I know that this series has received rave reviews and I totally appreciate that, and I do love crime fiction series, myself. I think, in this case, I’m not the target audience. I have not read any of the previous books in this series and have not had the chance to develop an on-going relationship with the characters. The author did do a decent job of catching a new reader up on Flora’s traumatic past, but I didn’t feel that I sufficiently knew D.D., the main detective. As a result, lacking the depth and time spent with both characters’ backstories, I found them rather flat and I wasn’t able to connect with them the way I probably would have had I started at the beginning of the series.

The story did have complexity and twists and turns along the way, but it also felt a bit far-fetched, and I was able to discover the culprit before the final reveal. Flora’s sections were also particularly gruesome and quite graphic, which I understand the need for given the crime, but it felt a bit overdone, repetitive and gratuitous. I did enjoy Evie’s POV, and found her sections the more interesting of the three.

I do understand why long-time readers would find this book intense and intriguing, and a great addition to the crime series. I would definitely recommend those wanting to read this novel start at the beginning of the series, always a good place to start. Unfortunately for me, this story was lacking in credibility, character connection, and was more explicit than I would prefer.

Let me start by saying having never read one of the DD Warren books I was worried that I would be lost in any backstory. Now there is backstory, but the gaps are filled in enough you can pick this up without having read any other in the series.

Detective Warren is called to a crime scene where a man has been found dead. He has been shot 3 times but his computer has been shot 12 times and his pregnant wife, Evie is holding the gun. Adding things into the mix, DD knows the wife from years ago when she was accused and cleared of shooting her father as a teenager.
Back in the picture is CI Flora Dane. She shows up at the scene after seeing the murder on TV. She knows the husband, Conrad from her hostage days, something she never told anyone. Determined to find out what happened she has to get involved in the investigation.

As the investigation goes on and layers come away, one family’s many secrets and lies are revealed.
I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong several times in thinking I knew what was going on. I will definitely be going back and catching up on this series and continuing on as more are published. I hope we see more of Flora and Evie in future novels.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy of this book

Never Tell is the 10th book in the Detective D.D. Warren series and the 3rd book with Flora Dane as a POV character. The dynamic between Warren and Dane is fantastic; one is a great detective with a loving family who can't help but do things a little outside the box. The other a tortured (kick-ass) woman looking for revenge, but also for forgiveness.

The mystery in this book revolves around a pregnant woman who has probably shot her husband and most definitely his computer; the same woman who accidentally shot her father when she was 16. Coincidence? Her mother is a crazy person and her relationship with her husband was definitely not normal. She's a brilliant mathematician but works as a math teacher in a public school. There's some weird stuff going on here and Gardner unfurls it all with skill.

The relationships Gardner builds between her characters are compelling, which isn't always the case in a mystery series. Gardner writes great mysteries (police procedurals) with great characters and interesting story lines. Try her, you'll like her.

Never Tell was an exciting thriller from Lisa Gardner that reunited detective D.D and vigilante Flora Dane. The premise felt authentic; even when the plot started to get a little carried away. The pacing was quick and I read it in only a few days (not bad when I have been so busy!) I thought the background information on The Dark Web was really thorough and interesting. My only complaint was that it was a little bit coincidence heavy and I was hoping to see more of Keith and Flora's developing relationship after following her in earlier Gardner stories. I really hope we continue to see them together in future novels!

The story gripped me immediately and I didn't want to put it down which wasn't possible since I was at work teaching! Any free second I got (when I wasn't sick), I tried to pick it back up.
After pondering about this read, I did really enjoy it obviously but I'm a little disappointed with the length. I felt like Gardner could have omitted so much unnecessary information and fill in more intriguing information. There was a bit too much "fluff" in this in my opinion and I wasn't necessarily satisfied with the ending. A forced friendship and a kind of blurry explanation of the conclusion just wasn't my thing.

A big thank you to Emily Canders, Pubilcity Manager at Dutton, Penguin Random House for sending me "Never Tell" by Lisa Gardner through NetGalley for a fair and honest review. This was actually my first time reading a Lisa Gardner novel. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to follow the storyline of this book, because it is the tenth book in her Detective D. D. Warren series. But I finished the book a few days ago, and I really enjoyed reading it. I must say that this book grabbed my attention from the first chapter and held my interest throughout the story. Never Tell is a propulsive, suspenseful thriller with a well developed storyline and seasoned characters. It is filled with dark secrets, lies, lots of deception and twists. If you love exceptional thrillers then this book series is definitely worth reading. I’m excited to go back and start reading the series from the beginning.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#BookSynopsis: One death might be an accident. Two deaths looks like murder. A man is shot dead in his own home, and his pregnant wife, Evie, is found with the gun in her hands. Detective D.D. Warren instantly recognizes her. Sixteen years ago, Evie also shot her own father. That killing was ruled an accident. D.D. doesn’t believe in coincidences. But this case isn’t as open and shut as it first appears, and her job is to discover the truth. Evie might be a victim. Or she might be about to get away with murder again.

Going into Never Tell, I had no knowledge of the previous books in the series. I don't deem it necessary to read the others first except to gather background information. Either way, I had no misunderstandings reading as a stand alone. I've heard amazing things about Lisa Gardner's for a while now, but I have never read anything by her. It turns out, the praise is definitely accurate. This is a wow kind of story. It's a convoluted tale of murder, lies and mystery. Three women tell the story. D.D. is the detective on the case, Flora is an abduction survivor/criminal informant, and Evie is the woman accused of murdering her husband. Years earlier, D.D. arrested Evie for the murder of her father. Huge coincidence or a killer twice caught? Interestingly, Flora recognizes someone she saw her captor speaking to at a bar. Again, coincidence? I don't believe in coincidence. The story unfolds to show that these three women have connections to each other that they may or may not be aware of. The investigation twists and turns to a shocking conclusion. No spoilers here! The voice of each woman is distinct and believable. They are all likeable and engaging. I felt sympathetic toward the characters in various ways which served to further invest me in their outcomes. Well written with a punch, this story is complex and engrossing. Lisa Gardner's talent is evident, and I will definitely read the rest of the series. Clear your schedule because you'll want to read until the end. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow!! I love a great thriller and this definitely satisfied my thirst! This was my first Lisa Gardener and now I want to read all her books!

Do you ever get in the mood for a serious binge-watching session of Law and Order, Blue Bloods, Chicago P.D., or any cop show? No? Just me? I sometimes wonder if I was supposed to be a cop. Then I remember that cops have to shoot people sometimes and chase people other times and I'm like....hard pass. Luckily there are shows to curb my craving for action and justice. Also? There are books that do the same thing.



Enter Lisa Gardner's Detective D.D. Warren series. This is a 10 book (so far) series featuring Detective D.D. Warren with the Boston Police Department. These books are written with such accuracy that you'd think Gardner herself was a police officer who moonlights as an author. Each book takes on a different crime, and brings in a new cast of characters while holding on to the favorites that you come to love.

Book #10 in the series, which released in February, is called Never Tell and is told from what you first believe is an unreliable narrator. We enter into the story as the main character, Evie, is telling us that her husband has been shot. Then, we're told she pulls the trigger and cue next chapter. I had a hard time putting this one down after that. Not only is Evie a current suspect for murdering her husband, she was also a suspect 16 years before for murdering her father. Um, what?

This book also features Flora Dane, a woman who survived 400+ days of being abducted and locked in a box. Now she's tough as nails and works with the BPD, sometimes to the chagrin of D.D. Flora is featured in several of the most recent D.D. Warren series books. This character is flawlessly added into the story line.

What I enjoyed the most from this book is that it's told in three different points of view, which rotate throughout the book. Each chapter gives both backstory of the current character, yet moves the narrative forward.

A second thing I like about this book/series, is that, while you should definitely read them all in order, you don't have to. All of the necessary information is given to you discretely, without making you feel like you're reading the Cliff Notes version in between chunks of the real story. Such is the gift of a true artist.

Lisa Gardner has done it again with Never Tell. This book is on shelves and on all retail websites NOW. Thank you to Dutton/Penguin Random House for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I received an ARC of this book to read and give an honest review. FANTASTIC book!!! If you have been reading the D.D. Warren series you must feel like D.D. is part of the family. She seems like the aunt that comes to visit every so often with fabulous takes of murder and adventure. Lisa Gardner makes D.D. Warren come to life in every page. Enjoy!!!📚

review found here:

D.D. Warren arrives on the scene and instantly recognizes the woman–Evie Carter–from a case many years back. Evie’s father was killed in a shooting that was ruled an accident. But for D.D., two coincidental murders is too many. Flora Dane sees the murder of Conrad Carter on the TV news and immediately knows his face. But D.D. and Flora are about to discover that in this case the truth is a hard thing to come by. As they peel away the half-truths and outright lies, they wonder: How many secrets can one family have? review: Lisa Gardner has done it again, y’all. This book was also on my “most anticipated” list and it didn’t disappoint! If you have never read a LG book, definitely start with Find Me, as you’ll find out about the ill-fated “friendship” between D.D. Warren and Flora. Told in three different perspectives (Evie, D.D. & Flora), you see the crimes unfold and slowly figure out how each of them may be linked, leaving you with more questions than answers. Her books are always very compelling and once you start figuring it all out you’re left mind blown! I’m already anxiously awaiting her next book. P.S. A lot of her books are part of a series, but almost all of them can be read as standalone books. rating: 4.5 out of 5 ⭐️

I enjoyed this book. It was my first read of the series, and I wish I would have read before now. I definitely think that would have helped me become more invested with the characters. I loved Lisa Gardner’s writing and will be checking out her other books now!

I was so excited when I was offered a chance to read the latest from Lisa Gardner. Even though this is a book in a series, you don't have to read the others to know what's going on. Having said that, I've enjoyed Ms. Gardner's other novels so I'm familiar with some of the characters, namely Sergeant D.D. Warren and Flora. Flora is a kidnap survivor and has been working with the Sergeant as a Confidential Informant. [You must read Find Her and Look For Me if you want the backstory on Flora - highly recommend both!] In this novel, chapters alternate from 3 female characters: D.D., Flora, and Evie. Evie is accused of killing her husband. There's a 6 degrees of separation thing going on with these characters even though Evie is a new character in this one. Flora believes Evie's husband was the man she met when she was out at a bar with her captor one night many years ago. With that connection, these 3 women try to figure out the truth. Highly recommend!

Lisa Gardner never disappoints! This is not the first book of hers I’ve read and I can guarantee that I’ll be picking up the next one in this series!

Told from the perspective of three strong and interesting women! I love a strong female lead!

I won’t go into the plot too much, I’m sure you all know the basics, but this well written and engaging triller had me so invested and kept me guessing. I love being back into D.D. world and was sad when it ended.

Don’t hesitate pick this one up! Even if you haven’t read the previous ones. There are spoilers but it can be read as a stand-alone !

What I absolutely loved about this book was three protagonists: DD Warren, Flora Dane, and Evie Carter. I really enjoy the author’s writing style and the ability to tell the story from all three perspectives The characters are so well developed, they are not only like-able, but I found myself rooting for them.

Never Tell is a fast paced, dark, action packed twisty tales filled with lies and half truths.

This is one book where you will be flipping the pages until the very end.

The author makes it known that she is not done with these fantastic characters and I cannot wait to get my grabby hands on the next installmen

This was my first Lisa Gardner novel and it wont be my last. Although it is not ideal to start a series at book #10, Never Tell did a great job as acting as a stand alone novel. While there is more history of the main characters the reader would know from reading the previous books, I did not feel like I was missing out on anything. All characters were developed enough to have an understanding of their personalities and experiences.

The murder plot was very intriguing and kept you guessing and I enjoyed how it tied in people from previous investigations. I did have an idea of who the murderer was more toward the end but it didn't ruin anything for me. and kept me invested the whole time. Even though this is a D.D. Warren Detective novel, I liked that the other two woman had a clear voice and presence in the story. I would be interested to continue learning about how these characters move on and evolve in their relationships.

Thank you Random House Dutton and NetGalley for an Advanced Ready Copy for my honest review.

Crime books are not my typical genre of books, but when a publisher personally emails you, asking you to review a book 😳😳, you say YES, and stop any book you are currently reading!!
Never Tell was my very first novel by by Lisa Gardner.
If you love crime and/or detective novels, this one is a must!!!
Imagine coming home from work, going into your husband’s office to greet him, only to find he’s been shot 3 times. You turn, see his computer screen, and immediately start shooting all remaining bullets at the computer.
Who shot him and why did they want my husband dead? How am I ever going to prove my own innocence? Is there a connection with my father’s death 16 years ago? Could a college girl’s abduction have anything to do with all this? What was on that computer? Who’s hiding what?? What is going on here??
There were many questions I was dying to figure out…reading as fast as I could!! The ending was shocking and unexpected!!!
I would not have picked up this book on my own, but I do think it’s good to branch out and try something new.
The detective in this book is D. D. Warrens. From what I read, this is #10 in a series of books with her being the main character/detective.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

*I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*
I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was a complex story but was so masterfully told that it kept my attention. I felt like my heart was pounding out of my chest for the entirety of the novel. There was a little too much detail about the dark web, and those parts seemed just slightly dry, but overall I was extremely satisfied with this one. 4/5 ⭐️‘S

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

I was not my parents' favorite child. I was not even the favorite daughter. Let me say my family has a strange sense of humor so my dad bought me Lisa Gardner's novel "The Other Daughter". I laughed and let the book sit for a few years. When I eventually read it, I knew I found an author I would definitely read again.

Never Tell by Lisa Gardner can stand alone. The multi POV thriller is the 10th novel in her Detective D.D. Warren series. It includes Flora Dane who was first introduced in Find Her, the 8th novel in her Detective D.D. Warren series.

In Find Her, Dane was kidnapped while on spring break and held for 472 days. Since then, she in now working as Warren's unpaid Confidential Informant). The agent who was instrumental in rescuing Dane was FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy, daughter of FBI Profiler Pierce Quincy, a main character in Gardner's FBI Profiler series. Kimberly Quincy also returns to assist with Warren's case.

It might be difficult to understand the connections I mentioned if you have not read prior books. The book does stand alone and will make you want to go read the others.


Review published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 3/28/19.

Lisa Gardner is an amazing writer. This series has such great character development. This book did not disappoint. I live the story and the turns it takes you on. Crime fiction is a favorite of mine and Lisa Gardner is a favorite author of mine.