Glass had me captivated from the very first chapter. I will be purchasing a hard copy for my personal library. A can't miss read!

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and the publishing teams for the review copy. The suspense and twists/mystery development were strong, the characters well developed, and the way the puzzle pieces came together was great!

This is my first book from Seraphina Nova Glass but wont be my last, I really enjoyed this twisty mystery and how engaging I found the different characters and perspectives. I admit it was Flora and her group of friends, their podcast/true crime focus and their joyful exploration of old(er) age that really charmed me and yet I also was very engaged with Shelby, her experiences and worries as mother with young children and trying to navigate what happened to her and emerging threats.

Shelby is from a small town where… you guessed it.. nothing ever happens there ! She survived an attack in her friend, Mackenzie’s, coffee shop after walking in on a break in. He left telling her that if she thought about it- she would know who he really was.

Flash forward and she is finally starting to feel at peace again thanks to her friends and family. That comes crashing down when she gets a note on her car and feeling like he’s being watched. Could this be connected to her attacker ? Or another threat all together ? Or is she just losing her mind.

Shelby isn’t the only one impacted, others go missing- including Mackenzie’s husband- who turns out has deep secrets in financial corruption.

Oh yea- and a POV from some senior citizens who go viral and open the case again with their true crime podcast venture focused on the case. Probably my favorite POV of the whole book!

POV from Shelby, Mackenzie / Mac, and Florence (the queen!)

This author is always a go to, guaranteed ready for me and this one did not disappoint! A little different and cozier than some other books, with a nice mix of suspense and humor.



Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 2/11/25!

AN UNSOLVED CRIME...A MISSING PERSON...A ECCENTRIC CAST OF CHARACTERS IN A SMALL, WINTERY TOWN WITH MURDER SHE WROTE VIBES!

This book checked all the boxes of what I normally like in a thriller.
An action-packed scene right from the start? CHECK.
Puzzles and mysteries dying to be solved? CHECK.
Twists and turns, and an ending you probably didn't see coming? CHECK. CHECK!

SYNOPSIS:

The book takes place in the sleepy, snowy town of Minnesota, where life is as predictable as a re-run of your favorite TV show - until it's not.
Shelby Dawson survives an attack that should have left her dead. That same night, Shelby's best friend Mackenzie (Mack) goes home to find her husband missing. It seems he's completely vanished without a trace.
Fast forward fifteen months later, just as things are starting to feel somewhat normal again, a mysterious note appears on Shelby's windshield, echoing threats from the attack that night.

As if the small town didn't have enough to gossip about already, a group of well-meaning senior citizens from the local assisted living center decide to start their own investigation into what really happened on that night 15 months ago.
Picture your grandma with a podcast, and you get the idea.
Their amateur sleuthing inadvertently makes the case go viral, turning the town's quiet streets into a hotbed of suspense.

REVIEW:

"Nothing ever happens here" is a thrilling page turner that proves sometimes, the most unexpected events happen in the places you'd least expect.

If you're in the mood for a suspenseful tale that combines mystery, humor, and a touch of small-town charm, this book should be at the top of your list. The book was engaging right from the start and kept me invested in figuring out what was actually going on.

The only thing keeping me from rating the book higher is that I don't love multiple POV's all that much, especially when it's more than 2 since keeping track of all the characters can get quite confusing! I also found the writing style a bit hard to follow at times- simply because of how long the sentences sometimes went on for. I assume this was done to make you feel like you're really listening to an elderly person talk- which it really did a great job of doing! But the run-on sentences sometimes had me re-reading the same page over again so I could understand what it was I just read.

I'm rating this book 3.5 stars, but rounding up to 4 since it definitely does NOT deserve 3 (and there's no half-ratings on Goodreads)! BUT OVERALL, I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing / Graydon House for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Reading this book felt a little frenzied and it felt disconnected. The suspense level was a little lacking for me. Overall it as fine, but I probably would not recommend it to other readers.

Book Review: Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass

In the seemingly tranquil town of Sycamore, Minnesota, Shelby Dawson is still grappling with the trauma of a brutal attack that occurred fifteen months prior—a night that also saw the mysterious disappearance of her best friend Mackenzie's husband, Leo. Just as Shelby begins to reclaim a sense of normalcy, she discovers an ominous note on her windshield, echoing the threats of her past assailant. As unsettling incidents escalate, Shelby, with the support of Mackenzie and an endearing group of senior citizens from the local assisted living facility, delves into a web of secrets that suggest her nightmare is far from over.

Seraphina Nova Glass intertwines suspense with moments of levity, particularly through the charming antics of the elderly sleuths whose amateur podcasting efforts add a unique and heartwarming dimension to the narrative. The novel balances tension and humor, creating a compelling atmosphere that keeps readers engaged. The richly developed characters and the depiction of small-town dynamics evoke a range of emotions, from empathy and apprehension to amusement and hope. The book leaves readers reflecting on the resilience of community and the courage required to confront one's past.

This novel is recommended for fans of psychological thrillers who appreciate a blend of suspense and character-driven storytelling. Readers who enjoyed works like The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman will find Nothing Ever Happens Here to be an engaging and satisfying read.

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC of this novel.

This was a quick, popcorn type thriller and keeps you in the edge of your seat the entire time.

The action in this book starts on the very first page and doesn’t stop for the entire novel. It was a quick read that I was able to finish in 24 hours.

I think this book suffered because it lacked a little backstory from the main characters and we didn’t grow to care about them as much as we could because the story was so fast-paced and we didn’t really understand any of their motivations.

My favorite part of the story was the characters from the senior living facility. Florence, Herb and the other characters in the ‘gang’ were the best and I loved their podcast/crime solving side story. They had me laughing out loud for much of the time. They really saved this book for me.

Overall, I rated this book a 3.5/5 stars rounded up to 4 for this review.

Wow the twists and turns in this book will keep your head on a swivel!!!!!!!!!!!!! You think you have it figured out and boom another twists.

This was a great book for me to be introduced to Seraphina Nova Glass's work!
Shelby is a mother and wife who is attacked and left for dead!! Nearly a year and a half after her attack, she's trying to move past the trauma, all while her best friend Mack tries to determine what happened to her missing husband Leo, the man many in town think attacked Shelby. As Shelby tries to move on, a group of well intentioned senior citizens (Florence, Millie, Herb and Bernie) at the assisted living facility she manages, decide to start a true crime podcast and figure out.. What Happened to Shelby?

Nothing Ever Happens Here is told through multiple view points, including Shelby, Mack, and Florence, the leader of the podcast. Each viewpoint provides and interesting glimpse into the different sides of the story. The Senior Crew's antics and banter is such a refreshing inclusion in this suspense thriller!

The book definitely keeps you guessing until the very end... this isn't one of those it's easy to figure out who did it books or guess the added twist it has!!! Definitely recommend this enjoyable read!!

Thank you Seraphina Nova Glass, NetGalley and Graydon House for an ARC of this book for an honest review!

Eek! Small town mystery meets comedic relief in a senior living home. I was thrown through so many emotions and have so many annotations thinking I knew the suspect - and I was wrong right up until the end. This was so good!

3.5

QUICK GLANCE-
My format- ARC Ebook
Other formats- 📖Physical (336 pages) and Audio🎧 (9 hours and 33 minutes)
Spice: 🚫
Language: 🤐🤐moderate
CW: ⚠️Gambling addiction mentioned, suicide mentioned, gun violence, and kidnapping
Release Date: February 11, 2025

MY THOUGHTS-
This was my first novel by Seraphina Nova Glass, and the wintry small-town backdrop captivated me right away. Florence and her hilarious gang of amateur detectives at the Oleander home were both heartwarming and razor-sharp, often overshadowing the local police. It gave me Only Murders in the Building and The Thursday Murder Club vibes. Their antics and determination to crack the case had me smiling all the way. Although it’s not the twistiest thriller I’ve read, the pacing was brisk, and the variety of surprises kept me on my toes. The small-town atmosphere with hidden secrets added to the intrigue, making it an enjoyable read overall.

Thanks to @netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Shelby Dawson survives a harrowing attack in her small Minnesota hometown, but still has PTSD 15 months later. Her best friend Mackenzie is struggling because her husband disappeared the same night of the attack. Were the events related? And why is Shelby now receiving threatening notes? This mystery was a fun ride, and I loved the senior citizen characters. But I think I wanted more character development from the two main characters. Otherwise I really enjoyed it and loved all the twists and turns. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Shelby Dawson survived an attack fifteen months ago in her small Minnesota town. She was left for dead but thankfully was found in the nick of time. On that same night, Shelby’s friend, Mackenzie, discovered her husband had gone missing. As both women attempt to move on with their lives, many questions remain. But if they go digging for the truth, they might not like what they find.

NOTHING EVER HAPPENS HERE was my first Seraphina Nova Glass thriller and I was pleasantly surprised by the humor as that’s not something you usually get with this genre. It was an added bonus and helped balance out the darker bits of the story.

The plot had me invested but there were some bumps along the way. It was tricky keeping track of some characters in my mind even as the story was hitting the home stretch. The author did keep me on my toes though and had me constantly second guessing the different theories I came up with in my head.

Overall a decent thriller that has motivated me to check out other books by this author.

3.25 stars

Shelby was out with her friend, Mack, and Shelby's young daughters. When it's time to leave, one of the girls remembers that she left a treasured toy at Mack's restaurant. Mack gives Shelby the key and Shelby arrives, leaving the girls in the car with the heater running. As soon as she's in the restaurant, Shelby realizes that there is someone else there. He leaves her for dead.

When she survives, he's threatened her loved ones if she even tells anyone what happened. But she has no clue who he is but she is terrified. She learns that there is a lot of strange and scary stuff going on in this small town.

It was a story that kept my attention, but the pacing was uneven - like real life. Definitely a book to put on your TBR list.

Nothing Ever Happens Here is a popcorn thriller with cozy mystery vibes, a winter setting and the best elderly side character sleuths. This story is multigenerational, told through multiple POVs, had a good twist, and even better side characters.

I love good side characters and this book has some funny, eccentric, lovable seniors who really helped drive the story. I laughed multiple times at these “silly antiques sitting around” as they navigated their way through learning about the world of podcasts and social media. Don’t get me wrong, there was a good blend of thriller, murder mystery, sarcasm, and humor. The plot was interesting, it caught and kept my attention from the first chapter, and had a twist I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed hearing the POV of the three strong, well developed FMCs, but those silly seniors made the story for me.

This was my first book by this author but won’t be my last. I really enjoyed her writing style. I have On a Quiet Street on my backlist TBR, and hope to read it this month.

The audiobook made for a pleasant read/listen, and it wasn’t hard to follow along. The story is told from three women’s POVs and the audiobook gives all three their own narrator making it easy to distinguish between characters. I’m a big fan of Brittany Presley’s work so I was excited to see that she was one of the narrators. All the narrators had great pacing, dialect, and inflection, doing a fantastic job creating suspense but also making the sarcasm and humor really pop. Overall, the narrators created a great listening experience and delivered a flawless performance from start to finish.

This started strong with huge plot points right off the bat which really hooked me. The small town setting worked well with the cast of characters. I did not figure out who the culprit was (in fact I had no clue!) which made for a suspenseful novel. I went between reading and listening and I preferred reading but that isn’t to say the narration was bad.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of both the print and audio of this title. I love listening and reading as it helps me get through a book much faster. The narrators did an excellent job with this one. Though parts of this novel reminded me of a cozy mystery, I enjoyed the quirky characters, especially those at the assisted living center who created the podcast and got involved. Had it not been for their intrusion, the story would have ended a lot differently. I also had the husband pegged for all of it (it's always the husband, right?) I guess you'll just have to read it to find out! Overall, I really enjoyed it. Part mystery, part cozy and very entertaining.

After surviving a near-death experience fifteen months earlier, Shelby Dawson rebuilds her life in a small Minnesota town with her best friend Mackenzie. When she discovers a threatening note on her car, she faces new peril as treacherous conditions intensify. Meanwhile, Mackenzie’s husband Leo’s sudden disappearance and financial discrepancies hint at his possible role in the threat. Senior citizens Shelby cares for, along with their podcast, accelerate the investigation, while suspicious accidents targeting those near her add urgency. The vanishing of another friend pushes Shelby closer to uncovering the truth before she becomes a victim herself.


Wow, this was an incredible ride! Every chapter ended like a cliffhanger or twist, keeping me hooked until the very end. The fast-paced story kept me turning pages nonstop, needing to know what'd happen next. I highly, highly recommend this mystery thriller. Intriguing and relatable characters drove the story forward, and a little humor sprinkled in added much-needed lightness. Please give this book a read, you will not regret it!

My review will be on amazon, goodreads, and instagram 2/12/2025

It’s been too long since I’ve been sucked into a good thriller, but I can always count on Seraphina to do the job. She is one of my favorites, and I loved her newest release! Her writing is always so entertaining. From the humorous meddling senior citizens of small town Rivers Crossing, to the clueless police department, the possible serial killer wreaking havoc, the captivating multiple point of views, the pacing, and plot twists, I was fully invested from page one. I became connected to the characters and felt for them throughout.

I couldn’t wait to get to the end and find out if my guess on who was causing all the craziness was right (it wasn’t)!

Thank you HTP Hive, HTP Books, Graydon House Books, and Netgalley for the ARC!

This novel is like a roller coaster ride going around curves and downhill the entire time. The twists just keep coming and kept me guessing as a small town is faced with disappearances, money laundering and even a possible murder. Two friends, Mackenzie and Shelby, both face unimaginable crises. Mack’s husband is missing and Shelby is attacked the same night that Leo disappears. There are so many creative and original page-turning and head-spinning twists that I cannot explain without giving away too much of the plot, but suffice it to say that the story was engaging, fast-moving and written with an edge that kept me reading. There is also the comic relief provided by the elderly residents of Oleander, a residence operated by Shelby. These residents are smart and protective of Shelby and want to help solve the crimes going on around town but end up getting themselves in trouble for their efforts. I really enjoyed the characterization because it was spot on fascinating and totally realistic. The elderly were quirky, Shelby was terrified and Mack was understandably frantic about her missing husband and her financial situation. Even the secondary characters like the Shelby’s children and husband Clay were believable and authentically portrayed. I enjoyed the story with its intense suspense sprinkled into the drama of the friends. With a complex plot and a mystery to try to solve, the author did a fantastic job of pulling me into the story and not letting to until the satisfying ending. This would be a great book to discuss in a book group since the characters are so varied and the plot is so memorable.
Disclaimer
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.