Never Seen Again: The explosive thriller from the bestselling master of suspense

I do love a Paul Finch book. Always guaranteed to entertain and be packed with mystery, tension and unforgettable characters. Never Seen Again did not disappoint, ticking all of those boxes and more. The book centres around journalist David Kelman, a man who had a pretty dramatic fall from grace when his unethical approach to getting a scoop led to a very tragic escalation of an already tense situation. Mistakes were made, and the consequences were deadly. Six years on and David gets the chance to right that wrong, even if it is too late for some, and solve the one mystery that has plagued his career and his conscience - was this really a kidnapping gone wrong and what really happened to Jodie Martindale ... ?

From the very beginning of this book you get a sense of where this book is leading. It may feel pedestrian, especially in those first few pages, but knowing this is a Paul Finch story, it's almost impossible to settle or feel at ease. I was drawn in straight away, if only because I wanted to know what the catch was going to be. It's crime fiction - there is always going to be a catch. And boy was there. Poor Freddie Martindale. Who'd have thought playing gooseberry on your sister's date night would take such a drastic turn. I love how the author manages to turn that quiet opening completely on its head by the end of the chapter, with pulse pounding tension and a real undercurrent of fear permeating each page. It races to a shocking conclusion, really leaving you on the edge of your seat. And that's just the prologue ...

David Kelman is a pretty complex character. I couldn't help liking him, even though there are many aspects of his character that are less than desirable. In many ways he is the worst of the tabloid ghouls, and certainly his most recent career is based on scandal and gossip, ruining the lives of others in order to earn a crust. Yet there is something about him that draws you in. That feeling that, in spite of all he's done, he really does have a conscience and wants to do the right thing by the Martindale family, even if it is a touch too little too late. But he's also a determined reporter who has gotten the whiff of an unbelievable story, and is going to follow the lead no matter how dangerous it proves to be. And believe me it gets hairy.

Alongside David you have his former colleagues, Nushka and Norm, their careers both impacted by what David did all those years ago and yet finding themselves drawn into his world once again. They act as a kind of moral compass and sanity check to David's more impetuous and impulsive nature, even if they don't always manage to keep him under control. The three of them make a brilliant team, with a brilliant blend of banter and journalistic instinct filling each scene they are in. In spite of themselves, David manages to relay a story so packed with intrigue that they cannot resist getting involved, Nushka perhaps a little more readily than Norm ...

The story is paced perfectly, the underlying mystery so carefully threaded throughout the book that it kept me completely engrossed in the story. It's one of those one more chapter kinds of reads that just keeps you powering onward, the tension slowly building up again after that break neck speed ending to the prologue. There are times when we dip back into the past, get shown David's fall from grace and how he managed to derail his and his colleagues careers, but it is the here and now that really captures the inquiring mind. There is a constant sense of threat, as well as a real point of conflict between David and, not only the Martindale family, but the police as well. Brokering scandal was not David's only legacy as a journalist, and he has many enemies in many places, some more obvious than others. 

As this is a Paul Finch novel, you are safe to expect some quite intense moments, scenes where the threat is high and the action full on. This is most definitely the case this time around, and from just beyond the halfway point the pace, the tension, and the action, really picks up. It can get quite intense, and with few allies, its set to get pretty hairy for David and his friends. It's violent, but not gratuitously so, but if you've read any of the author's other work then you know not to expect the bad guys to simply hold their hands out and say 'it's a fair cop, Gov'. These are the scenes where the characters may surprise you, and the ones that had me smiling the most. The reasons I love reading books by this author.

Fast paced, full of mystery, action and brilliantly plotted intensity, it's another winner for me. Definitely recommended.

The story starts with an explosive opening when kidnappers/killers attack the Martindale family. The outcome leaves far more questions than answers. Then the story starts in real time six years later and surrounds the troubled character that is the journalist David Kelman. I loved this character; to have true depth, a character needs flaws, and the balance for me is having those flaws but not in a way that makes you stop liking the character. Paul Finch does this with such ease and I know how hard that is to achieve. Subsequently, I would follow Kelman anywhere.He is wracked with guilt about the consequences that his previously unethical journalistic approaches have caused. He is determined to find out what truly happened that fateful night six years ago, but not just from a scoop angle; he wants to uncover the truth. Something very dark is going on in Essex.He is ably assisted by Anushka and Norm, and the more they uncover, the greater the danger they face. The criminals behind what is really going on are backed by corrupt officials and psychopathic mercenaries. Unable to trust the police, Kelman and his band of three have only their own guile to support them.The story comes to an explosive denouement which will keep you transfixed to the last page. A 5-star highly recommended read from one of our best storytellers.

I just loved reading Never seen again by Paul Finch, What an interesting story line. Whilst it is fiction, I must say the attention to detail was very good. I loved how the criminals got what they deserved in the end but had it not been for the "Not giving up attitude" of David and his 2 investigators this story would not have had a good ending. The only bit I did not particularly like was more details about the bent coppers. Otherwise very well written. Will read again amongst my massive collection of books.

The story line centres around an egotistical journalist and his unorthodox past methods which lead to a fall from grace. As with all books of this type, it does stretch the imagination but this one somehow lacks the usual depth of a Paul Finch novel but perhaps I just didn't gel with the storyline. Sadly for me, the eventual outcome was a little predictable.

Highly recommended. Excellent and gripping storyline.

This guy is a natural storyteller. He offers gripping narrative woven around wondrous plot lines. Tension builds and the explosive action doesn’t seem to stop impacting on the readers grey matter.I sincerely hope Paul Finch has developed a new world team of hero’s. Fighting crime from behind the journalist notebook and intuition.Looking forward to the next one Mr Finch :)

Sadly not as good as his previous books. The new characters don't really convince and the plot felt strained and unbelievable.

First time read of this author but really enjoyed the book