Let’s start with the basics: The Never Game by Jeffrey Deaver is a solid 10/10. I say this as someone who values sleep deeply—yet still stayed up reading far later than I should have because I could not put it down. You know that feeling when you tell yourself, “Just one more chapter,” and then it’s 2 AM and you’re Googling “Do I really need 8 hours of sleep to function?” Yeah. That was me.
This is the first book in Deaver’s Colter Shaw series, and I’m hooked. Colter isn’t your typical mystery novel lead. He’s a “rewardist” (think bounty hunter with a moral compass and slightly better social skills) who uses his sharp intellect, survivalist training, and network of trusted friends to track down missing people. Runaways, kidnappings, murder victims—if there’s a reward involved, Colter’s in. But he’s not just doing it for the money. There’s a deeper motivation that slowly unfolds, and it’s one of the things that makes this book so compelling.
The writing is tight and engaging—Deaver doesn’t waste your time. Within seconds, I was dropped into the action: a woman trapped in a sinking ship, Colter racing against hypothermia to save her. You don’t get to ease into this book. It grabs you by the collar and says, “You’re in this now.” And I was.
One of the things I appreciated most was Deaver’s ability to balance plot and character. Sure, there are twists and red herrings and all the crime-thriller goodies you’d expect. But there’s also real depth to Colter. His childhood? Let’s just say his father was the kind of guy who probably had a stockpile of canned goods and taught his kids Morse code before they could ride bikes. At first, you think, “Well that’s a little intense,” and then you realize how much that background shaped Colter into the kind, clever, slightly emotionally stunted man he is.
And the supporting characters? Gold. Teddy and Velma, his research team, are the kind of people you’d want helping you out of a jam. Mack can dig up dirt on anyone faster than I can misplace my car keys. Even the characters I didn’t like (looking at you, Dan Wiley) grew on me. Dan starts off as that guy who calls every woman “Sweetheart” and exudes serious “I know better” energy. But to Deaver’s credit, even he gets a redemption arc.
Plot-wise, you’re getting a high-stakes investigation that unexpectedly dives into the video game industry. And yeah, I learned things—from a thriller. That’s rare. I wasn’t expecting to walk away with knowledge about the tech world, but there I was, Googling industry jargon and nodding like I’d always known what an indie dev studio was.
Now, would I recommend The Never Game? Absolutely. Especially if you’re into suspense, mystery, crime thrillers, or if you’ve ever wished Jack Reacher had a therapist. This book is made for readers who like a fast-paced plot but don’t want to sacrifice character development. Also, if you’re a fan of the TV show Tracker (which, fun fact, is based on this series), you’re going to love the deeper dive the book offers. As always, the book gives you more—it’s richer, it lingers, and it lets your imagination take over.
Final thought?
“Love,” Deaver writes, “could be an endless refillable prescription of madness.” Love it.
