9780062844569
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Never Look Back audiobook

  • By: Alison Gaylin
  • Narrator: Jorjeana Marie
  • Category: Crime, Fiction, Thrillers
  • Length: 10 hours 31 minutes
  • Publisher: HarperAudio
  • Publish date: July 02, 2019
  • Language: English
  • (1593 ratings)
(1593 ratings)
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Never Look Back Audiobook Summary

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?

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Never Look Back Audiobook Narrator

Jorjeana Marie is the narrator of Never Look Back audiobook that was written by Alison Gaylin

Alison Gaylin is the author of the Edgar-nominated thriller Hide Your Eyes and its sequel You Kill Me, the stand-alone Edgar-nominated What Remains of Me, and the Brenna Spector series: And She Was (winner of the Shamus Award), Into the Dark, and the Edgar-nominated Stay With Me. A graduate of Northwestern University and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, she lives with her husband and daughter in Woodstock, New York.

About the Author(s) of Never Look Back

Alison Gaylin is the author of Never Look Back

Never Look Back Full Details

Narrator Jorjeana Marie
Length 10 hours 31 minutes
Author Alison Gaylin
Category
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date July 02, 2019
ISBN 9780062844569

Subjects

The publisher of the Never Look Back is HarperAudio. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Crime, Fiction, Thrillers

Additional info

The publisher of the Never Look Back is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780062844569.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Deanna

August 07, 2019

My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...What a fantastic read!!!!“Never Look Back” started off strong and stayed strong. With no shortage of drama and suspense, this gripping page-turner held my attention until I turned the very last page.June 1976:April Cooper is working on an assignment for her ninth-grade Social Studies class. The assignment is “A Letter to My Future Child”. The students are supposed to talk about their lives and predict what the world might be like in the year 2000. At first, April was excited about this assignment, but now EVERYTHING has changed. She knows she won’t be able to turn it in… “School is out in less than a week. And one way or another, I will be gone by sunrise.”The assignment turns into a diary of sorts as April continues to write to Aurora Grace, the daughter she hopes to have one day. April tries to imagine what that life might be like, “when everything is better”. April had returned from school earlier that day when she heard what sounded like gunshots. She knew that something terrible happened. Present Day:Quentin Garrish is the co-host of a popular true-crime podcast. He’s working on a new podcast. “Closure” is about teenager killers, April Cooper and Gabriel LeRoy also known as the Inland Empire Killers. Forty years ago the teens went on a rampage and killed a dozen people in Southern California. Gabriel and April’s reign of terror ended when they died in a fire. Well, that is what MOST people believe.This podcast will be different from other podcasts Quentin has been a part of. This time it’s personal.What is Quentin’s connection to these horrible crimes?After a disastrous interview, Quentin considers canceling the podcast but changes his mind after he and Summer meet with a new source who tells them one hell of a story.Could what this person is saying be true? Robin Diamond is a film columnist in New York City. Robin receives a call from Quentin who explains that he is working on a podcast about the Inland Empire Killers. He tells Robin he would really like to get in touch with her mother and asks if she will do him just one favor…“Ask your mother about April Cooper. Ask her if she’s ever heard of her.”Robin doesn’t realize just how much this phone call will change her life. I REALLY enjoyed this compulsive and thrilling read from Alison Gaylin!The majority of the story is told from Quentin and Robin’s point of view, but a good portion of the story is also told through April Cooper’s letters. These letters are interspersed throughout the novel and we learn more about April’s life, her relationship with Gabriel, and details of what happened during the pairs crime spree.With its complex plot, well-developed characters, and well-timed revelations, this psychological suspense novel was EXTREMELY hard to put down.An addictive and gripping story about family, murder, and deception, that I highly recommend! I'd like to thank William Morrow for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

Berit Talks Books

February 09, 2020

BEST THRILLER of the SUMMER!!!Alison Gaylin completely sucked me in with this tense absorbing dark story. 1976 California the Inland Empire ( fun fact is where I live). Two teenagers go on a killing spree that ends with them both dying in a fire. Present day quinton a crime podcaster is investigating these serial killers whose actions had a direct impact on his life. In the course of his investigation he happens across a film journalist living in New England who also has a tie to the story. What transpires is a tents and disturbing search for the truth. The book is told from the perspective of Quinton, Robin, and a young April Cooper (one of the teenagers). I found each of these characters perspectives unique and compelling. Aprils story was told to us in letters written to her future child, this was both chilling and endearing. Not going to lie I really liked April as well as Quinton and Robin and as things began to unravel I was shocked. This was a book that really made you question how well do you know the people in your life? Your parents? Your significant other? Your coworker? And the twists kept coming! As soon as I thought aha I got this figured out the book slammed me and said not so fast inspector Berit! This was just a brilliantly told story that kept me invested and on the edge from first page to last! If you love thrillers, books about serial killers, crime podcasts then this is a can’t miss!🎧🎧🎧Narrated by: Jorjeana Marie, James FouheyBoth narrators did a wonderful job with the narration of the story. As always getting a voice to extremely well develop characters just adds another dimension to the story. You can listen to the narrator’s as they present this scripted podcast of what Quinton was working on during this book.https://m.soundcloud.com/harperaudio_...*** Big thanks to William Morrow for my copy of this book ***

NZLisaM

June 09, 2019

Five Stars all the Way!In June 1976, teenage couple, April Cooper and Gabriel LeRoy went on a 13 day killing spree in California, ending in them both perishing in a fire. Quentin Garrison is working on a podcast called Closure, based on the idea that even though the murders occurred more than forty years ago they still impact the lives of the survivors and their descendants. And, Quentin is one of them – his aunt was one of the victims. Film columnist, Robin Diamond receives a strange phone call from Quentin. He's been contacted by a man claiming to have recognised her mother, Renee, from a Mother's Day video Robin posted for her column. The witness is convinced that Renee is April Cooper, that he knew her personally after she was presumed dead in a fire. Robin dismisses the notion as preposterous, but soon after her parents are victims of a home invasion. Could Renee Diamond really be notorious serial killer April Cooper?Quentin and Robin each conduct their own investigations, determined to get to the truth. But doing so, will place their own lives in danger.Tense, horrifying, fast-paced, and emotionally affecting, I quickly devoured this psychological suspenseful read. There were twists aplenty, and they keep on coming until the last page. Protagonists, Quinten and Robin, narrated the present, with the 1976 events unfolding via chilling, journal-style, "Letters to my Future Child", written by April Cooper. The opening pages, April's first entry, a written assignment for her freshman social studies class, hooked me immediately, and chapter two in Quentin's POV quickly endeared me to his character, and I felt the same way when Robin was introduced. The premise reminded me a of a novel I read last year, but that's where the similarities ended, this one was a lot better.Content wise, there is nothing overly graphic or gruesome, no blow-by-blow of the murders April and Gabriel committed together. Instead, April's journals focus on her destructive and controlling, co-dependent relationship with Gabriel, and her secretive nature. I was expecting more of a focus on the podcast aspect, but the fact that there wasn't didn't make me feel like there was anything missing. Alison Gaylin's 2018 novel, If I Die Tonight, was a huge hit for me, and Never Look Back will likely make my 2019, end-of-year, top favourites list. This one's out 2nd July, 2019, so make sure to mark your calendars, as it's not to be missed.I'd like to thank Edelweiss, William Morrow Paperbacks, and Alison Gaylin for the e-ARC.

DJ

July 16, 2019

Favorite Quotes:When someone is that close, you don’t just hear a whisper. You feel it.She clutched a skittish little terrier in her arms that yapped and yapped, as though it had been born into the wrong life and was desperately trying to alert the world about it.And then I saw it happen: Officer Nelligan recognized us. I knew it before he said anything, just in the way he stopped talking, the way his back straightened, and he seemed to change shape, growing bigger and taller and meaner than he’d been just two seconds earlier. I pictured buttons popping on his uniform, his rage turning him into a giant, a monster that could, would kill Gabriel and me… Time froze into a still photograph. I was standing at one end of a tunnel and Officer Nelligan was at the other and there was no one else in the world but the two of us.I think that spending all this time with Gabriel has made me turn a little, like when you leave a glass of milk out in the sun… Every day, I will do something good for a person or an animal. I won’t go to sleep until I’ve made someone’s life better. And all those good deeds will turn me back.Life rides some of us harder than others.The sky here is so beautiful— like someone spilled a jar of silver glitter over a black velvet cape.Summer glanced up to see the waitress standing over her, a look in her eye like they’d drawn straws back in the kitchen and she was the loser.My Review:After reading If I Die Tonight, I was aware of Ms. Gaylin’s uniquely devious style of slowly weaving seemingly unrelated yet mind-tickling events together into an ingeniously intriguing and complex tale of tragedy and secret lives. The characters were compelling yet deeply damaged and brimming with recalcitrant secrets and incongruence. The storylines were diabolically captivating and maddeningly paced, keeping my curiosity on a sharp edge. And to my unbridled delight, the last hundred pages exploded with twist after twist, it was brilliant. Alison Gaylin is an exceptional talent and has mad skills, but I can’t help but feel a bit fearful for her neighbors…

Kristy

December 31, 2019

For Quentin Garrison, his podcast, entitled Closure, is truly about just that--closure. It centers on a series of murders in the 1970s committed by teens Gabriel LeRoy and April Cooper. The victims included Quentin's mother's little sister and his grandmother. As a result, Quentin has spent most of his life raised by a neglectful, drug addict mom. For Robin Diamond, a columnist, the podcast causes only confusion. When Quentin contacts her about it, asking specifically about April Cooper and tying her to Robin's own mother, Robin is bewildered. But the more she delves into the murders, the more she starts to wonder. Then there's a terrible home invasion at her parent's house, killing her father and leaving her mom unconscious. What exactly happened back in the '70s--and, now, in the home invasion? This was an excellent thriller that had me hooked from the first page. It's dark, gritty, and utterly mesmerizing. When I started it, I was thinking to myself, not another podcast mystery, but little did I know... this book is totally addictive and brings in the podcast element in a seamless, fresh way. It's told from the perspective of several of our main characters--particularly Robin and Quentin. We also get excerpts from a school assignment of April's when she was fifteen: letters to her future child. These slowly reveal what happened during the killings, and they are told in a spot-on voice of a fifteen-year-old girl. The way everything is woven together is perfect: I found myself completely captivated and read basically the last half of the book in one breathless setting, staying up past my bedtime to finish it. We learn that both Gabriel and April died in a fire at the site of their last attempted murder. So when Quentin receives a tip claiming that April Cooper is still alive, it changes everything, including the focus of his podcast. When he starts to believe that Robin's mother is April, things get even more interesting. I loved the suspense--constantly wondering if April was alive and if she was, who she could be. And then, there's the aspect of was April "good" or "bad" during the killings. So many people blamed her for the deaths of their loved ones, and nothing is black or white in this book. Even Quentin. Since his past is strongly affected by the murders, we find ourselves wondering if we can trust him, too. Quentin's grandfather basically gave up raising his daughter, Kate--Quentin's mother--after the death of his wife and young daughter. As such, Quentin's own mother wasn't much of a parent to him. Quentin's own bitterness and anger shines through--a strong theme in the book. Can we rely on someone so angry, we wonder? I felt for him, and his devoted husband and loving best friend and podcast partner. So many of the characters are intense, and each is so well-crafted and unique. Each flew off the page. This is often a dark book, and there are many scenes of violence. But, for me, it was the emotional scenes that were the toughest to read. There are many touching moments, too, and I found myself attached to several of the characters. Reading young April's letters was quite a feat. Gaylin is such an excellent writer, and she just pulls you into the story so effortlessly--you feel as if you are there with her characters. Throw in some great twists and turns and this is an excellent and suspenseful novel. The ending was a tough one, but I get it. Overall, I really enjoyed this dark psychological thriller. I am just loving Gaylin's recent books and need to go back and read some of her previous works (there's a little Brenna Spector shoutout in this one for those of you who are fans). Definitely recommend! 4.5 stars. I received a copy of this book from William Morrow and Edelweiss in return for an honest review. Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ PaperBackSwap ~ Smashbomb

Julie (JuJu)

September 06, 2019

A dark...brutal....thrilling nightmare! Wow...I have been missing out! Alison Gaylin is top notch and knows how to throw in some surprising twists. I’m a fan of this extremely talented writer!The more I read, the more questions I had. Since this was a buddy read, I wrote down my thoughts and questions. On paper, it sounded like a soap opera, lol! But it definitely didn’t read like one. Thank you to Goodreads, William Morrow and Alison Gaylin for this ARC, received through a Goodreads Giveaway, in exchange for my honest review!Lies and betrayal, between complex characters, interlaced through painful secrets and events. By destiny or misfortune? I’m not sure. April and Gabriel, two young teenagers, on a killing spree in the 70’s, that ends with both dying. During this time, April writes letters to her future daughter. Robin is a website columnist and film reviewer. Her father is a forensic psychiatrist. Her mother doesn’t work, but volunteers her time and loves helping others.Quentin is a true-crime podcaster, who is doing a podcast on the 70’s killing spree. He thinks April is still alive and living under another name. He also has a personal connection to the crimes. The book is told from Quentin and Robin’s POV, in addition to the letters April wrote to Aurora Grace. The letters were my favorite part! And April and Robin were my favorite characters.Thank you Ceecee for being such a great buddy read partner!My Rating: 4.25 ⭐️’s Published: July 2nd 2019 by William Morrow PaperbacksPages: 368Recommend: Yes

Ceecee

September 16, 2019

Teenagers Gabriel and former girlfriend April Cooper go on a killing spree in 1976 in California. Both were thought to have died in a religious compound but is April still alive and assuming another persona? Quentin Sharkey, a journalist investigates these killings as they have have links to his mother. The book starts well and the story unravels effortlessly and keeps my interest. Part is narrative in the present day and the other part of the storytelling is letters written by April to her future daughter during the killings. This is a useful technique as we see into April’s mind although I feel that she is not truthful, she diverts blame to Gabriel and yet she is clearly as monstrous and they are full of contractions. Towards the end, I question the purpose of the letters and the plot seems to get very convoluted and so hence 4 rather than 5 stars. On the whole, it’s a good story, full of twists and turns, with interesting characters.

Dennis

June 27, 2019

Alison Gaylin, you are an amazing writer. Kudos to writing such a beautifully told mystery/thriller— Never Look Back is a fun, dark, ride! In the same vein as the podcast Serial or the Six Stories series by Matt Wesolowski, we are taken on a podcaster's journey to find the truth. Quentin Garrison has begun producing his podcast, Closure, where it will center around murderous couple April Cooper and Gabriel LeRoy—a duo that invoked multiple murders during the 1970s, including April's own father! Without giving much away, Quentin and his partner Summer investigate the murder closely and he stumbles over mysterious footage linking the murders to another woman—a woman still alive to this day—to these crimes. Quentin reaches out to Robin Diamond, daughter of this mysterious woman, to find out more information linking the puzzle pieces of this mystery together. Robin is hesitant to believe Quentin at first, but as the story begins to unravel, Robin can't help but see similarities. What Quentin and Robin are about to uncover will shock everyone. Never Look Back is definitely one of the best told mysteries that I've read this year. I was completely gripped from the first chapter, and I couldn't put this book down. I really enjoyed reading Quentin and Robin's point of views, and I was curious to see how the story would unfold. Alison Gaylin gets right to the point with this story—no fluff or secondary plot holes thrown in to keep the story going. Action-packed from the beginning, this story is fast and direct. It's focused on a centralized story and each page continues to craft that mystery further. In fact, I would have probably given this book 5 stars, but I felt that it was more predictable than I would've liked. I was able to figure out the ending about halfway into the story, but even as I was figuring the story out, I still couldn't put it down. Alison Gaylin is a new author for me, but Never Look Back will not be the last book I read from her.

Tucker

May 24, 2020

Many thanks to William Morrow for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review Holy moly... that was a rollercoaster!From the first chapter, I was invested. This book perfectly hit every bit beat. I was fully invested in the characters (especially the gay one -oop). The ending was so tense and I absolutely loved it! Overall, a thrilling novel that I'd highly recommend!--------------Wow that ending | Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram

Mandy

December 07, 2019

Really enjoyed this even though I guessed the ending. Liked the way it jumped between the past and the present.

Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede

July 19, 2019

Website columnist Robin Diamond is shocked when crime podcast producer Quentin Garrison contacts her and implies that Robin's mother was involved in a couple of murders back in the 70s. Robin is quite sure that this is impossible, but she can't help wondering why she knows so little about her mother's past. There is no way her mother could have participated in a murder spree. And, beside both killers are dead, so there is no way her mother could be a killer. Then, tragedy strikes when someone breaks in and shots both her parents. Could this have something to do with the old murder case?READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

Holly

July 14, 2019

So good!!!!

Jamie Rosenblit

June 27, 2019

I became a huge fan of Alison Gaylin's when I read her novel What Remains of Me, my adoration only grew when I read If I Die Tonight and now, Never Look Back has turned me into a raving super-fan. Gaylin does an excellent job of driving the plot, creating true suspense and tension and not meandering from the story at hand. Told in dual timelines, we learn about teenage murderers April Cooper and Gabriel LeRoy, via April's journal. In present day, we learn that podcast host Quentin Garrison thinks Cooper may be alive and seeks out the truth, bringing us to chapters with Robin Diamond, a celebrity pop culture columnist. Each perspective brings it's own unique voice and drives the plot forward. Gaylin in an extremely talented voice in a genre that is over-saturated at the moment and truly stands out in the crowd. I have yet to rate any of her novels lower than 5 stars and this one certainly fits that bill as well. Thank you to William Morrow for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Amy

January 14, 2020

** spoiler alert ** I won this book in exchange for an honest review.Mild spoiler alert...not specific spoilers, however there are a few suggestive remarks in my review so I added the warning to be safe!4.5 stars for this one! I actually really enjoyed this read! I got swept up into the complicated story line and was constantly trying to remember specific details to keep the amateur detective in me satisfied. I was definitely surprised by some of the events, but some were really predictable. I knew something was up with “Nicola” right from the moment she was introduced to us! All in all an awesome book that pulls you in right away and keeps you guessing until the very end!

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