Author: ⟫ Augustus Roth
Blurb: ⟫ “You know, if anybody was going to give death the middle finger, I would have thought it would be him.”
Ezekiel 'Kel' Warbis is the last of them - the only one left after his two best friends (and childhood sweethearts) died tragically and gruesomely young.
Over a decade later, their loss is still a fresh wound. Kel works alone as a private investigator, wandering through the world functional but aimless, trying to live up to what his friends would have wanted for him.
He has one friend, a handful of dogs, and a well-organized spice cabinet. He tries.
His numb reverie is broken by a phone call: noisy teenagers, begging his help finding their missing friend. Guilt compels Kel to take the case - guilt, and an eerie sense of familiarity.
As he searches for the missing teen, it becomes increasingly clear that this tragedy rhymes with his own. By the time things become dangerous, it's too late for Kel to turn back. He can only move forward, confronted with answers to questions he was always too ashamed and too terrified to ask.
He comes to realize that his loved ones might not be gone forever... and that the truth may be more horrible than the bloody memories which echo in his dreams every night.
Last Man Standing was originally published as Spoiling the Machine by Daniel May. It is a supernatural thriller with a tragic MMM romance at its core and contains a HEA ending.
Review: ⟫ I’m not sure ‘enjoy’ is the correct word to use to describe reading this book. I was fascinated, repelled, confused and impressed, sometimes all at the same time. And I wanted to know what was going on – although, having finished it, I’m still not sure I fully understand – so I kept reading, hoping that the ending would be satisfying and make sense of it all.
The ending was satisfying but I am still confused. I think I’m going to be avoiding anything resembling eyes for a very long time, and some of the imagery I would really like to be purged from my mind. I would recommend this book because it was an interesting read – extremely well-written, thoughtful and thought-provoking.
Just don’t expect to find it a comfortable read!
4/5 from me – I received an ARC from GRR.
