Review: Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass

 

Nothing Every Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass

Publication Date: February 11th 2025 by Graydon House & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 304

Audio Book Length: 9 hrs 33 min

Narrator: Brittany Pressley, Stacey Glemboski, Petrea Buchard

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Harper Collins | Libro.fm | Audible | Bookshop.org

My Thoughts:

Shelby comes back to Mackenzie’s diner at the wrong time and interrupts a theft in progress. She ends up narrowly surviving the night. Things are relatively quiet for the next fifteen months, and Shelby tries to move on with her life. However, it seems the attacker isn’t finished with her.

 

The night of the attack, Mackenzie’s husband, Leo, goes missing, too leading some to theorize Leo was the attacker. As if his disappearance isn’t enough to deal with, Mackenzie finds out that Leo spent all the savings and was in debt, devastating her finances. She doesn’t know what to think.

 

Florance is a resident at the senior center Shelby manages. When a friend claims her husband didn’t die of natural causes, but was murdered, Florance decides to look into it which ends up being connected to Shelby’s case.

 

I did find Shelby’s actions to be a little frustrating in places. After being attacked and all the things going on, she plowed on without thinking things through. I also wondered why Mackenzie and Shelby weren’t a little more forthcoming with each other, especially since they were close friends.

 

Still, it was an entertaining mystery, fast paced and kept me guessing!

I alternately read and listened to an audio and can recommend either version. Stacey Glemboski is a new to me narrator, but I’ve listened to both Brittany Pressley and Petrea Buchard in that past and enjoyed all three narrators. It was nice to have a different voice for each of the POVs. They fit the personality of each character and sounded age appropriate. 

4 Stars

Book Description:

“A charming cast of characters, a twisty mystery, and a diabolical killer make Nothing Ever Happens Here impossible to put down. A riveting page-turner with a sly sense of humor.” —Robyn Harding, internationally bestselling author of The Haters

Nothing ever happens in small towns…

When Shelby Dawson survives a harrowing attack that should have left her dead, she tries to move past it—for herself, and for her family. Fifteen months later, with the help of her best friend, Mackenzie, she finally feels safe again in the snowy Minnesota town she calls home. But when an anonymous note appears on her windshield bearing the same threats her attacker made, Shelby realizes that her nightmare has only just begun.

As new evidence surfaces, and a group of well-meaning senior citizens accidentally makes the case go viral online, the situation quickly goes from bad to worse. And with suspicious accidents targeting those closest to her happening all over town, Shelby can’t shake the feeling that she’s being watched. Fighting to stay one step ahead of disaster, she finds herself asking the question on everyone’s lips: Who attacked her that night?

But Shelby isn’t the only one with questions. Mackenzie’s husband, Leo, vanished without a trace on that terrible night, and over a year later, no one knows why. Until a deep dive into his finances reveals a history of debts, mismanaged funds, and hidden accounts—one of which is still active. Their suspicion that Leo is still alive only complicates things further, though, and when another person connected to Shelby goes missing, she’s caught in a race against time before her attacker becomes a killer.

Photo credit: Bryan Chatlein

About the Author: 

Seraphina Nova Glass is an assistant professor of instruction and playwright in residence at the University of Texas, Arlington, where she teaches film studies and playwriting. Her novel On A Quiet Street was nominated for an Edgar Award, was a New York Times Summer Read, an Amazon Bestseller and Editor’s Pick, and also featured in the Boston Globe and Bustle. Publishers Weekly has named her “a writer to watch.” She’s also an award-winning playwright and holds an MFA degree in dramatic writing from Smith College and a second MFA in directing from the University of Idaho. She is a proud dog mom and loves to travel the world with her husband. She resides in Dallas, Texas.

Connect with the author:

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads