Favorite Quotes:

D.D. gave the childless detective a look. “If pregnancy hormones led to homicide, there wouldn’t be a husband left alive.”

You know, anyone will hang with the lit department, but tell someone you teach math or science, and it’s like you’re personally reminding them of every test they ever failed.

In movies, everyone loves the kickass heroine. I’m less convinced the average man wants one in real life.

I do not shoot my exes. Frankly, I couldn’t afford that many bullets.

My father was brilliant, my mother was melodramatic, my husband was a hero and a liar, my family was complicated.

My Review:

Never Tell was a cleverly crafted, maddeningly paced, complicated, and slowly developing tale with multiple POVs and complex storylines full of secrets, lies, and manipulations. Other than the recurring police offices none of the other characters were as they were initially presented; I couldn’t decide where several fell on the spectrum of good vs. evil. I spun wild theories that spiraled, flamed, and flip-flopped every other chapter. Sigh, this deviously talented author bested me, I couldn’t get a firm handle on a number of her compelling and intricately fabricated characters; they were so annoyingly slippery.

The plot evolved at a fiendishly slow pace while each new hard-won yet oddly intriguing revelation just seemed to add several additional layers of complexity and confusion and led nowhere but a new itchy and brain-teasing rabbit hole. I was fully vexed and taut with tension yet deeply engrossed and totally invested. It was exceedingly cunning, and while I should be ashamed to admit that I was so very wrong, I’m actually not. Lisa Gardner has mad skills, although she must be a bit scary to know.

Captivating, edgy & wholly satisfying!

LISA GARDNER has done it again with her latest installment to the Detective D.D. Warren series with Book # 10. This is one author I can always count on that never disappoints and always delivers such fantastic thrillers that are gripping, action-packed and packed full of nail-biting suspense. I am a huge fan and have read all of her novels to date.

NEVER TELL by LISA GARDNER (Detective D.D. Warren #10) is a dark, suspenseful, emotional and intense thriller with absolutely wonderful and captivating characters. The story is told between the alternating perspectives from three fascinating and exceptionally well-developed characters. LISA GARDNER creates such compelling, fabulous and dynamic characters that you can’t help but love and be fully invested in. I absolutely love D.D. Warren and Flora Dane! There was another character that popped in to help D.D. with her investigation and I was pleasantly surprised and loved the appearance.

The storyline’s are always intense but I thought this one was a little more complex than her previous novels which slowed down the pacing a tiny bit for me. Even though I had to pay a little more attention to the details while I was reading it, all those carefully hidden clues still stumped me until closer to the end.

Norma’s Stats:
Cover: Hauntingly beautiful and fitting representation to storyline. (Paperback version which releases on August 6, 2019.)
Title: A fabulous representation that definitely depicts the storyline perfectly with all of its secrets and lies it withholds until that explosive and perfectly timed ending.
Writing/Prose: Compulsively readable, notable, strong, impressive, well-written, entertaining, engrossing, and prolific.
Plot: Suspenseful, raw, complex, riveting, fast-paced, dark, thrilling, captivating, taut, twisty, and entertaining.
Ending: An action-packed, surprising, thrilling, and explosive ending!
Overall: Another stellar read from the Queen of Thrillers that had me immediately hooked and completely riveted in this tangled crime thriller. Would highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Dutton and Lisa Gardner for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy of this book.

Never Tell by Lisa Gardner is the 10th book in the Detective D.D. Warren series. The books are all about the cases that D.D. Warren takes on and solves. Often the stories twist and turn as she follows the clues. The books are part of a series, but I have not read them all, just a few and find I can pick them right up. I enjoy the character of D.D. Warren, she is dogged, intelligent, and manages to find and understand clues and people’s behaviors only too well.

D.D. Warren is called to a murder scene only to realize that she recognizes the wife of the murdered man. The wife who was once a teenager who ‘accidentally’ shot her father has now shot her husband. D.D. knows that this case is not going to be a open and shut case and that there is more going on. Luckily, she has help from her CI, Flora Dane who recognizes the shot husband and this opens up still another case about Flora’s past. Add in a computer geek, a fed investigator and D.D. Warren’s team and the stories slowly start to unwind.

Never Tell by Lisa Gardner is a thrilling, glued to your seat, waiting for everything to happen read.

Admittedly, this is the first book in the Detective D.D. Warren series I have read! I chose to review this book because I enjoy a good crime thriller. I was not disappointed with this story, as it definitely held my interest. I loved the relationship between the detective and vigilante Flora, but found Evie to be somewhat flat... I understand this was Gardner’s goal, as she had to showcase the damage done by her neurotic mother... portraying her as a passive and introverted person controlled by the people around her... but I did not enjoy her voice and the fact that she never questioned her past. Even her flash backs to moments with Conrad felt empty.... like they were two strangers living under the same roof. Which I guess they were....

Aside from Evie, I was caught up in the twists and turns of the plot and felt like I needed to find out more about Conrad’s secret life. He was still a mystery at the end as the novel rushed to a conclusion. I wanted more! I appreciated the education I received about the dark web and the complicated system of criminal contacts that can be made if you know what to look for. Haunting. I plan on reading the entire series.

Police officers respond to a shots-fired call to discover the victim’s pregnant wife standing over the body with the gun. The woman admits to shooting the weapon but denies murdering her husband.

When D.D. Warren arrives on scene, she recognizes the detainee from one of her first cases. Sixteen years earlier, Evie shot and killed her own father in what law enforcement ruled an accident. Once maybe, but twice? As any good cop, D.D. doesn’t believe in coincidences, but her investigation reveals that the case might not be as simple as it appears either.

In true Lisa Gardner style, Never Tell delivers a mind-twisting story that then twists some more. Raw and emotional, this tale runs the reader through the wringer. It is a story of regret, loss, and perseverance.

Only Gardner can make a reader love, hate, and fear the same character all at once. Who does the reader root for when s/he doesn’t know who is the victim and who is the culprit? Does one mourn or feel relief?

While I figured out the who and part of the why, the villain’s motives ran deeper than I realized and thus still provided a surprise ending. I enjoyed watching D.D. and Flora Dane reunite for another case, and Evie proved a fascinating conundrum.

If you’re looking for a story with weak women, this one is not for you. Never Tell follows three forces of nature, their strength, in many ways, stemming from their brokenness. Yet each battles different ghosts and in no way becomes copies of the others. Each woman is unique and possesses her own voice and way of fighting the hand she’s been dealt.

As with every installment in the D.D. Warren series, Never Tell can stand alone. However, to fully understand Flora Dane’s past and her tentative partnership with D.D., one might want to look into Find Her and Look for Me first. I recommend this book to Gardner, D.D., and thriller fans alike. As usual though, it should remain within its intended audience. Strong language and mature content does not make it advisable for young readers.

This sounded so promising and it started out great! A mysterious murder, the strangeness with the wife having been in this situation before, good solid characters, shady dealings. Somewhere around the 60% mark I felt like it started to drag. Still, I really had to know how it would turn out. There were few good twists and a couple surprises, but I just wasn’t wowed by them. I’d still say it’s an enjoyable read, especially if you’ve been following this particular series.

I feel I must begin with a caveat - I finished this in February (I know, I know), and have been remiss in reviewing it, which is quite a travesty actually, as I both enjoyed this book immensely and have loved what I've read of this series so far.

Lisa Gardner knows how to twist and turn a story, to get you so entrenched that only exhaustion can break you away. And I truly, truly love Detective D.D. Warren. However, since I'm rather a late starter in this series (I started on book #9, and read the novella that came in between this and the last), I'm almost as infatuated with Flora's story, and I love the interplay of these two characters. 

This book in particular brings Flora to the forefront, as her past becomes a pivotal part of the current investigation, providing clues that change things dramatically for others who are involved. This link sheds a lot more light on what happened to Flora during her kidnapping, and these realizations really deepened my connection to her character.

As for the crime/mystery around all which all of this happens, I connected to Evie immediately. As everything unraveled and the truth was revealed, I felt absolutely terrible for her and her situation. I'll admit, I suspected one part of the story once Flora's past came into play, but every once in awhile, I'd question myself. It was an ingeniously written plot and I loved every minute of it!

If you haven't read this book yet, you absolutely should! The paperback (with a haunting new cover!) will be available for purchase on August 6th.

4.5★★★★Stars

Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Type: Book 10 of Detective DD Warren Series
POV: First Person - Multiple

This author always delivers a fantastic thriller full of suspense and action. I utterly enjoyed this story, I loved that we get three points of views makes the book so much interesting and exciting.

Overall; you'll find this book as exciting as the others perhaps even better. I liked how the author kept the readers guessing until the end. I seriously had my doubts about everyone but the author managed to keep me hooked till the very end. Reader who enjoy mystery thrillers will find this book appealing.

*Thank you to Dutton and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.*


Detective D.D. Warren is on a case of a man shot and killed in his home office. His computer has also been shot up, and the man's pregnant wife is holding the gun. Detective Warren recognizes the wife, Evie Carter, from a case a few years back of Evie shooting and killing her father by accident. Seems a little coincidental that these two cases are related.


Watching the news, Flora Dane, sees the segment about the murder and immediately recognizes the man, Conrad Carter, being a man she had seen when she was captured and held captive for over a year. Flora is determined to figure out his involvement in her capture, and help solve the case of his murder. 


Detective Warren and Flora slowly discover that all things are not what they seem and people keep secrets in order to help cover things up for loved ones. 


Lisa Gardner has done it again with an awesome Detective Warren/Flora Dane story. I really enjoyed the storyline of this book. She does a wonderful job connecting all the characters together, and making it feel like it is a real case you are involved in.

"Never Tell" is a mystery/suspense story that will keep you intrigued from the very first chapter! Lisa Gardner's D.D. Warren series is becoming one of my absolute favorites. The characters are very well-written and there's a good plot twist. The pacing of this story is perfect. If you've never read one of her books, Lisa Gardner does NOT disappoint!
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve committed the cardinal bookish sin of reading a series out of order. In fact, I only started the Detective D.D. Warren series a few books ago and I haven’t had a chance yet to read the previous installments. But how was I supposed to resist reading the new release? Never Tell was a captivating read, I really couldn’t put it down. Lisa Gardner masterfully weaves her story giving you bits and pieces of information as she creates the full picture.

This was a story of twists and turns, right from the first page it plunges you into the story, but the more you find out, the less you know. It was a nail-baiting read that entwined a new story with an old case. I believe one of the characters that shows up is the heroine of Gardner’s other thriller series, so if you are an avid fan (as I fully plan to be!) you will see a familiar face. But, I don’t want to give too much away, it’s much more fun to get swept up in the journey.

This is also a great book to read if you love a strong heroine, which is something I love. D.D. is a smart woman who is prospering and well respected in her career. I love seeing a woman succeed, even if she’s fictional. Then we have Flora, a survivor, whose life has irrevocably changed due to the horror she was forced to lived through. I love seeing her journey, which is a mixture of heart-breaking and inspiring, and I look forward to more of her in future books.

This is a thriller not to be missed, it has an enthralling story and fantastic characters, I can’t wait for more.

One of my new favorite books! This author has such a way with words the pages flew by in no time! I can’t wait to see the next work by this author! This was such a joy to read!

It is hard to believe I have never read this author given how well known she is and how much I read. I really liked the book, story of three woman, a woman accused of shooting her husband, mimicking an earlier shooting of her father, a kidnapped, abused survior and the investigator on the case. How their lives intersect and overlap and how the past informs the present.

Very good mystery/suspense from one of today's best writers in the genre. It's always great to find a book whose main premise is that looks are often very deceiving, but the plot twists are written so well that most of us wouldn't be able to guess the entire ending correctly. The characters are strong and well-written, and Gardner manages to keep the action and tension going through the book. The ending feels a little bit forced; I felt like she got the loose ends tied up a little too quickly. But still a definite must-read!

This book was so good. It's not my typical go to genre but loved it. The pacing was perfect. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

i will feature this book in Summer Reading Guide next month .

Lisa Gardner never disappoints with a suspenseful twisty thriller and Never Tell hits all the right marks. How can you go wrong when you combine three of her best characters - Detective D.D. Warren, kidnapping survivor turned vigilante Flora Dane and a surprise appearance by FBI agent Kimberly Quincy - into one fast paced novel?

I'm always hooked from the first page of a Lisa Gardner book and Never Tell kicks off with a bang, actually 15 shots. Evie returns home and finds her husband shot three times while sitting in front of his computer. This brings Evie back immediately to the scene of her father's death, when she happened upon the gruesome find in their family's kitchen. Evie and her mother believed her father had killed himself and after being persuaded by her mother to claim Evie had accidentally shot her father, her life was forever altered by the stigma of that claim. At the scene of her husband's death, she grabs the gun and fires 12 rounds directly into the computer. The case has Detective D.D. Warren questioning her earlier assessment of Evie from the case involving the father's death. Then Flora Dane drops a bombshell that Evie's husband had connections with Jacob, Flora's abductor.

The case quickly twists and turns in several different directions as Detective Warren, Flora Dane, Agent Quincy and Evie herself all try to track down the killer and figure out exactly what Evie's husband and Jacob have in common.

Anytime I'm looking for an engaging crime thriller that will have me guessing until the very last page, I can count on Lisa Gardner to deliver.

I received this book courtesy of Penguin Dutton Group through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book right at the same time as a massive hand injury where my hand was wrapped up and I was unable to use it. It is a testament to this author and how RIVETING this book was that I somehow managed to rig up a way to prop my phone in my hand with blankets so I could keep reading this book!!! I love love loved that Ms. Gardner brought in characters from former books as small and supporting roles in this book! I often re read her books so it was fun to see what some of them were up to. I also loved Flora Dane's new man friend. I was completely convinced he was a psycho until the end of the book, and now I am really looking forward to the next book to see how she develops that friendship and possible relationship with all the horror that Flora has been through.

It's hard to believe that my book binge of this series is finally over! I am looking forward to the next installment already! And all the more so because of how much I enjoyed this addition to the D. D. Warren series. This tenth book in the series picks up sooner than the usual gap between the books (maybe due to worrying about the series' title character aging out too soon?). Flora Dane is in this one, too, which just adds to the overall fun - especially since she is my favorite addition to this series. But, the newly introduced characters here are interesting, too - and all the more so because of the connection to Flora. And Flora herself sees some additional changes in her character arc. that are promising for future books.

From a police procedural perspective, this is probably the most unconventional installment so far in the series, but but that really helps add to the excitement and drama of it all! This is definitely one of the stronger additions with multiple plot twists, timelines and perspectives that all combine to turn this into a genuine page turner! I have been an admirer of Gardner's writing for quite a long time now (for over 15 years!) and she continues to rank among my most favorite authors as she provides consistently entertaining and fast-paced books. I have thoroughly enjoyed catching up on this series by re-reading the first half, and experiencing the second half for the first time! I am excited as ever to see what will come next in this series, and also looking forward to catching up on the two other series' that have some books that I haven't gotten to yet! Gardner is just a terrific writer!

This was my first time reading Lisa Gardner. This was good but it took me awhile to get into it and it started in a confusing note. I realized later it was the 10th in the series. If I had paid more attention I probably would have read one of her earlier books first. I would recommend this book to fans of Lisa Gardener and detective mysteries.

Never Tell by Lisa Gardner is the 10th book in the Detective Warren Series. Gardner is able to catch up her readers if they haven't read her previous books and then dives into the gripping and creepy tale of Evie who years earlier was arrested for the murder of her father. Gardner leads you down the twisty road of lies, murder, and deception.

Gardner's writing is engaging and if you are a fan of thrillers this one is for you. The three women involved in this story, the detective, the informant, and Evie are multidimensional characters who you can connect with even if you can't always relate. As someone who is often left wanting "more" with this type of genre, I found Never Tell to be a very satisfying read that kept me guessing and I look forward to reading more of this series in the future.