Never Look Back: A Novel

Alison Gaylin

Jul 2019 · HarperAudio · Narrated by Jorjeana Marie and James Fouhey

About this audiobook

Reminiscent of the bestsellers of Laura Lippman and Harlan Coben—with a Serial-esque podcast twist—an absorbing, addictive tale of psychological suspense from the author of the highly acclaimed and Edgar Award-nominated What Remains of Me and the USA Today bestselling and Shamus Award-winning Brenna Spector series.

For thirteen days in 1976, teenage murderers April Cooper and Gabriel LeRoy terrorized Southern California's Inland Empire, killing a dozen victims before perishing themselves in a fire... or did they? More than 40 years later, twentysomething podcast producer Quentin Garrison blames his troubled upbringing on the murders. And after a shocking message from a source, he has reason to believe April Cooper may still be alive. Meanwhile, New York City film columnist Robin Diamond is coping with rising doubts about her husband and terrifying threats from internet trolls. But that's nothing compared to the outrageous phone call she gets from Quentin... and a brutal home invasion that makes her question everything she ever believed in. Is Robin's beloved mother a mass murderer? Is there anyone she can trust?

Told through the eyes of those destroyed by the Inland Empire Killings—including Robin, Quentin, and a fifteen-year-old April Cooper—Never Look Back asks the question:

How well do we really know our parents, our partners—and ourselves?

Ratings and reviews

Never Look Back is the latest novel authored by Alison Gaylin whose previous works include the Brenna Spector series, the Samantha Leiffer novels, and five other stand-alone works. In this simmering suspense novel, Gaylin unwraps a tangled plot involving a series of murders from the 1970’s that is likened to the infamous Bonnie and Clyde sprees of the 1930’s. April Cooper and her boyfriend Gabriel LeRoy were thought to have perished in a fire at a religious compound after evading authorities. Quentin Garrison, whose father and sister were among the couple’s victims, now hosts a podcast about unsolved crimes and is encouraged by his husband and producer to follow up on information that indicates that April may still be alive. As he searches for his own sense of closure, Quentin’s investigation increasingly exposes a simmering rage that he may not be able to control. It leads him to employ some ethically questionable methods as he searches for the murderess he thinks is still at large. His research leads him to a family tied to the cold case, and he becomes the obvious prime suspect when a lethal home invasion occurs. Meanwhile, Quentin’s probing questions impel the connected family’s daughter, Robin, to begin digging herself into her mother’s mysterious past. Never Look Back is rich with a cast of characters that are desperate to protect the ones they love, by keeping secrets and assuming identities to evade discovery. The book is a captivating read, although some readers may have difficulty following the many name and identity changes. Alyson Gaylin knows how to evoke empathy for villains and victims alike, and fans of thrillers will enjoy the experience of following her winding paths. Good for fans of: suspense thrillers; plot twists and complex characters; questions of nature vs.nurture; male/female crime duos; fast-paced novels with a moderate amount of violent content. You may like this book if you liked: Previous works by Gaylin; Bonnie and Clyde books and movies; Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (book and HBO series); The Girls by Emma Cline; fans of Clare Mackintosh, Greer Hendricks, Sophie Hannah. Thanks to Edelweiss Plus and William Morrow for an ARC of this book in return for an unbiased review.

About the author

Alison Gaylin is the USA Today and international bestselling author of thirteen books, including the stand-alones The Collective and If I Die Tonight (winner of the Edgar Award) and the Brenna Spector series: And She Was (winner of the Shamus Award), Into the Dark, and Stay With Me. Nominated for the Edgar four times, she has also been a finalist for numerous awards, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Strand Book Award and the ITW Thriller, Macavity and Anthony Awards. She lives with her husband in Woodstock, New York.