A charismatic man’s death exposes the secrets he kept, revealing him to family and friends as an unrepentant pathological liar in this explosive thriller from film producer and author Nina Sadowsky.“Convince Me will keep readers guessing until the very end.”—New York Times bestselling author Karin Slaughter Justin Childs is handsome, likeable, smart. A devoted son to his mother, Carol; a loving … A devoted son to his mother, Carol; a loving husband to his wife, Annie; and a sure-footed, savvy business partner to his best friend from college, Will. To so many, the perfect man.
He’s also a liar. And now he’s dead.
When Justin’s body is retrieved from the wreckage of a car accident, his death leaves his loved ones with more questions than answers. In life, his charm and easygoing nature inspired trust, making him friends wherever he went. Now that he’s gone, the cracks begin to show: disturbing discrepancies in his company’s financials, unaccounted-for absences, a medical record that appears to be entirely fabricated.
As the secrets and betrayals pile up, Annie, Carol, and Will realize their beloved Justin was not the man they thought he was. And why was he found dead with Valium in his system when he notoriously detested drugs? Was the crash that killed him really an accident—or did Justin finally get caught in something he couldn’t lie his way out of?
Convince Me is a chilling look at what makes a sociopath in an age of untruth—and a high-octane, surprising read to its very last page.
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Convince Me will keep readers guessing until the very end.
Wow! I would give this book more than five stars actually. It was so fast-paced that the plot and characterization just rolled along. With four main characters, Ms. Sadowsky did a masterful job of creating a realistic portrait of each of them, revealing their character traits slowly and methodically. Justin Childs is a skilled manipulator who marries Annie after meeting her at a skiing lodge. His mother Carol is a doting mother who thinks that Justin can do no wrong. Will is Justin’s partner in his new business venture. When Justin dies suddenly in a car crash, the whole world that has been built around him begins to tumble, much like dominoes. This book was so well written that I had difficulty putting it down to complete other chores or reading that I was expected to finish. The plot was full of twists and turns that were totally unexpected but also hinted at carefully by the author. I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful exploration of the mind of a sociopath and look forward to other books by Ms. Sandowsky. She far surpassed what I expected of a thriller, so I can’t wait to read her next book!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
CONVINCE ME by Nina Sadowsky is one of the cleverest psychological suspense novels I’ve read in years; lies piled upon lies and an entire cast of unreliable narrators that will have you wondering if anyone is telling the truth. Tense, gripping, and fast-paced, I raced through this wickedly deceptive thriller in one sitting. Highly recommended
If I could have given it 2.5stars, I would have but wasn’t feeling generous enough to round up to 3stars. When I read in the summary that the author was a screenwriter for Lifetime, I kind of expected the story to resemble a Lifetime movie. While that might discourage most people, I wasn’t. I actually enjoy a good Lifetime movie once in awhile. I can’t say that about this book. Enough said.
What a cast of characters! The wife, the mother, the best friend. Each of them loves Justin, the charmer, the perfect man – the perfect liar. After his death secrets and lies unravel. Who’s telling the truth and who’s telling a twisted version of the truth? Lies heaped on lies, twists and revelations, the mounting sense of disquiet as shocking truths are laid bare.
Chapter by chapter, each character tells the reader why they love Justin, what he means to them. Are they telling the truth about him, are they all fooled by him? The unfolding of truth is a page-turning masterpiece. Loved this story. Five stars!
The three points of view in alternating chapters was an interesting touch and kept the story flowing along
Keeps you guessing until the end.
I rented this audiobook on a whim after seeing the enticing cover. Like I don’t already have enough books waiting to be read!
I could not find one redeeming quality in Justin Childs…and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. If you enjoy reading about characters with NO favorable qualities, this one is for you!
My Rating: 3.5 ’s
@sadowsky_nina
Convince Me is told from three viewpoints: Justin Childs’s mother, Carol, Justin’s widow, Annie, and from Justin’s best friend and business partner, Will. Justin Childs was everything every man wanted to be. He was handsome, smart, very liked by everyone he met. He is close with his mother, Carol, a great husband to Annie, and a successful businessman and partner with Will in their business. Suddenly, Justin is found dead in a tragic car accident. Now that he is gone, Annie and Will very quickly begin to find things are just not right. Secrets unraveled and Justin has left the world a shambles for Carol, Annie, and Will. The book starts out a bit slow, but WOW does it pick up. Super surprise ending filled with great karma.
This thriller tells a story that couldn’t be more timely for this ‘post-truth’ age. It concerns liars and the damage they cause, with the stakes of manipulation, gaslighting, and all-around deception drawn out on the ‘small stage’ of domestic suspense. It’s my favorite kind of book, because it all felt personal. I was constantly asking myself, What would you do in that situation? even while I was trying to solve the mystery. But when the solution finally arrived, I never saw it coming. This book felt like a Roman candle. You watch it take off, then it just keeps climbing with one twist after another until it finally goes boom.
When the perfect man dies, he leaves behind family and friends who are left to ponder who he really was. Had he been the devoted and loving husband …. the bright businessman with the Midas touch? Or was he something else … something no one saw?
After Justin Child’s funeral, his family and friends have lots of questions. Why was there drugs in his system when he was so adverse to them? Why is his company in financial distress? Why is his medical record all falsified? Where did he go when he disappeared for long periods of time? Was the car crash that killed him an accident .. or something more sinister?
Told by 3 points of view … his wife, his mother, his best friend … it’s left to the reader to decipher the lies, the semi-truths. Twists and turns, deep dark secrets, lead to an extremely unexpected ending.
With a tightly woven plot amid skillfully crafted characters, this is a nail-biting page turner from start to finish.
Many thanks to the author / Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own
When a seemingly perfect husband, son, and friend is tragically killed, his house-of-cards life comes crashing down, exposing the twisted secrets and lies he’s been hiding for years. Nina Sadowsky is a master storyteller. From the very first page, the story flies, giving life to the characters and plot until all has been revealed. Convince Me is one hell of a read!
A propulsive thriller that starts with a bang and never lets up until its final shocking reveal… In Convince Me, Nina Sadowsky’s brisk, energetic prose spills across the page, tightening the noose around the central terrifying question: How far would you go to learn the truth about the people you love?
Once again, don’t let the short review fool you… I REALLY enjoyed this one!
It’s funny – even while I was reading this one I kept thinking that the author was short-handing an awful lot of things and skipping over the how and the why of the revelations as they poured out, in favor of moving the narrative along. Normally, that’s a thing that drives me crazy and either sends me into skimming-pages mode or setting the book down all together. But I just could not stop reading this one!
I think at the end of the day the author was more concerned in exploring the relationships and aftermath than in the minutiae, and with the writing style and characterization presented, that didn’t bother me at all. This is highly unusual for me, and I take it as a testament to Sadowsky’s writing, which was engaging and well-paced and kept things moving at a brisk clip no matter what was going on… It made for a fun and easy read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I will definitely be looking for her in the future!
And BTW, how great is that cover?? It is totally what initially drew me to the book…
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation – free review copy.
CONVINCE ME by Nina Sadowsky is a twisty and chilling thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat right up until the shocking ending. I could not put it down. Justin Childs is at the top of his game. He is handsome, smart and everyone he meets is drawn into his orbit. He means everything to his loving wife, Annie, his mother, Carol and his best friend and business partner, Will. When Justin’s body is pulled from the wreckage of a tragic car accident, those closest to him soon learn that Justin was not the man they thought they knew. Told from the points of view of Annie, Will and Carol, secrets, lies and betrayals are exposed that lead them to question everything they believed. The plot is expertly constructed to unfold at just the perfect pace while building suspense with every turn of the page. I thoroughly enjoyed this compelling psychological thriller and highly recommend it.
Annie is 31 and a widow. Her beloved husband, Justin Childs was killed when his car went off the side of a mountain. He and his best friend, Will, owned Convince Media. Everyone loved Justin. His outgoing, happy, personality simply drew people to him. Annie has learned that Justin had Valium in his system he died. She cannot believe this because Justin hated drugs.
Carol is Justin’s mother who as a widow worked hard to raise her beloved son. He was the light of her life and now she is heartbroken.
As Annie and Will start to look into the business, some things come to light that shock them both. It turns out that Justin was hiding many secrets.
Justin is/was an unbelievable personality. How do people get so full of themselves? The author has woven the most amazing story of narcissism, greed, lies, and a type of sick love. She has you reading up to the very end to see who is lying and who isn’t. Very well done. Enjoy!
Copy provided by NetGalley and Goodreads in exchange for a fair and honest review.
NetGalley ARC
Convince Me by Nina Sadowsky
Expected publication: August 4th 2020 published by Random House
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 your 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!
#ConvinceMe #NetGalley
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.