The Last Hand

Brad Conroy is a secret agent coming off a botched assignment in New York City. His mission now is to deliver a black case in San Francisco. It’s his second chance. He knows there won’t be a third. But en route to meeting his contact, Brad spies a woman in trouble on the side of the road.

The Last Hand is another of Laymon’s entries in the FastBack series of books. The books were small–about the size of a passport–and just under 30 pages. With a focus on action and a low vocabulary, the series strove to foster an interest in reading for pleasure in young adults.

Of the FastBack entries I’ve read so far, this is the weakest. The obligatory twist ending feels contrived, and Brad spends a lot of time in his own head making for a slow read even at 28 pages.