The Last Safe Place

by Ninie Hammon

In the deepest, darkest midnight of her soul, Gabriella writes a book, a horror story about demons ... and then one of them crawls up out of the pages and confronts her face to face. A deranged, fanatical fan who believes he is The Beast of Babylon from her novel turns up at a book signing and then comes after her to claim her as his bride. And to sacrifice her son, Ty, as an offering to their unholy union. Gabriella, Ty and Ty's grandfather, Theo-the crusty old stand-up comic called Slap Yo Mama Carmichael-run for their lives, back to the only place in Gabriella's life where she ever felt safe. But once there, she discovers that facing the demons from her past may be harder and more dangerous than facing the one who hunts her. As Ty and Theo battle their own, personal monsters, Gabriella begins to fall for a man who carries a guilt she can't even begin to imagine. The predator who stalks Gabriella and her family tracks them down and corners his prey as a full moon rides high in the night sky and lightning explodes on the mountaintop. Then all their lives and demons collide in a final, apocalyptic celebration of one man's madness. Gabriella's only hope lies in the unexplainable power of 2,000-year-old tree. Is it strong enough to save them? Can a single, perfect bristlecone pine somehow determine the fate of them all?

Genres: Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Fiction, Ebooks, Amazon, Mystery Thriller

276 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

I was born in Socorro, New Mexico, sometime shortly after the earth cooled off. It’s clear that from the outset my parents never intended for me to amount to anything. How could I? With a name like “Ninie?” Please.

Fame and fortune do not come to people named Ninie Bovell (My maiden name.) Gabriella Bovary? You could work with that. Even something as pedestrian as Madeline Bovell or Rebecca Bovell or (though you’d lose points here for lack of originality) Elizabeth Bovell. But Ninie? I never had a chance.

If I sound a mite hostile, bear in mind that in one decisive stroke my parents sentenced their precious newborn daughter to a lifetime of explanations that began my first day at Muleshoe Elementary School. (Yeah, Muleshoe. The hits just keep on coming.) After a painful week, I had a rap down that I still use today:

“No, it’s not Ninnie like skinny and penny. It’s Ninie—rhymes with tiny and shiny. 9e…get it? And no, it doesn’t mean anything, it isn’t short for anything, long for anything, or a substitute for anything. It just is. (Pause here for the inevitable ‘Why?’) You got me, pal, I couldn’t tell you.”

I grew up in Texas, got a BA in English and theatre from Texas Tech University and snagged a job as a newspaper reporter. Didn't know a thing about journalism, but my editor said if I could write he could teach me the rest of it and if I couldn't write the rest of it didn't matter. I hung in there for a 25-year career as a journalist. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, but as soon as I figured out that making up the facts was a whole lot more fun than reporting them, I never looked back.

Now, I write suspense--every flavor except pistachio: psychological suspense, inspirational suspense, suspense thrillers, paranormal suspense, suspense mysteries.

In every book I write I try to keep this promise to Loyal Reader: I will tell you a story in a distinctive voice you'll always recognize, about people as ordinary as you are--people who have been slammed by something they didn’t sign on for, and now they must fight for their lives. Then smack in the middle of their everyday worlds, those people encounter the unexplainable--and it's always the game-changer."

Reviews

[Marisa Craft (Lee) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad for a free mystery book on Amazon. Quick read, read it in about 3 hours. But there were a few issues that I had with this book.

1. The similes and metaphors in the first half of the book were terribly done. "Heart was pounding like a sperm whale in a fish tank", "a voice from that maddeningly reasonable part of her mind began to plead its case before the High Court of Common Sense"", and "Though the light was poor, she could see his eyes were the eyes of a shark cruising dark waters in a night sea". It was pretty painful for me to read, and actually got to the point where I wanted to keep reading the book to see what other ridiculous analogies were going to be made. Reminded me of my high school essays where I was always trying to be overly descriptive and just jumbling odds and ends into sentences to make them sound more illustrious, but ended up failing miserably like this book. Not to mention Dory from Finding Nemo was referred to as a great theologian... I wouldn't exactly put her up there with Socrates and Ghandi. I looked back through the reviews for this book and nothing was mentioned about this. I'm amazed, it was the first thing that was killing me about this book.

2. The dog was the best character in the whole book. There wasn't much structure or meat to these characters. Granted, you can't add much complexity in just 325 pages, but out of that, P.D. is the most true-to-self character here! He is loyal, he is very aware of what is going on, doesn't take crap from anyone, actually DOES SOMETHING when Yesheb comes, and is the only one besides Theo with common sense! Guess Gabriela's High Court of Common Sense doesn't get many appeals to its cases.

3. It took a really long time for the storyline to pick up. I'd say about 75% of the way through, it was actually getting interesting. The beginning was just amusing for the first reason given, and the middle kind of just blends into the very short ending. There's no real resolution to the ending, and it just feels as though the whole first half of the book is in slow motion, and then the last half is in fast forward. Not as much of a storyline as it could have had.

4. I was getting a lot of other stories blended into this one. 'Sleeping with the Enemy', 'Safe Haven', 'Misery', and a little ill-used LOTR action as well. I hit the 30% mark of the book and instantly knew what the rest of the book would pan out to be. Wasn't the psychological thriller I was hoping.

I was really looking forward to this book as a good read; it had high, gloating reviews on Amazon, and even here on Goodreads, and it's free so why not?
I found out why not. Wasn't really a life-changing or unique book. I don't think I'd read it again, and I'd only recommend it to be entertained by how horrible the description is written.

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay then 😒

[Sally the Salamander · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book just didn't do it for me. I started out liking it. But I ended up with more complaints than praises.

Pros:
- Strong start
- There were some exciting parts
- Some aspects of the bad guy were intriguing

Cons:
- So many freaking similes and metaphors
- Too many slow parts
- Unclear if there is a supernatural element to the bad guy or not
- Everything told from the grandfather's POV is awkward and forced
- Not enough told about this awful dark book that apparently inspired a psycho to hunt down Gabriella and kill her family
- Gabriella is a bit of a weenie for most of the story
- Still not clear on all the aspects of Gabriella's past and why it haunts her

So there you go. Despite some page-turning patches, I felt like the readers were being strung along for 300+ pages and then still given no real clear answers by the end. Yea there is something supernatural going on, but what? What is so special about the mountain? Is Al Tobbanoft (sp?) demon-possessed or nah? What does Ty look like? What was so disturbing about Gabriella's book?

Idk, this book was just a miss for me. I say pass on this one.

[C.M. Rutherford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good story. The characters were engaging and well hashed out. The more I read the more engrossed I became. When a women who has dealt with harrowing ordeals in her youth, writes a best seller she gets an unexpected surprise. A stalker, who believes he is the chosen one from her book "The Beast of Babylon", he believes Gabriella is the main character Zara. The stalker is obsessed and intends to marry her and sacrifice her son to seal the deal. The author does a great job portraying the evil within the man. Well worth the read for fans of the thriller genre.

[Sonja · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my type or genre of book. Sorry.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reason I only gave this book 3 stars was because when I first started reading this book I thought the beginning wasn't the best. The way the Author had describe the scenes and characters was rather confusing and I had to push myself to continue on.
After forcing myself through to chapter 3, that's when the book started to get good and had me gripped.
The book is about an Author who writes a fantasy novel about a beast of Babylon. A psychotic man then starts stalking the Author trying to play out the book, actually believing he is the beast and that he has to marry the Author. Which takes her on a journey to her childhood holiday place to hide out.
I loved the way the Author portrayed the psychotic man as he was very nuts and the way she made the child's grandfather come of really funny.
I was a little disappointed with the ending, I was hoping is would have been a lot better than the way it happened but I still enjoyed the book and there were definitely moments where I couldn't put the book down and had to keep turning the page.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. I found the characters and their stories interesting & once I got to the middle of the story I couldn't put it down. My only criticisms are that sometimes it seemed like a bit much when it came to everything that had happened in Gabriella's life. The list of tragedies & sadness in her life just seemed to keep growing and growing - it made it hard to imagine her ever truly having a happy ending. I also could have done without the whole mystery of The Cleft. The existence of it as a refuge & a safe place is fine, but the whole mystical/magical element was just a bit much for me. Other than that, I liked the story a lot and would definitely read another book by Ms. Hammon!

[Tania · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid story

Gabriella's past won't leave her in peace. The psychopath who nearly took her life is still out there, she's Haunted by the deaths of all the men in her life, and she worries what kind of damage it's all doing to her young son. On the run with her father-in-law and her son, Gabriella returns to the safe haven of her childhood, though plenty of bad memories abound there as well. Is she as well hidden as she thinks she is?

Interesting plot, author pursued by reader who believes not only that her stories are real but that she is the protagonist in them. Strong characters - Gabriella, Ty, and Theo, as well as Gabriella's benefactor. Begrudgingly, I'd even say the villain is fascinating in his perception of himself and his commitment to the chase. However I think the past reveals were too slow to come and didn't reveal enough, the author never fully committed to the supernatural elements that could have propelled this story up another star, and the love story was completely superfluous. I would have had much more respect for Pedro as a character if he'd just been motivated by being a good human.

[Tawana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of your seat thriller!!

Minnie Hammon brings her subjects straight off the pages and right in to your imagination! This book gripped me from the very start and did not let go to the end. I won't go in to the book because you can read that elsewhere, but I will say, this is a different twist on the mind of a psychopath who idolizes his favorite author and book. It is evident there is disassociation going on with more than a little schizophrenia and paranoia. The villain is a true villian but the damsel will do whatever it takes to protect her son and herself from this madman. You will hold your breath as she drives up the side of a mountain, you will laugh at grandpa slappy and cry with all of them, that is how real they are. I love Ninnie's attention to detail and writing so you get the picture, whether it is the mountain or the little store Pedro manages, you can see yourself there.

[Serena · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not get to the end sooner. Gabriella, the main character, is (as she defines herself) an amoeba of a woman. A black hole of a person. One of those people who are drains, painful to hear, always sad and confused about their existence. Not a nice character to follow into the story.

The different themes make no sense, there's a half talk of supernatural stuff, together with the fact that Gabriella liked to collect rocks and geodes, then she's a poet that has had a really bad accident in her life. Pedro, whose first language is not English is almost made fun of by repeating, over and over and over how thick of an accent he had.

Was the writer high when they wrote this? Have they never heard someone with a Spanish accent speak so they find it so bizarre?

I regret reading it. Not a gripping Thriller at all

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say that although this was not my usual taste in novels, it was well written and with fairly good pacing. The characters were interesting and didn't suffer from 'same face/personality syndrome'. There was quite an interesting back story, in fact there were quite a few back stories which were all well thought out.
It just didn't have anything 'different' about it. I've seen this before in so many other books. Strong victimized woman, psychotic obsessive stalker, damaged child, wise old grandpa, etc. etc. I ended up skimming the last few chapters because I knew what was going to happen and exactly how the climax was going to take place.
If I could, I'd give this 3.5. The plot was OK, the characters, OK, the location great, back stories, good.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book by this author that I had the good fortune to stumble upon. When I finished it, I hoped there would be a sequel. Hmm, Ms. Hammon, pleeeze, pleeze!!!
Vivid, descriptive story telling that makes you feel like you're part of the story is the reason I read. I'm not healthy or energetic enough for real deal mountain climbing, but after following Gabriella on her flight away from the demons, both internal and external, I was still panting for air too.

I really could read more adventures of GG, Ty, PD and Pedro. Just in case you do read this review,
and take the opinion of one of your newest fans!

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a disturbing story for me to read.
The story was well written, but the storyline was too much for me. This felt like it could be real and happening today.
Yesheb was abused as a child by his father and I think it made him crazy. He thought he was a demon and would be the King of Babylon. He thought that Gabriella, an author who wrote his favorite book, would be his wife and he would able to abuse her for the rest of time.
Gabriella fled her home in fear of Yesheb and travelled to Colorado to get away from him. Only to have him follow her there and continue stalking her.
If you can’t handle scenes of abuse, disturbing incidents, evilness, etc. Then this isn’t the book for you.

[Kathlyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read as far as chapter 6 and dumped it. This is, without doubt, one of the worst books I have had the misfortune to (half) read in a long time. A black character who demonstrates zero understanding of black culture; locations the author clearly knows nothing about - roses blooming in spring in England - really?; screwed up geography...an Iranian who thinks he's king of Babylon and dog whistle Islamophobia and racism. Written by an ignorant and brainwashed American.

It isn't even worthy of the trash can.

[Teri de matteo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a can't put it down-er!

Initially I thought I was reading a sy-fy, and I'm not too terribly fond of those. Boy, am I glad I stuck with it! I loved the fast pace, the clear imagery, the characters, the suspense. I read A LOT and enjoy different writing styles but Ninie's is refreshingly unique. She proves it's possible to write a suspenseful thriller that keeps you reading long past the mental time frame you allotted yourself and she does it glowingly without the use of one swear word or one sordid sex scene!

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as thrillers go, this was right there! Gabriella is a novelist that has lost almost everybody in her life. Grandpa Slappy and her son, Ty, are about all she has left. Now she has a crazy psychopath after her. Despite what she knows are his own delusions, he seems incapable of being outsmarted.

I listened to an audio version of the book and I think it made it more choppy than it really was. I did enjoy the story but I felt Gabriella had more sorrow in her life than any one person deserves to endure.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book had a very promising start and a good ending, earning the first star in my review. However, it took a very long time for the story to pick up. I put the book down countless times and found myself struggling to finish it from lack of interest. There were points during the book where multiple chapters passed with the smallest contribution to the story line. It was boring.

Although, the characters Theo and P.D earned the book its second star on my rating. Theo's thoughts were beautifully written and I felt more sympathy for him than I felt for the female protagonist!

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome book! Ninie Hammon is one of my new favorite authors. Just downloaded another book of hers and will start it ASAP. This is a story about a writer named Gabriella who wrote a best-selling fictional novel called The Beast of Babylon. Unfortunately, one of her readers decides the story is REAL and that he is the Beast. On top of that, he decides that Gabriella is the fictional Zara in the story and he must sacrifice her son to wed Zara and become ruler of the underworld. This is a non-stop thrill ride with many twists.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. At first I was perturbed by the lack of background story, references made to past events with no details given. But that kept me reading in the hopes of learning more, which I eventually did. The author's style painted vivid pictures for me. But, especially in the first part of the book, it seemed to me that there was an excessive use of metaphors. Either there were fewer as the book progressed, or I got used to them! Either way, I liked this book.

[Mary K Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of Awesome Suspense

Somehow, I stopped reading this book in the middle I strongly suspect that I fell asleep and dropped the Kindle, when I was fighting not to. But once it fell, I couldn't find it, nor stay awake. The suspense in the
book won't let you go, not like me, lost in an unfamiliar room . I highly recommend starting early. Plus the suspense, there's touch's of family, romance, a beast, and the mystical. Enough for me and I'll bet you too You won't regret it.

[Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Figured out the ending, but...

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Although at first the story seemed far-fetched, I soon realized evil for what it was. The characters personal stories were easy to keep track of and quite believable. The author wove these stories so well into the main story, and every time I predicted what would happen next, there were lots of surprises. Nicely done!

[Anita Wills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down a much read

This book grabbed me straight away! It was heartbreaking and breathtaking throughout. With great characters both the good and the bad. It had me on the edge of my seat so I couldn’t put it down, but also filled me with awe and I kinda want to read it again! Hugely readable with the totally darn scary off his rocker baddy. A damaged mother and son. Burgeoning love and the loss of a loved one.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this book for the longest time. (2015) I finally picked it up.. and.... I wish I had sooner!!!!

page 1, um not sure, page 2, um maybe not? page 3 Its on and hooked already! 1/4 of the way and I don't want to put it down at all!.. I picked it up this evening.. Didn't go to bed.. Couldn't put this book down. WOW is all I can say. I can't wait to read more from this author! 5 stars!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book - I like the characters, the plot is intense, and the author has a beautiful way of describing the amazing views and landscapes of their "last safe place". This book did have an antagonist who seemed to be not human but an evil force. That is how he was described, but the book explains how and why he came about.

I highly recommend this book! Very good!

[Rose Ayana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really entertaining book

This should be made into a movie. Beautifully descriptive. The story is extremely entertaining. I loved the characters and the description of the scenery was so beautiful I want to go there. Very suspenseful without being frightening. I was not sure I was going to like this book but was pleasantly surprised.

[Deborah Hughes-Pierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read, engaging characters

I enjoyed this book a bit more, frankly, than I first expected. In the beginning, it seemed either too close to a plotline like Stephen King's The Dark Half, or paranormal in a way that I didn't think I'd like. Nope, it was neither, instead a fairly original thriller, with complex characters that include troubling backgrounds. Themes of a struggle to forgive one's self as well as the nature of evil keep this story interesting.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent!

The Last Safe Place is intense and filled with action and drama. I love the protagonist and hate the antagonist, just the way it’s supposed to be in a great psychological thriller. There are many surprises and even a touch of romance included. This is the first book I’ve read by the very talented Nintendo Hammon but, it won’t be the last. I highly recommend it.

[Troy Dye · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Safe Place

A n insane, incredibly rich and powerful fan chases a woman writer and her son to the only place on earth that she perhaps be able to challenge his twisted evil.

[Cherie L. Goers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

This was an awesome book! From the first page, I had the movie playing in my head. It was chilling, heartwarming, sad...I can't wait to read her other books, and I'm so disappointed in myself that I waited so long before reading it! You need to read this book!

[Alex Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood, Love, and fun on the run

Delusion, prisons of the mind, long held secrets, a family on the run. Running from their pasts, from their secrets, from a madman or is it a demon? Interesting read.