Trust Me

A TV reporter investigates a case involving an alleged sexual predator, following accusations made against a Boston-area life coach. Mercer Hennessey, still grieving her own family's tragedy, agrees to write a book about the high-profile trial of Ashlyn Bryant, who stands accused of murdering her young daughter. The narrative alternates between Mercer's present-day book project and the details of the murder case as they emerge during the trial. As Mercer digs deeper into the story, she confronts questions about truth, perception, and how the media shapes public opinion of criminal cases. The story examines the complex relationship between grief and justice, while exploring how personal bias can affect journalistic objectivity. Trust Me challenges assumptions about guilt, innocence, and the reliability of both memory and media accounts in contemporary true crime coverage.

Reader reviews highlight a slow-burning mystery with multiple narrators and timelines. The book maintains suspense through its web of deception and lies between characters. Readers praised: - Complex character development, especially Mercer and Alyssa - Unexpected plot twists in the final third - The detailed portrayal of investigative journalism - The Boston setting descriptions Common criticisms: - Pacing drags in the middle sections - Too many perspective shifts create confusion - Some plot points remain unresolved - Length could be trimmed by 50-75 pages Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (850+ ratings) BookBrowse: 4/5 (125+ ratings) Several reviewers noted similarities to Gone Girl in structure but found Trust Me more grounded in reality. Multiple readers mentioned struggling through the first half but feeling rewarded by the ending. A frequent comment was that the book "requires patience but delivers payoff."

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🔍 Author Hank Phillippi Ryan has won 37 Emmy Awards for her work as an investigative reporter, bringing authenticity to her portrayal of journalism in the novel 📚 The book explores the timely themes of fake news and media manipulation, reflecting real-world concerns about trust in journalism 👥 The novel features dual narratives from two protagonists - Mercer Hennessey and Katherine Craft - whose stories eventually interweave in unexpected ways ⚖️ The central murder case in the book was partially inspired by real-life cases where mothers were accused of harming their children, including the Casey Anthony trial 🏆 "Trust Me" was nominated for the Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel and was selected as a Best of 2018 by numerous outlets, including The New York Post