Never Forget by Michel Bussi

My Rating - 5 out of 5 stars

Publisher - Orion Books

Genre - Crime Thriller
Publishing year - 2020
Language - English
ISBN - 978-1-4746-0184-9
Pages - 394

Book Review - 

Michel Bussi, a master of intricately woven thrillers, brings readers another gripping tale with Never Forget, originally published in French as N’oublier jamais. 

Translated into English by Shaun Whiteside, the book seamlessly retains the emotional depth, suspense, and sharp plot twists that the author is known for. This crime thriller and psychological mystery had me on the edge of my seat from the very first page.

The story follows Jamal Salaoui, a young Arab man with a prosthetic leg, whose biggest dream is to run the Mont Blanc Ultra-Trail—a gruelling mountain marathon. Despite his physical limitations, Jamal is determined and mentally resilient. 

But during one of his training runs near the dramatic cliffs of Yport, Normandy, a seemingly chance encounter with a woman changes everything. He finds a red Burberry scarf tied to a railing, then moments later, he witnesses the woman jumping from the cliff. In an attempt to stop her, he offers the scarf, but she falls to her death.

Soon, the situation escalates into a nightmare—the woman’s body is found with the same scarf tied around her neck, and all evidence begins to point toward Jamal. What appears to be a tragic suicide begins to unravel into something much more sinister. As Jamal tries to clear his name, he finds himself caught in a decades-old mystery involving two unresolved murder cases from ten years prior. 

Anonymous messages and cryptic clues begin to haunt him, dragging him deeper into a tangled web of deceit, revenge, and long-buried secrets. The more he tries to escape, the more entrapped he becomes. But is Jamal being set up? Or is there more to his own past than he realises?

What truly sets Never Forget apart is its unreliable narrator technique, which adds layers of complexity to the storytelling. As readers, we are constantly second-guessing Jamal’s version of events. Are his intentions as pure as he claims? Is he truly innocent, or is there something he is hiding even from himself? Michel Bussi toys with our perceptions brilliantly, making every chapter a twisty, tension-filled revelation.

The book masterfully blends psychological suspense with social commentary, touching upon themes of identity, prejudice, mental health, and how public opinion can easily be manipulated. Jamal’s background as a disabled Arab man adds another dimension to the story, making his struggle for truth and justice not just personal but symbolic.

I have read quite a few thrillers, with The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino being one of my recent favourites—but Never Forget honestly took the experience to a whole new level. The narrative is unpredictable, the pacing relentless, and the ending? Absolutely jaw-dropping. I caught myself gasping and whispering “OMG” as the final pages unfolded.

This international bestseller did more than just entertain—it broke my reading slump and reminded me why I fell in love with crime fiction in the first place. If you enjoy a good mystery with emotionally resonant characters and a plot that keeps you guessing until the last page, this book is for you.

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