Never Tell is the 10th book in the Detective D.D. Warren series and the 3rd book with Flora Dane as a POV character. The dynamic between Warren and Dane is fantastic; one is a great detective with a loving family who can’t help but do things a little outside the box. The other a tortured (kick-ass) young woman looking for revenge, but also for forgiveness.
The mystery in this book revolves around a pregnant woman who has probably shot her husband and most definitely his computer; the same woman who accidentally shot her father when she was 16. Coincidence? Her mother is a crazy person and her relationship with her husband was definitely not normal. She’s a brilliant mathematician but works as a math teacher in a public school. There’s some weird stuff going on here and Gardner unfurls all of the clues and reveals with skill.
Flora Dane’s story line is also advanced here, with a deeper look into her kidnapper’s nefarious activities.
The relationships Gardner builds between her characters are compelling, which isn’t always the case in a mystery series. Gardner writes great mysteries (police procedurals) with great characters and interesting story lines. Try her, you’ll like her.
Rating: 89/100
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