I have given up on this book, having read 1/3rd of it, as I found it boring and stuffed with totally unnecessary expletives; 128 words starting with the 6th letter of the alphabet. I do wonder when authors will realise that such words are, almost without exception, unnecessary and when overused dumb down the style and content of all their hard work?

A wife who 10 years earlier was raped at work but the rapist was found not guilt, a husband who has tried to be supportive but is tired of being rejected and an accusation by his coworker that rocks their marriage. Who is telling the truth? Who is lying? Who does a reader believe. I understand that this is SM Govett’s debut novel but it reads like it’s been written by a seasoned professional with many books under their belt. I really enjoyed Believe as it had me on my toes, trying to second guess who to believe. I admit I changed my mind multiple times and still was blindsided by the denouement. I really hope this is the start of a series involving DI Stratton and her team.

A very well written book with so many twist and turns it leaves you dizzy. Some ten years ago Natalie was sexually assaulted by her boss, who ultimately got away with the crime when it came to court. As a result she suffered from PTSD which had her having periods of blacking out and coming to elsewhere. These had stopped until she started receiving anonymous letters about the incident which brought it all back. Throughout it all her husband Ryan had been her rock however when he was accused of the same thing that happened to Natalie, and then for that woman to be found murdered, she didn't know who or what to believe.
The other main character, DI Stratton, had her own issues. She joined the police to try and find her sister who had gone missing at the age of sixteen and she felt the police did not investigate the case well enough. Stratton was on a mission to help women of predators.
Written with dual perspectives of the two women you are left guessing and second guessing who is guilty until one final major twist.
A great thriller.

S.M. Govett's novel Believe just wasn't for me. It's a pretty fast read and is a combination of domestic psychological drama and police procedural. Written in two first-person points of view—the wife, Natalie and the Police Investigator, DI Helen Stratton offers an interesting dual p[erspective to this case of murder. Natalie is suffering from a form of PTSD following a traumatic event some years ago, so she works from home and has established regular segments of her life to follow.
That all collapses when the past comes back to taunt her, and she finds herself relapsing into bouts of lost time - when we wakes up having no idea what she's done or where she has been - and these blackouts can take her into the street or hiding in he wardrobe.
Her husband Ryan, is warm and supportive, but their relationship is strained and he wants her to get theraputic help. When a young woman, a co-worker of Ryan's, is found murdered in nearby woods, Ryan is a suspect and Natalie has to decide whether or not she believes his claims of innocence.
I found this novel a little too obvious, requiring a suspension of disbelief that the detail didn't really warrant. The characters weren't quite rounded enough and for me, the solution was contrived and implausible. So, although I think this book shows promise, I won't be blogging about it, because that's very unfair on a debut author.

Absolutely loved this book. So well written, great plot. I had no idea who was telling the truth. Enjoyed the ending. Anyone who is a fan of police procedurals is going to love this. Definitely recommend this book. Thank you #netgalley

I really enjoyed this one - I love the multi POV style narrative and especially enjoyed this one.
The twists and turns throughout were really interesting and it was so intriguing figuring out where the story was going next.
Definitely one to recommend to fans of the genre!

This was a good read. I didn't know who to believe reading this story which means the author did her job well.

Believe Me Now by S.M. Govett is an exhilarating psychological thriller with a mind-blowing twist at the end. I absolutely loved it! This was a wild ride filled with cleverly crafted twists and turns.

The author creates an atmosphere where you suspect everyone, making your mind work overtime to understand what’s really going on. It’s been a while since I gasped out loud at the reveal of the main twist—it was a proper "No way!" moment!

After a traumatic assault ten years ago, Natalie only trusts her husband, Ryan, who has always been there for her, especially when she experiences blackouts as a side effect of her PTSD. However, when Ryan is accused of a horrific crime, Natalie must decide whether or not she believes him.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crazy, twisted stories with unexpected endings!

Believe is a tense, psychological thriller presented in alternating chapters from the perspectives of two very different women.

Natalie Campbell's life was shattered ten years ago when she was raped by her then boss, who was found not guilty. Natalie has continued to struggle with post traumatic symptoms including distressing blackouts that leave her unable to account for her movements. When her husband, Ryan, is himself accused of rape by a young woman who is later murdered, Natalie's fragile coping strategies disintegrate.

DI Helen Stratton, who becomes involved with the case, has troubles of her own. Her older sister, Karen, disappeared years ago and was never found, and Stratton's mum is now in a care home and has never recovered from the loss. Stratton's colleagues try to support her as much as they can around the anniversary of Karen's disappearance each year, but the detective is powered by the need to solve her own family's trauma as well as the cases she is assigned to investigate.

As events take a darker turn in Believe, the central question becomes who to believe and who to trust. I didn't predict the suspenseful ending, and I found that the story packed an emotional punch as well as being full of twists and surprises.

I chose to read a free eARC of Believe but that has in no way influenced my review.

Natalie Campbell's life changed forever the night her boss raped her. The court found him not guilty, branding Natalie a liar. Now Natalie is haunted by the past. Her relationship with her husband, Ryan, has irreparably changed, and she suffers from PTSD. Losing moments of time throughout the day, waking in strange places unaware of how she got there and what she's been doing. So when Ryan is accused of raping a young woman he works with, Natalie struggles to come to terms with the fact her loyal, loving husband is the same as her ex-boss. She's torn in two. She wants to believe the young woman - after all, no one believed her - but she can't fathom why Ryan would betray her in such a painful way like this. Then the woman who accused Ryan of rape is found dead in the local woods. Ryan is the clear prime suspect, the evidence against him is irrefutable, but there are moments of that day that Natalie, due to her PTSD, just can't account for. Who is telling the truth? Can Natalie trust anyone, herself included...?

Believe is a twisty, unexpected read full of perfectly plotted red herrings which will keep psychological thriller fans turning the pages late into the night. You think you know what's going on. You really don't. You think you've read this book before. You haven't. I was blown away by the twists and turns. Such a clever story! Alongside Natalie's POV, we also get to see the investigation from DI Helen Stratton's point of view. I loved Helen. She was my favourite character in the book. Driven and determined with no *h!ts given. Stratton has her own cross to bear following the disappearance of her sister when they were younger. She's treated with kid gloves by her colleagues, and her superior officer (who she had a short affair with) has a tendency to give her the less demanding investigations, particularly around the anniversary of Karen's disappearance. Stratton wants something juicy to get her teeth into though, which is why she insists on taking on Ryan's case. But can she handle the pressure? To add to her workload, she's given the 'new guy' who has recently transferred in from another local nick to work with. Can Stratton and Bradley figure out the truth amongst the myriad of half-truths, uncertainty and lies presented to them?

If you're a fan of the unreliable narrator then this is the book for you. Natalie has regular bouts of dissociative amnesia due to her horrific experience ten years earlier. Meaning she wakes up with no knowledge of what she's been up to, how she got to where she is and what she's done in that time. The reader is completely unaware of what Natalie has done as well, meaning you can't help but question her and her actions. The author handles the doubt brilliantly, making you ask questions, and allowing you to jump to your own conclusions.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Believe is a highly intriguing, utterly compelling tale where you think you know what's going on, but you probably don't. I actually told my husband my prediction for how this book would end (with an *I've got this all figured out* sigh). He checked in with me after I'd finished it and I couldn't meet his eye! I got it THAT wrong. I did enjoy the twist, I thought the author wrote it beautifully. The entire book though is brilliantly written and I'm excited to see what the author has in store for us next. I thought the characters were excellent and elicited opposite emotions in the reader. Stratton I really warmed too. But despite feeling a lot of sympathy for Natalie, I struggled to like her finding her a little too flaky (also read = unreliable) a lot of the time. The plot moves at a swift pace keeping the reader engaged. There's always something happening: a development in the case, Natalie having an episode which brings a lot of doubt to proceedings. It really doesn't let up, drawing the reader in. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Believe from start to finish. Great characterisation, a sharp and snappy plot and I truly loved how the author toys with her readers throughout. Tense, intriguing and nigh-on-impossible to put down. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Believe. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Ten years ago Natalie was sexually assaulted by her boss, it went to court but the jury didn't believe her and she was branded a liar, ever since she has suffered with PTSD, often blacking out, waking up somewhere else and not remembering what happened during those lost times and her husband has been her rock throughout. Now history seems to be repeating itself but this time it's Ryan that's been accused, he's adamant he didn't do it and Natalie wants to believe him. Then the woman who made the accusation is found dead in the woods close to their home, Ryan is prime suspect and Natalie's world spirals out of control...

Believe is a thriller by this author who has only previously written YA novels and I'd say she's found her genre with this one. Told from the perspectives of two very different women, but each of them fighting their own demons, Natalie who is constantly living the trauma of her attack and DI Helen Stratton who is still mourning the disappearance of her sister thirty years earlier, desperate to know if she's alive or dead. Stratton has been assigned this case and is determined to bring the perpetrator to justice, with the help of her new partner 'Fast Track' Bradley and the rest of the team. This story starts off slow but soon picks up the pace, told in alternating chapters between Natalie and Stratton, we are sent on a rollercoaster journey of twists and turns which had my head in a spin, one minute thinking I'd worked it all out, only to be sent off in another direction in the next minute, but nothing, absolutely nothing, prepared me for that final curveball where the pieces all fell into place and the perpetrator was revealed. What an ending to this compelling read, by an author that I will definitely be looking out for again, in fact I'd love to see more of Stratton and think this could be a great start to a series!

I'd like to thank Michael Joseph and Netgalley for inviting me to read this, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.

Believe is a really accomplished debut that is brilliantly plotted, suspenseful and fast paced. I was totally gripped by SM Govett's storytelling and I really wanted to find out the answers.

The novel is narrated alternately by detective Helen Stratton and Natalie Campbell. Helen has her own tragic back story, and Natalie has post traumatic stress disorder from a sexual assault where the perpetrator was found not guilty. This means that neither character is completely reliable and their judgement is often impaired, which makes for an intriguing story where I was never totally sure of the correct version of events. The technique also allows the author to show us into the characters’ lives and how what has happened to them has impacted them.

As I was reading Believe, I was often sure I knew where the story was going, but boy, I was so wrong! I don't think I can say much without giving away spoilers, but the ending literally made me shout out loud!

I can't wait to see what this author does next - she's definitely one to watch!

Believe by S.M. Govett is a thrilling, addictive psychological page-turner that I devoured in under 24 hours. The dual viewpoints kept the tension razor-sharp, and the short, punchy chapters made it impossible to stop reading “just one more.” A brilliantly executed twist ties it all together in a way that’s both shocking and satisfying. If you love a fast-paced, clever thriller—this one’s unmissable!!

I really did not see where this was going, such a cleverly written book!

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book

‘Believe’ by S.M. Govett is an unnerving and twisty domestic thriller and police procedural which explores the nature of truth and the danger of revenge. We meet Natalie, who is a shell of her former self and still struggling a decade after her boss was found not guilty of the rape she accused him of. When her husband Ryan is accused of a similar crime, her strength is further diminished… and things just keep getting worse.

Alongside Natalie’s chapters, I enjoyed how this novel featured sections from the perspective of a police officer who is tasked with investigating Ryan. However, I wish we’d had more of a chance to explore her motivations and her relationship with her partner who had recently transferred from another unit.

Overall, this gets three stars from me - the premise was good, and elements of the mystery were very clever, but the ending wasn’t as satisfying as the rest of the book in my opinion. It’s still a worthy thriller which a lot of people have absolutely raved about, so please don’t “believe” me without reading it and forming your own view!

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Michael Joseph, Penguin via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

4.5 stars
This is a great psychological thriller.
The story is made up of narratives from two women - Natalie and Detective Helen Stratton.
Natalie is recovering from a rape that shattered her life a few years ago and is trying to make her marriage work with Ryan.
When Ryan comes home and tells her he’s been accused of rape, and then later they find out the woman has been murdered, Natalie is in shock.
Detective Stratton is charge of the case and has a new colleague to work with to find the killer. She’s also struggling with her past, but initially lacks sympathy for Ryan and Natalie’s situation.
There’s a few twists and turns in this book and most of them totally took me by surprise, so I won’t spoil them.
This is a great read that will certainly keep you guessing as to who is telling lies and who is telling the truth.
Thanks to Michael Joseph Publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks to net galley and the publishers for an advanced ecopy in exchange for a review.
Believe is a suspenseful and tense thriller.
The book follows unreliable narrator Natalie and her husband Ryan. She is getting hate mail which isn’t the first time and she thinks her past is catching up with her.
Another main character is Stratton a police officer who is on the case of a killer after her sister disappeared many years ago.
When Natalie’s husband is accused of a terrible crime can Natalie find it in her to forgive him or will she dig deeper to try and uncover the truth.
A page turner and I will be recommending

Ten years ago, former lawyer Natalie was raped by her boss, but in court he was declared innocent and consequently she, a liar. She is still haunted by her past ordeals and occasionally suffers total blackouts. Married to Ryan, she freelances from home as a legal journalist, when her husband gets accused of rape by his new assistant…This fast-paced thriller kept me at the edge of my seat with its salvo of twists and turns plus lots of red herrings. Highly recommended!

A thrilling read!

Natalie was sexually assaulted by her boss; that was bad enough but in the ensuing court case, he was found not guilty and she was devastated all over again. Suffering from blackouts, she hasn't got her life back but the support of her husband gets her through the days and nights. When he is accused of the same crime by a young woman he works with, their lives begin to fall apart and when that girl's body is found not far from their home, the pressure is intense. But he didn't do it - did he?

The suspense is palpable in this one and, as hard as I tried, I couldn't work it out until it was almost spelled out on the page. A roller coast of a read, and one which kept my full attention until the very end. Gripping all the way through - I think I suspected each character in turn (some more than once). Recommended and, for me, 4.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.

Believe is a good mix of domestic thriller and police procedural. The first third is packed with twists and revelations, the middle third with a police investigation, and the final third with more twists and danger for the characters.

I really enjoyed the way that the reader is kept guessing and never truly knowing who to trust. I had my suspicions about the person who ended up being the culprit but was never fully convinced because so many of the characters seemed so potentially guilty!

Believes contains just the right amount of comfortable thriller predictability with moments to make you doubt everything you thought you knew about the story. A brilliant and enjoyable read.