Member Reviews

A very entertaining, fun, and mysterious popcorn thriller! A book you can easily read in one sitting! This book was broken into different parts with different POVs, which I thought was nicely done because I got to experience what the main characters went though as the lies and cover ups began to stack up. The characters were complex and unique and as the story progressed I couldn’t help but wonder how in the world this situation would resolve..because what started out as a book with a very predictable ending…ended with some juicy twists that caught me by surprise!

Overall, I really liked this one! Be sure to add it to your TBR, especially if you are new to thrillers, are fans of Laura Dave or B.A Paris, or need a quick easy popcorn thriller to escape in!

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I may end up being an outlier in my opinion on this one, but I could not get into this book. It could just be that it was not my “type” of book genre or story. It states it’s a thriller, but honestly it did not come across as a thriller to me.
Regan is happy in her life with her husband, John … and then the FBI shows up for John saying he was involved in Ponzi schemes and cons. This is the point where Regan starts with one lie …two.. multiple… and so many that there is no turning back for her to protect her family. Now.. this becomes confusing to me as I slowly very slowly made my way through this book. It was an extremely slowwwwww burn and even then the twists, if that’s what you want to call them, weren’t spectacular.

I will say the book is told through in three different POV’s which did provide insight from both sides. 1. Regan’s perspective 2. John’s perspective 3. How everything comes together.

Like I said this just wasn’t the book for me, but some might enjoy these types of reads!

Thank you to Netgalley, the Author, and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

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This was a good read, great pacing right from the beginning. I really liked the structure of current events and then back to the past to learn details of where the husband came from. The one thing I was hoping for was to see Regan turn into a bigger villain. I also didn’t think that the final reveal was very exciting but overall, it was an engaging and good story.
Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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This book had me in a chokehold.
Great pacing. It goes soooo fast!
Unreliable Characters.
The story unfurls between 2 very different versions of the same time line (his and her perspectives).
I enjoyed this wild ride so much! Couldn't put it down.
Many thanks to #netgalley for the arc.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
👏🏼👏🏼

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This is sort of a tough one to rate! Here are my thoughts in no cohesive way.

1. Great pacing, never found my mind wandering or thinking the story should hurry along.

2. I was interested in finding out more, even when I had a hunch something would happen and it did.

3. The most interesting part was Regan and how she ended up being and how we watched the transformation.

4. The big reveal honestly wasn’t the reveal, I suspected it (or something like it right away). However, I still enjoyed the story surrounding the big surprise and how it played out.

Overall, very enjoyable semi-mystery book. Perfect for reading by the pool or beach.

Advance reader copy provided by Poisoned Pen Press + NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

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I truly loved this one. It was SO Juicy! The characters all played their roles perfectly. I love the points of view, and I love the different angles of the story, I loved hearing how the wife viewed the situation, as well as the husband and the mother. It kept me on my toes, and I could not put this down, I had to finish the book until the end! I loved it and will be recommending it.

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This one started off strong and gets you right into the domestic life with the main character before her husband goes missing and fishy details about his past start to arise. I liked the intrigue of trying to figure out what was going on and normally I like dual perspectives but in this book, it kind of got to me. We see the same narrative being told twice and it got repetitive since I already knew a lot of what was coming. I was expecting a bigger twist at the end too. It still kept me interested enough to see where it went but I was hoping for some darker elements or a bigger mystery/plot twist. If you like domestic thrillers or true crime, this one would be up your alley.

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👀 M A N H U N T M O N D A Y 👀 featuring “The Day He Never Came Home” by Andrew DeYoung!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

John Peters works hard as a financial advisor to give his family a good life. His wife Reagan however is getting fed up with his long hours at the office and minimal effort to make family time.

On Reagan’s birthday John surprises her with a beautiful lake house that he has purchased in her name in cash. The next day he disappears and the FBI show up on Reagan’s door step. John has been living under a false identity for years and running a ponzi scheme through his business. Reagan begins to receive threats from a dangerous criminal and she goes into survival mode to protect her kids! Who is this man she married?? And what other secrets and lies does John have that could jeopardize her family’s future??

WOW, what a page turner! The short chapters and dual POVs make this a very easy book to binge! The reader gets drawn into the tangled web of secrets, lies, cons and deceit! If you enjoyed reading “The Last Thing He Told Me” by Laura Dave then you will love this one!

Thank you kindly to Andrew DeYoung, Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book releases on July 9, 2024!

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When I read the description of this book it was described as a mystery/thriller. Although there was a mystery element it didn’t seem much like a thriller to me. A good portion of the book seemed to be about the relationship of the characters. In my opinion there was not a real mystery.

There are two parts and are from differing POVs which I enjoyed. I also liked seeing the back story of each of the characters. I did feel that Regan’s story was incomplete and I have many more questions about her background.

Although I did enjoy the writing style of the author I felt that some parts were pretty hard to believe and some of the actions of the characters didnt really make sense. Towards the end I don’t know if I had a real sense of who the characters were

This book was still an enjoyable read and I would give it 3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

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The Day He Never Came Home was the perfect book to pull me out of a massive reading slump! This was a fantastic fast-paced popcorn thriller, and I completely devoured it. As someone who lives within driving distance of Minneapolis, I loved that this was the setting chosen for the story. The added familiarity with the setting helped me to forge a greater connection to the plot, which was really nice. With that being said, what I enjoyed most about this book was the main characters, particularly Regan. She was complex, calculated and a real risk-taker. She made some questionable decisions along the way but, I couldn’t help but root for her!

Read if you like:

✨Minnesota setting
✨Binge-able reads
✨Multi-faceted characters
✨Ponzi schemes

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC!

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I have just finished this plot twisting summer read! I actually enjoyed it a lot! I was honestly shocked the entire time! mouth kept dropping every few chapters!! it was something new with everyone! I loved the flow of the book, and how the characters were told as well! I definitely would count this as a summer thriller! Regan was THAT GIRL! LOVED HER! she had to do everything she could for her children and herself!! it’s a tough world out here for woman for sure!

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Published on: July 9, 2024

This took me a while to finish this book because in Part 1 I didn’t find Regan lovable. But as the story progress, it showed how resilient she was in facing the lies and the battles that John has put her through and then I started to love her.

When I reached Part 2 which is John’s POV, I simply could not put the book down. I finished it in one sitting! John’s perspective gave light to everything that led to their predicament. Despite the plenty of wrongdoings he’s made, his backstory will make you root for him.

This book has so many layers, it is slow-paced but a page turner for sure. You’ll be intrigued on what happens next. It wasn’t that thriller-y at least for me but it surely captured my attention until the end.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

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The Day He Never Came Home

This is a domestic thriller for fans of Things He Never Told Me. Domestic thrillers are always a little hit or miss for me, I feel like they can come off as a little basic or really surprise me! The Day He Never Came Home had potential, but in the end it honestly fell really flat. When I was reading Things He Never Told Me I was missing a lot of thrill, it was too calm for me, this one gave me a little more of that thrill but at the end of the day it was a calm cozy thriller. I think what really missed the mark for me was the lay out of the book. It’s spilt into three parts…the first part is one main characters POV, past and present is mixed together. The second POV is our other main characters POV starting back when he was kid and then going over the same stuff we already did in the first part and the third and final part was present day and just a couple chapters. So going over the same history was obviously a bit boring and just slowed down the story so much. It felt like we would get some momentum and then it would fizzle out and then we get momentum and fizzle out and the fizzled out moments dragged on! Honestly 90% of the book felt the same but different POV. I think it would have grabbed my attention more and flowed better if it was all mixed together because it was a good story, but overall didn’t work for me. ⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Andrew Deyoung for this e-Arc. The Day He Never Came Home is out July 9th!

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This book title reminds me of The Last Thing He Told Me, although the story, characters, and plot are very different.

The story begins with Regan receiving a surprise gift from her husband John. Not just any ordinary gift, but a house on a lake—the type she had always dreamed of, a sanctuary away from her two little toddlers.

Then, John disappears. Soon, the news breaks that John is involved in a major Ponzi scheme and everyone is looking for him to recover their money, including the police. Regan becomes the police’s prime suspect in their search for John, as they believe she is involved in his financial crime.

I found myself rooting for Regan and feeling sympathetic towards her situation. Her life is suddenly torn apart, and she struggles to stay afloat while taking care of her two young children. Adding to her woes, her unsympathetic mother, who never liked or trusted John, is not in Regan’s corner. Regan is left on her own to figure things out.

I enjoyed the writing and felt for Regan. Her character is relatable, and some of her thoughts made me laugh out loud—haven’t we all been there before? However, the story lost me when the POV switched to John in the middle of the book. I found myself rushing through those pages, as I wasn't as interested in his tormented past or the reasons behind his deceit. I was more eager to find out the twist.

All the loose ends were tied up nicely at the end. However, this book felt more like a blend of women’s fiction with some suspense, as there are many pages devoted to Regan’s thoughts, feelings, and their past, which slowed down the pace of a thriller.

Overall, I enjoyed reading The Day He Never Came Home.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC copy.

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Looking from the outside in, no one would think that one day Ragen’s husband John would not come home from work and the FBI would knock on their door and take everything while delivering the news that John was NOT who she thought he was. He was involved in a high level Ponzi scheme with some very dangerous people and John was just a small fish and they wanted it all.
As the story unfolds each pages gives more background and detail as to how deep the lies go in this relationship. A captivating and twisty domestic thriller that should not be missed. Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Andrew DeYoung for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Well this was a thrilling ride. Iwas captivated from the start.

I felt like I was right there next to the protagonist the whole time as she and the other characters felt so real. The story itself was an edge of your seat story. A definite recommend.

Thank You Poisoned Pen and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and isn't influenced by anyone else's

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The Day He Never Came Home is a gripping tale that kept me turning pages until the very end. From the opening scene to the final revelation, the plot is expertly crafted, drawing readers into a world of secrets, betrayal, and redemption.

Regan Peters is a compelling protagonist, whose world is turned upside down when the FBI comes knocking on her door, revealing shocking truths about her husband's hidden life. As she grapples with the fallout of his deception, Regan's journey is both heart-wrenching and empowering to witness.

I thoroughly enjoyed how the story unfolded, with each twist and turn keeping me on the edge of my seat. The author masterfully weaves together elements of suspense, drama, and emotion, creating a narrative that is as thought-provoking as it is thrilling.

One of the aspects I appreciated most was the depth of the characters and their relationships. Regan's resilience in the face of adversity is inspiring, and her determination to protect her family at all costs is both admirable and relatable.

Overall, The Day He Never Came Home is a captivating read that will stay with me long after I've turned the final page. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a compelling story with well-developed characters and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end.

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I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Regan js a devoted mother, who has just discovered that her husband, John has been keeping a secret from her. When the FBI show up at her door, Regan must decide what to do in order to protect her children. I really enjoyed this book. A definite page-turner. The only reason I am giving it 4 stars is because I had some lingering questions that went unanswered. Despite that, I found the story engaging. It kept me wondering how it would unfold.

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A fantastic atmospheric read from Andrew DeYoung! Normally, I prefer fast-paced thrillers, but the slow build in this one didn’t bother me because it enhanced the backstory and pretext. The plot is captivating, the dual POVs are expertly written, and the character development is superb, making this a solid read.

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This story was a thrill a minute. Regan Peters knows her husband John wants to give her and their children a good life. The long hours he puts in as a financial advisor prove his dedication, and despite how mysterious he is about his past, that's been enough for her to get through the hard days. Until the FBI shows up at their door looking for John, and Regan learns that her husband has been running a Ponzi scheme, is mixed up with dangerous criminals, and has been living under an assumed identity all these years. Everything she thought she knew about her husband has been a lie.
The story is told in two viewpoints and at times there is some overlap of re-telling a few of their experiences from each point of view but it was very interesting to get the two perspectives and at times it was a little repetitive.
I enjoy when main characters are a mixture of black and white..... living somewhere in the grey. It adds texture and nuance and a little bit of interest to know your main character may not always do the right thing... or the legal thing. There's a lot of ambiguity in this story and it layers on complexity that I found compelling.
Good thriller, I recommend! .

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