| Title | : | Never Tell |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1250805821 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781250805829 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 320 |
| Publication | : | First published June 14, 2004 |
Criminal psychologist Dr. Erin Abbott wants nothing more than to live a quiet life. That means no danger, no intrigue―and absolutely no romance. But when Erin suspects a serial killer is roaming New Orleans, her investigation throws her straight into the arms of the one man who can help her.
Journalist Gabriel Moss is hot to find his next big story―and he knows Erin is onto something that will rock the city to its core. However, Erin is also a mystery he must solve. From the moment they meet, Gabriel senses that she is hiding more than her beauty behind her boxy suits and sensible shoes. When she reluctantly agrees to work with him to uncover the most shocking story they have ever come across, explosive secrets are revealed and danger and passion begin to rise.
Never Tell Reviews
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I was so excited for the premise of this book, but I found myself at 200 pages in becoming so bored! Bored with the characters, who despite the attempt at the enemies to lovers trope, didn’t quite work. Bored of the story. In addition, trigger warning this book has some disturbing. graphic, domestic violence scenes which I felt was difficult to read.
Dr. Erin Abbot is a psychology professor specializing in serial killers. She receives disturbing newspaper clippings which she almost automatically contributes to an emerging serial killer trying to get her attention.
Erin teams up with Gabriel to put the pieces together. Gabriel is a journalist looking for the story that will save his newspaper. He thinks he’s found that story with Erin. He also thinks Erin is hiding something and is determined to figure out what it is. -
I knew this was an older romance but I didn't realize it was from 2004. And it definitely reads like 2004 and not just because it's set in that time period. Some of the stuff in this story flew in 2004 when we knew less but just does not work in 2022. For one this had a lot of graphic violence which should've been mentioned in the synopsis because it doesn't spoil the book.
The romance kept breaking up the moment of the serial killer storyline to the point where I just didn't care about the outcome. It's hard for a lot of authors to find a good balance when it come to romantic suspense. They either focus too much on the suspense or they focus too much on the romance. The two characters had no chemistry which made the romance all the more painful. Our male mc Gabriel is pushy and it made me feel uncomfortable especially when our leading lady is an abuse survivor.
I understand why CBS is adapting this story. I can see them trying to capture How to Get Away with Murder vibes. Fitting coincidence the professor here is also Analise. I suggest skipping this one and reading While Justice Sleeps instead. -
I think it is definitely important that people are aware that this book was not only set in the early 00s, but written in the early 00s. It reminds me quite a bit of the romantic suspenses I've read from that era, but I think it doesn't necessarily age that well on the romance side for a reader in the 2020s.
That being said, I think this is a pretty fun/successful suspense, but the romance elements detract from the overall experience of the book. I wish it had JUST been secrets from the past and a serial killer story, becuase that part was very enjoyable. Still, I think for its time this is pretty solid, but not necessarily to my taste in what I would pick up for a rom suspense today.
CW: SA, domestic abuse, on page violence -
Actual rating: 2.5 stars rounded up
Heads up this is not a light book and contains pretty graphic scenes of violence, abuse (including towards minors), and sexual assault. I wasn't prepared for the intensity and want others to know what they're getting into. Never Tell is a romantic suspense following a criminal psychology professor with dark secrets in her past, trying to uncover the identity of a serial killer who is after her, alongside a handsome reporter.
Aside from how graphic the violence was, I had mixed feelings on this one. I like the idea and do realize it's partly a product of its time (2004 was the original publication), but we have a hero and heroine who don't do a great job with clear consent, pushing past stated boundaries because they think they know better. I think this has been recently re-edited for new publication and I wish some of that had been more thoroughly reworked. Otherwise, I liked the idea of having this main character working through serious trauma from her past with this serial killer on the loose. I do also have mixed feelings about the ending and the identity of the killer. I think this tries to handle the chosen trope appropriately but I don't think it adequately grapples with the ramifications. (hard to say more without spoilers.) I wanted to love this, but it ended up being just okay for me. The audio narration is very well done, which maybe added to the horror of some of those violent scenes. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. -
TW: emotional and physical abuse, attempted rape, abusive relationship, violence against women, murder
Actual Rating 2.5 stars
In this suspenseful romance novel, we follow criminal psychologist Dr. Erin Abbott who suspects a serial killer is roaming New Orleans. As she begins an investigation she runs into journalist Gabriel Moss who knows Erin is on to something and wants in on the story. They join forced - to Erin's dismay - to find the killer and along the way Gabriel slowly seduces Erin but Erin knows their love can never be because she is hiding a terrible secret that threatens to come to light the more and more they investigate this serial killer.
I didn't realize until after finishing this novel that this book was originally published in 2004. And knowing that now, a lot of this story and my feelings for it makes more sense. Because some of the stuff in this story just wouldn't fly now in 2022.
I think it's probably difficult to find a good balance between romance and suspense because when a thrilling storyline is interrupted for a romance, it breaks up that tension that was building and throws off the story, which is what happened here. This story either focused all its attention on the suspense or on the romance, it felt jarring to jump back and forth between the storylines. I also do not like our love interest Gabriel at all. He was super pushy when it came to the romance and it made me uncomfortable on multiple occasions, especially since Erin is an abuse survivor.
All in all, I had very mixed feelings reading this one and still don't know exactly how I feel about it now that it's over. -
Prescient romance thriller written by none other than Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. It touches on linguistics, treatment of women in academia, and the struggle of independent journalism to survive, among other things. Gave to her campaign after finishing. Selena Montgomery for Prez, you guys.
(read harder task: read a romance by or about a person of color.) -
Trigger Warning: Discussions of abuse, abusive relationships, violence against women, sexually regressive attitudes.
This is one of those particularly awful books that isn’t just incompetent on a technical level, but thoroughly offensive and even dangerous in its content.
From the beginning, the book seems to revel in descriptions of graphic violence against two women, one of whom is the protagonist, beaten and nearly killed by someone with whom she clearly has some kind of close relationship. It then moves into the unnecessarily graphic murder of a minor female character. There is no reason for these scenes to be so graphic beyond shock value, and perhaps that was the author’s intention, since the book certainly doesn’t have much else that’s likely to draw the reader in.
Though the author has not mastered the basics of writing (frequent tense errors, accidentally using the wrong character’s name or the wrong pronouns, and even a few sentences that say the opposite of what the context would imply that they actually mean), she is a master of purple prose. In this book, “Desire raked with erotic claws”, “Humid dark [hangs] over the boulevard lamplight”, and “abandoned coffee [pools] condensation in the cup holder”. Eyes are “orbs”, a man “[fumbles] for protection” and is “sheathed” before sexual intercourse, and when someone knocks on the door of your hotel room, you look through a “Judas hole”, not a peephole. Some of my favourites include the part where Erin could detect the odour of carbon monoxide (which is famously odourless, hence the need for carbon monoxide detectors), and when E-mail had a capital E despite being in the middle of a sentence.
The worst technical failing has to do with the point of view. The author seems to have been going for a limited third-person perspective, but she doesn’t appear to understand that one of those “limits” is that you can only access one character’s perspective per scene. Instead, she’ll write a few paragraphs from Erin’s point of view, then jump into Gabriel’s, then into a random secondary character, then back to Erin. It’s horribly jarring, to say the least, and often unnecessary. Chapter 4 starts off with a paragraph from the point of view of a random cabbie that Erin flags down, thinking to himself how grateful he is for his “trusty unit” (talking about his air conditioning, of course- to what else could a man be referring by that phrase?)
As though that weren’t enough, the author is very fond of “As you know…” conversations and front-loaded, gratuitous backstory. In defiance of Chekhov’s advice, at least a few guns hung up in the first chapters are never discharged. The characters also appear able to read each other’s minds, or at least to be capable of huge, perfectly accurate leaps of logic, which permit them to react to things that another character has just thought as though they had said them aloud.
The characters are where the book takes a turn from incompetent into offensive. The protagonist is Analise Erin Abbott Glover, a genius linguistic prodigy with a doctorate in psychology who was abused in every way (except sexually, and this is important) and nearly killed by her mentor, Nathan Rhodes. After killing him in self-defence, she dumps the body off a cliff and runs away to New Orleans to start a new life as Dr. Erin Abbott, a frumpy professor who teaches “Murder 101”. Oh, and she also happens to be rich and gorgeous, because of course she is.
Her love interest is Gabriel Moss, who hears her laugh while he’s walking down the hall of the college where she teaches and immediately falls in lust with her. Gabriel is a reporter who’s trying to get a new paper off the ground. He’s also apparently a military veteran and has won a Pulitzer prize in his spare time, and is gorgeous and charming and absolutely irresistible.
When Erin literally bumps into Gabriel in the hallway a few minutes later, the problems begin. Gabriel is instantly obsessed with her and constantly touching her inappropriately. On their second meeting, in a police station of all places, he touches her chest on the pretence of drying some spilled soda off her blouse. Despite her repeated demands that he leave her alone, he follows her around, including to her home, and has clearly never heard of consent. In fact, in chapter 8: “She struggled, and he refused to let her go.” Earlier, in chapter 6, “Erin had a protector, whether she liked it or not,” after Gabriel forces her into his car.
The author sometimes makes a half-hearted attempt to justify this as Gabriel being “a nosy reporter” or “scenting a story”, but the fact of the matter is that Gabriel’s behaviour is disgusting and thoroughly unacceptable. Not only does the book never acknowledge this point, it’s framed as necessary and even heroic, because Erin can’t be trusted to make up her own mind (Gabriel explicitly states this near the end of the book: “You don’t know what you want.”) and she needs to be saved from her own independence and desire to self-isolate. She needs someone like Gabriel to draw her back into the light, who won’t take no for an answer. His stalking and lack of respect for her stated wishes are framed as heroic persistence, and the antidote to all of Erin’s problems.
Let us remember the context: Erin is a survivor of an abusive relationship, one in which she was regularly beaten and nearly killed. Unfortunately, many survivors of toxic relationships are drawn back into toxic dynamics in the future, especially if they haven’t healed the wounds and vulnerabilities from the previous relationship. Erin is also a child of emotionally neglectful parents, which raises its own issues around intimacy. And yet, this domineering, disrespectful “hero”, who declares of Erin’s platonic best friend, “Touch him and I’ll break his arms,” who gaslights her by asking “You think I’m crowding you?” while he’s well within her personal space, is framed as the hero, the man who loves her, who will protect her and make her happy. This should be a cautionary tale about noticing red flags and the tendency to fall back into abusive patterns. It should not be framed as Erin’s salvation. And while the author sometimes seems to be aware of the complexity of her subject matter, with lines such as: “Erin felt surrounded. Invaded. What disturbed most was the feeling of safety,” (which itself is contradicted a few chapters later by “Gabriel made her feel a million things, but safety wasn’t one of them.”) she ultimately decides that the force of Gabriel’s obsession is all the love and healing Erin could ever ask for.
Beyond Erin and Gabriel, the book is remarkably sexist and sex-negative. In the aforementioned police station, when Erin threatens to scream and have Gabriel arrested after he’s effectively fondled her breasts and is impeding her from leaving, Gabriel treats it as a joke, even bantering with a (male, of course) officer about the absurdity of his being arrested. While Erin takes it for granted that she wouldn’t be able to flag down a cab on the busy street, Gabriel gets her one immediately. “Deviant” sexuality, such as BDSM, is framed as perverted and not only practiced by multiple villainous characters throughout the story, but also a means by which they advance their nefarious schemes. In contrast, much is made of the fact that Erin is still a virgin, at least until the florid, repeated consummation of her attraction to Gabriel. It echoes the ancient “virgin/whore” dichotomy in an uncomfortable way, particularly given the “twists” at the end, and while I’m certainly glad that the author spared us this horror, it feels unrealistic that she would not at some point have been raped by Nathan, particularly given what we learn about him through the course of the story. However, this creative decision makes sense if the author intends to equate virginity with goodness, purity, and heroism.
The fact that such a book was written by anyone in the 21st century is disheartening, but that it was written by a politician, someone with the potential to influence the trends and development of a culture, is downright terrifying. I sincerely hope that Never Tell does not in any way reflect the author’s current beliefs or world view. -
Never Tell was a real struggle bus read for me that should have been right up my alley, serial killer romantic suspense, but none of it worked for me. It also pains me to give Stacey Abrams a bad review, she's a whip smart woman who is doing incredible things politically, plus she's a Star Trek nerd and I kinda love her. What sets this apart from other romantic suspense reads is the language, there's a giant vocabulary leap here from what one would typically find in the genre, which is not meant to be a slight against other romantic suspense titles just something that readers might want to know about because it's so different. This is also much more graphic and violent than others in the genre which didn't bother me but it might not be okay for others.
Here's what didn't work for me. For starters the characters are supposed to be African American but read as if they're white, meaning that they're pretty vanilla and bland. The chemistry between Erin and Gabriel was lacking and felt forced. Two people outside of law enforcement coming together to find the killer was interesting and it was the unbelievable romance part that distracted me from the mystery. -
Not really my type of thriller- too much sappy romance for me. I also felt like the relationship between Erin and Gabriel evolved too much too quickly.
The story is about a brilliant young woman who hides out in New Orleans after a tragic event sent her running from a murder scene. Once she feels the opportunity to relax into her new surroundings, people she’s met in her new city start dying gruesome and strange deaths. I loved the premise, but the execution wasn’t for me.
My initial issue is admittedly a petty one. I was annoyed that none of the characters resembled the author in any way. When I pick up a book from a POC, I expect to see some pretty good representation of their culture and aesthetic. I got none of that here.
I also prefer a lot less romance in my thrillers. This was honestly verging on instalove and that’s always been a trope I couldn’t get behind. The characters had little in common that would provoke such intense feelings of belonging and attraction. It was just a bit of a hard sell for me.
It was an okay book that surprisingly didn’t feel dated, though it was originally published almost 20 years before the recent release. I was entertained enough, I just didn’t like it as much as I had hoped I would based on my feelings for her previous novel. 3 stars. -
Ok, we all know who Stacey Abrams is and how inspiring and amazing she is... which is why I wanted to try this book. Thriller? SOLD! Romantic suspense? Erhm... not my usual cup of tea (and definitely not my glass of whiskey) but I like to dive back into genres that may not have hit home previously because maybe, just maybe, it'll turn my head. Alas, such is not the case here.
I'm going to let a lot of things go within this book since I just realized after listening to it, that it first published in 2004. Unfortunately I don't think that it aged well. I think this will definitely throw some people off and while I'm trying to give it that leeway because it was written so long ago, I still find myself pursing my lips and giving it the side eye.
The biggest issue from me is on the romance side. Shocker, I know. But I didn't feel ANY chemistry between these two. AND considering her past and the way he acts towards her sometimes... W T F. I wanted to reach through my headphones to throttle him at times. I also think the romance part took over the thriller part and found my attention waning further and further as I listened more. I also think it was a bit wordy and some of the descriptions gave me that pucker face I talked about earlier. Um, please do not consider your penis sheathed if you put condom on. I don't know why that bothered me so much. But there definitely needs some more editing.
This book just didn't work for me. I love the concept over all, wanted more thrills, less weird adjectives and less romance. I think I'll stay away from Romantic Suspense as I find it's just not my thing. As this was one of the first books written by her, you can see there's SO much potential and it seems Abrams/Montgomery has lived up that potential (I wouldn't expect anything less) with the many books she's since written. I think I'll switch over genres and pick up While Justice Sleeps as I've heard amazing things about this one. -
A romantic suspense novel by Selena Montgomery, better known as Georgia super organizer and major orchestrator of the Biden/Harris victory, Stacey Abrams. She’s such an inspiring figure to me, and I thought there was no better way to celebrate the election results than to buy one of her books and read it immediately, so that’s what I did. Romantic suspense is not my genre of choice (I’m a weenie when it comes to the suspense part, especially these days), but Abrams really knows how to ratchet up the tension and then bring it all to a satisfying end. In this book, Erin, a criminal psychologist, and a sexy journalist named Gabriel team up to catch a serial killer whose victims all seem to be connected to Erin or her past in some way. It’s set in New Orleans, and the city is so well drawn it feels like a character unto itself. And if you like this book, Abrams has published a handful of others, so you’ll be good to go for at least a couple weeks of quarantine.
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Continuing on with my search to find new authors I have never read before, I came across Never Tell, by Stacey Abrams. Although Stacey Abrams, is not a "new" author she was new to me. I also did some research and enjoyed seeing that Abrams writes a bunch of different genre's and has a target audience that ranges from children to adults! (Super neat!)
Never Tell, was an enjoyable read. This is one of those stories that you could have watched unfold in front of your eyes on television. This was a murder mystery with just the right amount of suspense. The ending was one you could not anticipate . At some parts I thought the chapter were filled with a bit of repetitiveness just to gain pages when the point could have come across short and sweet. The plot was definitely enjoyable.
I would like to see what Abrams comes out with next! -
This book becomes available 01/25/2022, a full review to come then on here & on Instagram.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin, Libro FM & Stacey Abrams/ Selena Montgomery for a #gifted ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.
3 ⭐️ -
Criminal Psychologist Dr. Erin Abbott has started a new life in New Orleans. It all seems to be working out until her past collides with her present and people start dying. While trying to figure everything out, she reluctantly accepts help from journalist Gabriel Moss and incidentally falls in love.
The premise is great, but the story was a bit slow and never picked up any steam. I enjoyed Erin’s knowledge of linguistics,but that was pretty much it for me. I never got fully engaged with the characters or the plot. It was just all a little boring and unrealistic considering the professions and backgrounds of the main characters. -
This isn’t an obvious early career novel (I mean that as a compliment). What I can’t believe is how “white” it is. Half of this book reads like a cringey white romance novel. The guy is the cliche of bad romance troupes: he’s condescending, pushy, and SO WHINY. I hate that he likes her for her “perfect legs” and not her mind.
What’s worse is the leading lady is often a pathetic puppy panting after him and can only become a real girl once she gets some D. 🤮 Yes, this is literally something said in the book! How she’s incomplete and not a full person or going to reach her potential without him 🤢 it was terrible to read. I was all the more disappointed and sad these characters and scenes were written by a strong, independent badass WOC.
I read a few other reviews that said this was written in 2004, but still. There is zero chemistry between the characters and their “forced love” detracts from the part of the story that is actually interesting.
I typically love non-police “detective” novels, particularly by interesting / unusual investigative duos (eg lawyer and doctor, podcaster and best friend) so I am the exact audience for this book that stars a professor and journalist solving a string of serial murders.
While I applaud some of the clever murder crime details that were thoughtful and well planned, the “sex” story (and the two characters when together romantically) made this so painful. I had to skip sex scenes and long monologues about falling in love. I also was bothered by some of the sexual aggression towards Erin, who is an abuse survivor. Erin survived and overcame so much. She was a fully formed, strong women that didn’t need a man to rescue her and save the day, so why did she get written like this? DISAPPOINTING
The premise was interesting but yikes.
SUMMARY: Erin is a professor of criminal minds. She receives an anonymous, taunting note that a few recent murders are related. She concludes this is the work of a serial. The police dismiss her theory. The local journalist, however, is desperate for a story to save his paper and tags along/follows her to get the scoop. Plus he has a hard on for her…
We learn that Erin has a secret past. She used to he Anneliese and was in a terrible, abusive situation. She killed her perp, changed her name, and started over. No one knows this secret, which is why she’s scared to have this reporter sniffing around… what if he finds out? however as more murders happen it seems like the killer is her old abuser… except he’s dead right!? -
With a secret buried deep in her past, Dr. Erin Abbott has been keeping a low profile. That is, until Journalist, Gabriel Moss sets his eyes on the mysterious Dr. Abbott, digs until he unravels the secret Erin has been keeping for a very long time. Someone is killing the innocent citizens of New Orleans and Erin soon realizes that this twisted serial killer is killing those who show her the slightest bit of attention. With help from Gabriel, the pair set out to find out who is on this murdering rampage and put a stop to it before they strike again, and they both know the last person on this serial killers stop is Dr. Erin Abbott.
This book was really good, I really enjoyed trying to figure out who the killer was all the while drooling over Gabriel. He can write a story on me any day. I like how Gabriel can see right through Erins boxy clothing and boring but comfortable shoes, and right into her, knowing that something is wrong. And it doesn't hurt that this mysterious yet sexy woman, with a secret he is determined to unravel, is going to land him a big story that will help him with his diminishing paper. Erin has witnessed a murder take place when she was younger and in an attempt to flee she is then confronted and nearly beaten to death. Until she gets her hands on the gun that was going to kill her and kills the man who has been abusing her both mentally and physically since she was a child.
I liked that this book had a main character who's mind is beyond smart. Getting a glimpse into Erins mind and both seeing and understanding how the serial killers mind works, really perked up my attention more while reading. Hmm, I don't think I disliked much about this book. Hell, I don't think I disliked anything for that matter.
Overall, this book was a great read. I picked it up while I was at a thrift store and it was only a dollar. Great steal, especially since it was really good. I would definitely recommend this book. If you're looking for a suspense novel with some romance, then you should pick this book up :) -
Never Tell was, unfortunately, not my cup of tea. The first edition of this book was released in 2004, but I wasn't aware of that until I was reaching the end of the story. Now, I look back and can tell that the editor(s) likely didn't change much because there are scenes and exchanges in this book that wouldn't really fly today. There are also a lot of descriptions that refer to Erin's "silky" hair which makes sense for 2004 because Black women were expected to wear their hair straight during that time. Now, the natural hair movement has blown up!
I liked the concept of an academic tracking down a serial killer but was disturbed that there were no content warnings about abuse and grooming. These were huge parts of the story and Erin's drive for investigating this serial killer! If the book had focused on this plot, I would have enjoyed it more. However, this was also a romance. Despite the numerous descriptions of Erin and Gabriel's supposed chemistry, I wasn't feeling it. They didn't seem believable to me because Gabriel came across as predatory or aggressive to me in his pursuit of Erin. This left me confused as to how the two could form any romantic attachment, let alone trust. I'm pretty disappointed about this book.
For those looking for a thriller by Stacey Abrams that was more satisfying, in my opinion, look into While Justice Sleeps. It's a bit slow at first but it's clever and becomes gripping. -
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced audiobook of this fantastic thriller.
Erin Abbott is a professor of criminology who is doing everything she can to fly below the radar. Unfortunately Gabriel Moss sees through her dowdy prepress or act immediately.
This is a sexay book! There was undeniable chemistry between Erin and Gabriel. I love the way Selena Montgomery ties a steamy romance and a thriller into one neat little package. This kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and kept me guessing.
I love how she used New Orleans as an additional character in the story. Her descriptions of the setting were beautiful. I had a hard time stopping listening to this one! -
The book was alright. I didn’t expect the end but Erin worked my nerves. I felt different emotions for her throughout the book but overall she irked me.
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I just met Stacey Abrams recently and was touched by how much she lit up when we discussed her writing under the name Selena Montgomery. I must admit, I approached the “romance” genre thinking bodice rippers and a light plot (if any). I was completely mistaken in every way. Stacey weaves together a complex plot centered around a linguist that knows literally every word ever written and a killer that uses that knowledge to leave complex clues around colorful New Orleans. The romance is complex and builds up to a luscious release (!). The day I finished her book, it was announced that it will be made into a movie — I can’t wait!
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3.75 stars rounded up for goodreads!
This romance suspense novel was written by THE Stacy Abrahams and I will absolutely be reading another by her. I was all in for the thriller component of this book. An ABC serial killer is on the loose in New Orleans and criminal psychologist, Dr. Abbott is the only one who can solve the crimes. Journalist, Gabriel Moss, uses the opportunity as his big break in print news, but finds himself mesmerized by Dr. Abbott and her secret past along the way.
I wasn’t sold on the romance of this book. I just couldn’t get behind their chemistry, but their dynamic working on this case was a page turner. -
Exhausting
This was my first read by Selena Montgomery. I enjoyed the story. It was a murder mystery and romance novel combined. The author has a knack for words, but the use of such complex words and phrases to convey a simple thought was annoying. I realize that the story centered around linguistics,and that may be the reason for the author being verbose. It was a challenging read. Although, I wouldn't recommend this novel, I was entertained. I would rate this book a 3.5. -
Twisted words
The words sprawled across these pages paint a picture to transport you. Engrossed on the linguistics is a mystery filled with murder suspense and love. Though at times I found myself rereading pages to make sure I understood, I enjoyed the banter and mystery that tied it together.
EyeCU Reading Approved -
In the past suspense mysteries with a romance have been one of my main genres to read. This book from Stacey Abrams is a re-release of her novel from 2004 penned under the name of Selma Montgomery. Dr. Erin Abbott is a criminal psychologist teaching at a university in New Orleans. Other than teaching she lives quietly and tries not to attract attention to herself. When murders start happening she begins to notice a pattern and when a note from the killer is sent to her she goes to the police. They think she is imagining a serial killer where they see random murders.
Gabriel Moss is trying to save his newspaper and overhears her talking to the police. He pushes himself into an investigation with Erin to try and solve the ABC murders. He is hoping to generate readership for his paper. I like the clues and how they piece together. It is typical for this type of book. The novel could have benefitted from from some updating for changes in writing since 2004. Gabriel is an alpha male. He doesn't take no for an answer and uses his size to intimidate her. It is especially uncomfortable in this day of consent and personal boundaries. Also there is physical and emotional abuse that is more descriptive than needs to be for a thriller romance. (I'm not talking about the murders.) I also found some of the jumps form POVs to be confusing.
This is a perfectly fine mystery/thriller and romance but I enjoyed the authors last and more current book "While Justice Sleeps" more. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. -
I think I may forever credit Selena Montgomery (aka ~the~ Stacey Abrams) for initiating me into the genre of romantic suspense thrillers. NEVER TELL was everything it promised and more. Following a forensic psychology professor with a dark past and a nosy journalist trying to preserve his father’s legacy, we are immediately immersed in this deadly mystery that’s unfolding in New Orleans. This plot was excellent and intriguing; I constantly wanted to know what was happening, and I was essentially glued to the audiobook (side note, but January Lavoy’s voice is INCREDIBLE).
This novel features a perfect balance of romance and mystery, and the characters all felt so full of depth, even the side characters or characters we meet for a moment. I totally didn’t see the reveal coming, and it might just be one of the best plot twists I’ve ever read. This book made me want to read all of her backlist, and I immediately looked up her romantic suspense backlist and I’m prepared to be hooked for life. If you’re someone enjoys romance or suspenseful thrillers or BOTH, then I highly recommend this book! -
Psychologist/professor Erin and journalist Gabe partner to track a serial killer which may be linked to Erin’s past.
This review is hot off the press! Just finished last night, pic ready and… I don’t remember what it was about 🙈
I was really looking forward to enjoying this after liking While Justice Sleeps last year, but between the graphic abuse and the constant “can I take you out?” scenes in the first half I was just left… unsettled. I was also bored and kept pausing the audio, down to the last 5 minutes. Not even January Voy’s (one of my favorite narrator’s) could pull me into it.
I didn’t like the “romantic” element because it was just soooooo draining. I wanted to scream, “Gabe she don’t want you. Move on!!!“ The characters lacked chemistry and seemed to be thrown together for the sake of throwing them together.
I can appreciate the New Orleans setting and the unsuspecting killer. I was totally off base with my prediction. So, bonus point for that! I strongly believe I would’ve enjoyed the story more if 85% of the story wasn’t devoted to Erin and Gabe’s lackluster, forced unromantic romance.
Thanks to @librofm for my advance listener copy!! -
This is about a criminal psychologist who joins forces with a journalist to find a serial killer. Erin Abbott has a past that she needs to keep hidden. She works her job, stays to herself and will not fall in love again. Gabriel is a determined journalist, who doesn't like to take no for an answer but in a good way.
Erin can't get anyone to listen to her when clues hidden just for her to decipher leads to a serial killer who won't stop unless she stops him. She teams up with Gabriel because he won't go away and will not give up on a good story. These two are not only investigating a serial killer but each other, which may cause more harm than they think.
I like a good romantic suspense and this book fits the bill. It was entertaining with a hint of mystery, danger and with characters who where easy to invest in. I enjoyed the writing as well and look forward to read some of Selena Montgomery's past books. -
If not for the reissue of Never Tell, I probably wouldn't have ever known that author Selena Montgomery is really political power leader and lawyer Stacey Abrams writing as Selena Montgomery. Mind blown! Okay, now for the review.
Criminal psychologist Dr. Erin Abbott lives a quiet life of no danger, no romance. Journalist Gabriel Moss is on a mission to find the next big story that will save his newspaper. A serial killer roaming New Orleans brings the two together. As they join resources to find the killer, a slow seduction begins.
I typically do not read romance but love me some suspense! Initially my reason for reading an advance copy of Never Tell was curiosity and wanting to support thee Stacey Abrams. This woman is gifted on many levels and continues to bless our communities. I wholeheartedly enjoyed reading Never Tell and its fully developed characters in a love story that didn't seem forced. And the mystery was far from obvious. Well done and recommended!
Happy Pub Day, Stacey Abrams! Never Tell is now available.
~LiteraryMarie
