The Hush

New York Times bestseller The only writer in history to win consecutive Edgar Awards for Best Novel, New York Times bestselling author John Hart returns to the world of his most beloved novel, The Last Child Building on the world first seen in The Last Child (“A magnificent creation” —The Washington Post), John Hart delivers a stunning vision of a secret world, rarely seen. It’s been ten years since the events that changed Johnny Merrimon’s life and rocked his hometown to the core. Since then, Johnny has fought to maintain his privacy, but books have been written of his exploits; the fascination remains. Living alone on six thousand acres of once-sacred land, Johnny’s only connection to normal life is his old friend, Jack. They’re not boys anymore, but the bonds remain. What they shared. What they lost. But Jack sees danger in the wild places Johnny calls home; he senses darkness and hunger, an intractable intent. Johnny will discuss none of it, but there are the things he knows, the things he can do. A lesser friend might accept such abilities as a gift, but Jack has felt what moves in the swamp: the cold of it, the unspeakable fear. More than an exploration of friendship, persistence, and forgotten power, The Hush leaves all categories behind, and cements Hart's status as a writer of unique power.

Everything can change in a heartbeat ... The pulse-pounding new thriller from the bestselling author of You Don’t Know Me Lainey’s friend Ellis is missing. And she’s not the only one. It’s been six months since the first case of a sudden epidemic—when a healthy baby wouldn’t take a breath at birth—and the country has been thrown into turmoil. The government has passed sweeping new laws to monitor all citizens. And several young pregnant women have vanished without trace. As a midwife, Lainey’s mum, Emma, is determined to be there for those who need her. But when seventeen-year-old Lainey finds herself in trouble, this dangerous new world becomes very real. The one person who might help is Emma’s estranged mother, but reaching out to her will put them all in jeopardy ... The Hush is a new breed of thriller, an unflinching look at a society close to tipping point and a story for our times, highlighting the power of female friendship through a dynamic group of women determined to triumph against the odds. Book discussion questions are available here: https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/www.blackstoneaudio.com/The_Hush_Discussion_Questions.pdf

Nora Grey is responsible and smart and not inclined to be reckless. Her first mistake was falling for Patch. . Patch has made countless mistakes and has a past that could be called anything but harmless. The best thing he ever did was fall for Nora. . After getting paired together in biology, all Nora wants to do is stay away from Patch, but he always seems to be two steps ahead of her. She can feel his eyes on her even when he is nowhere around. She feels him nearby even when she is alone in her bedroom. And when her attraction can be denied no longer, she learns the secret about who Patch is and what led him to her, as well as the dark path he is about to lead her down. Despite all the questions she has about his past, in the end, there may be only one question they can ask each other: How far are you willing to fall'.

Graceling meets Red Queen in this exciting debut novel by an electrifying new voice "Hush has all the trappings of a great fantasy: a curse, a labyrinthine castle, many secrets, and powerful magic. At the center of it all, a girl unwilling to allow her world to be twisted by lies when she knows the truth. A truly gripping read." - Emily A. Duncan, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked Saints They use magic to silence the world. Who will break the hush? Seventeen-year-old Shae has led a seemingly quiet life, joking with her best friend Fiona, and chatting with Mads, the neighborhood boy who always knows how to make her smile, all while secretly keeping her fears at bay... Of the disease that took her brother’s life. Of how her dreams seem to bleed into reality around her. Of a group of justice seekers called the Bards who claim to use the magic of Telling to keep her community safe. When her mother is murdered, she can no longer pretend. Not knowing who to trust, Shae journeys to unlock the truth, instead finding a new enemy keen to destroy her, a brooding boy with dark secrets, and an untold power she never thought possible. From Dylan Farrow comes Hush, a powerful fantasy where one girl is determined to remake the world.

Chester has taken to the road, traveling from village to village desperately searching for his father, who has disappeared. One night while fiddling to earn a few coins, he accidentally connects to the Song—the music that fuels every aspect of the world, and that it’s illegal for him to interact with. He’s caught and sentenced to death for his crime. Only a licensed Songshaper can bend music to his will. But someone in the crowd—a member of the infamous Nightfall Gang—stages a daring rescue and whisks Chester into the Hush, a shadowy nightmare mirror-world where Music can be deadly and Echoes can kill. Susanna, the Captain of the Nightfall Gang has been watching Chester. She needs him to pull off an elaborate plan that will take down the governing body that keeps her an outlaw and made her the fragment she is. Susanna needs him to exact her revenge, even if he dies doing it. Combining complex stakes, shifting loyalties, nods to fairy tales, and a Western feel, The Hush is a lush and exhilarating fantasy perfect for fans of Catherine Fisher’s Incarceron and Paolo Bacigalupi’s Ship Breaker.

Winner of the 2010 Edgar Award for Best Novel Heralded by the Washington Post as a "a magnificent creation, Huck Finn channeled through Lord of the Flies", John Hart's The Last Child is his most significant work to date, an intricate, powerful story of loss, hope, and courage in the face of evil. Thirteen year-old Johnny Merrimon had the perfect life: a warm home and loving parents; a twin sister, Alyssa, with whom he shared an irreplaceable bond. He knew nothing of loss, until the day Alyssa vanished from the side of a lonely street. Now, a year later, Johnny finds himself isolated and alone, failed by the people he'd been taught since birth to trust. No one else believes that Alyssa is still alive, but Johnny is certain that she is---confident in a way that he can never fully explain. Determined to find his sister, Johnny risks everything to explore the dark side of his hometown. It is a desperate, terrifying search, but Johnny is not as alone as he might think. Detective Clyde Hunt has never stopped looking for Alyssa either, and he has a soft spot for Johnny. He watches over the boy and tries to keep him safe, but when Johnny uncovers a dangerous lead and vows to follow it, Hunt has no choice but to intervene. Then a second child goes missing . . . Undeterred by Hunt's threats or his mother's pleas, Johnny enlists the help of his last friend, and together they plunge into the wild, to a forgotten place with a history of violence that goes back more than a hundred years. There, they meet a giant of a man, an escaped convict on his own tragic quest. What they learn from him will shatter every notion Johnny had about the fate of his sister; it will lead them to another far place, to a truth that will test both boys to the limit. Traveling the wilderness between innocence and hard wisdom, between hopelessness and faith, The Last Child leaves all categories behind and establishes John Hart as a writer of unique power. Now with an excerpt from John Hart's next book The Hush, available in February 2018.

Inside the closed community of Borough Park, where most Chassidim live, the rules of life are very clear, determined by an ancient script written thousands of years before down to the last detail-and abuse has never been a part of it. But when thirteen-year-old Gittel learns of the abuse her best friend has suffered at the hands of her own family member, the adults in her community try to persuade Gittel, and themselves, that nothing happened. Forced to remain silent, Gittel begins to question everything she was raised to believe. A richly detailed and nuanced book, one of both humor and depth, understanding and horror, this story explains a complex world that remains an echo of its past, and illuminates the conflict between yesterday's traditions and today's reality.

Enter the realm of fallen angels and rising passions with this boxed set that includes Hush, Hush, Crescendo, Silence, and Finale. A gripping saga that chronicles the destiny of Nora and Patch from the beginning of their relationship to the dire events ~ and forces ~ that threaten to tear them apart, this collection of all four Hush, Hush books is the perfect present for loyal fans and series newcomers. Praise for Hush, Hush: 'A rollercoaster of twists and turns...a great, new and different novel' Sunday Express 'A fast-paced, exhilarating read...fans of paranormal romance should be rapt' Publishers Weekly 'Absolutely brilliant!' BellaAndEdward.com Praise for Crescendo: 'Dark, sexy and compelling' The Bookseller 'Great sexual tension… hot, tense and moreish' The Bookbag Praise for Silence: 'An action packed suspenseful story that had my eyes glued to the page and tears falling…Silence is another fascinating, memorable, heart-breaking, story.' Dark Readers 'The perfect escape into fantasy and a love that can break all boundaries.' Sugarscape Praise for Finale: 'Finale was everything I hoped it would be and more. I have been a fan of the Hush, Hush series since the beginning and Finale was the perfect, well, finale.' Bookbabblers 'By far my favorite book in the entire series, it brings all of the elements of the story to a fantastic conclusion.' Book Angel Booktopia 'Fitzpatrick is an awesome author, and her writing constantly kept me turning the pages addictively.' Once Upon a Bookcase