A twisty, dark thriller. Told from the POV of two women.

There is Natalie, who ten years previously had been raped by her boss, though he was found not guilty at trial. The subsequent trauma caused her to suffer blackouts and the inability to trust anyone, along with with feelings of paranoia. All these years later, Natalie is still a troubled soul, and although the symptoms of her PTSD had eased, they are now back with a vengeance.

Then there is Helen, a hard working DI, who takes no flak from anyone. With a troubled past she feels constantly under pressure and doesn’t always make the best personal life choices. When her older sister Karen went missing thirty years ago, the police investigation was basic at best. On joining the police Helen has made it her life’s work to find out what happened to her sister and is determined to leave no stone unturned despite the affect it has on her mental and work status.

This story had great potential. A twisty plot line, troubled characters and more than a few red herrings. What let the story down was the character Helen. Whilst we were meant to get that she was a hard nosed, unflinching police officer, what actually came across was that she was arrogant and rude, disregarding anyone who is not working class. For Helen, if you didn’t come off the “estate” you were posh, pretentious and pompous with a ridiculous accent. Talk about reverse snobbery!! A terribly cynical character with a bit fat greasy chip on her shoulder. Her constant foul mouth, even when thinking to herself, was unnecessary and added nothing to the story.

Good plot, well told with an interesting though not entirely unexpected ending. Such a shame about the characterisation.

2.5*

Thank you NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House.

This is a captivating thriller written from the points of view of two strong, female characters, Natalie and Helen Stratton. Through their narratives we learn a lot about their backstories. One a hardened detective who has been searching for her sister that went missing when she was a child, the other a traumatised rape victim who has been let down by the judicial system.

These two women’s worlds collide when Stratton is assigned a new case in which Natalie’s husband is a suspect.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and enjoyed the twists and turns that were so cleverly woven. I found myself constantly changing my mind as to who the guilty party was. This book was well written with great character development and a plot that made me keep turning pages.

The only let down of this book for me was the big ‘reveal’ at the end. I felt it was rushed and not quite believable. The ending is what has held me back from giving this book 5 stars.

Having said that I would definitely be happy to read another book from this author.

I received a free advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

‘Believe’ by SM Govett is a multi-layered psychological thriller which introduces us to Natalie and her husband, Ryan. Their relationship is under enough pressure as they deal with the fallout from the sexual assault carried out on Natalie a decade ago but things take a turn for the worse when Natalie is sent threatening anonymous notes linked to the crime. And then, on top of this, Ryan betrays her trust.

Soon it’s clear that the police are interested in Ryan. His assistant has disappeared after telling HR that Ryan has raped her. DS Stratton and DC Bradley – a chalk and cheese pairing – arrive to arrest Ryan and Natalie is left bereft.

The novel is told from the perspectives of Natalie and DS Helen Stratton and we learn plenty about their back stories as they try to understand what is going on. It’s a well told tale but I found the ‘big reveal’ entirely unbelievable and, at the same time, disappointingly predictable. Reviews suggest that ‘Believe’ will be avidly read but I just can’t concur with all the 5* ratings.

My thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

A tense, twisty and enjoyable debut written from two female POV, both with their own trauma which informs every decision they make.

DS Stratton became a detective after her sister's disappearance was dismissed by the local police. Now, decades on, she still hopes that one day she will find out what happened to her sister and achieve closure. Meanwhile Natalie takes life one day at a time. Ten years earlier she was raped by her boss, who was then found Not Guilty in court. Branded a liar, Natalie suffers from PTSD, her husband Ryan and best friend Rachel her only confidants. So when Ryan is accused of rape Natalie has no idea what to think. On the one hand he is her husband and she trusts him, on the other she knows what it is like to be disbelieved and discounted. It doesn't help that the poison pen letters she received straight after the trial have restarted and she is once again experiencing blackouts.

I worked out what was going on pretty much from the start and wondered if we were supposed to, because even with that suspicion throughout, the book still felt extremely tense with a very uncertain outlook, but reading other reviews it seems as if the final twist was a complete surprise to many, one saying they felt it came out of nowhere. I still raced to the end of this page turner, but losing that element of surprise (it really did feel quite obvious) took away some of the enjoyment. Still worth a read for anyone who enjoys crime.

4-5 stars rounded up

Another letter arrives for Natalie. Two unpleasant words. She struggles greatly with anxiety following a trauma 10 years ago and Natalie knows they’ll be another letter because she’s still out there. When her husband Ryan is accused of the same crime that causes all Natalie‘s issues, she wants to believe he’s innocent, but can she?

Ooh la la, this is a cracking debut and most definitely a novel that’s right up my street. First of all, it’s very well written with the dual points of view flowing well. Natalie‘s perspective is sensitively approached although you feel her trauma and its after effects and obviously sympathise with her. There’s a lot of pain in Stratton‘s point of view too, and she has a lot going on in her life as well as a taxing job. I like the partnership of Stratton and ‘Fastrack’ a.k.a. DC Bradley as they’re chalk and cheese which certainly makes for interesting reading which positively crackles at times. All the characters are well portrayed, feeling authentic and believable.

The novel is very absorbing as it has a fast paced, multi layered plot which makes for never a dull moment. There are shocks are aplenty, multiple secrets and lies, red herrings and investigative blind alleys. It’s suspenseful and tense which builds and builds with many twists and turns to more than satisfy readers of this genre. There’s one that is especially good and comes right out of the blue, it’s so unexpected. Well played!

I sincerely hope that this is the start of a new series and if so, I’m all in. I can highly recommend this psychological thriller which has a great cover, highlighting the tantalising contents.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

Publishes in the UK on 19/6.

A really curious, edge of your seat thriller with an intriguing plot that grips you very early on.
I didn't see the twist coming - every time I thought I had it I was proven wrong. The plot is really clever making you doubt several characters which helps to keep up the pace and keep you on your toes.
5 stars.

This book was absolutely brilliant from start to finish!

I have always been a fan of a psychological thriller, and my goodness this one did not disappoint. The storyline itself kept me guessing to the very end, and was full of twists and turns I never anticipated.

Told from the perspectives of two FMC's who have both lived through some awful events in their own lives, this book was an absolute page turner that I simply couldn't put down!.

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for my honest review.*

I love a good psychological thriller, especially if it's a twisty psychological thriller, one that keeps me guessing right to the end. Believe ticked those boxes perfectly.
This is a fast paced thriller, with an intricate plot and complex characters. Cleverly placed red herrings deceive the reader time after time. The big reveal, when it came, took me by surprise. 😯
The story is told from the POV of the two female protagonists. Both have suffered trauma in their pasts, both are flawed, and both are stronger than they realise.

With its themes of rape, false allegations of rape, and murder this is a dark but compelling read.
Thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and S.M. Govett for the early access to read Believe for my honest opinion.

One of the best books I’ve read in a while!
I absolutely loved this book. The chapters were at an ideal length (I’m not a huge fan of long chapters), the characters were likeable and also I enjoyed the style of writing from the author.
The plot was fantastic, it kept me guessing who was the killer, and I was not expecting that twist at all.

Thank you so much for giving me the chance to read this book, I loved it and I wish every success to the author and I hope to read more of their books in the future

Ten years ago, Natalie accused her boss of rape but he was found innocent. Her life fell apart and she received hate mail afterwards.

The hate mail has started again and her husband Ryan has been accused of rape of his assistant. Does she believe him or is it part of a revenge campaign?

Natalie has to examine all of her relationships and her own sanity.

A stunning debut by S M Govett reminiscent of Gillian McAllister

I would like to thank Netgalley and Michael Joseph Publishing for the chance to read and review this book.

An intriguing read from start to finish, this thriller was told in alternate chapters by the female DI leading the investigation and Natalie the wife of a man accused of rape then murder.

Well written with plenty of drama, tension and a twist I never saw coming this is an impressive debut crime thriller from S.M Govett, definitely an author to watch out for in the future.

Due for publication Jun 25 - My thanks to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for the advance read, I was under no obligation and all opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to netgalley for the chance to read this ARC.

Loved the twist and turns from this one. Will definitely be looking more into the author and reading some more of their work.

This was such an interesting storyline, with quite a few twists and dead ends to keep us guessing!

Would love to read more in a series

This had me gripped. Told from the point of view of the main 2 female characters it builds into a very exciting story, with a very unexpected twist!

Loved this book. Well written thriller with a great plot. Lots of twists and turns and different premises for who the killer is. Didn't guess it for once so thank you. Look forward to more books like this.

Wow what a debut! Really great book which was brilliantly written. I felt so much empathy for Natalie at the position she was put in. To believe her husband or not. This was so good and kept me guessing right to the end. Oh and THAT ending!

Definitely recommend!

Thank you to the publisher for the early arc!

I really enjoyed this one, it kept me engaged from start to finish and had me holding my breath in numerous places throughout.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Gripping and Unpredictable Read!

Having read many books in this genre, I thought I had a solid grasp on where Believe by S.M. Govett was headed—but boy, was I wrong! Just when I thought I had the ending figured out, the story took a completely unexpected turn that left me stunned.

At the heart of Believe are its complex and deeply human characters. Natalie is grappling with her past trauma, loss, while DI Stratton struggles with her own demons and that of her elderly mother. Their journeys intertwine in a way that feels authentic, making them easy to root for even as their choices become more complicated.

The novel also paints a haunting picture of the unfortunate victims, each of whom carries a tragic past that adds layers of depth to the unfolding mystery. As the story progresses, it becomes clear how seemingly unrelated life events coalesce into something much bigger—and far more chilling—than I anticipated.

S.M. Govett masterfully builds tension, delivering a narrative that is both thought-provoking and deeply unsettling. The only reason I’m giving this four instead of five stars is that a few moments felt slightly drawn out, but in the grand scheme, this book delivers an unforgettable, jaw-dropping experience.

If you love psychological thrillers with twisted endings and richly developed characters, Believe is a must-read when it hits shelves on June 19, 2025. Don’t miss it!

BELIEVE BY S.M. GOVETT
Release date set for the 19th of June 2025.
I thought this whole story and story line was written brilliantly.
Victim of rape by her boss years ago and then her husband is accused of the same crime.
I really felt for the main character Natalie.
It's a page turner.
I really liked the author's writing style for this book aswel.

Really good read. It was well written and it made me ache for Natalie at the position she was put in. To believe het husband or not. Very good, kept me guessing right to the end. Definitely recommend!