BLOG TOUR: Never To Be Found - Jo Spain

She helped him disappear.

She'll wish she hadn't . . .

In Japan, one hundred thousand people voluntarily disappear every year, aided by those who help them start over. They call them Johatsu - the evaporated.

I brought the idea to England. No judgement, no questions. Just new identities, packed bags, and discreet escape plans from abusive partners, debt, or simply lives that no longer fit.

I thought I was doing something good - honourable, even. Until now.

I know now that not everyone is fleeing hardship. I've helped someone who committed a crime to flee the police. I've disappeared a murderer.

And unless I find him, I don't know what he'll do next . . .

 

What did I think?

I love Jo Spain books and I really think she's raised the bar with her latest thriller, Never To Be Found.  It is outstanding and incredibly thought-provoking as it is inspired by the jōhatsu phenomenon, the voluntary disappearance of people in Japan.  I had never heard of jōhatsu before and I can't stop thinking about it, long after finishing the book.

Veronica's dad disappeared in Japan when she was young and the police ruled it as suicide but Veronica never gave up hope of her dad still being alive, especially when she heard about the jōhatsu phenomenon.   People can be helped to disappear, leaving all their problems behind, and start afresh with a new identity.  Whilst this is a better alternative to suicide, the loved ones left behind have no body to bury and no closure.

The moral dilemma of the story comes many years later when Veronica is providing this service in England and one of her clients turns out to be a murderer.  The police want to know the details of the new identity but by breaking her own rules, Veronica puts the trustworthy reputation of her business on the line.  What a conundrum!  I wouldn't have wanted to be in Veronica's shoes at all, although I was constantly considering what I would have done in her position.

Jo Spain once again draws her readers in with an intriguing and gripping storyline that entertains, shocks and surprises.  The pacing is fast and furious as the hunt for the murderer progresses and I was reading faster and faster as the breathtaking conclusion approached.  

Incredibly thought-provoking and completely compelling, Never To Be Found is an unforgettable and unmissable novel.  An easy five stars and a highly recommended read.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

Follow the tour:

The Perfect Lie - Jo Spain

 

He jumped to his death in front of witnesses. Now his wife is charged with murder.

Five years ago, Erin Kennedy moved to New York following a family tragedy. She now lives happily with her detective husband in the scenic seaside town of Newport, Long Island. When Erin answers the door to Danny's police colleagues one morning, it's the start of an ordinary day. But behind her, Danny walks to the window of their fourth-floor apartment and jumps to his death.

Eighteen months later, Erin is in court, charged with her husband's murder. Over that year and a half, Erin has learned things about Danny she could never have imagined. She thought he was perfect. She thought their life was perfect.

But it was all built on the perfect lie.

What did I think?

Jo Spain, you clever little minx!  Just look at that strapline on the book cover:  'He jumped to his death in front of witnesses. Now his wife is charged with murder.'  What a wonderful conundrum for the reader to solve and I was completely blindsided by not only the blistering plot but by the breathtaking writing. 

I was devastated for Erin when her husband commits suicide right in front of her.  Even though I'd read this on the cover and in the synopsis, I still released an involuntary gasp of shock when Danny jumped.  Erin's family is home in Ireland, Danny's mum is in Florida and his brother is serving in the army so Erin is completely alone when this first happens and my heart totally went out to her.  Something just isn't right about the circumstances around Danny's death though.  Why did the police turn up at her door that day and what are they hiding?

As the story unravels, and both Danny and Erin's pasts are revealed, it makes you wonder whether Erin really knew her husband at all.  So when the story suddenly changes direction and Erin is facing charges of murdering her husband, it seems both implausible and plausible at the same time.  Was it suicide or was it murder?

Oh my word, I want to say so much more about this book but I can't for fear of inadvertently releasing a spoiler.  It is simply brilliant.  I'm surprised I don't have blisters on my fingers from turning the pages so quickly, reading it cover to cover within 24 hours.  You'd think I had been starved of books the way I greedily devoured every single word.  I would say it would make the perfect holiday read but you'd probably read it in one go on your first day so be warned, it's not going to last long once you pick it up!  

Completely unputdownable, blisteringly fast-paced and with a plot sharper than a razor blade, The Perfect Lie is a real page-turner.  An absolutely stunning novel from Jo Spain, whose back catalogue I am now adding to my wishlist.  Gripping, addictive and thrilling, I can't recommend it highly enough.

Many thanks to Quercus for sending me an ARC to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon