Her Last Affair by John Searles
John Searles has written an intensely compelling book of suspense in his current novel Her Last Affair (Mariner Books). It begins in a light-hearted vein with laugh-out-loud humorous lines but as swiftly as the reader thinks “this looks fun,” a twisting slide down the funhouse chute pops open with a plethora of frightening people and even scarier situations. Hold on tight and stay up late to complete the ride before you reemerge into a sunnier day!
The protagonist/narrator, Skyla Hull, appears to be pleasantly eccentric when she begins her story, but it soon becomes clear she rivals Stephen King’s anti-heroine Annie Wilkes from Misery for her fantasies, lies, deceit, misdeeds and malevolent intentions. Skyla is legally blind, suffering from advanced macular degeneration, seeing light and images only peripherally. Her impaired vision is emblematic of her distorted worldview. She loved her long career as a registered nurse and remains in denial about her sudden termination. She continues to wear her long-outdated uniform — the once heavily starched white garment now a distant memory of the frayed and yellowing A-line dress she dons every day — her pockets filled with a mixture of purloined prescription drugs along with a syringe of near-lethal fentanyl at the ready.
Skyla’s husband, Hollis, died in a freak accident a year ago on the eve of their 50th anniversary. Their marriage, thought to have been built on love, respect and trust, had, in reality, been an unforgivable, faithless sham. Now alone, occupying one of two identical, prefab cottages on the outskirts of a small Upstate New York town near a derelict drive-in movie theater, Skyla has decided to rent out the second cottage, less for extra income than for companionship. After rejecting several applicants, she receives a phone call from Teddy Cornwell, a charming man with an English accent. She is immediately smitten and nearly swooning when he arrives with cash, no references and ready to move in. What could go wrong?
ONE FATEFUL SUMMER 30 YEARS AGO
30 years earlier in an Orlando theme park known as “the happiest place on earth,” three recent high school graduates — Linelle Dufort, Jeremy Lichanel and Teddy Cornwell, hired as cast members for the season — become close friends as they party together in the underground passageways of the park.
Linelle remained in Florida where she finished college, married, had a child and found fulfillment with her job as a high school arts teacher, until her career went up in flames as a result of social media post featuring a questionable photo from her teenage party days. Trapped in a loveless marriage, she begins to wonder what happened to her first love, Teddy, and after he seeks her out online, she is ready to drive 1000 miles north to surprise him with a visit.
Jeremy Lichanel had been an adorable child actor, adept with accents, bilingual in French and a talented writer. By the time he reached puberty, his face had blossomed into severe cystic acne so bad only a mother could love him … but she didn’t. Now a miser, disagreeable and prone to fits of violent temper, he has launched a new career as a travel writer/restaurant reviewer with an assignment in Providence, RI, where fantasizes about connecting with an unrequited crush.
Ronald Theodore Cornwell III, aka Teddy, is handsome, gregarious and well-liked. Born in England but with a childhood spent in the United States, it is remarkable his British accent has grown ever stronger. Fluent in French and other romance languages and learning Russian, his goal as a young man was to leave his impoverished childhood behind. No one is really certain what became of Teddy after their summer jobs ended.
FASCINATING CHARACTERS, EVOLVING RELATIONSHIPS
All three of their paths will soon cross with Skyla Hull, whose neighboring ramshackle, defunct theater is a prominent character as well as setting in Her Last Affair. Each chapter heading begins with a quote from a film featured at the Schodack Big-Star Drive-In along with the month and year shown: Chapter 1 was Casablanca, June, 1943 with “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
The focus on characters rather than plot is deliberate to allow the readers to discover their evolving relationships and not reveal the unexpected turns. Treat yourself, read this novel! It has odd, fascinating characters, many surprises and enough chills to keep one on edge. Searles is a master of suspense and delivers a bombshell with Her Last Affair. Mystery and psychological thriller readers and book discussion groups will find plenty to talk about.
