What Never Happened: A Thriller

This one really screwed with my mind. First of all, I still find it very weird to read COVID set stories. I also am starting to wonder why anyone would live on a secluded island. Considering we get a wow factor right away, I was on edge for the majority of the book just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I thought the worst of every character we meet and I was constantly trying to figure out who was trustworthy and who was responsible for the murders. I had overall hunches but I was still pretty surprised by the ending. I think what ended up being what I liked the least was Coco and in the end I didn’t feel very satisfied because I couldn’t get myself to root for her which was unfortunate.

This is an excellent thriller, taking place of a matter of days pre-pandemic, and while it may seem like just a thriller read, it actually is about more than just missing women. Race, abuse, family and mental health are all overarching themes and they are executed very well.
 
Collette is set go back to help take care of her Aunt Gwen who is living in Coco’s childhood home.  In 2001, Coco’s family relocated to Catalina Island. When Coco decides to sneaking out, she returned and found her father, mother and younger brother had all been murdered.

We start in March of 2020, Coco, running away from her LA life and takes a job with her college roommate at the paper on Catalina Island. She is working writing Obituary’s for the paper.  Gwen was on the one who raised Coco after the brutal murders. 

Through Coco’s job, she learns about a series of missing women....missing older women, who later are found dead in odd locations. On top of that, someone is claiming that the house where Gwen has lived, and that Coco owns, is theirs. They will stop at nothing to get the house from Coco. 
 
Thank you to Thomas and Mercer, Rachel Howzell Hall, and Netgally for the ARC!

This is a great mystery and thriller. Nearly 20 years has passed since her parents were killed in their house on Catalina Island. Colette, Coco, is estranged from her husband, Micah and looking forward to a job working on a newspaper with her friend, Maddy. Aunt Gwen, who used to take care of Gwen after her parents died, is getting more forgetful. Now, who is trying to kill her? She’s getting fake obituary notices about her death and her house is getting trashed. The man who was in prison for her preamps murders is being released after new evidence shows he didn’t do it. So the real killer is still out there?

Book Review: "What Never Happened" by Rachel Howzell "What Never Happened" by Rachel Howzell was an interesting read that started off with a lot of detail and a thrilling storyline. However, as the book progressed, it seemed like the author deviated from the main plot and the story lost its grit. The author seemed to be all over the place and the book became confusing, lacking a cohesive narrative. It felt like reading multiple books in one, with too many theories and ideas competing for attention. Despite these drawbacks, the book did provide insights into people dealing with identity crisis, depression, and childhood trauma. This aspect of the book was exclusive and allowed readers to gain a deeper understanding of these issues. Additionally, the book provided a glimpse into the mind of the author, Rachel Howzell, which added an extra layer of interest. Overall, I would not recommend "What Never Happened" to readers who enjoy serial thrillers or captivating reads. While it had its moments, the book's lack of coherence and the overwhelming number of theories made it difficult to fully engage with the story. However, if you are interested in exploring themes of identity crisis, depression, and childhood trauma, this book might still be worth considering.

Great Summer Read! Catalina Island Thriller

Rachel Howzell Hall takes us through Catalina's hillside, as Collette returns to the small town, where her family was murdered, to care for her aunt. As if that wasn't enough trauma and PTSD to sort through, Collette is tasked with writing the obituaries for a string of old women who start falling like flies when she returns.

I'd give the character development a 7/10, we learned about Collette but many of the side characters lacked depth. I would have loved to get more backstory to Noah, Flynn, and Maddie...but it all stayed pretty surface-level.

I took a trip to Catalina Island for my first wedding anniversary, so I enjoyed revisiting the island through the story. Makes me wonder if the small sleepy coastal town really has some dark secrets.