Last One Out

No one stays forever

Last One Out, Jane's sixth novel, went straight to No.1 on its release in Australia. It will be out in the United States and United Kingdom this April.

In a dying town, Ro Crowley waits for her son on the evening of his 21st birthday. But Sam never comes home. His footprints in the dust of three abandoned houses offer the only clue to his final movements. One set in. One set out.

Five long years later, Ro returns to Carralon Ridge for the annual memorial of Sam's disappearance. The skeletal community is now an echo of itself, having fractured under the pressure of the coal mine operating on its outskirts. Only a few people remain. If the truth is to be found in that town, does it lie among them?

Discussing Last One Out, Jane said it was always wonderful as an author to see a story idea come together.

"I have absolutely loved writing Last One Out, she said. "I'm delighted this latest book will once again be published by Pan Macmillan, and I'm grateful to the fantastic team there who have always worked so hard to share my books with readers.

"A standalone novel is a special opportunity to create new characters and test them with a challenging setting, and I hugely enjoyed seeing this story come to life on the page.

At its heart, Last One Out is a story about loss and I hope it resonates with readers in the same way as it did for me as a writer."

On Last One Out

"Jane Harper is mistress of the threats and secrets that threaten life in the backwoods small towns of Australia. She delivers unbearable tension every time." Val McDermid

"This is a slow-burn of a novel, claustrophobic and compelling. It's a wonderful exploration of fractured families and communities, and the conclusion is both shocking and inevitable. A book to get lost in." Ann Cleeves

"An exceptional book. The sense of place is very powerful and her characterization is utterly brilliant . . . I could not put it down." Marian Keyes

"A tale of old sins casting long shadows. It is like a locked room mystery with narrow silos of suspects and motives, but it is much more than that. Harper excels at making the reader feel every emotion, every moment of doubt, the thrill of a possible breakthrough, the wrench of another dead end. She takes the reader on a memorable journey that will pull at the heart, stiffen the spine, and thrill the reader. No one can ask for more than that." David Baldacci