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Chevy Stevens
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Never Knowing: A Novel Mass Market Paperback – June 2, 2015

by Chevy Stevens (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 2,493 ratings
Goodreads Choice Award nominee

FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF STILL MISSING COMES A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER ABOUT ONE WOMAN'S SEARCH INTO THE PAST...AND THE DEADLY TRUTH SHE UNCOVERS.

All her life, Sara Gallagher has wondered about her birth parents. As an adopted child with two sisters who were born naturally to her parents, Sara never had an ideal home life. The question of why she was given up for adoption has always haunted her. Finally, she is ready to take steps and to find closure.

But some questions are better left unanswered.
When Sara manages to locate her birth mother, she is met with horror and rejection. It's not long before Sara discovers the devastating truth: Her mother was the only victim to escape a killer who has been hunting women every summer. For decades. And he shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.

What if murder is in your blood?
The only thing worse than Sara finding out about her father is him finding out about her. But now that the door to her past has been opened, is it too late?

"Stevens's unnerving thriller about a woman's search for her birth parents matches the intensity of her impressive debut, Still Missing."-Publishers Weekly

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  1. Print length
    416 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    St. Martin's Paperbacks
  4. Publication date
    June 2, 2015
  5. Dimensions
    4.23 x 1.09 x 7.48 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    125006726X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1250067265
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Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Stevens's unnerving stand-alone thriller about a woman's search for her birth parents matches the intensity of her impressive debut...the skillful storytelling never flags.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Finely calculated in its escalating suspense....” ―Kirkus Reviews

“A knockout, starting strong and finishing even stronger.” ―RT Book Reviews

“Block off the weekend, grab a comfy seat, and prepare for the rocket ride of your life! Never Knowing will consume you with the desire to read every page, gasp at every twist, and know every last secret between one woman and her serial killer father.” ―Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“A terrifying, chilling scenario that unfolds into a nightmare and had me keeping the light on at night.” ―Rosamund Lupton, bestselling author of Sister

“Never Knowing is a chilling thriller with enough twists and turns so that every time I thought I knew where it was going I was taken somewhere else. I have a feeling that Chevy Stevens is an author who is going to keep getting better and better with each book! I hope I'm still around for the next six--at which point she'll probably give me a heart attack. But what a great way to go out! ” ―Lois Duncan, author of I Know What You Did Last Summer.

“Stevens takes us on a wild ride in this action-packed book.” ―The Globe and Mail

“The action is non-stop...” ―Seattle Post Intelligencer

About the Author

CHEVY STEVENS lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and daughter. When she isn’t working on her next book, she’s hiking with her two dogs on her favorite mountain trails and spending time with her family. Chevy's current obsessions are vintage Airstreams, Hollywood memoirs, all things mid-century modern, and stand-up comedians--not necessarily in that order. Her books, including Still Missing, a New York Times bestseller and winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel, have been published in more than thirty countries.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Paperbacks (June 2, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 125006726X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250067265
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.1 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.23 x 1.09 x 7.48 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 2,493 ratings

About the author

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Chevy Stevens

Chevy Stevens

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CHEVY STEVENS lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and daughter. When she’s not working on her next book, she’s hiking with her two dogs on her favorite mountain trails and spending time with her family. Chevy's current obsessions are vintage airstreams, Hollywood memoirs, all things mid-century modern, and stand-up comedians--not necessarily in that order. Her debut novel, STILL MISSING, was a New York Times bestseller and won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel. Her books, including THOSE GIRLS which Stephen King called "incredibly scary", have been published in more than thirty countries. Her novel, DARK ROADS, will be released summer 2021. Please visit her at www.ChevyStevens.com.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
2,493 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and hard to put down, with a genuinely exciting plot that keeps readers interested until the end. The writing quality receives positive feedback, with one customer noting it's quite impressive for a first-time writer. The pacing receives mixed reactions - while some find it a fast-paced quick read, others say it's somewhat slow. Character development and the concept also get mixed reviews, with some finding the characters engaging while others find them frustrating, and one customer noting the premise is quite interesting.

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228 customers mention "Readability"228 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as addicting and a fantastic read, with one customer noting it's a real page turner.

"I enjoyed this book. It kept me guessing and the storyline was really interesting. A story that makes you think “What would I do?” in this situation." Read more

"...KNOWING is not a thriller, but it is definitely suspenseful and kept me reading...." Read more

"...I found this book just as compelling as the author's first novel. Her ability to layer the plot and build the tension is incredible...." Read more

"...This was a pretty good read overall. Once again the protagonist, Sara, is relaying the events of the story to her psychiatrist...." Read more

205 customers mention "Suspenseful story"164 positive41 negative

Customers enjoy the suspenseful plot of the book, which maintains pure suspense until the very end and features many twists that keep readers engaged.

"I enjoyed this book. It kept me guessing and the storyline was really interesting. A story that makes you think “What would I do?” in this situation." Read more

"...and the ramifications of her search for knowledge create a tense page-turner. I found this book just as compelling as the author's first novel...." Read more

"...It's not really bad, just awkward. I liked the progression of the story and the characters reactions to what was happening...." Read more

"...The suspense and adrenaline came, but by then I had already pondered the existence of the universe more than once...." Read more

69 customers mention "Writing quality"59 positive10 negative

Customers love the writing style of the book, finding it readable and engaging, with one customer noting it's quite impressive for a first-time author.

"...Sara Gallagher is a successful business women with a beautiful daughter and a loving fiancee, but she has always known she's adopted and no matter..." Read more

"...The first time out the unique structure captured my attention and had me flipping pages faster than a sugar addict working his way through a dozen..." Read more

"...I also enjoy the way that the chapters are done in the conversational tone of being related to a psychiatrist much like Stevens's first novel was..." Read more

"...And that's probably why this story is written in first person point of view. Anything else would have fallen flat...." Read more

61 customers mention "Interest"61 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and exciting, noting it captures interest right from the beginning and keeps readers hooked until the bitter end.

"...All in all, this book is the perfect way to spend a lazy weekend." Read more

"...Her ability to layer the plot and build the tension is incredible. Don't read it before bed or you will be guaranteed not to sleep...." Read more

"...A five star read that will grab you and keep you turning pages." Read more

"...fast pacing and unexpected twists, and the way she keeps me engrossed until the bitter end. MINI SPOILERS:..." Read more

14 customers mention "Difficulty to put down"10 positive4 negative

Customers find the book hard to put down.

"This book was very easy to just fall into. I picked it because I really liked this author's first book and I knew it would keep my interest...." Read more

"...I read this book in two nights. It is fast-paced, intense, and not easy to put down...." Read more

"...At that point I had to finish reading it but It was tedious. I don't want to give anything away, so I will leave it at that." Read more

"...Very hard to put the book down. Anticipation waiting for the next climax to unfold...." Read more

69 customers mention "Pacing"46 positive23 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some describing it as a fast-paced quick read while others find it somewhat slow.

"...I liked how Never Knowing kept me moving along rapidly, however, and when I thought I finally had it all sorted out, there were..." Read more

"Timely and in good condition." Read more

"...moment when she finally meets her father is a little short lived and rushed, but that also could've been because I was reading so fast to find out..." Read more

"...I love the fast pacing and unexpected twists, and the way she keeps me engrossed until the bitter end. MINI SPOILERS:..." Read more

45 customers mention "Character development"28 positive17 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book, with some finding them engaging while others find them frustrating.

"...I liked the progression of the story and the characters reactions to what was happening...." Read more

"...Sara is a downright unlikable character for large portions of this book, she is self-absorbed, demanding and obsessive, but I agree with other..." Read more

"...Sure, the character and story development proved entertaining, but this is supposed to be a thriller...." Read more

"...I enjoy books with a clever, twisty, keep you guessing plot and likeable characters...." Read more

15 customers mention "Concept"9 positive6 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the book's concept, with some finding it interesting and relevant to everyday life, while others find it formulaic and unclear.

"...It does also present many interesting psychological questions for the reader to resolve and I appreciate that." Read more

"...character for large portions of this book, she is self-absorbed, demanding and obsessive, but I agree with other reviewers that have said that it is..." Read more

"...I thought it was a very different subject matter than most thrillers or mysteries I read...." Read more

"The protagonist was annoying. Dramatic, self involved...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Donna D.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good book
    Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed this book. It kept me guessing and the storyline was really interesting. A story that makes you think “What would I do?” in this situation.
    Helpful
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  • Jennifer Sandell
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Suspenseful Family Drama
    Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    This book was very easy to just fall into. I picked it because I really liked this author's first book and I knew it would keep my interest. NEVER KNOWING is not a thriller, but it is definitely suspenseful and kept me reading. Stevens' writing reminds me a lot of another author, Joy Fielding, whose books I have also read and enjoyed. Like Fielding's writing, I would characterize this book as a suspenseful family drama.

    Sara Gallagher is a successful business women with a beautiful daughter and a loving fiancee, but she has always known she's adopted and no matter how hard she tries, she can't get the pieces of her life to fit together very well. Her adoptive father treats her with nothing short of disdain; her mother loves her but tries to ignore how things really are between Sara's sisters and her father. Even as Sara plans her wedding, she becomes obsessed with finding her biological mother and father. She tracks down her mother teaching at a small local college and is immediately met with more rejection--in fact, her mother is scared of her. This sends Sara off on a path better left untraveled. After some research she discovers that her father is a serial killer and her mother is the only surviving victim. Sara wonders how much like her biological parents she actually is and this desire to know the truth throws her headlong into the unknown. She wrestles with the idea of meeting with her father and talking to him, helping the authorities capture him. These scenes are some of the most memorable and suspenseful in the book.

    Sara is a downright unlikable character for large portions of this book, she is self-absorbed, demanding and obsessive, but I agree with other reviewers that have said that it is that unlikeability that makes the novel authentic. I also would have liked to hear more about Julia, Sara's biological mother and her ordeal escaping a serial killer. Parts of this story were repetitive and I feel that if we would have been privy to a little more of Julia's history, the book would have been that much better.

    All in all, this book is the perfect way to spend a lazy weekend.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Is Knowing Worth the Risk?
    Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    I found this book just as excellent as last summers debut, Still Missing.

    Would you want to find your birth parents if you were adopted? Would you want to know where you came from? Which would be worse, finding the answers or Never Knowing?

    As an adopted child, Sara Gallagher has always wondered were she came from. On a whim, she decides to find her birth certificate and learn her history. After a bizarre meeting with her birth mother, Sara is left with more questions than answers. Convinced her birth mother is being less than truthful, Sara chooses to hire a PI to learn about her mother and hopefully find her birth father. What she discovers is definitely life-changing!

    How Sara deals with the knowledge that she is the child of a notorious serial killer and the ramifications of her search for knowledge create a tense page-turner. I found this book just as compelling as the author's first novel. Her ability to layer the plot and build the tension is incredible. Don't read it before bed or you will be guaranteed not to sleep. Of course once you start, you won't want to put it down for such trivial activities like sleeping and eating. Oh and try not to jump when the phone rings!
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  • Alicia Was Here
    3.0 out of 5 stars Never Knowing
    Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I can't decide between three and four stars for this (as well as Still Missing). This was a pretty good read overall. Once again the protagonist, Sara, is relaying the events of the story to her psychiatrist. While I like the idea, it gets rather awkward for me when she's telling Nadine (the psychiatrist) something that is obviously repetitive between the two, or when Sara is describing the events that happened to her between sessions I get struck by how much detail there is of every little action and feeling. It's not really bad, just awkward.

    I liked the progression of the story and the characters reactions to what was happening. There were definitely plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments that made the book enjoyable. My biggest problem was the way Sara let people treat and talk to her. I was really hoping she'd tell several people off (especially her adoptive father, he made me incredibly angry) and she didn't. She even apologized to some of them to head off further conflict! I also think if she had told some of these people off and kept perspective she would have seen the ending coming at her.

    Stevens like to pull out the out-of-nowhere twist at the end. In Still Missing the twist, while unnecessary, flowed naturally from the story. I didn't even question it because it was obvious to me that the person would do what they did. In this book, the twist was just unnecessary. It wasn't bad, and I had been yelling at Sara in my crazy way to pay attention to what was being said and done, and it turns out I was right. Still, I really didn't think the twist flowed as naturally here. It felt like it was added in because maybe readers would expect it after Still Missing. However, I really do like the shades of gray it introduced regarding one of the characters. It added a level of complexity to her/him that I wasn't expecting.
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Sam PS
    5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping.. Alrhough plot is edgy... ...
    Reviewed in India on June 25, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Gripping ..
    Alrhough plot is edgy....author tends to stray away which loosens the grip.
    Poweful but
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  • julieann
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Another great read from Chevy Stevens, can't wait to read her new book coming out in a couple on months time.
    Her first book is called Still Missing , which was an excellent read, both stories really had me stuck to the sofa as I couldn't put them down.i can't even tell you about the plot as it will give it away, but I would definitely give both books a read if you enjoy crime thrillers/ murder mystery.
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  • Francis
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sehr spannend
    Reviewed in Germany on February 14, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Das Buch war spannend. Ich lese jetzt zum zweiten Mal. Immer wieder mitreißend. Sie beschreibt die Charaktere sehr intensiv.
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  • cheyanne
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in Canada on April 4, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This was an excellent book. Kept me very interested from start to finish and loved the unexpected twist @ the end had me really surprised. Will definitely be buying more books from this author!
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  • Pequena Martinha
    4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 estrelas
    Reviewed in Brazil on January 24, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Um super suspense, difícil parar de ler. Ótimo livro se gosta de suspense psicológico, a autora escreve muito bem. Nível do inglês para leitura: Intermediário 3.
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