Cover Image: Convince Me

Convince Me

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

They were the perfect couple: handsome and successful Justin and his beautiful wife Anne. Imagine the heartbreak when Justin is killed in a car accident, supposedly under the influence of drugs.
Anne works with Justin’s business partner Will to try and determine why there are so many unexplained actions and suspicious activities leading up to Justin’s accident. She tries to share in her grief with Justin’s mother, but Carol really doesn’t desire to share in the weakness of emotion. She has always raised her son to prosper, succeed at all costs, and if he failed, she was there to push him through.
As these three viewpoints reflect and untangle the lies that Justin has lived, they may not be prepared for the cold evidence that lies in their path. This is a fun, engrossing, and quick read, perfect for the beach or one rainy evening.

Was this review helpful?

If you want a book with a good plot, a twist and wonderful character development, this book is for you.
Who is who them seem to be and who is not!!

Jump right in and enjoy this book.

Was this review helpful?

I'm not often totally surprised in thrillers nowadays, but have to admit in this book I was. This is a well-written book that slowly feeds details that are shocking in themselves - right up to the most shocking of all. I don't want to risk giving spoilers - this is a book that should be read without any preconceived ideas of 'whodunnit' to get the maximum enjoyment.

A great thriller!!

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This was an okay mystery novel about a lovable and charismatic man who ended up actually being a pathological liar and sociopath. I think this book would have been a lot better if everything wasn’t given away in the description of the book...because I knew already that Justin told all of these huge lies, I wasn’t surprised by any of the twists and turns. It was compulsively readable and well-written, but the description kind of ruined it for me. I could see the final twist coming about 3/4 through the book. 3 stars.

Was this review helpful?

When the perfect man dies, he leaves behind family and friends who are left to ponder who he really was. Had he been the devoted and loving husband .... the bright businessman with the Midas touch? Or was he something else ... something no one saw?

After Justin Child's funeral, his family and friends have lots of questions. Why was there drugs in his system when he was so adverse to them? Why is his company in financial distress? Why is his medical record all falsified? Where did he go when he disappeared for long periods of time? Was the car crash that killed him an accident .. or something more sinister?

Told by 3 points of view ... his wife, his mother, his best friend ... it's left to the reader to decipher the lies, the semi-truths. Twists and turns, deep dark secrets, lead to an extremely unexpected ending.

With a tightly woven plot amid skillfully crafted characters, this is a nail-biting page turner from start to finish.

Many thanks to the author / Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Was this review helpful?

Convince me was a fast paced book that held my interest. It's a story about Justin who recently died- He was a charismatic guy and the story is told from 3 points of view Annie his wife, his friend and business partner Will, and his mother Carol. We learn that Justin isn't exactly who we thought he was - there's a trail of lies and deceit. All in all I thought it was a good read and I was interested in seeing what happened. I enjoyed the book but I wish I hadn't seen so many 5 star reviews - I think it I was expecting a lot more than I got out of it.

Was this review helpful?

The emotional roller coaster I was on as I read this book was intense! The events were told from multiple characters' perspectives and integrated nicely with the build up to the ending. There was plenty of suspense and mystery throughout the story culminating in a gasp worth ending. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author.

Was this review helpful?

What happens when the perfect husband, son, and friend turns out to be the perfect liar?

Annie, Will, and Carol are about to find out.

This is a fun little thriller that one shouldn't take too seriously. Chapters alternate perspective of the three and each one urges you to read on to the next. I will admit I had a feeling that I knew where the story was going and for the most part I was right but it didn't hinder my reading experience and I have to give that to the author. Each chapter has a new revelation of sorts and my mind was constantly trying to work it all out and I *mostly* did. Still, this is fun. It's the perfect beach / poolside read. This is escapism and I was all for it.

Oh, and I loved the dedication:

"This book is for everyone who is sick and tired of the fucking liars and their fucking lies.

Preach it, sistah!

Minor gripe: I don't like the cover at all and I almost didn't request this. How petty am I? It would have been my loss though. 4 *Calgon take me away* Stars! <--- Geesh, how old am I to be using a a reference like that? Don't answer that! Ha!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books fro providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Justin is dead. We start at his funeral seeing his life through the eyes of his wife, his best friend, and his mother. His "meet" stories with Will, the best friend, and Annie, the wife, are a cutesy. A little too cutesy. He is overly charming and overly giving and overly everything. He is the kind of person the term "extra" was coined for. His death is an accident and leaves a lot of questions for those around him. How did a man who hated drug use die with drugs in his system? Was he too good to be true?

I really liked this book. Justin's personality was way over the top from the beginning. It may be easy to see as a reader, but it took longer for his loved ones to see it. After his death, in fact. Through their memories you read hints of it right away (his mother's memory of his reaction to her death, his wife remembering their early and manipulative dating days, the friend being plied with strange and expensive gifts almost as soon as they met.) This is what happens when that person is revealed.

The people who tell the story are those that were so close to him that they couldn't see him. Their lives became instantly and deeply entangled with his as soon as they met. His death leaves them all floundering to figure out what they will be without him and then they start finding out the truth. The question is, can they handle the truth? (You can't handle the truth!) What will those closest to him do to keep his reputation intact?

Fun to read! Thanks to Nina Sadosky, Netgalley, and Random House for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

I received this advance reader’s copy from NetGalley. I enjoyed the three points of view, the story kept my interest, but the ending seemed a bit contrived. Mama and son didn’t seem very believable, nor did Anna’s sudden brainstorm that helped to solve the mystery. Just my opinion.

Was this review helpful?

I love her writing and I love her flawless plots that just pull you in because it's a dark, creepy and chilling book. It's just never what you think it is and the ending will have you sitting there wondering what in the world did I just read. My second thought is that Nina Sadowsky is a genius. An absolute must read. Happy reading!

Was this review helpful?

Annie is 31 and a widow. Her beloved husband, Justin Childs was killed when his car went off the side of a mountain. He and his best friend, Will, owned Convince Media. Everyone loved Justin. His outgoing, happy, personality simply drew people to him. Annie has learned that Justin had Valium in his system he died. She cannot believe this because Justin hated drugs.

Carol is Justin’s mother who as a widow worked hard to raise her beloved son. He was the light of her life and now she is heartbroken.

As Annie and Will start to look into the business, some things come to light that shock them both. It turns out that Justin was hiding many secrets.

Justin is/was an unbelievable personality. How do people get so full of themselves? The author has woven the most amazing story of narcissism, greed, lies, and a type of sick love. She has you reading up to the very end to see who is lying and who isn’t. Very well done. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley and Goodreads in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Wow! This book had me hooked and on the edge of my seat the entire time!! The book was so good that I was finished before I knew it! A definite must for thriller fans!!

Was this review helpful?

#NetGalley #RandomHousePublishingGroup-Ballantine #NinaSadowsky

Wow! This was my first book by this author and I was impressed! I flew thru it. The story was so good! I will definitely be looking forward to reading more books by Nina Sadowsky!

I recommend this book for lovers of psychological thrillers, it will not disappoint!

Was this review helpful?

Wow!! This little thriller packs a big punch. This is one that really makes you think- what if everything you thought you knew about someone was a lie? And the ending- I had an inkling of the “who,” but the “why” absolutely blew me away. I definitely enjoyed and would recommend this one!

Was this review helpful?

I’m not sure why this one isn’t getting more attention, but this is a great little mystery book that clocks just under 300 pages.

Synopsis: Justin has just been found dead after a car accident, found with valium in his system. Justin is not the type do valium. What has happened? We learn more about Justin through his wife, his mother, and through his best friend as this story takes us back to when they met him and to present day. This one is told in alternating perspectives, and Ms Sadowsky does a wonderful job at giving each narrator their own unique voice.

Review: Another book that I think is best to go in knowing as little as possible. During a busy work week, I read this in just over a day. That rarely happens during the week. This book did an amazing job at grabbing my attention and keeping me wanting to read to find out what happens next. This is my first book by Nina Sadowsky, but she is a great storyteller and the plot is twisty and full of secrets. It is very well written, fast paced, and unique. I definitely recommend this one to thriller seekers, mystery lovers, and those who enjoy quick suspenseful reads.

Rating:
4.5 rounded up to 5

Was this review helpful?

This was a great book, one that kept me interested from the beginning until the end. Kudos to this author, I plan on getting her other books as soon as I can.

Was this review helpful?

Convince Me was a fast paced book that was quite difficult to put down. Justin was a total charmer. Someone that got whatever he wanted out of life, usually in a BIG way. Just as the pieces of his life start to fall apart, Justin is killed in an accident and it’s discovered that he had Valium in his system. Was it an accident? Did he commit suicide or was it something more sinister? After his death, his wife Annie and his best friend and business partner Will, seek answers to all of their questions. Answers that might just surprise you!

Was this review helpful?

Three people experience the loss of a loved one. One wife, one mother, one friend. But how is their story all interwoven? Convince Me is a story of the secrets held by the dead and asks the question, do we really know someone?


My answer is always no.


Sometimes the answer might be a little more detailed. And Sadowsky takes us through what can happen to your loved ones after you die, especially if you kept secrets from them. Told from three different perspectives, Sadowsky takes us through grief, but not in a way that will make you sad. Convince Me is a mystery, not just in secrets, but in a thriller way. It's definitely a good one.


Convince Me comes out 8.4.2020.


4/5 Stars

Was this review helpful?

When Justin Childs died, it seemed as If the whole world mourned. Described as an innovator, a hardworking businessman, devoted husband and best friend, Justin seemed to have it all.

After his death, Justin's perfect world starts to crumble. His business starts to crack at the seams, and many of his stories turn out to be lives. Who was Justin Childs? How many lives did his intersect? How will they ever recover?

This one kept me guessing until the very end! IIf you're looking for. a well crafted and interesting page turned, this is your book! I loved the storylinek and truly enjoyed reading it! Add this one to your to be read list!

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC!

Was this review helpful?