Who would've thought a book entirely from the point of view of a man that took a hit out on his wife would be so entertaining? This is the first book I've read by Hannah Mary McKinnon and it certainly won't be my last.

Lucas Forester had already lead a rather difficult life before moving to the U.S. and meeting Michelle. He immediately makes her part of his plan to get rich. He plays the dutiful husband while hating how entitled and extravagant she is. He doesn't really hate her though, she's just a means to an end. With her dad already dead, her mom soon to follow due to cancer and her brother being an out of control addict, he just needs Michelle out of the way and everything is his.

He's smart, has thought of everything. The hit goes off without a hitch and he's able to pretend he's distraught by his wife's disappearance. He's playing everyone perfectly and being patient. Then strange things start happening, someone is messing with him. Someone knows the truth.

This of course leads Lucas to become increasingly paranoid and desperately trying to find out who is trying to ruin his carefully made plans. He's so close to having it all and can't lose now. Lucas could've just been a typical piece of trash man. He could've also been too smart and arrogant and that would've been annoying not to mention boring. But let me tell you, Lucas is complex. There are actually layers to him. Don't get me wrong, he's a bad dude and completely irredeemable. But there were some surprising aspects to his personality that made him just slightly sympathetic at times. Only slightly..

Yes, I did guess correctly on a certain plot twist. Well, I had assumed before I even started that a certain something had to be true and it was. But there was no way I could've guessed exactly how everything played out! I did have some issues with the details and maybe some questions I might have missed explanations for. But the ending was satisfying overall. Especially the very end, it was the most fitting way to finish Lucas's story.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA for the e-ARC.

Never Coming Home is a unique and twisted read. I couldn't put this one down! I love seeing the villains perspective as it gives the story so much more flavor! This one definitely delivered! I'll be buying more books from this author based on this one!

I had the good fortune to get a early copy of Never Coming Home from NetGallery and I must say it's a lightning fast extremely enjoyable book with very intriguing characters and an ending I did not expect. The writing is top-notch, and the plot was different from most of what I've been reading. My only complaint with the book is the re-enterance of a character from the main protagonists past. I thought the book would have been better without this plot point, but I must say it definitely moved the story in another direction.

Never coming home 

Do you like reading books from the villains POV? I love getting inside a truly twisted individuals head and Lucas was evil. 

Synopsis: First comes love. Then comes murder.

Lucas Forester didn't hate his wife. Michelle was brilliant, sophisticated and beautiful. Sure, she had extravagant spending habits and that petty attitude, a total disregard for anyone below her status. But she also had a lot to offer. Most notably, wealth that only the one percent could comprehend.

For years, Lucas had been honing a flawless plan to inherit Michelle’s fortune. Unfortunately, it involved taking a hit out on her.

Every track was covered, no trace left behind, and now Lucas plays the grieving husband so well he deserves an award. But when a shocking photo and cryptic note show up on his doorstep, Lucas goes from hunter to prey. 

Someone is onto him. And they’re closing in.

Doesn’t that description pull you in? It did for me and this one is the kind of summer thriller I think you should add to your TBR along with some popcorn and wine. Lucas was the kind of character you’ll love to hate, he’s despicable but he’s also kind of funny too. The pacing was pretty steady until the last few chapters and then things went wild, maybe slightly too wild but I had fun and just went along with it. It’s definitely a little implausible and even a bit silly, but again if you just take it as a crazy ride it’s pretty fun. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to the tagged partners for my copy.

Book: Never Coming Home
Author: Hannah Mary McKinnon
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA 
Pub Date: May 24, 2022

Unmmm this book is freaking great!!! What a great read! I love that the story is only told from one perspective - Lucas. That is rarely done these days and it is definitely a slow burn filled with excitement and anticipation. The author hit it out of the park with this one! It’s definitely a psychological thriller and you won’t be able to put it down once you start reading it. If I didn’t require sleep I would have finished it one sitting. Very clever plot that is very well written! 

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is May 24, 2022.

First, I want to thank Hannah Mary McKinnon, Mira Books and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

WOW!! Hannah Mary McKinnon is back again with another incredible Psychological Thriller Never Coming Home! This one is unlike any other missing person storyline-because the readers know upfront who did it. The nail biting question and what had me on the edge of my seat was will they get caught?!

The graphic designers created the perfect cover for this book with beautiful colors!

One thing that I really liked about this book that stood out from the rest is she included Covid and the pandemic in this story. This aspect made the book seem more modern and relevant to what we all had been living with. Many times I had a chuckle at some of the sayings.

I am a huge fan of missing person cases. This one was quite different from many I have read. This one we went inside the sick and twisted mind of the person who actually did the crime! All the meantime they are trying to play dumb and cover their tracks.

There was a grotesque scene that was a little hard to stomach. However, it was written so perfectly that I felt like I was truly there.

What is hard to wrap my head around in books like this is at what great lengths people will go to get something sinister done.

Lucas Forester delves into the dark web to take out a hit on his obscenely wealthy wife, but then hunter becomes the hunted when he starts receiving disturbing photos and notes.  This is a fun ride, told from Lucas' view.  He is obviously a horrible human being, but I enjoyed being in his head.  Like "Joe" in the "You" netflix series, you come to understand the events that have shaped him and his way of thinking.  Both characters have a wry sense of humor and while you don't condone their actions, you are fascinated reading them.  This was a great read but I didn't love the ending.

Never Coming Home is a domestic suspense novel which may make the reader wonder what really goes on behind the closed doors of their own neighbors. The story has all the components of a good domestic thriller, but for me one of the main characters action's (not the villain) were over-the-top to the point not being believable, which took me out of it a bit. Overall, it was a good page-turner and I think fans of domestic thrillers will enjoy it. 

I am a library associate and received an advance copy from #NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

Ok this was a pretty entertaining read for the most part. 
Lucas marries his wife for money and then tries to have her bumped off in an effort to expedite said windfall. I enjoyed how sinister and meticulous Lucas was, deliciously debase. 

I did feel the story was bogged down with superfluous details through inner monologue and external occurrences (lots of searching for his brother in law, lots of “who’s doing this?”, unnecessary bike ride ride narration etc). 

I did see where things were going until the end threw an odd bobcat wrench into things and I’m still a little mad. I don’t mind predictable so much as I mind veering so far that the story suffers. 

Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for my review copy which in no way affects my opinions.

Canadian author Hannah Mary McKinnon is releasing this, her pandemic book on May 24, 2022.

Never Coming Home is somewhat of a switch from her previous novels in that we know the bad guy right from the get go - no spoiler it’s right there in the blurb. With meticulous care Lucas planned everything, covering all his tracks with precision. But did he really??

Never Coming Home is mysterious, lots of red herrings with unreliable (and unlikable) characters. It is well written with moments of wit, disbelief and shock.  There is a dog, which is always a great addition. All in all an addicting read with an ending that was fitting.

My thanks to MIRA for a digitial arc in exchange for honest review.

What happens when you think you've successfully killed your wife, but now someone knows and is taunting you? Lucas thinks he's pulled off the perfect crime by hiring someone to kidnap and murder his wife with a guarantee of never finding the body. But when we starts receiving messages that prove someone knows--who is it and how does he get rid of them too? Told from Lucas' point of view, you get the killer's side of the story and it was a great read! Definately recommended.

Michelle was a brilliant and sophisticated, and most importantly, wealthy. Lucas Forester was by all accounts, a doting, and loving husband. But, was he? The story opens with the kidnapping of Michelle. Lucas plays the part of a grieving husband searching for his beloved wife. However, it is more sinister than that. Lucas has a dark past, all unbeknownst to Michelle and her family.  He thought that he planned everything seamlessly however, photographs and notes begin to show up indicating that something has gone awry with the plan. I was completely surprised by the end and couldn’t put the book down. I highly recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Five glowing stars!! This is definitely a page turner and filled with so much suspense. I am a huge fan of this author’s writing style and will definitely be reading more from her. The ending had me shocked and speechless - did not see that coming!! This book deserves more than five stars as I can see so much effort and time going into this book. I enjoyed this thriller and is one you should definitely look forward to this year!

Do you want to know what happens in a villian’s mind throughout a story? Then Never Coming Home by Hannah Mary McKinnon is the book for you. Lucas wants his wife’s money and is willing to do whatever it takes to get it. It was so interesting getting to experience the story through the eyes of a morally questionable character. Lucas is certainly not a good guy but he made me laugh more than once. Although there were funny parts, this still was a psychological thriller, one that suitably scared me to see what people can be capable of. This story was perfectly pulled together by the end and Never Coming Home was a great read.

Wow. It's been a hot minute since I have read a thriller, let alone any book, with a male narrator. And Lucas was an extremely full of himself, but it was entertaining to read. I absolutely loved how there was an inner monologue and he was in it to win it with the long game. It was interesting, and kind of creepy, to read about how he went about getting this done. In a way it is scary to know how easily someone can make this all happen, but it's fine. Some people did not like the ending, but I did. It was a little unbelievable, but not in the way that is any more far fetched then what we read about in the news.

My biggest "issue" was sometimes the length of the inner dialogue to explain one thing or how long the inner monologues about his past would take. Those definitely could have been a little more condensed.

Otherwise, it was nice to read a thriller that did not involve a woman narrator that is either being gaslighted, has some sort of addiction, or a mental disability that is then used against them. Other thriller writers please take notice.

I’m a little disappointed I didn’t love this more but I think this’ll satisfy readers a little less grumpy and picky than moi.

The most interesting thing about this story was the fact that we know who did the deed. And, in fact, we spend the entire time in the head of the one who has committed the crime. I quite liked that. But I found Lucas.. kind of insufferable? It wasn’t even the fact that he was a con-man mastermind responsible for his wife’s death, that he’d been orchestrating a particular end result for the entirety of their relationship. It was maybe moreso the narrative voice. And perhaps the pacing.

I never fully engaged in this story, I was completely uninterested in all of Lucas’ backstory, and while I enjoyed the enjoying, I’ll admit I did see part of it coming. It was still a good gotcha moment but it didn’t quite redeem the journey to where we finally get there (though I’ll likely round up on GR). I’m not quite sure this had the dark wit that was promised in the pitch, either.

This was my first read by McKinnon, and while she’s got a good few books out and seems to be well loved, I’ll admit I had never even heard of her. I’ll likely peek through her backlist to find another that might work better, though, because I have’t quite given up yet.

2.5

This book was solid throughout but the ending was in particular the best part. It was interesting having a bad guy narrator. It did drag in some parts though. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.


4.5/5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Life wasn’t kind to Lucas growing up, but he was always smart.

Now, after reinventing himself, he has the perfect plan to finally have the life he’s always wanted.

He engineers a plan to marry a wealthy woman. Then, he hires a hitman to kill her, to inherit her fortune.

He is meticulous in his planning. There’s no way he will ever get caught…. 
_________________________________

I love the way this story was crafted. The author must have had to write herself a lot of sticky notes to keep it all straight 😂 
It all comes together flawlessly, at a engaging pace throughout. 
I actually found myself pulling for Lucas, despite the despicable things he did - that’s a true talent.

This was my favorite HMM book so far! Told in first person perspective from the villain, it was fun to watch him losing his mind! I kept jumping from theory to theory to theory and back again! And yet I was still surprised at how the ending played out! It was a super fun twisty roller coaster of a book! Highly recommend!!!

Is hiring a hitman worth the risk and worry?

Lucas thought so until he started receiving blurry photos and notes about Michelle.  Who are the photos and notes from, and who was in his backyard?

We meet Lucas who met Michelle at an art function and knew she would be able to take care of all his money worries.  He loved her, but didn't want her - he only wanted the money.

He thought he had planned everything perfectly, but did he?

Lucas tells his story as we listen and as we learn and as Lucas starts to get paranoid. 

There is no way, though, that anyone could suspect him or have figured out what he did…he was very careful and had planned this for a few years.

Getting nervous and hoping to find out if the hitman could have left clues anywhere, Lucas does something pretty risky and dumb. 

Just what did you do, Lucas?

Lucas did what every thriller character does...he gave us an amazing, clever, can't-put-down read.​  

And oh is it a good one.​

Do NOT miss this book. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.