The first major problem with this one is that the premise is too far fetched; like, way beyond my suspension of disbelief.  And it opens and closes with too much thriller-type violence for my tastes. So I just figured an avid reader is going to come across a disappointment from time to time and I finished anyway because I did want to find out how it ended.

Never Far Away
by Michael Koryta 
2021/
Read by Robert Petkoff 11h 52m Rating: B- / thriller 

.   Besides, the characters were fun, the writing was satisfactory, and the romance was kept to a very light minimum. So okay – maybe it wasn’t that bad, but I rated my one prior Koryta book a C and I didn’t check prior to buying this one. But this one was on sale, it’s a 2021 book, and with a remote Maine setting it was inviting. I am forgiven.

And then it very slowly turned quite enjoyable. And then it turned pretty good, too. But that’s not until about 1/2 way through. And then it flips back to barely mediocre and then to standard genre crime thriller fare – with too much chase and violence.

The plot has to do with some long ago trial testimony after which Nina Morgan becomes Leah Trenton and is put into witness protection.  Her children continue to live with their dad but everyone (except Dad) understands that Nina herself is dead.  

She’s not dead. For the last 10 years Nina/Leah been working as a tour guide, hiding out in Maine enjoying life as best she can and missing her family dreadfully. Unfortunately life happens, her her husband is suddenly dead in an auto collision.  In the aftermath of that and getting the chilren to “Aunt Leah” enough informaion spills out to alert those people who want Nina/Leah dead. So the plot takes dark and twisty turns with hired guns suddenly available to find Nina.
 
Okay – the tension is masterfully built and the plot is twisty so it’s a page-turner. My rating is how those pluses and minuses kind of averaged out.