A big five stars from me!
This is my first book by Hart and wow! I was so engrossed in this book and could not decide who to trust.
Nora McTavish spends her days as a family advocate providing comfort and justice for those without anyone else to turn to.
Tess Grayson, a long lost childhood friend calls asking for Nora's help - her husband has been accused of killing a student at the university he works at. Tess doesn't want her husband near their daughter Kendra.
Nora starts to wonder about her own childhood with Tess and whether Tess is hiding something now. Nora starts to become confused about who she should be trying to protect Kendra from.
Nora was such a great character- so real, flawed yet genuine. It was different too- reading from the perspective of a child-protection advocate.
The story was fast-paced, suspnow I need to read the first one in the Nora McTavish series! They are very much stand-alone so not necessary- but I absolutely want to!
A huge thank you to @joe_hart_author
@thrillerbookloverspromotions and @netgalley for the advanced copy and having me on this #booktour

I enjoyed this book. I liked the main character, Nora and her persistence + loyalty with her job as well as her relationships. I did not realize it was the 2nd book when I requested it, so I am eager to read about her in the first one. I did have a suspicion as to “who did it,” but I liked how it was revealed to us readers. I do not feel it was obvious, I just had a hunch and I pretty much almost never get it right 🤣 I also LOVED how quickly Nora bonded with Kenny, and how the child was drawn to her, that is so important as a mother to have friends that your children feel safe with (Tess was awful but that bit I did love regardless). My list of authors whose books I enjoy continues to grow 🤭

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Thomas & Mercer for the DRC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this one! Although this could be read as a stand alone, I was hoping to read the first book in this series first but didn't get around to it 🤦🏼‍♀️. But I will because this was a solid mystery/thriller that kept me engaged from beginning to end. Nora was a great character and I really want to know more about her so I'm hpoing for more books in this series. Writing, pacing, characters and plot were all 👌🏻.
4.5 ⭐️

Nora is back and helping her friend Tess, who is going through a divorce from her husband who has been accused of murdering his student. The intense short chapters kept me from putting this book down - it was so damn good! All the stars from me.

Never Come Back by Joe Hart is a twisty and intriguing thriller that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish.
Filling the book with lies and betrayal, Hart ramps up the suspense as his main character Nora McTavish overcomes her misgivings and goes to the side of a childhood friend she lost touch with many years before, because that friend asked for her help. Of course all is not what it seems and Nora struggles with her own memories and issues as she unravels the question of who killed the university student and why, and who can Nora trust as she herself becomes a target.
The side story of the custody case going on with Nora's regular job is both touching and a scathing commentary on the manner in which certain people are treated in the legal system.
In all this book is superbly written, suspenseful, shocking, and difficult to put down.
I highly recommend #NeverComeBackAThriller, an ARC of which I was given through #NetGalley.

First things first! Why have I not read 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙚 (the first book in this fab series - Never Come Back is book 2)?! It’s worth mentioning that, although I haven’t read the first one (I’ll change that, I’ve already bought it on kindle…) I don’t feel like I’ve missed much and this held its own pretty well.

No sooner have you started reading - BAM - someone’s dead. And from there on is a suspenseful ride of lies, betrayal, and murder - happy days!! I couldn’t read this one quick enough. I was utterly compelled to get to the end. Lots of dark twists and hands up! I was totally fooled. I didn’t guess any of it. I loved every minute.

I had rated this one a 4.5 but while writing this review I realised it was totally a 5 as I’m still thinking about it. Now I’m looking forward to reading book 1 and please PLEASE… book 3…? 🙏🏻🙏🏻

When I tell you I ate this book up; I 👏🏾 ate 👏🏾 this 👏🏾 book 👏🏾 up 👏🏾! I was hooked from the very beginning and didn’t want it to end. This is what you call a classic thriller. It has everything you could ask for in a thriller: unreliable characters, the right amount of twists and turns, and fast paced. Each chapter left me wanting more and saying, “just one more chapter.” I’m a slow reader, so the fact that I read this in less than two weeks says a lot about the book. You’re definitely going to want to get this one when it comes out.

Never Come Back by Joe Hart is the second book in the Nora McTavish series. Although, I haven't read the first book of the series, I didn't have any problems getting into this book. I believe you get more of an understanding of Nora's character if you've already read book one, but that doesn't necessarily stop you from reading this book as a standalone.

In Never Come Back Nora, a family advocate, is called to help her childhood friend, Tess Grayson, who is in the midst of a nasty custody battle with her husband, Neil, a popular professor at the local university. Tess does not want her husband anywhere near their nine-year-old daughter after he was accused of and even jailed for murdering a student he allegedly had an affair with. After the charges are dropped against him, he fights Tess for custody of his daughter.

Nora begins digging into the circumstances surrounding the murder, Neil, and Tess' stories about it. The more she digs, the more she becomes convinced that Tess is probably not telling her the full story, and is likely hiding something. While Nora is grappling with her own demons, lies, and old secrets emerge that puts her in the path of danger, especially after another murder leads her closer to the killer.

Never Come Back is a fast-paced, domestic thriller with a some very interesting characters. The plot had many twists and turns as one would expect from a thriller. A few predictable ones and a few not so! I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading fast-paced thrillers with a domestic theme.

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer for the e-ARC of this book.

Thank you to @thrillerbookloverspromotions for the #gifted copy.

This is the second book in the Nora McTavish series. I had not read the first in the series and did not miss a beat. It works as a standalone. Hart is also a new author to me and I was impressed! Definitely will be checking out his back list.

This twisty crime thriller kept me on the edge of my seat. Nora is my kind of gal and such a loyal friend. I definitely would love to read more of her! *hint, *hint*

What a great read!

Never Come Back is the second book in the Nora McTavis series, but can be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the first book yet and I was able to completely immerse myself in the story and didn’t feel out of the loop about any of the characters or references.

Nora is the heart of the story. She is strong, resilient and is not a caricature of a woman who has experienced trauma- aka everything I love in a female lead. She’s what drew me into the story.

What kept my attention - the compelling plot, excellent pacing and well-rounded cast of characters.

Never Come Home was my introduction to Joe Hart’s work and I can’t wait to dig into his backlist!

Thank you to Joe Hart, Thomas & Mercer, @netgalley , and @thrillerbookloverspromotions for my gifted copy to read and review 💙

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 STARS

✨ 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀✨

𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 by Joe Hart second book in the Nora McTavish series. In Never Come Back Nora is enlisted to help her childhood friend, Tess who’s going through a custody battle. Tess’ husband was accused of murdering his student he was allegedly having an affair with. After the charges are dropped against him, he wants custody of his daughter with Tess. As Norq looks into the circumstances surrounding the murder, she begins to think Tess isn’t telling her everything. But what could Tess be hiding?

Nora herself is grappling with her own unresolved issues from a mother that abandoned her and a father that was

This was a short, fast read, with a very lovable main character. Nora was a really sympathetic, likeable, and relatable character and that combined with this well written fast-paced plot made this a page turner!

*While this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.*

Thank you to Netgalley, William Morrow, and Thriller Book Lovers Tours for this ARC!

A superb domestic thriller with an enthralling backstory and lots of twists. I tore through this, an easy read that makes you think and question everyone’s motives. I really loved the inclusion of the works of Poe, that was a detail that made my English major heart sing.

Never Come Back is the second book in the Nora Mc Tavish series, I think it would do well as a standalone, but you definitely get more of her backstory by reading the first. I really loved the first one. It was super fast paced and highly bingeable.

I loved getting to know Nora more in this book. I just wanted more from the characters. I also had the impression that a case was added just for the sake of adding pages. Did I still enjoy the book? Yes I did. Was it predictable for me, unfortunately It was.

I do think this will appeal to a lot of people and I am definitely in the minority for this one. It was good and kept me hooked, I just wanted more, especially after reading the first one. I thought it was a great plot with multiple twists and turns that will keep readers guessing.

✨️Thank you @thrillerbookloverspromotions & @netgalley for my free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Thomas&Mercer for the book #NeverComeBack by #JoeHart. A friend from Nora’s past needs help.in a brutal custody battle. But is everything she’s being told the truth? I cold not put this join down and never would have guess this twisted ending. Highly recommend.

This book is part of a series and I LOVED it. Nora has secrets and lies that start to come to light. It was suck a good book. Nora is not taking no crap in this book. She is proving to be very helpful.

After walking away from her life as a child protective services agent, Nora McTavish has started a new business as a family advocate. This new direction of hers sets Nora up perfectly for the surprising call she gets from an old, long-lost friend, Tess Grayson. In the midst of an ugly custody case, she’s in desperate need of a helping hand. Given that Nora once thought of Tess as the sister she never had, she’s happy to help. Just maybe her skill set will make an already tense situation just a little bit better. After all, it is all rather dire.

Recently accused of the violent murder of one of his former college students, Tess’s ex-husband, Neil, has since been let out of jail following the now dubious nature of the evidence against him. Needless to say, however, Tess doesn’t want him anywhere near their nine-year-old daughter. Happy to help in any way that she can, Nora begins to dig into the circumstances around the couples’ split and the murder case that took center stage. The more she learns, however, the more she wonders if Tess’s account is the truth—or if there’s decidedly more to the story.

What Nora isn’t expecting is to expose secrets and lies not only about Tess and Neil’s marriage, but her own past as well. The more that she learns, the more danger she seems to be in. And when yet another person is murdered, Nora finds herself at the mercy of a crafty—and dangerous—individual. Is Neil guilty after all? Or is there someone else in the shadows pulling the strings? One thing is for sure, this time around it’s not just Nora’s job and reputation on the line—it may very well be her life.

Holly guacamole! If I thought that the first book in the series, Where They Lie was good, Never Come Back merely upped the stakes even more. A fast-paced plot that delivered two thoroughly addictive storylines, I was driven to read just one more page more times than I could count. Even better, however, were the superb cast of characters and the originality of the premise. All together, it could not have been better.

As the second in the Nora McTavish series, I was expecting deep character development for the startlingly strong persona of Nora herself. Boy, was I pleased when I got that and more. Relatable and pleasingly resilient, her characterization was pure perfection as she became an even more determined proponent of protecting children no matter the cost. Even better, however, Nora was the only individual I could trust as the everyone else had my suspicious eye twinkling. Well, all except the adorable pup, Merrill.

The plot was simply sublime in all of its hairpin glory. Propulsive and with ingenious twists and turns throughout, the driving foreboding was palpable in the best possible way. Reeking with true-to-life verve, most scenes came to life as though I were watching them on a screen. It was the depth and poignancy of the plot, however, that truly made the story come alive. I can’t forget, of course, the ratcheting suspense and pulse-pounding climax, both of which preceded the soul-satisfying conclusion.

By the end of this thoroughly bingeable crime fiction slash thriller combo, I was fully in love. Rife with plenty of dark truths, nasty motivations, and hard-to-look at revelations about life, the well-layered plot utterly bristled with an authenticity few books can muster. Ultimately, I’m now an ardent lover of Joe Hart and his quick, easy reads and I plan on spree reading his backlist for sure. So if this series has yet been on your radar, be sure to add them to your TBR ASAP. Better yet, grab a copy of Where They Lie immediately. Rating of 5 stars.

Thank you to Joe Hart, Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley, and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to my partners, Thriller Book Lovers Promotion and NetGalley, and the author. I appreciate the gifted eARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!

1. 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐎𝐛𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 - This is the one thing that I kept thinking. It was so clear to me who the real culprit was, which of course made me realize that there was no way I was right. It can’t ever be the obvious choice, right?!

2. 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 - I would guess that every one of us has lost touch with childhood friends. How many of us would come running if one of them called us out of the blue? Not many? But I don’t think Nora has much choice but to run towards Tess considering what’s at stake.

3. 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐞 - As Nora spends time with Tess and her daughter, Kendra, she empathizes the most with Kendra and can’t help but form feelings. Heart-stopping moments for me when Kendra’s safety is questioned later in the story!

4. 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 - There is a case back at home that Nora also has to deal with during the course of the story. This one will pull on your heart strings and have you cheering for the less fortunate.

5. 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐈𝐭 - Since I knew it wasn’t the obvious choice, I kept trying to figure out who it would have been. And then another murder occurs and the wheels really started spinning. I was never fully convinced it wasn’t the most obvious choice. I think the ending will come as a surprise to most of you, so don’t hesitate to grab a copy as soon as it comes out in April!

This is a new to me author and I will be seeking out more by Joe Hart! While second in a series, definitely reads as a standalone
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Nora had a traumatic childhood which led her to her career as a children’s advocate.
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When Tess, a childhood friend that she hadn’t seen in many years, reached out for help and it involved her daughter, Nora doesn’t hesitate. Tess is trying to keep her ex from gaining joint custody of their daughter, Kendra He was accused (bit never convicted) of murdering a student at his college, who he was allegedly involved with, among other accusations from Tess.
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As things begin to play out, Nora questions if Nora is telling her everything. And if she’s being honest.
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This was a twisty tale that I had a hard time putting down!

Thanks to NetGalley, Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and Thomas and Mercer for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and allowing me the be a part of this tour!

He’s a new to me author and I was pleasantly surprised. I was sure I had it all figured out and of course I was wrong.

Nora is a child advocate and is incredibly relatable and I felt for Kenny. Other than that I’m not sure I liked or trusted anyone.

This one was twisty and surprised me a few times.

The secondary storyline really brought home Nora’s compassion and passion for her work. Especially since I hadn’t read the first book in the series.

I really wanted to know more about Nora and her backstory. I can’t wait to continue with the series and check out book one.

Nora gets a call from an old friend who needs help. As a child advocate she fights for children and her friend needs her help to keep her ex from getting custody of her daughter. I liked Nora from the first chapter and her passion to fight for what is right. This is the second book in a series and I immediately bought the first book after reading this one. I’m fascinated by Nora’s story and can’t wait to read more. This book kept me hooked and I read it in one day.