Exciting, even if a tad over the top: A review of Never Coming Back by Tim Weaver

It’s been a while since I read Tim Weaver’s work, in spite of having really enjoyed the three books of his that I have read. I was recently reminded of his work by S.W. Kane’s The Bone Jar (check out the review of that thriller here). And a day later, I was reading Never Coming Back. Read on to know what you can expect from this crime thriller, based on Weaver’s missing persons investigator – David Raker.

Genre: 

Crime thriller, Suspense

Length: 

529 pages

Blurb:

David Raker leaves London behind to heal, physically and emotionally, at his parents’ old house in Devon. But there’s a reason Raker does what he does – he needs to help people keep their loss at bay, so that they never face what he had to. Which is why when his ex-girlfriend, Emily Kane, turns up at his door asking for his help in finding her sister, Carrie, and her entire family, Raker cannot refuse. Carrie, her husband Paul, and their two daughters, disappeared without a trace, leaving the house like they’d just been there moments before. That was months ago. The police have had no leads, and Raker’s the only hope for Emily. What begins as a missing persons case turns into something much more sinister. Will Raker find the answers he’s looking for, or will a decades-old secret claim even more lives than it already has… including Raker’s?

Overall Rating:

8 out of 10

Plot:

7 out of 10

Characterization:

9 out of 10

Primary Element:

8 out 10 for its suspense; 7 out of 10 for its thrill

Writing Style:

9 out of 10

Part of a Series: 

Yes, this is Book #4 in the David Raker series. Although it can be read as a standalone, with enough information to bring a new reader up to speed while not sharing spoilers, it is best read in order.

Highlighted Takeaway:

A few of the plot twists. You come to expect certain trends and twists when you read a lot of crime thrillers and suspense. But Never Coming Back still manages to surprise.

What I Liked:

The strong characterization and the effortless display of the complexities of relationships. They made the story more intriguing and very easy to associate with, and left you really invested in what happens next.

What I Didn’t Like:

Part of the plot was a bit over the top. I genuinely do not know if the core circumstances that led to the events of the book could and/or do happen. Seems improbable but still just possible enough to be believable (to some extent).

Who Should Read It:

Anyone who likes crime thrillers and suspense. You’ll especially enjoy this if you like the works of Jeffery Deaver, Tony Parsons, and Simon Beckett.

Who Should Avoid:

Anyone who is turned off by graphic crime and conspiracy theories.

Read It For:

David Raker. He’s one of those literary characters that will make you want to read an entire series. He’s not shown to be invincible. In fact, he’s vulnerable, honest, and limited in capabilities, making it that much easier to think of him as a very real person and, consequently, to care about what he does and what happens to him.

Have you read any of the David Raker series? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. And as always, thanks for stopping by The Book Review Station!

– Rishika

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