The novel follows Natalie Campbell, who suffers from PTSD-induced blackouts after being assaulted, and her husband Ryan, who is accused of a crime. As Natalie struggles to trust her husband's innocence, Detective Helen Stratton investigates the case. With both women haunted by past traumas, they navigate through a chilling and puzzling case.

This book initially started off at a slow pace, but as the story progressed, the momentum picked up significantly. I found it difficult to set the book down and ended up binge-reading it in just one day!

The book features a dual point of view, with one perspective from Natalie, the victim, and the other from Stratton, the police detective. The alternating viewpoints allow readers to fully immerse themselves in the story, while also picking up on subtle hints along the way. I found myself constantly guessing the outcome, only to be completely surprised by the ending! The transition of characters was so seamless that I didn't even consider them to be suspicious. Kudos to the author for keeping me on my toes!

If you enjoy stories about wives standing with or against their husbands, unreliable narrators, and fast-paced reads, then this book is definitely for you. It will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat throughout. A must-read for fans of twisted, suspenseful thrillers!

Thank you, Crooked Lane Books, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a fun thriller. I really enjoyed this one so much. Thank you to net galley for the arc. I highly recommend reading this story.

"Believe Me Now" by S.M. Govett is an exceptional psychological thriller filled with numerous twists and turns that constantly challenged my assumptions about who the murderer was.

The protagonist, Natalie, suffers from PTSD after her boss sexually assaulted her, and her experience was compounded when he was found not guilty. This event severely impacted her career and forced her to confront the emotional aftermath of sexual assault. Fortunately, she has a very supportive husband, Ryan, who helps her navigate her struggles.

Just as Natalie begins to cope and move forward with her life, Ryan is accused of committing the same offense as her former boss. To make matters worse, the woman who accused Ryan is later found murdered not far from their home. Now, Natalie is left questioning whether Ryan truly committed the crime of sexual assault and who might have killed his accuser.

This book is a total mind-twister in the best way. With two gripping narrators—one a woman losing time, the other a detective haunted by her past—it keeps you second-guessing everything. Natalie’s struggle to trust herself (and her husband) makes for an intense ride, while DI Stratton’s relentless search for justice adds even more tension.

The mystery is dark, the pacing is relentless, and the twists hit hard. If you love thrillers that keep you doubting everyone and everything, Believe Me Now is definitely one to pick up!

Believe Me Now is a gripping, twisty thriller that kept me guessing until the very last page! The main character in this book is a woman called Natalie, who is struggling with a lot of trauma from a sexual assault ten years earlier. She also deals with losses of time, or blackouts, which added a super interesting twist to the plot! In the present day, Natalie’s world is destroyed when her husband, her rock, is accused of the same crime that ruined her life. This story is told in dual timelines between Natalie, and the detective on the case, DI Helen Stratton. DI Stratton was also dealing with a lot of her own personal trauma, and I found both of the women’s perspectives equally as intriguing.

This book was certainly a rollercoaster, and the twists blew my mind! The pace was a little slow in the beginning, but when the action really kicked in it definitely sped up the pace, and I could not put this book down. The main plot twist blew my mind, and usually I’m pretty good at predicting twists, but my mind just didn’t join the dots this time! Overall, this was a really cleverly written thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last page!

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found myself completely immersed in Believe Me Now, captivated by the dual perspectives of Natalie Campbell and DI Helen Stratton. I related deeply to Natalie’s struggle with trauma and her desperate attempts to maintain a sense of normalcy, and I empathized with her growing doubt and emotional turmoil as she unraveled the truth about her husband. I appreciated how her blackouts added a layer of uncertainty that kept me questioning everything alongside her. I admired her courage in facing her past and her present, even when the stakes were unimaginably high. I also felt connected to DI Helen Stratton’s determination and pain, as her backstory added an emotional depth that resonated with me. I appreciated the way her personal history drove her professional resolve, and I admired her relentless pursuit of justice for Alice and herself. The fast-paced plot and chilling twists had me on edge, and I couldn’t put this book down. I loved how the story blurred the lines between trust and deception, leaving me guessing until the very end.

I highly recommend this book because its gripping twists, compelling dual perspectives, and emotional depth kept me captivated from start to finish, making it an unforgettable read.

2/5 stars for this thriller. The dueling POVs between Natalie and Helen were disjointed at first, but as the plot advanced, they melded together in a more pleasant way. There are a lot of red herrings thrown into the book that felt a bit unnecessary based on the direction that the author chose to go with the ending, but I did enjoy how the author dealt with the lost time that Natalie dealt with due to her PTSD and how that time ultimately impacted the murder investigations.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is heartbreaking yet gives hope to the reader of a resolution. A twisted whodunit with a string of homicides keeps the reader of the edge of her seat.

Natalie has been losing blocks of time since she was sexually assaulted by her boss. She’s grateful to have such a supportive husband at this time. But then her husband is accused of doing the same thing and his accuser is found murdered. Has Natalie been that wrong about her own husband? Does her memory loss somehow play into this? An unreliable narrator, and a roller coaster ride of a plot, made this a white knuckle ride.

Trigger Warning: this book talks about and has discussions about SA, something I am warning potential readers about.

I had a very hard time with this book, the pace was slow especially at the beginning and the immediate thrust into the topic of rape was a bit jarring for me.

As well written as this book was I had to keep putting it down because I personally have trauma in that area myself and hadn’t expected the topic of rape to be such a large part of the book.

I think this book would be a great read for many people but for me it was a miss. I would however would love to read some of the writers other work as I do feel they are a good writer.

Thank you netgalley and crooked lane books for the arc

I'll be honest, the blue and yellow covers with the lit window aren't it for me. There are so many right now. But I couldn't help requesting this one after reading the synopsis. I was not disappointed!

📖: Natalie has been dealing struggling with PTSD for the last decade after being assaulted and her abuser was found not guilty. Under stress, she experiences blackouts. She leans on her husband, Ryan, for support until he is accused of a similar crime. Believe Me Now alternates between Natalie's point of view along with Detective Inspector Helen Stratton.

🤝: This may be a good fit if you enjoy:
- wondering who to trust
- memory loss tropes
- flawed, intriguing characters

💭: I don't always like memory loss tropes or police procedurals, but at about 25-30 percent, this book had me hooked. I guessed part of the major reveal early on, but there were so many possibilities of how it all played out that I didn't care. I had a good time with the short chapters and mini-reveals that had me constantly wondering. The subject matter was challenging and thought-provoking while remaining entertaining.

Rating: I really liked it! (4)

Pub Day: June 10th, 2025

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook early in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC!!

WHAT A FREAKING ROLLERCOSTER!! WTF!!!
Just when I thought I had it figured out, boy was I wrong!! The ending was TOTALLY unexpected!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

OMG this book was freaking amazing. I kept thinking I knew what was going on and then wham there was something else happening. You feel so bad for the main character Natalie because she has gone through so much and it is years later when things get bad for her and she starts to have her blackouts again. Then she finds out some news about her husband that rocks her whole world.

After her husband is accused of rape Natalie doesn't know what to do. She isn't sure if he is telling the truth or not. Then she starts t have her blackouts again like she had ten years ago due to her being raped. She gets these letters in the mail that say mean things about her and things that are going to happen to her.

This was one hell of a ride that I could not put down and I want to thank Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC copy of this book.

What I loved about this book was the ending. Totally unexpected. The characters were believable. It did start off slow but then it picked up.

Wow that was a roller coaster. Fast paced, kept me thinking I had figured it out but was way wrong. Very hard to put down, I enjoyed how short the chapters were. Definitely didn’t see it coming, would love to know how Natalie is doing. Glad Stratton finally got the closure she deserved. And wow, didn’t see that twist coming, if you enjoy Freida McFadden books you’ll love this one.

Believe Me Now by Laura Elliott is a brilliantly twisty, dual-narrator thriller that kept me absolutely riveted from start to finish. 📖💥 The dual perspectives—Natalie, the woman caught in the aftermath of a life-altering trauma, and DI Helen Stratton, a detective driven by her own past—create a complex, layered narrative that keeps you guessing with every page.

What I loved most about this book was how well it explored the theme of trust. 😔🔍 Natalie’s PTSD, her struggles with memory blackouts, and her desperate desire to believe in her husband’s innocence made her a deeply sympathetic character. But as the story unfolds, her trust is put to the ultimate test when her husband is accused of the same crime that destroyed her life. The psychological tension is palpable, and you can’t help but question who, if anyone, can be trusted.

The investigation, led by the determined and emotionally scarred DI Helen Stratton, adds another layer of suspense. 🚨👮‍♀️ The pacing is fast and relentless, and the twists are masterfully executed. Just when I thought I had figured it out, Elliott threw in another curveball that left me gasping. The writing is sharp, and the emotional stakes are high, making it impossible to put down.

If you love fast-paced, intricately plotted thrillers with complex characters and shocking twists, Believe Me Now is a must-read. ✅📚 It’s an addictive, edge-of-your-seat ride that will keep you questioning everything until the final page. Highly recommended! 👏💀✨

Gripping thriller! Secrets, lies, and a twist you won't see coming. Believe Me Now kept me on the edge of my seat. Highly recommend!

3⭐️

The book started out interesting and then kind of fell apart as it kept going. It was starting to get less believable the more I kept reading. Also, I had figured out the plot twist way too early on and that took away the shock factor of the reveal. That being said, I was still engaged enough to make it to the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Believe Me Now is an engaging thriller told from the alternating viewpoints of Natalie, a SA survivor struggling with PTSD-induced blackouts, and DI Stratton, who is leading the investigation into Natalie's husband who has been accused of the sexual assault and murder of his assistant.

To be honest, I found the storyline a bit predictable, but it didn't deter me from enjoying it. Overall a decent police procedural/thriller.

Plenty of content warnings: SA, infant loss and infertility, infidelity, mentions of physical and drug abuse, suicide.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

Check trigger warnings before diving into this book.

This book follows Natalie, who is sexually assaulted by her boss. With the trauma from the incident, Natalie requires her husband’s help with routines. After Ryan is found accused of sexual assault to a co-worker, and the co-worker is found head, Natalie must decide who to trust.

The second POV involves detective Helen Stratton, who is driven to fight for justice due to her own past.

This book is tense and thrilling. Couldn’t recommend enough!