WHEN YOU SEE ME :: Lisa Gardner

A version of this review previously appeared in Shelf Awareness and is republished here with permission.

Hang on tight, the branches of Lisa Gardner's literary family tree are becoming wonderfully twisted. After more than 15 years of writing about (mostly) female law enforcement protagonists, Gardner (Never Tell) still finds new ways to push the boundaries of her series and characters. When You See Me features Gardner's most prolific heroine, Boston Homicide Detective D.D. Warren. Flora Dane, introduced as an abduction survivor in one of D.D.'s recent cases, continues in her third straight entry as an informant, providing insight to D.D. from the "victim" perspective.

New to this mix is FBI Agent Kimberly Quincy, who has appeared in other books, solo and with her father, part of the Quincy & Rainie Profiler series. The joining of so many characters is plot-specific and feels organic. Quincy's investigation into a set of human remains uncovers a connection to Flora's infamous abductor. D.D. and Flora's knowledge is an incredible asset, so Quincy assembles the team in the hills of an insular Georgia town to find answers and deal with long-hidden demons.

Gardner presents the case through the lenses of D.D., Flora, Kimberly and a wonderfully rendered mute girl in peril. The author melds and shifts perspectives superbly to move the investigation forward. The final push is rushed and a touch theatrical, but her powerful character work carries the day. Despite extensive history, these women are always evolving. Gardner brings them together in a tour de force and provides answers to questions from prior cases while still masterfully generating a yen for more.

NEVER TELL :: Part Deux

When I was assigned to review Lisa Gardner's latest Detective D.D. Warren installment, Never Tell, I had only read one of the previous nine in the series. I'm not sure why I didn't continue (too many books to cram into too little time, we all know that story), but after reading Never Tell I was moved to go back and fill in the blanks. I really dug Never Tell on its own, but Gardner also introduced a new character, Flora Dane, who was quite intriguing and I wanted to see how she entered the fray. I'm doing most of the earlier books on audio and am on the sixth.

Never Tell comes out in paperback on August 6th. While I'm not usually a fan of cover changes (mostly because covers are the best way for me to remember if I've read something), this new paperback is super nifty.

The dark color palette really sells it. The hardcover was great, but I think this image is even better and suited to the plot. To make the paperback release more enticing, the publisher has included a teaser excerpt from Gardner's January 2020 release, When You See Me. It not only brings D.D. and Flora back, but a few other recurring characters and arcs I'm curious to see play out.

I read Never Tell pretty cold, and while it necessarily gave away some plot points from prior books in the series I was not confused or bothered at potential spoilers. While completeists are encouraged to go back and see how the characters originated, if you find that idea daunting, don't hesitate to start with Never Tell and read on in both directions. I know I'm going to be anxiously awaiting When You See Me.

If you want a bit more information to see if these might be for you, you can take a gander at my prior review with more details at Shelf Awareness or here at Malcolm Avenue Review, just hit one of the links.

Happy reading~!

NEVER TELL :: Lisa Gardner

This review previously appeared in Shelf Awareness and is republished here with permission.

Thankfully, Lisa Gardner chucked her career in food service after catching her hair on fire too many times, freeing her to become the author of 20-plus thrillers. Gardner's writing is ever-evolving as she adds new forms and actors to the mix. In the 10th installment of her Detective D.D. Warren series, Never Tell, Gardner gives equal time to a newly recurring character, survivor advocate and confidential informant Flora Dane, and to the suspect in the murder at hand, Evie Carter.

Evie is found standing over her husband with the smoking gun in hand. D.D. recognizes Evie as the grown version of the girl she investigated for shooting her father to death years earlier. When the new case hits the media, Flora shows up with shocking news--she recognizes the victim, Conrad Carter, from when she was kidnapped and held captive several years earlier (Find Her).

From the alternating and varied perspectives of these three fascinating and complex women, Gardner delves into marriage and family dynamics, power, perception and the lengths people will go to hide and protect their secrets. Her character work is beautifully done, and she deftly handles multiple narrators, timelines and plot arcs. Gardner strikes what feels like a perfect tone with 10 books of background to contend with, keeping the present fresh while providing necessary history. Never Tell is an excellent addition to the D.D. Warren series and proof it's never too late to draw in new fans. 

STREET SENSE: I was somewhat hesitant to take on this assignment, as I think I read the first D.D. Warren book and then for some reason did not continue with the series. Now I feel as if I want to go back and read the others. It's not necessary in order to understand anything from this book, Gardner played the history aspect really well, but I *want* to, despite not having a big desire to take on a new series. This was a super installment that didn't make me feel left out, just wanting more.

COVER NERD SAYS: I'm a bit tired of the "woman from behind" cover, whether it's a close-up or full-body shot. I don't really see a fit between this cover image and the content, other than there are three main women characters. I do find something compelling about the color palette, which is eye-catching. And certainly the focus is on the author here, since Gardner has been around long enough that folks will pick up a book because her name is on it. I also think the bold, hard-edged font balances out the "softness" of the cover image, which might give the impression, taken alone, that there is something soft about this book. I wish it was "more," but I suppose it doesn't really need to be.