Having survived horrific childhood trauma that included the loss of her eldest brother, Nora McTavish has devoted her career to protecting vulnerable children. From Child Protection Services, a job change has seen her shift to becoming a children's advocate, a move that is working well for her.

In Nora, Hart has created an empathetic and likable character. She lives with her rescue dog Merrill, spends time with her brother Stephen, and chooses not to dwell on what might be missing in her life - not least where the mother who abandoned her brothers and her to the torment of their monstrous father is now living. If she is even still alive.

So, when a childhood friend she has not seen for over two decades contacts Nora to ask for her help, she finds it difficult to refuse - even without the carrot that her friend Tess dangles in front of her about having information on her mother's whereabouts.

Tess wants to prevent her ex-husband Neil from suing for joint custody of their daughter Kendra. College Professor Neil was accused of murdering one of his students, and even though those charges have been dropped, Tess is desperate to keep Kendra safe from him.

Only, in her attempts to help Tess, Kendra finds herself questioning whether she's been told the full story. Neil does not seem like a monster - and Nora has seen enough monsters in her time to trust her instincts.

So is Tess lying? And will Nora's efforts to help end up putting her own life in danger?

This was an easy read and an enjoyable story. A few things seemed overly-dramatic to me at times, but it is hard not to feel for Nora, and her bond with Kendra was definitely one of the high points of the story for me.

2nd in Nora McTavish series. I like this book and the one before. Joe Hart holds my attention and sometimes I read too long at a time. Great book

Nora McTavish returns in this riveting sequel, shining as a child advocacy professional. Having personally experienced trauma and loss, she's fiercely committed to helping children, ensuring they receive the support she once lacked. Nora's character development is commendable; she's risen above her victimhood, showcasing a keen instinct for uncovering the truth.

While the debut Nora installment was captivating, this sequel offers even more intricate twists. Backgrounded by a tumultuous family history, with an absent mother and a murderous father, Nora's adulthood finds solace in her profession, the company of her loyal dog Merrill, and the bond with her brother Stephen. But a sudden call from Tess, a long-lost friend, unsettles Nora's equilibrium. With Tess fearing for her daughter Kendra's custody and hinting at clues about Nora's missing mother, the plot thickens.

Meeting Tess presents Nora with more than one dilemma. Apart from Tess's complex nature, Nora gets embroiled in another sensitive case involving parents with cognitive challenges. As the story unfolds, Nora's bonding with Kendra (fondly called Kenny) is heartwarming. But as she delves deeper into Tess's claims, a looming threat becomes palpable, climaxing when Kenny mysteriously vanishes.

The narrative is peppered with unexpected turns, making it impossible to predict the outcome. The author masterfully blends suspense with realism, ensuring readers are constantly on edge. When Nora's life hangs in the balance, her resilient spirit and childhood survival instincts are put to the test.

A thoroughly gripping read that deserves 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. A big thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my review.

Never Come Back is a fast-paced thriller that is full of extreme twists and turns.

Nora is a children's advocate, having turned her own childhood trauma into a life devoted to helping other children move past the victim label and become healthy beings.

A childhood friend calls Nora and wants help keeping custody of her daughter. The friend's ex-husband was accused of murdering a student they claimed he had an affair with. Easy, shut case. Except it isn't.

Tess, the childhood friend, becomes a suspicious character and it is no longer clear that she is telling the truth.

The characters in this book are well thought out and quite believable. The roads of the novel twist and turn quite suddenly and kept me engaged throughout .

I recommend this book

Second in a series featuring Nora McTavish, a child advocacy professional who has suffered trauma and loss of her own and is dedicated at helping other children get the help she never had. . Nora is a great character and I like the way she has worked on herself to develop as more than a victim and she has good instincts for figuring out the truth. I enjoyed the first Nora book and found this one even more twisty and interesting. Nora and her brothers suffered from a mother who abandoned them and an abusive father who became a murderer. As an adult she enjoys her job, her dog Merrill and her relationship with her brother Stephen. One day she receives a phone call from a childhood friend Tess, who she hasn't heard from in many years. Tess is scared of losing custody of her nine year old daughter Kendra to her ex husband who was accused of murder. The charges against her ex were dropped, but Tess needs Nora's help as an advocate.

Nora isn't sure she wants to see Tess and when Tess mentions having some information on Nora's missing mother, it becomes even more of a difficult decision to make. In addition, Nora is also working on a case of two parents with cognitive challenges who are in danger of losing their young daughter. Nora decides to meet with Tess and immediately bonds with young Kendra who likes to be called Kenny. Tess is a difficult character and Nora cannot tell is she is telling the truth. As Nora begins to investigate Tess' ex-husband, she gets a sense she is being followed and then one day Kenny disappears. I didn't guess all of the twists here and I like the way the author makes everything suspenseful yet believable.. As Nora gets closer into finding out what is going on, her own life is in danger and she has to draw on her childhood skills for survival. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

Joe Hart is a wonderful writer at the top of his game . This book continues to show that . This book again is filled with engaging characters and plot twists which keeps you guessing and is a propulsive read overall
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Unfortunately, I did not like this novel at all. I found each and every one of the characters uninteresting and I couldn’t care about anything that happened. I also felt that the “lessons” about Poe were intrusive and unnecessary. Having read previous novels by this author, I was extremely disappointed. Despite the mild surprise at the end, I did not find this either mysterious or thrilling. Hopefully, the plethora of grammatical errors will be corrected prior to publication.

I immediately became a Joe Hart fan after his Edgar award-winning book, OR ELSE, and the entertainment value in his writing remains topnotch with this upcoming thriller. NEVER COME BACK (April 2024). This is the second book in a series that I expect will continue to please fans for years to come.

Small-town culture, awkward family dynamics, and recollections of times you maybe don't want to have ... most of us have been there. But Hart takes it next level in NEVER COME BACK. Add in a handful of quirky characters that may or may not be as sketchy as they seem, and it's a powerful brew. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy a sharp writing style (no excess verbiage here) and a story line that captivates and holds you tight.

I received this book as an advanced reader copy for review via the author from his publisher, Thomas & Mercer.

Really enjoyed this one. Great characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Echoes from the past disturb Nora McTavish, a family advocate, when she answers a call from Tess Grayson. Tess and her mother supported Nora during a dark time in her life. Now Tess needs help. She’s in the middle of a custody battle and wants a friend. Her ex-husband Neil, a college professor, was accused of killing his lover, a student. Although charges were dropped. Tess feels that he is a danger to their young daughter Kendra, a daughter who loves her father very much. Nora worries that Tess’ vindictive behavior is upsetting to Kendra, a precocious child she begins to care for. Worrisome behavior, a possible stalker and another murder make Nora realize that she herself may be in serious danger.

Never Come Back is the second in the Nora McTavish series, a series that highlights flaws in the justice system that deals with children and families. As Nora thinks “the word broken didn’t describe our systems because that would imply their being whole at some point.” Joe Hart illustrates thais not only with the damage done to Kendra by her mother’s vicious behavior but also with challenges a young couple face in regaining custody of their three year old daughter. Their plight will stay with you long after you finish the final page. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Joe Hart for this ARC.

An incredible, thrilling thriller that keeps you on your toes.
Emotional dialogues that help to understand the atmosphere of the situation. Easy to read. If evaluated on a ten-point scale:
main characters are 9/10
plot of the book is 10/10,
transfer of atmosphere and genre is 9/10,
dialogues are 8/10

I loved this book! I was confused a bit @ the beginning, with the protagonist’s backstory…. I thought “I’ve got to have read this before” but found out that Nora was also the lead character in his previous novel. Never mentioned a series, maybe more of a continuation of the character🤷🏼‍♀️Regardless, I think I enjoyed Never Come Back more than the previous book even if it’s just familiarity of the character. Kidnapping, a runaway, divorce, custody disputes, adultery & childhood friends….this book has it all! Wonderful pacing, plot & plenty red herrings. Truly UN-PUT-DOWN-ABLE

Having survived horrific childhood trauma that included the loss of her eldest brother, Nora McTavish has devoted her career to protecting vulnerable children. From Child Protection Services, a job change has seen her shift to becoming a children's advocate, a move that is working well for her.

In Nora, Hart has created an empathetic and likable character. She lives with her rescue dog Merrill, spends time with her brother Stephen, and chooses not to dwell on what might be missing in her life - not least where the mother who abandoned her brothers and her to the torment of their monstrous father is now living. If she is even still alive.

So, when a childhood friend she has not seen for over two decades contacts Nora to ask for her help, she finds it difficult to refuse - even without the carrot that her friend Tess dangles in front of her about having information on her mother's whereabouts.

Tess wants to prevent her ex-husband Neil from suing for joint custody of their daughter Kendra. College Professor Neil was accused of murdering one of his students, and even though those charges have been dropped, Tess is desperate to keep Kendra safe from him.

Only, in her attempts to help Tess, Kendra finds herself questioning whether she's been told the full story. Neil does not seem like a monster - and Nora has seen enough monsters in her time to trust her instincts.

So is Tess lying? And will Nora's efforts to help end up putting her own life in danger?

This was an easy read and an enjoyable story. A few things seemed overly-dramatic to me at times, but it is hard not to feel for Nora, and her bond with Kendra was definitely one of the high points of the story for me.

Good book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, Action, intrigue, mystery, murder, revenge, a great who done it, great plot twist, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle! I loved the characters, the child advocate story was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

"Never Come Back" by Joe Hart is an absolute treasure from the beginning. It keeps you guessing until the end, and the suspense takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions throughout. The characters make it a must-read for anyone who enjoys a heart-pounding story. Hart's writing style keeps you engaged the whole time. He has a way of weaving words that draw you into the world that he created. The complex and totally relatable characters make the book stand out amongst others. Nora is a character that is easy to root for because she represents strength, determination, and resilience. Hart dove into the psyche of his characters, exploring all facets of their personalities, which adds to the authenticity of the story. From the beginning of the story, the mystery of the story keeps you on the edge of your seat, and you will find yourself not able to put it down until you find out the truth.
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and adrenaline-inducing read.