The Blurb:
He says he is innocent... so why did he lie?
Mathew Hillock was the last person to see eleven-year-old Jodie Willis alive. When her dead body turns up four days later in his garden shed, the police think he’s guilty of her murder. So do most people in the town. But there’s no DNA evidence to link him to the crime.
Battling the weight of public opinion and mental illness due to a childhood head trauma, he sinks into a deep depression. Can Mathew do what the police failed to do and find evidence linking the real killer to the crime?
The Last One To See Her is a terrifying story of what happens when you’re accused of a crime and no one believes you are innocent.
The Last One To See Her is out on 4th June 2020. You can pre-order it here.
The Last One To See Her is out on 4th June 2020. You can pre-order it here.
My Review:
Mathew Hillock is the last person to see young Jodie Willis after she leaves the local shop where she picked up milk for her mum. He thinks someone has hurt her, and has an idea who that might be, but unfortunately for him he is the main suspect. He lies to his mum about where he went after leaving the shop himself and can't give satisfactory answers to the police. And we learn that he suffers periods of black out when he can't remember where he's been or what he's done, sometimes for hours. When Jodie's body is found in the Hillock's garden shed, with Mathew nearby, the police are convinced he must have killed her. But they can't find any evidence to prove it.
I loved Mathew. With mild social and learning disabilities and some mental health difficulties as a result of a terrible childhood trauma, he is a target for bullying and abuse. But he has the love of his mum who owns the wee bookshop where he works, his big brother Gareth who is his defender, best friend and idol, and his grandparents. He's kind, polite, principled, and doesn't need much to make him happy. But he likes his routines and when they are disrupted he gets anxious and upset, so being the centre of a police enquiry sends him on a downward spiral. I have to say I had my own anxieties about this character, as someone who has experienced social and learning difficulties close to the family and personal mental health troubles, but I needn't have worried - his difficulties are handled sensitively by Tilbury. And I was fascinated by the description of his blackouts, or fugues, from his point of view - it seemed plausible and well researched.
I have to mention Alison, Jodie's mother. Oh, how I felt for her. I can't possibly imagine how it might feel to lose a child (although it's my biggest nightmare) but this feels like an honest, raw description. She is beautifully depicted, her fragility showing through. I got quite cross at her own mum though!
Occasionally we see shocking diary entries from someone with clearly unhealthy appetites and they are very creepy. In fact just thinking about them gives me a wee shiver. And whilst there is definitely one main bad guy in this story, there is one other notable ne'er-do-well and some of the most horrific scenes come thanks to him.
This is an uneasy, tense story with a likeable, sympathetic protagonist at its heart. The conclusion was totally unexpected, horrifying, shocking and sad. The book shines a light on (partially) hidden disabilities, mental health difficulties, bullying and abuse. And it reflects on how easy it is for us to be suspicious of people we perceive to be different from us. In addition to all of that, Tilbury, as he has done before, shows us monsters really do exist, and that they live amongst us. And the ending almost broke me.
An all round fab read!
Mathew Hillock is the last person to see young Jodie Willis after she leaves the local shop where she picked up milk for her mum. He thinks someone has hurt her, and has an idea who that might be, but unfortunately for him he is the main suspect. He lies to his mum about where he went after leaving the shop himself and can't give satisfactory answers to the police. And we learn that he suffers periods of black out when he can't remember where he's been or what he's done, sometimes for hours. When Jodie's body is found in the Hillock's garden shed, with Mathew nearby, the police are convinced he must have killed her. But they can't find any evidence to prove it.
I loved Mathew. With mild social and learning disabilities and some mental health difficulties as a result of a terrible childhood trauma, he is a target for bullying and abuse. But he has the love of his mum who owns the wee bookshop where he works, his big brother Gareth who is his defender, best friend and idol, and his grandparents. He's kind, polite, principled, and doesn't need much to make him happy. But he likes his routines and when they are disrupted he gets anxious and upset, so being the centre of a police enquiry sends him on a downward spiral. I have to say I had my own anxieties about this character, as someone who has experienced social and learning difficulties close to the family and personal mental health troubles, but I needn't have worried - his difficulties are handled sensitively by Tilbury. And I was fascinated by the description of his blackouts, or fugues, from his point of view - it seemed plausible and well researched.
I have to mention Alison, Jodie's mother. Oh, how I felt for her. I can't possibly imagine how it might feel to lose a child (although it's my biggest nightmare) but this feels like an honest, raw description. She is beautifully depicted, her fragility showing through. I got quite cross at her own mum though!
Occasionally we see shocking diary entries from someone with clearly unhealthy appetites and they are very creepy. In fact just thinking about them gives me a wee shiver. And whilst there is definitely one main bad guy in this story, there is one other notable ne'er-do-well and some of the most horrific scenes come thanks to him.
This is an uneasy, tense story with a likeable, sympathetic protagonist at its heart. The conclusion was totally unexpected, horrifying, shocking and sad. The book shines a light on (partially) hidden disabilities, mental health difficulties, bullying and abuse. And it reflects on how easy it is for us to be suspicious of people we perceive to be different from us. In addition to all of that, Tilbury, as he has done before, shows us monsters really do exist, and that they live amongst us. And the ending almost broke me.
An all round fab read!
The Author:
Mark lives in a small village in the lovely county of Cumbria, although his books are set in Oxfordshire where he was born and raised.
After being widowed and raising his two daughters, Mark finally took the plunge and self-published two books on Amazon, The Revelation Room and The Eyes of the Accused.
He's always had a keen interest in writing, and is extremely proud to have had seven novels published by Bloodhound Books. His latest novel, The Last One To See Her will be published 4th June 2020.
When he's not writing, Mark can be found playing guitar, reading and walking.
There is a blog tour running just now for The Last One To See Her so you can check out what other bloggers have to say about it.
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