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Now We Run: Nora McTavish Book 3
The past comes full circle with a vengeance in this blistering thriller from Joe Hart, Wall Street Journal bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of Or Else.
Family advocate Nora McTavish is no stranger to hardship and meeting trauma head on- it's part of what drives her to fight on behalf of those in need. So when the opportunity arises to track down and confront the mother who abandoned her as a child she decides to face the past and slay her demons once and for all.
But finding her mother is only the beginning of a journey that will take her from the gorgeous Gulf of California coastline, through the unforgiving desert of northern Mexico, and back to the mountains of Oregon- all in an effort to keep a young boy safe from an abusive father with unlimited resources and a wrath without bounds.
Before long Nora will be forced to confront not only a ruthless killer hell-bent on her destruction, but also the landscape of her own ravaged heart. And only one thing is for certain- she will never be the same again.
Family advocate Nora McTavish is no stranger to hardship and meeting trauma head on- it's part of what drives her to fight on behalf of those in need. So when the opportunity arises to track down and confront the mother who abandoned her as a child she decides to face the past and slay her demons once and for all.
But finding her mother is only the beginning of a journey that will take her from the gorgeous Gulf of California coastline, through the unforgiving desert of northern Mexico, and back to the mountains of Oregon- all in an effort to keep a young boy safe from an abusive father with unlimited resources and a wrath without bounds.
Before long Nora will be forced to confront not only a ruthless killer hell-bent on her destruction, but also the landscape of her own ravaged heart. And only one thing is for certain- she will never be the same again.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 24, 2024
About the author
Joe Hart
44 books1,423 followersJoe Hart is the Edgar Award-winning and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of seventeen novels including The River Is Dark, Obscura, The Last Girl, and Or Else. His work has been optioned for film and translated into eight languages. He lives with his family in Minnesota.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
November 1, 2024
I just don’t know how Joe Hart manages to do it. For the third straight time, he’s hit it out of the park with Now We Run in all of its addictive, fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat glory. With a handful of compelling characters and one nail-biting game of cat-and-mouse, I found myself ripping through the pages until the utterly perfect climax and finale. After all, this book brought to life good versus evil and right versus wrong while also evocatively expressing the complexities of the parent-child relationship through two irresistibly dynamic personas.
It was, however, Nora’s continuing saga in this third book in the series that really hit home. Building upon the backdrop of her turbulent childhood, we saw not only her rescuing the defenseless this time around, but also being vulnerable herself. Well-developed and genuinely flawed, I grew to love her character even more as the plot moved along. And then there were Matthew and Gwen. Both powerful personas in their own right, I felt deeply for them too. Like I said, I don’t know how Joe does it as he both pulled my heart-strings and shredded my nerves in one masterful go.
All in all, from the gripping multiple POVs—including one truly evil individual—to the propulsive, driving plot that held ever ratcheting suspense, I fell in love at first sight. I admit that I did have to suspend all disbelief as the adrenaline-fueled twists departed from reality a few times, but I didn’t mind in the slightest. After all, thanks to this author’s virtuoso-like skill at melding action-packed and poignant, there wasn’t a moment where I wasn’t fully invested. So run out and grab this whole series ASAP. Trust me when I say that you don’t want to miss a moment with Nora. Rating of 5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Family advocate Nora McTavish is no stranger to hardship and meeting trauma head on- it's part of what drives her to fight on behalf of those in need. So when the opportunity arises to track down and confront the mother who abandoned her as a child she decides to face the past and slay her demons once and for all.
But finding her mother is only the beginning of a journey that will take her from the gorgeous Gulf of California coastline, through the unforgiving desert of northern Mexico, and back to the mountains of Oregon- all in an effort to keep a young boy safe from an abusive father with unlimited resources and a wrath without bounds.
Before long Nora will be forced to confront not only a ruthless killer hell-bent on her destruction, but also the landscape of her own ravaged heart. And only one thing is for certain- she will never be the same again.
Thank you to Joe Hart and @books_by_the _bottle for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: Out now!
Trigger warning: death of a parent, claustrophobia, illegal immigration, breaking and entering, assault, strangulation, gun violence, mention of: child abuse
It was, however, Nora’s continuing saga in this third book in the series that really hit home. Building upon the backdrop of her turbulent childhood, we saw not only her rescuing the defenseless this time around, but also being vulnerable herself. Well-developed and genuinely flawed, I grew to love her character even more as the plot moved along. And then there were Matthew and Gwen. Both powerful personas in their own right, I felt deeply for them too. Like I said, I don’t know how Joe does it as he both pulled my heart-strings and shredded my nerves in one masterful go.
All in all, from the gripping multiple POVs—including one truly evil individual—to the propulsive, driving plot that held ever ratcheting suspense, I fell in love at first sight. I admit that I did have to suspend all disbelief as the adrenaline-fueled twists departed from reality a few times, but I didn’t mind in the slightest. After all, thanks to this author’s virtuoso-like skill at melding action-packed and poignant, there wasn’t a moment where I wasn’t fully invested. So run out and grab this whole series ASAP. Trust me when I say that you don’t want to miss a moment with Nora. Rating of 5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Family advocate Nora McTavish is no stranger to hardship and meeting trauma head on- it's part of what drives her to fight on behalf of those in need. So when the opportunity arises to track down and confront the mother who abandoned her as a child she decides to face the past and slay her demons once and for all.
But finding her mother is only the beginning of a journey that will take her from the gorgeous Gulf of California coastline, through the unforgiving desert of northern Mexico, and back to the mountains of Oregon- all in an effort to keep a young boy safe from an abusive father with unlimited resources and a wrath without bounds.
Before long Nora will be forced to confront not only a ruthless killer hell-bent on her destruction, but also the landscape of her own ravaged heart. And only one thing is for certain- she will never be the same again.
Thank you to Joe Hart and @books_by_the _bottle for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: Out now!
Trigger warning: death of a parent, claustrophobia, illegal immigration, breaking and entering, assault, strangulation, gun violence, mention of: child abuse
October 13, 2024
As the plot unfolded it became too unrealistic.
Not sure what the plot was.
Nora searches for her mother then kidnaps the child her mother was nanny to.
What?
Give it time to get too know Nora what makes her tick.
Just didn't work.
Not sure what the plot was.
Nora searches for her mother then kidnaps the child her mother was nanny to.
What?
Give it time to get too know Nora what makes her tick.
Just didn't work.
December 24, 2024
“𝙐𝙣𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙩.”
𝑱𝒐𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒕 has done it again! A stellar third novel in the Nora McTavish series, 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗪𝗘 𝗥𝗨𝗡 didn’t leave my hands until I was finished! Nora decides to confront her mother who abandoned her as a child and gets more than she bargained for when she finds herself in Mexico. Literally fighting for her life to save an abused boy from his father, the pulse pounding action and sense of foreboding didn’t let up!
𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗪𝗘 𝗥𝗨𝗡 is just as much a tale of redemption and breaking free from the past as it is a high stakes thriller. Beyond exciting, the pulse pounding action and intense heart stopping moments were expertly blended with poignant revelations that solidified my investment in the plight of Nora and the boy. I became teary several times, and even outright cried near the end.
The conclusion was soul satisfying on deep level especially after such an emotionally charged and treacherous journey. 𝑱𝒐𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒕’𝒔 ability to write such heartfelt introspective observations woven throughout a dangerous life threatening thrill ride, is why he’s a favorite author of mine.
You 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗 read this as a stand alone, but why would you want to? ‘Where They Lie’ and ‘Never Come Back’, (books 1 & 2 respectively) are just as amazing and chronicle Nora’s path of processing childhood trauma, and in part, channeling it by helping other children. Definitely do yourself a favor and get all three books in this amazing series.
This gut wrenching breathtaking voyage gets 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗦 from me!
____
Favorite quotes:
"𝙒𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚'𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩. 𝙒𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙬𝙚 𝙙𝙤, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩. 𝙄𝙩'𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙡."
"𝙒𝙚'𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙛-𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙤𝙩. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣. 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙫𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨."
____
Potential spoiler content warnings below.
⚠️Content Warnings: language, assault, violence, gun violence, strangulation, death, Mention of: domestic abuse, child abuse
𝑱𝒐𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒕 has done it again! A stellar third novel in the Nora McTavish series, 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗪𝗘 𝗥𝗨𝗡 didn’t leave my hands until I was finished! Nora decides to confront her mother who abandoned her as a child and gets more than she bargained for when she finds herself in Mexico. Literally fighting for her life to save an abused boy from his father, the pulse pounding action and sense of foreboding didn’t let up!
𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗪𝗘 𝗥𝗨𝗡 is just as much a tale of redemption and breaking free from the past as it is a high stakes thriller. Beyond exciting, the pulse pounding action and intense heart stopping moments were expertly blended with poignant revelations that solidified my investment in the plight of Nora and the boy. I became teary several times, and even outright cried near the end.
The conclusion was soul satisfying on deep level especially after such an emotionally charged and treacherous journey. 𝑱𝒐𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒕’𝒔 ability to write such heartfelt introspective observations woven throughout a dangerous life threatening thrill ride, is why he’s a favorite author of mine.
You 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗 read this as a stand alone, but why would you want to? ‘Where They Lie’ and ‘Never Come Back’, (books 1 & 2 respectively) are just as amazing and chronicle Nora’s path of processing childhood trauma, and in part, channeling it by helping other children. Definitely do yourself a favor and get all three books in this amazing series.
This gut wrenching breathtaking voyage gets 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗦 from me!
____
Favorite quotes:
"𝙒𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚'𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩. 𝙒𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙬𝙚 𝙙𝙤, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩. 𝙄𝙩'𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙡."
"𝙒𝙚'𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙛-𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙤𝙩. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣. 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙫𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨."
____
Potential spoiler content warnings below.
⚠️Content Warnings: language, assault, violence, gun violence, strangulation, death, Mention of: domestic abuse, child abuse
June 30, 2026
I like that the author switched up the formula for this book. The story had me at the edge of my seat as the author did an amazing job at keeping the suspense and tension.
I initially received this from NetGalley but I did not realize it was a part of a series so I had to read the other two first before I could read this one. I am really glad I did because I really enjoyed all three and will definitely check out more from the author.
Awesome read.
I initially received this from NetGalley but I did not realize it was a part of a series so I had to read the other two first before I could read this one. I am really glad I did because I really enjoyed all three and will definitely check out more from the author.
Awesome read.
June 13, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley, Tantor Media and Joe Hart for the ALC!
“𝙐𝙣𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙩..."
Family advocate Nora McTavish is no stranger to hardship, and it’s her willingness to face it head-on that fuels her to fight for children in need. When she is given a chance to track down the mother who abandoned her as a child, she sets out to confront her past and finally face down the demons she’s carried for years. But her quest for closure quickly takes a drastic turn - all of a sudden, she finds herself fighting to protect a young boy from her powerful father.
This book has, admittedly, sat far too long on my shelf, so I jumped at the chance for the audio! I love this series and was excited to jump back into Nora’s world. And after the last two books, I went through all the emotions over Nora meeting with her mother - horrified at the idea, understanding over her wanting closure to tears as it played out. How she found herself thrown into a situation with a boy she’d never met but would go to the ends of the earth to protect is who Nora McTavish is in a nutshell. Her story truly came full circle here, and although she was still tough as nails, smart as a whip, take no prisoners - there was a vulnerability to her here that made me just want to give her the biggest hug. When I tell you I gasped at one part of this book and cried several times I am not exaggerating. Hart truly had me at the edge of my seat listening to this one. Nora is a character who has stayed with me a long time. Highly recommend reading this whole series - it’s just excellent!
“Now We Run” is out NOW! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)
“𝙐𝙣𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙩..."
Family advocate Nora McTavish is no stranger to hardship, and it’s her willingness to face it head-on that fuels her to fight for children in need. When she is given a chance to track down the mother who abandoned her as a child, she sets out to confront her past and finally face down the demons she’s carried for years. But her quest for closure quickly takes a drastic turn - all of a sudden, she finds herself fighting to protect a young boy from her powerful father.
This book has, admittedly, sat far too long on my shelf, so I jumped at the chance for the audio! I love this series and was excited to jump back into Nora’s world. And after the last two books, I went through all the emotions over Nora meeting with her mother - horrified at the idea, understanding over her wanting closure to tears as it played out. How she found herself thrown into a situation with a boy she’d never met but would go to the ends of the earth to protect is who Nora McTavish is in a nutshell. Her story truly came full circle here, and although she was still tough as nails, smart as a whip, take no prisoners - there was a vulnerability to her here that made me just want to give her the biggest hug. When I tell you I gasped at one part of this book and cried several times I am not exaggerating. Hart truly had me at the edge of my seat listening to this one. Nora is a character who has stayed with me a long time. Highly recommend reading this whole series - it’s just excellent!
“Now We Run” is out NOW! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)
September 26, 2024
Loved this book
One of the best books I’ve read. One I’ll probably read again. I highly recommend this book. Such a great story
One of the best books I’ve read. One I’ll probably read again. I highly recommend this book. Such a great story
September 28, 2024
WOW WOW
What a read and somehow this all happens in real life, too!!
Are lets HOPE its just words coming from the mind of a great writer…….. Mr JH
Well Done!!
What a read and somehow this all happens in real life, too!!
Are lets HOPE its just words coming from the mind of a great writer…….. Mr JH
Well Done!!
October 2, 2024
Roller coaster ride
I started the book with the ending already imagined but as usual Joe Hart did not disappoint. It was a great read.
I started the book with the ending already imagined but as usual Joe Hart did not disappoint. It was a great read.
November 1, 2024
Book 3 of Nora McTavish. Heart pounding, page turning and emotional all rolled into this story.
October 5, 2024
Oh my oh my! Haven’t read anything this great in a long time.
January 11, 2026
In this third book, we see things come full circle for Nora. Was it full of angst and a hard read at times? Definitely. However, this didn't deter me from enjoying it overall.
January 25, 2025
Solid 3.5 stars
June 11, 2026
A fun thriller that is much more than a thriller with lots of heart, messy lives, love, vengeance, hope and more! 4.75 stars
October 8, 2024
This was not one of my favorites, but not because of the writing or the plot development. It was needlessly very violent and bloody, which became tiresome and interfered with the story. That, as well as having to suspend belief several times due to the ridiculousness of parts of the plot. 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.
October 7, 2024
Good story, but very stressful. Nora finally finds her mother, in Mexico. She is in the process of rescuing a young boy when she is murdered. Nora flees with the boy, but isn’t safe yet. It is great for the heroine to be a child advocate.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2025
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway quite a while ago. When I entered the give away I had no idea that this was book 3 in a series. At first I almost didn't read it because I felt like I wouldn't have any idea what was going on. Most series have a very well plotted out story over the span of a few books and I thought I would be utterly lost. This book however has a story all it's own and I felt like it could be read as a stand alone novel.
There were refrences to the original story throughout the book, that clearly were probably touched on and explained more throughout books 1 and 2. However, it never left me confused as to what was going on when it pertained to the story in book 3.
To be honest with you, not KNOWING what happened between the characters in the past 2 books made this one more interesting to me and I immediately went and searched out books 1 and 2 to read later on. It left me wanting to know more about the characters.
As for the story in this particular book it kept me on the edge of my seat. I never truly knew what was going to happen next & there were a few times where I actually was shocked. I liked how the author didn't make everything super cookie cutter. No obvious "happy endings" where everyone finds each other and life is all rainbows and sunshine. It was raw and more indicative of real life situations.
There were obvious parts where I felt like this couldn't possibly happen in real life, BUT that's what I kind of liked about it. Real life can be nasty, messy and there is that under belly of corruption, greed and pure evil that DOES happen in the real world that thankfully most of us don't ever have to experience.
There were refrences to the original story throughout the book, that clearly were probably touched on and explained more throughout books 1 and 2. However, it never left me confused as to what was going on when it pertained to the story in book 3.
To be honest with you, not KNOWING what happened between the characters in the past 2 books made this one more interesting to me and I immediately went and searched out books 1 and 2 to read later on. It left me wanting to know more about the characters.
As for the story in this particular book it kept me on the edge of my seat. I never truly knew what was going to happen next & there were a few times where I actually was shocked. I liked how the author didn't make everything super cookie cutter. No obvious "happy endings" where everyone finds each other and life is all rainbows and sunshine. It was raw and more indicative of real life situations.
There were obvious parts where I felt like this couldn't possibly happen in real life, BUT that's what I kind of liked about it. Real life can be nasty, messy and there is that under belly of corruption, greed and pure evil that DOES happen in the real world that thankfully most of us don't ever have to experience.
January 7, 2025
**Crazy bold and fantastic**
Okay realistically, this book isn't 100% perfect with no flaws whatsoever. But given the many ways it upped the ante more than it didn't absolutely made up for where the previous two entries fell short. I feel like it earned its 5th star out of my greedy clutches. I thought the first two entries were great, but this one was just wonderful.
Literally everything was ramped up for this one. The story itself, the action, the drama, the violence, the shock value, even the likability of Nora herself. It was all explosive. This book was so energized that I didn't even wanna stop to do my usual highlighting and commentary. I was THAT lazy, because all I could think about was how in the absolute CRAP this thing was gonna end.
Now sure, along with the excessive good things, there was also the one excessive bad thing, which was the general unrealistic presentation of this story. Sure, it was periodically ridiculous and yeah, maybe a smidge difficult to buy. But ya know what? This was one of those reads that I was quite okay with the number of times I had to suspend disbelief. I was way too invested to get angry.
At any rate, I'm glad for the strong solid finish of this tiny trilogy. For me, this was the precisely the home run I was hoping for. Well played, Joe Hart.
Okay realistically, this book isn't 100% perfect with no flaws whatsoever. But given the many ways it upped the ante more than it didn't absolutely made up for where the previous two entries fell short. I feel like it earned its 5th star out of my greedy clutches. I thought the first two entries were great, but this one was just wonderful.
Literally everything was ramped up for this one. The story itself, the action, the drama, the violence, the shock value, even the likability of Nora herself. It was all explosive. This book was so energized that I didn't even wanna stop to do my usual highlighting and commentary. I was THAT lazy, because all I could think about was how in the absolute CRAP this thing was gonna end.
Now sure, along with the excessive good things, there was also the one excessive bad thing, which was the general unrealistic presentation of this story. Sure, it was periodically ridiculous and yeah, maybe a smidge difficult to buy. But ya know what? This was one of those reads that I was quite okay with the number of times I had to suspend disbelief. I was way too invested to get angry.
At any rate, I'm glad for the strong solid finish of this tiny trilogy. For me, this was the precisely the home run I was hoping for. Well played, Joe Hart.
October 16, 2024
oh I loved it!!!
I loved this three part series with Norah. I wish it’d continue on. I’ve gotten so invested in these characters that I’m sad to let them go. Even the dog Merrill, I’m going to miss him too. I’m thinking out of the three this one is the absolute best. Norah finding out what happened to her mom was a great surprise and the mystery part of this story is hands down exciting and suspenseful! Five stars
I loved this three part series with Norah. I wish it’d continue on. I’ve gotten so invested in these characters that I’m sad to let them go. Even the dog Merrill, I’m going to miss him too. I’m thinking out of the three this one is the absolute best. Norah finding out what happened to her mom was a great surprise and the mystery part of this story is hands down exciting and suspenseful! Five stars
September 30, 2024
Good read
As I finished this book it spoke volumes to me. Good versus evil. Bullying versus compassion. Cold hearted man versus strong willed woman. "Now We Run" versus stand tall and fight for what's right. Goodness, compassion, and standing for what's right should win every time.
As I finished this book it spoke volumes to me. Good versus evil. Bullying versus compassion. Cold hearted man versus strong willed woman. "Now We Run" versus stand tall and fight for what's right. Goodness, compassion, and standing for what's right should win every time.
September 22, 2025
This three part series was extraordinary. Seeing Nora’s growth throughout the years was so interesting. From her emotional healing to even some maturing, her character arc felt really complete.
Joe Hart tells such a great story. Yes, there are times when the reader has to suspend their beliefs, but isn’t that what fiction is for?
Can’t wait to read all of his books!
Joe Hart tells such a great story. Yes, there are times when the reader has to suspend their beliefs, but isn’t that what fiction is for?
Can’t wait to read all of his books!
December 15, 2024
Exciting read
I really enjoyed this story and I wanted to know the end but didn't want it to end. That to me means I'm reading a great book and that is what it is. Great author whom I enjoy every time I read one of his books.
I really enjoyed this story and I wanted to know the end but didn't want it to end. That to me means I'm reading a great book and that is what it is. Great author whom I enjoy every time I read one of his books.
June 27, 2026
Nora McTavish is back, and this third installment is every bit as gripping as the first two. Joe Hart delivers another fast-paced, action-packed thriller filled with suspense, heart, and emotional depth.
Family advocate Nora McTavish has always fought tirelessly for children in need, but this time the case is deeply personal. When she finally gets the opportunity to track down the mother who abandoned her, she's forced to confront the trauma she's carried her entire life. What begins as a search for answers quickly becomes a desperate fight to protect a young boy from Nora's powerful and dangerous father.
One of my favorite aspects of this series is Nora herself. She's fiercely determined, compassionate, and willing to risk everything for a child in need. In this book, we also see a more vulnerable side of her as she seeks closure from her past. After following her journey through the first two books, watching her story come full circle was incredibly emotional. I gasped, I teared up more than once, and I was completely invested from beginning to end.
The audiobook narration was excellent and kept the tension high throughout. While I would have liked a bit more development for some of the newly introduced characters, it didn't take away from how compelling the story was.
If you've enjoyed the first two books, this is a must-read. I highly recommend reading the entire Nora McTavish series—Joe Hart has created a memorable heroine and a suspense series that's both thrilling and deeply heartfelt. I'm already looking forward to seeing where Nora's story goes next.
Family advocate Nora McTavish has always fought tirelessly for children in need, but this time the case is deeply personal. When she finally gets the opportunity to track down the mother who abandoned her, she's forced to confront the trauma she's carried her entire life. What begins as a search for answers quickly becomes a desperate fight to protect a young boy from Nora's powerful and dangerous father.
One of my favorite aspects of this series is Nora herself. She's fiercely determined, compassionate, and willing to risk everything for a child in need. In this book, we also see a more vulnerable side of her as she seeks closure from her past. After following her journey through the first two books, watching her story come full circle was incredibly emotional. I gasped, I teared up more than once, and I was completely invested from beginning to end.
The audiobook narration was excellent and kept the tension high throughout. While I would have liked a bit more development for some of the newly introduced characters, it didn't take away from how compelling the story was.
If you've enjoyed the first two books, this is a must-read. I highly recommend reading the entire Nora McTavish series—Joe Hart has created a memorable heroine and a suspense series that's both thrilling and deeply heartfelt. I'm already looking forward to seeing where Nora's story goes next.
June 11, 2026
I was so excited to see this one come up on audiobook because I loved the first two books in the series. I had no idea the third book had already been released, but in my defense, I’m suffocating under my TBR list! One of the reasons I really like this series is because the main character is pretty unique for a main character of this genre. While I am a huge fan of crime fiction, I can’t say I’ve ever read a book with a family advocate/former CPS worker as the main character. I find her character really interesting because my experiences with social work in general has been pretty negative, so this series gives me a welcome glimpse at the other side, so to speak. Nora herself is a fantastic character, but I think this story really brought out something in her character that we haven’t seen yet. Not that she’s not any easy character to root for, but this story really brings the reader on an emotional rollercoaster. Part of that could be because I spend a lot of time in Mexico too, so it was easy for me to imagine these things happening. Of course, my area is pretty mellow, but I have traveled through some pretty questionable areas. All this to say I really liked the story and I would definitely recommend reading it!
Huge thanks to Tantor Media and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!
Huge thanks to Tantor Media and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I must say I was a little lost in this book at times, but in part it is my own fault... I did not know this was a series. This is Part # 3 in the Nora McTavish series. You can read/listen as a standalone, but just know you may be lost at times.
Nora has set out to track down the mother who has abandoned her as a child. This is Nora's kryptonite in life ... but what also drives her to do what she does. Her mother may be part of the key to finding answers to a case she needs help with. An abusive father has kidnapped his son and made off to hide in the worst parts of northern Mexico. This case will turn Nora's life upside down, and she may not be able to turn it back around again.
I enjoyed the plot of this book...I do wish I had read the others before, so I could fully grasp the background on Nora and her mom. The story is a great telling of redemption and heartache. It is a fast-paced cat-and-mouse story that will keep you fully invested.
Trigger warning: Child Abuse, Assault, Gun Violence, Parent Death, Sexual Abuse
THANK YOU, NetGalley, for the ARC copy of this AUDIO VERSION of NOW WE RUN. ALL OPINIONS REMAIN MY OWN.
Nora has set out to track down the mother who has abandoned her as a child. This is Nora's kryptonite in life ... but what also drives her to do what she does. Her mother may be part of the key to finding answers to a case she needs help with. An abusive father has kidnapped his son and made off to hide in the worst parts of northern Mexico. This case will turn Nora's life upside down, and she may not be able to turn it back around again.
I enjoyed the plot of this book...I do wish I had read the others before, so I could fully grasp the background on Nora and her mom. The story is a great telling of redemption and heartache. It is a fast-paced cat-and-mouse story that will keep you fully invested.
Trigger warning: Child Abuse, Assault, Gun Violence, Parent Death, Sexual Abuse
THANK YOU, NetGalley, for the ARC copy of this AUDIO VERSION of NOW WE RUN. ALL OPINIONS REMAIN MY OWN.
June 18, 2026
"We never know what we'll do when we get what we want. We think we do, but we don't. It's undiscovered territory inside us all."
I went into Now We Run without realizing it was the third book in a series, and I still ended up enjoying it thoroughly. It took me a little while to fully get invested, but once I did, I was hooked.
This fast-paced action thriller kept me on edge with plenty of tense moments while also delivering some emotional ones. I really enjoyed the character dynamics, and Nora's journey made me curious enough to want to go back and read the first two books.
Although this worked surprisingly well as a standalone, I do think knowing more about Nora's history would have made some moments hit even harder. There were also a few unrealistic moments, but they never took away from my enjoyment of the story.
Overall, this was an engaging, action-packed read that kept me turning the pages. Between the emotional moments, the cat-and-mouse tension, and the characters, Joe Hart has definitely convinced me to go back and read the first two books.
I went into Now We Run without realizing it was the third book in a series, and I still ended up enjoying it thoroughly. It took me a little while to fully get invested, but once I did, I was hooked.
This fast-paced action thriller kept me on edge with plenty of tense moments while also delivering some emotional ones. I really enjoyed the character dynamics, and Nora's journey made me curious enough to want to go back and read the first two books.
Although this worked surprisingly well as a standalone, I do think knowing more about Nora's history would have made some moments hit even harder. There were also a few unrealistic moments, but they never took away from my enjoyment of the story.
Overall, this was an engaging, action-packed read that kept me turning the pages. Between the emotional moments, the cat-and-mouse tension, and the characters, Joe Hart has definitely convinced me to go back and read the first two books.
February 27, 2025
Puerto Perdón, Mexico.
Nora McTavish is on a mission to finally find her mother, Gwen McTavish. The older woman abandoned Nora and her two brothers more than twenty years ago.
El Salvador / El Despiadado : Harlan Klein.
Nora continues to drink like a damn fish. 💀
Nora’s inner monologues remain grating.
The cartel plan; Matthew.
Rather random story, though the title is quite apt.
The Matthew-following-along thing is dubious.
The tension in this novel helps. While Nora remains incredibly unlikable, faster pacing helps us from getting dragged too deeply into her self-pity.
Kirill Kozlov / Elliot Yardley.
The last quarter of the book is surprisingly strong.
Could push further with the ending. It’s only good—not great. More needs to be said about Nora and Matthew. Even a few sentences could do wonders.
“You’re not his mother, but he looks at your like you are.”
Nora McTavish is on a mission to finally find her mother, Gwen McTavish. The older woman abandoned Nora and her two brothers more than twenty years ago.
El Salvador / El Despiadado : Harlan Klein.
Nora continues to drink like a damn fish. 💀
Nora’s inner monologues remain grating.
The cartel plan; Matthew.
Rather random story, though the title is quite apt.
The Matthew-following-along thing is dubious.
The tension in this novel helps. While Nora remains incredibly unlikable, faster pacing helps us from getting dragged too deeply into her self-pity.
Kirill Kozlov / Elliot Yardley.
The last quarter of the book is surprisingly strong.
Could push further with the ending. It’s only good—not great. More needs to be said about Nora and Matthew. Even a few sentences could do wonders.
“You’re not his mother, but he looks at your like you are.”
January 2, 2025
Gotta say, a little boring. The story started out well and the pace was good for the first few chapters, and then it became repetitive and unrealistic. Among other things, kidnapping a kid and bringing him across the border is highly unlikely to result in a “fine,” regardless of the reason. It was just such a non-issue. Also, crossing into the US illegally is as made to seem like hot really a big deal, rather than a harrowing experience many people go through. It was a quick read and not terrible, but didn’t really work for me.
June 7, 2026
Joe Hart is a solid mystery writer. This is a suspenseful mystery set in the present but with echoes from the past.
It's not relevant to the mystery but I don't understand the nain character's job. She's called a child advocate but that's not really a private business in my state and I keep wondering who pays her, especially since her clients are poor.
There are some seriously bad guys in this and a few points with very tight suspense. The narration is great for keeping the suspense high.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this
It's not relevant to the mystery but I don't understand the nain character's job. She's called a child advocate but that's not really a private business in my state and I keep wondering who pays her, especially since her clients are poor.
There are some seriously bad guys in this and a few points with very tight suspense. The narration is great for keeping the suspense high.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this
June 8, 2026
🎧 This is the third book in the series. At times I did feel I was missing something but it didn’t affect the listen for the most part. Having said that I didn’t find this one gripped me and at times I wasn’t bothered listening. It lacked that page turner feel and just didn’t have enough going on. I liked the characters for the most part especially Nora. I felt it was lacking substance but maybe that’s to do with not having read the first 2 books in the series.
2.5/5 🌟🌟/🌟
Thanks to Netgalley and Tantor Media for the opportunity to review #nowwerun
2.5/5 🌟🌟/🌟
Thanks to Netgalley and Tantor Media for the opportunity to review #nowwerun
June 16, 2026
A tense thriller with plenty of edge‑of‑your‑seat moments. The story follows Nora as she’s drawn into a dangerous search for answers about her past, all while trying to protect a young boy caught in a violent and deeply unsettling situation. A few sections were a little confusing as the plot thickened, but the emotional pull and relentless momentum kept me fully engaged. This was my first book in the series, and it worked very well as a standalone in spite of it being book three in the series. The narration added atmosphere, clarity, and an extra layer of intensity. A gripping and satisfying read.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced listener copy of this audiobook.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced listener copy of this audiobook.
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