I really loved this! The protagonists felt really real - there’s a real skill to writing characters who feel like flawed, imperfect people and S.M.Govett has really hit the nail on the head.
The story itself kept me guessing right up until the final pages, with a denouement that was very deserving of everything that came before. I really look forward to reading more in the future.

A brilliant, suspenseful, pulse racing thriller!
I really enjoyed this debut and was really impressed with the storyline and characters. It kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat throughout. Lots of plot twists too!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC

I loved this book and read it in a day! 10 years ago Natalie was raped by her boss who was later acquitted of the crime. Since then she has really struggled and often gets blackouts and can't remember where she's been or what she's done. When her husband Ryan gets accused of assaulting a work colleague, she doesn't know which way to turn. Then the body of the woman who made the accusation is found in local woodland and Ryan becomes the prime suspect. This is a great story with lots of twists and turns. It will keep you on the edge of your seat to the end.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

This is a gripping thriller with a plot with unexpected twists and turns, making it impossible to predict what will happen next.
The writing is both engaging and suspenseful, with well-developed characters that add depth to the narrative.
The pacing of the novel is perfect, with just the right amount of tension to keep readers hooked without feeling overwhelmed.
The setting is vividly described, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall reading experience.
Highly recommended!

It's a good novel, but I sort of saw some of the end coming with one of the characters, so that let it down a touch.

Otherwise I enjoyed the twists of the story and it was quite a quick read.

I received this book from Netgalley in return for a honest review.

this thriller was exactly what i needed at the time.

It was filled with predictable tropes and a nice plot. It was exactly what I needed at the time and acted as a great filler read.

Ten years ago, Natalie suffered a traumatic, life changing experience at the hands of a colleague who got away with it. When her husband, Ryan, gets accused of the very same crime, Natalie starts to question everything she knows, made especially difficult given her periods of black out.

Told from the points of view of Natalie and the female investigating officer, this is a really compelling and thought-provoking read, with lots of twists and turns along the way. It's fast paced and really draws you in. And a debut novel to boot - can't wait to read more from this author.

The first thing I need to say is that I read a shi, erm, shedload of these types of crime/mystery thriller novels and I NEVER get the bad guy/girl right. There could be CCTV footage, eyewitness testimony, DNA, a murder weapon, means, motive and opportunity and I swear I still get it wrong. This is the first book in a long time where I actually had it sussed pretty much from the start so I am not sure if that means it was obvious, or whether after 30 years of reading these types of books, I am finally getting the hang of it.

Anyway, this novel tells the story of Natalie who is reeling from a major trauma in her life - when she accused her former boss of sexual assault and he was found not guilty (this isn't a spoiler, its in the synopsis). Natalie is then horrified when her husband is then accused of the same crime. Surely he couldn't be guilty, not after what happened to her, but Natalie feels that women do not lie about these crimes.

What follows is a gripping story, a page turner but ironically its called Believe (Goodreads has it as Believe Me Now but my ARC is Believe) as the suspension of disbelief is necessary to enjoy this one. Not that it wasn't pleasurable and a quick read, it just didn't grip me and a few parts of the story were just past that point of being difficult to believe.

If there were half stars then this would be 3.5 but I'll round up to 4

Thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to Michael Joseph publishing and NetGalley for a copy of “ Believe” for an honest review.

Wow what a brilliant debut book by S M Govett
This was a rollercoaster read that had me guessing right to the end , and what a total surprise it was !
The characters, in particular the two main women, were well written and the storyline was suspenseful and fast paced.
The book is equally as good as any other psychological thriller, written by well established authors,, and hopefully there will be more to come !

A fast paced crime procedural that kept me guessing til the end. The female protagonists were well written, their back stories interesting. An enjoyable read from an author I will look out for in the future.

5* A police procedural with excellent flawed characters, including the DC, and an 'I didn't see that coming ending'. Great intro to this author.

Well, I have to repeat myself - I didn't see this ending coming at all. The author had me convinced - trying not to spoiler here - that a certain person must've been out if their right mind when doing the things that a deceased had confessed to, to a person who very plausibly didn't turn up until the very end if the book. Things really went down to the wire here, especially where the actions of a certain detective were concerned.

You don't really get to know the characters well in this, just enough that you get a feel for their lives and I think that that's deliberate on the author's part, to make their supposed crimes/misdemeanours believable. Bottom line is he/she/they had me totally believing that a certain person had to have committed the crimes, only for the stunning reveal that in hindsight perhaps I should have had an inkling about. An excellent read, my first 5* of 2025.

A twist you won't expect!

Two strong female characters with stories to unfold.
Natalie, the victim? Stratton, the police investigator (with a past that is unresolved).

This is fast paced and makes you guess the whole way through as to who is telling the truth. The ending was a big surprise

Believe is a story about Assault and what it leaves behind.
While I enjoyed reading this, I did find it was dragging on a lot near the end, and I was hoping for a more original resolution

I have just finished reading the brilliant Believe by Sarah M. Govett, and the first thought that comes to mind is how perfectly this novel would translate into a film or a televised series. It’s that good, in my opinion. This psychological thriller is gripping, mysterious, cerebral, and full of surprises. Sarah Govett masterfully keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. I had to force myself to put it down at 1:45 a.m. this morning, as I was about 75% through, but the moment I woke up, I had to dive straight back in—it’s that much of a page-turner.

The story follows four main characters, each bringing a unique perspective and depth to the narrative. Alongside them is a strong supporting cast, including Pavarotti—who, incidentally, has got to be my favorite character. Ryan and Natalie appear to have the perfect life: a beautiful suburban home in an affluent part of London, successful careers, and a seemingly bright future. But scratch beneath the surface, and you’ll quickly realize that things aren’t quite as idyllic as they seem.

Then we have DI Stratton and DS Bradley, a newly paired duo investigating a murder near Ryan and Natalie’s home. Stratton is fiercely intuitive, relying heavily on gut instinct, sometimes to a fault, while Bradley is more methodical, leaving no stone unturned and meticulously following every lead. Their dynamic adds another layer of intrigue to the story, as their different investigative styles create tension and challenge assumptions.

What makes Believe so compelling is its ability to keep you guessing until the very last pages. Throughout the novel, I cycled through a few potential suspects, convinced I was onto something—only to have Sarah Govett completely pull the rug from under me. The twists and turns are expertly crafted, making for a thrilling and unpredictable ride.

Without hesitation, I’m giving this book a solid five out of five stars. If you’re a television producer reading this, please do us all a favor and adapt this into a mini-series or film—it’s that good. Believe is an incredibly strong debut novel, a triumph that is packed with tension, dark intrigue, and an utterly compulsive narrative.

A huge thank you to Sarah Govett and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review. If you love psychological thrillers that keep you guessing, Believe is an absolute must-read.

Believe by S. M. Govett is a novel due to be published in June 2025 and was provided as an advance reader copy by Netgalley pre-publication in exchange for an impartial review.

Natalie is a work from home legal advisor, married to Ryan, and has an almost perfect lifestyle. However, 10 years earlier, when working office based, she was assaulted and raped by her former boss. She reported the crime, which went to court but when a not-guilty verdict was awarded Natalie's life fell apart for the first time. Then when her assaulter died from a heart attack his wife commenced her vendetta against her, with a campaign of anonymous threatening messages which over time led to her suffering from PTSD as well cognitive blackouts. The blackouts are frequent and terrifying to Natalie as she not only loses consciousness, but she can also move and complete actions which she has no memory of. With medical support and the support of Ryan, she rebuilds her life, moves house and for a period of 10 years she is blackout free.

Then years later, out of the blue Natalie receives a familiar threatening anonymous message, delivered from a local post office, and Natalie begins to suffer her symptoms of PTSD again, accompanied by the blackouts. One example sees Natalie losing conscious awareness for some time, regaining awareness of her circumstances lay down in her garden filthy, having pruned her roses, which was a task she was planning for later, completely unaware of what she was doing. Then, when Ryan comes home from work having been suspended following an accusation of sexual assault of a co-worker, Natalie's world unravels entirely. Ryan is the centre of her universe, her rock, and with the accusation of rape against him, Natalie wants to believe he is innocent, but it is Natalie's firm belief that there's no reason why a woman would make such a false accusation leading her to doubt Ryan's innocence.

Natalie is working resolutely to back her husband, but when the TV shares the news of the discovery of a body of a young woman found in woods near her home, and the body is later identified as being that of her husband’s accuser, with Ryan the prime suspect then this pushes Natalie to the edge of her belief systems, where she not only begins to doubt Ryan, but also starts to understand that she can't really trust anyone, herself included!

The story is told jointly from the perspective of Natalie and also Detective Inspector Helen Stratton. Stratton herself has demons she is battling, having joined the Police herself after her teenage sister went missing years earlier and her and her mother felt the Police could have done more for them in their hour of need. After this, she is continuously battling to do all she can for every victim she comes into contact with.

As a debut novel it is highly accomplished and demonstrates a very good ability to build a story and to hold tension through the twists and turns. There's also evidence of a strong attention to detail and some interesting reference points into police procedures. The character interaction is excellent and there is a real atmosphere and tautness to the storytelling as a result. There are no easy give-aways leading the reader to obvious plot twists, and it does keep you guessing right to the end. However, there is a BUT. There are a couple of pet hates of mine, which are included within the book. When Ryan admits to Natalie what he has been accused of, it is clear that this is going to have a devastating effect on her, however what isn't plausible, in my view, is her immediate reaction. Yes, her unlikely reaction did allow the plot to develop in a certain way, but in my view, it could have been handled in a much more realistic manner. There's also a further example of implausibility towards the end when explaining the rationale for one of the perpetrators acting the way they did. Whilst these didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the book, they are personal vexations, which I occasionally come across and to be honest, I can't excuse them as they do point towards lazy writing and plot development and in this case reduced what could have been a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to just a ⭐⭐⭐⭐ psychological thriller. However, as a debut writer, this is definitely on to watch and follow.

Utterly compelling to keep reading, it was impossible to put down towards the end!

I loved this book from beginning to end.

It was a great format, bouncing between the two main characters from different perspectives of the same unfolding events.

The back story gracefully filtered into the main story..

So much is suggested and you try to work it out, but I did not see the end coming at all.

Superbly crafted and highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an absolutely fantastic read—my best book of 2025 so far! The story is told from two points of view. First, there’s Natalie, who, ten years ago, survived a traumatic rape. When her husband, Ryan, is accused of committing the same crime, she begins to question everything. To make matters worse, she’s experiencing blackouts and lost time, leaving her unable to remember crucial details. Then, the accuser is found dead the day after making her allegations, and Natalie starts doubting the man she thought she knew so well.

The second perspective is from Stratton, the detective leading the murder investigation. I don’t usually enjoy books where the police play a central role, as they can be too procedural, but this one is anything but—it’s deeply personal, and Stratton is a very likable character.

I 100% recommend this book! A five-star psychological thriller that will stay with me for a long time.

4.75 stars rounded down. Told in alternating viewpoints, we see cop Stratton and wife/victim Natalie tell the story of how Natalie’s husband is accused of rape and then the accuser turns up dead… to say much more would spoil the surprises I think, but this had twists and turns and yet more twists. Really enjoyed it and would recommend.

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

Natalie has been having blackouts since a terrible incident in her past.
Her husband has just been accused of a crime and Natalie’ sets out to prove him innocent.
Helen a detective is looking for her sister who went missing as a teenager many years ago.
A slow moving story told in alternate chapters from two different characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow what can I say, if you love thrillers you will love this book. You think you have worked it all out and then the clever author throws in another twist. I loved Stratton character and her back story which made her so relatable as a character.. i do hope there are going to be more books featuring Stratton as I will be purchasing.
Cleverly written, hooks you from the beginning to end.