Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

Last Alive by David B Seaburn is a bittersweet tale of love and devastating loss. Leon Miltenson and his wife Emma have been together for over fifty years. Their life is simple, straightforward, well-structured, and comfortable. Leon is playing pool with his old friend and neighbor when the telephone call comes through. Emma has been killed in a freak accident when a tree crashed down the hillside and crushed her car. Emma’s death is devastating to Leon, but it has ripples far beyond just her husband. Their daughter Janene has struggled to find her place in the world and, although incredibly close to her mother, has always struggled to communicate and connect with Leon. Somehow, they must make sense of this random happening and find strength from each other. Leon’s best friend Griffin is a dentist who is struggling with his addiction, Kendall is the young boy whose actions caused the tree to crash down the hillside and kill Emma, and Calvin has made a life of building memorial crosses for families to place on the roadside at the site of their loved one’s departure. All of these lives find themselves woven into Leon’s never-ending grief.

Last Alive is a powerful and heartrending story that also poses and attempts to answer some philosophical questions about life, loss, and the sheer seeming randomness of devastating events. Author David B Seaburn has recreated a scenario that many people have either had direct experience of or know of others who have suffered terrible loss. I appreciated the way in which the different characters are gently and seamlessly brought together. The picture of Leon sitting in his faded canvas chair beside the busy highway, day after day guarding his beloved cross, will remain in my memory. The idea that there can be a positive return from a seemingly horrific event such as the death of a loved one is perhaps the biggest thought I will take from this story. I am sure many readers will have passed those roadside crosses and wondered just what would motivate someone to memorialize the place that has caused them so much pain. Leon and Emma will hopefully give them some insight into the thought process that leads to those decisions. I found this story deeply moving and thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this book. I highly recommend it.