#3 in the Faulkner Family Thriller series
NEVER BACK DOWN is a wild ride worthy of this gold standard series; I’ll follow Suzie Faulkner anywhere.
—Joshilyn Jackson, NYT bestselling author of With My Little Eye
She’s fought against the darkness her whole life—but now she will discover what happens when that very darkness fights back in this thrilling follow-up to Christopher Swann’s Never Go Home and Never Turn Back, perfect for fans of Michael Farris Smith and Brian Panowich.
For as long as she could remember, Susannah Faulkner knew that even though she lived a dangerous and violent life, she would try her best to do some good in the world. She’s hunted down evil men before, but the one man that puts fear into her heart, the one man who could destroy everything she loves, is the one man she cannot track down. And worst of all…she doesn’t know what will happen when she finds him. Or if he finds her first.
Finn, an ex-soldier who served alongside Susannah’s father in Iraq, left Suzie with a simple choice a year ago: she could watch her family die one by one, or she could pursue him in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The stubborn and skillful Suzie knows just how dangerous he is and how far he will go to complete his vengeance. And so, the hunt begins.
Her journey takes her across the United States, from the mountains of Arizona to the river bluffs of Missouri to the streets of Atlanta. Along the way, she contends with both new and old friends and foes: the vulnerable Brooke, determined to escape her own nightmare; her brother Ethan and his new girlfriend, a reminder of a different and more peaceful life; her uncle Gavin and his connections to the criminal underworld; the street-smart Ajax, a shadowy ally of convenience; and an FBI agent who could be friend, foe, or potential lover.
Suzie’s instincts have gotten her this far—but will they be enough against her evil equal?
In the thriller world there are bricklayers, there are architects…and then there is Christopher Swann. The Faulkner Family saga is one of the most audacious and original series in recent memory and NEVER BACK DOWN is Swann’s masterstroke. The action comes early and often, the plotting wildly entertaining at a tempo that makes reading this novel feel like holding a lit stick of dynamite. But Swann’s profound talents shine with his diverse and dazzling cast of characters. Suzie Faulkner is a marvel–smart, sassy and tender-hearted but always ready to kick ass and take names. Yet what makes her so special is Swann’s ability to draw a relatable and flawed heroine rife with conflicting emotions and insecurities. Fans of Harlen Coben and Karin Slaughter, and thriller fanatics coast to coast, take note: NEVER BACK DOWN is the book of the summer and one of the most exhilarating novels of the year.
