REVIEW: Believe Me by J.P Delaney

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

Publisher: DoubleDay Canada

ISBN: 9780385691819

Format: Hardback, Paperback, E-Book,
Audio-Book

Release Date: 24th July 2018


Links: Goodreads, Amazon.com, Indigo,
B&N, Book Depository



Rating: 8/10


Synopsis:

A struggling actor, a Brit in America without a green card, Claire needs work and money to survive. Then she gets both. But nothing like she expected.


Claire agrees to become a decoy for a firm of divorce lawyers. Hired to entrap straying husbands, she must catch them on tape with their seductive propositions. The rules? Never hit on the mark directly. Make it clear you’re available, but he has to proposition you, not the other way around. The firm is after evidence, not coercion. The innocent have nothing to hide.

Then the game changes.

When the wife of one of Claire’s targets is violently murdered, the cops are sure the husband is to blame. Desperate to catch him before he kills again, they enlist Claire to lure him into a confession. Claire can do this. She’s brilliant at assuming a voice and an identity. For a woman who’s mastered the art of manipulation, how difficult could it be to tempt a killer into a trap? But who is the decoy . . . and who is the prey?

Review:

**Thank you to PenguinRandom House Canada for sending me a copy in return for my review**

Believe Me was an engrossing read that had me on the edge of my seat. It was actually published in 2001 under the name 'The Decoy' but the author rewrote the entire novel following the same concept. I never read the original release but I ended up loving Believe Me.

Claire is just trying to make her name as an actor in America when she ends up working for a firm of divorce lawyers for some extra cash. Then she winds up in a murder investigation and trying to find the killer.

The protagonist, Claire, was an interesting character. I really enjoyed reading from her point of view. I also liked that she found her work to be normal/moral and not manipulative, despite the lengths she goes to catch partner's cheating for the lawyers she works for. She does eventually begin to question the moral of her work as she continues to help the murder investigation.

Some of the book was told in a play-format which was an interesting take. I really liked this different format of writing the story and it also made a lot of sense since Claire aspires to be an actor.  

J.P Delaney is a fantastic writer and created a wonderful storyline that had me guessing and not knowing who to trust. I was constantly on edge, unable to put the book down until the end. The many plot twists and turns had me grasping at trying to find out who the true enemy was.

The first half of the book was my favourite but I felt the ending was a little confusing. However, the twist at the end was a complete turn that I never once expected. 

Believe Me is a strong physiological thriller that I loved. J.P Delaney is a fantastic writer who is amazing at creating a psychological storyline that keeps readers on the edge of their seat. The elements of the story flow and connect together making it a read you won't be able to put down. This is the first book of J.P Delany's that I have read and I definitely want to pick up more.