Jeffrey Deaver is a household name concerning thrillers. Here he introduces us to his new protagonist Colter Shaw. Colter is in the business of finding missing people. He is a kind of bounty hunter except that he isnot only after criminals but primarily in finding missing beloved ones. In this first book of what seems to become a new series he arrives in Silicon Valley to look for a missing daughter. The police think she just went off because she had a row with her father. But the father is adamant that this is not the fact. So he offers a reward for finding his daughter. And here comes Colter Shaw into the picture.

Colter is an interesting character with an unusual background. There is also something mysterious in his past about his father. Deaver presents us with his new book a neat thriller. Everything about it works. There is this new and interesting plot about the gaming scene and everything about it in Silicon Valley. And there is Colter with his unusual upbringing. If you are looking for a classic whodunit and a unique profession go for it. You won’t be disappointed.

A good crime novel, interesting angle and very relevant in today's world, some of the themes (computer games, data collection) really make you think, All held together with a really interesting main character in Colter Shaw. I got the impression from the end of the book, that there would be more to come from this character, and I hope I am right!

Thank you for allowing me to review this book.

So we have new private investigator/bounty hunter on the block. Colter Shaw raised in remote California and makes his living (it seems) responding to missing persons ads.

How he lives and where his money comes from is not fully disclosed (next book?), and I was not really taken by him.

The plot on the book leans heavily on the USA gaming industry in Silicon Valley which is complex but the author kept me interested. Apart from enjoyable punchy short well written chapters, I remain not a fan of the author..

Thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read and review,

The Never Game is the first book in Jefferey Deaver's new series and I can't wait to read more. Shaw is a really interesting character and as well as the main plot to the story his own personal back ground starts to build up too. Its a very clever story with lots of sub plots. I love Jeffrey Deaver's books and this one does not disappoint, Looking forward to the next one already.

More twists than a turkey twizzler! An incredibly thrilling read. Every time I thought that I had it all sussed out, I was wrong. Colter Shaw is a wonderfully multi-faceted character and I look forward to hearing more from him as the series progresses.

Previously published on TBGWP.

MY THOUGHTS:
Jeffery Deaver is such a huge name in the thriller genre that it's hard not to have heard of him and his work. I shamefully however, have never read one of his books. Well, I have now obviously, but you get what I mean.

The Never Game is the start a brand new investigative series starring survivalist Colton Shaw. Shaw a very clever and self-aware man makes a living by helping out on missing people cases that offer monetary rewards. We are introduced and given little flashbacks into his life over the years to let us start to build up a relationship with him. I found him to be very endearing and I am really excited to move onto the next chapter and find out more about him. He is an original and refreshing protagonist, which is something we actually needed in this genre without realising.

Plot wise I can't fault The Never Game. A strategic and intense line leading to an unforgettable and solid bomb. Carefully researched and superbly written. It shoves us into the gaming industry with its underlying darkness and one very dangerous criminal. One who puts his victims into survival scenarios based on a game millions are playing online called The Mystery Man.

Now, this, I actually worried about. I'm not a gamer, I know nothing of the gamer life or games themselves. Yes, I may have teenage boys who own every console available and are big into the gaming world, but my knowledge on the subject is very minimalistic. I think a lot of people will get wary of this and it may put them off from reading. For me though I didn't need to worry. Deaver has researched well and gives us step-by-step information to help us along our way into this unknown technological world. In fact, I learned a bit about it too. My kids think I'm stupid and looked at me strangely when I thought I was able to communicate with them about it, but obviously not and I still know nothing🤦🏻‍♀️😂

No, honestly it's fine. Do not be put off by it.

All in all I recommend this book to you 100% it is raw, emotional, complex and extremely excitingly deceptive. It's super fast-paced and grips dangerously hard from the off. The twists are there in full to throw you off and the suspense is an absolute killer.

I could not put it down at all! No lie, the only time I did was to go and make a cup of tea when it got a bit slow in the middle. It certainly picked back up though and the double plot intertwined gracefully and dramatic. It's one of those reads were you think you're clever and see what's going on and to happen only to end up getting your eye wiped so hard and bad you end up with a bloody sty!

Go read it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5

I am a huge Jeffery Deaver fan and really looked forward to reading this book, I was not disappointed.

Book opens with Colter Shaw in a dangerous situation, trying to rescue a 7 1/2 month pregnant lady from a boat, the book then takes you to a few days previously and the start of the start of the story.

Colter Shaw is a rewardist, he looks for people when there is a reward offered. He is asked by Frank Mulliner to look for his daughter Sophie who appears to have gone missing after a fight at home, but the disappearance points to something more sinister.

A highly enjoyable start to hopefully a series, Colter Shaw is a character I enjoyed very much, home taught with parents who do not conform to the norm, his father seems to have died under suspicious circumstances many years ago, called an accident/suicide, Colter is convinced he was murdered, possibly by his older brother and Colter is also investigating this.

Had an issue with the formatting, with words blending into each other, which did make some of the book hard to f0llow in parts.

Highly recommended, a real roller coaster ride

A new Jeffrey Deaver book is always an exciting proposition. The Never Game showcases the author’s trademark strong characterisation.Based in California this fast paced novel has many twists and turns as it has colourful characters. Colter Shaw is a driven loner with strong survival skills who operates as an independent investigator who has uncanny knack of solving difficult cases, and is always one step ahead of the police. This story explores the lucrative virtual gaming world which takes a sinister turn impacting on reality. Throughout this book Shaw’s father’s influence permeates and steers his actions and responses. Deaver is the master of detail and pace and sucks you in to the very end. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC.

A good well thought through murder drama . A bit of a change of direction for this author , basing this around computer games with the perpetrator acting out in real life the different levels of the game he has based it on . A good investigative story , also brings up the possible amount of data which could possibly be harvested by the manufacturers of these games and also fed to their governments .

I must confess to being slightly disappointed with this. I have previously read 'The Coffin Dancer' by Jeffery Deaver and I loved it but this was not up to the same high standard.

Beware Spoilers:

This is the story of Colter Shaw, a 'reward seeker' - or to be plainer, someone who finds missing people for rewards. Colter grew up on a compound in the middle of nowhere where he was taught the art of survival and tracking, skills he uses in his job, by his parents. As well as the main story of finding the missing people in this little tale he is also trying to find out what secret his father was hiding - a mystery that runs alongside the main story but is touched on so very rarely that it mostly gets forgotten.

So, this novel mixes missing people and the gaming industry. The person who is kidnapping the people is basing it on the levels of an computer game. As someone who is new to the gaming industry, Colter needs all the help he can get and this help comes along in the form of a mysterious girl gamer who teaches Colter all he needs to know about computers and gaming. Colter solves the first mystery on his first day of looking - the police can't have looked that hard as the girl was virtually under their nose, but the other kidnappings take longer to solver.

I was disappointed with the end as, literally out of nowhere, the story is really suddenly wrapped up, case closed, mystery solved and that felt unrealistic and disappointing - surely it shouldn't be that easy.

I am prepared to give this a chance as it is the beginning of a new series of books and sometimes these things take a bit of time to find their feet, but from someone of Deaver's quality and experience it is a bit of a let down. However, don't be put off as it is still worth a read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A really good detective murder mystery set in modern day. The main character, Detective Colter Shaw, is to learn increasingly more about the world of gaming as he attempts to solve and hopefully prevent more murders. Thankfully for me, a non-gamer, Deaver uses Shaw's own limited knowledge of gaming to ensure the reader is given enough background information to become involved.
Of course Deaver provides enough suspicion along the way to have you thinking you have the whole thing solved and then he gives everything that little extra twist and your theory is blown out of the window.
A definite recommend for fans of Deaver and Detective Murders.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Gaming is a major theme of this detailed, fast-paced thriller. The book corresponds to levels in a video game, starting at level three, with a tense, action-filled, seemingly desperate rescue, and then moving back two days to level one, and the first disappearance. The story progresses through each level in the two days preceding the rescue, with pertinent flashbacks to level three, and historical interludes, to give the reader insight in Colter Shaw, his upbringing, and what motivates his constant restlessness.

Colter Shaw, a man of many talents, who sometimes searches for missing people, good or bad for the reward offered. He had a unique upbringing, off the grid, by loving parents. His parents choice of lifestyle to bring up their children is odd, given that they lived mainstream, and were respected academics, but as the story progresses you realise that they had their reasons.

Colter is searching for answers to his own personal dilemmas, and these are part of this first story, but although some clues are given, the mystery and questions remain, for the next books in the series. Colter is an intelligent investigator, who lives by a set of rules, drilled into him by his father. He is complex, compassionate, clever and easy to like.

The plot is pacy and has plenty of twists, there are political undertones to the story and a detailed understanding of the popularity of gaming and its impact on twenty-first-century society. Don’t be put off, if you are not a devotee of gaming, I’m not, but whilst it is integral to the story, it doesn’t take over, the mystery and the suspense are front and centre and these are addictive and engaging.

‘The Never Game’, is easy to read, with an enigmatic protagonist, and an exciting plot.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Collins UK - Harper Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I have a huge and very embarrassing confession to make. Although I have all of Jeffery Deaver's books on my ever increasing 'To Be Read' mountain, I haven't actually read one of them yet. I fully intended to read them but I just haven't had the time....until now that is because I have literally just finished reading his latest book called 'The Never Game'. In every negative there is a positive though because now I have discovered how much I enjoy Jeffery's work, I can guarantee that his other books will not be on that 'TBR' mountain for very much longer.
I wasn't exactly sure how to take Colter Shaw and I found him a little hard to warm to. He's one of the most unique investigators that I think I have come across. He is a sort of bounty hunter in that he goes after the cases which promise a reward. I did wonder if he was a money grabber and that he wasn't bothered about his cases. As the book continued and I got to know Shaw a bit better, I realised that yes the money might be what first attracts him to a case but he genuinely cares about those he tries to find. Don't call him a private investigator though because he will not hesitate to put you straight. Shaw has a knack of being able to get information from people who would not necessarily talk to an investigator- either police or private. Shaw is a determined, stubborn, highly intelligent, sneaky, crafty, feisty man. Shaw also puts everything he has into a case and he has a way of getting results.
Oh my word, 'The Never Game' was a really interesting read and a fantastic introduction to Jeffery's work. I was hooked from the moment I read the first sentence and woe betide anybody who tried to prise the book out of my hands because they would have been given short, sharp shrift. I found 'The Never Game' to be simply unputdownable. The book wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me. The book seemed to have a hold over me and I feared that if I put the book down for just a second I might miss something or I might break the hold the book had over me. I seemed to charge through the book but I was so focused on the story, the characters and the storylines so much that I noticed neither the speed with which the time was passing nor the speed with which the pages were turning. I was stunned to reach the end of the book far quicker than I had anticipated.
For me, 'The Never Game' is brilliantly written. The author grabs your attention from the start and he dangles enough bait to keep your interest and to keep you on your toes all the way through the book. That's what happened to me anyway. The author's writing style is easy to get along with and easy to get used to. He uses such powerful and vivid descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself- sort of like Shaw's right hand woman. I found that I was looking for little clues myself and I found that I began to interact with the book. Before anybody jumps and tries to remind me that 'The Never Game' is a work of fiction, yes I know all that but if I enjoy reading a book as much as I enjoyed 'The Never Game', I tend to live the story as if it is real.
Reading 'The Never Game' felt like being on a rather scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns than you would find on a 'Snakes & Ladders' board. On a couple of occasions, I smugly thought that I had fathomed out who had done what and why, only to be thrown a curve ball and I realised that I had got the wrong end of the stick and I was sent down another path entirely.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Never Game' and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I can't wait to read the next book in the Colter Shaw series. I will most definitely be reading Jeffery's other books just as soon as I can. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

I cannot believe I've never read Jeffery Deaver before now. I've read much of Lee Child, Harlan Coban every John Grisham book. I found this story totally gripping. I limit my reading to last thing at night and first thing in the morning in bed so it was really difficult to put it down and get on with other things. I thought I had worked out what was going on and who was the Whispering Man but I was way off the mark. The action is set in Silicon Valley (SV), the book is full of acronyms and cop speak. The hero is Colter Shaw who was raised by Survivalist parents in the back of beyond. Shaw exists by finding people who have gone missing and a reward offered for their recovery - alive if possible. Enjoy the read.

Unfortunately, I couldn't read it as all the words were merged into one!

Thank you though for approving in the first place. I gave it one star but only because I couldn't read it. Nothing to do with the story etc.

I just couldn't get along with this book. I set it down and picked it up again at least 3 times, but to no avail.

Jeffrey Deaver introduces us to the new type of justice fighter in the reward seeking Colter Shaw.
If one had to draw up a blueprint of what a series introductory novel should follow, then this book would surely have ticked every single box. Colter is a complex character with a mysterious background which creates the thread of intrigue that holds the series together. Combine that with a great plot, enjoyable characters and what is just brilliant captivating writing and you’re in for a great journey.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a review copy.

An excellent story. Colter Shaw is a new character, and I hope there will be at least a few books about him. He is a bit eccentric, due to the circumstances of his childhood. He was home-schooled, but that included learning great survival skills. He doesn’t do much with computers, he writes everything down, in beautiful handwriting. For everything he does he works out the percentages of various results, starts with the highest percentage and works his way down the list.

He has an unusual job, he finds missing people for offered rewards, but he isn’t a bounty hunter. He takes jobs that interest him, and rarely the ones with huge rewards offered by police or state. He usually goes for the ones where the police have shown no interest, and the family are desperate. Even when he gets the reward he might suggest payment terms, so much a month until it is paid off, if he doesn’t think the person can really afford to pay a lump sum.

This story centres round the gaming industry. Someone is kidnapping people and putting them in terrible positions where they might have the opportunity to escape if they know how to use the five objects left for them. However the kidnapper returns to kill them after a short time. This is based on a particular game, the kidnapper leaves his victims in places like the game scenes, in the order they come in the game.

The story is fast paced and exciting as Colter and Standish, the detective he is helping, get closer to the murderer. It turns out to be a very devious plot! There is also a back story going on, personal to Colter, and that is interesting and will doubtless continue through any more Colter Shaw stories.

An excellent story, well worth reading.

Thanks to Net Galley and Harper UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
Iv been a big fan of Jeffrey Deaver Books for many years and in particular those featuring Lincoln Rhyme.
Deaver’s new main character is Colter Shaw, who makes a living earning the rewards for missing persons. A student goes missing and Colter is keen to earn the $10,000 reward money, he suspects the girl Sophie has been kidnapped, it doesn’t take long to find her, but that’s only the start of the story.
The read was spoiled somewhat as many typo errors in the ARC making it difficult to follow sometimes. The plot is also featured around video gaming which I have no interest in.
Well written as all Deaver books are but this one was not a big hit with me, would however read more featuring Colter Shaw.

It has been many years since I first fell in love with a Jeffery Deaver book. It was the first Lincoln Rhyme book “The Bone Collector”. I loved it & was gripped from start to finish. I read several more following that I also enjoyed and consequently had high hopes for this book. Thankfully my hopes were fulfilled and Jeffery Deaver did not let me down.

This seems to be the start of a new series – at least I sincerely hope so. Colter Shaw solves puzzles for a living – usually rewards for finding missing people or wanted criminals. He is a clever man with an unusual background. He is trained in survival skills but is also very human. As a new protagonist in a series of books he was excellent – clever but able to make mistakes. Focused but also human.

There are two main plots in this book. There is the long running plot which I can see being a link between the books. A long term personal project that Colter wishes to solve. There is also the short term puzzle that is the main focus of this book. A girl has been kidnapped but there has been no ransom demand. The police don’t seem particularly interested.

I was totally gripped by this book and it took a lot of will power not to have a very late night to finish it. It had great characters – the police officer LaDonna and the gamer Maddie provided strong female roles. The plot was clever & thorough. I didn’t spot any holes. My only query really is “When is the next one due out?”.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.