Hatcher is a New York City homicide detective, once again on the track of an unexplained death. Initially the young girl found lying in her bathtub with a slit wrist appears to have died by suicide--but the family insists that it must have been foul play. This is something Hatcher is all too familiar with having lost her policeman father to a supposed self inflicted gunshot with his own service revolver. She spent years unsuccessfully trying to prove the department wrong on that.
While the main story of this current novel was fast paced and intriguing as I expected, I found myself savoring many of the passing details and zinger lines along the way. While it's the big things like plot and character development that make this a satisfying crime novel with substance, it's also the little things like particular word pictures and spot on references to pop culture that impresses me and keeps me coming back from more. Everything from the "creepy doll with ringleted hair and a red velvet dress.." to the uncanny close-to- the-bone blog entry about "make it stop" (Ch 11? - Kindle has no page numbers). I remember one passage in particular I can't find right now...about how massage was NOT Ellie's idea of a good way to relax. I laughed outloud at that one.
There were many things about this book I really liked. For one, being a reader from the start of the series, I didn't want to get bogged down with over-explanation of repeating elements of the back story from other books of who Ellie Hatcher is. Yet at the same time, I know there needs to be SOME catch up for those who may be reading Burke for the first time, or even those who haven't read the others for quite some time. The balance the author strikes on this came close to hitting baby bear perfection - not too much, not too little, but JUST RIGHT.
As always, I was impressed with Burke's ability to create characters with complexity - good people doing bad things, "bad" people doing good things - yet keeping those inconsistencies within the realm of what was absolutely believable within the context of person, time and place.
The story moved through a progression of facts and emotion that kept me wondering where it was going to land, hoping for the best for and from Elle Hatcher, but recognizing her shortcomings as a clear part of who she is.
I don't know what the future will be for this series, but whatever comes next, I'll be along for the ride.
Amazon Link to Never Tell: http://www.amazon.com/Never-Tell-A-Novel-Suspense/dp/0061999164
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