Never Ask Me

By: Jeff Abbott

Narrated by: Erin Bennett, Will Collyer, Peter Giles, Christine Lakin, Tracey Leigh, Tessa Netting, Rena-Marie Villano

Each of us has a question we dread. When the simple community of Lakehaven is shaken by a violent crime, doubts begin to arise among the locals about whom they can trust.

In a quiet neighborhood in the wealthy Austin suburb of Lakehaven, the body of Danielle Roberts is discovered on a park bench. Danielle was a beloved member of the community, an adoption consultant who delivered the joy of parenthood to a number of local families. Her murder shocks Lakehaven.

Perhaps no other family is as crushed as the Pollitts, who lived two houses down from Danielle and thought of her almost like family. Her death becomes the catalyst for a maelstrom of suspicion and intrigue. You have been told a huge lie, an anonymous email charges the son, Grant. No one can learn the truth now, thinks the father, Kyle. Never ask me what I'd do to protect my family, resolves the wife, Iris. I'll do whatever it takes to save him, vows the daughter, Julia, of Danielle's grieving teenage son.

The Pollitts always thought they'd always be there for each other. When each begins to suspect the others of the unimaginable, the strength of their bonds will be tested in extraordinary new ways. The latest from New York Times bestselling author Jeff Abbott ishis most suspenseful thriller yet: a riveting tale of the dangerous secrets one family has concealed -- and what happens when the question each Pollitt hoped they'd never be asked threatens to expose their darkest truths.

Critic reviews

PRAISE FOR NEVER ASK ME:
"Abbott writes in an authoritative way about the protocols, many of them maddening, of adopting a child. He also has a real understanding of the emotional roller-coaster couples going through the process must endure."

—New York Times Book Review

"No one exposes the dark, fraught underbelly of suburban America quite like Abbott, and his propulsive latest, depicting the relationships between families tied together via an overseas-adoption process, is a proper humdinger."—p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}Boston Globe

"Cunning and complex."—Publishers Weekly

"[A] suspenseful novel by a master of the psychological thriller."—p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}Booklist

"NEVER ASK ME produces almost unbearable tension and suspense. . . Readers will be kept guessing all the way to the end and most assuredly will be flipping back to some of the previous journal entries [to predict] the future events that Abbott deftly lays out for us as only he can."—p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times; color: #333333}Book Reporter

PRAISE FOR JEFF ABBOTT:

"Abbott uses his skills as a master storyteller to convey a complicated and ambitious tale that seems straightforward but is full of twists and red herrings. He also keeps the story moving without falling into clichés or over-the-top revelations. The mystery works because of the terrific characters and the beautiful road map he unveils while navigating the reader through a complex landscape. Those who enjoy unpredictable stories can never go wrong diving into the world of Jeff Abbott."—The Washington Post

"Like a stage magician, Abbott often seems to be doing one thing when he's actually doing something else, and when we realize what he's been up to, we can't help but shake our heads in admiration."—Booklist

"Abbott is a master of misdirection."—Library Journal

A bit too ambitious

While the idea and plot are interesting, the character breadth was too wide. The plot tried to rope in so many characters and international intrigue that it was clumsy at times and hard to get through.

Gripping but not plausible

This book definitely held my interest. Non stop intrigue but the concept is a bit far fetched. If you don’t need a realistic premise then it is very enjoyable.

Great story line

Really good story development and I enjoyed the narration. kept me interested the whole time.

It was okay

Some of the narration bugged me (Kyle specifically) but it wasn't a deal breaker. I thought the story was a bit contrived. It was good for a long road trip.

Excellent!

Loved the different narrators! With so many twists, it kept me wondering who did it. I loved that it wasn't obvious from the beginning. I really enjoyed this Author.