This was such a uniquely crafted thriller - reading from the villain's point of view is not something I've done frequently and I found it utterly readable and hard to put down!!
Lucas Forrester had a lot of layers to him as a character and this is where Hannah Mary McKinnon seems to really shine for me - some thrillers are much more plot based but hers tend to deep dive into the characters and their pasts and relationships which lead to the plot points. I don't want to say too too much about the story because I do think that this type of thriller is often best read without too too much information, but if you enjoy domestic multi-layered thrillers, this one would be a great summer pick.

There were several story elements I definitely didn't anticipate and the ending was quite satisfying. Furthermore, my copy of this book included a little glimpse into the plot of Hannah Mary's NEXT book which sounds amazing too!!

Thank you so much to Mira and Harper Collins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun suspense novel told from the perspective of the “bad guy”. I found myself sort of rooting for him, and appreciating that he knew how to cover his tracks. My main complaint is with the ending and how everything resolved a little unrealistically for me. Despite that, it was an enjoyable read for any lovers of a good “whodunnit”

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Rating: 4 Stars
Publication: May 24, 2022
Pages: 368

“Never Coming Home” is a first time read by Hannah Mary McKinnon, new author to this reader. Once in a while I dabble a little into a what I think is a good thriller. Well, this one was exactly what I was anticipating.

The story is of Lucas and Michelle who appear on the outside as a couple with imperfections. They are success and rich. However, beneath all that they have accomplished, there is a husband that really hates his wife…literally can’t stand to be anywhere near her. Then there is Michelle who is quite the snob and doesn’t care for those whom she believes is beneath her. Well, Lucas comes up with a plan to do away with her and someone to do the dirty work for him. After getting rid of his pain in the neck, he begins to live the life he wants and dreams…it is unfortunate that someone has caught on to Lucas and will not rest until they make him pay for his crime.

This was one thriller that I had a hard time putting down and ignoring other reads to finish it. Ms. McKinnon has a well-written thriller that has its dark side with all the twists and turns for a good chilling read. What a delightful and entertaining read. Recommend this exciting book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Hannah Mary McKinnon for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one, which surprises me not at all because McKinnon is always on point with her writing! I like how this was written from the husbands perspective and how you definitely don’t like him, but also he’s keeping you wrapped around his little finger. I thought it was a different way to go about it and I would recommend for sure!

Lucas Forester’s mother in law is dying of cancer and getting weaker by the day. His wife Michelle is missing as she has been abducted.

As the story progresses we begin to see that Lucas is not a decent guy who has been plotting his wife’s death since she made him sign a prenuptial agreement. Lucas comes across as a conniving manipulative man with a big ego to boot. He likes to believe he has everything under control and he is one step ahead of everyone.

The story twists and turns and takes the reader on a journey learning more about Lucas’ background and how he met his wife. We learn about the relationship that he has with MIchelle's father, brother and mother.

It's a psychological thriller that kept me reading and curious as to how all the backstories pull together. There were times I felt like laughing, other times the story felt scary and I was spooked.

I would recommend this book if you like psychological thrillers. I would rate it a 7.5/10. It will keep you reading and take you through a gamut of emotions.

“Never Coming Home” was easily one of the best thrillers I have read so far this year! I did have a few suspicions early on that were addressed, however there were still quite a few twists that I really enjoyed and hadn’t quite put together. Lucas is one of the more unique main characters I’ve come across, and his POV really added a bit of humour to the otherwise suspenseful storyline.
Although the ending went a little too quickly/wrapped up pretty fast, I was pretty satisfied the way the story wrapped up overall. I look forward to McKinnon’s next book!
Big thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC of this novel!
4.5/5 rounded up!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Electric, propulsive and chilling, Never Coming Home is the addictive new thriller from Hannah Mary Mckinnon.

Lucas and Michelle Forester seem like the perfect couple. Successful, accomplished and rich beyond most people’s dreams, they are a couple who seem to have it all. However, scratch beneath the sophisticated surface and immeasurable wealth and you will find a husband who cannot stand to be in the same room as his wife. Michelle might be one of the richest women in the world, but she is petty beyond belief and a snob with a complete disregard for people below her status. Lucas would love nothing more than to get rid of his wife for good and he hatches the perfect plan that will allow him to inherit Michelle’s millions. All he needs is to find someone willing to get rid of his wife for him for good using whatever means necessary.

With Michelle finally out of the picture, Lucas is living the dream. While the world looks at him with pity as the grieving husband, Lucas can enjoy the spoils of his victory unencumbered by the wife he couldn’t stand. With his tracks covered and all traces removed, nobody is going to derail Lucas’ rosy future – until a shocking photo and a cryptic note transforms him from the hunter into the hunted.

Somebody is onto Lucas and they are not going to rest until they make him pay for what he’s done to Michelle…

Rebecca meets Gone Girl in Hannah Mary McKinnon’s compulsively readable thriller, Never Coming Home. Lifting the lid on the lives of the one percent, Never Coming Home is a dark, twisty and chilling tale of greed, vengeance and deception that is so juicy and all-consuming, it will keep readers engrossed and entertained all through the night.

Readers looking for a nail-biting thriller packed with shocking twists and turns need look no further than Hannah Mary McKinnon’s latest, Never Coming Home.

“You’ll need a neck brace for the twists and turns in this thriller!”

Lucas Forester, the narrator of Hannah Mary McKinnon’s latest thriller Never Coming Home, grieves his missing wife, who has disappeared with no explanation. They had the perfect marriage. He is clever, witty, and handsome, and Michelle is gorgeous, wealthy, and the curator of a Boston gallery. He begins his narration at the bedside of his mother-in-law, who adores him. Lucas and Michelle’s neighbors, Diane and Karina, live across the street in Chelmswood near Boston, and Diane is Nora’s hospice nurse. Along with his other duties, Lucas tries to keep his addicted brother-in-law Travis from overdosing. Lucas has his hands full while he fears for his missing wife and deals with suspicious Detective Anjali Dubal who is working to bring his wife home.

Sound like your average thriller? Think again.

McKinnon has created such a fiendishly sinister tale with so many twists and turns that you’ll have to wear a neck brace.

Lucas has not only killed his father-in-law and made it look like an accident (a mishap he calls it), but he’s had Michelle killed too. At first, I thought this novel should be titled “How to Commit the Perfect Murder.” With his compelling voice, he explains precisely how he hired a killer from the dark web to take care of his wife so he could inherit her wealth. With his wife gone, he now plays the grieving husband. Add “great actor” to his many talents.

But why stop there? The family is loaded. Why not go for it all? His mother-in-law is dying, so that's no problem, but the brother must go, and he strategizes on how to help his brother-in-law overdose.

Lucas thinks he’s smart, especially after successfully escaping Bobby Boyle, who is after the 50k Lucas owes him. Lucas has changed his physical characteristics and name and moved to the States, but someone knows the truth and is after him. Crazy and scary situations start happening, like fragments of a photo of Michelle showing up in envelopes in different places. He’s forced to check where his wife is buried to ensure she’s dead. But the nerve-wracking incidents escalate, and even though Lucas thinks he will figure it out, will he?

Poor Lucas has no idea what he’s in for.

McKinnon brilliantly sets us up to, if not to like Lucas, but to admire his audacity and wit. He’s devoted to his father and likes Nora, the matriarch, saying it’s sad she’s terminally ill. He has a dog named Roger that Michelle would have taken to the pound. His best trait? He’s funny. He knows who he is and admits he’s bad. One time after playing the grieving husband, he decides he needs to tone it down because “Nobody wanted to be around an overdramatic, constant crybaby regardless of their circumstances.” Thanks to McKinnon’s character development, we get lines such as when he’s describing the detective as having expressions “more public library than open book.”

Lucas, however, is too smart for his own good. As the pressures mount, he starts making mistakes. And prepare yourself for the ending. I thought I knew what was going to happen, but... no. In the words of an online reviewer, it’s a “boffo read” right to the end.

McKinnon has pulled off creating a character who charms, murders, and makes you laugh. She does it with exemplary writing skills, delivery of pertinent details (pay attention), and formidable plotting. This is one thriller you won’t soon forget.

Thanks to Mira Publishing and Hannah Mary McKinnon for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was into this book from the very start. It was fun reading such a cocky, horrible, and yet somehow still likeable character.

Excellent thriller. Lucas orders a hit on his wife, but it's clear someone knows more than they should. It's a fast read that sucks you into a character you probably shouldn't be cheering for, but can't help it. The twist at the end is spot-on, but perfection, the sort of ending you look back and wonder how you didn't see it. Another great read by McKinnon!

This was a fantastic domestic thriller. For a pretty dark book, there aren’t really any awful triggers which is good for readers. Telling a story from the villains perspective can be tricky but McKinnon did a fabulous job keeping Lucas evil but also funny and endearing. While I had a feeling about where the story was going, I absolutely loved the ending and it really turned everything on its head. Lucas really should have installed some cameras and his problems would have been solved but in the end his ego was his downfall.

4.5 star read for me! I really enjoyed this book! This story follows Lucas, who orders a hit on his wife which was very strategically planned, all for the benefit of money. However, as the story unfolds, it is clear that somebody knows his secret.
I was captivated by this book and was on the edge of my seat as each event played out. I love a story where I root for the wrong time (in this case Lucas, even though he ordered Michelle’s murder and other criminal activities that ensue), they really get me thinking. When the twist came, my jaw literally dropped. I truly did not see the ending coming but it really wrapped everything up in a neat little bow, and everything came full circle for Lucas. However, I really would’ve liked to see him get out of the mess that he made.

Never Coming Home 🏡

“I guess if my wife was glacial, I was Antarctica pre-global warming “

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Is it just me, but I loved reading from a man’s perspective, especially you Lucas Forrester. Lucas, a con-man, are a POV that I could read over and over again. He is that man you love to hate.

Hannah Mary McKinnon, I tip my hat off to you, the writing and uniqueness of this one was brillant and is totally my new current favourite of yours 😊

My only disappointment in this was the ending. Watching Lucas’s highly detailed thought out plan start to fall apart was kinda shocking. But I will not dwell on that cause the thrill of always wanting to see what Lucas was going to do next had me hooked.

This was definitely an addictive, page-turner that I would recommend. Thank you to @harpercollinsca & @hannahmarymckinnon for the ARC, both physical and digital in exchange of an honest review.

Lucas was in it for the long con. Sure, he put up with his wife's petty annoyances and his brother-in-law's addiction. But it would be worth it in the end once he was filthy rich! Thank goodness his annoying father-in-law had a heart attack early in his marriage. That helped speed things along, and now that his mother-in-law was losing her battle with cancer, well everything was falling into place nicely!

Except someone knows what he did....

Lucas thought he was clever, that he had covered every track. And that smugness will get you every time! Is it wrong that I almost wanted Lucas to get away with murder? McKinnon narrates the story through Lucas in such a darkly humorous way that his logic almost makes sense. And the ending comes powerfully and swiftly! I don't know how this author was not on my radar, but now that she is, I will go back and read more of her books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA for introducing me to Never Coming Home!

Lucas Forester is dealing with terrible events in his life. His wife Michelle was abducted a month ago, his mother-in-law is dying of cancer, and he’s helping his brother-in-law stay clean and sober. Detective Anjali Dubal is concerned about Michelle but tells Lucas not to give up hope. Lucas seems like a devoted husband and friends envy his perfect marriage to the beautiful and wealthy Michelle. However as a little more time goes by, it’s clear that appearances can be deceiving and Lucas has been keeping secrets.

This book is different from the typical domestic suspense novel. For one thing, the whole book is told from the husband’s point-of-view. However, the main thing is that even though Lucas lies to the other characters in the book, there is nothing ambiguous about his narrative. He makes it clear very early in the book the kind of person he is and what his plans are. The suspense in the story comes from wondering what is going to happen next and if someone really knows about the things he has done. The first person narration style is perfect for the book and gives the reader a firsthand look at the real Lucas. Lucas is a compelling character and even though he does some terrible things, his narrative is darkly funny.

Never Coming Home is fast-paced and entertaining. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but am impressed by how clever the plot is. The ending is surprising, but fitting based on all that went on throughout the story. There are times I had to suspend disbelief, but still found this to be a good book that was fun to read.

~ Christine

Maaaan! HMM has done it again. I listened to the audio and it was so compelling. Autobuy author for me for sure.

Holy smokes. What did I just read? My mind is still reeling from this book.

I was not familiar with Hannah Mary McKinnon and had not read any of her previous works so I wasn't sure what to expect.

This book hooked me from the very beginning. I texted a friend and told her she needed to start reading this book right away. Just when I thought I had things figured out, McKinnon laid out another twist plot.

There is nothing that I could say that hasn't already been said about the premise or that wouldn't give anything away. Just do yourself a favor and get this book. The only reason it took me as long as it did to read it was that I couldn't read this book before going to sleep. This book is what nightmares can be made of.

5 stars


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin/MIRA for exchange of an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the sordid tale of Lucas who has devised a plan to kill his wife in order to inherit her substantial inheritance. Lucas is without a doubt a sociopath who lacks any empathy for others and is only out for himself. The author very successfully conveys this and I found it highly intriguing and entertaining. The ending provides a couple of nice twists to put the icing on the cake. Fans of Mo Hayder and Mary Kubica will enjoy this.

This is a thriller very different from all others I have read. Lucas Forester is a conman who was in it for the long haul. He meets a rich, trust fund woman, Michelle, in London. He is looking for a way out of the country and an heiress is a great way to start a new life. Unfortunately, when they get married, there is an air tight prenup, and Michelle keeps meticulous records of what they spend their money on. He has no choice but to kill her, or better yet, hire a hit man. Michelle's mother is dying, her father died of heart attack shortly after they married, and her brother is an addict, Lucas is going to get it all. All he has to do is play the grieving husband. But, when a shocking photo and cryptic note show up on his doorstep, Lucas goes from hunter to prey.

I am not going to give this story away, you have to read it for yourself. Better yet, listen to it. Alex Wyndham does an amazing job with Lucas. It was like being in the same room as a psychopath. Hannah Mary McKinnon did such a wonderful job developing the characters. Lucas was such a devious, evil character, one you love to hate. I felt bad for Michelle's family, never going to find out what happened to her. There was one detective on the case, but she seemed to be rather ineffectual. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. The conclusion of this book was one final twist and all I can say is wow! I was not expecting that. I definitely recommend this one. I am going to end with a quote from author, Jennifer Hillier: "One hell of a ride... Absolutely brilliant.”

Steer clear of Lucas!
Michelle Ward-Forester is missing. Her husband Lucas Forester is not innocent in his involvement.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my eARC for review!
The newest novel from author Hannah Mary McKinnon tells the tale from antagonist Lucas's point of view.
And it's a darkly humorous and disturbing journey!
I was hooked right away at being inside the mind of a sociopath in on the long con. And the ending - truly memorable!
I'm being deliberately vague because Never Coming Home is one you just need to dive into and experience somewhat blindly. These are characters you will love to hate, and hate to love!
Recommended!