3.5 stars. Long chapters. ( )

Ten internet influencers are invited to Unknown Island for a week of sun and fun as this 21 and under hot spot gets its soft opening. As the ten influencers begin to arrive on the island, they quickly realize that things are not as they had been promised in the ad campaign. There is no staff available after the first day and their living conditions are less than desirable. When a letter is delivered to each of them accusing them of murder, they know that this isn't going to be the trip they bargained for.

I did not enjoy Never Coming Home. None of the characters are likable or amicable so there is nobody to root for in the story. As the deaths begin to occur, the teenage characters act far too much like adults to be believable. Also, the end of the book is a complete info dump, relying on articles and chat transcripts to explain what happened in the story. The end truly left the rest of the book unnecessary by restating the entire plot. The biggest problem is that there is no theme - no lesson to be learned from the experience. Overall, Never Coming Home is meant to replicate the structure used by Agatha Christie, but it lacks the depth that a story of this nature needs to be successful. ( )

This is a book that requires a good deal of suspension of belief in order to get the full level of enjoyment. If you can do so, you're in for a gory, suspenseful ride that will have you wondering whether the killer is one of the invited, or another player in the shadows of this creepy tropical island. ( )

Time for some YA fiction reading in the hammock! What book came with me?Kate Williams' new novel, Never Coming Home.

Never Coming Home takes a bit of inspiration from Christie's 'And Then There Were None.' Ten teen influencers are invited to be the inaugural guests of a super secret resort on Unknown Island. Upon landing on the island, each guest feels like something is off with the vibe, the accommodations aren't as luxurious as the photos promised and where are all the staff?

The ten are a diverse group that don't really know each other, but they've checked out each other online. Who has the most followers? Why this group of ten? What's the connection? Well, the connection is a dark one as each guest has a similar secret. And those secrets are about to see the light of day.

This premise lends itself to so many ways the book could play out. I loved the social media component. Nothing is ever as it appears on a screen, is it? There is a screen in the lounge on Unknown Island.....and someone is posting.

And then there were nine.
And the methods of dispatch? Decidedly devious!

I enjoyed trying to figure out who the culprit was, changing my choice quite often. Williams puts a nice spin on the final whodunit with a surprise twist. I did feel the epilogue was a bit too detailed. Shorter and snappier would have matched the pace of what came before.

Never Coming Home was a fun, escapist read that was hard to put down. ( )

Engaging characters, a remote tropical island setting, and a well-done and updated And Then There Were None story!

Never Coming Home was creepy and tense! With the action coming so quickly, I was on the edge of my seat every moment, and I never knew for sure who was behind it all. Each character was a unique personality with a tragedy in their past. I appreciated that there were boys, girls, a transgender character, and later, a character still figuring out their sexuality. Not all were portrayed sympathetically either. I also appreciated that characters I initially liked were slowly revealed to be less than stellar individuals, and those I originally thought less of turned out to be better people. That kept me changing my opinion as to who was manipulating everything behind the scenes.

The island setting gave me a bit of a Lord of the Flies vibe as the story went on. The changeable weather increased the tension, too, making possible rescue a dim hope in the characters’ minds. And as I was never 100% sure the place was devoid of others, I was never wholly confident one of the guests was the murderer, so I was always a little off-balance.

I particularly enjoyed the social media foundation connecting all the characters – in their real lives, their “real” lives online, and in the public eye. That one character had a manager to help guide her content, spin events in her life to her advantage, and make lucrative financial deals for specialized content or “collabs” was fascinating. The continual need for the characters to adjust their content to control their narrative and brand rang true and was mind-boggling.

With its engaging characters, remote and creepy setting, and updated And Then There Were None plot, I honestly didn’t want to put this book down. I recommend NEVER COMING HOME to readers who enjoy suspenseful YA fiction featuring intelligent, savvy characters, diverse backstories, and remote tropical island settings.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through TBR and Beyond. ( )