Never Knowing
Chevy Stevens, 2012
St. Martin's Press
480 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781250009319
Summary
All her life, Sara Gallagher has wondered about her birth parents. As an adopted child with two sisters who were born naturally to her parents, Sara did not have an ideal home life. The question of why she was given up for adoption has always haunted her. Finally, she is ready to take steps and to find closure. But some questions are better left unanswered.
After months of research, Sara locates her birth mother — only to be met with horror and rejection. Then she discovers the devastating truth: Her mother was the only victim ever to escape a killer who has been hunting women every summer for decades. But Sara soon realizes the only thing worse than finding out about her father is him finding out about her.
What if murder is in your blood?
Never Knowing is a complex and compelling portrayal of one woman’s quest to understand herself, her origins, and her family. That is, if she can survive. (From the publisher.)
Read an excerpt.
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Author Bio
• Born—1973
• Where—Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
• Education—N/A
• Awards—International Thriller Writers Award
• Currently—lives on Vancouver Island, B.E.
Chevy Stevens grew up on a ranch on Vancouver Island and still calls the island home. For most of her adult life she worked in sales, first as a rep for a giftware company and then as a Realtor.
At open houses, waiting between potential buyers, she spent hours scaring herself with thoughts of horrible things that could happen to her. Her most terrifying scenario, which began with being abducted, was the inspiration for Still Missing. After six months Chevy sold her house and left real estate so she could finish the book.
Chevy enjoys writing thrillers that allow her to blend her interest in family dynamics with her love of the west coast lifestyle. When she’s not working on her next book, she’s hiking with her husband and dog in the local mountains. (From the author's website.)
Book Reviews
If you love racing through a psychological thriller, or if you’re interested in writing within this genre, read both of these novels back to back and witness the development of a talented new storyteller.
National Post
The action is non-stop and the story flows without a bump.
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Stevens's unnerving stand-alone thriller about a woman's search for her birth parents matches the intensity of her impressive debut, Still Missing. Growing up on Vancouver Island, Sara Gallagher felt emotionally detached from her adoptive family. Now 33, Sara finally locates her birth mother, university professor Julia Laroche, but is devastated when Julia wants nothing to do with her. Sara learns that she was conceived when her birth mother was attacked by the Campsite Killer, a serial killer responsible for a 40-year reign of terror, who has never been caught. When the circumstances of Sara's birth become public, her biological father contacts her, demanding to meet her and her six-year-old daughter. If she refuses, he will continue to kill. Stevens chillingly portrays a woman searching for her identity who's not just horrified by the results but fearful she or her child has inherited violent tendencies. While the plot flirts with cliches, the skillful storytelling never flags.
Publishers Weekly
Stevens's debut, Still Missing, was a word-of-mouth (and critical) success. Her second thriller once again uses a flashback structure to set a suspenseful mood. Her protagonist, Sara Gallagher, tells her story in sessions with a therapist. Given up for adoption as a newborn, Sara has always felt the abandonment keenly, not least because her adoptive father seems to value her less than his two biological daughters. Now Sara has the chance to learn who her birth mother is. Though she is happily engaged and the mother of a six-year-old daughter, Sara needs to know—to an annoying degree. But her birth mother wants nothing to do with her and in fact seems somehow frightened of Sara. Undeterred, Sara continues to investigate and opens up a hornet's nest when she learns her birth father is a serial killer still on the loose. Verdict: Still Missing was such a strong debut, but everything that worked in that first novel has the opposite effect this time around, making the plot feel forced and the heroine unlikable. That said, this is a book fans will be anticipating, so some copies are a must. —Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI
Library Journal
Sara Gallagher has never exactly been comfortable in her adopted family.... So it's no wonder that she'd want to celebrate her nuptials...by tracking down the mother who gave her up as a baby. All too soon, Sara learns that the art-history professor who calls herself Julia Laroche is actually her mother. So why does Julia demand that Sara stay far away from her? For that matter, why did she change her name from Karen Christianson?... As finely calculated in its escalating suspense as Stevens' grueling debut (Still Missing,2010). Only the last twist disappoints.
Kirkus Reviews
Discussion Questions
1. Never Knowing is a novel about discovering who you are, where you come from, and what influences have shaped you. Sara worries that she inherited her anger management problems from her biological father and that her daughter may be affected as well. This fear implicitly raises the question of nature vs. nurture. Which do you think exercises the greater influence over an individual's behavior? Or is it a combination of both? Or something else entirely?
2. This novel deals with the issue of adoption rights, specifically the right of the birth parents to anonymity vs. the right—and occasionally the need—of the adopted children to the knowledge of who they have come from and how. Do you have any thoughts on how those frequently competing interests can be balanced?
3. If you were Sara Gallagher, would you want to find out who your birth parents were? Do you think this question would change for her if she'd had a happier upbringing?
4. When confronted with her birth mother's reaction, Sara does not give up. Would you have given up? How would you feel in her shoes?
5. Do you believe in pure evil? Do you believe Sara's father is evil or is there a sense of humanity in him? Why or why not?
6. Describe the dynamics of the three sisters. Did anything feel familiar to you? Do you believe one sister was more damaging than the other? Why or why not?
7. Even though the police use Sara as bait to lure her father, do you think there was something else at play, perhaps, in the dynamics between Sara and John?
8. Do you believe the police always act in the best interest of justice? In this case, when did you suspect that something might be amiss?
9. Do you agree or disagree with Shakespeare's famous statement: What is past is prologue"?
10. Under what circumstances could you take someone's life? Under what circumstances is it ever justified?
11. Were there plot twists in this book you did not see coming? What surprised you the most?
12. In the end, who lost the most from these events? Who gained the most? Who will be able to move on? Who will not?
(Questions issued by publisher.)