Never Knowing

Never Knowing is the second novel by Canadian author, Chevy Stevens. Like her last book, this is a gripping psychological thriller that will have the reader on the edge of the seat until the last chapter. Sara Gallagher, 34 and mother to six-year-old Ally, is engaged to be married to the laid-back Evan. After a childhood with an adoptive family where she never felt wholly wanted, Sara decides to search for her birth mother. With the help of a Private Investigator, she discovers her mother was the only known survivor of a serial killer who was never captured. Worse still, after this information goes public, her birth father starts ringing her. Stevens sets up her narrative as sessions that Sara has with her psychiatrist, thus also delving deeply into Sara’s feelings and emotions. In this page-turner, Stevens touches on serial killing, the debate of nature versus nurture (bad blood), the use of the internet to disseminate information, obsessive compulsive disorder, and the rights of adopted children and birth parents. Stevens gives the reader characters that are all the more realistic for being imperfect and occasionally irritating, a great setting and believable dialogue. The plot is full of suspense with several twists, some humour to relieve the tension and a brilliant climax. Another page-turner.