The line between fiction and reality become blurred in Believe Me by J.P. Delaney. Claire Wright is a British actress in America trying to find a break when she is "discovered" and used as a decoy for unfaithful husbands. When fantasy turns to fact, Claire as well as the reader doesn't know the difference between what's real and what's in the characters' minds. This thriller keeps readers guessing until the end but also questioning what's really going on. Does fiction imitate life or is life imitating fiction?
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early release copy of Believe Me by J.P. Delaney.

Believe me is a compelling read with an unreliable narrator. I could not put this book down because the author kept me guess around every twist and turn.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

This book was addicting to read! I loved the twists and turns and was stumped as to how the book would end. By the end, I felt a tad bit fatigued from all the twists. Still, it was a good book for mystery and thriller fans. The short chapters kept tricking me to read more and more!

This was a bit disappointing to me, especially after the love-fest I had with [book:The Girl Before|28016509].

The premise certainly grabbed my attention and with the title of Believe Me, I already knew there would be a fair share of unreliable narratives to keep me on my toes. The beginning hooked me, but about midway through I found myself skimming pages-never a good sign.

I think it started going downhill for me when the whole 'Beaudelaire' scenes became more of a focal point. The whole 50 Shades vibe just felt a bit forced and as the story line progressed, I just had a hard time staying invested.

This seems to be one of those books that people are over the moon about, or like me, just didn't live up to their expectations.

ARC provided by NetGalley

There is plenty of mystery and suspense in this story told from the point of view of the young British actress Claire Wright. She is hired by the FBI to get close to and involved in the life of a suspected serial and sociopathic man. Claire plays the role of girlfriend and lover so well that she draws everyone into the drama as well. Will she be believed?

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC; all opinions are my own.

I was so excited to receive this Galley. I loved the last JP Delaney book and was thrilled for another opportunity to get lost in one of their tales. Delaney weaves story that leaves you guessing all the way through. I found myself so many times assuming I knew where the story was headed only to be shocked by yet another twist. Believe Me is one of those books that leaves you unsure of whether or not you have a reliable narrator, which personally I love. I'm looking forward to a 2nd read through because I KNOW I will catch things I didn't the first time.

Thank you #NetGalley for an advanced copy of #BelieveMe!

I have to say this review has had my thinking all day... I’m really not sure how to rate this book. Overall I found the storyline to be interesting and the ending really did surprise me! With that said, I feel like for me this book took a little too long revealing the long-awaiting twist/ending. I found my myself reading through each chapter as fast as I could simply to get through the book, not because I was so impatient and excited to found out what would happen next. The style of mystery/thrillers I enjoy are those that have a shocker every few chapters. Something to make me think “Wow! What is going to happen next!!” This book just didn’t do that for me.

JP Delaney's previous book, The Girl Before, was a big success among adults and faculty members at my school library looking for twisty psychological fiction, so I was eager to read (and listen to) Delaney's new book, Believe Me. The premise/hook of this book is equally as captivating as the one in The Girl Before--Delaney obviously excels at drawing in readers with creative and provocative beginnings. However, as the twists and turns multiplied and grew ever more bizarre, I have to confess that the author lost credibility with me, especially when Claire becomes a "secret agent:" of sorts. I will still recommend this to voracious readers who--like me--can't get enough of this kind of book, but my recommendation won't be as enthusiastic. It's worth the read, but not as finely accomplished as the author's previous book. Still, the writing and literary references show that Delaney is a legitimate author!

This was a gripping thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat reading! I was surprised by all the plot twists! However, the real star was Claire! She was an unreliable narrator that I kept wondering what was real or an act! She was an awesome character! I loved every moment of it! Hopefully, this will be a movie! I recommend this for fans of Before I Go to Sleep!

Thru Net Galley I received an ARC of J.P. Delaney latest creation Believe Me which is a very spell binding creation. From the book jacket:
In this twisty psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Before, an actress plays both sides of a murder investigation.

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?
J.P Delaney truly delivered thru Believe Me. I may not have been able to relate to Claire, but I was taken in by her situation, of what truly going on within Claire’s head, how will she come out of this, and how far with people go to apprehend a violent, seemingly charming killer. From page one, I was hooked. Thru all of the twists and turns J.P Delaney writes, it drives me to finish Believe Me and wow what a twist I did not see coming and I love that in psychological thrillers. Believe Me is one book I know I can re-read over and over again and feel as if I have read for the first time. Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read an ARC of Believe Me. Thank you J.P Delaney for writing such a griping, non-stop psychological thriller that made me ask myself do I really know the characters, were there clues along the way, and keep me on the edge of my seat

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read Believe Me!

"Never fall for anyone who prefers to speak someone else's words."
This was so well written, full of twists and turns!

If you’re looking for an original mystery with plenty of twists to keep you guessing, this is it. I greatly enjoyed Believe Me. There were so many layers to this story that I found myself constantly surprised and wondering where the story could possibly go next. Kudos to JP Delaney for taking a chance in reworking a story he previously published under another name and gifting readers with something unlike anything I have read before.

Not my favorite...
First off, I LOVED The Girl Before, and couldn't wait to get my hands on the latest.
Claire is an unemployable actress from London, working in NYC, To pay the bills, she works for a private investigator, picking up married men, then reporting back to their wives. The wives then cash in with their divorce settlements, Until, one of the women is brutally murdered after Claire meets with her. She immediately is a suspect, and tries to prove the husband is guilty by engaging in a relationship with him.
The reason I didn't like this book, even stopped reading it for a while, is the BDSM. There is quite a lot in the book, and that is definitely NOT my cup of tea.

I would like to thank the publisher, Random House Publishing Ballantine, and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have to say that this book really hooked me in from the first page. Unfortunately somewhere about 75% into it my interest waned a bit and I continued the book a couple of days later. And yes, the book got me hooked again but in a different way. I guess the use of the unreliable narrator got me confused and then intrigued and then had me return and reread the last 3 chapters again. I have also read “The Girl Before” and I have to say that I like this story a whole lot better. I really like the writing style of author JP. Delaney, however, I think her plot need a little bit more development as the storyline becomes a bit too unbelievable and then my interest diminishes.
I really like how the author has used the writings of Baudelair into the story line and with that teaches the reader something new and adds to our general knowledge.
I highly recommend this book as Ms. Delaney is a very talented writer.

I was back forth with how I felt about this book. It is a great, twisted, dark thriller but I found it hard to keep up with. I guess that is one of the points of this book, to believe her or not to believe her. By the end I wasn't sure who did what to whom: but the author did a great with the ending, I hate books that leave you hanging. Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This book was a crazy ride that grabbed me from page 1. Claire is a British actress that is trying to find her way in New York after a disaster of a relationship back home ruined her opportunity of pursuing her craft. Life in the states is not treating her any better, and she's forced to take on a job that is under the table to pay her bills that she never can quite meet. On one of her job's, it seems she's not successful achieving what her client was wanting. Turns out the client is murdered and Claire becomes a suspect. So many twists and turns and masterfully crafted. Claire is the perfect unreliable narrator because she is so invested in her role. Who to believe? Claire? The police? The forensic psychologist? The dead client's husband, Patrick? Any of them? This book is entirely unique and this author is masterful at crafting and weaving an intricate plot. Characters that keep you wanting to get to the answers. Well deserved praise for a great read.

PSA to all the readers who loved The Girl Before: JP Delaney doesn't have a formula and Believe Me isn't trying to duplicate that fantastic debut. It starts when New York actor Claire Wright realizes she has a knack for getting men suspected of cheating to come onto her and she uses said skill to tell their wives and mistresses that yes, their significant other is probably not being faithful. When she goes out with a man the same night his wife gets murdered, she's initially questioned. Did he kill her? Is he innocent? This sets the stage for the drama, lies, and craziness that fills the rest of Delaney's pages as Claire and the police struggle to find the truth. The ending will surprise you, that's for sure!

Actress goes undercover... I loved how this book started off and was hooked QUICKLY! Almost read the entire thing in one afternoon. I will say Part 3 dragged and kind of lost me for a bit - a little jumbled but the ending did not disappoint! If Part three (sections 65%-80%) were a little more believable and smoother I think I would have liked it a bit more. Some sections from the poems kind of lost me and I don't think there was enough development about the crimes and the search for the killer. Overall, I did enjoy it and could not put it down.

3.5 stars rounding up to 4

I really enjoyed this novel. I found the twists and turns kept me entwined until the end. I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion

3.5 stars!

I was a fan of The Girl Before, so I looked forward to reading the latest book by JP Delaney! 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 hours later, the woman is found brutally murdered in her hotel room, and Claire becomes a prime suspect. Did she kill Stella? As an actress and student of the Stanislavski method, she turns out to be the perfect person to help the detectives catch the real killer. At first I found the book a bit hard to read and get into because of the play script- but once it got going, I couldn't put it down!