3.5 🌟 (rounded up)
This one started off really strong for me—chilly, dark, and atmospheric. All the makings of a gripping thriller. I was hooked, expecting a tense, psychological ride. But not quite halfway through, the tone shifted. The once-intimate suspense expanded into a larger ensemble cast of characters, which made it feel less like a dark thriller and more like a suspenseful cozy mystery. While I enjoyed the characters (they were all likable, which helped), the pacing slowed, and at times, the story felt just a little campy. Also, with the number of characters, it was more to keep up with, and I found myself less engrossed than I had been at the start. It did pick up again in the end and I enjoyed the ending. I also did enjoy the narration.

While I had fun with this one, I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would initially or some of her others but still a solid mystery. It was entertaining in the moment, but I’m not sure it’ll stick with me long-term. If you’re in the mood for a good cozy mystery with suspenseful twists and an engaging cast, this one is worth a read.

Thank you Harlequin Audio, Net Galley and Seraphina Nova Glass for the advance listen copy in exchange for my honest review. It was my pleasure.

It’s a yes for me!

DeAnn
@deannsdailydrop

2.5/5

Read via audiobook.

This was another lackluster thriller for me. The only action or excitement that happens in this book is at the very beginning and then it is quite slow for the rest of the book.

There are also so many random tangent "storylines" that did not feel necessary to me at all. Those characters didn't feel super important and neither did anything that they were mentioning or doing. It was just so weird. It left me feeling very confused during those chapters. I would be sitting there thinking "okay...? Why did I need to know that? Who is that again?" And I do not think that is good reaction to have when reading, especially when you can tell that is not the expected response.

Maybe those weird tangents were supposed to show an elaboration on characters and their relationships, but if it does not impact the rest of the plot, I don't think it needs to be woven in so clunkily. Sorry if that sounds harsh. But there were too many characters that were not flushed out enough to be used the way they were. But I don't know, maybe this writing style just isn't for me. And that is such a bummer because I've heard such great things about this author's other books, I was looking forward to reading this one.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

The book started off suspenseful and had my full attention. I liked the idea of the oldies group getting involved with small town sleuthing and being introduced to podcasting. Those characters were fun! But there were just a lot of characters throughout the story and it was hard to keep track of them all and their storylines. It also got a bit stagnant as it progressed. The ending picked up some but there really weren’t any shocking twists.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Audio and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ALC and ARC.

Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass is a twisty read with several interesting characters. I did not see the ending coming!

This was my introduction to this author. A small town is experiencing some terrible things. People are disappearing and dropping like flies. The local police department is portrayed like the Keystone Cops, only not funny. They were inept, lazy and it made me wonder how they actually became offices of the law. Any and every time a body drops or something terrible happens they don’t look beyond what they believe is obvious, file another report, call it a day and seemingly put the report into the circular file. The residents of the local senior living community band have had enough when their friends, carers and their home is threatened so they band together and start investigating. There are a lot of them and they are smart, funny and take good care of each other, but really can they find answers? There are a lot of twists and turns in this psychological suspense/thriller. I enjoyed the listen, though I found it a bit all over the place, too long and wasn’t terribly surprised at who it was. The ending though, wow!

Nothing Ever Happens Here was a fast and fun thriller. The start of the book really kicks things off with all the suspense to lay the foundation to the story. The rest of the book is spent wondering what happened that night and why as told from various POVs. The best part were the sleuthing senior citizens and their podcast. It's always hilarious when grumpy old people are in a story. They provided a comedic break between the more serious scenes in the book. If you're looking for a quick read, check out this thriller!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Publishing Graydon House, Harlequin Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by Serephina Nova Glass, narrated by the wonderful cast of Brittany Pressley, Stacey Glemboski, and Petrea Burchard. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Nothing ever happens in a small Minnesota town - until it does. After surviving an attack where the perpetrator was never found, Shelby Dawson has tried to move on. But an anonymous note on her windshield with the same words that her attacker used, Shelby is terrified. Meanwhile, a group of senior citizens in the home that Shelby manages decides to investigate on their own. Shelby's friend, Mackenzie, is also reeling because her husband disappeared the night Shelby was attacked and hasn't been seen since.

Told from multiple POV, this is a fun thriller. You may have to suspend reality a bit, but it's worth it! I loved the group of senior citizens - from the one who has a not-so-secret podcast to their banding together to investigate the crimes around them. They added humor and personality to this mystery, for sure. There are quite a few characters and the plot is a bit on the slower side, but I was anxious to see how it would all play out. Plus, the Minnesota weather and small town feel made this an atmospheric read. I thought the cast narration was spot on, and I quickly switched to listening to the audio.

3.5⭐️

Major thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio & Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copies of this new thriller - releasing TOMORROW!!!!

I am a big Serpahina Nova Glass fan. I recommend her quite regularly, so I was beyond ecstatic to get early copies of her newest novel. I would say this one is quite like her others - full of characters, crazy plot twists & lots of adrenaline rushes!

My only downfall with this one is that I felt like there were just a few too many characters and there were a couple points where I found myself a little confused on who I was getting at the time. I think maybe had I solely read this versus doing the hybrid visual and audio, it may have worked better.

Even still I think this wrapped up nicely and I will continue to recommend Glass's work to my fellow thriller lovers!

Seraphina Nova Glass never disappoints. She's become one of my must-read authors. In Nothing Ever Happens Here, she uses one of my favorite plots, a small town where everyone knows everyone, and there is a killer on the loose. While not a true locked-room mystery, there are only so many players. When everyone is hiding something, they're all a suspect at one time or another, but what made this book stand out for me is the residents of the Oleander. I wish they were part of a series, because they're hilarious, and they had me looking forward to their snarky dialogue and whatever they would be up to next. I loved this book, and I'm already excited for her next.

I absolutely loved this small-town thriller! There was so much going on with a lot of characters, but the author made it easy to keep up with everything. Action packed from the very start! I listened to the audio while reading the ebook at the same time. If I were to have to choose one method or the other, I think I would choose the audio because the narrator did such a good job!

Thank you to NetGalley, Seraphina Nova Glass, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Harlequin Audio for an advanced readers copy and an advanced listeners copy in exchange for an honest review.

Shelby narrowly survives an attack and on the same night her friend Mackenzie's husband Leo also disappears. A group of senior citizens that live where Shelby works start a podcast and uncover clues from that fateful night.

This was a fun mystery that kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. The multi-POVs made for an interesting unfolding of the narrative. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but not in a bad way. In particular I really loved the group of seniors. They brought a levity to the story that made it more enjoyable.

The narrators did an excellent job embodying each of their characters and I really enjoyed hearing the story through each of their POVs.

Tropes:
* Small Town
* Multiple POVs
* Amateur Detectives (Senior citizens with a Podcast)
* Twists and turns
* Charming Characters

4 stars

I enjoyed On a Quiet Street, but wasn’t a fan of The Vacancy in Room 10. I really wanted to give the author another try, but I was unfortunately disappointed.

After living in Minnesota all of my life, I found the setting and characters here so off the mark that it was distracting. Then the same stereotypical generalization of people in their 60’s and 70’s just threw this one over the edge for me. I think both of these generalizations were unintentional, but they were so cringey. It also seemed like the author was torn between doing a cozy mystery and a thriller so she tried to do both.

The narration on the audiobook was just okay. It felt overacted and didn’t help save this one for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

A series of events take place in a small, Minnesota town over a year. Shelby is attached and locked in a commercial freezer. Mac's husband disappears. Someone sabotages the electrical panel at a senior living center. Someone purposefully weakens the ice at a popular ice fishing spot. Is it related? And who is after them?

My favorite thing about the book is the pack of busy body seniors who investigate and start a podcast. Loved it.

There were some faults- like people being oblivious and others not communicating. And one of my pet peeves- kids not being age appropriate. The twins kept bouncing between school age and toddlers in behavior.

Brittany Pressley, Stacey Glemboski, and Petrea Burchard narrate the audiobook. I appreciate a narrator for each POV. I always enjoy Brittany Pressley's narrations. I'm not sure who is who among the other two, but I will I didn't care for whoever narrated for Shelby. It was a tone/voice thing. It just didn't fit.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

the setup…
Shelby Dawson and her twin daughters leave her friend Mackenzie’s cafe in northern Minnesota at closing but before taking off, realizes her daughter’s prized stuffed animal was left inside. Mackenzie (Mack) takes off for home, letting Shelby go back in to find more than she’d bargained for. That same night, Mackenzie’s husband Leo suspiciously disappears, also leaving her with quite a few surprises. It’s now fifteen months later and he hasn’t returned and Mack vacillates between believing he deliberately abandoned her or met a deadly end. And, Shelby begins receiving cryptic and threatening anonymous notes, accompanied by a series of deadly mishaps. It’s just the beginning of a nightmare for both of them and the well-meaning senior citizens at her assisted living facility are determined to get to the bottom of it all.

the heart of the story…
The prologue is harrowing, setting the stage for what I thought would be a more chilling mystery. But, enter the group of senior amateur sleuths from the Oleander led by Florence who are determined to do their own investigation as Detective Riley is hapless and inept. They even hijack one of their friend’s podcasts to get public help. While it often feels like more of a cozy mystery, the attacks are real and become more dangerous and sinister.

the narration…
Brittany Pressley, Stacey Glemboski and Petrea Burchard were the voices for Mack, Shelby and Florence respectively. I loved their performances and each embodied their characters and were excellent storytellers.

the bottom line…
This was different fare than I’m used to experiencing from the author but still twisty and clever. I loved Florence and her motley crew who were so much better than the pitiful law enforcement. And that ending…definitely not cozy but very authentic and thought provoking. This was the proverbial page turner.

Solid mystery thriller with a cozy type touch.

In a small Minnesota town two best friends are reeling from events that took place over a year ago. Shelby interrupted what might have been a burglary inside her friend’s cafe and was left to die. Suffering some frostbite amputations and trying to get herself back into a good place mentally, she’s shaken when a threatening note appears on the windshield of her car. Is he back? Meanwhile, Mack, the best friend, is broken and haunted because her husband, Leo, vanished the same night of Shelby’s attack. Bad things start happening to Shelby and the seniors at the rest home she manages rally around but no one knows who is responsible.

I liked the setting and the characters, especially the seniors. What a hoot. They interjected some fun moments and snarky humor into the story making the situation seem less ominous even though some seriously nasty stuff, including murder, was going on. I really liked those interactions. The story was a bit predictable and it was easy to guess who the bad guy was despite the red herrings and the dangled hints. The narrative shifted in point of view and the pace was fast.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The 3 female narrators did a nice job voicing their character parts with the appropriate dramatic flair and this enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

At first, I really struggled with this. There was a lot of confusion, and it felt a bit overwhelming for my taste. The pace and intensity were almost too much, making it hard to fully engage. However, as it went on, things started to settle down a bit, and I found the last part to be more enjoyable. Still, the theme wasn’t exactly my favorite, which made it hard for me to connect with the story overall. It's tough to say much more without spoiling, but it definitely had its ups and downs for me.

Nothing Ever Happens Here may be the title of this one, but there is a LOT that happens in this book! It started with a crazy hostage-type situation, and it was hard for me to put it down after that. The book takes place in small town Minnesota, which isn’t your typical contemporary book setting.
There are great side characters in this book, in particular some old-folk home residents who take it upon themselves to try to solve the mystery. I could see these characters getting along well with the characters in How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley, as there is similar humor involved here.
I’m having trouble giving much of a summary for this book without giving away key parts of the mystery, so I’ll just say if you enjoy books set in small towns where the adage “nothing ever happens here” is NOT true, this book may be up your alley. I thought the audiobook was done well, and I recommend both forms of this one. It will be available on Tuesday, and I’m excited to add the author to my list of auto-read authors. If you haven’t checked out her blacklist, I recommend On a Quiet Street and The Vanishing Hour, but I’m still working my way through some of her previous releases.

Seraphina never misses for me! This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I was so invested in what was going to happen next and absolutely adored the senior citizens. Although, I figured out the twist, it didn’t take away from me enjoying the book. As always, Brittany Pressley did a phenomenal job narrating this story, along with the other narrators. They really brought each of the characters’ voices to life. They also did the humor justice.

Thank you Netgalley & HTP Books for an ALC of Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass! She is an absolute auto-buy author of mine, so I had to push this book right to the top of my TBR. This book follows MC Shelby, who survives an attack and is trying to move on with her life with her family. But, 15 months after, a mysterious note echoing the words of her attacker brings everything back to the surface. Mack, Shelby's best friend - is also trying to get past this night, but for a different reason. Her husband vanished without a trace on that same night, and nobody knows why.

Read this one if you enjoy -
-Small town with big drama, twisty mystery vibes
-Snowy setting, perfect for a winter read
-A group of rowdy, silly senior citizens getting in on the detective work (yes, this is my favorite part of the book!)

This book was all of the things I didn't know I needed - Opening with a chilling attack, a silly group of senior citizens starting their very own true-crime podcast - and a twist that I didn't see coming. As always, I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next.

In a small, snowy Minnesota town, nothing exciting really happens. Doors are left unlocked and everyone knows each other. Things are forever changed one night when Shelby is left for dead in a brutal attack at the same time her best friend Mackenzie’s husband disappears without a trace. A year and a half later the two women have begun to settle into a new normal when Shelby receives a threatening note and realizes she and her family are not safe. When an enterprising group of senior citizens at Shelby’s workplace start a surprisingly viral podcast to investigate the crimes in the their town, things start getting even more dangerous. Can they all make it out alive or will their secrets be their downfall?

I listened to the audiobook of Nothing Ever Happens here and it was absolutely delightful. The narration was superbly done bringing the quirky, sweet characters to life. The story was fast-paced and suspenseful, with a bit of cozy mystery and humor thrown in. The twists were plentiful and surprising, leading to a satisfying conclusion. 4.25 stars.

I received this advance audio copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.