Thursday, 28 May 2015

Reviewed: You Think You Know Me by Clare Chase.







You Think You Know Me was published by Choc Lit on December 3, 2014.


Thanks to the author and Lu at Choc Lit for sending me a copy of this book to review.



So… that was tense! Wow. I was very much looking forward to You Think You Know Me by Clare Chase and this book completely lived up to expectations. It was gripping, intriguing and the suspense built up with every page until I was just dying to get to the bottom of the mystery. Clare wrote with such depth and intelligence that you’d expect her to have a whole back catalogue of published romantic suspense and mystery novels (and I do wish she did) but it’s fair to say I’m interested in reading anything else she’ll write in the future.

Protagonist Anna is a freelance journalist struggling to find the breaks. She feels a little guilty about using the well-known people she knows as contacts and really just wants to make a name for herself. When the opportunity arises for her to attend an event at the gallery of her old friend Sebastian, to interview painter Zachariah Shakespeare, Anna thinks this might kick things off for her career. And maybe she’ll also have the chance to catch a glimpse at the close friendship she once shared with Seb, before he virtually disappeared from her life. I loved Anna’s character. She does like to see the good in people but she’s inquisitive too – always asking questions and wondering about the people around her. I liked how gutsy she was, how she couldn’t keep herself from asking difficult questions for too long, even when she wasn’t sure she’d like the answers.

At the event, Anna meets Max, a fascinating guy who makes her smile and they soon head out for a drink afterwards. Max quickly turns out to not be Max at all – he’s in fact called Darrick – but this is just one of his many secrets. I wanted to like Darrick, I really did (especially the moment we first meet him because he made me smile too) but things just weren’t adding up. This was the kind of book that made me look at the people around me and think how people can change or never be who they seem in the first place. I just didn’t know who to trust with this book. I doubted everybody. And I mean everybody. Even the most innocent of characters. When I got to the end of the book (sob!), I had to laugh at some of the ridiculous blame I put in front of the most naïve of characters. I was frankly rubbish at working out the true suspect. Clare messed with my mind the whole way through and I loved it.

One thing about this book in particular that I found interesting was learning more about the workings of art dealers and the way they make their money. A focus on art is unusual for a book of this genre, and it doesn’t distract from the story, but it did get more intriguing as the story developed and I was purely fascinated.

As I was trying to work out who to trust and who not to trust, I also couldn’t help but be impressed by the characters Clare had created. They all had so much about them, so vividly built up. That didn’t stop me mentally accusing them of all sorts, because this book makes you super suspicious, but I loved them all the same. One of my favourite characters was Sally, who was so enthusiastic and felt like your average young woman – caring but not one to decline a good gossip. She added a lighter edge to the story which was becoming increasingly darker with every secret and every reveal.

I enjoyed this book, I really did, but the last 20%, I seriously could not get enough of! I was bursting to talk about this book with someone, I loved it and I was so happy with that ending, even though I never saw it coming. You Think You Know Me was truly of the most unputdownable books I’ve read in a long time. There was no point putting it down even if I tried to because my mind could not think about anything else and nor did I want it to. Clare, please write faster. I’m so excited to read more books from you!


Crazily good, tense, tense, TENSE and just a brilliant mystery.





10 comments:

  1. I was lucky enough to get this to review too, it's got such a great level of suspense! On a sidenote, where did you get your blog design from? Everything on here is SO pretty

    Steph - http://nourishmeclean.blogspot.com

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    1. Ah brilliant, glad you liked the book too! Blog design was made by Jen at Magic Feather Designs (http://www.magicfeatherdesigns.com/) x

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  2. I love the look of the blog too! I just wanted to say thanks so much for this wonderful review, Sophie. I’m absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the book!

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    1. Thanks Clare! You're welcome - it was brilliant! Loved every second of it.

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  3. I don't think I've ever read a book as fast as I've read this one, I couldn't put it down. Great review! x

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    1. I know what you mean! So gripping. x

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    2. So lovely to read your kind comment, Suze – thank you!

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  4. After that review, her fingers will be on fire, Sophie. Fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing - and WELL DONE, Clare! :) xx

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