The Last Stop

By: Michael Loyd Gray

Narrated by: Joel TerKeurst

Set in Gray’s fictional small town of Argus, Illinois, Police Chief Art Millage faces one last manhunt.

As Art prepares to step down after 15 years as Chief and pursue a new life running the local marina, a mysterious figure from his past returns to Argus—Nathan Bedford, the son of Brant Russell, a desperate criminal Art was forced to kill in the line of duty years before.

The troubled young Bedford, never having known his father, begins stalking Art. Tensions rise and suspicions grow. When Bedford assaults one of Art's deputies and flees into the same fateful woods where his father died, Art realizes he must confront this last demon and threat to the town he has sworn to protect.

Armed and on edge, the weary Chief pursues Bedford deep into the dark forest, unsure of the young man's intentions—or his own resolve to take another life if he must.

Masterfully blending a tense crime story with poignant character drama, The Last Stop is a riveting exploration of duty, morality, and one man's search for meaning and redemption after a life in the long shadows of tragedy and dedication to the law.

©2024 Flat Sole Studio (P)2025 Flat Sole Studio

A Small Town Police Story

This is how story telling should be—it pulls you in and you start to feel as if you are struggling through important moments with the characters.

Gray's stories just keep getting better

This isn't the first book I've read by Michael Loyd Gray, and with his ability to spin a tale, it won't be the last. It's also not the first book set in his fictional small town of Argus that I've come across.

The Last Stop is a crime novel, the story of a manhunt and a vengeful son, but at its heart, it is a character drama detailing Art Millage's final duty as police chief and protector of the small town of Argus. Good reading!

A slow build and worth it

The Last Stop" by Michael Loyd Gray is a compelling crime novel that explores the toll of a career in law enforcement on Police Chief Art Millage.

Gray excels at depicting the rhythms and relationships of small-town life. His characters feel authentic, and he has a keen ear for dialogue. While there are elements of suspense as Bedford's motivations remain unclear, this is not a fast-paced thriller. The plot unfolds gradually, mirroring Art's own reluctance to confront the demons of his past, but keep in mind that patient readers will be rewarded by a climactic confrontation. There are no easy resolutions in "The Last Stop."