The Day He Never Came Home by Andrew DeYoung
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Web ID: 19876585MAYBE SHE’S ETTER OFF?
THE DAY HE NEVER CAME HOME by Andrew DeYoung left my head spinning. The day before he disappeared, John Peters gifted his wife Regan a lake house paid for in cash and in her name only. With dreams of lounging by the lake with their children Etta, four and 18 month old Philip, Regan is shocked to learn that the FBI is looking for John for developing a Ponzi scheme in his financial advisory profession. She also learns that he has been working with some very dangerous criminals. As agents Armstrong and Torres are pressing Regan for answers, she holds back the information about the lake house, believing it may be the only resource she has left for her children. The twists and turns in this one were definitely fun. As Reagan learned about the past John never spoke of, she learned much about herself along the way, i.e. that she is much more capable than she believed herself to be. The writing was clear and concise which led to an enjoyable read. I could just imagine myself sitting on the patio with the breeze blowing off the lake. While this is my first Andrew DeYoung novel, it will not be my last, I look forward to seeing where he goes next. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Engrossing. Clever. Dazzling!
Andrew DeYoung's dazzling debut, THE DAY HE NEVER CAME HOME, is a riveting domestic suspense about a husband and father's secret life that unravels. With its unexpected twists, this story will keep you turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning, eager to uncover the next revelation. About... Regan Peters is married to John, and they have two children, Etta and Philip. John is a financial advisor who works long hours to provide for his family. The day before John went missing, he bought Regan a lake house as a surprise for her birthday. He even put it in her name. She could go to it when she needed to escape, and he would keep the kids for a relaxing getaway. He was a good man, all things considered. Not perfect, but they had been through their share of storms —the early money troubles, the issues with her family, the strain of caring for the kids, but they had weathered them all. Somehow they found their way together to a safe harbor. Or so Regan thought. However, the tranquility of their life is shattered when the FBI shows up at their home, informing Regan that her husband had been running a Ponzi scheme—a fraud where money from one investor is used to pay off other investors and the person perpetrating the scam also steals money for themselves. (Bernie Madoff) The scheme falls apart when there is not enough new money coming in, and when that happens, the fraudster often disappears with the cash. Several of John's clients had accused him of refusing to return their money when they attempted to withdraw from their funds. FBI Agent Armstrong and Agent Torres are on the case and have reason to believe John stole his client's money. Do they think Regan knew about it? Now, the joint assets will be subject to possible forfeiture and seizure. How could John do this? Does she really know her husband? What about all the people he had stolen money from? What about her family? These questions haunt Reagan, plunging her into a world of uncertainty and fear. John is now missing, and their regular home is being searched. Is he dead? They have yet to learn about the lake house, but they will soon. However, there is a threat from some bigger criminals connected with John and his secretary and the FBI is after him. Reagan is willing to cooperate in any way she can. Everything she thought she knew about her husband was a lie. She was an interior designer and then stayed home to care for the kids since he was doing well. However, now it appears all their assets will be frozen, and she will need to start her own interior design business again. Regan is also hiding some secrets. John left a bag of money, so she assumed he meant it for her to take care of herself and the kids. She is undecided about it for now. Reagan is sharp, intuitive, creative, and smart—not the typical dumb housewife. She may figure out a way out of this fiasco. She also learns more about her husband when she receives a video. There is a crime boss. Is John dead or alive? My thoughts... THE DAY HE NEVER CAME HOME is engrossing and clever, and the author grabs your attention from the first page to the last. This thriller reads differently than a debut—it is twisty, sophisticated, and well-written with great characterization. I loved and read it in one sitting; I could not put it down. A riveting tale and thrill ride about marriage, trust, greed, corruption, and secrets. A twisted original exploration of loyalty, family, and how far we'll go to protect the ones we love. A fast-paced and intense thriller, cleverly broken into three parts, each with its unique point of view: Regan, John, and a combination of both narratives. I loved Reagan's POV and enjoyed her character. She is fearless and resilient; her story is not the typical Bernie Madoff narrative or clueless wife. Of course not as innocent as she pretended to be and quite clever. The author's unexpected twists keep you on the edge of your seat, and Reagan's resilience, courage, creative thinking, and determination give this a nice twist in the face of adversity. Regan and John are well-developed characters who cross moral lines, adding depth and complexity to the novel. John's troubled and insecure past, desperate to escape his life (like Jay Gatsby) and driven by his desperate need for money, prestige, wealth, respect, and security, even if it means resorting to illegal means. His childhood was heartbreaking. This moral ambiguity makes some stop at nothing to bury the truth. Can you ever escape your past? Readers will enjoy learning how the two met, their relationship, and how they got to where they are in the present. Regan learns she is far more capable than she imagined and will do anything to protect herself, her children, and their future. Andrew DeYoung's skill in crafting a compelling, thought-provoking, twisty domestic suspense of moral corruption and betrayal is evident in THE DAY HE NEVER CAME HOME. His ability to keep the reader on the edge of their seat is commendable, making this book highly recommended. I look forward to seeing what comes next. Recs... For fans of Hank Phillippi Ryan, Carter Wilson, Mary Kubica, Christina McDonald, Kimberly Belle, Laura Dave, and Harlan Coben. #JDCMustReadBooks
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Great read
I really liked this book and would recommend checking it out for yourself! It's about a man who always wanted to be rich. He ended up starting a Ponzi Scheme. This thriller is full of shocking twists, and makes you continue to wonder what will happen next. Does anyone catch onto what he is doing? Will he stop before he gets caught? If you want the answers you will have to read this book for yourself!!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Loved it. Wild it is their first domestic thriller
4/5✨ This debut, domestic thriller was VERY addictive with the action starting by chapter 2 with all of the red flags a'flyin' about ol' John. DeYoung did an amazing job describing the strained family dynamics to make you connect and empathize/sympathize no matter your life story. While I love the overall book's multiple POVs and effortless writing, a few things were meh (hints the 4 instead of 5). Again, these are minor and you may like them. I wasn't as invested (pun intended) in John's POV in areas. It had too much wealth management jargon that wasn't needed to understand/appreciate the Ponzi scheme/other fraud happening in the book. This made me skim parts of John's POV and focus on the dialog. I was able to guess the twist(s?) about halfway through the book (which is typical for me and one of the reasons the 4/5 rating was given) BUTTTT this in no way took away from the book overall. I will be looking out for more DeYoung thrillers!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Loved this
Regan misses her husband, John, who works all the time to provide for their family. When he surprised her with a lake house, she starts thinking maybe it’s worth it. John goes into the office to work late that night, but doesn’t return the next morning. Regan is slightly concerned, but it doesn’t become fully realized until the FBI show up at her door, sharing that John is wanted for fraud and nowhere to be found. Regan begins to learn more about John and his business, while trying to figure out where he is and what’s going on. Her priority is to save her family. This was a fun read. I was instantly hooked and didn’t even get car sick reading this on my road trip - that’s how focused I was haha. I found it hard to predict the twists in advance, only realizing them just as they were happening which I appreciated. The middle got slightly repetitive with the dual POV, but I like how it depicted their different perspectives on the same events. The end rounded out with a good resolution, I was pleased reading this one.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Wild ride!
Right from the start, you are thrown into a suspenseful situation. At first, I believed the main FMC had no idea what her husband was doing, but then you get a hint that she might be more aware than it seems. You get the story from her point of view first, so it's easy to fall for that until we are given more information on the MMC. I really enjoyed the sense of mystery that was kept throughout the story, not knowing what was going to happen. I really liked that we got to learn about who the MMC was before he married and why he made some of the decisions that led to the situation at the beginning of the story. Would definitely recommend this book! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc copy!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Riveting page turner
4/5 stars release date 7-9-24 In this complex, thrilling domestic thriller, ideal for lovers of Laura Dave’s, a woman lies to protect her family, and one deception leads to another. What a fantastic book! At first, this book seemed predictable; the reader got the impression that they understood the structure of a traditional thriller and could guess where the story would go. I was mistaken in this assumption! The divergent viewpoints present various angles on the same issue. John’s character is developed well. Is he a jerk or a family man supporting his spouse? There were moments in the novel when I felt like my moral compass changed—after all, don’t you do what you have to if a mafia boss is after you? I had a great time reading this book. and cherished following John’s journey, reflecting on his past, and witnessing his wife Reagan rule the suspenseful sequence. Because a male character assumes the position of narrator and does it brilliantly, the story is unusual
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Excellent thriller
Regan was an unhappy girl who felt that her parents never loved her. John was an unhappy boy with a miserable childhood. When they met, both of their lives changed forever, and what a tangled web they weaved. John wanted nothing more than to make his wife happy, even if he had to cheat and lie to do it. Regan only wanted a family of her own to love and wanted to feel love in return. She found that with John, until he disappeared and the FBI came knocking. Through it all, her love never waivered. This book is a kaleidoscope of intrigue and subtlety. Even though John was a shifty dude, he was very likable and easy to root for. I loved this book and highly recommend it. Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced reader copy.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com