Never Go Back

The rear cover has all the usual best seller buzz words, 'gripping', 'page turner', 'twists', 'unputdownable', etc......but it was a bit of a let down. I didn't really feel for any of the characters. In fact, the only characters I wanted to read about were the few that were only briefly mentioned, the key characters were only mildly interesting.

I kept going because the whole book was hinting that what they thought they remembered from the experiment in 1955 wasn't acutally as it appeared and I wanted to know why. What happened to them en-route was just page filler.

The trail that leads to the truth is littered with too many lucky breaks for the hero and seemingly 'being in the right place, at the right time' moments.

It's not the worst show more book I've read, but it's far from the best so while I'm glad I've read it, it's not one I'd go back to. show less

As a lover of crime fiction, it’s perfectly believable that an amateur finds herself knee deep in intrigue. In some mysteries, it’s uncanny (and unrealistic) how suddenly an amateur gets embroiled in yet another murder investigation. But, one argues, some crime must be discovered by amateurs. In real life, how would this work?

A friend found a slow beginning in NEVER GO BACK by Robert Goddard ©2006. Not I. I loved this story. Piece by piece the author lays down a snippet, another small tale. Men have died, some long ago. Not too surprisingly, another one does. It takes a long time to know if a death is just a death, or a crime.

In 1955 fifteen soldiers took part in a military operation at a Scottish castle commandeered by the Royal show more Air Force. In the modern day, some plan a reunion at the same castle. Harry Bennett, our protagonist, accidentally discovers the reunion and is swept along with the crowd to Scotland.

The story takes place in the present, but we see flashes of the past as Harry uncovers fragments of his memories. These lead him to question his fellow soldiers and their families. He doesn’t understand what he’s discovering, and he can’t quite believe it. The police don’t believe him either.

It’s a leisurely journey of many tales, seemingly unrelated, but every small diversion matters.

What a fabulous story!

http://www.reviewsbytdev.com/content/NEVER-GO-BACK-Robert-Goddard

If you’re one of those people who like a Cast of Characters, you’ll find an easily downloadable one of NEVER GO BACK by Robert Goddard on the review page on my website. Or write to me and I’ll email it to you. In case you’ve never heard why I think ALL authors should add a Cast of Characters EVERY time, here’s my reasons: http://www.reviewsbytdev.com/content/open-letter-authors show less

Having read virtually all of Robert Goddard's books and particularly enjoying Into the Blue and Out of the Sun, featuring the same character (Harry Barnett), I was keen to read this. I wasn't disappointed, as it features Goddard's usual depth of characterisation and unusual story line, as well as in many cases featuring real locations he has obviously researched. The exception being the island of Haskurlay, which doesn't exist, but is based on Mingulay I understand. Highly recommended.

Fremragende spændingsroman i sædvanlig Goddard-stil. Det er utroligt, hvor hyggeligt det kan være at læse om så megen vold, død og ødelæggelse.

I read this at the recommendation of a friend. It wasn't as twisty as advertised. Not terribly memorable. A group of RAF guys reunited after 50 years find that they may have forgotten what really happened.

My rating is coloured, perhaps by the fact that the island of Barra is very familiar to me, although I have not been back since 1977. It is quite obvious that either the author or his researcher has visited the island. Haskurlay, for obvious reasons, is an invention, topography based on Mingulay - which is mentioned. There is an interesting story -quite true- about Mingulay. It appears that the people of Castlebay had not heard from the inhabitants of Mingulay for some time and had send a boat down to the island to find that the small population had succumbed to an unspecified disease, save for one man. this unfortunate was marooned on the island for a year for fear he would infect the larger population of Barra. They returned to find show more the chap still alive. One of his close relatives was still alive when I first went to Barra in 1968 - at the time I was unaware of the story. show less

The 3 Harry Barnett books are my first taste of Robert Goddard. I enjoyed the Harry's adventures and will read more of Goddard in the future.