This was a thrill ride that I truly enjoyed despite a few areas that I had to suspend some disbelief over. While I was reading the second in the series about Nora McTavish, I decided I needed to go back to the first book and check it out to see if her backstory was necessary to understand while reading the 2nd book. I listened to Where they Lie and discovered that while I got a little more of her backstory, it wasn't necessary for me to read book 2. So that was great to be able to share that it is a stand alone book in the series that provides enough information to allow you to understand the history of her trauma. With that said, I do recommend you read book #1 if only you will appreciate some of her insightful mindset to the world around her. She is portrayed as part detective/advocate/warrior of justice. I like her character even if romance isn't going to be part of her vocabulary. You can tell she is keeping her relationships at arms length.
Given all of that, this story is a continuation of her finding herself in the middle of things that are messy and violent. She goes to help an old childhood friend that she hasn't seen since she was 9 years old and so there is a bridge that needs to be crossed to reconnect. There's some mystery and thriller elements to this story and the pace is fast and keeps moving quickly. I enjoyed her observations of the world around her (particularly men that she seems to have a knack for reading their motives and personalities quickly). I think I'd like to see her get some professional help with her childhood trauma and abandonment issues so we can see how it might allow her to break down some of her walls.
The main story is also bookended with a case that she is working on in her capacity as a child advocate and that story reveals how broken the system of child welfare can be. I like that we get to see her fight for children and families reveal a side of her that is fierce as hell.
The final aspect of the story centers around her missing mother who left their family when she was a young child. It is revealed that Nora may have a clue where her mother might be and it leaves it open to the possibility that she may go searching for her.
My only gripe is that we get descriptions for other characters in the book but we never get any of Nora. It is revealed at some point that she's in her mid 30's but we don't know what she looks like. I like to visualize a character especially if we are following them in a series where I'm going to try to get to know her deeper. Also, how she has the money to "not work" at times seems a bit of a mystery as well. These little details are sometimes just the thing to make a reader feel closer to the character and I feel would add to the story.
Given all that, I recommend this series and look forward to another installment.

Nora a child advocate goes back to her home town to help an old friend that is going through a custody battle after her ex was accused (but let go) of murder.
Nora's time is spent going back to her home to help a young developmentally disabled couple keep custody of their young child and staying at her friend Tess's house to help. While she is staying with Tess strange things happen such as a rock being thrown through a window of her house, a black SUV following them, etc. As Nora starts discovering some of Tess's secrets and lies there are twists and turns leading up to a satisfactory ending.

Joe Hart did it again! I was completely enraptured by the second book in the Nora McTavish series. First of all, can we discuss how eye catching that cover is. Once I cracked it open, I was riveted. Nora is a phenomenal character. She has many layers that Hart exposes slowly. Her terrifying past is always mixing in with the present. In this book Nora, has gone out on her own as a family advocate. She knows the system inside and out, considering what her own family experienced growing up.

Nora is shocked to hear from one of her friends whom she has not seen in twenty years. Tess is in desperate need of Nora's experience. Her ex-husband has been accused of murdering one of his students and has been let off on a technicality. Tess does not want him near their 9-year-old daughter Kenny. With a touch of doubt Nora heads their way. She is met with family secrets, affairs, and so many people who could be behind all the weird occurrences. Who can any of them trust? Can they even trust each other?

I loved how the past and the present flowed effortlessly throughout the book. Bringing you so much closer to Nora and the strength that she has. She is one of a kind and will do anything for a child that is being mistreated. I hope there is a third book coming out, I need more Nora in my life. Thank you, Joe Hart, for sending me a copy of your newest book. I could not put it down! Do yourself a favor and read this series.

Frankly, I love Joe Hart. I love the series he creates. I love his horror, even though it terrifies me. I love the characters he creates and I love that many of his books are set in the Midwest (not this one.) I read Never Come Back in one sitting, never suspected who the killer was, adored the pre-teen - which I rarely, never do - so, naturally, I loved this book as well.

I really enjoyed the first Nora McTavish book, and when I saw there was a second one, I wanted to read it right after finishing the first. I didn't enjoy it as much as the first though. I did like most of it, but somewhere along the line it lost me and didn't have the same grip on me that the first did. I think maybe there were just a few too many things that felt pretty unrealistic for me.

Overall it was good, I just preferred the first!

A second book in a series featuring Nora McTavish (the book can be read without reading the first book). Nora, a family advocate, is called by a childhood friend (Tess) to help when Tess's husband is accused of murder. Concerned about her daughter's safety and her husband's released from jail, Nora is called to help out the family. Twists and turns, who did what and when makes for an exciting read. I plan to go back and read the first in the series.

3 stars for readability but the story just didn't hold water. The main character is a family advocate, which sounds great, but the way she describes it doesn't sound like she could make money. People's actions didn't make sense -- I can't explain without spoilers but nothing about the way things happened seems like it could have worked. And one of the characters turns out to have been doing terrible things but it's shrugged off because the person didn't know the truth.
I've read other books by this author and I'll read more.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Three plots running parallel - one bittersweet, one scary and one TBD for the future. Action, surprises, betrayal…Never Come Back has everything for a quick to read, solid mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this ARC.

"Never Come Back: A Thriller" is book two of the Nora McTavish series. I had read book one and found the character of Nora well developed and a protagonist I would follow in a series. This is saying a lot for me because generally I tend to stay away from series books because I just can't commit to anything when it comes to reading (too many books, so little time!)

Nora works in child advocacy and does not let many people get close to her. She has a painful past yet she is empathetic, a champion for others and despite having only a relationship with her loyal dog companion, she does indeed have a big heart.

In Never Come Back, an old childhood friend, Tess, has reached out to Nora. Tess' husband has been arrested and accused of murdering a young girl on the campus he works on. Tess could use a friend and some help throughout this ordeal. Tess has a very bright 9 year old daughter Kenny who is, understandably, having a though time.

Throughout the book, we dive into the mystery wondering if Tess' husband Neil really did kill someone and if he didn't, who did? Mixed into the book, it hits the topic of child custody, child abandonment and touches at your heartstrings.

The ending of the book had some great action heart pounding edge of my seat moments which I appreciate in any murder mystery/thriller.

Would I read a book three of Nora McTavish? Absolutely.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the electronic advanced reader copy to read and review.

“Limits…we all have them. I prided myself on knowing my own and trying to obey them”…

Now a family advocate, Nora McTavish helps people everyday - especially those who most need it. Nora knows all about that; with her hellish childhood and complicated life, helping others weaved into the very fiber of her being. When her childhood friend Tess calls for help, Nora feels compelled to help her. Tess is recently divorced and fighting for sole custody of her daughter Kennedy. Her husband was accused of murdering a student and even though he was cleared of the crime, Tess still doesn’t feel safe having her daughter with him. When Nora begins to investigate, strange things start happening in Tess’ neighborhood, causing Nora to think that Tess may not be telling her the whole truth.

I loved Joe Hart’s previous book in this series, “Where They Lie” so much that it was one of my top reads of 2023! Hart created such a mysterious and deeply complex character in that of Nora McTavish. That being said, it’s definitely better to read the first book before starting this one, as that gives a lot of background information on Nora. Putting her previous experience as a CPS Agent to use, Nora is now a family advocate, still leading with her heart but never forgetting to apply the lessons she has learned.

I truly had no idea what was going to happen next in this story! Like Nora, I got the sense that the situation with Tess was more complicated than it appeared but I wasn’t expecting the twists and turns things would take. Nora is a very likable, relatable character and it was fun to see how she grew in this story, in her new role and personally too. I can’t wait to see what is next for her, because I really hope there is more in this series!

I can’t “Never Come Back (Nora McTavish #2) releases April 2, 2024. Thank you to Netgalley and Joe Hart for the ARC!

Nora goes to help an old friend she hasn't seen in years and in the process get's drawn into a custody dispute, intrigue and murder.
I loved the characters and were completely invested in Nora and what she was trying to do. This is the second book in a series but can definitely be read as a stand alone novel, I've not read the first book but will certainly go and by it!
100% recommend if you like a thriller

"Never Come Back: A Thriller" by Joe Hart is a gripping novel of suspense that delves into the complexities of family, lies, betrayal, and murder. Nora McTavish, a family advocate, finds herself entangled in the turbulent custody battle of her childhood friend Tess Grayson. Tess is fighting to protect her daughter from her ex-husband Neil, a university professor rumored to be involved in a scandalous affair with a student who was later found murdered.

As Nora investigates the shattered Grayson marriage, she discovers layers of secrets and lies that challenge her understanding of the situation. The novel skillfully unravels old secrets and explores Nora's own past, adding depth to the narrative. The tension escalates when another murder occurs, drawing Nora closer to a dangerous killer.

Hart weaves a compelling story with well-developed characters, intricate plot twists, and a strong sense of suspense. Nora McTavish emerges as a resilient and relatable protagonist, navigating the complexities of her profession and personal life. The author's ability to capture the emotional struggles and moral dilemmas faced by Nora adds depth to the narrative.

"Never Come Back" is a captivating addition to the Nora McTavish series, showcasing Joe Hart's talent for crafting suspenseful and emotionally charged thrillers. The novel offers a perfect blend of mystery, drama, and character development, making it a highly recommended read for fans of the genre.

I would like to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy for the book. This is my honest review.

This book started very slow for me. I honestly had to keep pushing myself to keep reading. It finally picked up and got interesting about 60% in. After that I finished the book quickly.

My biggest issue for me, is I just never connected and cared about any one in the book. So that made it very hard for me to want to continue. I have read the first book in this series and did not have a huge connection with Nora but her job and the story keep me reading. In this book she has changed jobs and while the new job is a part of the book. It just did not have the same feel for me. I almost wanted to skip over the job parts of the book just to get thru the book.

When it finally got interesting, I could not put the book down. I did not see the who it was until it was uncovered. Had some nice turn of events i did not see coming.
So in the end it was worth the read.

I am not sure if I will continue this series, just for the fact I don't care about Nora or knowing what is next for her in life.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the copy of Never Come Back by Joe Hart. Every once in a while a thriller will come along with amazing writing and great characters that completely involves me in the story. I really liked Nora, an independent family advocate, who is called by her childhood best friend after years of being out of touch for help with a custody battle. Nora goes to see how she can help Tess, which is the main part of the plot. There were a couple of smaller but significant stories, one about Nora’s mother who abandoned the family and the other about Gayle and Joel, parents trying to regain custody of their daughter. How Hart weaves all of the stories together for a satisfying conclusion is masterful and emotional. This was a new author to me and I’ll be looking for his other books because I loved this book!

I am definitely losing it. I received a copy of Joe Hart’s latest, Never Come Back, from Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved it, so I looked for more by him. Turns out Never Come Back is book #2 in the “Nora McTavish series” so I went back and read #1 in the series, Where They Lie. I loved it, and it clarified things about Nora, the protagonist…then today I went to my blog and searched for Joe Hart, and I had not only READ book #1, I had reviewed it in 2022. (No wonder it seemed familiar to me!)

When Never Come Back opens, ­Nora McTavish is self-employed as a family advocate who worked for quite some time (including in book #1 in the series) for Child Protective Services. As a former foster mom to a teenage girl, I have had more than my share of working with CPS, and I found both books to resonate with me. In book #1, Nora’s frustrations with the system are evident: “Someone once said we don’t have a. justice system, we have a legal system.” Nora tries to keep her emotions in check and to keep her personal and professional lives separate, but it is clearly a struggle, so it makes perfect sense for her to be settling into her new profession at the start of book #2. She gets a phone call out of the blue from her childhood friend Tess, whom she has neither seen nor heard from in years, since Tess was there when Nora went into foster care herself after horrific abuse and neglect.

“We forget how young some people are when they start carrying weight beyond their years, then wonder why they struggle”… but Nora gets it as a result of her own childhood experiences. “Being a child of abuse was a little like trying to outrun a storm.” Tess has called asking for Nora’s help in her custody battle with her ex-husband Neil, who is a professor at the local university. Rumors have it that Neil was having an affair with one of his students, who was found murdered. Charges were dismissed, but Tess is trying to keep Neil away from their young daughter. As Nora works to unravel the situation, things from her own past (some of which Tess knows about better than almost anyone) start to emerge. Then another murder REALLY starts things moving in ways that make for a great story.

I really enjoyed both books in this series, and have started to read other books by this author. I hope we will see more of Nora McTavish – I have found over the years that it takes a real gift for a male author to write well from a female POV, but Mr. Hart does this better than most. Five stars. Highly recommended.

Nora McTavish is a family advocate with a tragic childhood. When one of her childhood best friends Tess calls on her for help navigating custody of her 9 year old daughter Kenny after the death of a university student and Tess's husband the accused, Nora walks into a dangerous situation. I really enjoyed how everything came together at the end. I will definitely be checking out the rest of the Nora McTavish series!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to NetGalley for my ARC!

I wanted to try and get into this story, but the first few chapters are jarring. It didn't work for me, because I was not invested in the characters enough to try and figure out what is even going on. I don't think the first book would be needed to read this, but I don't think this one is for me, unfortunately.

I could not finish enough of this book to be able to leave a comprehensive review, but I hope it finds its audience and I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

This is a quick easily read story set in Oregon about family advocate Nora. She’s recently established her own practice with previous employment and years of experience in the social services field. A plea for help from a childhood friend stirs up the past for Nora. Her mother abandoned her family when Nora was a child. Tess lived close by and their moms were besties back then. As the story unfolds the difference in who you are at ten isn’t who you’ve become in your thirties is apparent. Tess is in a custody battle over their young daughter and has reason to distrust her cheating husband. Nora has an open case with a family involving parents with disabilities. She’ll have to travel a considerable distance to help Tess and the trips back and forth for both cases are frequent. Nora becomes quite close to Tess’s daughter who loves and misses her father. Nora soon learns Tess isn’t being completely honest about her rocky marriage. There are many lies and secrets underneath this family’s façade. Tess stirs up emotions that Nora came to terms with long ago about her mother. Families are complicated and just when all the pieces begin to fit and make a picture you’ll see the cracks. There are twists and turns in the plot that kept me excited to see what happened next. If you enjoy a good mystery with emotional family drama and suspense read it! I’ve come to really look forward to Mr. Hart’s novels and would definitely continue to read his work. I received a digital advance reader copy of “Never Come Back” by Joe Hart, Published by Thomas & Mercer, expected publication date 04/02/2024, from NetGalley. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.