What She Never Said is the second book in the Santa Barbara Suspense series but it certainly isn't necessary to have read the first instalment beforehand. I mean who can resist such a sinister plot based at a care home for the elderly where patients are been hastily bumped off by a shadowy "angel of death". It has a cosy mystery type of atmosphere to it, which I enjoyed, and the fact that there are many threads to the plot makes the story fully-rounded. Where I felt a little let down was with the characterisation; the only character I felt was sufficiently developed was the "angel of death" and the rest of the cast were rather one-dimensional, cookie-cutter type individuals, unfortunately.

What kept me reading was wanting to know who and why these deaths were occurring so there is definitely a good build-up of suspense on the authors part. However, if you are one of those readers who requires a hero or likeable character to get behind this may not be for you; all of the cast are pretty much unlikeable from the outset. These type of books only serve to those up my belief that dying at home around people you can trust is the preferable way to go. There was also a few decent twists and turns which ratcheted up the tension towards the end of the book and it was a quick, easy and well-written read with the insidious nature of secrets and lies creeping out and coming back to haunt those who wish they could simply forget. Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for an ARC.

First off I want to say that while this is a second in a series it reads as a stand-alone because the setting is the reoccurring character here.

Never have I read a book so much where I spent the first third of the book wishing the murderer would kill the main character. Ruth is the single most unlikeable rule stickler annoying bitchy tattle tale I have ever read. Within the first chapter, she has called the council about someone’s fence being too tall by 3 inches, a dog being off the lead, and gotten a security guard fired because his tattoo pokes out briefly.

I get that part of this all is the trauma of her past making her a bit OCD about the rules but between her seemingly utter disregard for anyone else who isn’t her and her constant rants about Millenials made me want to throw the book in the fire multiple times.

The mystery and thriller part of this was pretty okay, especially the idea of a “serial killer” with buy-in from their victims. I found overall the plot of this aspect a bit see-through and obvious. Overall though the thriller plot seems wedged in between Ruth’s constant whining and complaining about how the world wasn’t fitting her perfect ideals anymore.

What was obvious though was the utter distaste of Millenials and under-researched ideals of how they act and what they are like. This felt like a book for boomers who love to hear that they are right in their belief that the world is going to shit thanks to Millenials.

Ruth Mosbey is VP of operations at an elite long term care facility where patients begin dying and mysterious pieces of paper are found at the scene. Is someone at the facility killing patients? Ruth and her neighbor, a former police officer who begins working at the facility are determined to find out.

I found What She Never Said to be a completely forgettable book with characters I could not identify with and didn’t really like. The story was well written but I found Ruth to be insufferable and judgmental while the other characters were just uninteresting to me.

My first reaction "WOW" what a intriguing dark premise for a book. I found myself unable to stop reading until its conclusion. The writing drew me in, the sub plot and charcters rich and well connected. This was a unusual dark mystery that also can be a thriller at times. I liked it and do recommend it for all who enjoy a darker mystery/thriller.

This is the story of a nursing home and someone unknown affiliated with the home is assisting the elderly die. The management is not concerned. Ruth, the VP of Operations at Silent Acres ( what a pun on words !) has seen to many suspicious deaths so she calls a retired detective friend and has him work the night shift. .Together they investigate and try to find the person responsible.

If you have a parent at a nursing home this may be to disturbing to you. It is a different type of mystery with interesting charcters and a good plot. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the advance reading copy. My opinion is my own.

What She Never Said by Catharine Riggs is a story of Ruth Mosby is the VP of operations at Serenity Acres, a retirement home for the elderly. This is mainly a home for the affluent but they are told that if they run out of money that they can stay until the end. A new company takes over and does not want to carry out that promise.

When the book starts out, to me, Ruth is an unlikable character, kind of snarky but funny at the same time. Not to say that this is a funny story, but there is a bit of humor. Ruth has a next-door neighbor, Zach, an ex-detective, who lost his son and wife, and Ruth's son Adam was involved when he was a little boy, but they have still remained friends.

There is a person at the retirement home that is the "Angel" who is assisting commit suicide. These people belong to the Goodnight Club. Ruth finds this disturbing and enlists Zach's assistance by giving him a job so he can assist in her investigation to find out who the "Angel" is.

Ruth has a daughter Alice, that she does not see very often and a son, Adam, who has a history of getting into trouble with the law. To try to keep him out of trouble she gets him a job at the retirement home also. But an employee who is also a drug dealer gets murdered and Adam is involved. Ruth does not believe that her son is a murderer so she is more determined to find out who is the killer.

Some other characters are Kai, who ends up as manager of the home after the new company takes over, Ruth coveted the job and was disappointed that she did not get it. There is Ember, an employee of the home, a free spirit. Also, there is Pastor Sam who admits that she assists in the suicides. But what about the people that can't pay? Who is killing them?

I enjoyed this story and read it in two days. Even though Ruth is a snarky character, I did like her. Zach, I felt sorry for because of the circumstances of his son's drowning and the death of his wife. He became a loner and a hoarder. The story is kind of scary as it tells a scenario that could conceivably happen, where people are eliminated because they can no longer pay for their care because their money has run out.

This book is the second in the Santa Barbara Suspense series. I like this one so much I will most likely read the first in the series. Great read!

What She Never Said kept me interested until the end. It was original, and well written. An excellent addition to the genre. I would recommend it to any fan of the genre.

In this day and age of people living longer than ever before but also they are getting diseases that can ravage their body but leave their minds intact, who really wants to live like that? This story explores the idea of assisted suicide and the possible "slippery slope" it could lead to. The characters were well written and most of them were endearing and had me rooting for them while I was hoping other characters got what was coming to them. There was plenty of action, suspense, and twists to make you want to keep reading. I voluntarily reviewed the advanced review copy of this book via NetGalley.

I am always looking for different settings for a murder mystery so the idea of this one taking place in a retirement community intrigued me. However, this book is more than just a murder mystery. Catharine Riggs has a real talent for creating characters with depth and flaws and allowing these characteristics to assist in driving the story line. The story is told from varying points of view with those of Ruth, the VP of Operations of Serenity Acres and Zach, a former detective, taking precedence.

These two characters share secrets from the past which affect their future and the futures of those around them. Weaved into that is the changes being made at the retirement community, along with the fact that people continue to turn up dead. Both main characters can be described as difficult at best. Most times, it is easy to pick a character or characters to root for. However, in this case, it is a bit more difficult. As the story line continues, secrets are revealed which allows the reader to have a better understanding of the characters, allowing for even more intrigue. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

Ruth Mosby and Zach Richards have been friends and neighbors for more than 30 years. Zach bore witness to Ruth's divorce, her son's gradual decline into depression and drugs, and the tenuous relationship Ruth has had with her adult children. Ruth witnessed the tragic loss of Zach's only child, the death of his wife by suicide, his battle with alcoholism, and the eventual loss of his job with the local police department. The years have impacted them both in very different ways. Zach is relatively laid back and able to see all sides of an issue without prejudice. Ruth has become very rigid and structured in her life, adhering to the rules above all else. The one shining light in Ruth's life is her job at Serenity Acres, but now that seems to be in jeopardy when her boss retires, a coworker is promoted above her, the company is sold, and the elderly that were put in the company's care appear to be murdered by an "angel of mercy." Ruth is at a loss at how to deal with her new boss, the new company and their new rules, her son's reappearance in her life. Then Zach gets hired as security at Serenity and then talks her into getting her son, Adam, hired on to work in the kitchens. All seems well until another murder takes place and both Adam and Zach have something to hide. Can their secrets be any worse than the secret that Ruth and Zach have been hiding for years? Can Ruth and Zach protect their secrets, protect Adam, and uncover the identity of the "angel of mercy" before it's too late for them all?

I initially found What She Never Said by Catharine Riggs to be a bit of slow read or at least slow-paced read for me simply because it took me quite some time to get invested in the action and characters. Of course, I was also dealing with a series of migraine headaches at the time and my sleep patterns where completely out-of-whack, so I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not (we'll presume it did). This story is presented from the perspective of Ruth Mosby, Zach Richards, and the Angel. I rather enjoyed the chapters dealing with Zach and the Angel's perspectives but struggled with Ruth simply because I found her to be hyper-critical, judgmental, and not a very likable character. Normally that doesn't bother me, but for some reason, I had issues with Ruth. However, once I hit about the halfway point in the story, my reading seemed to pick up the pace and I began to empathize a bit with Ruth. She isn't a mean-spirited person, simply someone that's struggling with guilt and it manifests in a strange way - her rigidly adhering to the rules (trust me when you read the book, this will all make sense). There are so many themes discussed in this story, elder care, assisted suicide, drug addiction, the many facets and presentations of depression, family drama, workplace drama, and, of course, murder and suspense. After reading What She Never Said, which can be read as a stand-alone although it is part of a series, I've added What She Gave Away to my TBR list. I encourage you to add What She Never Said by Catharine Riggs to your TBR list, especially if you're a fan of suspense stories featuring family angst and drama.

Extremely long and boring, with a miniscule plot. The dialogue is good, but with changing POV and lack of content, reading this book is on par with watching TV.

What She Never Said is the second book in the Santa Barbara Suspense series but it can be read as a standalone with only minor spoilers for book one.

Going by the synopsis I thought I would love this book but sadly I didn't. Though part of a series called Santa Barbara Suspense it couldn't be less suspenseful. The plot is boring and super predictable (you can guess the villain and the secret they keep hinting at for 2/3 of the book practically from the beginning) and it has one of the most unlikeable cast of characters I've ever read. They go from annoying to insufferable and almost all of them take the most stupid decisions just for the sake of dragging the plot on and on and filling up some pages. Also, if I had have to read the word Fitbit one more time I would've thrown my Kindle against a wall.

After being dissappointed by both her books I can definitely say this author is not for me.

1.5⭐️

I really enjoyed this book and will definitely read more from this author. The story centers around a retirement community built for the wealthy with a guarantee that they will be taken care of for life
With people living longer and longer there comes a point when greed takes precedence over promises and since this is a vulnerable population it is easy to see how Murder and mayhem follow.
For someone getting up in years it was a very sad book but I still recommend it because of its relevance and a natural curiosity.

Loved this book from the first page. It was excellently written, with different thought provoking aspects to the story. It was a thriller but also encompassing euthanasia, morals and where a fleeting decision can have major consequences. Great book.

This was a great thriller. The book was filled with mystery and suspense, and I really liked Ruth's character. I enjoyed Catharine Riggs writing style, and look forward to reading more in this series. This book can be a stand alone.

Santa Barbara Suspense #2

Ruth Mosby is the Vice President of Operations at Serenity Acres, where the privileged elite go to die. Ruth is very strict and doesn't like when rules are broken. She gets her son a job in the kitchen and a neighbour a job as a security guard. But when people start dying there, and not through illnesses, it looks like foul play. Ruth and her neighbour, Zach have secrets hidden in their past. They also have current issues that they're trying to hide. Zach is a retired detective.

I found this book to be a chilling and thrilling read. The characters are complex, the storyline suspenseful. The story is told from several peoples point of view. I did guess where this story was going, but that did not spoil it for me. Although this is the second book in this series, it can be read as a standalone.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author Catharine Riggs for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This alternates between Ruth, the VP for Operations at a retirement community, and Zach, a private detective she's asked to help her figure out why and how some of the less well off residents died. And who is making that happen. That's the most important thing. There's new corporate management and they're cutting costs but would one of them become "Angel?" This raises interesting questions about how senior communities deal with keeping their promises when residents outlive their money, an issue that's going to become more common with improved health care. The mystery is interesting and the characters (I know Ruth is not meant to be likable but she's sort of a hoot in spots) nicely drawn. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A quick read.

Where do I begin because there is so much to say?! But I am apologizing in advance because this is going to be a very vague review so I won’t let too much slip.

This is the second book in the Santa Barbara Suspense series, however, it read well as a stand-alone but I will be reading the first book soon.

Being a retired RN and having worked within the elderly community, I was instantly drawn in from the first page, as the synopsis states the setting is Shady Acres, an elite geriatric facility where the patients are called guests. But there is someone who is assisting with suicides. Or is it murder? And who is in and what is this group within the complex that are members of “The Goodnight Club”?

This book was so engrossing that I finished it in one sitting, which is very rare for me. I literally could not put it down as there were so many aspects that I had to know how it ended.

Shady Acres has just been sold to a huge conglomerate company that their bottom line is first money and second, their image and lastly the patients. Right before the sale, Ruth Mosby, VP of Operations has found pink post-its with a guest’s name and date of their death but hasn’t told anyone about this. She is more concerned about being named the new Director.

Since the sale, more patients have died especially those that are destitute. Not only are the patients dying, but a nurse has also been found murdered in the parking lot, which it is rumored that he was the complex’s drug dealer.

Ms. Riggs has created characters that pull the reader into their lives wanting to know what their dark secrets, betrayals, guilt, depression, past traumas, substance abuse, regrets, shame, and more, which is why I just kept turning the pages.

The suspense did not let up and had me guessing as to who were the leaders of this exclusive group, “The Goodnight Club”. Who was “The Angel” carrying out the passing of the residents? Who was “The Ambassador” or the go-between and who was the “leader” that passed the pink post-it notes getting the word to those above her/him.

Is The Angel an empath for these aging people that want to die with dignity, or is there a serial killer working amongst them?

Totally engrossing!! Chilling!! Will have you on the edge of your seat!!!

I will post to GoodReads on 09/11/19: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41741462-what-she-never-said
And also on my blog: http://cmashlovestoread.com/?p=20798

From the moment I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read this one. The idea of euthanasia has always been an intriguing concept to me, especially in fiction, and having perhaps a serial killer use it as a means to murder the elderly without too much suspicion seemed like a fantastic story to delve into. And I couldn't have been more correct!

The book is divided into sections titled after one of the seven deadly sins, and opens with brief glimpses from the "Angel's" perspective. This person truly tows the line between good and evil, believing their assistance is helping another, but their true motivations suggest a desire for ultimate control. Secrets are extracted in exchange for help; however, everyone has secrets, and some people are simply being killed to protect that information. Every character is flawed, and those flaws not only drive the plot, but keep suspicions mounting until the very end. Everyone has a motive, calling into question the confidence of this entire facility, and really any institution charged with caring for the most vulnerable among us.

"How naive I'd been not to have known the truth: there is no escaping the past."

Spanning a realistic timeline and told in multiple yet seamless perspectives, this is a slow-burning, deeply twisted, and uniquely framed mystery that packs a powerful punch. As the identity of the killer is slowly revealed, readers become privy to the secrets that fester for each character, and unfortunately for all involved, these burdens are not without a price. The story features an array of compelling discussions surrounding ageism and sexism as well as dynamics in relationships following trauma. The author's deft storytelling created not just an unsettling and suspenseful read, but one that kept me on the edge of my seat and the pages flying! This ended up being the perfect book to get me out of a reading slump because I DID NOT want to put it down!

Although this is the second book in a series, I believe that these books are loosely linked by location and not by characters. I look forward to picking up WHAT SHE GAVE AWAY soon and can't wait to read what else the author has in store next!

The story had a deadly premise, an Angel who helped the elderly at the nursing home to hasten their deaths. Ruth, the VP of Operations at Silent Acres soon realized that the deaths were not normal. She called in Zach, her abrasive neighbor and retired detective. Together they investigated.

My first book by Catherine Riggs, I was quite enthralled by the story, having read such medical thrillers before. Where this book varied was in characters. I liked that the author took an out of the normal way to write them.

They were headstrong, blunt, didn't like each other, shared a corrosive secret. Both came across as selfish initially till the grew on me. As the pages turned, the layers in the characters were revealed. I liked the strength in writing them.

The story was at the roots a murder mystery. And it didn't disappoint with its suspense. I could guess at the Angel, but I left the thought there and read the book pure for the pleasure of it. The investigation took its turns, as they normally do.

My niggles too made its appearance. The prose could have been sharper, and ending way better.

Overall, it was fun to start the day with a murder mystery. A good breakfast read!!

This is a captivating novel. The combination of solving a mystery and the revelation of secrets is interwoven well. The character development is great. Within the first few pages I knew Ruth was a cold, driven person lacking compassion. All of the major characters have flaws and I am impressed with how Riggs uses those flaws to propel the plot. Many of them are plagued with guilt driving them to actions they had not anticipated. And the suspense at the end is good too.

I like the secondary plot, the framework for the whole mystery. A high class care facility for the elderly is being taken over by a corporation and that gives the basis for much of the action. There is the issue of assisted suicide as some of the elderly are ready to pass on. Increasing profits means those destitute residents need to be evicted . . . or killed, and someone seems to be involved in causing their demise.

This is the first novel I have read by Riggs. I really enjoyed her writing style, the structure of the plot, the mystery, and the revelation of character secrets. I'll be watching for more from her.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.