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McKenna Mystery #3
Never Tell
In book three of the McKenna Mystery Series, Grace finds herself face to face with a school principal holding onto a haunting past. When Grace makes eye contact with Principal Jack Whittaker on a routine visit to an elementary school, she is confronted with visions of a disturbed woman who is struggling to convey a message. In Never Tell, flashes of a heavily made-up face, a red rope that seems to lead to nowhere, and a rainy night in a familiar field, take Grace to places outside of Bridgeton to solve a crime that she hopes will help heal the town. Armed with the few clues that she has from a missing person case in the eighties, Grace untangles the mystery alongside a questionable witness.
248 pages, ebook
First published May 1, 2020
164 people are currently reading
624 people want to read
About the author
Kate Anslinger
24 books229 followersKate is the author of the Grace McKenna Mystery series and The Town Series. She’s also penned several standalone novels and co-authored a nonfiction book or two. In addition to her life as a novelist, Kate is a ghostwriter, book coach, and a veteran of the United States Air Force. Her debut novel Saving Jason, touches upon the struggles of PTSD, a topic that is near and dear to her heart. Kate lives on the North Shore of Boston with her husband, two daughters and golden retriever pup.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 7, 2023
children's books?
I honestly don't understand all of the great reviews. Is the main character really a grown woman who is a police detective? It was tough just keeping up with the ridiculous character names like the two main characters Gail & Grace oh then there was Julie Jack Jullian Joanne Jack sr and of course the Jackson's along with Brody Barb Bruce and the Baxters. Need I say more?
I honestly don't understand all of the great reviews. Is the main character really a grown woman who is a police detective? It was tough just keeping up with the ridiculous character names like the two main characters Gail & Grace oh then there was Julie Jack Jullian Joanne Jack sr and of course the Jackson's along with Brody Barb Bruce and the Baxters. Need I say more?
March 19, 2025
This was my first book by Kate Anslinger. Even though I haven't read the previous books in this series, there was plenty of information regarding character introductions and how Grace's gift works. I liked that the chapters were short, and there were so many twists! Grace is a likeable character, and I thought there were a lot of other characters to keep up with. However, the writing was done well to describe them, which helped to keep them all straight. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series!
May 7, 2020
Another amazing trip to Bridgeton with Detective Grace.
This McKenna Mystery was another fast pace story that I couldn't put down. Grace is doing her normal school visits when she is struck by a vision of a woman crying out for help when she looks into the eyes of the HS Principal. On the surface Principal Whittaker looks perfect, stand out student athlete, top of his class, married with a beautiful family the principal of the Bridgeton HS, but all that glitter isn't gold.
Grace is not only haunted by the woman's face, but also her own personal life. Grace's boyfriend Mark is moving in, she is loosing her mother more every day and a person from Grace's past is trying to reconnect. As Grace tries to balance it all she leans on her guy, Mark. As always he understands that she can't stop until this mystery is solved.
This book will leave the comfort of Bridgeton and take us to VT. Where our story makes some interesting turns.
This book has a great amount of suspense and thrills. I think what I love best about these books is these are crime stories, but there isn't any gore or unnecessary violence. I also love that Grace isn't just her job, this book looks into her life (past and present). What does she want? Grace is always looking for justice, but it doesn't mean she can't find happiness as well. I love all the characters from Bridgeton. Once again Barb is upfront and present and as helpful as ever. We also meet an old school officer, Sully. The town itself is a place I can close my eyes and see. Everything seems so real and really helps me loose myself in the mystery.
Can Grace solve an almost 40 year old mystery and bring the bad guy to justice? Well you will just have to find out, because I'll never tell!
This McKenna Mystery was another fast pace story that I couldn't put down. Grace is doing her normal school visits when she is struck by a vision of a woman crying out for help when she looks into the eyes of the HS Principal. On the surface Principal Whittaker looks perfect, stand out student athlete, top of his class, married with a beautiful family the principal of the Bridgeton HS, but all that glitter isn't gold.
Grace is not only haunted by the woman's face, but also her own personal life. Grace's boyfriend Mark is moving in, she is loosing her mother more every day and a person from Grace's past is trying to reconnect. As Grace tries to balance it all she leans on her guy, Mark. As always he understands that she can't stop until this mystery is solved.
This book will leave the comfort of Bridgeton and take us to VT. Where our story makes some interesting turns.
This book has a great amount of suspense and thrills. I think what I love best about these books is these are crime stories, but there isn't any gore or unnecessary violence. I also love that Grace isn't just her job, this book looks into her life (past and present). What does she want? Grace is always looking for justice, but it doesn't mean she can't find happiness as well. I love all the characters from Bridgeton. Once again Barb is upfront and present and as helpful as ever. We also meet an old school officer, Sully. The town itself is a place I can close my eyes and see. Everything seems so real and really helps me loose myself in the mystery.
Can Grace solve an almost 40 year old mystery and bring the bad guy to justice? Well you will just have to find out, because I'll never tell!
April 15, 2020
"Never Tell" is a tale worth telling!
I fell in love with Grace McKenna in her first outing, "The Gift". And have been hooked on the combination of supernatural and detective fiction ever since. This is a delectable dish, filled with twists and turns and fascinating characters with things to hide. Kate is a master at plotting and imbues her cast with rich, colorful detail that will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next.
Grace kept me up most of the night. Once you start down "Never Tell's" road, this is a book you won't want to put down.
I fell in love with Grace McKenna in her first outing, "The Gift". And have been hooked on the combination of supernatural and detective fiction ever since. This is a delectable dish, filled with twists and turns and fascinating characters with things to hide. Kate is a master at plotting and imbues her cast with rich, colorful detail that will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next.
Grace kept me up most of the night. Once you start down "Never Tell's" road, this is a book you won't want to put down.
May 9, 2020
Another good book by Kate Anslinger, but I liked the other 2 better than this one
October 13, 2024
series i like
cop with visions of bad things people did when she looks in their eyes
so sad about her mom losing her memory. she had to put her in a facility. her mom was raped by her dad and never talked about it, but now she keeps bringing it up
the cop saw a vision from the new principal and is trying to find out what happened to the lady that disappeared in the 1980's that she saw in her vision from him
her cop boyfriend is having a sale at the gym he is running now and the man that was at their xmas party as her moms date that she saw a vision from and told him to go away and not come back was there bringing a box in. when they went to question him he was gone but the box just had newspapers in it. she doesnt know why he keeps showing up
they went to a airb&b and the lady owner was the one who was walking with the lady before she disappeared. she told them 2 kids were drinking. one was the principal now that she saw the vision from and the other works at the school. she talked to the lady and she told her the other lady walked the boy home, he was going to be in trouble for drinking.
meanwhile her mom is in a home due to memory loss. she had only spoken of her dad once when she told her he raped her. now the dad called her (her mom had called him and given him her number, she had sent photos of her to him when she was little) and he told her that wasnt true, they were in love. but he got into drugs and they split up. then he had come to their house when she was 7 but she told her mom she saw a vision of him hurting someone, so her mom told him to leave and didnt see him again. but he had confessed he was on drugs, crashed the car and 2 prostitutes died. he will never forgive himself. he is rich now and gives to charities. he wants to pay for her moms care. its a lot and she is not sure if she wants to let him pay for it. shes not sure about him at all. her mom is out of it and she cant ask her
he ends up helping her solve the case . the principal , the boy that was caught drinking with his girlfriend that night killed the teacher so she wouldnt tell. he didnt know the other teacher was his birth mom (now with the airb&b and gay girlfriend and teaches at college)
she accepted her dad and her mom is not doing well. sleeping a lot.
cop with visions of bad things people did when she looks in their eyes
so sad about her mom losing her memory. she had to put her in a facility. her mom was raped by her dad and never talked about it, but now she keeps bringing it up
the cop saw a vision from the new principal and is trying to find out what happened to the lady that disappeared in the 1980's that she saw in her vision from him
her cop boyfriend is having a sale at the gym he is running now and the man that was at their xmas party as her moms date that she saw a vision from and told him to go away and not come back was there bringing a box in. when they went to question him he was gone but the box just had newspapers in it. she doesnt know why he keeps showing up
they went to a airb&b and the lady owner was the one who was walking with the lady before she disappeared. she told them 2 kids were drinking. one was the principal now that she saw the vision from and the other works at the school. she talked to the lady and she told her the other lady walked the boy home, he was going to be in trouble for drinking.
meanwhile her mom is in a home due to memory loss. she had only spoken of her dad once when she told her he raped her. now the dad called her (her mom had called him and given him her number, she had sent photos of her to him when she was little) and he told her that wasnt true, they were in love. but he got into drugs and they split up. then he had come to their house when she was 7 but she told her mom she saw a vision of him hurting someone, so her mom told him to leave and didnt see him again. but he had confessed he was on drugs, crashed the car and 2 prostitutes died. he will never forgive himself. he is rich now and gives to charities. he wants to pay for her moms care. its a lot and she is not sure if she wants to let him pay for it. shes not sure about him at all. her mom is out of it and she cant ask her
he ends up helping her solve the case . the principal , the boy that was caught drinking with his girlfriend that night killed the teacher so she wouldnt tell. he didnt know the other teacher was his birth mom (now with the airb&b and gay girlfriend and teaches at college)
she accepted her dad and her mom is not doing well. sleeping a lot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2023
Grace looks into the eyes of the local elementary school principal and knows he is a killer. She also see the way he treats his youngest son, while putting his older, athletic son on a pedestal. His successful lawyer is also being abused and mis-treated. Grace does not like this man!
Grace receives a phone call from a man who says he is her father. When she asks how he got her number, Bruce tell her that her mother gave it to him. She thinks this is unlikely as her mother has being deteriorating at an alarming rate with Alzheimer's, and has always told her that she was raped by Grace's father. When she goes to the nursing home she learns that Bruce has been spending a great deal of time with her mother.
Grace looks into the eyes of her father and gets an image of 2 dead women. She recalls meeting him at her mother's house when she was only 7, when she told her mother to get that man out of the house. Ellen asked him to leave an she never saw the man again until today.
Bruce explains to Grace that he accidentally killed those two women (prostitutes) while going through a bad period of drugs. Money and drugs don't mix, and Bruce's family owned a very successful construction company in Boston. His wealthy family did not feel that free spirited Ellen was an appropriate wife for someone in his position. He never stopped loving her.
Grace is reluctant to accept her father into her life but then surprisingly finds that he built the school of which Jack Whittaker is now principal. This pulls him into Grace's latest case.
In the meantime, Mark now owns his own gym which promises to be quite successful and he moves into Grace's home. Things are looking up for Grace!
I loved the ending of this book with the promise of a good relationship between Grace and her newly found father.
Grace receives a phone call from a man who says he is her father. When she asks how he got her number, Bruce tell her that her mother gave it to him. She thinks this is unlikely as her mother has being deteriorating at an alarming rate with Alzheimer's, and has always told her that she was raped by Grace's father. When she goes to the nursing home she learns that Bruce has been spending a great deal of time with her mother.
Grace looks into the eyes of her father and gets an image of 2 dead women. She recalls meeting him at her mother's house when she was only 7, when she told her mother to get that man out of the house. Ellen asked him to leave an she never saw the man again until today.
Bruce explains to Grace that he accidentally killed those two women (prostitutes) while going through a bad period of drugs. Money and drugs don't mix, and Bruce's family owned a very successful construction company in Boston. His wealthy family did not feel that free spirited Ellen was an appropriate wife for someone in his position. He never stopped loving her.
Grace is reluctant to accept her father into her life but then surprisingly finds that he built the school of which Jack Whittaker is now principal. This pulls him into Grace's latest case.
In the meantime, Mark now owns his own gym which promises to be quite successful and he moves into Grace's home. Things are looking up for Grace!
I loved the ending of this book with the promise of a good relationship between Grace and her newly found father.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2023
France's Cold Case Solved! 4.3***** Spoiler Alert
As Grace met the new elementary school principal, Jack Whittaker, she glimpsed his murder of a colorful woman, missing teacher Joanne Barrett, from his high school days. Working backwards and through sheer luck, she met the missing woman's best friends and uncovered the cause of a teenager 's murder. Her newly discovered wealthy father, Bruce, assisted in digging up the concrete beneath which Joanne was buried by the haute, narcissistic high school hockey player/ principal. Once again nature vs nurture conflict is thrown into the theme as one wonders how two calm people can produce a murderer, or was it his abusive adopted home environment.
Happy to see Grace slowly allow Bruce into deteriorating Ellen's life and her relationship with Mark seems to be growing in a healthy progression. I just wish Kate would choose one method for Grace's psychic visions: the eyes of the handshake. A Quick, Interesting Read!
07/04/23- 07/05/23 COVID-19Hpy4th Summer'23.
As Grace met the new elementary school principal, Jack Whittaker, she glimpsed his murder of a colorful woman, missing teacher Joanne Barrett, from his high school days. Working backwards and through sheer luck, she met the missing woman's best friends and uncovered the cause of a teenager 's murder. Her newly discovered wealthy father, Bruce, assisted in digging up the concrete beneath which Joanne was buried by the haute, narcissistic high school hockey player/ principal. Once again nature vs nurture conflict is thrown into the theme as one wonders how two calm people can produce a murderer, or was it his abusive adopted home environment.
Happy to see Grace slowly allow Bruce into deteriorating Ellen's life and her relationship with Mark seems to be growing in a healthy progression. I just wish Kate would choose one method for Grace's psychic visions: the eyes of the handshake. A Quick, Interesting Read!
07/04/23- 07/05/23 COVID-19Hpy4th Summer'23.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2020
⭑⭑⭑½
Admittedly, Never Tell was not my favorite of the McKenna Mystery Series. I felt like the telling was a bit contrived at times; with two or three of the major plots/twists relying on sheer coincidence to bring about their reveal/conclusion.
But, this one is not to be missed if you are reading the entire series; as it brings back the mysterious driver of the green pickup truck from the first book's ending and who was briefly mentioned in the second book. I really appreciated the tying up of that "loose end" and just how his storyline entwines with our protagonist's.
I'm very much looking forward to the fourth installment in this McKenna Mystery Series and can't wait to see what ride the talented Kate Anslinger takes us on next!
Admittedly, Never Tell was not my favorite of the McKenna Mystery Series. I felt like the telling was a bit contrived at times; with two or three of the major plots/twists relying on sheer coincidence to bring about their reveal/conclusion.
But, this one is not to be missed if you are reading the entire series; as it brings back the mysterious driver of the green pickup truck from the first book's ending and who was briefly mentioned in the second book. I really appreciated the tying up of that "loose end" and just how his storyline entwines with our protagonist's.
I'm very much looking forward to the fourth installment in this McKenna Mystery Series and can't wait to see what ride the talented Kate Anslinger takes us on next!
March 21, 2021
This was a goodreads giveaway. The book itself needs another run through by an editor/proofreader, some very silly mistakes (bazaar/bizarre, riffs/rifts....). The story is a lifetime weekly movie mystery in print form. The main character has ‘visions’, her mother is suffering from early onset dementia, her long missing, ‘rapist’ father (he isn’t btw - using rape as a plot point makes me angry) has reappeared and wants a relationship, and on and on. There are so many coincidences it makes your head spin. It’s A LOT. The actual reason for the murder is nothing short of ridiculous, as is the method used by the MC police officer to solve it. Pass.
August 12, 2023
Detective Grace McKenna has the perfect job for her gift. When she looks into a person’s eyes, more specifically, a criminal, she can see the crime they’ve committed. In Never Tell, the third book in this series, Grace discovers that Jack Whittaker, principal at a local school, is hiding a very deadly secret. As she starts to unravel the clues from the past, she is also faced with a realization that her mother has lied to her for years about her father. Kate Anslinger has brought us another wonderfully captivating story. It is a true page-turner that will satisfy every reader of mystery thrillers.
September 2, 2023
Another captivating journey in Never Tell, the third installment of the McKenna Mystery series. Detective Grace McKenna is back, this time facing a school principal with a haunting past. When a routine visit to an elementary school turns into a chilling encounter, Grace finds herself entangled in visions of a disturbed woman desperate to share a message. The author’s storytelling prowess shines through in Never Tell. The suspenseful plot, combined with vivid imagery and well-developed characters, makes this installment a gripping read. Fans of detective novels and mystery enthusiasts alike will be captivated by this thrilling addition to the McKenna Mystery series.
April 6, 2021
Kate Anslinger is a mystery writer in the same league as Lisa Scottoline and deserves her place on the same bestseller lists. Never Tell is a brilliantly constructed murder mystery with well-drawn characters that jump off the page. Detective Grace McKenna is a skilled detective who has an added advantage of a mysterious vision into past events that comes in flashes but only offer clues to the real story. For that, solid detective work is necessary and Grace is up to the task while we readers turn pages at a rapid pace to find out what she will uncover next! Well done, Ms. Anslinger!
March 17, 2024
Grace Hope
I don't usually write anything, I just leave Stars but few things have been bugging me. In the first book, her name was Grace Hope but in the 2nd and 3rd it was changed to Grace Ellen. And in the first book Grace took a cat home from the missing artists home but we never heard about it again. Did Brody eat it, lol? And when they buy drinks you never hear anybody paying for them, I think that should be part of your stories. But they are very good books. I like the characters. Oh! There's also Grace's promotion, did she get it or not?
I don't usually write anything, I just leave Stars but few things have been bugging me. In the first book, her name was Grace Hope but in the 2nd and 3rd it was changed to Grace Ellen. And in the first book Grace took a cat home from the missing artists home but we never heard about it again. Did Brody eat it, lol? And when they buy drinks you never hear anybody paying for them, I think that should be part of your stories. But they are very good books. I like the characters. Oh! There's also Grace's promotion, did she get it or not?
March 20, 2025
Grace McKenna is cleaning up old murders one case at a time in Bridgeton. Meanwhile she and Mark are two years into a relationship and Grace's mom is struggling. Juggling all this along with her regular detective job makes Grace a very busy woman. A few surprises for Grace occur. I continue wanting to read this series and am enjoying still the easier pace from some of my more intense detective reads.
August 31, 2020
Never Tell is a mystery involving an old unsolved crime in a small community. The author tells her tale without much of the violence and gore many crime stories entail and were not needed or missed.
My thanks to goodreads and the book's giveaway sponsors for the opportunity to obtain and read a copy of this book. 4 stars.
My thanks to goodreads and the book's giveaway sponsors for the opportunity to obtain and read a copy of this book. 4 stars.
September 14, 2020
When detective Grace McKenna makes eye contact with a murderer she sees the victim's faces. She meets the new grade school principal and sees a terrified woman in his eyes. She figures out the woman went missing 40 years ago and sets out to solve the case. A good mystery with likable characters. Would recommend!
September 27, 2020
This was a Goodreads Giveaway book that I was lucky enough to have won. Thank you Goodreads. I really like books like this, a murder investigation, characters you grow to care about, and a little gift of "sight" all tossed together to make a great story. I am a new fan of Kate Anslinger and can't wait to read her other books.
March 10, 2023
Interesting book
The story was very good, but I feel like that these book's are only half books because of the way in which we never get to read about court case or what the chief of police has to say about Grace breaking the case open from start to finish.
The story was very good, but I feel like that these book's are only half books because of the way in which we never get to read about court case or what the chief of police has to say about Grace breaking the case open from start to finish.
March 27, 2024
A Great Read!
Just like the first book I read in this series. I thoroughly enjoyed this one as well. To have her gift I would say would be nice and very anxiety driven. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series Happy Reading!
Just like the first book I read in this series. I thoroughly enjoyed this one as well. To have her gift I would say would be nice and very anxiety driven. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series Happy Reading!
December 29, 2025
This book is a really solid read — the mystery pulls you in, and I liked how we get more of McKenna’s personal side along the way. It kept me turning pages without dragging things out. My only gripe is the ending: it wraps up way too quickly and feels a bit abrupt, like it suddenly just… stops. Still, I enjoyed it overall and would definitely keep going with the series. 4 stars.
March 23, 2023
Nice sequel
Grace finds her father and another mystery to solve. This one has a twist and a surprise confession. Nice job.
Grace finds her father and another mystery to solve. This one has a twist and a surprise confession. Nice job.
May 12, 2023
A detective that can see fragments of a murder victim in someone's eyes. She tries to solve the cold cases from these clues. Interesting series.
January 5, 2026
another riveting read
This was such a great story, I’ve had to finish it so I knew who the killer was before I went to bed 😊, I’ll start the next book in the series later today.
This was such a great story, I’ve had to finish it so I knew who the killer was before I went to bed 😊, I’ll start the next book in the series later today.
May 28, 2023
Even though I had not read the first two books in the series I had no trouble jumping into the story. The author does a great job of bringing the reader up to date with the characters. The ensemble are believable portrayals of small town personalities and I enjoyed them immensely. Grace is a likable character and I’m sure that I would enjoy the rest of the series.
August 10, 2020
Love love love love. I love how even though we never know for sure who the guilty party is at the end of these series of books, we walk through the investigation process with Grace and Mark. The author has Grace walk us through everything with such detail like we were right there with her solving her crimes. This one you had to really pay attention. There were a lot more characters involved in solving this mystery and you could easily get lost if your mind starts to wander. I truly love how her relationship with Mark is building, he is really starting to bring out the best in her. I was so excited when a specific character enters half way through the book (I won't spoil), but I was also sad when I found out about her mom and what is going on with her(I won't spoil) Again, the author makes me feel something when I read her stories and to me, that is a great read. Pick all three up, you will not regret it.
May 4, 2020
Author, Kate Anslinger, does it again! She hooks you in the first few pages and reels you in throughout the twists and turns of her 3rd McKenna Series stories, Never Tell. Kate’s attention to detail shows through; her descriptive use of the written word captures your own imagination to visualize each character, however the minutest role they play.
How Kate brings the reader and Grace to the ultimate ‘take down’ of the arrogant, well connected, Jack Whittaker is filled with twists and turns that will keep you turning pages until the end!
Well worth the read! Highly recommend. Can’t wait for book four to come out.
How Kate brings the reader and Grace to the ultimate ‘take down’ of the arrogant, well connected, Jack Whittaker is filled with twists and turns that will keep you turning pages until the end!
Well worth the read! Highly recommend. Can’t wait for book four to come out.
August 5, 2020
I love this series and this was my favorite one yet! I can’t help but think about how the pandemic would affect Grace with her gift. With everyone wearing masks covering everything except their eyes Grace’s gift may become even stronger and overwhelming! How awesome it would be if these books were turned into movies. Thank you for sharing your gift of writing with us Kate Anslinger, I’ll be patiently waiting for book #4!
May 6, 2020
Within the first page of reading, I was drawn in. I couldn’t put it down. For a non-reader, that says a lot. The twist and turns kept me wanting to read more, and the descriptions painted a clear picture of the characters and scenes. I connected to the story in more ways than not, which is why I couldn’t put it down! I highly recommend this book to all readers!
May 7, 2020
Do not pick up this book unless you have the time to read!!! This book sucks you in and you don't want to put it down!! I love Grace and her love of her community and job, plus she is a bit quirky!! Kate wrote another amazing book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews