JULY 2012 - AudioFile
The privileged 16-year-old daughter of a music mogul is found dead in her bathtub. It looks like a clear suicide, but the girl’s parents insist it was murder. It falls to NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher to investigate. Ellie deals with Manhattan’s wealthiest families, their preppie offspring, and some homeless street kids, and narrator Eliza Foss juggles all the accents, shifts in diction, and attitudes with finesse. Foss is especially creepy as the “reader” of a blog written by a former abuse victim. His psychotic replies ramp up the growing tension. Listeners will appreciate the precision of Alafair Burke’s storytelling in Hatcher’s fourth outing. Burke twists story lines, makes unlikely connections credible, and builds subtly differentiated characters. Foss’s performance adds another layer of truth to this exciting, insightful mystery. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
Near the start of Burke’s excellent fourth novel of suspense featuring NYPD Det. Ellie Hatcher (after 2010’s 212), 16-year-old Julia Whitmire, the daughter of legendary music producer Bill Whitmire, is found dead in the bathtub on the top floor of her family’s West Village townhouse with her wrists slashed. Ellie assumes that the Whitmire parents’ social clout is the reason why she and her partner, J.J. Rogan, must investigate an apparent suicide as a potential murder. At Casden, Julia’s elite prep school, they discover a rampant subculture of prescription drug abuse and intense academic pressure. Julia’s friend, Ramona Langston, also points them in the direction of several homeless youths she and Julia befriended over the past year, particularly Casey Heinz, who has a crush on Ramona and keys to the Whitmires’ residence. Ellie becomes less convinced that Julia killed herself as details emerge of a rape survivor blog linked to the case and threats against its anonymous author. The meticulous plotting, coupled with Ellie’s complicated evolution as a heroine, make this Burke’s strongest work to date. 6-city author tour. Agent: Philip Spitzer, the Philip Spitzer Literary Agency. (June)
The Examiner
In Never Tell, Alafair Burke keeps a tight hold on each of the many strings of a very complicated plot while also expanding the character of her protagonist, Ellie Hatcher.
Portland Mercury
Burke’s writing is brisk and sharp, and her glimpse into the world of Manhattan’s super-rich teenaged elite makes for a diverting read.
Suspense Magazine
Never Tell is a great read. Alafair Burke writes a riveting story with a strong female protagonist.
The Sun Newspaper
Author Alafair Burke takes her mystery fans on another wild ride in Never Tell.
Stacy Alesi
What initially appears to be a simple story quickly becomes more intricate and compelling, making the pages fly. Highly recommended, especially for Lisa Gardner or Laura Lippman fans.
Michele Leber
One of Burke’s trademarks is connecting disparate plotlines, which she does here in spades….Skillfully structured…
Joe Hartlaub
Burke’s sharp portrayal of characters, both recurring and otherwise, defies stereotype and predictability….Never Tell is perhaps Burke’s most ambitious and complex novel to date, yet it’s also her most readable….will leave the reader thinking about this book long after the last page as been turned.
New York Journal of Books
Once in a while, a book comes along and makes you sit up and notice. A supremely intelligent novel, masterfully created with a telling hand and unique voice, Never Tell is one of those books. Crime writing doesn’t get much better than this.
Entertainment Weekly
Burke’s last book was a stand-alone, but in Never Tell she’s returned to the character her readers know best, the fierce and gutsy NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher - now investigating the apparent suicide of a privileged Manhattan teen.
Patrick Anderson
Burke has a good eye for the many faces of New York….Burke’s story is complex, but her pace is fast, her prose is crisp and her duplicitous characters ring true in the Darwinian world she creates.
Jeff Ayers
[Burke] has delivered another winner….Two seemingly different storylines converge in a shocking way, demonstrating Burke’s remarkable abilities as a writer….Hatcher is a complex character, and her journey both personally and professionally will have even the most jaded suspense aficionado rapidly turning the pages.
JULY 2012 - AudioFile
The privileged 16-year-old daughter of a music mogul is found dead in her bathtub. It looks like a clear suicide, but the girl’s parents insist it was murder. It falls to NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher to investigate. Ellie deals with Manhattan’s wealthiest families, their preppie offspring, and some homeless street kids, and narrator Eliza Foss juggles all the accents, shifts in diction, and attitudes with finesse. Foss is especially creepy as the “reader” of a blog written by a former abuse victim. His psychotic replies ramp up the growing tension. Listeners will appreciate the precision of Alafair Burke’s storytelling in Hatcher’s fourth outing. Burke twists story lines, makes unlikely connections credible, and builds subtly differentiated characters. Foss’s performance adds another layer of truth to this exciting, insightful mystery. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
