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The Day He Never Came Home
Regan Peters knows her husband John wants to give her and their children a good life. The long hours he puts in as a financial advisor prove his dedication, and despite how mysterious he is about his past, that's been enough for her to get through the hard days. Until the FBI shows up at their door looking for John, and Regan learns that her husband has been running a Ponzi scheme, is mixed up with dangerous criminals, and has been living under an assumed identity all these years. Everything she thought she knew about her husband has been a lie.
That includes the outrageous birthday present John gifted her the day before he disappeared—a lake house, bought with cash, and put in her name only. With her life falling apart, Regan must make a split-second decision: does she tell the FBI about the house? Or does she buy some time to forge her own path to saving herself? But one compromise inevitably leads to another, and one dangerous secret builds on the next.
When her lies of omission to the FBI agents begin to raise questions, Regan becomes inextricably embroiled in John's crimes, the true extent of which are just beginning to be revealed. Now that her comfortable life is clearly over, Regan is learning she is capable of far more than she ever imagined. She will do anything to protect herself, her children, and their future. Anything.
That includes the outrageous birthday present John gifted her the day before he disappeared—a lake house, bought with cash, and put in her name only. With her life falling apart, Regan must make a split-second decision: does she tell the FBI about the house? Or does she buy some time to forge her own path to saving herself? But one compromise inevitably leads to another, and one dangerous secret builds on the next.
When her lies of omission to the FBI agents begin to raise questions, Regan becomes inextricably embroiled in John's crimes, the true extent of which are just beginning to be revealed. Now that her comfortable life is clearly over, Regan is learning she is capable of far more than she ever imagined. She will do anything to protect herself, her children, and their future. Anything.
368 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2024
74 people are currently reading
17632 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 262 reviews
September 20, 2024
This was ok, just not super “thrilling”. I didn’t care much about all the finance stuff but I liked the writing style a lot!
September 2, 2024
A Simple mystery that i would recommend. A little too predictable, and a lot of plot holes I'm giving side eyes.
A woman's husband goes missing in the wake of a PONZI scheme, only for her to come to understand her husband wasn't who he said he was. Story told from her POV and then his, finally coming to the "explosive" conclusion.
Solid 3.5 stars!!!!
A woman's husband goes missing in the wake of a PONZI scheme, only for her to come to understand her husband wasn't who he said he was. Story told from her POV and then his, finally coming to the "explosive" conclusion.
Solid 3.5 stars!!!!
July 13, 2024
The Day He Never Came Home is a fantastic book that keeps you on edge throughout. Regan Peters is married to John, a financial advisor, and they have 2 children. John works long hours and leaves Regan alone with the kids for long stretches. Regan is overwhelmed and needs some help, but she knows John is working hard to provide them with a good life. Is he though? One morning Regan wakes up and John's side of the bed is cool and hasn't been slept in. He was working late the night before, but he always came home. When there's a knock at the door, Regan is shocked to find 2 FBI agents standing there. They want to know where John is? Regan says he's at work. The FBI agents had just been at John's office and it's cleaned out, no one there. They tell Regan that John was running a Ponzi scheme, is using an assumed identity, and working with criminals.
Regan now puts things together. Just yesterday John had given Regan a lake house for her birthday. He made a point of telling her that it was in her name only. He was making sure that she and the kids would have a place to live. How could John leave them? Regan makes a decision not to tell the FBI about the lake house and she hopes that John is hiding there. Unfortunately, they have a warrant and are searching the house she's in now with her kids. The agents tell Regan that she should take the kids elsewhere and stay overnight to give them time to thoroughly search the house and grounds. Regan decides to take the kids to her parents house. Regan dreads seeing her mother with this news as she's never been a fan of John's.
As you read The Day He Never Came Home you learn more and more about John's past, how he and Regan met, and their life together. You won't be able to get this book out of your mind. It's a fantastic debut thriller from Andrew DeYoung that I rate 4 stars with a high recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for an advanced copy of The Day He Never Came Home in exchange for a fair review. The book is out now and should not be missed! #TheDayHeNeverCameHome
Regan now puts things together. Just yesterday John had given Regan a lake house for her birthday. He made a point of telling her that it was in her name only. He was making sure that she and the kids would have a place to live. How could John leave them? Regan makes a decision not to tell the FBI about the lake house and she hopes that John is hiding there. Unfortunately, they have a warrant and are searching the house she's in now with her kids. The agents tell Regan that she should take the kids elsewhere and stay overnight to give them time to thoroughly search the house and grounds. Regan decides to take the kids to her parents house. Regan dreads seeing her mother with this news as she's never been a fan of John's.
As you read The Day He Never Came Home you learn more and more about John's past, how he and Regan met, and their life together. You won't be able to get this book out of your mind. It's a fantastic debut thriller from Andrew DeYoung that I rate 4 stars with a high recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for an advanced copy of The Day He Never Came Home in exchange for a fair review. The book is out now and should not be missed! #TheDayHeNeverCameHome
July 25, 2025
I felt a bit wishy-washy about this book. Some parts were really engaging, while others dragged and lost my interest. The story follows Regan and John Peters, a seemingly normal married couple with children. John works long hours as a financial advisor—or so Regan thinks. Everything changes when the FBI shows up at their door, and Regan learns that John isn’t who he claims to be. He’s not a financial advisor at all—instead, he’s been running a Ponzi scheme.
March 16, 2024
The Day He Never Came Home showcases how a mother will do absolutely everything in her power to protect her kids. Do we really know the ones we love? Regan thought she knew her husband John, until the FBI showed up with a warrant to search their home and arrest him - only he’s already disappeared.
As a midwestern girl, I loved that this popcorn thriller was set in the twin cities! Easy to read, fast chapters keep your attention as you watch how Regan’s one simple, innocent lie spirals into more. Where is John, and what happened to destroy their seemingly perfect lives? It really did give off vibes similar to “The Last Thing He Told Me” but with a fresh twist and I’m totally here for it. 🍿 👏
Thank you to NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
As a midwestern girl, I loved that this popcorn thriller was set in the twin cities! Easy to read, fast chapters keep your attention as you watch how Regan’s one simple, innocent lie spirals into more. Where is John, and what happened to destroy their seemingly perfect lives? It really did give off vibes similar to “The Last Thing He Told Me” but with a fresh twist and I’m totally here for it. 🍿 👏
Thank you to NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
May 12, 2024
I can't say why but I just didn't care for this book all that much. It wasn't what I expected. Regan's husband John disappears shortly into the book because the FBI is investigating him for fraud, running a Ponzi scheme. You initially feel sorry for Regan and the kids but then you find out that the husband really was a con man and before they were married Regan helped him with several cons. So, she's far from innocent and from my standpoint she deserves everything bad that happens to her. We shortly have a murder, interactions with the guy John has been laundering money for (and the dialogue from this guy is like a really bad gangster movie), a million dollars that John left Regan which she hides, and deals with the FBI, etc. For me the book was exhausting and one stupid plot twist after another. I didn't consider it a thriller at all. Thanks to Goodreads for the advanced reader copy.
July 5, 2024
If you enjoyed the concept for Laura Dave’s “the last thing he told me”, yet want to dive deeper into more suspenseful, thrilling and surprising waters, definitely give this book a try!
“The day he never came home” begins with the expected, but then takes you on a detour, throws you off course and leaves you questioning your own moral compass.
Read if you enjoy: twists, deceptions, the unexpected
What worked for me:
Deep diving into John’s life, seeing how events came to be by going through his past and present.
I enjoyed Reagan’s character and watching her step up to be the bad ass wife and come into her new strengths.
Thank you to Poisened pen press, Andrew DeYoung and Netgalley for the EARC
Publish date; July 9th
“The day he never came home” begins with the expected, but then takes you on a detour, throws you off course and leaves you questioning your own moral compass.
Read if you enjoy: twists, deceptions, the unexpected
What worked for me:
Deep diving into John’s life, seeing how events came to be by going through his past and present.
I enjoyed Reagan’s character and watching her step up to be the bad ass wife and come into her new strengths.
Thank you to Poisened pen press, Andrew DeYoung and Netgalley for the EARC
Publish date; July 9th
November 5, 2024
I enjoyed this twisty domestic thriller very much. There were so many twists and turns that I truly didn't see coming, and it kept me guessing until the end.
The story is told in dual POV, and that worked very well. Learning about John's past was a great build-up to the mystery of his disappearance.
All of the characters were a bit unlikable, but I enjoy that with these types of books. This was an engaging story and a suspenseful read that I found quite entertaining. I'm definitely looking forward to more by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The story is told in dual POV, and that worked very well. Learning about John's past was a great build-up to the mystery of his disappearance.
All of the characters were a bit unlikable, but I enjoy that with these types of books. This was an engaging story and a suspenseful read that I found quite entertaining. I'm definitely looking forward to more by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
June 25, 2024
“The Day He Never Came Home” is a crime mystery, that kept me turning page after page until I had devoured it in a mere number of hours.
Regan- a loving mother to two, caring wife and partner, and daughter to a wealthy family- finds herself in what most would think as their worst situation imaginable: her husband never comes home from work one night. Throughout the novel, we as the reader are left to put the pieces back together and figure out what happened.
Overall Thoughts:
Rating 4/5
I like to go into books blind- I don’t want to know what they’re about before I start to read them, and in most cases I find this to be exhilarating. In this case, I felt a little blindsided- to no fault of the author. When I cracked open the first page of this book, I was expecting a thriller due to the cover and the title. In a way, this book had “thriller” aspects, but rather I felt that I was never guessing the end, just being led to it. Plot points along the way kept me JUST hooked enough to keep going, though I will say I think it could have been a little shorter.
All this being said, I loved the writing style of the book because it had me feeling like I was crawling into the skin of these characters. A mother- a caring person who has lost everything- like Regan, was one of the easiest characters to root for and relate to. She’s exhausted from everything expected of her- start a business, make money, take care of the kids, do all the cooking, cleaning. It reminded me of myself and feeling little support when the list is never-ending. The author did a beautiful job sucking us in through her relatable point of view.
What I was not expecting was to be then led through the second half o the book getting the SAME story from her husband, John’s, point of view. For someone that had committed so many fraudulent crimes, according the the police, I could not BELIEVE how effective DeYoung was in getting me to feel like rooting for this character. Even though the book is entirely written from the third person (an effective choice to create a narration that the reader can follow from a bird’s eye view) it felt as if I was inside the thoughts of the protagonists.
All this to say, this is not a book I typically would have picked up from the shelf as money crimes aren’t really my things- but boy am I glad I did. I look forward to the release of this book, and to see others’ thoughts on this lovely novel.
Regan- a loving mother to two, caring wife and partner, and daughter to a wealthy family- finds herself in what most would think as their worst situation imaginable: her husband never comes home from work one night. Throughout the novel, we as the reader are left to put the pieces back together and figure out what happened.
Overall Thoughts:
Rating 4/5
I like to go into books blind- I don’t want to know what they’re about before I start to read them, and in most cases I find this to be exhilarating. In this case, I felt a little blindsided- to no fault of the author. When I cracked open the first page of this book, I was expecting a thriller due to the cover and the title. In a way, this book had “thriller” aspects, but rather I felt that I was never guessing the end, just being led to it. Plot points along the way kept me JUST hooked enough to keep going, though I will say I think it could have been a little shorter.
All this being said, I loved the writing style of the book because it had me feeling like I was crawling into the skin of these characters. A mother- a caring person who has lost everything- like Regan, was one of the easiest characters to root for and relate to. She’s exhausted from everything expected of her- start a business, make money, take care of the kids, do all the cooking, cleaning. It reminded me of myself and feeling little support when the list is never-ending. The author did a beautiful job sucking us in through her relatable point of view.
What I was not expecting was to be then led through the second half o the book getting the SAME story from her husband, John’s, point of view. For someone that had committed so many fraudulent crimes, according the the police, I could not BELIEVE how effective DeYoung was in getting me to feel like rooting for this character. Even though the book is entirely written from the third person (an effective choice to create a narration that the reader can follow from a bird’s eye view) it felt as if I was inside the thoughts of the protagonists.
All this to say, this is not a book I typically would have picked up from the shelf as money crimes aren’t really my things- but boy am I glad I did. I look forward to the release of this book, and to see others’ thoughts on this lovely novel.
December 15, 2024
3.5 stars rounding down on Goodreads.
I thought it was entertaining and I loved how it was broken out into sections but it just seems like an extremely long book. I was hooked immediately but it did drag at parts. The ending was predictable and underwhelming.
I thought it was entertaining and I loved how it was broken out into sections but it just seems like an extremely long book. I was hooked immediately but it did drag at parts. The ending was predictable and underwhelming.
July 2, 2025
3.75 ⭐️ | I am a sucker for domestic thrillers! This was a fun, twisty read that I couldn’t put down. Even if some of it was predictable, the story was addictive.
July 5, 2024
Really interesting storyline that pulls you in from the beginning! This book is like an onion, every chapter reveals a different layer and part to the story, which made it a fun read! The characters were well written and easy to follow. The ending was a little too quick and felt like it was missing an element, but overall a good thriller!
June 27, 2024
Wow… what a ride!
This book was a great read and I enjoyed every single chapter.
Fast paced thriller that got my attention and got me hooked, it was intriguing and in the beginning I thought I knew where the story was going, but it was a surprising Part II, which added the perspective of John, it was engaging and changed everything.
it was a very well written story with well developed characters, exploring different aspects of betrayal and trust, very entertaining, fun, and very clever plot.
I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend.
A big thank you to Andrew DeYoung and Poisoned Pen Press for my physical #gifted copy.
Publication Day 07/09/2024.
This book was a great read and I enjoyed every single chapter.
Fast paced thriller that got my attention and got me hooked, it was intriguing and in the beginning I thought I knew where the story was going, but it was a surprising Part II, which added the perspective of John, it was engaging and changed everything.
it was a very well written story with well developed characters, exploring different aspects of betrayal and trust, very entertaining, fun, and very clever plot.
I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend.
A big thank you to Andrew DeYoung and Poisoned Pen Press for my physical #gifted copy.
Publication Day 07/09/2024.
July 11, 2024
Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this advanced copy. Now onto the review.....
What I liked -
- dual POV with part one is Regan's POV, part two from John’s POV where we learn more about him. Part three is present day and tieing it all together.
- strong character development
- the plot is what drew me to want to read this but it was predictable
- mother who will do what she has to do to protect her kids
This book took me over a week to complete which is a long time for me. I couldn't get motivated to pick it up. From the beginning, there was something about Regan, FMC, that I did not like. I couldn't relate to her. At times, she seemed to live in a world of delusion. She ignored John's red flags. The beginning was a slow start. It wasn't until about 40% in that I had my first gasp. It does pick up in part 3 but it was predictable and there was no crazy twists.
What I liked -
- dual POV with part one is Regan's POV, part two from John’s POV where we learn more about him. Part three is present day and tieing it all together.
- strong character development
- the plot is what drew me to want to read this but it was predictable
- mother who will do what she has to do to protect her kids
This book took me over a week to complete which is a long time for me. I couldn't get motivated to pick it up. From the beginning, there was something about Regan, FMC, that I did not like. I couldn't relate to her. At times, she seemed to live in a world of delusion. She ignored John's red flags. The beginning was a slow start. It wasn't until about 40% in that I had my first gasp. It does pick up in part 3 but it was predictable and there was no crazy twists.
September 27, 2024
Thank you to @poisonedpenpress and @andrewdeyoung for the digital copy to review.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to think about this one, but my goodness once it started, I ended up finishing in one sitting, I was completely hooked. This was a crazy ride that starts off with a bang, as in FBI agents show up at Regan Peters’ home looking for her husband, whom she assumes is just carrying on a normal work life and she is none the wiser. She soon learns that he is not who she thought he was, and yet she does not tell the agents everything, so she is quickly involved in her husband’s crimes like it or not, and she is forced to reckon with his choices and make some of her own, right, wrong, or indifferent.
I ended up really loving this one, and I did kind of figure it out but not everything, and as I noted it was incredibly enjoyable the whole time. I thought Regan was making some reckless decisions, what with the FBI close by at all times, however she knew what she was doing better than me haha and this worked out as it should. I definitely recommend this, thought the audio was wonderful, only adding to the tension that was building throughout this story. I definitely recommend this one, it was a great thriller.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to think about this one, but my goodness once it started, I ended up finishing in one sitting, I was completely hooked. This was a crazy ride that starts off with a bang, as in FBI agents show up at Regan Peters’ home looking for her husband, whom she assumes is just carrying on a normal work life and she is none the wiser. She soon learns that he is not who she thought he was, and yet she does not tell the agents everything, so she is quickly involved in her husband’s crimes like it or not, and she is forced to reckon with his choices and make some of her own, right, wrong, or indifferent.
I ended up really loving this one, and I did kind of figure it out but not everything, and as I noted it was incredibly enjoyable the whole time. I thought Regan was making some reckless decisions, what with the FBI close by at all times, however she knew what she was doing better than me haha and this worked out as it should. I definitely recommend this, thought the audio was wonderful, only adding to the tension that was building throughout this story. I definitely recommend this one, it was a great thriller.
June 14, 2025
I guess you get what is coming to you. Casey, who became Paul, & then John had a difficult life due to many of his bad life choices. I have never had as much debt as John did in this book, but in some ways I can understand that It makes you desperate when you want to make things right when you have overspent, & you use resources to put into other resources, & Its just a cycle that gets you into trouble. I am sad that John didn't love his children as he should of, & he should of been a better husband to his wife, but I guess you can always say should of, could of whether Its fiction or real life. I really enjoyed this book. It definitely kept me wanting to read on. I loved the character Darrell. He had a good hart & he treated Paul at that point with so much Grace even though he didn't deserve It.
July 11, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this advanced reader’s copy. Release date 7/9/24.
The Day He Never Came Home is a domestic thriller that follows Regan (Ree-gan) and her search for the truth. After an extravagant gift from her husband, John, Regan finds herself rekindling her mundane and repetitive marriage. After two kids and walking away from her own business, Regan has grown resentful as John spends more and more late nights at work. But just hours after receiving the unexpected birthday gift, John walks out the front door and never comes home.
The storyline of part one is very well put together, having me wanting more. The suspense to get to the end and find out what happened was enough that I read this book, start to finish, in less than 24hours. I found part one written so well, in fact, that I tried rushing through part two to resume that side of the story!
One of the aspects of this book I thoroughly enjoyed, was the visual concept of two sides to every story. While reading a key section in part two, I was sure it was a misprint or error. Later, that “error” was addressed and was actually intentionally written that way. It personified the idea that every perspective and memory/recollection of a story or event is different from person to person. The author expertly describes that concept and definitely had me recalling some of my own personal arguments. And that was just one key take away from the entire book!
The story (probably) unintentionally gives a nod to women and their struggle with the juggle of everyday things like kids, work, chores, etc. Don’t read too much into that, this isn’t a book on feminism. The happy/not happy ending was just enough to wrap the storyline together and leave it open for another book to follow, or as is completed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from this author. I would recommend this to other readers, especially those (like me) who are strong into psychological thrillers- as this is a lighter read, a nice change of pace, and still killing it with the suspense and mystery!
The Day He Never Came Home is a domestic thriller that follows Regan (Ree-gan) and her search for the truth. After an extravagant gift from her husband, John, Regan finds herself rekindling her mundane and repetitive marriage. After two kids and walking away from her own business, Regan has grown resentful as John spends more and more late nights at work. But just hours after receiving the unexpected birthday gift, John walks out the front door and never comes home.
The storyline of part one is very well put together, having me wanting more. The suspense to get to the end and find out what happened was enough that I read this book, start to finish, in less than 24hours. I found part one written so well, in fact, that I tried rushing through part two to resume that side of the story!
One of the aspects of this book I thoroughly enjoyed, was the visual concept of two sides to every story. While reading a key section in part two, I was sure it was a misprint or error. Later, that “error” was addressed and was actually intentionally written that way. It personified the idea that every perspective and memory/recollection of a story or event is different from person to person. The author expertly describes that concept and definitely had me recalling some of my own personal arguments. And that was just one key take away from the entire book!
The story (probably) unintentionally gives a nod to women and their struggle with the juggle of everyday things like kids, work, chores, etc. Don’t read too much into that, this isn’t a book on feminism. The happy/not happy ending was just enough to wrap the storyline together and leave it open for another book to follow, or as is completed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from this author. I would recommend this to other readers, especially those (like me) who are strong into psychological thrillers- as this is a lighter read, a nice change of pace, and still killing it with the suspense and mystery!
September 28, 2024
One of those books with few ratings, rightly so I would say, not bad to a point of just not finishing but just not Very great.
Its a little like Laura Dave's overrated The Last Thing He Told Me but this had more thrills and not as absurd.
The story has 3 parts... And its all around Regan's Husband John, first part Is the Present from the day he never came home and Regan's reactions
Second part Is the boring part that repeats a lot of the first part but this is mostly about the past, it feels more like a domestic drama this part and i think i could have fast fowarded some parts
Third part brings us back to the present. And the end of the story which wasn't very satisfying or bad either just meh
Its a little like Laura Dave's overrated The Last Thing He Told Me but this had more thrills and not as absurd.
The story has 3 parts... And its all around Regan's Husband John, first part Is the Present from the day he never came home and Regan's reactions
Second part Is the boring part that repeats a lot of the first part but this is mostly about the past, it feels more like a domestic drama this part and i think i could have fast fowarded some parts
Third part brings us back to the present. And the end of the story which wasn't very satisfying or bad either just meh
November 4, 2024
This novel is packed with unexpected twists, secrets, lies, and deception. At times, it was emotional and pulled at my heart strings. Andrew DeYoung accurately depicts the struggles of motherhood and marriage. How well do we ever really know our spouse? The novel starts with Regan, her point of view and struggles, then alternates to John's past and point of view. I thought this was a well written novel. The plot was fantastic, and the pacing was perfect.
September 9, 2024
Okay, seriously.
I'm generally okay with unlikeable characters, but the ick in this one!
I hated Regan (and I'm sorry fellow reviewers, but she's not a badass. She's a bad person.) I hated John. He's a whiner. I hated the moon-eyed cop. I hated...well, everyone lol.
The plot is a bit convoluted and I found myself frustrated by the lack of logic at times.
Not for me. Sorry.
I'm generally okay with unlikeable characters, but the ick in this one!
I hated Regan (and I'm sorry fellow reviewers, but she's not a badass. She's a bad person.) I hated John. He's a whiner. I hated the moon-eyed cop. I hated...well, everyone lol.
The plot is a bit convoluted and I found myself frustrated by the lack of logic at times.
Not for me. Sorry.
July 7, 2025
I like finding hidden gems like this... I would have never found this book or author unless it was suggested to me on Hoopla. while it's not a 4 star in my rating there is no 3.75.
the twists were subtle and snuck up on you.
the twists were subtle and snuck up on you.
April 16, 2024
Regan was an unhappy girl who felt that her parents never loved her. John was an unhappy boy with a miserable childhood. When they met, both of their lives changed forever, and what a tangled web they weaved.
John wanted nothing more than to make his wife happy, even if he had to cheat and lie to do it. Regan only wanted a family of her own to love and wanted to feel love in return. She found that with John, until he disappeared and the FBI came knocking. Through it all, her love never waivered.
This book is a kaleidoscope of intrigue and subtlety. Even though John was a shifty dude, he was very likable and easy to root for. I loved this book and highly recommend it. Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced reader copy.
John wanted nothing more than to make his wife happy, even if he had to cheat and lie to do it. Regan only wanted a family of her own to love and wanted to feel love in return. She found that with John, until he disappeared and the FBI came knocking. Through it all, her love never waivered.
This book is a kaleidoscope of intrigue and subtlety. Even though John was a shifty dude, he was very likable and easy to root for. I loved this book and highly recommend it. Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced reader copy.
July 1, 2024
Give me a domestic suspense where a spouse has hidden things from their partner and I’m always interested but I’m even more invested if the author can put their own unique spin on things and I think the author managed to do that here. This is character driven, and as much as there is a solid plot it really is more about Regan and John and it dives deep into who they truly are at their core. I really relayed to Regan as a mother who will do anything for their kids. People say this all the time as a type of throwaway comment but she really proved it here. There were some really solid reveals and one in particular was unexpected for me but I don’t want to say much more to keep things a surprise. Overall I have no major complaints, this was an engaging mystery.
June 2, 2024
The Day He Never Came Home was the perfect book to pull me out of a massive reading slump! This was a fantastic fast-paced popcorn thriller, and I completely devoured it. As someone who lives within driving distance of Minneapolis, I loved that this was the setting chosen for the story. The added familiarity with the setting helped me to forge a greater connection to the plot, which was really nice. With that being said, what I enjoyed most about this book was the main characters, particularly Regan. She was complex, calculated and a real risk-taker. She made some questionable decisions along the way but, I couldn’t help but root for her!
Read if you like:
✨Minnesota setting
✨Binge-able reads
✨Multi-faceted characters
✨Ponzi schemes
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC!
Read if you like:
✨Minnesota setting
✨Binge-able reads
✨Multi-faceted characters
✨Ponzi schemes
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC!
August 21, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for the free ARC. I leave this review voluntarily because it was an awesome book. I would highly recommend this compelling page turner. Quiet book reading boy experiences an event that changes his life. He changes his identity, meets the woman of his dreams and builds a life. But John makes some poor decisions resulting in a life built of cards and ready to tumble at any time. There is a part with John’s point of view and a part with his wife’s Regan’s point of view. It is interesting to see how their perspectives compare. I couldn’t find a reason not to give this 5 stars. It is well written, it is engaging, I’m not sure how it could be better. Therefore, 5 stars and my recommendation.
July 20, 2024
“What was love, anyway, but the feeling of being tied up with someone, so deeply connected that it was impossible to root them out of your life without pulling out whole pieces of yourself? It didn’t have to be a good thing, a pleasant thing. Love could be terrible, too.”
I came across this book because it was recommended by an author I really enjoy: Nicole Baart. I was intrigued by the title and premise because it reminded me of The Last Thing He Told Me which I really liked. I gave it a shot.
It was a bit different than I was expecting but still an enjoyable read.
I thought it was funny that the main character, Regan (pronounced Ree-gan), was a graphic designer and her husband, John, was a financial advisor, because my husband is a financial advisor and I went to college for graphic design! And at the time I was reading this book, which is set in Minnesota, I was in Bloomington Minnesota and had visited Minnetonka Falls just a day before I read that scene in the book. Fun relatables.
The thing that disappointed me about the book was that there was more language and sexual content than I was expecting. Baart’s books are pretty clean so I assumed what she was recommending would largely be too. So I didn’t care for all of that, but the story itself was still good and worth reading.
The premise is this:
“The day before he went missing, Regan’s husband bought her a lake house.”
A very expensive lake house. Once she discovered he didn’t come home that night the FBI show up at her door to arrest her husband for fraud. A Ponzi scheme.
She doesn’t tell the FBI about the house but instead sneaks over there to find her husband. Instead she finds a bag with a million dollars in cash waiting for her.
Her life starts to unravel as she realizes her husband is not the man she thought he was and now she’s caught in the middle of his crimes with two children to still provide for and a narcissistic mother in the wings saying ‘I told you so.’
Regan will do whatever it takes to protect herself and her children, but is she just digging herself deeper into the fray?
The book starts from Regan’s POV. She gives us background into her and John’s relationship, how they met, and some red flags she noticed along the way but chose to ignore.
About halfway through the book shifts to John’s POV. He goes through some of the same events and encounters but from his perspective, filling in the blanks or ‘correcting’ for us readers what Regan thought was happening.
Part 3 changes to third person narration as it combines the characters for the climax of the book.
I’m not sure I ever really found the characters likeable. There were parts of each of them that were just dysfunctional or choices they made I found stupid. I mostly felt bad for their kids.
It did seem like John’s chapters were meant to earn him some sympathy and understanding as if he had no choice to do what he did or at least there were other things to blame, but there was no sympathy from me over here.
And the last few sentences wasn’t a huge surprise to me considering what I already thought about the characters.
So if you read books to really connect to the characters and invest in their lives, you might not find that here.
But the first line draws you in, the anticipation of finding out who John really is and how things got to this point, and how Regan will get out of it are the things that keep you reading.
Recommendation
For the most part I would recommend this book. It’s a pretty quick read and has good bones.
The only reason I would deter you from reading would be if the language and sexual content is something you would like to avoid.
[Content Advisory: 65 f-words, 35 s-words, 6 uses of God’s name in vain, several sexual scenes not super graphic but more than passing references, one of them infidelity]
**Received an ARC via NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review**
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I came across this book because it was recommended by an author I really enjoy: Nicole Baart. I was intrigued by the title and premise because it reminded me of The Last Thing He Told Me which I really liked. I gave it a shot.
It was a bit different than I was expecting but still an enjoyable read.
I thought it was funny that the main character, Regan (pronounced Ree-gan), was a graphic designer and her husband, John, was a financial advisor, because my husband is a financial advisor and I went to college for graphic design! And at the time I was reading this book, which is set in Minnesota, I was in Bloomington Minnesota and had visited Minnetonka Falls just a day before I read that scene in the book. Fun relatables.
The thing that disappointed me about the book was that there was more language and sexual content than I was expecting. Baart’s books are pretty clean so I assumed what she was recommending would largely be too. So I didn’t care for all of that, but the story itself was still good and worth reading.
The premise is this:
“The day before he went missing, Regan’s husband bought her a lake house.”
A very expensive lake house. Once she discovered he didn’t come home that night the FBI show up at her door to arrest her husband for fraud. A Ponzi scheme.
She doesn’t tell the FBI about the house but instead sneaks over there to find her husband. Instead she finds a bag with a million dollars in cash waiting for her.
Her life starts to unravel as she realizes her husband is not the man she thought he was and now she’s caught in the middle of his crimes with two children to still provide for and a narcissistic mother in the wings saying ‘I told you so.’
Regan will do whatever it takes to protect herself and her children, but is she just digging herself deeper into the fray?
The book starts from Regan’s POV. She gives us background into her and John’s relationship, how they met, and some red flags she noticed along the way but chose to ignore.
About halfway through the book shifts to John’s POV. He goes through some of the same events and encounters but from his perspective, filling in the blanks or ‘correcting’ for us readers what Regan thought was happening.
Part 3 changes to third person narration as it combines the characters for the climax of the book.
I’m not sure I ever really found the characters likeable. There were parts of each of them that were just dysfunctional or choices they made I found stupid. I mostly felt bad for their kids.
It did seem like John’s chapters were meant to earn him some sympathy and understanding as if he had no choice to do what he did or at least there were other things to blame, but there was no sympathy from me over here.
And the last few sentences wasn’t a huge surprise to me considering what I already thought about the characters.
So if you read books to really connect to the characters and invest in their lives, you might not find that here.
But the first line draws you in, the anticipation of finding out who John really is and how things got to this point, and how Regan will get out of it are the things that keep you reading.
Recommendation
For the most part I would recommend this book. It’s a pretty quick read and has good bones.
The only reason I would deter you from reading would be if the language and sexual content is something you would like to avoid.
[Content Advisory: 65 f-words, 35 s-words, 6 uses of God’s name in vain, several sexual scenes not super graphic but more than passing references, one of them infidelity]
**Received an ARC via NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review**
Book Review Blog | Facebook | Pinterest | StoryGraph
May 2, 2024
The Day He Never Came Home
@andrewdeyoungauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
7/9/2024
Thank you to @poisonedpenpress and @netgalley for my advanced copy!
What Everyone is Saying:
“A powerful, cautionary thriller, a reminder that the road to hell is, indeed, a slippery slope. And DeYoung does a fine job of mapping the way.”
—William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author
To protect her family, one mother's lie of omission leads to another in this twisty, suspenseful domestic thriller, perfect for fans of Laura Dave's The Last Thing He Told Me.
She thought she knew her husband. She was wrong.
Regan Peters knows her husband John wants to give her and their children a good life. The long hours he puts in as a financial advisor prove his dedication, and despite how mysterious he is about his past, that's been enough for her to get through the hard days. Until the FBI shows up at their door looking for John, and Regan learns that her husband has been running a Ponzi scheme, is mixed up with dangerous criminals, and has been living under an assumed identity all these years. Everything she thought she knew about her husband has been a lie.
My Review:
What a wonderful read! This book felt predictable in the beginning, where the reader feels like they know the rhythm of a classic thriller and believes they can predict where the plot is headed. This assumption served me wrong! The varying points of view show different perspectives of the same situation. There is rich character development: is John a jerk or is he a husband providing for his family? My moral compass felt like it shifted at points in the book, because yeah, if you have a mob boss after you, do what you have to?? I throughly enjoyed this book and loved watching the development of John, looking back on his story as well as watching his wife Reagan dominate the thriller scene. The story is unique in bringing in a male character into the narrator role, and doing it well!
@andrewdeyoungauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
7/9/2024
Thank you to @poisonedpenpress and @netgalley for my advanced copy!
What Everyone is Saying:
“A powerful, cautionary thriller, a reminder that the road to hell is, indeed, a slippery slope. And DeYoung does a fine job of mapping the way.”
—William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author
To protect her family, one mother's lie of omission leads to another in this twisty, suspenseful domestic thriller, perfect for fans of Laura Dave's The Last Thing He Told Me.
She thought she knew her husband. She was wrong.
Regan Peters knows her husband John wants to give her and their children a good life. The long hours he puts in as a financial advisor prove his dedication, and despite how mysterious he is about his past, that's been enough for her to get through the hard days. Until the FBI shows up at their door looking for John, and Regan learns that her husband has been running a Ponzi scheme, is mixed up with dangerous criminals, and has been living under an assumed identity all these years. Everything she thought she knew about her husband has been a lie.
My Review:
What a wonderful read! This book felt predictable in the beginning, where the reader feels like they know the rhythm of a classic thriller and believes they can predict where the plot is headed. This assumption served me wrong! The varying points of view show different perspectives of the same situation. There is rich character development: is John a jerk or is he a husband providing for his family? My moral compass felt like it shifted at points in the book, because yeah, if you have a mob boss after you, do what you have to?? I throughly enjoyed this book and loved watching the development of John, looking back on his story as well as watching his wife Reagan dominate the thriller scene. The story is unique in bringing in a male character into the narrator role, and doing it well!
March 27, 2024
Regan’s husband John works long hours as a financial adviser. He often comes home late and he's always been mysterious about his past. One random day John buys Regan a beautiful lake house and Regan puts all of her annoyance at the late nights at the office aside because she sees how him working so hard is paying off now they have this beautiful lake house!
BUT… the next day, John doesn't come home from work. The FBI shows up soon after, and they’re looking for John!
As Reagan uncovers more about John she becomes entangled in his web of lies that have been going on his entire life and she realizes she didn't know John at all
This book did something very interesting - it switched POVs midway through the story and it gave some background on John that I think was essential to the plot. I really enjoyed how the author added in John's POV.
Overall, I think it was a really good twisty domestic thriller and I'm excited to read more from this author. It was beautifully written!
If this sounds interesting to you, definitely check out The Day He Never Came Home by Andrew DeYoung which is coming out July 9th 2024! Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC!
BUT… the next day, John doesn't come home from work. The FBI shows up soon after, and they’re looking for John!
As Reagan uncovers more about John she becomes entangled in his web of lies that have been going on his entire life and she realizes she didn't know John at all
This book did something very interesting - it switched POVs midway through the story and it gave some background on John that I think was essential to the plot. I really enjoyed how the author added in John's POV.
Overall, I think it was a really good twisty domestic thriller and I'm excited to read more from this author. It was beautifully written!
If this sounds interesting to you, definitely check out The Day He Never Came Home by Andrew DeYoung which is coming out July 9th 2024! Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC!
May 6, 2024
What do you do when the man you built a life with doesn’t come home, only to then learn that the FBI is looking for him and accusing him of running a Ponzi scheme? How do you respond? What would you do in order to support your two kids? Regan Peters has to answer those questions. She thought she had a husband who was successful and worked very hard to provide the good life for her and their kids, but it turns out it was all a lie.
This was an enjoyable, quick read! The beginning seemed predictable to me, which had me worried. Then I realized, duh… setting it up that way helped to create the opportunity to develop the characters and the story. We get two POVs: Regan’s POV following the day her husband John never came home, and John’s POV leading up to the day he never came home. Regan is such a smart character, very thoughtful in how she chooses to handle the cards she has been dealt. And I was so pleased with what happens for her overall.
I loved how this was a story about reinvention and how one might choose to respond if their whole world was turned upside down. If you’re looking for a captivating, quick read, I’d definitely recommend giving this a read! 4.5 rounded to 5.
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC!
This was an enjoyable, quick read! The beginning seemed predictable to me, which had me worried. Then I realized, duh… setting it up that way helped to create the opportunity to develop the characters and the story. We get two POVs: Regan’s POV following the day her husband John never came home, and John’s POV leading up to the day he never came home. Regan is such a smart character, very thoughtful in how she chooses to handle the cards she has been dealt. And I was so pleased with what happens for her overall.
I loved how this was a story about reinvention and how one might choose to respond if their whole world was turned upside down. If you’re looking for a captivating, quick read, I’d definitely recommend giving this a read! 4.5 rounded to 5.
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC!
August 15, 2024
I didn’t love this one. As the book went on I started to lose interest.
There are three parts. But you get the just of the story in part one. The book really didn’t need to be as long as it was. A lot of it was repetitive in part two. There weren’t any jaw dropping moments or a big twist. Everything you need to know happens at the beginning so I wasn’t a fan of that. Didn’t seem like much of a thriller. Too predictable and plain for me.
“When Regan Peters's husband, John, gifts her a lake house for her birthday, entirely paid for in cash, she is grateful for the gift and hopeful for their future together. That is until the FBI shows up on the doorstep looking for him, proving all she knows to be one big lie. Now Regan is forced to navigate the crumbling pieces of her life to do whatever it takes protect herself, her children, and their future…even if that means incriminating herself in the process.”
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a DRC. The Day He Never Came Home is available now.
There are three parts. But you get the just of the story in part one. The book really didn’t need to be as long as it was. A lot of it was repetitive in part two. There weren’t any jaw dropping moments or a big twist. Everything you need to know happens at the beginning so I wasn’t a fan of that. Didn’t seem like much of a thriller. Too predictable and plain for me.
“When Regan Peters's husband, John, gifts her a lake house for her birthday, entirely paid for in cash, she is grateful for the gift and hopeful for their future together. That is until the FBI shows up on the doorstep looking for him, proving all she knows to be one big lie. Now Regan is forced to navigate the crumbling pieces of her life to do whatever it takes protect herself, her children, and their future…even if that means incriminating herself in the process.”
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a DRC. The Day He Never Came Home is available now.
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