Never To Be Found
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4.3 • 44 Ratings
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- £7.99
Publisher Description
She'll help anyone in need. But did she just save a killer?
There is a chilling phenomenon in Japan known as Johatsu - people who vanish voluntarily from their lives. It's said 100,000 people per year are Johatsu, and an entire industry has sprung up to support those who choose to.
Life is hard. For some people, it's just too much.
That's what I thought when I brought the concept to England. People will disappear anyway. What if I could help them? So I pack their belongings discreetly, create new identities, forge documents, give directions to the cities and towns where the 'night-mover' can live anonymously.
It's just a business. I never saw it as a shameful act. I've helped people flee from abusive relationships, from work pressure, from debt, from unfulfilled lives. People in need.
I consider what I do to be honourable.
Until now that is.
Because I've just learned that I'm not absent of responsibility. That I am capable of doing a terrible thing.
That it's not just a business.
I helped somebody flee from a crime. From the police.
I evaporated a murderer.
And if I don't find him, I can't live with what he might do next.
Customer Reviews
*A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing*
**4.5 Stars**
This is the first book that I have read by Jo Spain’s and I was thoroughly impressed. It began slowly but gradually built up to become utterly captivating.
We meet Veronica Page, a quiet resident who lives in a wonderful Brighton apartment. Japan plays a significant role in the story and reveals her personal connection to it.
In Japan, they use a real phenomenon called Johatsu, meaning evaporation. While the story is fictional, it serves as a fictionalised guide for those seeking to escape their lives. Some leave abusive relationships while others contemplate ending their lives. Johatsu offers a lifeline for those choosing to disappear without a trace.
Having witnessed this in action and understanding its workings, Veronica brings the concept to the UK.
Over time, she builds a network of individuals to manage the various stages involved. This includes legal professionals, those who can provide new identities, guide people to suitable housing or areas, and each person operates virtually independently, possessing only the complete knowledge of their specific role in the disappearance. Her fee allows her to live comfortably, but apart from her home and Lexus, nothing about her is flashy. Veronica has also changed some of the Johatsu elements to how she wants it to work in the U.K. Many of her clients want to stay in touch with her others she never knows where they are. That’s the whole point.
Veronica relies heavily on her instincts, which have proven invaluable. However, her world is turned upside down when a police officer contacts her, revealing that one of the individuals she helped disappear is a murderer.
Initially sceptical, Veronica is presented with some compelling information that compels her to collaborate with the officer.
This is where the plot thickens with unexpected twists and turns, culminating in a shocking revelation near the book’s end. The narrative alternates between Veronica and the suspect, offering a unique perspective.
Throughout the story, we witness Veronica in perilous situations. The final reveal reveals the truth and exposes the wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Veronica’s past is gradually revealed in sections, allowing readers to develop a deep sense of empathy for her.
Great book to listen
Great book to listen love the story and twist it’ll hook you up didn’t even realise johatsu exist in Japan.
It had potential but..
It doesn’t seem like a complete story and the ending really disappointing and anticlimactic.