The Hush

Edgar-winner Hart’s sequel to 2009’s The Last Child works best for readers who are already invested in Johnny Merrimon, whose twin sister, Alyssa, vanished when they were 12 almost a decade before the action begins in this volume. While newcomers will be able to pick up the threads—Johnny managed to catch the man responsible for murdering Alyssa and their father, becoming a national celebrity in the process—the heavy dose of the supernatural, which includes Johnny’s Wolverine-like healing ability, takes some getting used to. Johnny is now cash-poor, despite owning thousands of acres known as Hush Arbor in North Carolina. Without money to fund an appellate defense to a suit contesting his ownership, Johnny turns to his childhood friend, attorney Jack Cross, for help. Meanwhile, terrifying and inexplicable violent acts continue on his land, including a crucifixion. Hart’s prose is as evocative as ever, but fans who admire his work when it’s confined to the natural world may feel that his adroit explorations of human nature aren’t improved by fantastical plot elements. 250,000-copy announced first printing; author tour. Agent: Esther Newberg, ICM. (Feb.)