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Never Tell Them
How well do you know the stranger next door?
When mysterious, single dad Ray Jenkins moves in to the neighborhood, Sonia is suspicious from the outset that something is amiss. Ray’s young son, Henry—traumatized from the recent loss of his mother—acts like he barely knows his father.
But things soon take a turn for the worse when Ray is involved in a multi-vehicle wreck, and suffers a brain injury and subsequent memory loss. Sonia steps in to care for Henry, but soon becomes alarmed at the disturbing things he tells her. Determined to get to the bottom of who her neighbor really is, she snoops around in his house. The shocking clues she uncovers shake her to the core. Her own life is in danger from the deadly lie he is living.
The more she digs, the more she finds that some lies are best left buried.
- A gripping tale of explosive secrets with a jaw-dropping twist! -
Will you enjoy Never Tell Them? If you read any of my favorite psychological and domestic suspense thriller authors including K.L. Slater, Shalini Boland, Adam Croft, Kathryn Croft, Kiersten Modglin, Mark Edwards, Lisa Gardner, Louise Jensen, or Rachel Caine, the answer is a resounding yes!
When mysterious, single dad Ray Jenkins moves in to the neighborhood, Sonia is suspicious from the outset that something is amiss. Ray’s young son, Henry—traumatized from the recent loss of his mother—acts like he barely knows his father.
But things soon take a turn for the worse when Ray is involved in a multi-vehicle wreck, and suffers a brain injury and subsequent memory loss. Sonia steps in to care for Henry, but soon becomes alarmed at the disturbing things he tells her. Determined to get to the bottom of who her neighbor really is, she snoops around in his house. The shocking clues she uncovers shake her to the core. Her own life is in danger from the deadly lie he is living.
The more she digs, the more she finds that some lies are best left buried.
- A gripping tale of explosive secrets with a jaw-dropping twist! -
Will you enjoy Never Tell Them? If you read any of my favorite psychological and domestic suspense thriller authors including K.L. Slater, Shalini Boland, Adam Croft, Kathryn Croft, Kiersten Modglin, Mark Edwards, Lisa Gardner, Louise Jensen, or Rachel Caine, the answer is a resounding yes!
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 10, 2021
1025 people are currently reading
1208 people want to read
About the author
N.L. Hinkens
23 books343 followersNYT and USA Today bestselling author N. L. Hinkens writes twisty psychological suspense thrillers with unexpected endings. She’s a travel junkie, coffee hound, and idea wrangler, in no particular order. She grew up in Ireland—land of legends and storytelling—and now resides in the US. Her work has won the Grand Prize Next Generation Indie Book Award for fiction, as well as numerous other awards. Join her VIP Reader Club for hot new releases, stellar giveaways, exclusive content, behind the scenes and more. https://normahinkens.com/
Pseudonym for author Norma Hinkens
Pseudonym for author Norma Hinkens
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
May 6, 2021
A psychological thriller that has you on edge, trying to figure out what is going on, and baffled from the start through the amazing finish! This author develops a story with characters you feel you know, a plot that intrigues you and weaves You right into all that is happening, so that when you finish the book you feel like You need a vacation!! A woman well-loved in the neighborhood passes away...Soon a man with a little boy moves into the home...Sonia has a daughter and lives next door, so believes she should introduce herself...The boy is very quiet, acting strange around his Dad...Getting Sonia's interest and suspicions up...But what she finds out brings shock and fear into her quiet life...And the more she digs, the worse the situation becomes!
Some lies are better left buried...For everyone's safety and health! A story that even YOU will Not be able to figure out...Until it may be too late...
I received an ARC from the author and offer you my honest thoughts and feelings in this review.
Some lies are better left buried...For everyone's safety and health! A story that even YOU will Not be able to figure out...Until it may be too late...
I received an ARC from the author and offer you my honest thoughts and feelings in this review.
May 10, 2023
Sonia's elderly neighbor passed away and her estranged son moved in. Immediately, Sonia gets strange vibes from the man, but things only get weirder when she finds out he has a four-year-old son she's never heard about. And apparently neither had her elderly neighbor. The dynamic between father and son is odd-- the kid has no toys, is never allowed sugar, acts like his father is a stranger. Before Sonia can dog any deeper for answers, the four-year-old ends up in her custody after his father lands in the hospital with memory loss.
Hinkens rocked this book. So many great twists and shocking revelations. I could not put this down; I was invested and completely sucked in, desperate for answers.
Hinkens rocked this book. So many great twists and shocking revelations. I could not put this down; I was invested and completely sucked in, desperate for answers.
October 16, 2022
My first by this author but definitely not my last, only thing stopping me giving five stars was the fact I really couldn’t stand any of the characters for 90% of the story even the likeable ones were annoying.
Sonia lives with her mother Evelyn and daughter Jessica , their elderly neighbour Celia has passed away and one of her estranged sons turns up at the house with a young boy in toe. Things arnt as they seem and suspicion is flying around everywhere about why Celias sons were never around for the last 20 years.
Loved the twists in this one! A slow burner but well worth persevering
Sonia lives with her mother Evelyn and daughter Jessica , their elderly neighbour Celia has passed away and one of her estranged sons turns up at the house with a young boy in toe. Things arnt as they seem and suspicion is flying around everywhere about why Celias sons were never around for the last 20 years.
Loved the twists in this one! A slow burner but well worth persevering
July 31, 2023
I think I’ve been spoiled with 5⭐️ thrillers because this was just meh for me. 😔 A quick read, but totally predictable.
✨
✨
April 10, 2022
I really wanted to like this book, but my hesitation of picking it up, and my want to just get through it -in retrospect- are a sign that either timing wasn’t right… or the novel was just “meh”.
Sonia lives with her 8 year old daughter and mother. After the passing of their elderly neighbour, the neighbours son and grandson move in. But things appear odd as 4 year old Henry is timid, speaks rarely and seems very “odd”. Tom is quite secretive at first and adds to the curiosity that Sonia and her mom form about the goings on next door. When Tom had an accident which causes him to lose his memory, everyone struggles to put the pieces together and get to the bottom of who these new neighbours are.
Meanwhile, a local girl has been missing for four years… and there is a cabin in the woods, and an ex husband / army-man who is out of the picture until he isn’t. This novel was a bit of a surface sweeper- it could have gone soooooo much deeper, and as a result my interest was barely tethered to the plot.
Sonia lives with her 8 year old daughter and mother. After the passing of their elderly neighbour, the neighbours son and grandson move in. But things appear odd as 4 year old Henry is timid, speaks rarely and seems very “odd”. Tom is quite secretive at first and adds to the curiosity that Sonia and her mom form about the goings on next door. When Tom had an accident which causes him to lose his memory, everyone struggles to put the pieces together and get to the bottom of who these new neighbours are.
Meanwhile, a local girl has been missing for four years… and there is a cabin in the woods, and an ex husband / army-man who is out of the picture until he isn’t. This novel was a bit of a surface sweeper- it could have gone soooooo much deeper, and as a result my interest was barely tethered to the plot.
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June 16, 2021DNF @ 51%. I just couldn't take any more of this book. The main character and her mother are the two most paranoid characters I have ever read. Maybe if they were self-aware of it, I could have handled it, but it was so over the top and ridiculous. I just can't with this.
November 18, 2022
I had high hopes for this book because her books have high ratings.
Well....
I didn't like it.
The plot was ok....I guess.
It reminded me of another book I read and didn't like: The Moonlight Child
That was similar in this one because the characters are making major assumptions about their neighbors without any evidence to back it up. This was extremely irritating from both books.
Might I add, both books: this one and Moonlight Child have high ratings.....Which I have no idea why, because they aren't good books....IMO. 🤷♀️
I also didn't care for the twist at the end.
The twist was thrown in only for shock; it didn't add anything to the plot.
And, the ending was anti-climatic and had no resolution.
Only 244 pages and it took me almost 2 months to read....
Anyhoo, I'm donating and sending it along to others.
January 7, 2022
Based on the reviews, I thought this would be a lot better. I’ve had it for a while and was saving it for a rainy day when I wanted a quick read. It started out well enough and it ended pretty well, the middle is the problem. It drags on in the middle and actually gets kind of confusing. Twice I thought I’d lost my place and was reading something again. It was way too short for that to have been a reasonable issue. It wasn’t awful but it wasn’t great or particularly memorable.
It was frustrating because it had a lot of potential but it never really got there.
It was frustrating because it had a lot of potential but it never really got there.
September 1, 2021
I know it seems to be the unpopular opinion but the writing style of this book was very flat and not engaging.
November 10, 2021
Slow moving and repetitive in spots.
May 27, 2021
I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them, so this was no exception. I found that the story was fast-paced, suspenseful and it caught my attention quickly as I got pulled into the story. I have to admit, Norma threw me off guard once the real story came out and I began to see what was really going on. Well done! I am a suspense and thriller author myself so when I read other authors I am always thinking outside the box when I read a good thriller, trying to see if I can figure out what the surprise element of the story is. Did not see that ending coming! I am eagerly awaiting the next book by Norma Hinkens in November!
May 15, 2021
A gritty, intense, fast-paced, riveting, artful melding of stunning psychological thrills and nail-biting suspense. An edgy mystery full of dark secrets, shocking plot twists and pulse-pounding, palpable tension. A MUST for fans who thrive on superbly-written, unputdownable thrillers!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
December 29, 2022
(Audiobook version) Did anyone listen to this and say “Yes that’s perfect let’s put it out for people to listen to now”?? I love NL Hinkens but that high pitch whiny kid voice the narrator does drove me up the wall. Couldn’t even listen to it for one second longer. No joke!
Will have to buy the paperback for this one. This rating is not a reflection of the book itself or NL Hinkens but the audio alone.
Will have to buy the paperback for this one. This rating is not a reflection of the book itself or NL Hinkens but the audio alone.
September 1, 2021
This story kept me riveted to the totally unexpected reveal. I would've given it 5 stars but there were no clues to the twist.
January 23, 2025
Aw Henry made me so sad 🥺 I really liked this book
January 5, 2023
Ughhh… this was my first book by this author. I was expecting a book that I couldn’t stop flipping pages but boy this was anything but that. It starts out with this nosy family of women including the daughter. None of the characters are likable and the writing style just didn’t intrigue me at all. I ended up starting to skim pages once I was half way through. I was able to keep up with everything that was going on as I skimmed. The plot of this book was actually pretty good which is what gained an extra star, otherwise this would have been a one star read for me. It lacked suspense and a twist until the very end. Just blah!
October 26, 2022
shocking, suspenseful, addictive!rr
You will absolutely be enthralled with the story! You will be hooked from the very beginning. Your natural curiosity will keep you reading long past dark. This was very addictive! A mother, grandmother, and daughter. Three generations of ladies, trying to simply live their daily lives. The next-door neighbor moves in. Everything starts from there. Who is he? Why is he there? Who is the little boy, that is with him? These are just a few of the questions that will keep you turning the pages!
You will absolutely be enthralled with the story! You will be hooked from the very beginning. Your natural curiosity will keep you reading long past dark. This was very addictive! A mother, grandmother, and daughter. Three generations of ladies, trying to simply live their daily lives. The next-door neighbor moves in. Everything starts from there. Who is he? Why is he there? Who is the little boy, that is with him? These are just a few of the questions that will keep you turning the pages!
May 13, 2021
WOW, WOW, WOW!!!!!! This is her best book yet and that is saying a lot because I have read and loved them all . This fast paced story was a roller coaster ride from the first page to the mind blowing ending that I never saw coming. I could not put it down. This is psychological suspense at it's finest and is a definite must read.
January 9, 2022
thriller, got it through Kindle Unlimited. Liked the beginning and then lost interest...
September 30, 2022
Super boring. Hard to get into
March 4, 2023
DNF. So boring!
May 11, 2021
I’ve read a few of N.L. Hinkens books and have loved every single one of them, so when the chance of reading of an ARC of her latest book became available, I jumped at the chance to read it!
The first aspect that I loved was reading this book through the eyes of both Sonia and Ray. It really gave me a chance to piece together what is happening and what was true or not. The author is very clever in sharing these two characters’ thoughts because it kept my mind spinning almost the entire time I was reading! I kept thinking one thing only to end up thinking another, then going back to my original thought, etc. It was so exciting (and even fun) to try to put the pieces of the story together.
Along with this, the twists and turns presented here were wonderful. Again, the author kept me guessing until the end of what really happened. Even when I convinced myself of something, I backtracked, only to find out I was right. It was so wild and so beautifully done. This is one of the main reasons I love this author – she can really tell a story!
The characters that were meant to be loved and cared, I was able to easily. The ones that I was meant to dislike, I definitely did. Then the ones who turned out to be different than what I first expected, my feelings reversed. I truly love when authors can help me care about the characters they write. This helps me want to continue reading and enjoy the story more.
Themes of deception, truth, secrets, family, and abuse were seamlessly woven throughout the text. Though there was reference to child abuse, I luckily didn’t have to “see it” as it was happening. It really is difficult for me to read about any form of abuse, especially child abuse, so I appreciate the author mentioning through the eyes of the characters, as it already happened versus having to live through it with the characters.
If there is perhaps an aspect that I would like to be slightly different it would some of the ending. Without giving much away, the protagonists go down a path that seems like the best solution given the situation, however, I’m not quite sure if what they decided would be realistic in the real world. This bit did not deter from my enjoyment of the book at all, though, and I fully plan on reading the next adventure this author writes!
I would highly recommend this read to those who enjoy psychological thrillers and truly don’t mind bouncing back and forth trying to figure out the truth! Can’t wait to see what N.L. Hinkens has in store next!
https://bookloverblogs.com/2021/05/11...
The first aspect that I loved was reading this book through the eyes of both Sonia and Ray. It really gave me a chance to piece together what is happening and what was true or not. The author is very clever in sharing these two characters’ thoughts because it kept my mind spinning almost the entire time I was reading! I kept thinking one thing only to end up thinking another, then going back to my original thought, etc. It was so exciting (and even fun) to try to put the pieces of the story together.
Along with this, the twists and turns presented here were wonderful. Again, the author kept me guessing until the end of what really happened. Even when I convinced myself of something, I backtracked, only to find out I was right. It was so wild and so beautifully done. This is one of the main reasons I love this author – she can really tell a story!
The characters that were meant to be loved and cared, I was able to easily. The ones that I was meant to dislike, I definitely did. Then the ones who turned out to be different than what I first expected, my feelings reversed. I truly love when authors can help me care about the characters they write. This helps me want to continue reading and enjoy the story more.
Themes of deception, truth, secrets, family, and abuse were seamlessly woven throughout the text. Though there was reference to child abuse, I luckily didn’t have to “see it” as it was happening. It really is difficult for me to read about any form of abuse, especially child abuse, so I appreciate the author mentioning through the eyes of the characters, as it already happened versus having to live through it with the characters.
If there is perhaps an aspect that I would like to be slightly different it would some of the ending. Without giving much away, the protagonists go down a path that seems like the best solution given the situation, however, I’m not quite sure if what they decided would be realistic in the real world. This bit did not deter from my enjoyment of the book at all, though, and I fully plan on reading the next adventure this author writes!
I would highly recommend this read to those who enjoy psychological thrillers and truly don’t mind bouncing back and forth trying to figure out the truth! Can’t wait to see what N.L. Hinkens has in store next!
https://bookloverblogs.com/2021/05/11...
April 30, 2021
I absolutely loved Never Tell Them by N. L Hinkens. I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading Never Tell Them. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I kept trying to figure out what was really going on. Who does not love a psychological suspense thriller with a surprise ending? Once again N. L Hinkens has shown that she is a master storyteller. I love how she developed the story line and the characters. It was an incredible psychological suspense thriller and had me guessing who was behind all the happenings. I could not put it down and loved every page of this wonderful page turner. I love how N.L. Hinkens incorporates the book title into the story. The story started out slowly, but once the plot twist was revealed the storyline quickly picked up. Never saw the villain in the story before they were revealed. It truly took me by surprise. Never Tell Them is the story of Sonia Masterson, an interior designer and stay at home single mom and Ray Jenkins, the son of her late neighbor, Celia. Ray and his four-year-old son, Henry move into Celia’s home so that Ray can clean it out and get it ready to put on the market. While going through his mother’s belongings his finds mysterious monthly transfers, Ray suspects the payments are being made to his estranged brother, Tom. Ray and Tom ran away from home as teenagers, twenty years ago because of their alcoholic father’s abuse. When Sonia and Ray first meet, things seem off between Ray and Henry. As Henry spends more time with Sonia’s eight-year-old daughter, Jessica, he reveals some disturbing information about his mom and dad. Ray is involved in an accident that totals his truck and leaves him in the hospital with a concussion and amnesia. Sonia takes care of Henry and is searching Ray’s belongings for clues as to what is really going on with him. As Ray searches to discover the truth about the recent events in his life, he puts his life and Sonia’s life danger. I love how the events of two months prior are included, so that the reader knows all the details that Ray cannot remember. I love how the last chapter takes place a couple months after the events of the story, and how all the characters changed because of the events in the cabin in the woods. I love that everyone’s opinion of Ray changes when the real truth is revealed. My favorite part was the surprise ending when all the truths are revealed. It was an incredible thriller. Looking forward to reading more books by N.L. Hinkens. Looking for a great thriller, then I highly recommend Never Tell Them.
July 1, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure about this book because I am more of a cozy mystery type of girl but the blurb sounded interesting and the author used one of my favourite narrator's, so I have it a go. So glad I did because I was hooked from the first paragraph. I liked the way the author created a sense of suspense, where you thought you knew how the story was going to play out and then you are thrown a curve ball that you didn't see coming, even reading all the reviews for the book I was still surprised. The other reason I enjoyed I the book was the great characters and I kept hoping for a happy ending for Henry, if it had been a book I think I might have had to skip to the end to see what happens. Definitely an author I wouldn't hesitate to listen to again.
After the death of her elderly neighbour and friend, Sonia knew getting to know and like who ever moved in was going to be hard, especially if it was one of her absent sons. She had no idea how hard. Her friends oldest son moves in and seems to be trying his hardest to keep his distance from everybody but as soon as Sonia's daughter Jessica discovers he has a four year old son, play dates ensues. Henry is so quiet and panics when every his dad, Ray, is around and Sonia gets the feeling something isn't right in the house next door. Ray brushes it off as trauma over his wife's death and asks Sonia to be Henry's emergency contact for his nursery. She agrees but knowing how secretive Ray is she never expects to get called. The the unthinkable happens and Ray is in an accident and wakes up with no memory of his of past or even his son. In the hopes that helping her neighbour remember his past, she hopes to find out why his son seems afraid of him and keep her daughter safe at the same time. But are some secrets meant to stay hidden?
As I said Amy Deuchler is one of my favourite narrator's and she doesn't disappoint. I loved the voices, especially the one she gave little Henry and I really got the sense he was a frightened little boy.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
After the death of her elderly neighbour and friend, Sonia knew getting to know and like who ever moved in was going to be hard, especially if it was one of her absent sons. She had no idea how hard. Her friends oldest son moves in and seems to be trying his hardest to keep his distance from everybody but as soon as Sonia's daughter Jessica discovers he has a four year old son, play dates ensues. Henry is so quiet and panics when every his dad, Ray, is around and Sonia gets the feeling something isn't right in the house next door. Ray brushes it off as trauma over his wife's death and asks Sonia to be Henry's emergency contact for his nursery. She agrees but knowing how secretive Ray is she never expects to get called. The the unthinkable happens and Ray is in an accident and wakes up with no memory of his of past or even his son. In the hopes that helping her neighbour remember his past, she hopes to find out why his son seems afraid of him and keep her daughter safe at the same time. But are some secrets meant to stay hidden?
As I said Amy Deuchler is one of my favourite narrator's and she doesn't disappoint. I loved the voices, especially the one she gave little Henry and I really got the sense he was a frightened little boy.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
May 31, 2021
When Ray and his son move in next door to settle his mother's estate, Sonia can tell right away that something is off about them. Sonia's daughter, Jessica, takes to the young boy immediately, affording Sonia the opportunity to do some investigating of her own in order to try to protect Henry. Sonia's own past has set her on a collision course with Ray's demons.
Overall, I did enjoy this novel. I though the story was told in a very interesting way, and that the plot itself was solid. The pacing was generally good.
A couple of tweaks to the character development would have pushed this over the top for me. In the first place, I found the characters had a bad habit of jumping to the most bizarre conclusions with no real evidence to support them. This tendency pushed me out of the novel. I think there would have been less eye-rolling from me had there been more evidence to support the conjecture, or if the leaps in logic had been more gradual as more damning evidence came to light.
The other problem I had was with the twist. (I am treading carefully here). Successful twists are inevitable: the reader realises after the reveal that it couldn't have happened another way, and in spite of having missed clues, is satisfied that the twist was out there for them to see if only they'd paid attention. The twist in this novel didn't have that payoff for me: there was no way to have seen this coming. It made the twist feel cheap to me.
These two elements were the difference between a solid novel and a stand-out one.
I received an ARC via the author.
Overall, I did enjoy this novel. I though the story was told in a very interesting way, and that the plot itself was solid. The pacing was generally good.
A couple of tweaks to the character development would have pushed this over the top for me. In the first place, I found the characters had a bad habit of jumping to the most bizarre conclusions with no real evidence to support them. This tendency pushed me out of the novel. I think there would have been less eye-rolling from me had there been more evidence to support the conjecture, or if the leaps in logic had been more gradual as more damning evidence came to light.
The other problem I had was with the twist. (I am treading carefully here). Successful twists are inevitable: the reader realises after the reveal that it couldn't have happened another way, and in spite of having missed clues, is satisfied that the twist was out there for them to see if only they'd paid attention. The twist in this novel didn't have that payoff for me: there was no way to have seen this coming. It made the twist feel cheap to me.
These two elements were the difference between a solid novel and a stand-out one.
I received an ARC via the author.
May 7, 2021
I completely enjoyed this book from cover to cover! Never Tell Them by N.L. Hinkens is a wonderful psychological thriller with "changing bad guys". When Sonia's older neighbor dies she meets her neighbors' long absent son, a cagey Ray Jenkins and his son, Henry, who arrive to settle her estate. The more she sees the father and son duo the more she "knows" something is terribly wrong. As Henry spends time with Sonia and her daughter they start hearing strange things from Henry. The child seems terrified and poorly cared for, not to mention the lack of bonding between father and son. When Ray, gets in a bad accident in his truck and lands in the hospital with little to no memory, Sonia's concerns continue to mount. She takes Henry in while Ray recovers and goes into her neighbors home to get his necessities. When she does she discovers a lack of clothing, toys and birth certificate for little Henry. I don't want to give too much away so I will simply end with this. The book is a well crafted suspense novel that keeps you guessing about the bad guys until the very end. This novel is available on 5/11/2021. I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 16, 2023
N. L. Hinkens’s Never Tell Them is a gripping psychological thriller. I liked most of her books, so this one was no different.
Though the storyline is complicated, here is the summary.
Sonia thinks something is fishy when this mysterious single dad, Ray Jenkins, moves into the neighborhood. Ray's young son, Henry, who is still grappling with the recent loss of his mother, behaves as if he is a stranger to his own father. But the situation quickly deteriorates when Ray finds himself amidst a harrowing multi-vehicle wreck, leaving him with a brain injury and subsequent memory loss. As Sonia steps in to care for Henry, she becomes increasingly alarmed by the unsettling tales he shares. With a resolute determination, she delves into her neighbor's house, searching for clues about his true identity. She's completely blown away by the shocking clues she discovers. The deadly lie he's living puts her own life in danger.
This was not a single POV story, so I loved it. It has unexpected twists and the end is absolutely fantastic. I would have liked a closure for one of the characters (can’t say more to avid spoiler), nevertheless, it was fantastic.
Though the storyline is complicated, here is the summary.
Sonia thinks something is fishy when this mysterious single dad, Ray Jenkins, moves into the neighborhood. Ray's young son, Henry, who is still grappling with the recent loss of his mother, behaves as if he is a stranger to his own father. But the situation quickly deteriorates when Ray finds himself amidst a harrowing multi-vehicle wreck, leaving him with a brain injury and subsequent memory loss. As Sonia steps in to care for Henry, she becomes increasingly alarmed by the unsettling tales he shares. With a resolute determination, she delves into her neighbor's house, searching for clues about his true identity. She's completely blown away by the shocking clues she discovers. The deadly lie he's living puts her own life in danger.
This was not a single POV story, so I loved it. It has unexpected twists and the end is absolutely fantastic. I would have liked a closure for one of the characters (can’t say more to avid spoiler), nevertheless, it was fantastic.
June 16, 2024
Something was odd about the new neighbors. A father and son that don’t seem to know each other. And the grandmother that lived there before had no idea, eh? Right away there’s a mystery here that grabs you.
Never tell them. Never tell them what? And this was you never nose around the neighbor—because you get stuck having to look after the son, who seemed to be traumatized and neglected. Through the boy’s little verbal slip-ups, we get a little bit more of what’s going on. There were still a lot of unanswered questions though. Was the boy kidnapped and taken away from his mother? Who was really hurting the boy? And was the boy safe to go back to the neighbor, who had recently suffered an accident and temporary memory loss?
About halfway through, we get a suspicion of the neighbor’s possible involvement in a girl’s disappearance. Oh wow! So, he could be a killer? Who’s going to be the real bad guy in the end?
What a shocking conclusion! Another wonderful read by N.L. Hinkens!
Never tell them. Never tell them what? And this was you never nose around the neighbor—because you get stuck having to look after the son, who seemed to be traumatized and neglected. Through the boy’s little verbal slip-ups, we get a little bit more of what’s going on. There were still a lot of unanswered questions though. Was the boy kidnapped and taken away from his mother? Who was really hurting the boy? And was the boy safe to go back to the neighbor, who had recently suffered an accident and temporary memory loss?
About halfway through, we get a suspicion of the neighbor’s possible involvement in a girl’s disappearance. Oh wow! So, he could be a killer? Who’s going to be the real bad guy in the end?
What a shocking conclusion! Another wonderful read by N.L. Hinkens!
May 31, 2021
A fun, fast read.
Sonia was curious about her new neighbor, Ray, whose four-year-old son, Henry, seemed to be a stranger to him. Few things about the child had her suspicions about the father ringing loud. She went snooping.
My first book by author N. L. Hinkens, the story built up my curiosity with every page. With two main characters, the author sure packed a good amount of suspense.
The story did not have a deep plotline or well developed characters, but the subplots were convoluted enough to capture my interest. Many strange things continued to happen which had me egging Sonia on. Who doesn’t want to get enlightened with gossip? And there was plenty happening here.
The writing was gripping enough to pull me in, the book could be read in a couple of hours with a few gentle gasps. It didnt cause my pulse to skyrocket but a few Yayys escaped my lips.
Overall, a rocking afternoon. I like when I can finish a book before my afternoon siesta.
Sonia was curious about her new neighbor, Ray, whose four-year-old son, Henry, seemed to be a stranger to him. Few things about the child had her suspicions about the father ringing loud. She went snooping.
My first book by author N. L. Hinkens, the story built up my curiosity with every page. With two main characters, the author sure packed a good amount of suspense.
The story did not have a deep plotline or well developed characters, but the subplots were convoluted enough to capture my interest. Many strange things continued to happen which had me egging Sonia on. Who doesn’t want to get enlightened with gossip? And there was plenty happening here.
The writing was gripping enough to pull me in, the book could be read in a couple of hours with a few gentle gasps. It didnt cause my pulse to skyrocket but a few Yayys escaped my lips.
Overall, a rocking afternoon. I like when I can finish a book before my afternoon siesta.
April 30, 2021
When the author reached out to give me an ARC, she said that her editor "didn't see one of my plot twists coming. It's hard to surprise an experienced editor so I'm taking that as a good sign that there will be at least one jaw-dropping moment YOU WON'T SEE COMING EITHER!" Of course, I took this as a challenge and tried to guess the various twists.... I failed at this challenge.
Nothing is quite what it seems in this book. As soon as you think you've have it all figured out, NL yanks the rug out from under you. The book begins in a seemingly straightforward manner - the man in the description seems to be "bad guy" but things change quickly.
I can't say much more without spoiling it all. I can say that it is well-written, meticulously plotted, and a slow burn that leaves you racing towards the finish. I highly recommend this one.
Nothing is quite what it seems in this book. As soon as you think you've have it all figured out, NL yanks the rug out from under you. The book begins in a seemingly straightforward manner - the man in the description seems to be "bad guy" but things change quickly.
I can't say much more without spoiling it all. I can say that it is well-written, meticulously plotted, and a slow burn that leaves you racing towards the finish. I highly recommend this one.
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