Title: Trust Me When I Lie by Benjamin Stevenson
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
“An outstanding debut-confident, compelling, with a surprise around every corner. I loved it.” —Jane Harper, New York Times bestselling author of The Dry
Producer Jack Quick knows how to frame a story. So says Curtis Wade, the subject of Jack’s new true crime docuseries, convicted of a young woman’s murder four years prior. In the eyes of Jack’s viewers, flimsy evidence and police bias influenced the final verdict…even though, off screen, Jack himself has his doubts.
But when the series finale is wildly successful, a retrial sees Curtis walk free. And then another victim turns up dead.
To set things right, Jack goes back to the sleepy vineyard town where it all began, bent on discovering what really happened. Because behind the many stories he tells, the truth is Jack’s last chance. He may have sprung a killer from jail, but he’s also the one that can send him back.
Review:
Trust Me When I Lie by Benjamin Stevenson is a chilling mystery that is quite suspenseful.
True crime producer Jack Quick revisits the murder conviction of vineyard owner Curtis Wade for his debut television documentary. He sifts through the questionable evidence that led to the conviction and begins to believe Curtis was wrongly convicted. Just as Jack is wrapping up edits, he makes a surprising discovery and he makes a fateful choice that could come back to haunt him. The documentary leads to Curtis’s conviction being overturned and he is released from prison. A shocking murder leaves Jack guilt-ridden and questioning his actions that led to Wade being set free. With growing certainty that he made a terrible mistake, Jack begins investigating both murders in hopes of unmasking the killer.
Jack is a deeply flawed character who is determined to right a possible wrong. He is not always truthful with himself or those around him but he genuinely wants to uncover the truth. The first thing Jack needs to find out is whether or not one person is responsible for both murders or if he dealing with a copycat killer. So he sets off for the small town where the original murder occurred. The townspeople band together and try to get rid of him but Jack refuses to leave. He remains deeply troubled by the decision he made during edits of Wade’s documentary but Jack knows he has to follow wherever the evidence takes him.
Jack is unable to escape the ghosts of his past during his investigation. Although both Curtis and his younger sister Lauren are surprisingly co-operative, he is frustrated by his lack of progress. He must tread lightly around his only police source as he tries to get copies of the current victim’s autopsy report. Do the answers he is seeking lie within this report? Are Jack’s past mistakes giving him tunnel vision as he continues to second guess himself? Realizing he is running out time, will Jack make a fateful decision that could cost him his life?
Trust Me When I Lie is a cleverly written mystery that is set in Australia. The characters are well-developed but not always easy to like. The small wine-making town where the majority of the story takes springs vibrantly to life. With stunning twists and brilliant turns, Benjamin Stevenson keeps readers on the edge of their seats as this dazzling mystery comes to an unpredictable and completely shocking conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this thrilling debut to fans of the genre.
