Jeffery Deaver is the master of mis-direct and twisty. Time and again the reader (and the characters) thinks they have it all worked out, not so. In all his books he creates unique, plausible characters who you care about. He also describes industries and settings in such a way that you are gripped by things you might previously have thought you had no interest in and this serves to make you understand obsessions and motivations of both heroes and villains. Don't start this book unless you have
time to finish it as you will not want to put it down. Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for providing me with this free ARC which I greatly enjoyed.

"The Never Game" is the first in a brand new investigative series written by renowned thriller writer Jeffrey Deaver and featuring a fabulous new character 'Colter Shaw'. Shaw is an itinerant 'reward-seeker', someone who finds missing people in return for the reward money and makes a refreshing change to the run of the mill, private investigator/bounty hunter stories that normally relate in the hunt for missing persons. Shaw is an exceedingly well developed character and Deaver's precise attention to detail is totally remarkable and unlike any other author indeed. The descriptions of the locations featuring in the story allow for perfect clarity of vision and the way the story is told in such immense detail, you immediately feel a part of the intriguing story and know exactly what is going on in each intelligently written chapter.
There's plenty of information on Shaw's background to keep you intrigued and I look forward to learning more about him in future books. He’s a trained survivalist (not ex cop or military), quietly spoken, strong both mentally and physically, has personal standards, empathy and respects other people regardless of their stature. His trademark way of attempting to solve crimes and dangerous situations by assessing percentages relating to each circumstance is very clever and typical of a Deaver character.
Jeffrey Deaver really is one of the best thriller writers in town and I have personally been a fan of his intellectual crime stories for many, many years. I suspect Colter Shaw will be another iconic character like the author’s other very successful character - Lincoln Rhymes- and I look forward immensely to following this series further.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5

I thoroughly enjoyed this book with its complex plot and engaging characters. It also offered something of an insight into the video gaming industry, past and present, and took a realistic look at where things might be heading.

The book introduces a fascinating new character called Colton Shaw, raised in the wilderness by survivalist yet academic parents. As a result, Colton has unique skills and insights which make him ideal for his chosen career as a finder of missing persons and reward hunter. His character is the best thing about this book - he has a heart and morals, but is quite able to take decisive action and deal with the bad guys as necessary. He's an expert tracker and knows a lot about forensics and psychology.

There is a very strong sub-plot about Colton's father - how and why he died, and the big secret he took with him, leaving only clues. So much more to be revealed! I'd happily read the next in the series as it's so intriguing.

Having read Captivated, the introduction to this series with Colter Shaw as the main character. My apologies to Mr Deaver but Colter Shaw is no match for his previous books.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher HarperCollins UK for the ARC.
This was a fascinating and enjoyable read and so glad this is a start of a series - it's going to be just soooooo good!
Colter Shaw is a man of (as yet) undisclosed private means. He earns money by finding people in return for offered rewards - but he has a heart and a certain integrity which means he'll accept lengthy payment plans or waive a reward entirely if he feels it's the right thing to do. Raised on a vast 'compound' by previously academic but turned-survivalist parents with his brother and sister, Colt has been trained in bush-craft and wilderness survival skills by his father Ashton. He now travels the country in his RV pursuing any investigation taking his interest, but with a unique skill of assigning percentages to the likelihood of actions and scenarios.

It all begins to kick-off in Silicon Valley where a 19yr-old student, Sophie Mulliner, has been abducted. Her father, Frank, has offered a $10,000 reward. A keen bike-rider, she was last seen at a local café where, like everyone in Silicon Valley, customers are glued to their laptops. With the police not appearing to investigate Colt does their job for them, ultimately leading to an abandoned warehouse.
In the same area another kidnapping takes place, of a blogger; now working closely with the police, Colt's investigation leads this time to a forested area.
A further kidnapping occurs, leading to a slowly-sinking ship in the harbour.

We are led through twists, turns and red-herrings and taken into the world of computer gaming, fake news and possible election-rigging. We really get the picture of gaming-obsessed people, the tech giants who produce them and the amount of money involved.

What's the connection between the kidnappings and the provision of specific helpful items at each scene? Can Colt get it worked-out to avoid a death?

A mystery of a back-story is also developed around the death of Colt's father Ashton, and I'm certainly looking forward to being able to follow that through in the future series.

Yes, I really like Colt Shaw and his unique mind.

Big fan of Jeffrey Deaver, but this copy must be in the very early stages. The number of spelling and grammar mistakes and the randomness to the line spacing on the first few pages has put me off already. I’d rather wait for the final issue to be released.