Never Tell is a cinematic romantic suspense novel written by Stacey Abrams (as Selena Montgomery). It follows Erin, an elegant college professor, who receives a disturbing letter in the mail from a serial killer. Someone knows about her shadowy past and seems determined to get revenge on her. Enter Gabriel, a nosy and charming journalist, who is determined to save his fledgling newspaper. When the two collide, they begrudgingly end up working together to try and track down the killer. As the clues begin to come together, Erin and Gabriel must fully trust each other or the killer may be victorious. 

This was a very solid romantic suspense read! It is clear that it was initially published in 2004, reminiscent of other romance novels at the time. While several moments throughout are well-known tropes, Abrams executes them with an effortless style. I found myself swept up in the witty banter and excellent dialogue between Gabriel and Erin! Sure, it has cheesy moments- but they were overall fun! I felt along for the ride, utterly hooked until the conclusion. The one thing I would have liked to see less of is the graphic violence that is mainly shown through flashbacks that Erin has. I was more than willing to take Erin’s word about her tortured past and didn’t need to see the brutal memories to believe her. 

Gabriel and Erin form an attachment quickly, forced together by their goals. Their scenes together worked well, but were definitely fast-paced. My favorite sub-plot was the newspaper business! Gabriel was incredibly charming as he worked to keep his paper afloat while going toe-to-toe with rival papers and unsympathetic police. The staff at the newspaper were hilarious. I am curious to read Sebastian’s story, Erin’s childhood friend. Stacey Abrams is definitely a new favorite author; I can’t wait to read more of her work! Thank you so much to Stacey Abrams (as Selena Montgomery), St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.