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    Never Tell
    Never Tell
    Never Tell
    Audiobook11 hours

    Never Tell

    Written by Lisa Gardner

    Narrated by Kirsten Potter

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    #1 New York Times bestseller Lisa Gardner returns with an unpredictable thriller that puts fan favorites D. D. Warren and Flora Dane on a shocking new case that begins with a vicious murder and gets darker from there.

    A man is dead, shot three times in his home office. But his computer has been shot twelve times, and when the cops arrive, his pregnant wife is holding the gun.

    D. D. Warren arrives on the scene and recognizes the woman--Evie Carter--from a case many years back. Evie's father was killed in a shooting that was ruled an accident. But for D.D., two coincidental murders is too many.

    Flora Dane sees the murder of Conrad Carter on the TV news and immediately knows his face. She remembers a night when she was still a victim--a hostage--and her captor knew this man. Overcome with guilt that she never tracked him down, Flora is now determined to learn the truth of Conrad's murder.

    But D.D. and Flora are about to discover that in this case the truth is a devilishly elusive thing. As layer by layer they peel away the half-truths and outright lies, they wonder: How many secrets can one family have?

    Editor's Note

    Elaborately plotted…

    Three traumatized women and several dead men are all interconnected by the dark web in “Never Tell,” one of Gardner’s more elaborately plotted police procedurals. We spend time in all three women’s heads, questioning what’s true and desperate for answers.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateFeb 19, 2019
    ISBN9781536609523
    Never Tell
    Author

    Lisa Gardner

    Lisa Gardner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty novels, including Look for Me, Right Behind You, Find Her, Crash & Burn, Fear Nothing, Touch & Go, Catch Me, and The Neighbor, which won the International Thriller of the Year Award. She lives with her family in New England.

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    Reviews for Never Tell

    4.5/5

    381 ratings26 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Lisa Gardner's thriller, "Never Tell," has three central female characters and, in alternating chapters, we observe their reactions to a series of bizarre events. D. D. Warren is a detective sergeant in the Boston Police Department; thirty-two-year-old Evie Carter is a pregnant high school math teacher who was suspected of accidentally shooting her dad when she was a teenager; and Flora Dane was victimized by Jacob Ness, a sadistic predator who held her captive for more than a year. The book opens with the shooting death of Evie's husband, Conrad. Warren along with Flora (who is D. D.'s unpaid confidential Informant and an amateur sleuth), are on the case. A representative from the FBI, Special Agent Kimberly Quincy, and Keith Edgar, a true-crime enthusiast and computer geek, add their expertise to this multi-faceted investigation.

      Gardner earns a great deal of sympathy for Evie and Flora, both of whom have endured unspeakable trauma. Evie's mother, Joyce, a functioning alcoholic, smothers her daughter with unwanted attention, but all Evie wants is the truth. What really happened sixteen years ago when she and her mom came home to find Evie's father, Earl Hopkins, dead? Furthermore, what clandestine activities was Conrad engaged in before he died? Some of the men and women in this book keep secrets and tell lies for reasons that are not immediately apparent. In addition, we are thrust into the murky world of the Dark Web—a portion of the Internet inhabited by criminals eager to communicate with like-minded individuals. Gardener throws in a serial firebug, explores various complex and troubled relationships, and concludes with twists that show us how little we know about the people who are closest to us.

      Although this popular author has written some interesting works of fiction over the years, she piles on the melodrama too thickly here. Moreover, aside from its excessive length (more than four hundred pages that drag, especially during the second half), "Never Tell" irritates us with its painfully slow disclosure of information. Meanwhile, we get to share Evie and Flora's heartbreaking memories, which are all the more poignant because they convey their agony in the first person. Unfortunately, this tale has a number of glaring holes and far-fetched coincidences. It is unlikely that a competent law enforcement officer would allow Flora, a loose cannon if ever there was one, anywhere near an official investigation. Nor does Keith, a civilian, have any business being involved in these proceedings, no matter how intelligent he is and how helpful he tries to be. The story concludes with a dour and heavy-handed resolution that feels tacked on for its shock value. "Never Tell" will likely please Gardner's ardent fans, but it has too many flaws to earn a wholehearted recommendation.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      As always, you can't go wrong with a Lisa Gardner book! Somehow, I missed this book written in 2019. Thank goodness a friend of mine raved about it on Facebook and I immediately requested it and read it straight through today! It brings back a character, Flora, that we met in an earlier book called Find Me. Lots of action, as always, and a villain I didn't see coming until the end! Loved it!
    • 4/5
      Good narration! The novel kept me intrigued the entire time. I do have problems with human trafficking/sex trafficking narratives, so I skipped portions of one chapter. I'm not sure how detailed that chapter was. I enjoyed the characters and the flow of the novel. The ending was a bit anticlimactic, but overall a good read.
    • 5/5
      The book is great but narrator is the real star Simply the best there is. Absolutely perfect and will be listening to everything she's performed.
    • 5/5
      THE PLOT

      D.D. Warren is back and this time she's familiar with the accused: Evie Carter. 16 years ago, Carter killed her father but it was ruled an accident. Now, progenitors, she's found by police holding a gun with her husband shot three times and his laptop shot 12. As they say, where there's smoke, there's fire... or is there!?

      MY OPINION

      This was exceptionally well-written, especially for a police procedural. The writing flowed beautifully and I loved the fragmented prose. I find it powerful because it puts more emphasis on the prose.

      None of the characters bothered me, which is as good as saying I liked them haha. Gardner created a distinct voice and personality for Flora, D.D., Evie, and her mother. I loved Flora's backstory... need the entire story. The only thing I wasn't quite sold on was everyone losing their shit over Evie's father. So the guy was good at math and he got a free pass to double-dip his dick around town? I think not!!!

      In the "final act" of the book, you had to suspend a lot of disbelief. You'll be in a burning house and having your Red Table Talk moment?? RUN LADIES!!! The Scooby-Doo reveal was a big letdown for me. I would've preferred if the baddie was someone closer to home (hint hint).

      All in all, I solid read. I immediately ordered Find Her afterward because I want to read more about Flora's wild ass backstory.

      PROS AND CONS

      Pros: well-written, beautiful and unique prose, unique characters with solid development, Flora's backstory is sick of and I love it
    • 5/5
      Excellent story line. I really enjoyed the plot. Loved the characters and the suspense of who did it! Great book!
    • 5/5
      As with all of her books you just have to keep listening. The story demands it and keeps on the edge until it's over.
    • 5/5
      Another terrific addition to the DD Warren series. I've only read a few of them - beginning with the one that introduces us to Flora. I find Flora fascinating as a character. She grows emotionally, over the course of the last few books (DD Warren Books 8, 9 and this one - 10). So many twists and turns kept me on my toes, and even re-reading portions to ensure I hadn't missed an important element to the plot. If you're new to Lisa Gardner's DD Warren series (I was. I've read her other books but not DD Warren's series) - don't begin at 10, at least go back to book 8. I plan to start at the beginning now. But was hooked on Flora's story. Highly recommend Lisa Gardner's psychological thrillers.
    • 4/5
      Good story although more talk than action at times. The narrator is good for the most part except when She uses her annoying sing song smartie voice (hard to describe) Overall, I'd recommend if you like who done it books.
    • 3/5
      Not as great as other Lisa Gardner books but still enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      I hate the series is complete love DD Warren series
    • 4/5
      This novel has a solid plot developing but then the telling falters with too much irrelevant detail. I really wanted to give the story only 3-stars, but the author was adroit in drawing interesting characters and creating an interesting mystery. The final chapters were predictable, and tediously overwhelmed by too much detail of the cyber-crime aspect. Finally, it was screamingly frustrating reading about the dithering around with trash can fires (for example) while the patently obvious target was ignored so long that the potential for any suspense to develop was lost. Earlier books are apparently better examples of Gardner's story-telling, so I'll try one of those earlier sagas of DD. Warren's police career before giving up on the series.
    • 4/5
      At age 16, Evie Hopkins confessed to accidently killing her father with a shotgun she was learning how to clean. She was never charged with the murder. 16 years later, her husband, Conrad, was shot dead in his home office. Evie came home, apprently seconds after the shooting, picked up the gun and put 12 rounds into his laptop. When the police arrived, she was holding the gun. She put up no resistance.Flora was kidnapped at age 18 and held hostage for over 400 days while her abductor, Jacob Ness, raped her, starved her and locked her in a coffin sized box. When the news of Conrad's death hit the newspaper, she realized that she knew him. Conrad and Jacob had met in a bar somewhere down south.Detective D.D. Warren was on the original Evie Hopkins case. She didn't believe Evie's original story and she doesn't believe the current story.How the three main protagonists meet and their story is the subject of the book. Told in alternating chapters by Evie, Flora and D.D., Never Tell is a captivating (pun intended) book.
    • 2/5
      ATTENTION MYSTERY WRITERS: STOP HAVING THE VILLAN REVEAL THEIR PLAN TO THE PROTAGONIST AT THE CLIMAX. IT’S CLICHED & UNREALISTIC!!I had a feeling that this book was part of a continuing series, and my instinct was right. Initially I was apprehensive about needing to have read the previous books first, but this one does a brief catch up of previous plots and character descriptions for the first time reader, which I appreciated.As a new mom, I sympathized the most with the main protagonist, Evie. She is 5 months pregnant and having overcome a traumatic event in her past, is happy to have started a new life with her husband and unborn child. I enjoyed getting to know more about her and the secrets from her past. The other character I enjoyed the most was Flora, a kidnapping survivor who assists Detective DD Warren (the series subject) on her cases. I didn’t really connect with DD, probably because I haven’t read the previous books in the series. There were many things happening in this book and they all seemed to complicate the plot for me. Which brings me to the ending. One of my top reader complaints is when the villan reveals their master plan to the protagonist or the law enforcement after them, something happens, and the villain either dies or goes to jail. It totally takes me out of every book, and I just wish it would stop. I understand authors want to conclude the story and not leave things up in the air, but for me, it’s more realistic if the villain doesn’t reveal his plan all at once, or it’s never revealed at all. Especially in this one, where the villain reveals their plan and everyone is talking to each other during a HOUSE FIRE!!! Yes, even the pregnant protagonist! Instead of escaping right away, they all have time to question the villain and listen to their long winded reasoning. There are moments where they try to get out, but it was so laughably bad and reminded me of a made for TV movie. Perhaps one day I will try this author again, or pick up one of her earlier works in this series. It seems there are many a Detective DD Warren fan, but this one just wasn’t a good introduction for me
    • 5/5
      Lisa Gardner is one of my favorite authors because she is consistently good. Good writing, good plot, good character development. I especially love the D.D. Warren series.In "Never Tell," homicide detective D.D. Warren finds herself investigating a new case that has her second-guessing an old case from 16 years prior. A man is shot to death, and when police arrive on the scene, the pregnant wife is holding the gun. D.D. recognizes the wife immediately - Evie Carter, who 16 years ago as a teenager had accidentally shot her father to death with a shotgun. With victim-turned-confidential informant Flora Dane helping, D.D. finds her case getting more and more complicated, the deeper she digs. So complicated that she reopens the old case involving Evie and her father.Gardner definitely kept me guessing with this one. Towards the end I figured out who the murderer was, but I was pleasantly clueless until then and wondering how all the pieces were going to tie together. Flora is coming into her own in this book, developing an uneasy but effective working relationship with Boston PD and D.D. in particular. I have come to really like her and hope that her involvement in this book series continues.Now onto book #11!
    • 5/5
      For the second time in her life, Evelyn Hopkins Carter stands over a man’s body with a gun in her hand. The first time she was sixteen and the victim was her father. Now she’s an expectant mother and the victim was her husband.Conrad Carter met death as he sat at the desk and three bullets tore into his chest. His computer met its death when the man’s wife pumped a dozen bullets into it. Boston Sergeant Detective D. D. Warren investigated that first case back when she was a new detective; Evie claimed the shooting was a terrible accident. Now she’s admitting to shooting the computer, but not the man.Flora Dane, currently D.D.’s confidential informant, sees a picture of the victim and recognizes him as someone who met with Jacob Ness during the time he held Flora hostage some six years earlier. Determined to find the truth of the man’s murder, she joins forces with the detective to unravel the Hopkins family secrets that may lead to the truth for both of them.In this, the tenth outing for Detective Warren, D.D. works with Flora Dane [“Find Her”] to find the answers in this puzzling murder. The three women alternate as narrators with each bringing a distinctive point of view to the telling of the tale. D.D., Evie, and Flora all serve as a focus for the story; they are strong, nuanced characters, distinctive and relatable, while the other expected characters have roles in the telling of the tale. Complex plot twists, long-held secrets, and devastating lies keep the riveting thriller unfolding, often in surprising ways and with unanticipated reveals taking the story in unexpected directions. Readers will find it difficult to set this one aside before turning the final page.Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      Pretty good story... but you definitely have to suspend reality a bit to believe it.
    • 5/5
      An unbeatable combination

      DD Warren and Flora Dane pair up again in Lisa Gardner's new book and it's as good as promised. Both DD and Flora have grown and changed throughout the series, and might even like and respect each other by now. At it's heart, this is a book about mothers and their children, but doesn't skimp on suspense.
    • 5/5
      I am glad to say that I am not tiring of the D. D. Warren series at all! As with the last few books Flora Dane is a significant character and much of the thriller had her at the center. Never Tell seamlessly presents a link between a current murder and Flora's experience at the hands of Jacob Ness.The title refers to the secrets kept within one family. The protagonist/murder suspect is a liar in deed and by omission. Her parents kept secrets; her husband did the same. These lies and secrets are revealed as the story unfolds.
    • 4/5
      This was a real page turner, and I liked all the investigators. It was a little dark and I am glad I didn't read the earlier instalment about Flora. The whole plot was borderline believable, but the pace carried me along, apart from the very end: I find it laughable that SPOILERa hitman would refuse to be called off - surely they'd take the money and stay in and watch TV.
    • 5/5
      Never Tell from Lisa Gardner is the new D.D. Warren (and Flora Dane) novel. I was quickly drawn in by the different viewpoints (three perspectives are used alternately) and loved the ride.This is one of those novels that will generate a lot of the "I knew who did it" comments. They are right, and wrong. Here is why. Most novels of this type offer several suspects and at different times things seem to point to different suspects. As we read further we acknowledge that some are stronger suspects, we may even feel that if we had to decide based on limited evidence we would choose a certain one. Sometimes we're right on that. But that is different from making the big blustery pseudo-intellectual comment "I knew who did it half way through." No, no you didn't. You would be a horrible detective if you made an actual final judgement before other suspects had been ruled out. That said, for those of us who aren't so narcissistic, we "knew" just as early as these people, but we also know that early judgements are often wrong and so we continued doing the detective work, also called reading, until we could eliminate the other suspects as well as confirm one of them. So, that little bit aside, this novel does a wonderful job of presenting several viable possibilities as well as nuances within the possibilities (such as who also had knowledge, who helped or at least didn't hinder, etc). Even when you're pretty sure whodunit, you'll still be looking to see who, if anyone, helped. In other words, don't be a crappy detective and claim you "know" the ending when you don't, it is poor detective work and it shows incredibly sub par reading ability.If you're sometimes thrown off by different perspectives in each chapter, give this one a try anyway. The three characters are distinctively different so you won't have many, if any, situations where you try to remember which character had a particular thought or did a particular action. I like multi-perspective work but I found this one to be one of the better ones.I would definitely recommend this to readers of crime novels, procedurals, and those already familiar with Gardner's work. This can easily be read as a standalone. This focused a little less on Warren so I would also suggest reading some of the earlier volumes in the series to get a more nuanced view of her.Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads First Reads.
    • 4/5
      Never Tell is another solid Lisa Gardner novel, featuring D.D. Warren and Special Agent Kimberly Quincy. This novel also brings back Flora Dane, a survivor of kidnapping. I enjoyed this book, with the snappy writing and smart D.D. Warren, but I felt that I didn't really understand why the killer was involved with the dark web. He just didn't seem the type to me. Other than that, I liked the book. I really like Gardner's way of laying out a story and connecting the dots.
      I am sure there is still more to Flora's story, and hopefully, we will eventually solve the mystery of the missing victims.

      #NeverTell #LisaGardner
    • 4/5
      Another incredible outing by Gardner, another interesting case for D. D. Warren. Plus, the very scarred Flora is back, now looking for answers from her time held captive. Two deaths, sixteen years apart, the common denominator a young pregnant woman. All three will connect in a very unusual way.Such a good series, and some terrific characters added to keep the series fresh. This is a tangled weave of a case, one that proves dangerous for a few of the characters. Suspenseful, I couldn't figure out where it was going, but avidly followed along. I love the brief looks into D. D. Warren's personal life, her young son, and young puppy. Adds an element of humor.ARC from Dutton.
    • 2/5
      My feelings towards this book surprised me. This is because the last prior books I enjoyed a lot and this included the recent short story that was to hold me until the release of this book. D.D. Warren is a big reason why I liked the prior books. While, I liked her in this book, she could not hold the whole story alone strong enough to keep my attention. In fact, I struggled to find a emotional connection towards the characters and the story as the whole package. Despite, the lack of emotional connection towards the characters, I did keep reading the book and finished it. Sadly, nothing truly came out and grabbed my attention. I can't remember a lot of details about the story. While, this book missed the mark with me, I did look forward to reading the next book in the series.
    • 5/5
      Never TellByLisa GardnerWhat it's all about...Pregnant Evie walks into her husband’s study and finds him dead. She picks up the gun left there and fires 12 shots into his computer. The next night this house burns to the ground. Flora has escaped from a sex driven madman who kept her hostage for over 400 days. There is a connection with Evie’s husband and her captor...but...what is this connection? Also...Evie was acquitted over 16 years ago of shooting her father...but did she really? This book is a realm of questions! Why I wanted to read it...I picked up this book from my towering pile of TBR’s and after reading the first few pages could not put it down. It became more intense and captivating with every page I read. What made me truly enjoy this book...The characters were unique and often hard core. Why did Evie agree to say she murdered her father? What is wrong with Evie’s well kept mother? What will it take for Flora to forget and get past her abduction? Why you should read it, too...Readers who love a well written fast paced story will really enjoy this book! It has its creepy bits but they only add to this story. I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and Amazon. It was my choice to read it and review it.
    • 5/5
      Lisa Gardner is the queen of psychological thrillers for a reason. Her stories are always well-written and paced, filled with wonderful characters and plot twists, and delve deeply into the human psyche. NEVER TELL is all that and more. The story revolves around three women: the iconic series character homicide detective D.D. Warren, victim turned activist and confidential informant Flora Dane, and, the focus of this case, Evie Carter. Evie has a history. Everyone knows that as a teenager, she killed her father with a shotgun. An accident, maybe. Now her husband is shot to death, and oddly, his computer is riddled with bullet holes, and Evie is caught red, as in blood, handed. Is this history repeating itself or is the truth something much darker? D.D. and crew must work with Flora, wealthy and charming true crime buff Keith Edgar, FBI SSA Kimberly Quincy, and Evie herself to peel away the layers of these two perplexing crimes. Their search for the truth spirals through many dark alleys, real and psychological. An excellent story, well told.DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly thriller series