Annie loved her husband Justin, Carol loved her son Justin, and Will loved his business partner and friend Justin. All three are shocked when Justin is killed in a car accident, found with valium in his system after running off the road. All three narrate this tale of what happens next - as they discover Justin has woven an elaborate fabric of lies. Little by little, they all discover that Justin wasn't what they thought he was, that there was no big investor in the company, that he had a secret relationship, that his big gestures were just that. No spoilers from me but early on you'll start to question what Justin really was. Switching up the perspectives was perfect here- you're wrapped into that person's thoughts. This is a terrific thrill ride- Sadowsky is a great storyteller and the plot is twisty and taut. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I very much enjoyed this- read in a rush- on a hot pandemic day inside but it will be perfect any time of year or place for those looking for a well done page turner.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher.

This was a pretty good thriller about a man who dies at the age of 33 in an apparent car accident, told though the eyes of his mother, his wife and his best friend. Throughout, I got some Norman Bates type vibes about the relationship between Justin and his mom Carol, but that added to the thrill. This was a fun, quick read, perfect for the beach.

Wow, I loved this thrilling Murder Mystery! More twists and turns than you will know what to do with! Everyone seems suspect and everyone seems innocent..and the bodies pile up....... then the end of this thrillious ride leaves you dropped jawed!I. You will want to close you eyes but, silly thing!, you have to read what will happen next!
Best book of the month for me!
Wonderfully flawed characters. (who doesnt like those in a mystery?)
Loved the writing as we go though the relationship each character had with the main decedent all wrapped up in a plot that will keep you turning the pages!
Easy a 5 star rating!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Nina Sadowsky for the opportunity to read and review her latest thriller - 5 stars for a great read (and best dedication of the year!).

Justin has it all - a successful company, Convincer Media (great tie in with the title!), set to go public, works with his college best friend, Will, married to Annie, and has a close relationship with his mom, Carol. But when Justin is killed in a car accident and is found to have Valium in his system when he was opposed to drug use, that is just the beginning of the questions facing those left behind.

This book is told from the viewpoints of Will, Annie and Carol. Each character has their own history and view of Justin, obviously, but each voice gives us more information into their feelings and background. And the lies - who is lying here and who are we to believe? Each chapter left me hungry for more until the final twist.

Fabulous writing from a must-read author for me - highly recommended if you are in the mood for a great psychological thriller.

Convince Me is one of the better suspense/mystery novels I've read. The story starts out simple - Justin Childs has died in a car accident and his wife, mother and business partner try to get on with their lives...But everything slowly becomes more complicated and intertwined as the story goes on and what follows is a page turner with twists and turns that keep the reader reading well into the night. Nina Sadowsky has written a gripping read.

We are told via three points of view what Justin meant to his wife, mother and friend. Justin may not be the person they remember. Each one of these points of view builds into the story subtly and expertly and it makes the book very compelling - much more so than for a mystery alone.

This story was intricate with details that kept me following even at times when the extra explanations were logical and possibly unnecessary. I read this story swiftly and I was definitely amazed with the characters. The author left no stone unturned. All of the questions I could have asked were finally answered in the end. A solid mystery that is a very suspenseful read and does not disappoint. Recommend!

You guys...I really, really liked this book. Such a pleasant surprise!

The story opened during the funeral of Justin Childs, who died in a car accident at age 33. It's narrated by the three people closest to him--his mother, Carol; his wife, Annie; and his best friend and business partner, Will. Almost immediately, information came to light that things weren't quite as they seemed with Justin, or his very suspicious death. Over the next few days, Annie and Will worked diligently to untangle the clues and find answers, while Carol remained determined to protect her son's legacy.

This is fast-paced and entertaining...the perfect summer-time beach read. Very cleverly plotted, and just plain fun, although not particularly difficult to figure out whodunit.

Recommended!

Available for purchase August 4th!

**Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for my review copy.

This was a fast and fun read. Ultimately though, it was a little too straight forward for me and everything that happened seemed pretty reasonable- well reasonable as far as psychological thrillers go. I really wanted a big twist or a shocking ending, but every twist the book offered seemed to go exactly in the direction I expected it to. But then I do read a lot of thrillers.

I really liked this book, although it's a mystery, it could be a horror story. After the accidental death of a charismatic tech entrepreneur, layer after layer of deception are revealed. Dealing with the awful shock and grief of the loss in one thing, finding out he wasn't anything they believed he was is another.
The book is each of three main characters telling their story as the truth is slowly revealed.

This was the aspect of the book I liked best: well written and we could hear each voice. There were some little clues sprinkled throughout, but nothing obvious enough to give it all away too soon.
There are some unanswered questions that I would have loved to have been addressed, overall, though, a very enjoyable read.

I’m not a big fan of romance books so wanted to quit early on but glad I didn’t. Yes, there is romance but there is also intrigue and mystery. Justin appears to good to be true when he accidentally meets Annie on a skiing trip. It is love at first sight for Annie but Justin ghosts for three weeks so Annie believes it’s all over until one night a arm full of red roses come through the door. Annie forgives him disappearing when she discovers it’s a mysterious tumor that was discovered and then found to be a false diagnosis. Justin did’t want to start a relationship with a health issue he says. Carol,Justin’s mother, has followed Justin out to California since they are the only family and must stay loyal to each other.
Justin and his best friend, Will, are starting a new company called Convincer and are putting all their time into the startup. They have investors and are ready when Justin is killed in a car accident.
Now comes the mystery! Justin has drugs in his system and he doesn’t do drugs. Was it an accident or did someone try to kill him. And at the same time a coworker of Annie’s at MediFutr disappears and her family blame Annie. Carol, Justin’s mother stands by Annie and wants to continue he to be in her life.
I give this a 3.5 rounded up to 4. It’s a good, quick read. The romance was not the syrupy romance novel stuff. The mystery and intrigue was very good and had you guessing what was actually going on. I received this as an ARC from NetGalley and Randomhouse for an honest review.
#Netgalley #ConvinceMe #Randomhouse

They were the perfect couple: handsome and successful Justin and his beautiful wife Anne. Imagine the heartbreak when Justin is killed in a car accident, supposedly under the influence of drugs.
Anne works with Justin’s business partner Will to try and determine why there are so many unexplained actions and suspicious activities leading up to Justin’s accident. She tries to share in her grief with Justin’s mother, but Carol really doesn’t desire to share in the weakness of emotion. She has always raised her son to prosper, succeed at all costs, and if he failed, she was there to push him through.
As these three viewpoints reflect and untangle the lies that Justin has lived, they may not be prepared for the cold evidence that lies in their path. This is a fun, engrossing, and quick read, perfect for the beach or one rainy evening.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Random House- Ballantine and NetGalley for making it available.)

Interesting/entertaining story with well developed characters & fast paced.
A good story to read during a rainy quarantine day.

This is a book you want to read on a rainy weekend, because you will be hooked! Cleverly plotted and full of twists and turns, Convince Me kept me on my feet!

Convince Me is a great, fast paced twisty story. It has all the elements needed for a movie. An added bonus was I actually liked the characters, especially Annie and Will. When the love of Annie’s life, Justin, is suddenly dead, her life falls into a nightmare of untangling lies and deception. At this point, how do you know who to trust? Especially when the deceased is sending messages days after his funeral. Luckily Annie has a solid head on her shoulders and nerves of steel when it comes time to trap a murderer. Great entertainment!

Justin is the perfect man - great financial business sense, a loving husband to wife Annie and a devoted son to his mother Carol. He runs his successful business with his friend and partner Will, but can this perfect image be just a facade?
After a terrible accident involving Justin, Annie and Will start unraveling Justin's life, slowly revealing secrets that neither would have guessed.
This thriller flows smoothly and does have a kick at the end.
Thanks to the publishers for my ARC through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest review.

Told in 3 alternating viewpoints, Convince Me tells the story after the death of Justin Childs, a man adored and followed by everyone he met. But he was a man with secrets, and we follow the three most important people in his life in the wake of his death. His wife, Annie, is learning some of his secrets after the fact. As is his best friend and partner, Will. His mother, Carol, knows some of those secrets but is putting on a good front.

This feels more mystery than thriller to me as I didn’t get that heart-pounding, edge of your seat feeling that I get with thrillers. There were a few situations that seemed forced, and I write about those after my review.

I enjoyed the way this slowly came together. It’s a bit of a slow-burn in that aspect because you aren’t sure how we’ve arrived at Justin’s death, but you want to know how we got there so you keep reading. The plot is cleverly thought out with a lot of misdirection, and once the secrets started spilling out, they didn’t stop. It made for an enjoyable read. Thank you, Ballantine Books, for sending this along.

I’m going to post what some might think is a bit of a spoiler in the next paragraph that explains why I’m giving this 4 stars instead of 5, so if you don’t want to read that, you can finish reading the review here.

Let’s talk about Hayley’s brother, Hugh. Your sister was chasing after a married man who was stringing her along, and you’re mad at the wife who knew nothing about it because of that? Yes, it’s irrational. We get that way when we’re grieving, but it feels forced. What Hugh did later because of those feelings didn’t move the plot forward, and reads like an afterthought to an already forced scenario. I didn’t love it. Also, the scene in which Will and Annie were in the restaurant doesn’t seem like that would be in the budget, so it was a bit farfetched.

I loved this book, I know, it’s been done a ton of times; BUT NOT WRITTEN LIKE THIS! A must read for my fellow thrill seekers, as this book and the many secrets, lies, and shocks will fulfill the craving you seek! It’s well written, fast paced, tense, and thrilling! Unputdownable and while not absolutely original, definitely unique! I found it to be thrilling, chilling, and shocking and also found myself twisting it over my mind for a couple days after finishing, which I love to do with thrillers! I promise this is one you do not want to miss, so preorder today, clear your schedule, and prepare for a tension filled thrill ride!

Will make sure to buzz around platforms and use my low Amazon reviewer number on release date!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This is an interesting psychological thriller told from three points of view. Justin is liked by everyone and can convince people to do what he wants. The book opens with his funeral. The story is told by his grieving widow, his best friend, and his mother. Justin and Will have built a company that is about to be hugely successful. What will happen now that Justin is no longer there? How many people has he convinced to be part of this venture? Is there any truth to anything?

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date August 4, 2020.***

3 - 3.5 stars
⭐⭐⭐

I have mixed feelings about this book. The story itself was pretty good, told through 3 POVs. It was a little slow at first, but I guess that was to help you get to know the characters. Once the story DID kick in (about 35% in), there were so many twists that I felt wrung out by the time I finished (and that's a good thing 😊). Definitely didn't see the end as it happened...I had my own version that would have left me sleepless for a while. The only problem that I had was that I never "felt" or empathized with the characters.

Convince Me by Nina Sadowsky is a psychological thriller. I have read a few books by Sadowski, which were very good mysteries. I am happy to note that Convince Me was a fantastic thriller, which had me glued to my kindle.
Annie, our heroine, meets the man of her dreams after a car accident. She met Justin, who ended up helping her at the accident scene and went to the hospital with her. But as fate would have it, they fell in love and became a perfect couple; Justin was successful and the life of the party and everyone envied Annie. They are married for a short time, when Justin was killed as he lost control of his car over a cliff.

Convince Me is told with three POV’s; Annie, his wife; Carol, his mother and Will, his best friend. Each of the three are devasted by Justin’s death. After the funeral, both Annie and Will begin to find discrepancies about Justin, such as his and Will’s company and their financials; business partners that are not as it seems, absences and medical issues that seem to be fabricated. The early part of the story, we get to see the family and friends, and the good times, but about a 1/3 of the way in, especially after he died, things change drastically. The man who everyone admired, the husband who Annie loved, the perfect son, and a friend to die for. Slowly they discover the secrets and lies, that he is not who they thought he was. Was he a sociopath? Did Justin die accidently or did someone kill him?

What follows is that Annie and Will begin to work together to find the truths that emerge about the real Justin, as the secrets and betrayals are revealed, escalating into a unique, exciting, game changing psychological thriller that will upend both of their lives. As the plot thickens, the body of a women Justin may have been cheating with is found dead. Carol receives letters from Justin that was sent before his death that implicates Will. At this point, the last 1/3 of the book is a wild, intense, exciting race to the finish, with one surprise and twist after another. I was unable to put the book down, as it was an edge of your seat thriller.

With so much happening, effecting all three of them, I cannot tell too much more, since it would be spoilers. You really do need to read this book. A definite do not miss. Bravo to Nina Sadowsky, who gives us a great psychological thriller that is totally different then most thrillers. I also must say that the climax was an amazing ending. Convince Me is so very well written by Sadowsky. If you enjoy thrillers with a few twists, you need to read Convince Me.

con·vince
/kənˈvins/
verb
cause (someone) to believe firmly in the truth of something.
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Cᴏɴᴠɪɴᴄᴇ ᴍᴇ is a thriller that you will read quickly. The story is told from three points of view; Annie, the wife, Will, the best friend, and Carol, the mother. The story was so well written I read it in one sitting. (Which is why my post is so late today). I figured out the ending but was so happy with how the story and plot twisted and turned throughout the book. Highly recommend this fun read. Thank you to #ballantine and #netgalley for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own. @ninasadowsky will be an author I’ll be reading more from. This one comes out on August 4th.