Never Tell: A Novel of Suspense (Ellie Hatcher) (edition 2012)

I won this from the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.

Really enjoyed this book. I liked it so much that I am adding this author to my "list" so I'll be sure to check out some of her other novels. ( )

Everyone loves Jodi Picolut but after two of her books had such erroneous medical management as important to her stories, I had to stop reading her. There should be better editing. This book was similar in that one of the sub plots about pharmaceutical research was just so far from reality that I couldn't get past this criticism. I realize we are talking fiction here, but the way the author portrayed this aspect of one of the character's actions was just plain stupid (and to someone who does research for a living, insulting). Please, what are editors paid to do? ( )

In many ways, Alafair Burke’s Never Tell is a lot like the television series Law and Order and its many spin-offs. There is a crime that is duplicitous in its simplicity. The police assign the case to a familiar detective pairing. The detectives are sent down many different avenues in their investigation, forcing them to reassess the facts gathered multiple times. There is tension as the two detectives disagree about certain aspects of the case, and they anger key players along the way. Ultimately, the detectives find the right path and solve the mystery, allowing the victim’s family the chance for justice and closure. It is a formula that works exceedingly well, as seen by how success the series is and how often it has been copied in print and on the big and small screens alike. Much like individual Law and Order episodes though, without something truly unexpected – a completely unforeseen plot twist, a nefarious and ultimately memorable villain, a death of one of the heroes – such stories are easily read and easily forgotten. Never Tell falls into this latter category.

While any death, especially of a child, is tragic, Julia is not the most sympathetic of victims. The phrase “overly precocious teenagers from Manhattan’s most privileged families” is a major clue as to what to expect from the cast of characters. Rich, spoiled teenagers who believe that they are too worldly and knowledgeable compared to everyone else, especially adults not in their milieu, is a common plot device – almost too common as these types of teens have lost their edge or ability to shock. Julia and her antics, as discovered through the investigative process, is nothing more than a clichéd rich teen harboring a major secret. It begs the question – are there any teenagers who do not have some sort of secret life about which the adults are clueless?

It is not that Never Tell is a bad murder mystery. Again, the comparison to Law and Order is apt. The series is popular for a reason; it fulfills that basic human prurience that makes reality shows so successful. Yet, after so many seasons, it is nigh impossible to distinguish among the individual episodes. It contains all of the elements that make such novels compelling. The issue lies with the fact that there is nothing about Never Tell that allows it to rise above of the rest of its genre. It is too easy to forget major plot points or confuse it with other similar novels. Enjoyable and yet utterly forgettable, Never Tell is best left to true fans of the genre.

Acknowledgments: Thank you to HarperCollins for my review copy!

Very well plotted mystery - clues are there and fair. NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher is a personable protagonist with a good partner in J.J. Rogan. The twisty mystery is the star of the book but Ellie's personal life merits some ink and I found myself rooting for her and her beau. At the book's end she and her partner have solved an especially difficult case and unearthed others which are dealt with in a realistic fashion.

I'm heading back to read the earlier Ellie Hatcher novels now. ( )

review to come ( )