Claire Wright was a fledgling British actress who was living in the US and taking odd acting jobs just to stay afloat. When she was offered the chance to make $400.00 just by persuading a man to sleep with her, and presenting the evidence to his wife, she was all in. That man was Patrick Fogler, and her involvement with him did not end that night. In fact, it started Claire on a whole other life that was encased in secrecy, espionage, and danger. As this psychological thriller progresses, It becomes exceedingly difficult to determine if Claire is the hunter or the prey. Is it acting for Claire, or real life? Believe Me is a book that will definitely keep readers guessing until the bitter end.

I was interested in reading Believe Me as I’d been hearing quite a buzz about it, but sadly this one was just not to my liking. BDSM figures heavily into the plot and that is just not something I am interested in reading about, too kinky for my tastes! But I felt obligated as this was an ARC provided via NetGalley so I persevered.

First, what I liked about the book. Parts are formatted like a script of a play complete with stage direction and stand-alone dialog. I think the author wanted to give a film noir feel to the book and I have to say he accomplishes this nicely.

Other than my primary complaint, I found the book engaging right up to the first twist, I say first twist as the book includes many but not all of them work. Another distraction was the protagonist is an unreliable narrator but this included her thoughts also. This I thought was a bit far-fetched. Granted, she was characterized as an exceptional actress who “lived in her characters” but to carry this off for months on end was not believable.

Much of the book centers around Charles Baudelaire’s book of poetry, Les Fleurs du mal. Many, many references to the poetry which I think really bogs down the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine Books providing with with an advance copy to review.

I read this in one sitting this evening. I loved not knowing where the book would go. I found the format of the screenplay to be an interesting change and enjoyed it

In JP Delany’s second novel Believe Me.....will have you screeching to a halt and then saying yes it is this person, then you get thrown around in thinking it is someone else then it halts and suddenly....
YOU feel nauseated because then everything you just went through in the book get retched out at the very end.
BELIEVE ME.
You don’t know who to trust and then it is all thrown in the trash; like old food, but then you just do it again.
BELIEVE ME.
It will have you wondering who the killer is and you know who it is but evidence tells you, “No, It can’t be!”
BELIEVE ME.
It is intense and gets graphic that may not be suitable for people who don’t like gore and intense sexual ideas.

BELIEVE ME.
This is a novel that needs to be on your to be read list this summer.

Claire, an aspiring young actress, is involved in a murder investigation but WHO exactly is being investigated? BELIEVE ME, a psychological thriller with a dash of FIFTY SHADES OF GREY, has so many twists and turns, you don’t know who or what to believe. You’ll be kept guessing until the very last page and even then you’ll wonder. Definitely an interesting read! My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. #BelieveMe#NetGalley

I have mixed emotions about this book. On one hand, the storyline was incredibile and you felt immersed in the story. On the other hand, parts of it were written like a script, which I didnt really enjoy. There were so many twists and turns my head is still spinning. If you like dark and twisty thrillers, then this is the book for you.

I thoroughly enjoyed this very gripping read! From the description, I was immediately drawn in. this book is wonderfully written and the author does a wonderful job of setting a good scene. Each character brought their own punch to the story and contributed to it. The plot was fast paced and I could not stop reading!

This was one of those rare "unputdownable" Books. Just when I thought I had a handle on what was going on or coming next, something else would blow me right out of the water. As in the previous book of this author, The Girl Before, this book was unique, thrilling, and absolutely riveting. It took you on a ride you couldn't - and didn't want to - get off of. With beach chapter came a new twist and as the reader, I was glued to my kindle.
I highly recommend this book and can't wait to see what JP Delaney comes up with next!

4 Stars. Twisty, Confusing and at times I had no idea what was going on but then at some point it just came together and I was turning and flipping the pages.

It was a great read. I enjoyed The Girl Before so I’m so happy to have been able to receive an advance digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

A struggljng British actess in NY is caught up in the investigation when a wealthy woman is murdered. The characters fall flat in this covoluted plot.

Delaney follows The Girl Before with this roller coaster ride that will keep you guessing all the way through to the end. Twists, turns and a whole lot of unlikeable characters make it a perfect fast summer read.

Another exciting psychological thriller by JP Delaney! Thanks for the opportunity to read an advance copy!

I had a hard time putting down this book for the first 50% then it sort of changed with the whole psych ward situation but by this point I had to finish for pure curious reasons. The book is very dark and the characters aren't really likeable but they keep it interesting. You definitely need to read it until the very last page to find out how things end.

Wow! That is the only way to sum it up. I LOVED The Girl Before, but this surpasses it (bravo!).

You will second guess yourself all the way until the end. You think you know, but you have no idea. With no reliable or likeable characters, it makes this book intense, dark and sometimes horrifying. A fast paced thriller that can be devoured in one sitting.

I cannot wait to see what JP Delaney comes up with next!

Just don't understand all the rave reviews from other pre-release reviewers on this site. BELIEVE ME (pun intended) this was not my cup of tea, though I found myself needing a cup of camomile after a couple of these chapters.. This was difficult to stay with as I found the subject matter deplorable. I almost stopped at 30% into the novel. None of the characters were the least bit likable, and the reader is constantly wondering what is real, what is imagined and who the guilty party is. At one point I wasn't sure I cared. As it turns out I was right about who the murderer was, not that it made me feel any better about having read this unpleasant novel. I completed it as a sense of obligation to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy.

Admittedly, I did skim through some of the more disturbing parts. I am giving it a generous two stars for ingenuity, as that did take some strategizing and creative writing skills, but I just don't get all the accolades. Are that many readers into this sort of macabre stuff? Sorry, not for me.

What did I just read? This novel might just blow your mind. I loved The Girl Before so I had high expectations for this one too. It did not disappoint! Is protagonist Claire prey or predator? She's an actress and craves the attention as she was in foster care most of her life and never found unconditional love. Now she's not sure what love really is until she gets caught up in a murder investigation that skews all the "rules." Who can she trust and who is telling the truth? You won't know until the end and it's pretty shocking so prepare for an intense ride to the dark side of passion!

Well, this is twisty!

Don’t be surprised if you end up hating most of the characters. And don’t be surprised if you sometimes find you have absolutely no idea what’s going on.

But also – don’t be surprised if you find yourself reading at a fever pace, simply trying to figure it all out!

Truly, this is one of those books in which it’s hard, if not impossible, to find a character you can relate to. Some of these people do very bad things and are extremely egotistical and unlikable.

Yet, despite the fact that I kind of hated these people, I was simply dying to know what was happening. The author had me caught in this twisted and warped web.

The ending definitely surprised me…and it didn’t at the same time.

I would definitely recommend downloading a sample first. You’ll either hate the characters immediately and simply delete, or find yourself completely caught up in the suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced read in exchange for this review.

Brit is an undocumented immigrant attending an acting school. As a way to get by, she has been working as a decoy for married women to catch their husbands cheating. After an unsuccessful operation, Claire discovers that the wife has been murdered and she must now lure a confession out of the husband.

I thought this book had potential. It's filled with manipulation, guessing games, and unexpected plot lines. What bothered me was the operation that Claire finds herself in in order to catch the husband. Everything about it and what comes after did not feel believable to me. It is quite creative, in fact, it is too creative. I still enjoyed the drama of it, but the author does such a good job of making you wonder who is the manipulator and who is the victim, that you struggle to take sides. Still an entertaining read.

This is an excellent read! A struggling actress trying to make it in New York without a green card works for a lawyer entrapping married men cheating on their wives. All well and good until there’s a murder. Then she has a starring role trying to apprehend the killer. I’m not saying any more than that. Dark poetry. Stalkers. Who is her friend and who is trying to kill her. Loved it

A wonderfully executed "who-dunnit" because of protagonist/narrator Claire's unreliability. We are never quite sure who it was until the very end...As an aspiring actress, her scenes as seen in her head are a clever method of furthering the story. It DOES help to have a bit of an interest in 19th century French poet Baudelaire but it's not necessary to enjoy the story. Highly recommended.