Werner's life false apart after a horrific, violent attack in which he loses consciousness, just as he sees his fiancé (Ewa) being violated. When he comes round, Ewa has disappeared. The disappearance leaves Werner in a limbo from which he never escapes. Then 10 years later there is a hint that Ewa could be alive and living. Werner re-energised begins a frantic search, following breadcrumbs left for him.
A brilliant thriller where nothing is as it seems. It is impossible to know who is honest, who is lying, who is misleading Werner, who his really helping him. Then, even at the end when resolution seems clear cut and obvious, there are more twists in the tail. In parallel, at the heart of book, there is a violent, abusive relationship recounted in desperate detail. Great story. Remigiusz Mroz demonstrates clear talent and as far as I can tell this an excellent translation. Loved it.

Very gripping. So many twists in a complex plot. Fast paced and quite addictive. Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I am uncertain if Remigiusz Mróz author of Never Found was moved to write it because of his concerns over the domestic abuse of women or whether he thought of the plot first and it picqued his interest in the subject. It's worth reading the author's notes at the back end of the book first, it's really quite shocking.
The plot centres on the ten year disappearance of Damian's fiancée, Ewa. She disappeared in very ugly circumstances and it has been Damian Werner's quest to find her again. When faced with an image of her taken recently, it's the first real breakthrough he's had in a decade of searching. Ewa drops very subtle breadcrumbs for him which eventually brings him to her. It's not quite what it seems though and the pace of the book picks up substantially but it's let down by rather an unfulfilling conclusion.
I would warn potential readers that there is a rather graphic gang rape at the beginning of the book and plenty of the worst form of domestic abuse near the end. Was the plot plausible? No, but I believe it was driven by a need to show the darker side of domestic life.

a violent attack leaves a man without his fiance. but not dead(although he doesn't actually know this) but vanished. when he comes round from the attack she isn't there.
ten years pass and hes not heard from her since that day. the ripple effect of that day on him and his life made him a changed man, a changed life, his life tipped over. he has few people he can trust in life. he works he goes to sleep, keep mostly to himself.
then his only close friend comes to him with a picture. its from a concert where his fiance has been seen. there is a glimmer of something here. but Damian is thwarted by people not wanted or not believing enough to take on the case. so he does what he can do, hires a agency to do the work. to detect. t find this woman. but things continue to race out of his control and spiral once again. it turns out he didn't know much of anything. and it turns out there is way more to come with this stories and where it weaves and links to.
there was so much going on in this book. we learn lives that come harshly and devastatingly into focus. what happened to one woman and what happens to other woman behind the facades. behind the secrets. behind the monsters at the head of them. what happens when safe places are the real caves of hell. what do we NOT see behind shiny masks and outer windows. what do we miss, what should we seek to find? and who should we teach those coming after us to be. because in our own world right now there is worrying words, choices, behaviours. you might look on the contents of this book and think "oh come on this is horrific we cant link the two" but oh we can. until we stop ALL Of it, change ALL the view micro and larger. until then we dont stop any of it.
the little twist and surprises along the way in this book were actually really clever. it reminded me that you can be looking at something, one life, one case. but what if even those on the case with us, for us, or suffering in their own hell. behind one thing others are still leading their lives. which mean two things can be true at once, happening at once. one detective agency looking for our missing woman can be the head of something dark in itself..

Set in Poland, this book is all about Wern trying to find his lost fiancée, who went missing on the day he proposed to her. Ten years later, his only friend thinks he has spotted her in a photo from a gig he attended and they decide to track her down using an online private detective agency.

I love the style of this book. Very fast paced and not a word is wasted. A confusing end takes it from 5 to 4 stars for me, but highly recommended.

Never Found by Remigiusz Mróz is the type of thriller that I have been recommending to everyone that they absolutely have to read. It opens with heartbreak and then suddenly escalates into a chilling mystery that refuses to allow you to catch your breath. Damian sees a photo of his missing fiancée ten years later, and everything falls apart. The surprises in this book actually shocked me. It is intense, emotional, and just so well-structured.