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The Never List- first, let’s look at the cover- the cover definitely tells that there is something creepy about this book (because, the title- could be taken in 2 ways-fun & lighthearted or creepy). The cover lets readers know what side this book is on!

Sarah and Jennifer-BFF, like peanut butter and jelly, they are 2 peas in a pod. Together they coin a list, called The Never List. This list has all the things they should not do for safety’s sake.  One day, the girls are in a car crash- and this crash has everlasting effects. Both still adhere to The Never List- but after surviving a crash like that- one could think that is the worst thing they will face,

One would be wrong, though.

The girls are in college, still keeping up with The Never List- but college life begins to lull them into a sense of security- and the wanting to fit in, to be a carefree college student is a hard temptation to resist. One night, the girls, Jennifer and Sarah go to a party. Being planners, they make sure to have a way to get home- a safe way. Except, this time their careful planning is for nil. Jennifer and Sarah are being taken, against their will, and when they wake up, they are in a dark, cellar. With other women. Chained.

Their captor plays mind games- and one night, Jennifer never returns. The ladies in the cellar can only assume the worst (and they do!)

Years later, Sarah has changed her name to Caroline. She lives in NYC, a place where someone is always around to hear a person’s screams. Sarah is agoraphobic, in therapy, and trying to recover from years of torture- and what that torture did to her. When the FBI agent in charge of the case comes to Sarah to let her know that the captor’s parole hearing is fast approaching- she’s reluctant to help. She wants to put the past behind her. Except she wants to know what happened to Jennifer. She wants Jennifer’s body to be found.

Sarah sets back out to Oregon, to begin to hunt for clues. She reunites with the other captive ladies- all of them not wanting to be with the other- yet, knowing they need to find the clues he’s been sending them for years to keep the monster behind the curtain.

The problem: Some monsters refuse to stay behind the curtain. And sometimes, there are even scarier monsters waiting in the wide, open plain.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

This book has many good moments. A dark, creepy psychological thriller- a character trying to rebuild her life. The sadness of not knowing what happened to her best friend. This book has much to recommend about it. Koethi Zan shows us this: There are some sick people in the world. People who will torment and torture just for the thrill. But, Koethi also shows this- that when the chips are down and you have to decide how things are going to be- we might all have a pinch of sicknesses in us. Some of us just nurture it more than others. Recommended if you like creepy, psychological twists, and never being quite sure what character you can trust as a reader.

*This book was provided to me through Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.