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Never Saw Me Coming
Meet Chloe Sevre. She’s a freshman honor student, a leggings-wearing hot girl next door, who also happens to be a psychopath. Her hobbies include yogalates, frat parties, and plotting to kill Will Bachman, a childhood friend who grievously wronged her.
Chloe is one of seven students at her DC-based college who are part of an unusual clinical study for psychopaths—students like herself who lack empathy and can’t comprehend emotions like fear or guilt. The study, led by a renowned psychologist, requires them to wear smart watches that track their moods and movements.
When one of the students in the study is found murdered in the psychology building, a dangerous game of cat and mouse begins, and Chloe goes from hunter to prey. As she races to identify the killer and put her own plan into action, she’ll be forced to decide if she can trust any of her fellow psychopaths—and everybody knows you should never trust a psychopath.
Never Saw Me Coming is a compulsive, voice-driven thriller by an exciting new voice in fiction, that will keep you pinned to the page and rooting for a would-be killer.
Chloe is one of seven students at her DC-based college who are part of an unusual clinical study for psychopaths—students like herself who lack empathy and can’t comprehend emotions like fear or guilt. The study, led by a renowned psychologist, requires them to wear smart watches that track their moods and movements.
When one of the students in the study is found murdered in the psychology building, a dangerous game of cat and mouse begins, and Chloe goes from hunter to prey. As she races to identify the killer and put her own plan into action, she’ll be forced to decide if she can trust any of her fellow psychopaths—and everybody knows you should never trust a psychopath.
Never Saw Me Coming is a compulsive, voice-driven thriller by an exciting new voice in fiction, that will keep you pinned to the page and rooting for a would-be killer.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published September 7, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,514 reviews
June 28, 2021
this book really says ‘psychopaths, but make it fun.’ what a totally wild experience.
the premise is super interesting. i think it does attempt at times to show that not everyone with a conduct or personality disorder is a murderer/criminal. i actually found charles to be the most compelling character because of this. you can really see hes genuinely trying to stop his diagnosis from controlling his life and how others perceive him.
but this is a mystery/thriller, so of course there has to be some emotionless killing. lol. i really wish more page time was dedicated to chloe and her revenge against will. its set up so well, so youre dying to know what will did and why he deserves to die. but as the story progresses and more POVs are added, it becomes more of a side plot, which i found to be a bit of a bummer.
but the overall story is unique and entertaining. i think those interested in psychology and glimpsing inside the minds of people who think completely differently will find this fascinating.
thank you park row for the ARC!
↠ 4.5 stars
the premise is super interesting. i think it does attempt at times to show that not everyone with a conduct or personality disorder is a murderer/criminal. i actually found charles to be the most compelling character because of this. you can really see hes genuinely trying to stop his diagnosis from controlling his life and how others perceive him.
but this is a mystery/thriller, so of course there has to be some emotionless killing. lol. i really wish more page time was dedicated to chloe and her revenge against will. its set up so well, so youre dying to know what will did and why he deserves to die. but as the story progresses and more POVs are added, it becomes more of a side plot, which i found to be a bit of a bummer.
but the overall story is unique and entertaining. i think those interested in psychology and glimpsing inside the minds of people who think completely differently will find this fascinating.
thank you park row for the ARC!
↠ 4.5 stars
May 3, 2022
An academic thriller with psychopath narrators : okay I’m taking my assumption back because one of them is faking! And a killer is hunting down those psychopaths as raging protests of D. C. are increasing! And one of the psychopaths making plans to avenge her rape! What? You still have second thoughts! Come on! This is one of the juiciest storylines which made me go blind about this book!
Give it a chance! It gets more interesting at each chapter! You don’t want to stop reading it!
Chloe Sevre can be so severe to serve for the righteous justice what she’s done to her when she was only 12! At a party, a despicable human waste raped her and made his friend shoot a video! Yes, this human waste has name. He’s Will Bachman. Chloe chased down him and attended the same college. She planned it all. She knows his fraternity brothers. She knows where he lives. She traces each step he takes like a vulture, dripping salvias to hunt her prey!
The reason to get acceptance from the college is her approval for a special study focused on psychopaths like her: the students who suffer from lack of emotions, empathy, required them to wear smart watches track their motions and mood swings.
As soon as she attends to her seances, filling the surveys at the lab, she may stay out of trouble and she can follow the steps of her long time predator. But she’s forced to cancel her grandiose murder plans as she finds out somebody out there to kill the students attending that study. She finds out there are only seven test subjects. Two of them are only dead.
Her path crosses with pretentious, narcissistic, a wealthy politician’s son Terrible Charles and poor Andre who suffer from loss of his sister, faking his way to be accepted to the study because his family cannot afford the costs of such a prestigious college education.
Charlie thinks Chloe can be murderer. Chloe thinks Charles is dangerous manipulator. Both of them warn Andre against each other. Is the killer one of them or two other students who are involved in this special program?
Who will they trust as they cannot trust each other?
Overall; the book is a little too long because it’s focused on two mains topics: Chloe’s vengeance plan and the killer hunting the program’s students. Because of that, pacing gets a little repetitive and slowing down.
As psychopaths: both Charles and Chloe were terribly annoying but it’s normal because of their psychological natures, it’s so hard to empathize with them.
Especially Charles’ selfish motives of using his girlfriend for his facade to look normal and his flirting tendencies with Chloe irritate us but also his complex reactions indicate some symptoms he can actually feel something ( still caring for people even though he loves attention and being in the spotlight) made us question if he can be cured.
Andre is the only character who may truly care for but it’s so natural thing to love him. He’s faking his tendencies from the beginning and he finds himself on the radar of serial student killer and forced to cooperate with two psychopaths who keep lying and manipulating him.
The book is a little slow burn but the concept of serial killer lurking around the campus, academic claustrophobia still kept my attention intact.
Even though I have problems about pace and characters, it was still interesting and unique reading which made me round up 3.5 stars to 4 psycho killer qu’est ce que c’est fa fa fa fa fa fa far better stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions .
Give it a chance! It gets more interesting at each chapter! You don’t want to stop reading it!
Chloe Sevre can be so severe to serve for the righteous justice what she’s done to her when she was only 12! At a party, a despicable human waste raped her and made his friend shoot a video! Yes, this human waste has name. He’s Will Bachman. Chloe chased down him and attended the same college. She planned it all. She knows his fraternity brothers. She knows where he lives. She traces each step he takes like a vulture, dripping salvias to hunt her prey!
The reason to get acceptance from the college is her approval for a special study focused on psychopaths like her: the students who suffer from lack of emotions, empathy, required them to wear smart watches track their motions and mood swings.
As soon as she attends to her seances, filling the surveys at the lab, she may stay out of trouble and she can follow the steps of her long time predator. But she’s forced to cancel her grandiose murder plans as she finds out somebody out there to kill the students attending that study. She finds out there are only seven test subjects. Two of them are only dead.
Her path crosses with pretentious, narcissistic, a wealthy politician’s son Terrible Charles and poor Andre who suffer from loss of his sister, faking his way to be accepted to the study because his family cannot afford the costs of such a prestigious college education.
Charlie thinks Chloe can be murderer. Chloe thinks Charles is dangerous manipulator. Both of them warn Andre against each other. Is the killer one of them or two other students who are involved in this special program?
Who will they trust as they cannot trust each other?
Overall; the book is a little too long because it’s focused on two mains topics: Chloe’s vengeance plan and the killer hunting the program’s students. Because of that, pacing gets a little repetitive and slowing down.
As psychopaths: both Charles and Chloe were terribly annoying but it’s normal because of their psychological natures, it’s so hard to empathize with them.
Especially Charles’ selfish motives of using his girlfriend for his facade to look normal and his flirting tendencies with Chloe irritate us but also his complex reactions indicate some symptoms he can actually feel something ( still caring for people even though he loves attention and being in the spotlight) made us question if he can be cured.
Andre is the only character who may truly care for but it’s so natural thing to love him. He’s faking his tendencies from the beginning and he finds himself on the radar of serial student killer and forced to cooperate with two psychopaths who keep lying and manipulating him.
The book is a little slow burn but the concept of serial killer lurking around the campus, academic claustrophobia still kept my attention intact.
Even though I have problems about pace and characters, it was still interesting and unique reading which made me round up 3.5 stars to 4 psycho killer qu’est ce que c’est fa fa fa fa fa fa far better stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions .
June 7, 2021
Welcome to the program!
A college clinical study led by a renowned psychologist. Seven students are diagnosed Psychopaths. Nothing to worry about! Just a bunch of psychos putting their heads together. Two heads are better than one, right? or three, or four or more.
Free college scholarships handed out to seven students as a reward to study their habits. Their diagnosis and participation are confidential. In return, they are required to wear coded smart watches and keep mood logs to track their emotions and whereabouts.
Tick, tock... someone has murder on the menu, a dose of revenge and a four phase plan.
I enjoyed this puzzle of a plot. Darkly funny at times, planning a murder over homework, lab reports and French papers. Lots of trails and paths to follow. I was confused time to time with the many POVs converging and some side stories not completely fleshed out, but overall, a good debut! I'm still on the fence about the ending - Never Saw It Coming.....
Thanks to NG and the publisher for my review copy! OUT on 9-7-2021
A college clinical study led by a renowned psychologist. Seven students are diagnosed Psychopaths. Nothing to worry about! Just a bunch of psychos putting their heads together. Two heads are better than one, right? or three, or four or more.
Free college scholarships handed out to seven students as a reward to study their habits. Their diagnosis and participation are confidential. In return, they are required to wear coded smart watches and keep mood logs to track their emotions and whereabouts.
Tick, tock... someone has murder on the menu, a dose of revenge and a four phase plan.
I enjoyed this puzzle of a plot. Darkly funny at times, planning a murder over homework, lab reports and French papers. Lots of trails and paths to follow. I was confused time to time with the many POVs converging and some side stories not completely fleshed out, but overall, a good debut! I'm still on the fence about the ending - Never Saw It Coming.....
Thanks to NG and the publisher for my review copy! OUT on 9-7-2021
October 6, 2021
Premise: Unique!
First half of the story: Awesome!
Second half of the story: Womp. Womp.
The idea of a psychological thriller that actually plays out as such was obviously tempting. I noticed that reviews from friends were all over the place but I still gave it a shot. I’m not bummed that I gave it a go by any means as I thought that half of this story was very enjoyable.
The parts where Chloe’s after Will were fantastic! The parts where Chloe and the lot are the prey were meh.
Without giving any spoilers, the ‘bad guy’ (although an unpredictable option) was a rather dumb one. It seemed like a cop out to choose that character and I felt that could have been significantly stronger. I felt confused about motive among other things.
I really liked the character Andre! He was so so cool and totally somebody I would be friends with. He made this book more enjoyable in a sea of completely unlikable characters.
Although the inside flap of the book said that I’d ‘root for a would-be killer’ i.e. Chloe, I thought she was detestable. I didn’t root for her at all!!
This book was 400 pages and it really didn’t need to be that long. I found myself getting bored easily and even chapters near the end seemed uninteresting and out of place.
Overall, unique premise and really great first half of the story and long drawn out and relatively eye-rolling second half.
I probably won’t remember too much about this book in the future.
First half of the story: Awesome!
Second half of the story: Womp. Womp.
The idea of a psychological thriller that actually plays out as such was obviously tempting. I noticed that reviews from friends were all over the place but I still gave it a shot. I’m not bummed that I gave it a go by any means as I thought that half of this story was very enjoyable.
The parts where Chloe’s after Will were fantastic! The parts where Chloe and the lot are the prey were meh.
Without giving any spoilers, the ‘bad guy’ (although an unpredictable option) was a rather dumb one. It seemed like a cop out to choose that character and I felt that could have been significantly stronger. I felt confused about motive among other things.
I really liked the character Andre! He was so so cool and totally somebody I would be friends with. He made this book more enjoyable in a sea of completely unlikable characters.
Although the inside flap of the book said that I’d ‘root for a would-be killer’ i.e. Chloe, I thought she was detestable. I didn’t root for her at all!!
This book was 400 pages and it really didn’t need to be that long. I found myself getting bored easily and even chapters near the end seemed uninteresting and out of place.
Overall, unique premise and really great first half of the story and long drawn out and relatively eye-rolling second half.
I probably won’t remember too much about this book in the future.
November 22, 2022
We all know that sociopaths are self-centered, manipulative, and sometimes even dangerous, but what happens when the sociopaths who thought they were attending school for a secret observation program become targeted for murder?
Before diving into Never Saw Me Coming, I'd seen all kinds of reviews regarding the plot. Some people loved it, some people thought it was outlandish, but everyone seemed to agree that it is a compulsive read. I'm happy to report that it indeed is compulsive, and while the last 25% is a bit wild and unbelievable, it did not hinder my enjoyment of this novel one bit. A fabulous example of how character driven suspense can be even more engaging than plot, plot, plot, and I love how the interactions between the characters in the program were just as intriguing as the actual mystery at hand of who is murdering the campus students. Highly recommend the audio if you're looking for an engaging narrator as well.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Before diving into Never Saw Me Coming, I'd seen all kinds of reviews regarding the plot. Some people loved it, some people thought it was outlandish, but everyone seemed to agree that it is a compulsive read. I'm happy to report that it indeed is compulsive, and while the last 25% is a bit wild and unbelievable, it did not hinder my enjoyment of this novel one bit. A fabulous example of how character driven suspense can be even more engaging than plot, plot, plot, and I love how the interactions between the characters in the program were just as intriguing as the actual mystery at hand of who is murdering the campus students. Highly recommend the audio if you're looking for an engaging narrator as well.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
November 12, 2021
Actual rating: 3,5
It's been weeks since me and my reading buddies finished this book, so my review won't be in depth as I first planned it to be.
Never Saw Me Coming stood out to me with it's cast of characters.
It is rare to read about main character who happens to be a psychopath, but it is extremely difficult to find a book with many psychopaths represented, all in one story, all together hanging around, making jokes and just simply being themselves.
I was already familiar with basics when it comes to this state of mind (diagnosis or whatever is the right word for it) and I think the author did a good job when it comes to representation.
I also want to stress out that I do appreciate the idea/point she was making by telling this story.
My favourite character was Cloe and I wish the whole book was written from her perspective, following her narration in first person.
Some parts written in third person following different characters were entertaining, but some were boring.
At some points I was really invested in the story. My favourite part was the revenge plot, and I'll be perfectly honest with you, as the big thing was happening my heart was racing 100/h.
I am sorry to say that with all the preparing for the grand finale and revelation about the killer, I ended up disappointed and to say it simple, the end was underwhelming.
Overall, this was very entertaining novel set in college and I would recommend it as a quick read, but I wasn't satisfied with the way it wrapped up.
It's been weeks since me and my reading buddies finished this book, so my review won't be in depth as I first planned it to be.
Never Saw Me Coming stood out to me with it's cast of characters.
It is rare to read about main character who happens to be a psychopath, but it is extremely difficult to find a book with many psychopaths represented, all in one story, all together hanging around, making jokes and just simply being themselves.
I was already familiar with basics when it comes to this state of mind (diagnosis or whatever is the right word for it) and I think the author did a good job when it comes to representation.
I also want to stress out that I do appreciate the idea/point she was making by telling this story.
My favourite character was Cloe and I wish the whole book was written from her perspective, following her narration in first person.
Some parts written in third person following different characters were entertaining, but some were boring.
At some points I was really invested in the story. My favourite part was the revenge plot, and I'll be perfectly honest with you, as the big thing was happening my heart was racing 100/h.
I am sorry to say that with all the preparing for the grand finale and revelation about the killer, I ended up disappointed and to say it simple, the end was underwhelming.
Overall, this was very entertaining novel set in college and I would recommend it as a quick read, but I wasn't satisfied with the way it wrapped up.
September 7, 2021
3.5 ⭐️
I have been craving a TRUE psychological thriller, one that combines a sense of humor with a decent body count ( my favorite combination) and this one fit the bill, for much of it.
Chloe Sevre is a freshman honor student, who just happens to be psychopath. She is one of seven students offered scholarship money to participate in a psychology study at John Adams University. All she has to do is wear a Smart Watch which will track her moods and movements and participate in a few activities, at the Psychology building.
But, was she lured there under false pretenses?
Adams was always her first choice, as it is located in Washington D.C., a busy city with a relatively HIGH Murder rate. There are also plenty of pedestrians getting mugged, drunk people getting into fights and stabbing each other, and political protests like the MASSIVE one scheduled for October 23rd-60 days after Freshman orientation-the perfect day to kill Will Bachman.
You see, Chloe didn’t care about the scholarship money-She accepted under false pretenses as well.
Will Bachman is a student at Adams and she has decided that it is time for him to pay for the mistakes he has made in his past-Will Bachman has 60 days to live.
When the first of the SEVEN In the study is found murdered, Chloe realizes she may have went from HUNTER to PREY-but can she trust ANY of her fellow psychopaths to help her figure out what is happening?
FANTASTIC ORIGINAL PREMISE but, two things caused me to rate it 3.5.
The FIRST-it should have been marketed as YA, because that is how it reads.
The SECOND is that at 400 pages, what started out as FUN, began to drag as the original focus of the story-Chloe’s plan to murder Will, became a bit diluted with the second storyline, and the book began to feel a bit too long.
But, overall, it was clever and creative and I look forward to seeing what author Vera Kurian comes up with next!
Thank You to Park Row for providing a gifted copy via NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
NOW AVAILABLE!
I have been craving a TRUE psychological thriller, one that combines a sense of humor with a decent body count ( my favorite combination) and this one fit the bill, for much of it.
Chloe Sevre is a freshman honor student, who just happens to be psychopath. She is one of seven students offered scholarship money to participate in a psychology study at John Adams University. All she has to do is wear a Smart Watch which will track her moods and movements and participate in a few activities, at the Psychology building.
But, was she lured there under false pretenses?
Adams was always her first choice, as it is located in Washington D.C., a busy city with a relatively HIGH Murder rate. There are also plenty of pedestrians getting mugged, drunk people getting into fights and stabbing each other, and political protests like the MASSIVE one scheduled for October 23rd-60 days after Freshman orientation-the perfect day to kill Will Bachman.
You see, Chloe didn’t care about the scholarship money-She accepted under false pretenses as well.
Will Bachman is a student at Adams and she has decided that it is time for him to pay for the mistakes he has made in his past-Will Bachman has 60 days to live.
When the first of the SEVEN In the study is found murdered, Chloe realizes she may have went from HUNTER to PREY-but can she trust ANY of her fellow psychopaths to help her figure out what is happening?
FANTASTIC ORIGINAL PREMISE but, two things caused me to rate it 3.5.
The FIRST-it should have been marketed as YA, because that is how it reads.
The SECOND is that at 400 pages, what started out as FUN, began to drag as the original focus of the story-Chloe’s plan to murder Will, became a bit diluted with the second storyline, and the book began to feel a bit too long.
But, overall, it was clever and creative and I look forward to seeing what author Vera Kurian comes up with next!
Thank You to Park Row for providing a gifted copy via NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
NOW AVAILABLE!
June 13, 2021
Unpopular opinion alert. 1.5 Stars.
The blurb had me so excited. I was ready for an epic cat and mouse thriller full of lies and deceit and feeling conflicted about rooting for a killer protagonist. Instead, I am left thoroughly disappointed and relieved I finally got through the whole book. This felt predominantly like a young adult genre. So if you are after the excitement and tension of a mystery/thriller, I would not recommend this book.
Plot
The story was told from multiple perspectives: Chloe in first person and everyone else (mainly Charlie and Andre) in third person with inner dialogue as well. l usually love the alternating format because we get more insights into characters and some chapters tend to finish with a cliffhanger. Unfortunately in this case it did not provide additional complexity, tension or suspense/mystery, if anything it made it clearer who the killer was not.
I couldn’t immerse myself in any of the characters as the different perspectives didn’t add any value other than show us scenes that Chloe wasn’t part of. There was no contrast in tone or personality, they felt the same across the board.
The actual plot gets lost in the excessive and repetitive dialogue of the everyday life of these few college/uni students, where every scheme eventuated to nothing exciting, maybe some minor and incredibly anticlimactic reveals at most. In fact I don't remember the majority of the book and their investigations. I was expecting there to be backstabbing and lying as the blurb suggests but Charles, Andre and Chloe got along just fine. There was nothing more than some inner dialogue about their minor suspicions amongst each other.
The twists had potential but they fell flat. Really flat. Considering there was a countdown to kill Will, the build up and tension was non-existent and the showdown was incredibly anticlimactic and too easy. Followed soon after by the final reveal of the murderer, again, I wasn't feeling shocked as the suspects were narrowed down and I had already lost interest.
Characters
I was so excited to be in the mind of a protagonist psychopath and to feel conflicted for cheering them on. But I didn’t get enough psychopathic vibes.The main characters were not quite your normal college/uni students, but they didn’t hit the mark either. In fact, the clearest indication that they were psychopaths was the fact that they kept on referring to themselves and others as psychopaths which got old and irritating.
I liked the idea of Andre but his involvement was bland. He could’ve been an exciting character, having to
I also liked the idea of Charlie, being in the mind of another psychopath. He had a lot of information, such as What a position to be in, he was set up really well to be able to exploit that information and cause the friction and tension between them. But instead, he did nothing with it and was very helpful....
This book had so much potential. The premise and the twists are on point, but the over-promised blurb and execution left a lot to be desired.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
The blurb had me so excited. I was ready for an epic cat and mouse thriller full of lies and deceit and feeling conflicted about rooting for a killer protagonist. Instead, I am left thoroughly disappointed and relieved I finally got through the whole book. This felt predominantly like a young adult genre. So if you are after the excitement and tension of a mystery/thriller, I would not recommend this book.
Plot
The story was told from multiple perspectives: Chloe in first person and everyone else (mainly Charlie and Andre) in third person with inner dialogue as well. l usually love the alternating format because we get more insights into characters and some chapters tend to finish with a cliffhanger. Unfortunately in this case it did not provide additional complexity, tension or suspense/mystery, if anything it made it clearer who the killer was not.
I couldn’t immerse myself in any of the characters as the different perspectives didn’t add any value other than show us scenes that Chloe wasn’t part of. There was no contrast in tone or personality, they felt the same across the board.
The actual plot gets lost in the excessive and repetitive dialogue of the everyday life of these few college/uni students, where every scheme eventuated to nothing exciting, maybe some minor and incredibly anticlimactic reveals at most. In fact I don't remember the majority of the book and their investigations. I was expecting there to be backstabbing and lying as the blurb suggests but Charles, Andre and Chloe got along just fine. There was nothing more than some inner dialogue about their minor suspicions amongst each other.
The twists had potential but they fell flat. Really flat. Considering there was a countdown to kill Will, the build up and tension was non-existent and the showdown was incredibly anticlimactic and too easy. Followed soon after by the final reveal of the murderer, again, I wasn't feeling shocked as the suspects were narrowed down and I had already lost interest.
Characters
I was so excited to be in the mind of a protagonist psychopath and to feel conflicted for cheering them on. But I didn’t get enough psychopathic vibes.The main characters were not quite your normal college/uni students, but they didn’t hit the mark either. In fact, the clearest indication that they were psychopaths was the fact that they kept on referring to themselves and others as psychopaths which got old and irritating.
I liked the idea of Andre but his involvement was bland. He could’ve been an exciting character, having to
I also liked the idea of Charlie, being in the mind of another psychopath. He had a lot of information, such as What a position to be in, he was set up really well to be able to exploit that information and cause the friction and tension between them. But instead, he did nothing with it and was very helpful....
This book had so much potential. The premise and the twists are on point, but the over-promised blurb and execution left a lot to be desired.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
October 7, 2021
3.5 stars
Inventive book overall but a little slow.
The premise of this book is great, a program at a university for students who have been diagnosed with or have the signs of psychopathy, the professor in charge wants to see if the diagnosis can be managed like other mental illnesses and help the students to become productive members of society. Each student doesn't know who else is in the program. They are enticed to join by the offer of a full ride scholarship. The novel mostly focuses on two main characters' points of view: Chloe and Andre. They both have different reasons for wanting to be in the program, Chloe is out for revenge and Andre has financial motives. Then one person is killed on campus, then another. When Chloe and Andre discover the two victims were also psychopaths, they tentatively join forces to see if they can figure out what is going on.
This novel started out well, and I was fascinated to see what would happen with these students that basically have no conscience and don't process the world or life in the same way as other people. Yet, what started off strong kind of meandered as the book got going. Chloe is trying to follow her own agenda, which was good because it meant something was happening in the middle. But after the exciting and intriguing setup, the plot just stagnated for a while and there were a lot of jarring POV changes and side stories that went nowhere. The ending was a little bit predictable and I'm very surprised that none of them "saw it coming,"
Overall this novel is definitely worth reading because it contains a very unique plot. Just don't give up in the middle when it starts to drag, stick with it for a satisfying conclusion.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Inventive book overall but a little slow.
The premise of this book is great, a program at a university for students who have been diagnosed with or have the signs of psychopathy, the professor in charge wants to see if the diagnosis can be managed like other mental illnesses and help the students to become productive members of society. Each student doesn't know who else is in the program. They are enticed to join by the offer of a full ride scholarship. The novel mostly focuses on two main characters' points of view: Chloe and Andre. They both have different reasons for wanting to be in the program, Chloe is out for revenge and Andre has financial motives. Then one person is killed on campus, then another. When Chloe and Andre discover the two victims were also psychopaths, they tentatively join forces to see if they can figure out what is going on.
This novel started out well, and I was fascinated to see what would happen with these students that basically have no conscience and don't process the world or life in the same way as other people. Yet, what started off strong kind of meandered as the book got going. Chloe is trying to follow her own agenda, which was good because it meant something was happening in the middle. But after the exciting and intriguing setup, the plot just stagnated for a while and there were a lot of jarring POV changes and side stories that went nowhere. The ending was a little bit predictable and I'm very surprised that none of them "saw it coming,"
Overall this novel is definitely worth reading because it contains a very unique plot. Just don't give up in the middle when it starts to drag, stick with it for a satisfying conclusion.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
January 25, 2023
Half "shitshow, repulsive, dysgustyng" stars !!
Absolute Worst Read of 2022 Award
As I am recovering from a flu I decided to read something non-literary to pass a few days.
I not only unwisely chose this thriller but idiotically continued it.
This book does not warrant even one star.
It was -inaccurate, sensationalistic, trite, superficial, repulsive, idiotic, and I could go on but as I don't feel well I won't
There is something terribly wrong with our culture when we glorify psychopathy and turn it into really cheap and asinine entertainment.
Shame on the author and publishing house and Shame on me for completing it !
Just awful times one hundred thousand !
Absolute Worst Read of 2022 Award
As I am recovering from a flu I decided to read something non-literary to pass a few days.
I not only unwisely chose this thriller but idiotically continued it.
This book does not warrant even one star.
It was -inaccurate, sensationalistic, trite, superficial, repulsive, idiotic, and I could go on but as I don't feel well I won't
There is something terribly wrong with our culture when we glorify psychopathy and turn it into really cheap and asinine entertainment.
Shame on the author and publishing house and Shame on me for completing it !
Just awful times one hundred thousand !
June 4, 2021
When I think of Psychotic disorders, I assume they have abnormal behaviors compared to society norms, so I was not expecting to find some people can lead a normal life with their psychosis under control. My assumptions were put to their demise after reading about a college study of 7 psychotic students living among the average. Wearing a smartwatch to track their emotions, they penetrated the college dorms and fraternity scene, without the knowledge of their classmates. Strangely, they did not know who was in the program themselves. Not until students in the program were being murdered, did they seek each other out.
Chloe is part of the study but has a mission of her own to kill. Her focus is on an upperclassmen, Will, who raped her when she was twelve years old and videoed it. She becomes friends with his frat brothers to get closer to him. Andre and Charles, also study participants, battle opinions of Chloe's quest. Charles hunts for clues that she may be the one killing off their fellow students while Chloe has her own opinion of him...leaving Andre in between their notions.
There are moments when they lack empathy and guilt making you second guess who is real. Adding more characters to the hunt and a professor with a shady past, you won't lack for a thrill.
This is told in multiple POVs and guides you right to the killer with a surprise ending. Putting pieces together, this is a story of elimination of who is the most dangerous and sometimes you have to trust your instinct. This is definitely a psychotic thriller with a lot of psychotic students, which is more in the YA category.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Chloe is part of the study but has a mission of her own to kill. Her focus is on an upperclassmen, Will, who raped her when she was twelve years old and videoed it. She becomes friends with his frat brothers to get closer to him. Andre and Charles, also study participants, battle opinions of Chloe's quest. Charles hunts for clues that she may be the one killing off their fellow students while Chloe has her own opinion of him...leaving Andre in between their notions.
There are moments when they lack empathy and guilt making you second guess who is real. Adding more characters to the hunt and a professor with a shady past, you won't lack for a thrill.
This is told in multiple POVs and guides you right to the killer with a surprise ending. Putting pieces together, this is a story of elimination of who is the most dangerous and sometimes you have to trust your instinct. This is definitely a psychotic thriller with a lot of psychotic students, which is more in the YA category.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
September 14, 2021
Chloe Sevre is a new honors freshman just arriving at John Adams University (fictional) in Washington DC. She orchestrated getting into the school for the express purpose of being near Will Bachman, a young man from her junior high school days who she plans to kill. You see, Chloe is one of seven students participating in a psychology department program, the Multimethod Psychopathy Panel Study. The participants are all considered psychopaths and the program is led by Dr. Leonard Wyman who believes they can be readjusted to fit in and behave normally within society. (Yeah, right.) As Chloe begins laying the groundwork for her own scheme, two participants in the program are found murdered and her plans get sidetracked.
Chloe’s point of view isn’t the only voice we get in the story. Andre Jensen is another new freshman and a participant in the program. He’s got a big secret, too…that he cheated his way in by pretending to be a psychopath and adeptly answering the questions to confirm it. He’s black, from a good family who figured he didn’t have a chance at college because of mistakes made in his youth. Andre was motivated to cheat because the program guaranteed 100% financial support. Lastly, there’s Charles Portman, a member of the same fraternity as Will and from an affluent political family in the District. Both he and Andre cross paths and purposes with Chloe but align as they try to figure out who’s trying to kill them.
I figured the story would be a little bit crazy and a lot clever and got both. Chloe’s psychopathy is so outrageous it’s highly entertaining and all you can do is try to keep up with her plotting and scheming. When she connects with Charles and Andre, I got lost in all the duplicity as they struggle with their distrust of each other while they have to partner for protection. I didn’t like Chloe but I also didn’t dislike her…she’s quite the enigma. I really liked Andre whose only agenda is to get a free education but also had to work with these two people he knew were dangerous. I’m still unsure of how I feel about Charles as even to the end, I wasn’t sure if he was being real or continuing the veneer he learned to wear through therapy.
I really enjoyed the story, a lot, even when it started to drag out near the end. I was starting to get bogged down by the theories and machinations and just wanted to speed things up. I listened to the book and thought Brittany Pressley was outstanding in her depiction of Chloe! I conjured up the image of Piper Perabo as a result and if you remember her duplicity in the TV show Covert Affairs, you’ll get Chloe. Pressley did a great job with the other characters and the storytelling, too, but her voice for Chloe elevated the story. The ending wasn’t a huge surprise but it was consistent with the clues. What was a surprise is what happened with these three. You’ll need to read or listen to it yourself for that, which I highly recommend. This is quite the debut with its unique premise and I’ll sign up for whatever’s next from Kurian. 3.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Harlequin Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Chloe’s point of view isn’t the only voice we get in the story. Andre Jensen is another new freshman and a participant in the program. He’s got a big secret, too…that he cheated his way in by pretending to be a psychopath and adeptly answering the questions to confirm it. He’s black, from a good family who figured he didn’t have a chance at college because of mistakes made in his youth. Andre was motivated to cheat because the program guaranteed 100% financial support. Lastly, there’s Charles Portman, a member of the same fraternity as Will and from an affluent political family in the District. Both he and Andre cross paths and purposes with Chloe but align as they try to figure out who’s trying to kill them.
I figured the story would be a little bit crazy and a lot clever and got both. Chloe’s psychopathy is so outrageous it’s highly entertaining and all you can do is try to keep up with her plotting and scheming. When she connects with Charles and Andre, I got lost in all the duplicity as they struggle with their distrust of each other while they have to partner for protection. I didn’t like Chloe but I also didn’t dislike her…she’s quite the enigma. I really liked Andre whose only agenda is to get a free education but also had to work with these two people he knew were dangerous. I’m still unsure of how I feel about Charles as even to the end, I wasn’t sure if he was being real or continuing the veneer he learned to wear through therapy.
I really enjoyed the story, a lot, even when it started to drag out near the end. I was starting to get bogged down by the theories and machinations and just wanted to speed things up. I listened to the book and thought Brittany Pressley was outstanding in her depiction of Chloe! I conjured up the image of Piper Perabo as a result and if you remember her duplicity in the TV show Covert Affairs, you’ll get Chloe. Pressley did a great job with the other characters and the storytelling, too, but her voice for Chloe elevated the story. The ending wasn’t a huge surprise but it was consistent with the clues. What was a surprise is what happened with these three. You’ll need to read or listen to it yourself for that, which I highly recommend. This is quite the debut with its unique premise and I’ll sign up for whatever’s next from Kurian. 3.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Harlequin Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
January 26, 2022
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NEVER SAW ME COMING was an impulse buy and ended up being a checklist of all my favorite thriller tropes. It's got a girl with past trauma who's intent on righting past wrongs. It's got a dark academia setting/aesthetic. It's got a bit of smut. It's a murder mystery. It's even sort of kind of a bit of a heist.
Chloe is a freshman at a liberal arts college in D.C. She's also a psychopath intent on revenge against a boy who hurt her when she was young. She got into the school on scholarship because of a professor who's interested in the study and rehabilitation of young psychopaths. The identity of the others in the study is supposed to be a secret, but we meet some of them as the story goes on, either through Chloe or in their own POVs when they become relevant.
In addition to the revenge plotline, there's another mystery going on. Someone is killing people who are in the psychopath study. And it turns out that the psychopath study-- and the overseeing professor-- also have links to a serial killer who was active about twenty years before. But how does it all really connect? And WHY?!?!?
So this was a lot of fun. I thought Chloe was equal parts interesting and terrifying. Don't cross this girl! The other characters were interesting too. I probably would have liked it more if it weren't multi-POV but Kurian made it work here, so I wasn't mad. The mystery element was really well done and I liked the psychological angle, as a psychology major myself. I could see this being a TV show or a movie really easily, it has that cinematic pacing and memorable characters. It didn't quite hit the five-star mark for me but boy was it close. I'd read more from this author in a heartbeat.
4 to 4.5 stars
October 5, 2023
Loved this one! Never Saw Me Coming is the kind of book that leaves you wondering if everyone is calculating and has a running inner monologue? Are we all borderline psychopathic? So many times, I found myself cheering on the 'psychopaths' only to be horrified that I was doing so - which to me, is the mark of a great writer! (Fist bumps for Vera Kurian - this was the first book I ever read by her!)
A Few Things The Author Does Well:
- Good use of red herrings! None of the included characters felt like lazy additions to throw you off. and I truly didn't see the ending coming, which happens a lot. (I even predicted the end of Verity by CoHo, and I was bummed by that.)
- Love when there is a story within a story
- Truly made the main character's newly minted 'adult' status come through in her writing/ the FMC's inner monologues. It definitely felt a little juvenile at times, but I think that was somewhat the point to clash with the thriller nature of the story.
- The author is a writer and a scientist, which automatically (as a research scientist by day myself) like her all that much more.
- I like the perspective of a female psychopath since there are statistically fewer violent female psychopathic criminals. Not a perspective we often get. (Another great book from a female psychopath's perspective is 'First Born' by Will Dean. Also loved that one!)
Some Things I Didn't Like:
- My mum and I read this one together for our family book club this month and we both agreed that it wrapped up a little too quickly? Almost like there needed to be a few more (short) chapters of explanation.
- Genuinely makes me question people's harsh criticism of psychopaths lol, which I'm not really sure if it's bad or good but definitely made me feel creepy crawly (also the mark of a good thriller!)
Favorite Quotes:
- 'Luckily that particular model didn't have the fingerprint ID function - otherwise, I'd have to perform minor surgery on Will.' - I about spit out my water. This was said whilst in the middle of other normal thoughts, and I just loved the coldness!!
- "How do you not know about twenty thousand dollars?!"..."Portmonts are too busy polishing their monocles!" - Oh goodness, this made me laugh. Just not something you see rich people accused of often, but I loved it.
Notes:
- Some smutty situations, but overall mostly new adult/young adult thematically
- I think this would make a GREAT movie!!
- Will make you question if you have psychopathic tendencies! (You were warned lol...)
*TWs: Ra.pe / stalking
A Few Things The Author Does Well:
- Good use of red herrings! None of the included characters felt like lazy additions to throw you off. and I truly didn't see the ending coming, which happens a lot. (I even predicted the end of Verity by CoHo, and I was bummed by that.)
- Love when there is a story within a story
- Truly made the main character's newly minted 'adult' status come through in her writing/ the FMC's inner monologues. It definitely felt a little juvenile at times, but I think that was somewhat the point to clash with the thriller nature of the story.
- The author is a writer and a scientist, which automatically (as a research scientist by day myself) like her all that much more.
- I like the perspective of a female psychopath since there are statistically fewer violent female psychopathic criminals. Not a perspective we often get. (Another great book from a female psychopath's perspective is 'First Born' by Will Dean. Also loved that one!)
Some Things I Didn't Like:
- My mum and I read this one together for our family book club this month and we both agreed that it wrapped up a little too quickly? Almost like there needed to be a few more (short) chapters of explanation.
- Genuinely makes me question people's harsh criticism of psychopaths lol, which I'm not really sure if it's bad or good but definitely made me feel creepy crawly (also the mark of a good thriller!)
Favorite Quotes:
- 'Luckily that particular model didn't have the fingerprint ID function - otherwise, I'd have to perform minor surgery on Will.' - I about spit out my water. This was said whilst in the middle of other normal thoughts, and I just loved the coldness!!
- "How do you not know about twenty thousand dollars?!"..."Portmonts are too busy polishing their monocles!" - Oh goodness, this made me laugh. Just not something you see rich people accused of often, but I loved it.
Notes:
- Some smutty situations, but overall mostly new adult/young adult thematically
- I think this would make a GREAT movie!!
- Will make you question if you have psychopathic tendencies! (You were warned lol...)
*TWs: Ra.pe / stalking
July 14, 2021
3.5 rounded up
What do you call a room full of psychopaths? Well, I wouldn’t call them anything as I’d be moving swiftly in the opposite direction! In this novel we work our way to Day 60 when Chloe Sevré has plans for Will Bachman. It’s the first day of term for freshman Chloe at John Adams University where along with others diagnosed with psychopathy she is to be part of Dr Leonard Wyman's Panel Study aiming to train them to live a’normal life’. Chloe, Andre Jensen, Charles Portman and others wear a smart watch to record moods and so on. Events take a dark turn at the university which seems to link to the CRD serial killer of many years ago in which Wyman has involvement in his capacity as a psychiatrist.
The novel starts well and for the first half or so it’s extremely hard to put down. Wyman's study is intriguing and each of those involved have good back stories that are dark, particularly Chloe’s, though I frequently question exactly what game Wyman is playing. Chloe's portrayal is the most convincing, we can see her all to clearly with her chameleon habits and defined agenda. Her humour is dark, no surprise there and I really like this element. The pace is fast, there are several twists and turns, there’s so much tension it almost makes you gasp and some gut punching revelations that make you feel sympathy for Chloe’s mission. Charles is also portrayed well, he’s sleek, slick, dangerous and undoubtedly power driven.
However, unfortunately from about the half way point the pace drops off and the storyline drifts into something else from where it begins and the focus now seems to be on the past. It does have some excellent moments of tension- talk about Kill Bill - and it is certainly devious and unpredictable. The pace in the first half is fast so you anticipate an explosive ending, however what we get is something very convenient and if I’m honest, it’s a damp squib. It’s seems to be set up for a follow up which I hope will have more consistent pacing.
Overall there is a lot that is good in this book, there’s some originality and the characters are fascinating. Although it’s not marketed as YA it seems to me that is the most fitting audience for this especially as it’s set in a university with all the fraternities and other things that baffle us Brits! It’s well worth reading and the first half is an absolute cracker.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Vintage, Harvill Secker for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
What do you call a room full of psychopaths? Well, I wouldn’t call them anything as I’d be moving swiftly in the opposite direction! In this novel we work our way to Day 60 when Chloe Sevré has plans for Will Bachman. It’s the first day of term for freshman Chloe at John Adams University where along with others diagnosed with psychopathy she is to be part of Dr Leonard Wyman's Panel Study aiming to train them to live a’normal life’. Chloe, Andre Jensen, Charles Portman and others wear a smart watch to record moods and so on. Events take a dark turn at the university which seems to link to the CRD serial killer of many years ago in which Wyman has involvement in his capacity as a psychiatrist.
The novel starts well and for the first half or so it’s extremely hard to put down. Wyman's study is intriguing and each of those involved have good back stories that are dark, particularly Chloe’s, though I frequently question exactly what game Wyman is playing. Chloe's portrayal is the most convincing, we can see her all to clearly with her chameleon habits and defined agenda. Her humour is dark, no surprise there and I really like this element. The pace is fast, there are several twists and turns, there’s so much tension it almost makes you gasp and some gut punching revelations that make you feel sympathy for Chloe’s mission. Charles is also portrayed well, he’s sleek, slick, dangerous and undoubtedly power driven.
However, unfortunately from about the half way point the pace drops off and the storyline drifts into something else from where it begins and the focus now seems to be on the past. It does have some excellent moments of tension- talk about Kill Bill - and it is certainly devious and unpredictable. The pace in the first half is fast so you anticipate an explosive ending, however what we get is something very convenient and if I’m honest, it’s a damp squib. It’s seems to be set up for a follow up which I hope will have more consistent pacing.
Overall there is a lot that is good in this book, there’s some originality and the characters are fascinating. Although it’s not marketed as YA it seems to me that is the most fitting audience for this especially as it’s set in a university with all the fraternities and other things that baffle us Brits! It’s well worth reading and the first half is an absolute cracker.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Vintage, Harvill Secker for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
September 22, 2021
Chloe is a freshman in college, but she can’t get over her past. Probably because she’s a psychopath! She’s one of a group of students that the University is studying. “Psychopaths interacting in a college setting“ what could go wrong?
This was a campy college horror read. Since all the major characters were psychopaths I knew their was no point in trying to guess who the killer was or why they were causing chaos. I just sat back and enjoyed the twisty roller coaster ride ☺️
This was a campy college horror read. Since all the major characters were psychopaths I knew their was no point in trying to guess who the killer was or why they were causing chaos. I just sat back and enjoyed the twisty roller coaster ride ☺️
September 27, 2021
“Never Saw Me Coming” by Vera Kurian is an interesting mystery/thriller/suspense story. It involves psychopaths, college age psychopaths.
A fictious Washington DC university has a program in it’s psychology department. It recruits psychopaths and gifts them with a full ride, room, board, and tuition. The idea is that the head of the department believes he can create upstanding citizens out of these psychopaths. He feels that through therapy and individual sessions, these psychopaths can learn how to provide correct emotional responses along with learning how to achieve goals in a moral and legal manner. So, what could go wrong in combining 8 psychopaths in one school??
The main character, Chloe, goes to the school for the sole purpose to kill a boy who did her wrong when she was twelve years old. Chloe provides first person narration, so we grasp what the heck she has planned.
To be in the program, the students need to wear a watch that monitors their emotions. Because of the watch, another student of the program recognizes her as being part of the study. The program is anonymous, so no one is to know, other than the T.A.’s and the director, who the psychopaths are. This becomes important when two fellow psychopaths are murdered. Are they murdered for being in the program or is this random?
What’s interesting is that author Vera Kurian is good in that we sort of root for the crazy people! None of the psychopaths are likable, yet we don’t want them dead. Chloe’s search for revenge was a bit over-the-top for me.
This is a most anticipated Fall 2021 novel by Newsweek, Goodreads, PopSugar, Crime Reads, Crime by the Book and more. I liked it, but it wasn’t as amazing as I anticipated. It is a fresh idea, but it wasn’t a book that I couldn’t wait to get back to.
A fictious Washington DC university has a program in it’s psychology department. It recruits psychopaths and gifts them with a full ride, room, board, and tuition. The idea is that the head of the department believes he can create upstanding citizens out of these psychopaths. He feels that through therapy and individual sessions, these psychopaths can learn how to provide correct emotional responses along with learning how to achieve goals in a moral and legal manner. So, what could go wrong in combining 8 psychopaths in one school??
The main character, Chloe, goes to the school for the sole purpose to kill a boy who did her wrong when she was twelve years old. Chloe provides first person narration, so we grasp what the heck she has planned.
To be in the program, the students need to wear a watch that monitors their emotions. Because of the watch, another student of the program recognizes her as being part of the study. The program is anonymous, so no one is to know, other than the T.A.’s and the director, who the psychopaths are. This becomes important when two fellow psychopaths are murdered. Are they murdered for being in the program or is this random?
What’s interesting is that author Vera Kurian is good in that we sort of root for the crazy people! None of the psychopaths are likable, yet we don’t want them dead. Chloe’s search for revenge was a bit over-the-top for me.
This is a most anticipated Fall 2021 novel by Newsweek, Goodreads, PopSugar, Crime Reads, Crime by the Book and more. I liked it, but it wasn’t as amazing as I anticipated. It is a fresh idea, but it wasn’t a book that I couldn’t wait to get back to.
April 25, 2021
This was exactly what I wanted. Five stars!
Will Bachman drinks too much and hangs out with people who don't look after him.
Will Bachman has made some mistakes.
Will Bachman has sixty days to live.
Chloe Sevre is just like any other college freshman - moving into her dorm, figuring out her class schedule, navigating social media, and of course, plotting a murder. In the meantime, she'll be plenty busy as one of seven students on campus participating in an innovative clinical study of psychopathy. But campus life won't be all psychopaths and rainbows - there's a murderer on the loose. And everyone knows, you should never trust a psychopath.
Y'all. This is SO MUCH FUN!
Is it slutty to be messaging one boy when you are on the way to meet another? Maybe not if you're planning on killing one of them.
Never Saw Me Coming is a spinning carousel of motives and distrust, secrets and lies. A multi perspective novel, (that has maybe one too many POVs), the voices are sharply differentiated and always interesting. In addition to main character Chloe, we have Charles, a senior frat bro with political aspirations, and Andre, a freshman who is keeping secrets even bigger than his diagnosis. Rounding out the cast we have Dr. Wyman, the head of the study, and his chief grad student and doctoral candidate, Elena Torres.
That's a big part of what makes this book so enjoyable. The characters are smartly drawn and nuanced. For a book that features multiple characters with past trauma and various mental health diagnoses, it presents them in ways that feel honest, if that makes any sense? It's easy to create a "bad" or "evil" character and slap a psychopath label on them. It's much more difficult (and rewarding) to create characters with personality disorders and present their flaws and achievements in equal lighting.
"You're. Fucking. Insane."
"I accept myself for who I am."
It's also darkly funny, which I LOVE. I also love a book with a ticking clock, and characters who are smart and self aware. It subverted my expectations multiple times and pulled off twists seamlessly. It really hit the nail on the head when it comes to knowing what to tell the reader and when, keeping me guessing but not frustrating me.
This just hit a perfect balance of mystery, thrills, black comedy, and character. It takes unreliable narration and mixes it with a healthy dose of distrust and constantly swapping alliances.
Never Saw Me Coming isn't a perfect book, but I'll be damned if I can find anything significant to complain about. I just had a great time reading it, and I'm 100% on board for whatever Vera Kurian writes next.
Quotes come from digital arc and my be different in the published version.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Park Row for the review copy!
Will Bachman drinks too much and hangs out with people who don't look after him.
Will Bachman has made some mistakes.
Will Bachman has sixty days to live.
Chloe Sevre is just like any other college freshman - moving into her dorm, figuring out her class schedule, navigating social media, and of course, plotting a murder. In the meantime, she'll be plenty busy as one of seven students on campus participating in an innovative clinical study of psychopathy. But campus life won't be all psychopaths and rainbows - there's a murderer on the loose. And everyone knows, you should never trust a psychopath.
Y'all. This is SO MUCH FUN!
Is it slutty to be messaging one boy when you are on the way to meet another? Maybe not if you're planning on killing one of them.
Never Saw Me Coming is a spinning carousel of motives and distrust, secrets and lies. A multi perspective novel, (that has maybe one too many POVs), the voices are sharply differentiated and always interesting. In addition to main character Chloe, we have Charles, a senior frat bro with political aspirations, and Andre, a freshman who is keeping secrets even bigger than his diagnosis. Rounding out the cast we have Dr. Wyman, the head of the study, and his chief grad student and doctoral candidate, Elena Torres.
That's a big part of what makes this book so enjoyable. The characters are smartly drawn and nuanced. For a book that features multiple characters with past trauma and various mental health diagnoses, it presents them in ways that feel honest, if that makes any sense? It's easy to create a "bad" or "evil" character and slap a psychopath label on them. It's much more difficult (and rewarding) to create characters with personality disorders and present their flaws and achievements in equal lighting.
"You're. Fucking. Insane."
"I accept myself for who I am."
It's also darkly funny, which I LOVE. I also love a book with a ticking clock, and characters who are smart and self aware. It subverted my expectations multiple times and pulled off twists seamlessly. It really hit the nail on the head when it comes to knowing what to tell the reader and when, keeping me guessing but not frustrating me.
This just hit a perfect balance of mystery, thrills, black comedy, and character. It takes unreliable narration and mixes it with a healthy dose of distrust and constantly swapping alliances.
Never Saw Me Coming isn't a perfect book, but I'll be damned if I can find anything significant to complain about. I just had a great time reading it, and I'm 100% on board for whatever Vera Kurian writes next.
Quotes come from digital arc and my be different in the published version.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Park Row for the review copy!
August 28, 2021
Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian is a thriller novel. Some have this one as young adult and others as adult, technically it is new adult with the characters being college students. The point of view in the story will change between a few of the characters who by the way are psychopaths!
Chloe Sevre considered it destiny that she is attending John Adams University having applied to all the colleges in the D.C. area. You see, Chloe has a plan, a revenge plan, that she intends to see through to the end against the boy who did her wrong when she was only 12, Will. The fact that Chloe is now on a full ride scholarship courtesy of the psychology department only makes her more determined to see out her plan.
Chloe obtained her full ride to the university because Chloe has been diagnosed as a psychopath. She is now part of a study carried out by a professor at the university, a renowned psychologist, who had brought in six others like Chloe all on scholarships. As Chloe is activating her mission however one of the other students in the study is murdered bringing attention to the campus.
The first thing that comes to mind with Never Saw Me Coming is that these aren’t very likable characters. Well, we are talking a book on some cold and calculating psychopaths so I didn’t expect cheery and delightful either. I also couldn’t help but think what does it say about me that I enjoy reading about these characters? However, I do have to admit I was fascinated by Chloe and her mission as much as I was with finding who was the murderer on campus and I did keep flying through the pages all the way to the end so I did enjoy reading this one.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Chloe Sevre considered it destiny that she is attending John Adams University having applied to all the colleges in the D.C. area. You see, Chloe has a plan, a revenge plan, that she intends to see through to the end against the boy who did her wrong when she was only 12, Will. The fact that Chloe is now on a full ride scholarship courtesy of the psychology department only makes her more determined to see out her plan.
Chloe obtained her full ride to the university because Chloe has been diagnosed as a psychopath. She is now part of a study carried out by a professor at the university, a renowned psychologist, who had brought in six others like Chloe all on scholarships. As Chloe is activating her mission however one of the other students in the study is murdered bringing attention to the campus.
The first thing that comes to mind with Never Saw Me Coming is that these aren’t very likable characters. Well, we are talking a book on some cold and calculating psychopaths so I didn’t expect cheery and delightful either. I also couldn’t help but think what does it say about me that I enjoy reading about these characters? However, I do have to admit I was fascinated by Chloe and her mission as much as I was with finding who was the murderer on campus and I did keep flying through the pages all the way to the end so I did enjoy reading this one.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
March 1, 2021
A unique premise for a thriller - seven psychopaths given full scholarships to college, part of a special program that monitors their activities and moods in the hope of understanding their illness and helping them become better, functioning members of society. Told in multiple points of view, the characters are fascinating, each a study of psychopathy. But, being psychopaths, none of them are exactly who the program thinks they are and their motivations for being there are not all exactly what they seem. And now they are being hunted; could it be one of their own? Never Saw Me Coming is a dark, complicated tale with a twisty path, and a satisfying ending. Don’t pick it up unless you have time; you won’t be able to put it down!
October 7, 2021
This book had been all over the intertubes, but you know how your girl feels about a face cover so I continued to pass it by. But then it was available on the new and notable shelf at the library so of course it ended up coming home with me. I actually took a gander at the synopsis for a change and was immediately intrigued by the premise of seven psychopaths ….
(No relation) being chosen for a sort of medical research program where they all receive free tuition as their fee.
But then I met Chloe and it turned out she had only agreed to participate in the study because she wanted revenge on someone who wronged her. You probably know how I feel about that tired ass trope by now too ….
Yeah I hate it almost as much as I hate this cover.
Then someone died which should have had my tail wagging, but when you don’t even get to meet the person before they are offed it’s sorta hard to generate much of a feeling from me. And then the same thing kept happening *frowny face*
Never Saw Me Coming was a win for my friends, but I found it too long with not enough action. I already griped about the plot within the plot. I didn’t like the change in POV - either go all in with seven perspectives or stick to one because this muddled mess didn’t work. I didn’t guess the whodunnit but I also didn’t really care. The psych study that was what hooked me pretty much didn’t exist and on and on and on. This just wasn’t my jam.
(No relation) being chosen for a sort of medical research program where they all receive free tuition as their fee.
But then I met Chloe and it turned out she had only agreed to participate in the study because she wanted revenge on someone who wronged her. You probably know how I feel about that tired ass trope by now too ….
Yeah I hate it almost as much as I hate this cover.
Then someone died which should have had my tail wagging, but when you don’t even get to meet the person before they are offed it’s sorta hard to generate much of a feeling from me. And then the same thing kept happening *frowny face*
Never Saw Me Coming was a win for my friends, but I found it too long with not enough action. I already griped about the plot within the plot. I didn’t like the change in POV - either go all in with seven perspectives or stick to one because this muddled mess didn’t work. I didn’t guess the whodunnit but I also didn’t really care. The psych study that was what hooked me pretty much didn’t exist and on and on and on. This just wasn’t my jam.
May 9, 2023
People love psychology because people are narcissistic. And as a psychopath I’m particularly narcissistic.
…
That’s the problem with people like us—we’re too good at lying so you never know the truth.
Chloe Sevre is like a lot of her fellow freshmen at John Adams University: she studies and works hard, parties and sometimes hooks up with classmates. But unlike most of her classmates, she’s 1) a diagnosed psychopath who’s part of an on-campus study of seven such students, and 2) determined to murder a childhood friend and fellow student named Will Bachman. But when another student in the program is stabbed to death, Chloe is forced to balance her plans with making sure she is not the next victim.
Never Saw Me Coming is told from shifting perspectives, usually from different students in the psychopath program. It is really interesting headspace to occupy, these people who lack empathy or fear yet who try to fit in, if only for appearances’ sake—and the one person who’s pretending to be a psychopath, the first of many solid twists. The most common perspective is Chloe’s, which is good because she’s a great character. She’s got this plucky can-do optimism that’s kind of hilarious, like if there was a Freaky Friday and Hannibal Lecter’s soul got stuck inside a hot, horny 19-year-old girl. And she’s funny:
My only consolation was that once I was done with Will, I could throw myself body and soul into what college is supposed to be: romantic intrigue, baiting girls into stupid fights for fun, having affairs with professors.
…
The inside of the pig was all different shades of gray. Dead-looking pinkish gray, sodden-intestine gray. I would be great at coming up with the names for shades of paint.
And despite all the craziness, Chloe’s reasons for wanting to murder Will Bachman are legitimate enough that you’ll probably be rooting for her to at least live long enough to succeed.
Never Saw Me Coming is a wildly fun debut novel. It’s a cat-and-mouse thriller, except one with like five cats, five mice, and lots of twists and red herrings. I will not be sorry if there’s a sequel. Recommended.
March 13, 2021
Walk in the shoes of a psychopath this fall and pick up a copy of Never Saw Me Coming. This campus-set novel was full of psychological thrills, unreliable narrators and twisty plots; I never wanted to put the book down!
The main antiheroine, Chloe Sevre--a diagnosed psychopath and social chameleon with vengeful intentions--was addicting to follow. I rooted for her and was terrified of her at the same time. Aside from Chloe, the other narrators in this book were thoroughly enjoyable. I couldn’t trust any of them, which was delightful for a hardcore mystery fan like myself. Highly recommend this debut for fans of Dexter or Jessica Jones.
The main antiheroine, Chloe Sevre--a diagnosed psychopath and social chameleon with vengeful intentions--was addicting to follow. I rooted for her and was terrified of her at the same time. Aside from Chloe, the other narrators in this book were thoroughly enjoyable. I couldn’t trust any of them, which was delightful for a hardcore mystery fan like myself. Highly recommend this debut for fans of Dexter or Jessica Jones.
May 2, 2022
Quality wise, this is probably more like a 4 star, but considering I stayed up late reading it... I'm bumping to a 4.5. I absolutely loved the narrative voice & dark humor of this! I was invested in all the different POVs and I thought it was an enjoyable variant of a serial killer type mystery. It was a little baggy in the middle, but I liked the voice so much, I didn't really notice. Very fun & entertaining for me!!
October 7, 2021
I'm really surprised how invested in this book I got. Unlikeable characters galore, but I couldn't get enough. This book is just BEGGING to become a Netflix/Hulu/Amazon Prime miniseries.
September 12, 2021
In a Nutshell: This had so much potential! I still love the concept. I just wish the author had more writing experience because this book would have packed a really strong punch.
Story:
Where the story worked for me:
• The unusual lead characters: I’ve read enough thrillers where the murderer is a psychopath. This has to be the first thriller where the psychopath is a potential victim and a potential murder too. The emotional dilemma is conflicting enough to make you wonder whether or not to root for Chloe and her plans. For a debut work, this is an outstanding choice of leads.
• The psychological details: The author is a PhD in social psychology and her grasp over the psychological aspects of the personalities of psychopaths shows wonderfully. It takes some time to get used to delineating the more popular definition of a psychopath and fit it in the actual psychological definition. But Vera Kurien’s writing helps tremendously and you soon understand why criminals are commonly but misleadingly called psychopaths.
• The main characters: I can’t say that I connected with the characters. This ought to be an obvious revelation because considering Charles’ and Chloe’s personalities and their thinking as psychopaths, it wouldn’t have boded well for me (and my mental status) to empathise with them. But I did enjoy their portrayal. The character sketching for the three of them is superb and without any glitches except one. (Details below.) I liked Andre’s character the most because his difficulties seemed very realistic. I wish he had more page space. Chloe is too smart for her own good and I relished her overconfident vibe.
• There are some brilliant lines in the book, especially in Chloe’s chapters. One line that had me snorting was, “One thing I will tell you about girls—they don’t think with their penises.”
Where the story could have worked better for me:
• Plot Structure: The book starts off very well and hooks you in the narrative with Chloe’s devious thinking and Andre’s insecurities. However, the structure goes haywire after a few chapters with frequent perspective changes and too many red herrings. It felt like you were in a maze, and the author was leading you in a particular direction intentionally, but you knew in advance that it was not the way out and you still had no choice but to follow the author out of compulsion.
• Fault in Character sketches: There are many contrivances in the story that seem very clear to readers but not to the central trio. Especially considering how Chloe and Charles are portrayed as intelligent, their inability to see these glaring chinks in their hunt for the murderer is tough to accept. There are so many obvious cues that they missed out on that it didn’t sync well with the rest of their portrayal. But at least these three make a mark. The rest of the characters aren’t well developed and have hardly any back story that helps you decipher their actions. Some of them pop up only when needed by the main troika. I wasn’t happy with the portrayal of any of the secondary characters.
• Slow Pacing: A thriller thrives on pacing. The moment the pacing goes for a toss, the interest level dips. This thriller is SLOW! There are too many unnecessary curveballs that try to throw your guesses askew but they don’t work. Too much of a slow burn!
• Knowing the killer: Nothing spoils the fun of a thriller as much as discovering that your first and only guess about the potential killer was the right guess. 😕 The minute the killer comes in the narrative, I knew it had to be that person. The ending could have still salvaged my experience if it were more suspenseful. But the entire dramatic thrill ends abruptly and the final showdown is over even before you realise it. This generates the feeling of an anti-climax; imagine reading through 360+ pages of suspense for hardly 10 pages of a genuine finale.
• Formatting flaws: I am always okay with multiple perspectives in novels as they help in seeing the plot from different angles. However, it would have helped to have the character name at the start of each POV. Chloe’s was the only obvious one as it was in first person. For the others, the revelation occurred only when I saw their name in the chapter. This doesn’t aid effective transition between character voices. Also, there are numerous text messages sent to and fro in the story but these aren’t punctuated well. It made it tough to decipher what part was the text and what was the plot. (This might be a problem only in the ARC, but it did make my reading experience tougher.)
Regardless of the numerous possible areas of improvement, I can still say that I enjoyed the concept of the story. It was only the writing that left me dissatisfied, but I have no doubt that with more experience, the author can become a name to reckon with. I will definitely keep an eye out for her future works if she can give me such unique lead characters and an interesting psychological perspective every time.
Recommended if you want to read a book about psychopaths being the victims for a change. Those interested in psychology will certainly find the book engrossing. It’s a good, slow-burn thriller with novel lead characters.
3.5 stars from me.
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row and NetGalley for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Story:
Chloe Sevre is offered a scholarship at a Washington DC university in exchange for being one of seven students who are part of an unusual psychological study. After all, she is a diagnosed psychopath and a merit-ranking student. Chloe gladly accepts the free education because she has her own secret agenda: she wants to kill a fellow student named Will Bachman. Her planning is flawless and her activity schedule leading to the intended murder starts off well on track, but is soon derailed by the murder of a fellow student in the psychology building. Soon, Chloe fights two battles: she wants to be the hunter but she doesn’t want to be the hunted.
Two other key characters in this story are Charles—a wealthy businessman’s son who seems to live his life under a façade, and Andre—a Black student from a middle class background who is in the same study as Chloe but for financial reasons. When the murder is discovered, the paths of the trio converge.
The story is written in multiple perspectives of these three characters, with Chloe being voiced in first person and the two boys voiced in omniscient third person.
Where the story worked for me:
• The unusual lead characters: I’ve read enough thrillers where the murderer is a psychopath. This has to be the first thriller where the psychopath is a potential victim and a potential murder too. The emotional dilemma is conflicting enough to make you wonder whether or not to root for Chloe and her plans. For a debut work, this is an outstanding choice of leads.
• The psychological details: The author is a PhD in social psychology and her grasp over the psychological aspects of the personalities of psychopaths shows wonderfully. It takes some time to get used to delineating the more popular definition of a psychopath and fit it in the actual psychological definition. But Vera Kurien’s writing helps tremendously and you soon understand why criminals are commonly but misleadingly called psychopaths.
• The main characters: I can’t say that I connected with the characters. This ought to be an obvious revelation because considering Charles’ and Chloe’s personalities and their thinking as psychopaths, it wouldn’t have boded well for me (and my mental status) to empathise with them. But I did enjoy their portrayal. The character sketching for the three of them is superb and without any glitches except one. (Details below.) I liked Andre’s character the most because his difficulties seemed very realistic. I wish he had more page space. Chloe is too smart for her own good and I relished her overconfident vibe.
• There are some brilliant lines in the book, especially in Chloe’s chapters. One line that had me snorting was, “One thing I will tell you about girls—they don’t think with their penises.”
Where the story could have worked better for me:
• Plot Structure: The book starts off very well and hooks you in the narrative with Chloe’s devious thinking and Andre’s insecurities. However, the structure goes haywire after a few chapters with frequent perspective changes and too many red herrings. It felt like you were in a maze, and the author was leading you in a particular direction intentionally, but you knew in advance that it was not the way out and you still had no choice but to follow the author out of compulsion.
• Fault in Character sketches: There are many contrivances in the story that seem very clear to readers but not to the central trio. Especially considering how Chloe and Charles are portrayed as intelligent, their inability to see these glaring chinks in their hunt for the murderer is tough to accept. There are so many obvious cues that they missed out on that it didn’t sync well with the rest of their portrayal. But at least these three make a mark. The rest of the characters aren’t well developed and have hardly any back story that helps you decipher their actions. Some of them pop up only when needed by the main troika. I wasn’t happy with the portrayal of any of the secondary characters.
• Slow Pacing: A thriller thrives on pacing. The moment the pacing goes for a toss, the interest level dips. This thriller is SLOW! There are too many unnecessary curveballs that try to throw your guesses askew but they don’t work. Too much of a slow burn!
• Knowing the killer: Nothing spoils the fun of a thriller as much as discovering that your first and only guess about the potential killer was the right guess. 😕 The minute the killer comes in the narrative, I knew it had to be that person. The ending could have still salvaged my experience if it were more suspenseful. But the entire dramatic thrill ends abruptly and the final showdown is over even before you realise it. This generates the feeling of an anti-climax; imagine reading through 360+ pages of suspense for hardly 10 pages of a genuine finale.
• Formatting flaws: I am always okay with multiple perspectives in novels as they help in seeing the plot from different angles. However, it would have helped to have the character name at the start of each POV. Chloe’s was the only obvious one as it was in first person. For the others, the revelation occurred only when I saw their name in the chapter. This doesn’t aid effective transition between character voices. Also, there are numerous text messages sent to and fro in the story but these aren’t punctuated well. It made it tough to decipher what part was the text and what was the plot. (This might be a problem only in the ARC, but it did make my reading experience tougher.)
Regardless of the numerous possible areas of improvement, I can still say that I enjoyed the concept of the story. It was only the writing that left me dissatisfied, but I have no doubt that with more experience, the author can become a name to reckon with. I will definitely keep an eye out for her future works if she can give me such unique lead characters and an interesting psychological perspective every time.
Recommended if you want to read a book about psychopaths being the victims for a change. Those interested in psychology will certainly find the book engrossing. It’s a good, slow-burn thriller with novel lead characters.
3.5 stars from me.
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row and NetGalley for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
September 7, 2021
3.5 college psychopath stars
There’s an interesting study going on at John Adams University in Washington DC. Seven diagnosed psychopaths are attending on full-ride scholarships in return for logging in occasionally with their smart watches and doing a few weekly experiments. What could possibly go wrong?
Our main student is Chloe, she’s in the program, but she has her own agenda, and it is all about revenge against Will. In between the usual college student activities, she’s plotting just how and where to get her revenge.
When a student is murdered on campus, things take a darker turn. Chloe teams up with a few others in the program – can any of them trust each other though? Will Chloe be able to follow through on her plan or will she be one of the next victims?
This is a new author, and I enjoyed this first book. It could likely have been edited to be a bit shorter, but overall an entertaining thriller!
This one made for an excellent buddy read with Ceecee and Jayme and we batted around various theories! Be sure to watch for their reviews as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin/Park Row for the copy of this one to read.
There’s an interesting study going on at John Adams University in Washington DC. Seven diagnosed psychopaths are attending on full-ride scholarships in return for logging in occasionally with their smart watches and doing a few weekly experiments. What could possibly go wrong?
Our main student is Chloe, she’s in the program, but she has her own agenda, and it is all about revenge against Will. In between the usual college student activities, she’s plotting just how and where to get her revenge.
When a student is murdered on campus, things take a darker turn. Chloe teams up with a few others in the program – can any of them trust each other though? Will Chloe be able to follow through on her plan or will she be one of the next victims?
This is a new author, and I enjoyed this first book. It could likely have been edited to be a bit shorter, but overall an entertaining thriller!
This one made for an excellent buddy read with Ceecee and Jayme and we batted around various theories! Be sure to watch for their reviews as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin/Park Row for the copy of this one to read.
August 22, 2021
It’s her first day college, but Chloe Sevre isn’t nervous at all. She has a plan. Get rid of Mom, take the best room before her dorm-mate arrives, make 6-8 new friends before 4, and find Will. If you’re thinking ‘how sweet’, she must be looking for her boyfriend, you’re dead wrong. Will’s days are numbered (literally, the book includes a countdown), because the main reason Chloe came to John Adams University is to kill him. And she doesn’t plan on giving up till it’s done…
Chloe is a psychopath. Ostensibly, that’s what got her to John Adams. Part of a clinical study aimed at understanding and perhaps even re-wiring the thinking of diagnosed psychopaths, she’s happy to take the free ride in exchange for a few stupid experiments and some mood logs. What’s really important to her is finding Will Bachman, a fellow student and someone who did her serious wrong in the past. However, a series of unfortunate deaths quickly ruin her best laid murder plans and she finds herself on the hit list of a shadowy killer.
‘Who was this person, and who the fuck did they think they were, standing between me and a goal I’d been working toward since I was twelve? How long had they been working on their stupid plan?’
Chloe’s voice is the biggest draw of the novel, her matter of fact narration illustrating how comfortable she is with herself and her choices. It’s part of her psychopathy, of course, but it’s disturbingly appealing. She has zero concerns about about using her looks or skills to get what she wants, by fair means or foul. Despite her clearly stated determination to murder someone (who deserves it anyway btw), she’s not scary, she’s just … efficient. Offing Will is simply another thing on her tick list, same as maintaining her 4.0 grade average. While murder is currently at the top of her to-do, you can imagine her happily moving on to the next thing once it’s completed- and giving that just as much attention. Between planning murder and avoiding getting murdered herself, she’s maintaining friendships, attending classes, handing in all her coursework, and investigating the other psychopaths in the programme. Honestly, I was more than a little impressed by her work ethic. As a narrator, she’s unreliable as hell, but the author has made her too fascinating to dismiss. She’s funny. And I don’t just mean a few quips here and there, the book is laugh out loud funny in parts. It has the kind of self-aware, laugh along with me commentary that ensures we know it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
‘Is it slutty to be messaging one boy when you are on the way to meet another? Maybe not if you’re planning on killing one of them’.
The ending hints at the possibility of more and believe me when I say, I’M ALL FOR IT. This book was perfectly pitched and pure fun. Highly recommended.
ARC via Netgalley
Chloe is a psychopath. Ostensibly, that’s what got her to John Adams. Part of a clinical study aimed at understanding and perhaps even re-wiring the thinking of diagnosed psychopaths, she’s happy to take the free ride in exchange for a few stupid experiments and some mood logs. What’s really important to her is finding Will Bachman, a fellow student and someone who did her serious wrong in the past. However, a series of unfortunate deaths quickly ruin her best laid murder plans and she finds herself on the hit list of a shadowy killer.
‘Who was this person, and who the fuck did they think they were, standing between me and a goal I’d been working toward since I was twelve? How long had they been working on their stupid plan?’
Chloe’s voice is the biggest draw of the novel, her matter of fact narration illustrating how comfortable she is with herself and her choices. It’s part of her psychopathy, of course, but it’s disturbingly appealing. She has zero concerns about about using her looks or skills to get what she wants, by fair means or foul. Despite her clearly stated determination to murder someone (who deserves it anyway btw), she’s not scary, she’s just … efficient. Offing Will is simply another thing on her tick list, same as maintaining her 4.0 grade average. While murder is currently at the top of her to-do, you can imagine her happily moving on to the next thing once it’s completed- and giving that just as much attention. Between planning murder and avoiding getting murdered herself, she’s maintaining friendships, attending classes, handing in all her coursework, and investigating the other psychopaths in the programme. Honestly, I was more than a little impressed by her work ethic. As a narrator, she’s unreliable as hell, but the author has made her too fascinating to dismiss. She’s funny. And I don’t just mean a few quips here and there, the book is laugh out loud funny in parts. It has the kind of self-aware, laugh along with me commentary that ensures we know it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
‘Is it slutty to be messaging one boy when you are on the way to meet another? Maybe not if you’re planning on killing one of them’.
The ending hints at the possibility of more and believe me when I say, I’M ALL FOR IT. This book was perfectly pitched and pure fun. Highly recommended.
ARC via Netgalley
April 21, 2021
I absolutely adored this book - a really most excellent premise in which we follow a group of diagnosed psychopaths, all attending college on scholarship in return for taking part in a study of their behaviour. I mean what could POSSIBLY go wrong?
One definitely has murder on her mind, but when a killer starts stalking the halls, things go a little crazy. The writing is excellent, the story itself is cleverly involving and the outcome never guaranteed
You won't find a more compelling group dynamic in many books and I'm really hoping this won't be the last we hear from them.
Fuller review nearer publication.
One definitely has murder on her mind, but when a killer starts stalking the halls, things go a little crazy. The writing is excellent, the story itself is cleverly involving and the outcome never guaranteed
You won't find a more compelling group dynamic in many books and I'm really hoping this won't be the last we hear from them.
Fuller review nearer publication.
July 21, 2021
This was a fascinating premise about a group of students identified as psychopaths and “studied” at a college. The chapters have differing points of view, and my favorite chapters were those narrated by Chloe, an intriguing psychopath. Chloe has a particular psychopathic mission at her chosen college relating to vengeance, justice and payback. I particularly enjoyed the way Chloe’s chapters were written. I’ve read a lot of books with narrators who might be psychopaths whose narration is charming, emotionally rich, and otherwise NOT psychopathic. Here, Chloe’s narration has a certain unusual remove and callousness to it while still being fascinating, To me this was a perfect and much more innovative way to depict a psychopathic character than the charmers we often see in this genre. I also really enjoyed the character of Charles, who had a very different inner life and logic than Chloe. I really enjoyed the contrast and interplay between the two characters.
Though I enjoyed this book, there were a couple of negatives. One was that due to the college atmosphere, the emotional immaturity of the characters, and the casual narration styles, this felt more like a YA book to me. This isn’t necessarily a problem for me because I like a good YA thriller, but if you don’t like YA books, it’s something to note. The other thing to note is that the book is super long for this genre. This is more a testament to how good the mystery was — I wanted to get to the resolution sooner than we did.
It’s hard to believe this was Vera Kurian’s first novel. Well-written and entirely creative. If you have the fortitude for the length (here I should mention I have a notoriously short attention span and yet I still enjoyed it!) and are a fan of mysteries, this is a great one to check out. I’d also be really interested to see what this author could do with a fully adult psychopathic character,
Thanks to Harlequin, NetGalley and the author for this interesting and promising debut ARC!
Though I enjoyed this book, there were a couple of negatives. One was that due to the college atmosphere, the emotional immaturity of the characters, and the casual narration styles, this felt more like a YA book to me. This isn’t necessarily a problem for me because I like a good YA thriller, but if you don’t like YA books, it’s something to note. The other thing to note is that the book is super long for this genre. This is more a testament to how good the mystery was — I wanted to get to the resolution sooner than we did.
It’s hard to believe this was Vera Kurian’s first novel. Well-written and entirely creative. If you have the fortitude for the length (here I should mention I have a notoriously short attention span and yet I still enjoyed it!) and are a fan of mysteries, this is a great one to check out. I’d also be really interested to see what this author could do with a fully adult psychopathic character,
Thanks to Harlequin, NetGalley and the author for this interesting and promising debut ARC!
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