Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass

Shelby runs back into a cafe after forgetting her daughter’s stuffy, she interrupts a break-in and the intruder leaves her for dead in the walk-in freezer. She survives, but not without injury, and the crime along with her best friend’s missing husband rock their small town. A group of retirees take it upon themselves to solve the crime, including starting a witty group podcast. What follows is a lively, slightly chaotic, but ultimately satisfying whodunit where solving a murder feels like a group project full of quirky characters.

This book jumped right into the action, though the prologue felt slightly misleading- but wouldn’t have if I had read the book summary. The mystery unfolds in a lighthearted and engaging way, with a cast of nosy, determined, and sometimes questionably competent individuals piecing together clues. There were multiple POVs that gave us different perspectives, my favorite was Florence, an elderly resident who provided humor through her friendships. The ending was a little chaotic, but everything wraps up nicely, making for a fun, somewhat cozy read. If you like mysteries that don’t take themselves too seriously and feel like solving a case with a group of well-meaning but meddlesome retirees, this one’s for you!

I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this ARC, given to me by The Hive, but this one really wasn’t for me.

I was really intrigued by the first chapter and the mystery of the “who done it” did ultimately keep me turning the pages but it was very hard for me to stay focused. There are multiple POV’s and a lot of characters involved without there really being one main character. For me, it made it hard to follow and hard to get invested.

There is humor and there’s definitely a good idea behind this book but some things just felt off and again there’s so much back and forth that I never felt connected. The rest of my comments are going to get more in depth so don’t read if you don’t like spoilers.

One of the main characters Shelby, was attacked and almost murdered. Something happens to her family. Her husband goes to take one of their daughters to her moms while Shelby stays with the other daughter in the hospital. Husband ends up staying away for the night. Shelby goes home. She goes home and feels something’s off, notices the alarm is disabled, but continues away and gets attacked? Like this woman was almost killed, she got a threatening note and her kid got hurt but her husband’s fine just leaving her alone and she’s okay galavanting around? I don’t know that was just very bizarre to me along with a few other things.

People looking for murder mystery vibes with multiple POV’s and funny elderly side characters might like this.

The pace of this thriller is EXCELLENT. I could not put it down & I didn’t guess the twist, which I loved. Perfect escape from reality!

Nothing Ever Happens Here is a mystery thriller that follows several people in a small Minnesota town. The story is told from the perspectives of Shelby, Mack, and Florence. Shelby survived an attack from an unknown perpetrator and fifteen months later she is still dealing with the trauma of that night. Mack’s husband went missing the same night that Shelby was attacked. Florence is a resident at the senior living facility that Shelby manages.

I was getting Only Murders in the Building vibes while reading this book. Several senior citizens in this story, including Florence, start a podcast, so it definitely felt a little like that tv show. I loved the seniors, especially Herb.

The story was slow paced and it did drag in parts. The ending was pretty over the top, but I didn’t predict the killer, so that was cool.

I liked the author’s writing and I plan on reading more of her books in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nothing Ever Happens here starts off the night that Shelby is attacked. She ultimately survives being locked in a freezer for several hours. Months later her attacker is making good on the promise he made to come after her and her loved ones if she tells. Shelby is thrown back into the trama of that night as she starts receiving threatening messages and is attacked again. Shelby's friend Mack whose husband, Leo, went missing the same night Shelby was first attacked, starts to discover some unusual things about her husband and their finances that leaves her searching to find out what happened to him. Shelby works at the Oleander which is a senior home full of people who love her and look out for her. They find themselves tied up in this bizarre situation as they try to help figure out who attacked Shelby and where Leo disappeared to. I don't want to give too much away but will say that I never could've guessed who was behind it all.
This is my second Seraphina Nova Glass book and I'm hooked on her. I'm also listening to another one of her books on audiobook right now. She adds a bit of humor into her books and if you get a chance to listen on audiobook, please do as the narrator really brings the books to life! I really wish I would've been able to listen to this one as well, but I really did enjoy reading it.

Book: Nothing Ever Happens Here
Author: Seraphina Nova Glass
Publishing: February 11, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(5/5)
Review:
I have read all of Seraphina's thrillers. I loved the banter between the older characters. Gave me a chuckle or two. 😂 The story flowed nicely. The plot was on point. It kept me guessing until about the very end, and I figured it out. Everything was tied up nicely at the end. Definitely recommend this to my mystery/thriller lovers.
Some things to expect:
- Three povs
- Small town
- Mystery
- Funny banter
- Trauma (Mental & physical)
- Friendship
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House, & the author for this eARC.
*All thoughts & opinions are my own.*
#NothingEverHappensHere #NetGalley #HarlequinTradePublishing #GraydonHouse

4.25 stars

Nothing Ever Happens Here brought forth all the emotions - laughing, crying, gasping! I adored the characters in this story - especially the residents at Oleander's retirement home. Their dialogue, banter, and friendships had me in stitches.
The second half of this book had me turning pages rapidly to find out "whodunnit". There were a couple of jaw dropping moments that I did not see coming. And I felt like the ending was wrapped up well and not rushed.
I did find the change in narrators to be a bit confusing in the beginning as it took me a while to figure out how everyone fit together and keeping the characters distinct. I also felt the beginning to be a tad on the slow side. And the "big reveal" was not super surprising.
Overall an entertaining book I would recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC and chance to give my honest opinion!

Nothing Ever Happens here starts off with the night when Shelby is attacked and left for dead and was able to survived being locked in a freezer for several hours. 15 years later her attacker is making good on the promise he made Shelby years ago, if she ever told anyone what happened he would make the people closest to her pay. This book is told in 3 POVs Shelby (the victim), Mackenzie (Shelby's friend and who's husband, Leo, went missing the night Shelby was attacked) and Florence (who is trying to figure out who attacked Shelby 15 years ago).

This book started out strong, the first chapter got me hooked, however the middle of the book to me dragged a bit and it made it hard to keep reading. I really liked Florence and her friend group from the Oleander, they were the best characters for me, on the other hand I was not so fond of Shelby or Mackenzie, they did not draw me in as characters as much. I wish they had focused on the groups podcast a bit more, as I was really enjoying their banter.

I gave this book 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 stars as there are no half stars here.

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

I have to start out by saying that this book is addicting. Glass delivers a spine tingling thriller about how quiet life in a “safe” middle of nowhere town is shattered in an instant, and she drops you right into the gripping tension at the very beginning of the book. From there the insidious feeling and the mystery only grows. Full of twists and turns, this book was well written and truly engaging. Glass expertly weaves together misdirection and surprises, and even has you questioning what you already know, keeping you guessing right up until the reveal, which I did not see coming at all. But in all honesty, my absolute favorite thing about this book was the cast of characters. An unlikely group of heroes emerges in this story in the form of geriatrics living in a senior living home. These senior citizens band together, determined to solve this crime, and somehow also create a viral podcast. This added such a wonderful cozy and lighthearted element to this book. Glass delivered to us a wonderfully captivating thriller that also has heart and family and love, as well as humor. This book is the perfect balance and an excellent read.

Nothing Ever Happens Here is a suspenseful, psychological thriller full of unexpected twists. Glass keeps you hooked with a gripping plot and well-developed characters.

This is an emotional and dark book but will keep you reading as each chapter has twists I didn't see coming! Protagonist Poppy has twin girls, June and Poppy and is locked in a freezer overnight by an intruder. We also learn her friend, Mack is devastated as her husband Leo is missing and no one knows why. Friend, Shelby who manages an assisted living facility gets notes that read, "If you go public I'll make everyone around you pay." Go public with WHAT she wonders? Believe it or not, all of these things are connected in a fascinatingly convoluted story of secrets and lies!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

❄️ Nothing ever happens here by Seraphina Nova Glass

I came across this book on NetGalley and immediately requested it. So thank you 🙌 Harlequin trade publishing and Seraphina Nova Gladd for this arc! This book follows Shelby, Florence, and Mack as they try to uncover the truth behind an attack and a murder that deeply affects them.

When I first started this book, I thought it had a great pace and grabbed my attention right away. However, as I kept reading, the pace slowed down before eventually picking back up again. Despite that, I remained invested in the story and enjoyed playing detective. I had my suspicions, ones I was sure were right, only to be completely surprised.

If I could change anything, I would add more discussion of the mystery throughout the book. I also felt that some of the dialogue didn’t add much value to the story. Another thing I would have loved is for the pacing to remain consistent from start to finish.
Overall, this was a solid mystery/thriller with cozy vibes. I really enjoyed the podcast element as well. If you like small-town settings, first-person narratives, and a good whodunit, give this book a try!

This book had me in a chokehold. I actually stayed up half the night just so I could finish it. The story follows three main characters. Shelby who had a terrible incident happen to her. Mack, who is Shelby’s best friend, and her husband disappears on the night Shelby is attacked. Finally, we meet Florence, who is a resident at the place where Shelby works. Things start happening again and it is believed the attacker is back. It is believed to be connected to Leo’s disappearance. I don’t want to give anything away. I was surprised by the twists. Many I didn’t see coming. Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

I love when a book grabs your attention right from the start and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout, and this one did just that. The cast of characters was vibrant and engaging, adding so much to the story. While I didn’t predict the ending, I did find it a bit underwhelming compared to the intensity of the rest of the book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced reader’s copy.

This was a great winter read with the cold Milwaukee setting and snow storms. The beginning of this book was SCARY. Like don’t read alone at night scary. Until it turned into an elderly sleuthing book And it’s my fault that I kept going because that is one genre of elderly sleuths I do not enjoy. The book was okay. Some twists, more deaths than I thought.

NOTHING EVER HAPPENS HERE
SERAPHINA NOVA GLASS
ON SALE FEBRUARY 11/25

Mack and Shelby are best friends and they live in a small town where nothing ever happens… until…

Until Shelby is left for dead in a walk in freezer at Mack’s cafe and Mack’s husband, Leo disappears the same night.

15 months later Mack is discovering lots of not so great stuff about her still missing husband and Shelby is finally not as traumatized as she was. Then she receives a card in her windshield telling her in the exact words that her assailant used, that he would go after her loved ones if she says anything about what happened.

But the fun begins when Florence and the senior gang at the nursing home that Shelby works at decide that they need to solve the mysteries happening all around them and they start a podcast (vlogcast) to catch the bad guy or guys!

Part thriller, part mystery and tons of hilarious antidotes from our seniors makes this a who done it that I never saw coming.

A story about tragedy in a small town and how residents come together to solve murders and attempted murders. There were a couple of lines early in the book that made me think we might see magical realism so that definitely threw me off but overall a decent book.

While I did enjoy the small-tell mystery angle, the pace was a bit too slow for the genre. The book starts off with a strong hook to pull readers in. I liked the multiple POV's, as well as how each chapters ended with a cliffhanger. I enjoyed wacky cast of characters, but you do have to put aside your disbelief. Overall, this book was just "meh," and is not likely to stick with me now that I have turned the final page.

This was my first Seraphina Nova Glass novel and it did not disappoint! I can't wait to dive into more thrillers by Seraphina!

3.75 stars.

A suspenseful, psychological thriller set in a snowy Minnesota town that makes for the perfect winter read!

This book had me hooked very early, and I desperately wanted to know what was going on in this small town. I really enjoyed getting to know our cast of characters, Florence and “the gang” were absolutely the stars of the show. This book is definitely fast paced, and a quick read. The reveal did shock me, and I really appreciated that.

I will say that this book struggled a little with how many characters were involved; there were so many to keep track of and that slowed me down at times. I also wish Mack’s character had been explored more deeply.

Overall, this was a fun winter thriller, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fast paced psychological thrillers!

Thank you to Netgalley and The Hive (Harlequin Trade Publishing) for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!