I’d never read anything by Catherine McKenzie and go girl! Oh how can you go wrong when looking for a thriller with betrayal, misleadings, and drama! Perfect for by the pool! I’ll Never Tell grabs you and pulls you in and you can’t put it down! This was phenomenal!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Secrets, Lies, Truths...

Full of family drama and suspense it kept me flipping the pages eager to learn what really happened at Camp Macaw. Never would’ve guessed the ending!

I love Catherine McKenzie's work. She is becoming a favorite of mine, especially for books that keep you guessing until the very end. McKenzie takes you back to summer camp in her latest book, I'll Never Tell. You meet the MacAllister family and are introduced to their Camp Macaw after the death of their parents. Back when the kids were younger and the camp was running in full force, Amanda Holmes was found dead. Most are convinced Ryan. one of the oldest boys murdered Amanda, but not everyone is convinced. I thoroughly enjoyed the who done it with this story. Just when you think you know, another secret comes out. I highly recommend Catherine McKenzie's work and I will continue to look for her books. Special thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

#IllNeverTell #NetGalley

Summer camp reunion with siblings who have a lot of secrets from each other. Ryan, Margaux, Mary, Kate, and Liddie return to Camp Macaw one year after their parents’ deaths for a memorial service and the reading of the will. Before the weekend is over, the siblings each have confessions to make to themselves and one another. And what about Amanda, who was the victim of a horrific crime 20 years ago? And Sean, why was he always at camp? Settle in for a delicious adventure. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.

I know I mention this a lot, but it’s refreshing to see a plot/setting/characters that I have never seen before. There are so many stories- good ones- that have similar storylines or settings I have seen a million times. So I especially liked the unusual setting of I’ll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie.

The book takes place at a summer camp that’s been run by the MacAllister family for years. When their parents pass away, at the reading of the will, there is a vote the kids must participate in- a vote that will render one of them guilty for an unsolved crime that was committed when they were teenagers.

the official synopsis:

Twenty years ago, she washed up on shore in a rowboat with a gash to the head after an overnight at Camp Macaw. No one was ever charged with a crime.

Now, the MacAllister children are all grown up. After their parents die suddenly, they return to Camp to read the will and decide what to do with the prime real estate it’s sitting on. Ryan, the oldest, wants to sell. Margo, the family’s center, hasn’t made up her mind. Mary has her own horse farm to run, and believes in leaving well-enough alone. Kate and Liddie—the twins—have opposing views. And Sean Booth, the family groundskeeper, just hopes he still has a home when all is said and done.

But then the will is read and they learn that it’s much more complicated than a simple vote. Until they unravel the mystery of what happened to Amanda, they can’t move forward. Any one of them could have done it, and all of them are hiding key pieces of the puzzle. Will they work together to solve the mystery, or will their suspicions and secrets finally tear the family apart?

I had some ideas and suspicions that changed as I read the story and learned more about the siblings. I enjoyed this book, I was curious who the culprit was and the ending was a good one.

Due out July 1.

The MacAllister siblings are returning to their family's summer camp to read their father's will after the death of their parents. Each sibling has a different idea of what they would like to happen to the camp, and they are surprised to learn that they may not have much of a choice. Years ago there was a tragedy with one of the campers and their father believes one of the siblings had something to do with it. If they can't come to a unanimous decision the future of the camp (and the family) is at risk. There are many secrets about the night of the tragedy and one by one they start to unfold.

This was just an ok read for me. I had a difficult time connecting with any of the characters and found the sisters to be hard to differentiate. I kept confusing the characters and having to stop and think about who I was reading about. I also found it a little strange that the dad was super creepy and took notes on everyone at camp. Creeper. There really wasn't even a point to it, because the notes weren't helpful in solving anything. The whiteboard map at the end of the chapters was also too much for me, I stopped looking at it after the first few chapters. Too many people and too many beaches to keep track of.

Another wonderful read by Catherine McKenzie. She is one of my favorite authors and "I'll Never Tell' is full of the suspense we've come to enjoy in her writing. There were quite a few characters but I felt like I had each of them noted after a couple of chapters; I love the alternating perspectives. The characters were complex and I enjoyed getting to figure out the 'twist' as I flipped through each chapter. Applauding McKenzie for another entertaining read!

This book was weird and hard to put down. Like an infinity times darker Wet Hot American Summer revisited. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“I’ll Never Tell” by Catherine McKenzie is a thriller that I finished in one day. I absolutely couldn’t put it down. The camp setting was just perfect and I loved the alternating timelines and perspectives of the MacAllister kids. This is a perfect beac read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher.

This was a very compelling read! I really liked how each chapter alternated between each of the main characters (who also happen to be suspects) and also included chapters dedicated to that fateful night twenty years ago (and told from Amanda's perspective as the night/early morning unfolded). One of my favorite parts of the book was the timeline chart outlining everyone's whereabouts which slowly fills in as the story unfolds. The MacAllisters are definitely a family filled with secrets and assumptions. When the siblings are forced to dig deeper into what happened to Amanda after the death of their parents, they discover a lot about one another - including where each of them were on that July night...

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing a copy for review.

Good mystery that kept me guessing until the end. Easy to read, and one I didn’t want to put down!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'll Never Tell, an age old saying. Some people can keep secrets well, others, not so much. Catherine McKenzie took this mantra to a whole new level in her book, I'll Never Tell.

A family. A summer camp. A devastating assault. A lifetime of secrets.

The MacAllister children have returned to Camp Macaw, their childhood home, to host a memorial for their parents, who suddenly died in an accident. The Camp has been in the family for generations, but not all the memories are happy ones. When the will is finally read, the siblings are left with an impossible decision. Should they sell the Camp and divide the money between them, or should they keep it and continue the family legacy? They soon find out this is not the only decision they have to make. A surprise their father left them from the grave, a chance to solve a mystery that has been haunting the whole family for twenty years, who hurt Amanda.

As the story unfolds, each of the MacAllisters reveal bits of that night twenty years ago. Anyone of them could have done it, and they are all hiding pieces to the mystery. Will they come together to find out what ultimately happened, or will they hold onto their secrets until the very end.

I liked the format the book took, switching back and forth from each of the main characters. It provided a complete understanding of each character's perception and thoughts. It also included snips from Amanda, twenty years ago. Doing this intensified the sense of intrigue and allowed you to see the events as they played out. I did feel it a bit confusing at times, and had difficulty following the timeline and keeping the story straight in my head.

Although the characters were developed individually throughout the story, I never really connected to them. There was a lack of depth there that left them flat. I think this may explain why I found myself uninterested in the people of the story and wanting more of the juice of the mystery. I did like the ending, it gave me a resolution and tied everything up with a bow.

Thank you NetGalley, Catherine McKenzie, and Lake Union Publishers for my free copy in exchange for my honest review.

So many lies and secrets went on at Camp Macaw. 20 years later, 5 siblings come together to read their fathers will and he has a “stipulation” they have to do. This book kept me guessing until the end. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this book for my honest review.

I'll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie is my first novel by this author but I have to say it won't be my last! I read this while on vacation and couldn't wait to get back to the story each day - a fast paced mystery packed with family drama and more twists & turns than expected. Great job! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Me: omg girl this book is so friggin good, I was up all night.
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Friend: What's it about?
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Me: hhhmmmmm well, it's about this group of siblings that come together at the reading of their father's will only to be told that they must decide if their brother is responsible for a tragic incident with a teenage girl twenty years earlier.
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Friend: That sounds kinda ridiculous.
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Me: Yeah I know.
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Friend: So what happens?
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Me: Nothing really.
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Friend: What do they do to decide if he's guilty?
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Me: Wellllll....they don't exactly DO anything.
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Friend: We're back to my first question, what is the book about?!
_______________________________

Yes, there is a mystery involving a girl twenty years prior.
Yes, there is a will requiring a decision on the guilt or innocence of a brother.

For me, that plotline is nothing but a good premise to bring together five estranged siblings after the death of their parents.

The mystery of what happened twenty years prior and the reading of the will is but a catalyst for these siblings being forced to reveal themselves to each other for the first time. Maybe that's what their eccentric late father intended, who knows?

We learn that they each hold secrets, not only about what happened twenty years ago, but about themselves. It seems that none of them really knows the other. Their individual secrets and assumptions have driven a monumental chasm in this family.

Man, Catherine McKenzie can develop a character. I felt like I knew these people, like they were my own family. Hell, they ARE my family. I liken McKenzie's style to that of Celeste Ng, whereas the players ARE the story.

This story really got me thinking about my own secrets, we all have them so don't even try it. No matter how small or inane the closeted skeleton, it still causes tiny fissures in our relationships. If revealed, they wouldn't cause a complete break and could only serve in strengthening our bonds, so why do we keep them?


I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good mystery and I’ve found lately that I love books set at summer camps - I’ll Never Tell is a twisty suspense read that combines both of these and left me questioning every character and their motives!

I’ll Never Tell focuses around the five MacAllister siblings, gathered at the summer camp run by their parents. All five are there for a reading of a will after their parents sudden accidental deaths. Each believe their parents will simply give them an equal share in the camp and each has their own different opinions regarding what should happen to the camp. Mr. MacAllister surprises everyone by stating the children can only receive their share of the trust after they investigate a horrible crime from twenty years prior, when a camp counselor was found bludgeoned in a canoe on the lake.

This books keeps such a quick pace by flipping between each siblings point of view as well as flashbacks from bludgeoned counselor leading up to her attack. I loved how the end of each chapter further establishes a timeline of each siblings whereabouts on the night of the attack. It kept me guessing who the attacker was until ALMOST the end, but I loved how the book so strongly portrayed the ties that bind families and the secrets they keep both from each other and also to protect each other. I’m thankful to NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy of this book - this would make a perfect vacation read so check it out in June if you’re looking for a twisty summer mystery!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I'll Never Tell is set during a weekend where 5 siblings return to their family summer camp to memorialize their parents. Secrets abound and the truth is determined to come out. This book grabbed me from the very beginning. The characters were well written and easy to identify with. Every one of the siblings has a secret to hide. This book was a great read with a good twist at the end that I never saw coming. I definitely recommend this book and will be looking for other books written by Catherine Mckenzie.

I always enjoy Catherine McKenzie’s writing. This was a great mystery centered around a complex family and the summer camp they owned. The characters were all very interesting as is the premise. Great read!

So many things about this book made want to read it — the cover, the title, the description, the author — and let me tell you, it did not disappoint! I was completely hooked from page one!

The MacAllisters return to their family-owned camp 21 years after Amanda Holmes, a former camp counselor, was found beaten. The five siblings are gathered to reveal the contents of their parents’ will and believe their biggest task will be agreeing on what to do with the camp. But according to the will, Ryan, Margaux, Mary, and twins Liddie and Kate must first solve the mystery of what happened to Amanda before they can decide its fate.

Filled with secrets, suspense, and twists at every turn of the page! I did not want to stop reading until the mystery was finally unraveled. The ending was brilliant and so is Catherine McKenzie!

I flew through this! I’m beginning to realize that I love camp books. This was no exception. I agree with another reviewer that stated this was like an Agatha Christie book if she had wrote about camp. A family owns a camp but when the father dies, who inherits? And what exactly happened to a girl years ago? When the siblings return to camp, secrets come to the surface . Is one of them the killer? I was on the edge of my seat to find out. Fast paced with alternating chapters with each sibling and Amanda, the girl that was killed. Loved this!!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.