I was very excited with this one. Unfortunately it was not for me. I was not interested at all with any of the characters. There wasn’t one character I liked in this book. They were just a mess and the story was uneventful, kind of boring…

A domestic suspense that includes a summer camp, five siblings, and the reading of a will, “I’ll Never Tell” rivals other bestselling thrillers on the market. With multiple narrators and tension wrought from the onset, this novel is a delicious read perfect for a steamy summer night or a cool evening curled up by the fire. Special kudos to the author for including a timeline graph as the backstory unfolds offering details of who was where when helping readers follow along.

This book was great but very very predictable. Mystery Thrillers should be less predictable and have better tropes.

This book was an incredible page turner. With all the different secrets and relationships, I felt it was a great psychological thriller. I was on my toes wondering who did it, and I have recommended this book/author to lots of people! Can't wait to read more of her work!

The MacAllister children – Margaux, Ryan, Mary, Kate, and Liddie – spent their formative summers at their family’s camp, Camp Macaw. In 1998, a young counselor named Amanda was found bludgeoned on the shore of the camp, but no one was ever charged with the crime. Flashforward to the present day, when the five MacAllister children have reunited at the camp for a reading of their father’s will, which forces them to confront their past and uncover secrets that have been buried for two decades.

I’ll Never Tell was engaging from start to finish. I loved the camp setting, the multiple points of view, and the classic “who dunnit” feel to this novel. The characters were well-developed and distinct, although each of them is deeply flawed and, at times, unlikeable. It kept me guessing the whole way through and I didn’t want it to end.

Another great book by this author. She is consistant with her well developed plots and surprising twists. Great characters, engaging story. I always enjoy her books.

The Macallister children all gather at Camp Macaw to read their parent's will. Their family has owned a summer camp their whole lives, and their Father's last wish-he has asked them to solve a 20 year mystery- who killed Amanda? One summer night Margeaux's best friend Amanda dies in a mysterious accident......or was it on purpose? For years the siblings have thought it was their older brother Ryan who killed her, but is that really what happened? This is a really interesting complex story told through the eyes of all the siblings, and how each of them view what happened on that tragic day. Excellent read!

I didn't manage to read much of this. I've been trying to get into adult novels but this just wasn't for me. I'm only rating since you have to.

This was a classic psychological who-done-it mystery that takes place at a family-run summer camp. The victim, 17-year-old Amanda, was brutally assaulted and left for dead 20 years ago at the McCaw summer camp. There are a small list of suspects who are primarily the 5 McCaw siblings plus the camp caretaker. The group gathers together in present time to figure out who it was. As expected, there are many secrets that are revealed along the journey.

I’ll admit this wasn’t my favourite book from this author.. The plot felt slow to me and I had a hunch early on as to who was the guilty party. Sadly, I was correct...I also didn’t really connect with the characters all that well. I wish they had been written with more personality and depth. On the other hand, there were some suspenseful moments and I was keen to get to the end to find out what happened.

A gracious thank you to Lake Union and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An absorbing, well-written whodunit or mystery in a camp setting. Members of a dysfunctional family revisit a camp on the Labour Day long weekend, one year after the death of their parents, for a memorial and to learn about their inheritance. They must finally face events that left another camper in a coma many years ago. The story is told from several points of view, including the view of the person who was injured, and switches seamlessly from past to present. The final resolution was unexpected and satisfying.

A year after the unexpected deaths of their parents, the five MacAllister siblings return to Camp Macaw for the reading of the their parent's will. Hoping for closure and a final decision on the future of the summer camp, un unexpected and unusual final request by their father forces them to face a 20 year old tragedy in which one of the siblings was involved in. An unsolved mystery that threatens to unravel the tenuous strands that hold the family together.

As a child I always dreamed of going to sleep away camp. It seemed like such a magical, secretive place, so just based on the novel's premise and setting (and the fact that I am a huge Catherine McKenzie fan) I knew I had to read this book.

Another well crafted story, a fast read that had me hooked from the very first page. I enjoyed the descriptions of the camp itself and surrounding area (I'm also a Montrealer) and the alternating points of view as well as timelines added to the mystery and suspenseful buildup. Don't know if I would say this was a thriller but definitely a family drama/mystery combination.

Not my favourite novel by this author, but nonetheless an enjoyable and entertaining read, perfect to take to the beach or the pool on a hot summer day (or on a 7 hour transatlantic flight as I did). As always, looking forward to reading her next novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing a digital copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.

I knew I wouldn't be disappointed with a Catherine McKenzie book! I really enjoyed the setting. The characters all had their own personality. There's twists and turns. I couldn't wait to find out what happened to poor Amanda all those years ago. Another well-written page-turner from this author.

DNF @ 20%. Unfortunately, I couldn't push myself to read further. No connection to the characters or storyline.

I really enjoyed this book. It has quite a few twists and turns in the plot. I kept trying to guess what was happening and was surprised by the outcome. It was a great read with many unpredictable components. Definitely worth the time to read it. If you like suspense and modern mysteries you’ll. Enjoy this one. It finished this book within about 4 days as I was curious as to what the outcome was. I didn't develop any strong connections or loyalties with any of the characters which would be the one downside of this book.

This story revolves around five siblings returning home for the reading of their parents will. Home is the summer camp where they grew up and where there was an unsolved tragedy years ago. Amanda, one of the camp counsellors, washed up in a row boat, injured, with a gash to her head early one morning. The mystery of what happened to Amanda was never solved although there were many theories. Amanda has been in a coma all this time and she is a voice in the book so we get to hear her story. We also learn the thoughts of all five siblings and a caretaker at the camp. This book is so atmospheric. I could feel myself transported to the creepy camp with all its secrets. The stipulations in the will shock the siblings. They grew up in this big dysfunctional family with a flighty mother and a very strange father and now their father has added another element to his odd behaviour. His stipulations in the will are what propel the story forward. Each family member holds secrets and lies so the drama increases. Only after everything is finally out in the open will the mystery be solved. I love family drama stories and combine that with summer camp and it’s a winner. I couldn’t wait to find out how the book ends. The story was so well written especially with so many characters to manage. Another amazing book by this author.

Catherine McKenzie, a favourite author of mine from the beginning of her career, has done it again with this sparkling thriller intended to answer one simple question- what happened to Amanda Holmes all of those summers ago? The MacAllister children, grown now and gathered together for the one year memorial of their parents' death, are together at the family campground, Camp Macaw, to both say goodbye to their parents and to find out the fate of their inheritance, while circling around the question of what happened all those summers ago.

Skillfully weaving between the past and the present, I'll Never Tell tells the story of all four MacAllister children, their summers spent at Camp Macaw, and who they are as adults. I found myself becoming emotionally involved with some of the characters in the story, and at the same time I couldn't quite figure out what had happened to Amanda all of those years before. That made me a little wary of everyone and their truths.

Overall this is a well-written story that will make you wonder if what you think is the truth really is all that there is to the story. A thoughtful read, and while not always in the category of "thriller", it will certainly make you think. I very much enjoyed this and am excited to read what McKenzie writes next.

What a fabulous story! I couldn’t put it down! Kept me hooked and guessing right till the end. Highly recommend this book

Ok.

I was addicted to this book.

From the moment I started reading it, I didn't want to put it down. Told from multiple perspectives, we jump back and forth from the past (20 years ago) / the incident to the present - when the MacAllister's are finally forced to come to terms with what happened to Amanda Holmes.

This story is about so much more than simply figuring out "who did it" - its about the complexities of families - especially siblings. It's about how far you will go to protect someone, or think you are protecting someone. It's about the secrets we keep because we are more afraid of what it means to tell the truth. Catherine McKenzie is able to not only build up the tension and suspense, but she is also able to believably do it through 7 different characters - each one unique. Each character has a solid voice and perspective of their own - which also keeps the reader engaged and the story flowing.

If you have read my past reviews of Catherine McKenzie's work, you'll know that I am a fan. I've loved her books from the beginning, and have even enjoyed the evolution from the more "rom-com" reads to her solid, contemporary-fiction; aka suspenseful mysteries. Catherine has a way of creating well rounded characters, weaving a tale that has you wondering "what really happened" and then sucker punching you with the twist.

This is the kind of book that you just have to pick up and read. For fans of Agatha Christie (McKenzie even mentions in a Q&A at the end of wanting to write in that style), I think you'll be reminded of And Then There Were None - it almost felt like a tribute.

A highly recommended read - either for a summer reprieve from the heat, or simply something to curl up with anytime of the year. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the advanced read in response for my honest review.

ps.
It's also especially fun for any Montreal readers - McKenzie does a wonderful job of bringing that city, and the Eastern Townships to light. It felt like going home - even the english/french back and forth was sheer perfection.

There’s nothing about this story that has grabbed me. I don’t mind the story or the characters but I don’t feel the mystery. I’m not sure I care about any of the characters, even the victim.
Thankfully, the story picks up a bit before the halfway point. I still don’t like how the story jumps around different characters and times.
I’m glad I stuck with this book because I enjoyed the ending. I liked the red herrings that were thrown out.
3.5 stars.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review. I love Catherine McKenzie, she can do no wrong in my book. This story was really interesting. I've seen this book is climbing the charts and I'm so happy to see Catherine McKenzie receiving the recognition she deserves. Cannot wait for her future books.