand acre area of swamp and terrain which would test the strongest of us. In a hidden cabin, Johnny meets regularly with old friend Jack Cross who has become an attorney. Jack played a large role in Johnny’s past - a role that required forgiveness on Johnny’s part. And so, they unite to fight Johnny’s newest challenge - the possible loss of his domain.
Hush Arbor is straight out of a Stephen King novel - a dangerous, creepy, foggy, slimey, killing field. It’s history has never made peace with current times - but it provides cover and comfort for Johnny. Tales of those lost in the swamp, those who enter and never return, strange sounds, eeiry lights, reverses in directions, etc. are no problem for Johnny, as he possesses strange powers himself.
Here, John Hart surprises me, as I’ve read a number of his books (loved them all) and none delved into the paranormal or fantasy. Yet Hush Arbor’s history makes it all believable, and the pace of the plot makes it impossible to put the book down! There really was an area in North Carolina they called Hush Arbor (and several derivations) - which provided refuge for runaway slaves - I looked it up! And what I found, just made Hart’s story come alive for me.
I identify with those who read this novel from cover to cover in only a few sittings. Once ensnared, I did not want to be interrupted - by anything!
John Hart is a fine writer, and this is one of his best.
8 people found this helpful
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Yuk!

If you like science fiction you may enjoy this book, but strange creatures roaming a misty swamp, tearing bodies apart is not something I care to read about. Not realistic and a waste of time and money. It'll be given to a thrift shop.
3 people found this helpful
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Expectations unmet (my bad) but if you appreciate supernatural/thriller/mystery, it's for you!

I haven’t read all of John Hart’s books, but the ones I have read have been terrific, so I was especially eager to read his latest, The Hush (thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley). This story happens to be a follow-up to The Last Child (2010 Edgar Award for Best Novel), which featured Johnny Merrimon and Jack Cross, two teenage boys growing up in the South who go on a wild adventure likened by The Washington Post as “Huck Finn channeled through Lord of the Flies.”

In The Hush, Johnny and Jack return as adults. Johnny is living on inherited land in The Hush, a huge parcel in North Carolina. This is part swampland, which I always tend to equate with creepy, nightmare-inducing stories. Johnny has just won a lawsuit brought by the Freemantles, descendants of slaves, but he is now facing an appeal. That appeal happens to be funded by a wealthy hedge fund manager (is that redundant?) from New York, who wants the land as a hunting preserve. Johnny recruits his lifelong friend Jack, still Johnny’s friend and also now his attorney, to help him in defend against the appeal. So far so good, and it even sounds like it has the mystery/thriller characteristics than I enjoy so much, along with some violence and history, both of which which will appeal to many readers.

For me, it just didn’t totally work (although I love Hart’s storytelling ability and the sense of place that has run through all of his work that I have read). Possibly if I had read The Last Child, and were more familiar with Johnny and Jack, it might have been more appealing to me (?), although I inferred that this was a standalone that happened to include characters from a previous book, rather than a sequel.

Interwoven throughout is the almost excruciating story of slavery and the indelible harm it caused for so many (including the family who filed the suit against Johnny as well as his own guilt for the actions of his slave-owning ancestors). But, after thinking about it, I am pretty sure that what took it down a point for me was the supernatural element. That just isn’t my thing. I only gave it three stars, despite the stellar writing and strong plot, but for those who appreciate stories with a supernatural element and who don’t get nightmares from reading about the pain and suffering resulting from the slave trade, this is a sure winner.
3 people found this helpful
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Supernatural not for me

I love John Hart books and have read and enjoyed every one - until The Hush. This novel is a follow up to The Last Son with many of the same characters. It takes place ten years after the conclusion of the first novel. I reread a The Last Son on Preparation and was so looking forward to this book. What a disappointment. If you’re into supernatural, creepy, and weird, this is the book for you. Otherwise, save the money and the time. I wish I had.
2 people found this helpful

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