Believe Me

Almost 4 stars for this reasonable surprise with dark twists.

3.5 ⭐️

cw: slut shaming, gore, CSA, self-harm, abuse
disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for review consideration. All of the opinions presented below are my own.

But then, this isn't lying. This is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances. Which, as you will discover, is very different.

→ What I Liked:

The Twists
While I'm not one of those people who can guess the ending to every mystery, I can sometimes be hard to please with twists. I like them to be somewhat believable, meaning that there needs to have been an indication somewhere that this was a possibility. Not necessarily anything glaring, just something to point back to as a foundation. This was actually one of my biggest issues with Dangerous Girls. While the very last bit of the book is so full of twists it's messy, JP Delaney masterfully puts together most of the pieces in such a way that the reader can't help but be impressed. I really thought I knew where this book was going at the beginning, but I was very wrong.

The Characters
Claire, our narrator, is a British actor living in NYC. It's clear from the start that although she's down on her luck, she's just brimming with talent. She's easy to sympathize with, but far from perfect. Although she has somewhat of a stereotypical background, in my opinion she was quite an original character. Patrick, the man accused of murdering his wife, felt really well-done as well. While at first the reader thinks they have him pinned down, that soon comes undone. Seeing him through Claire's eyes, we find out just how difficult it is to discern who someone truly is.

→ What I Didn't Like:

The Ending
I tore through the entirety of this book, loving the build-up, but felt entirely dissatisfied by the ending. The author threw in so many red herrings I could barely see straight. Everything began shifting wildly and rather than astounding me, it caused me to lose any suspension of disbelief I had. It felt cheesy and cheap and I'm positive JP Delaney had the talent to create something better than this.

→ TL;DR:
~Great twists
~Page-turner
~Believable characters
~A terrible ending
~Would recommend

Believe Me A Novel by JP Delaney published by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine
Ballantine Books is by far my stand out book for 2018. If you fallow my reviews then you know The Girl Before is my favorite book from 2017. Do you see a pattern here? Like The Girl Before this book is very well researched and is in the first person perspective and making it a horrific joy to read. But unlike the previous novel it is not about buildings and lines but about acting. My thoughts while I read this is who is fooling who. Claire is a fantastic character making the story well-paced making Claire feel put together yet not all there in the same breath. But what is more intense in the story is Claire's decisions and connection with the male character. I get the feel that Claire does not feel loved by many if she even loves herself. Before you think that this story is just like the previous book this is it's own mix of crazy special. I found this book like a puzzle that works your brain from page one until the last page. I find myself conflicted because there is so much that could be said but I don't want to give it away to anyone so I will say that this is a book you must read when you have more time because it is a book you can and will want to read in one sitting. What's next for this author? I am all in for the Perfect Wife insomnia welcome!

After reading a string of run of the mill mysteries, this book surprised me. The plot is fresh and I kept turning the pages trying to figure out what was going on. The characters in the book are hard to pin down and psychologically twisty which adds to the fun ride. The ending is satisfying, too.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital advanced review copy of the book.