The story line is good, but I feel like it could be told better. I'm not a fan of the parts of the writing that are like a play script, but I understand that it is part of who Claire is. The ending wasn't great either, but that may be because I wanted it to turn out with Claire being sick and twisted!

With a very clever plot, Delaney has done it again with Believe Me. Just who do we believe? This book will keep you guessing until the very end. Smart, edgy and filled with a cast creative characters, this book is one you won’t soon forget.

This book was told in 3 parts. I ripped through the first two parts but the last one dragged a little for me. The book was written so well and starred a smart, sassy and strong willed female character that was a bonus for me. The ending had me thinking back to several parts of the book and questioning what I thought I knew (which I loved.) overall a great fun, smart and entertaining read. All you see is not what you should believe. Great ending!

Believe Me. Claire is an actress, a struggling actress, trying to make ends meet. Claire finds work, but it is more than she has bargained for. Deceit, motivation, greed and murder and what ensues. I love JP Delaney's writing, as I was sucked in by The Girl Before, and I liked Believe me even more. One of my top reads of 2018 thus far!

This is another example of an author's first book being re-tooled in light of the 2nd book's success.  In this case, I liked Believe Me more than The Girl Before.  I thought the author's use of "movie scripts" throughout the book enhanced Claire's perspective.  The plot was taut and there were enough twists to keep me off balance and wondering what was real, which mirrored Claire's experiences.  There were a couple of throwaway moments that could have used a little more attention.  But all-in-all, I thought it was a really good book.  And it was definitely a unique entry in the psychological thriller genre.

First thriller I've read where Baudelaire figured prominently! Claire is a Brit struggling in New York. She's an actress who can't find work other than as a woman who dupes unsuspecting husbands for a law firm. Odd but interesting side gig. And then Stella happens- and Patrick. Did Patrick kill his wife? The police enlist Claire in a deception campaign because they believe he is actually a serial killer. And then there's a twist. And another twist. And another one. If there's a fault with this incredibly fast paced novel, it's that Delaney is weak on US law, law enforcement, and actually on NYC. Go with it. Ignore some of the plot holes and just turn the pages. Claire is not the most likable character in the world but I found her sympathetic; I liked that her story doesn't come out fully till the end. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. This is an entertaining and highly readable thriller that will introduce you to beautiful poetry, albeit poetry used for evil.

A very twisted and complex thriller, Believe Me is definitely addictive! Admittedly, I didn’t love this book as much as The Girl Before Me.
Set in NYC, Claire, an actress, is struggling to make ends meet and signs on with a law firm to catch wandering husbands on camera to use as evidence against them.
But one particular job takes her on an unexpected and dangerous path.
A little choppy at times for me with the portions written in script format and a little dark and heavy on the Baudelaire, however, I stayed up until 2:00 AM to finish it!

This review was submitted in response to an ARC I received from NetGalley.

All you need to remember after you pick up this psychological thriller is that CLAIRE is an actress. From Britain, now in NYC, she can't work legally while taking acting classes at Actors Studio. So she needs a job that pays cash to supplement her scholarship. Claire explains that, as an orphan who was shuttled from place to place in foster care, she learned the art of "behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances." And, "It's what you imagine that defines you as a character."

So she gets a job acting as a decoy to tempt husbands to stray. She's very good at her role, but one night she is hired to lure the wrong man -- who is disinterested and preoccupied with his academic work -- the translation and teaching of the work of Charles Baudelaire. Patrick Folger is enamored of a particular book of Baudelaire's poetry, LES FLUERS DU MAL -- which happens to be morbid erotica after a fashion. When he departs without falling for Claire's enticements, she meets his wife, Stella, who had hired her through a law firm that Claire works for. Unfortunately, Stella ends up dead in her hotel room the next morning. Who killed her? Along with the murder, there is money missing. At first, Claire is a suspect, but then she is hired to pursue Patrick because the police believe he might have murdered his wife and that he is, in fact, a serial killer. There's the premise in a nutshell.

NO SPOILERS. Claire agrees to go undercover and assume the acting role of a lifetime. Be beware -- Claire is not entirely reliable as a narrator and the reader is never sure if she is being real or acting -- or even if Claire can tell the difference between the two.

The prose has an unusual style, written at times like a screenplay. While fitting for the subject matter, it was a little odd at first. The game of cat and mouse is such that, while you are drawn in with questions, you become less sure of what is going on as the book progresses. Definitely you will need to suspend disbelief as some of what happens seems completely unrealistic or likely to happen as described. I didn't really care for the ending and not sure that I really liked this book though it definitely held my interest well enough that I didn't want to put it down.

So, ultimately, should you read it? Depends on your BS meter and your ability to get into a character such as Claire. The details about Baudelaire and his poetry were quite interesting and macabre. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. Looking forward to hearing others' opinions and thoughts on this second novel that I've read by this author.

This was a quick read that had me hooked from the beginning. The book seemed to be heading in one direction and then surprised me a little with the direction it ended up going. There were twists and turns to the plot keeping you on your toes. I definitely recommend this book!

This is the second book I have read by that were written by J P Delaney. According to his Goodreads profile, he also writes, quite successfully, under the name of Tony Strong. One of his novels, under the name of Tony, was adapted into a television series.

I must say I liked the original way this was written. Since the main character is an aspiring actress, some of the book is written like a script; however, the book was too dark for me, and I did not care for the direction the book took. Because of how skillfully the author crafted this, I’m giving it 4 stars.

Claire is a struggling actor in New York, trying to make it work. After being excommunicated from Britain's acting world, Claire illegally comes to New York to pursue her dreams; however, while she is reaching for the stars, she ends up falling short of the success she aspires to have. Financially, Claire is at the end of the road, so she takes a gig at a firm for divorce attorneys. Claire plays the role of seductive decoy, capturing men in the act of cheating on their wives. Claire's role is vital in capturing these cheaters, but never necessarily gets her hands dirty. That is, until she is assigned a new client that turns up dead the next day. Prior to her client's death, her pursuit in capturing the client's death ends up falling short. Claire is sure this guy is an innocent man; a victim in her client's revenge attempt. Police believe that this man is dangerous, and after speaking with Claire, believe she is the best bet in the force's attempt to finally land a conviction. Claire goes undercover to try and seduce this man, giving her the guilty plea that the police is looking for—her best gig yet. Claire's manipulation skills are put to the test with this assignment, especially considering what's at stake. If this man is the evil mastermind that the police believe he is, will she be able to handle it?

I've never read anything by JP Delaney, but I heard that The Girl Before is an amazing novel, so I jumped at the chance to pick up Believe Me . I am so glad that I was given a chance to read and review Believe Me , because it's just so juicy. The writing is superb, the characters are multifaceted and intriguing, and the story is so original. Go into this story blind, because you will be surprised! The story is broken into three parts, with the first two being the stronger sections. Believe Me was almost a five star read for me, but the third part in this story really frustrated me. The story starts to have continuity issues in part three; allowing the plot to continue, but actually just confusing the heck out of the story. You'll question what's real and what's not, but not in the good mystery type of way. I think if the third section of the novel was retooled just a smidge, it would be a lot more robust and profound.

Overall, Believe Me is a tale you'll want to read if you're interested in something different in the thriller/suspense genre. The writing is spectacular and the characters are both likable, and deceiving. While it's not perfect, it's just the right flavor for what I needed this summer.

Thank you Netgalley and Quercus for my advanced e-copy in exchange for an honest review. Believe Me will be released July 24, 2018.

Claire is an actor looking for an acting job while simultaneously working for a law firm trying to entrap married men cheating on their wives. Everything was going good till one of her client gets killed.The cops seek Claire’s help to get a confession from the husband but Claire is not convinced of his guilt and finds herself falling for the enigmatic Professor.

Believe Me by J.P. Delaney is true to its name as it is very difficult to trust any character in this book. The story is filled with twists and turns with lots of lies and deception . A psychological mind game the book is half written in an interview type of way . Though the ending was a little disappointing and too unbelievable I still enjoyed reading this book especially for the different writing style .

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

This was a twisty little tale! Every time I finally settled on a direction the plot was headed the story did an about face. It is really hard to determine which character(s) to root for, if any??

Because the main character, Claire, is an actress the story reads as a play in snippets. Some people found this off putting but I found it sort of clever. Claire was a great character which is funny because I bypassed this one for a while thinking I wouldn’t find reading about an actor interesting.

This story wasn’t at all what I was expecting and I mean that as a compliment. I didn’t read much going into it and was glad I didn’t. It was entertaining from start to end! Thanks NetGalley, the author, and Random House Publishing for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

4+ stars! Believe Me when I say this is a great thriller! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought the premise was superbly original!

Claire is a British actress living in NYC who has a slightly odd job working for a lawyer to help catch cheating husbands with the help of a hidden camera in her purse. One night, she is hired to hit on a woman's husband, and mere hours later, the woman is found brutally slain in her hotel room, and Claire is a prime suspect. Did she kill Stella? Or as an actress and student of the Stanislavski method, is she the perfect person to help the detectives catch the real killer? This story was super fast-paced and gripping and I could not put it down!

Huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

What. Just. Happened?! JP Delaney has done it again. Believe Me had me on the edge of my seat and guessing the whole way through. It is suspenseful and thrilling all rolled up into one. Delaney has written a psychological thriller that leaves you stunned in the end. If you’re a fan of Gone Girl or Girl on the Train; this is a book for you.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC! Hmmmm... still thinking about this one.... not sure if it is a 4 or a 5. It took awhile to get into and quite honestly, if I wouldn't have felt guilty for not reading it, I probably would have just put it into my 'read later' pile. Very glad I stuck with it, though. EXTREMELY twisty so you have to pay attention. I had a LOT of questions in the 2nd 3rd of this book (it's told in 3 parts) but things made more sense in the 3rd part. Very cool ending. Definitely recommend this one. The Girl Before is still my favorite, but this is a very worthy follow-up! Look forward to more!!

In a sea of average psychological thrillers hastily thrown together to take advantage of the current fervor for the genre, Believe Me stands out. It is well written, and its clarity and simplicity show the author's confidence in his plotting and characters. Delaney doesn't give into the temptation to resort to cliches, long-winded descriptions, or gratuitous sex scenes. Yet it is not without artistry or flourish, as the beautifully wrought passages of Baudelaire stand in stark contrast to the slightly utilitarian language. For the author, this is a brave decision, to bring in another writer-- one of the greats-- and allow his language to shine. I found Believe Me to be considerably better than Delaney's breakout hit, The Girl Before.

All of that being said, I found the 'mystery' of the author to be even more compelling than the story. I had a hunch part-way through, but somehow kept myself from researching until after I finished the novel. On one hand, it's irrelevant, as the work should be allowed to stand on its own, without consideration of who the author is-- and because I respect the author's decision to reinvent their persona, I'm being a bit elusive here so as not to give it away. However, I do find it fascinating and worth consideration as far as the literary world at large is concerned, that authors have turned the tradition of adopting pseudonyms on its head. Where it previously helped one group of people, it is now being used by those with the original advantage, to achieve more by flipping it. I have to wonder what the PC police would say about this sort of appropriation, whether it's appropriate?

Believe Me is about Claire Wright, a struggling actress who moonlights as cheating bait for straying husbands at a law firm. After a client is brutally murdered, Claire is recruited to trap the lead suspect into giving a confession. But should she trust her handlers or the man that they think committed the crime? Can she even trust her own version of reality?

I could not stop reading this book. The twist at the end was surprising. I don't want to give anything away, but it left me with some questions as far as who could be trusted at any point in the book. Some may find it frustrating, but thinking about a book after the fact means that it stuck with me in some way. To me, that's a good thing.

This book was intriguing, interesting, and bizarre. While it took me a little bit to get into it, I was hooked and couldn't wait to get to the end. At some points, the plot was a little confusing, but it eventually came around and made sense.

After reading a previous book by this author, I felt I just had to read it.
As I’ve just finished this book, the thoughts and feelings I have toward this book are; wow, twisted, thrilling, dark, impressed and I’m sure a cluster of others.
Although I didn’t get to these feelings at first, it took me till around chapter 11 before I actually got pulled in. Once I was pulled in I was hooked.
Claire was a little annoying throughout but after it’s all said and done, her character was brilliant, as were Frank, Kathryn and Patrick.
I enjoyed all the twist and turns, the thinking of knowing who did what and than being wrong than maybe right only to be thrown for a loop again. If you like that type of story and can get past the first few chapters, this story is for you. Enjoy.
#BelieveMe #NetGalley