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Writer's pictureNZ Booklovers

Believe Me by JP Delaney


In this psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Before, an actress plays both sides of a murder investigation.


Claire is a struggling British actor living in New York without a green card. She desperately needs money to survive and agrees to be a decoy for a firm of divorce lawyers. Claire acts the part well, collecting evidence by catching husbands on film with their seductive propositions.

When the wife of one of Claire’s targets is violently murdered, the police are sure Patrick, the husband is to blame. Determined to catch him before he kills again, they ask Claire to lure him into a confession. For a woman who has mastered the art of manipulation, how difficult can it be? Claire begins to play the most dangerous role of her life and as police track her movements she falls in love with Patrick. But is she acting or is it real life? Who is the decoy and who is the prey? Believe Me is full of exciting plot twists that you simply won't see coming!


Interestingly, this book was first published nearly two decades ago under a different name and title. As JP Delaney explains, he was frustrated that he had thrown away an interesting idea by not writing it well enough. Following the success of recent titles, he was able to realise its full potential by completely rewriting it. Believe Me is built around the same idea as the earlier title but is entirely different in plot, characterisation and structure.


In the tradition of The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl, this enthralling thriller has you questioning who to believe until the end.

Reviewer: Andrea Molloy Hachette New Zealand, RRP $34.99

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