The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

This is the story of a serial killer. A stolen child. Revenge. Death. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.

All these things are true. And yet they are all lies...

You think you know what's inside the last house on Needless Street. You think you've read this story before. That's where you're wrong.

In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, lies something buried. But it's not what you think…

I received a copy of this from the publisher Viper Books/Profile Books, and Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I’m going to try my best to talk about this book without giving away any spoilers.

This book blew me away. From the start I was drawn in to what was happening, and honestly, until about half way though I still had no idea what was going on! The story focuses on 3 people: Ted, Olivia and Dee.

Ted is the one we hear most from. He lives alone in a little house on Needless Street and his young daughter Lauren visits once in while. We hear from Ted’s childhood, his relationship with his parents, and his life now as a grown adult and parent. Ted is a little bit different from other people, but seems nice enough, keeps himself to himself, and loves his daughter.

Olivia is Ted’s kitten who is the second voice in the story. She see’s everything Ted is doing, she see’s when he comes home drunk, tries to grab her and she claws him. She doesn’t know why they live in a small house with all the windows boarded up, but she wants to be out.

Dee is the third person, and is on the hunt for the person who took her sister when they were little. Dee’s sister Lulu went missing while they were at the water with her parents, and years later no one knows what happened to her still. But Dee has hunches, and is headed back to the place it all happened to find out what went on and if her sister is still alive somewhere.

I can’t say much more except please read this, it messes with your head so much and it all becomes very clear towards the end. It’s brilliantly written and I’m jealous of anyone who gets to read it for the first time!