This is my first book by S.M. Govett and I was very pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in the plot. What a fantastic, thrilling book!

I loved the differing points of view throughout the storyline that helped reveal more about the characters.

I look forward to seeing what comes next for this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I very much enjoyed this murders mystery thriller. It was a real page turner and I read it quickly as it was so easy to read and I was quickly absorbed in the story line. Each chapter alternated between Natalie and DI Helen Stratton, as the story unfolded and was told from their different perspectives.

This was the first novel by SM Govett that iced read but would certainly be interested in reading more.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing an advance copy in return for my honest opinion. I have also published this review on Goodreads and will post a shortened version on Amazon.

Helen is a police officer, who decided on this career when her sister went missing as a teenager.
Natalie was raped by her ex-boss, she took him to court and he was found not guilty, and died the following day. His wife blamed her for her husband's death, and stalked her so she and her husband Ryan had to move away. She now suffers from anxiety and blackouts.
Ryan's attractive new assistant Alice accuses him of rape, and is found dead the next day.
Helen is responsible for the case along with the new fast-track detective Bradley. It seems obvious that Ryan is the murderer, but as the case is investigated, things are not all that they seem.
The story is told from the perspective of Natalie and Helen. At the start, I found them both a bit weak and messy, but as the book went on, and the plot became more twisted, I enjoyed it more.
Recommended.

This was a well written debut crime novel with some interesting characters and red herrings, However, I have to admit that, for me, the author didn't really add anything new to the genre or the detective with the inevitable troubled back story.
Thank you to netgalley and Michael Joseph for an advance copy of this book.

First and foremost I am so glad I did not read the blurb for this book before I read it - there is far too much information - information I want to glean as I read the book!
Having said that I read this book over two days - could not put it down even though I knew who was responsible and what the outcome would be - or so I thought.
Interesting to have an accusation of rape and Natalie's reaction!
There were plenty of curveballs for this story while DI Helen Stratton deals with her own demons.
Will definitely look forward to more from this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley/S.M. Govett/Michael Joseph for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a great story and kept you guessing until the end as to who had done what and why. I kept changing my mind as to who had done it and so many people were hurt along the way with the doubt setting in. Shows you, the people you think you can trust are often the ones who let you down.

What a superb debut thriller this is. Clever writing and a plot that really kept me guessing the whole way through. I really couldn't work out who the perpetrator was as my suspicions skipped from one to another of the suspects. The final twist was breath taking and I liked how the chapters became shorter towards the climax which added to the pace and panic speeding up my reading to get to the final reveal. I did feel that the main detective, Helen Stratton's bad language was a bit over the top as it wasn't only her verbal expletives that made me dislike her but even her thoughts included a lot of swearing. I realise that she was a 'tough, no nonsense cop' but I'd have liked her character more had she been a bit more toned down and professional. I did enjoy the book and will definitely seek out the author's future work. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy. All opinions are my own and voluntarily given.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for granting me an ARC of Believe.

This novel was a great way to pass time while I recover from a major operation at home. I felt like it was a slow burner, had enough to keep me interested, but took a while to get going.

I did not, however, see the twist coming until I was right on top of it! I must admit I’m not great at working things out before they smack me in the face, but this was a good one!

Writing style was clear and easy to read, and overall a decent story. 4 stars.

Natalie Campbell has blackouts following on from a trauma that has caused PTSD. One day her husband is accused of the same crime that ruined her life and then the woman who accused him ends up murdered. Natalie wants to try and believe him but has some doubts. DI Helen Stratton is the detective investigating this crime and she will do whatever it takes to catch the killer.

This book surprised me in a good way, as for a debut this was a fantastically accomplished psychological thriller. I was hooked to the story fairly early on and found the story so well written and compelling that I could not put this down. The story raises lots of questions, making the reader think and feel a range of emotions. The characters are well crafted, although my only niggle was that I found Stratton’s character a bit tiresome by the midway point, but I soon grew back in favour of her and enjoyed her sarcasm.

I was constantly second guessing myself, not sure how the story would end. I thought I had it figured out but I definitely didn’t! It’s been a long while since I have been completely in the dark about the ending. This was a solid, clever thriller overall and I am hoping the start to a new series. I will most certainly be reading the next! 4.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

A thriller that packs a punch...and I loved the twist!

Rape survivor Natalie suffers from blackouts where she can't account for her actions. When her husband is also accused of rape, her blackouts become more frequent and strange things begin to happen, with devastating consequences.

I liked the use of the dual narrator—Natalie's constant self-doubt is nicely offset by DI Stratton's assurance. I'd be interested to see where this goes; if this becomes a series featuring the detective, there's certainly huge scope to expand her character.

What a brilliant book. Well written with plenty of twists and turns. It's thought provoking and I had no idea who the perpetrator was.
Natalie is struggling to come to terms with severe historic trauma, and frequently experiences lost time. Her husband, Ryan, appears to be supportive and caring for her needs. When Ryan is accused of rape, their lives unravel.
Highly recommended.

Believe is a fast paced read that I had no idea who to pin the murders on!!
Natalie has starts to have blackouts again, she can’t remember what she does and why she is where she is when she comes round. This is the result of a traumatic event that happened to her ten years ago. Her husband has been accused of the same crime and although she should believe the woman she has doubts. Investigating the crime is Stratton who lost her sister years ago and has never been found so although on this case her mind is elsewhere trying to find out what happened to her so her mother can rest a little easier.
This is a fast paced thriller that I had no idea who was the culprit, it was cleverly written and held my attention throughout. The book worked with it being just the two females that were nearly every other chapter as the voices, you got a deeper insight to their lives and thoughts. A really good read.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

A psychologically damaged rape victim, a bitter and grieving DI, some humdinger misdirections – who to choose as the perpetrator of the crimes? A well-thought-out and well-structured page-turner (I did have one or two ‘about that’ thoughts) with plenty of tension. A terrific debut. Will there be a series with DI Stratton?

What a brilliant book. The twists and turns will leave you wondering what can happen next.
Revenge is best served cold and ten years later after the not guilty of her rape trial the trauma has still not gone away.
Husband accused of the same crime starts the unraveling of reality and a nightmare that won't stop.
Don't want to spoil the story but hopefully there will be more books to follow.

What a superb debut this was. A fast paced book with brilliantly conceived characters and a clever plot that twisted its course to the shocking finale. Natalie is married to Ryan, a supportive husband who has helped her deal with the after effects of being raped ten years earlier. She previously received anonymous letters that caused her to have blackouts due to the stress. She knew they were from the wife of the man she accused of rape. Years have passed and suddenly another letter arrives and the stress returns. Meanwhile we also have the story from Stratton, a DI who has suffered loss and wants to make a difference in the police. As events spiral and Natalie finds herself thrown into the centre of new crimes and revelations that threaten her current existence, she has no idea who to believe or turn to for help. Stratton who has her own issues, is tasked with finding the murderer of a young woman and is also told by her boss who she previously had an affair with, that she has to have a new detective shadow her rather than rely on her established team. The stories of both Natalie and Stratton combine to produce an escalating string of events that have devastating consequences. An excellent story that I raced through and had me guessing throughout. I look forward to reading more from this talented author.

I thought this was a great read. I liked the main characters, and the pace of the book was good for an impatient reader like me. The plot was good, and I look forward to reading more books by this author. I would recommend this book.

'Believe Me Now' is a fantastic debut novel. It's a fast paced psychological thriller told from two POV's, Natalie who is still coping with trauma and Stratton the detective still coming to terms with a family tragedy. The storyline with its many twists and turns will keep you guessing until the end. Recommend you give it a read. Thank you NetGalley , the publisher and the author for an early read.

A really competent debut psychological thriller. Told from the POV of two very different women. Although I found both the main characters rather irritating it doesn't mean they weren't well written. Both characters were fully formed with baggage that influenced their actions and decisions. There were plenty of twists and turns in the plot and I didn't guess the killer before the big reveal which impressed me as I usually do. A great read that I'm happy to recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This is a stunning thriller. I could barely race through the pages I wanted to find out what happened so quickly. Tension filled, nail biting right to the very last page. I was engrossed and read this in one sitting.

A great psychological crime drama from S M Govett that's going to do so well this summer Im sure!
Natalie's life changed overnight when she took her boss to court for attacking her - he was found not guilty and she's never recovered. Her partner Ryan has been her rock, helping her when she has her awful blackouts, working hard for their future.
When Ryan is accused of a similar crime by one of his employees, Natalie's world is turned on its head again. How can this be happening again?

Its a tautly written psychological drama with some fantastic twists and turns and a wonderful ending. More please!