The Last Family [Paperback]

John Ramsey Miller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1996

Martin Fletcher wants revenge...and knows how to take it. Once an elite, drug strike force agent, Fletcher was framed by colleagues who knew he was feeding information to the drug cartels--framed and sent to prison. Vowing revenge, he escaped and began to kill, one by one, the families of those he blamed. And the man he blames most is Paul Masterson.



Once Paul Masterson was the best at what he did. Then two young agents were killed saving his life in a drug raid that left Paul maimed and half-blinded. Shattered by guilt, he left his job and family for the mountains of Montana, where he has lived in his own prison of silence.



Now the family Paul has not seen in six years is Martin Fletcher's final target--the last family. And Paul Masterson, who for six years has lacked the courage to see the people he loves most in the world, must face them again. He must create a foolproof safety net around their New Orleans home--all the while using his wife and children to lure an inhuman predator. And to prevail he must rediscover the fierce instinct to survive that once made him Martin Fletcher's match.


From the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The best thing about John Ramsey Miller's compulsively readable debut thriller is his villain, a former Drug Enforcement Agency hotshot named Martin Fletcher. Thinking he was betrayed by his colleagues in a raid that went disastrously wrong, the brilliant Fletcher takes his revenge against them by attacking their families. Now it's the turn of Paul Masterson, half-blinded in the same ambush, hiding out in Montana until Fletcher's mad rage forces him to gather up his old skills and go on the attack. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Many thriller writers have cut their teeth against imagined homicidal maniacs-Thomas Harris, Robin Cook, Frederick Forsyth, Ken Follett among them. Here's another, and while Miller's first novel doesn't rank with the debuts of any of the above, it's a generally strong showing, suspenseful in spurts but burdened by awkward pacing and characters who are as generic as they are robust. Particularly disappointing is the novel's villain, Martin Fletcher, a rogue DEA agent escaped from prison who begins the novel-in a flurry of smart, brutal scenes-by wiping out the family of one of a team of DEA agents who took Fletcher down and whom he blames for the death of his own wife and child. For all his vicious cunning, Fletcher remains almost a cipher, boasting none of the warped charisma of Hannibal Lecter or sleek lethal sexiness of the Jackal. Fletcher has one family left to hit, that of the team's leader, Paul Masterson, who, maimed and soul-shattered by Fletcher's last assault, has been hiding out from both his family and the DEA. Pressed back into action, Masterson reassembles his team for a vengeful hunt and counter-hunt. Masterson makes an appealing hero, but the wounded vet returning to battle isn't exactly an original conceit. Miller keeps readers guessing with unexpected twists-at least right up to the sea-set climax, way too long and bombastic, which ends the novel with a thud as surely as it begins with a scream. Rights sold in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, England, Brazil; Major ad/promo; Literary Guild main selection.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 383 pages
• Publisher: Bantam; 1st Edition edition (June 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553102133
• ISBN-13: 978-0553102130
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,430,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Action, Action, and more Action!, May 23, 1999

By 

fjmcmm (Gardena, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Family (Paperback)

A great debut novel. It was hard to put dowm. Mr Miller has written a very entertaining, action-packed, fast-paced, compelling book. The characters were great, the villain was incredibly scary and believable and Paul Masterson was great, flaws and all. I can't wait to read his next novel. A sequel would be great. I highly recommend this book if you like fast-paced action. But beware if you're squeamish.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ACTION PACKED!, April 26, 2000

By 

TERRY L GROHMAN (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Family (Paperback)

WOW! What a great read! From start to finish this book will keep you on the edge of your seat! I could not put it down!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good read if slightly flawed storytelling, August 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Last Family (Paperback)

John Ramsey Miller has produced a fine first effort. The evil Martin Fletcher was a captivating character. The story was a page-turner, and except for some slightly flawed elements,the book is a fine example of this genre.

Now, to the flaws. The main character, Paul Masterson, was brought out of a retirement funk (physically, mentally and emotionally) too quickly. More time could have been devoted to Paul's recuperation. Also, some of the peripheral characters were hard to believe (Tod Peoples). Finally, the security used to protect the "last family" was, at times, laughable. Ten ardent fans of any television crime series could have made better plans.

Having said this, I feel as if I am being too hard on Mr. Miller. These flaws are minor and do not take too much away from a fine first effort.