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Social Media Murders #3
Trust Me
What do you do if you witness a murder…but no-one believes you?
When Kate sees a horrific murder streamed live on her laptop, she calls the police in a state of shock. But when they arrive, the video has disappeared – and she can’t prove anything. Desperate to be believed, Kate tries to find out who the girl in the video could be – and who her killer is.
Freddie and Nas are working on a missing persons case, but tensions in the police force are running high and time is ticking. When Kate contacts them, they are the only ones to listen and they start to wonder – are the two cases connected?
Dark, gripping, and flawlessly paced, Trust Me is the brilliant third novel in the hugely popular social media murderer series.
When Kate sees a horrific murder streamed live on her laptop, she calls the police in a state of shock. But when they arrive, the video has disappeared – and she can’t prove anything. Desperate to be believed, Kate tries to find out who the girl in the video could be – and who her killer is.
Freddie and Nas are working on a missing persons case, but tensions in the police force are running high and time is ticking. When Kate contacts them, they are the only ones to listen and they start to wonder – are the two cases connected?
Dark, gripping, and flawlessly paced, Trust Me is the brilliant third novel in the hugely popular social media murderer series.
400 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2017
25 people are currently reading
463 people want to read
About the author
Angela Clarke
11 books254 followersAngela Clarke is an author, playwright, columnist, screenwriter and broadcaster. Her debut crime thriller Follow Me was named Amazon’s Rising Star Debut of the Month January 2016, longlisted for the Crime Writer’s Association Dagger in the Library 2016, and shortlisted for the Dead Good Reader Page Turner Award 2016. Watch Me is the second instalment in the Social Media Murder Series. Angela’s memoir Confessions of a Fashionista is an Amazon Fashion Chart bestseller. Her play, The Legacy, enjoyed its first run and rave reviews at The Hope Theatre in June 2015. She hosted the current affairs show Outspoken on Radio Verulam for six months in 2014, and has appeared on the BBC World Service, BBC Radio 4, BBC Three Counties and more. Her journalist contributions include: The Guardian, Independent Magazine, The Daily Mail, Cosmopolitan, and Writing magazine. In 2015 Angela was awarded the Young Stationers' Prize for achievement and promise in writing and publishing. She volunteers with Womentoring, and the RSA Meet a Mentor scheme, and others, to help encourage and support marginalised artists into the industry. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Angela lives with her husband and far too many books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
September 14, 2019
Hang on
Let me breathe
In
Out
In
Out
OMG
After not liking book 1
Then enjoying book 2
This final book (bk 3) has brought me to my knees (reading knees)
Imagine if you switched on your PC and in live stream you saw someone being raped.
Yeah
I kid you not.
What ensues after this is remarkable.
I’ll never be the same on social media again!
What a fabulous end
Let me breathe
In
Out
In
Out
OMG
After not liking book 1
Then enjoying book 2
This final book (bk 3) has brought me to my knees (reading knees)
Imagine if you switched on your PC and in live stream you saw someone being raped.
Yeah
I kid you not.
What ensues after this is remarkable.
I’ll never be the same on social media again!
What a fabulous end
June 25, 2017
Trust Me – Getting Better With Every Book
How would you feel if you went online, to Facebook and then watched someone being raped and possibly murdered, and you feel you are the only one to see it? You know you need to report it, but because the links have been deleted will the police believe you, what can you tell the them?
DS Nasreen Cudmore and her friend and Police analyst Freddie Venton are investigating the Spice Road, on the dark web looking for clues about the drug dealing on there and the links to a couple of London gangs that are involved in a turf war. Both are working hard, even though they seem to have a new-found fame, and their team on the Gremlin Taskforce. When a woman called Kate asks to speak to them and reports what she has seen, but they have to tell her there is not much they can do for her.
When Kate goes on TV and tells the world what she has seen do witnesses come forward, all of whom back up in their witness statements what Kate had previously told them. But they still have no clue to where the crime took place, who the victim was and who were the people committing the crime. They need all the help that they can get, and when a senior gang member hands himself in and gives them the break they need so they can focus the search.
This is the third in Angela Clarke’s social media series that has become a brilliant but dark series, that reflects many fears of social media in modern life. This helps to make it a gripping and wonderfully paced read, that draws you in and engrossed you in the story of whether the truth will out, and the crime can be solved.
Angela Clarke’s writing and story line gets better with every book, and she has created two characters that seem like chalk and cheese but complement each other brilliantly. The career driven Cudmore who seems to wound up tight and needs to unwind, and Venton who needs to take her career more seriously as she does with her situation in life. The interaction of each other is what really makes these characters pop, it really is a case opposites do attract and like a magnet and iron fillings work well together.
Trust Me is a triumph with two leading female characters who are not perfect but work so well together, whom you want to cheer on, as they are not defective detectives but a mirror of real people. The only problem is that you want the next book just to see what happens next in the Cudmore and Venton saga.
How would you feel if you went online, to Facebook and then watched someone being raped and possibly murdered, and you feel you are the only one to see it? You know you need to report it, but because the links have been deleted will the police believe you, what can you tell the them?
DS Nasreen Cudmore and her friend and Police analyst Freddie Venton are investigating the Spice Road, on the dark web looking for clues about the drug dealing on there and the links to a couple of London gangs that are involved in a turf war. Both are working hard, even though they seem to have a new-found fame, and their team on the Gremlin Taskforce. When a woman called Kate asks to speak to them and reports what she has seen, but they have to tell her there is not much they can do for her.
When Kate goes on TV and tells the world what she has seen do witnesses come forward, all of whom back up in their witness statements what Kate had previously told them. But they still have no clue to where the crime took place, who the victim was and who were the people committing the crime. They need all the help that they can get, and when a senior gang member hands himself in and gives them the break they need so they can focus the search.
This is the third in Angela Clarke’s social media series that has become a brilliant but dark series, that reflects many fears of social media in modern life. This helps to make it a gripping and wonderfully paced read, that draws you in and engrossed you in the story of whether the truth will out, and the crime can be solved.
Angela Clarke’s writing and story line gets better with every book, and she has created two characters that seem like chalk and cheese but complement each other brilliantly. The career driven Cudmore who seems to wound up tight and needs to unwind, and Venton who needs to take her career more seriously as she does with her situation in life. The interaction of each other is what really makes these characters pop, it really is a case opposites do attract and like a magnet and iron fillings work well together.
Trust Me is a triumph with two leading female characters who are not perfect but work so well together, whom you want to cheer on, as they are not defective detectives but a mirror of real people. The only problem is that you want the next book just to see what happens next in the Cudmore and Venton saga.
June 4, 2017
What would you do if you were surfing live videos on the internet and saw someone being sexually assaulted? Would you ring the police? Would you convince yourself it must be fake? Would you expect anyone to believe you?
Well Kate witnessed such a thing and she is struggling to get anyone to believe it, especially as there are no other reports, and the live stream and account were disabled very quickly afterwards. However there is just enough in the story for Freddie and Nas to take a look into it.
What follows is an investigation that becomes more interesting with every page that is turned, culminating with an epic finale. There was no way that I could have predicted the eventual outcome, although I did have a couple of theories as the book progressed.
The pacing of Trust Me seemed right, it was fairly quick and Freddie and Nas seemed to have plenty of things to do continually. In addition to chapters from Freddie and Nas, we also get odd looks at people who may be involved in the crimes, and how they are feeling which was really interesting, but still written in a way that didn't give the game away completely to readers.
Trust Me is the third book of the Social Media Murders series and can easily be read as a standalone novel. Although as a fan of the series, I was glad to see more development especially of Freddie and also it was good to see police officers that featured in both of the previous books.
After reading Trust Me, and in fact all of the Social Media Murders books so far I have been left looking at social media in a new way, and can see just how fast it can be used for evil as well as good. In some respects I am a bit more wary as a result, especially in Trust Me's case of clicking on live videos.
Trust Me is yet another fabulous book in this series that kept me gripped really early on, and kept me thinking about it even in between reading stints of it.
Thank you so much to Avon and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Well Kate witnessed such a thing and she is struggling to get anyone to believe it, especially as there are no other reports, and the live stream and account were disabled very quickly afterwards. However there is just enough in the story for Freddie and Nas to take a look into it.
What follows is an investigation that becomes more interesting with every page that is turned, culminating with an epic finale. There was no way that I could have predicted the eventual outcome, although I did have a couple of theories as the book progressed.
The pacing of Trust Me seemed right, it was fairly quick and Freddie and Nas seemed to have plenty of things to do continually. In addition to chapters from Freddie and Nas, we also get odd looks at people who may be involved in the crimes, and how they are feeling which was really interesting, but still written in a way that didn't give the game away completely to readers.
Trust Me is the third book of the Social Media Murders series and can easily be read as a standalone novel. Although as a fan of the series, I was glad to see more development especially of Freddie and also it was good to see police officers that featured in both of the previous books.
After reading Trust Me, and in fact all of the Social Media Murders books so far I have been left looking at social media in a new way, and can see just how fast it can be used for evil as well as good. In some respects I am a bit more wary as a result, especially in Trust Me's case of clicking on live videos.
Trust Me is yet another fabulous book in this series that kept me gripped really early on, and kept me thinking about it even in between reading stints of it.
Thank you so much to Avon and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
June 25, 2017
This has been a brilliant series so far by Angela Clarke. She’s really tapped into the dark side of social media for all three novels now and I’ve really enjoyed the multimedia aspects that have been played out across all the books. Trust Me works well as a standalone but you will get so much more out of this book if you read the previous two books, especially as the relationship between Freddie and Nas is a complex and interesting one.
What would do if you saw a crime committed on the internet? You’d call the police wouldn’t you? But what would you do if they didn’t believe you and you couldn’t prove what you had seen? This is what happens to Kate when she clicks on a video thats being live streamed on Periscope and watches the brutal attack on a defenceless young girl. Fearing for the worst, she calls in the police but they don’t believe her as the video has now disappeared. Kate was an intriguing character that I took to immediately even though I was scratching my head at her seemingly naive moment of madness!
Whilst the crime is the main focus here, the dynamics are balanced perfectly by the relationship between Freddie and Nas. There’s much more depth to their friendship this time as well as now widening their circle of friends and colleagues so that we get to see the bigger picture of their lives away from the stresses of work. It’s a development that has evolved slowly and surely throughout their connection and has felt a natural extension to their crime solving partnership. The pairing of Freddie and Nasreen has proved a very popular one and I have loved every minute of it so far. Angela Clarke managed to keep the tension high and the plot tight throughout with her fast paced narrative and short chapters. I would just start to get into one characters point of view then….BAM! it switched over again. My heart was pounding so much towards the end as the dangerously high levels of tension that were maintained were doing absolutely nothing for my high blood pressure!
I have really enjoyed all these insights into the horrors of what can go wrong if you treat your interactions on social media too lightly but I think Trust Me has been my favourite so far. Technology is moving so quickly nowadays that to police the internet seems a never-ending war against the cyber criminals and it only seems to be getting worse! So Angela Clarke is really playing on our fears here, keeping the storyline fresh and updated enough to scare even the most social media savvy among us!
A highly recommended series.
What would do if you saw a crime committed on the internet? You’d call the police wouldn’t you? But what would you do if they didn’t believe you and you couldn’t prove what you had seen? This is what happens to Kate when she clicks on a video thats being live streamed on Periscope and watches the brutal attack on a defenceless young girl. Fearing for the worst, she calls in the police but they don’t believe her as the video has now disappeared. Kate was an intriguing character that I took to immediately even though I was scratching my head at her seemingly naive moment of madness!
Whilst the crime is the main focus here, the dynamics are balanced perfectly by the relationship between Freddie and Nas. There’s much more depth to their friendship this time as well as now widening their circle of friends and colleagues so that we get to see the bigger picture of their lives away from the stresses of work. It’s a development that has evolved slowly and surely throughout their connection and has felt a natural extension to their crime solving partnership. The pairing of Freddie and Nasreen has proved a very popular one and I have loved every minute of it so far. Angela Clarke managed to keep the tension high and the plot tight throughout with her fast paced narrative and short chapters. I would just start to get into one characters point of view then….BAM! it switched over again. My heart was pounding so much towards the end as the dangerously high levels of tension that were maintained were doing absolutely nothing for my high blood pressure!
I have really enjoyed all these insights into the horrors of what can go wrong if you treat your interactions on social media too lightly but I think Trust Me has been my favourite so far. Technology is moving so quickly nowadays that to police the internet seems a never-ending war against the cyber criminals and it only seems to be getting worse! So Angela Clarke is really playing on our fears here, keeping the storyline fresh and updated enough to scare even the most social media savvy among us!
A highly recommended series.
June 9, 2017
Really enjoyed this the 3rd in the Social Media Murder series. The crime elements are excellent but I'm mostly caught up in the interpersonal relationships of the group dynamic, especially the ebb and flow of the friendship between Freddy and Nas.
Full review on Liz Loves Books for the publication next week.
Full review on Liz Loves Books for the publication next week.
January 3, 2018
I love Freddie and Nas! This is such an enjoyable series and Trust Me could be my favourite.
June 11, 2017
The force of Freddie Venton returns in the dynamic and unflinchingly gritty Trust Me.
The technically homeless, romantically chaotic police consultant still fails to censor her thoughts before voicing them, meaning she remains a cause for concern to her school friend and semi-starched superior, Detective Sergeant Nasreen Cudmore, particularly since the momentously questionable use of a stationery cupboard.
During their previous encounters they have been introduced to some very dark places and people, but there’s nothing worse than receiving an eye-witness report of an assault on a young girl only to find there’s nothing they can do about it. The ordeal was streamed live to an online audience but the video link can no longer be traced, so there’s zero chance of tracing the suspects in this digital vision of hell. And to make matters worse, the only viewer brave enough to step forward has been branded a tipsy hysteric, instead of being considered a credible source of valuable information.
Damn. This is raw. Not only did the victim’s fear make a lasting impression but I felt the witness’s raging frustration too. Knowing the urgency of the circumstances and willingly reaching out to the authorities only be dismissed was insulting and incredibly judgemental – the lady lived alone, therefore that empty wine glass next to her laptop must suggest a vivid imagination has replaced all rational thought. The conclusion? No crime took place.
And yet, how soul destroying it must be for police officers when deciding which ghost they should chase? Clearly a fair proportion of the community are vying for their attention in other ways, so making that instinctive call to effectively ‘abandon’ any potential crime must be immensely difficult, as oversights could have grave consequences.
The assault may have appeared online but that doesn't mean the trauma appeared any less real as it tore through these two-dimensional pages. Location and community also play a crucial role, as a run-down estate already heaving with illicit activity provides the perfect breeding ground for further apprehension to thrive.
I’m a huge fan of Freddie’s clumsy attempts to follow basic procedure as well as her nose, despite what her colleagues are advising. Cocky verbal hostility and commitment issues aside, she’s a decent sort and her reactions to grim situations feel authentically impulsive, not forced for effect. Without a doubt, it's her distinctive energy that steals the show.
Trust Me is a story of hope that someone, somewhere, will believe yours.
(I received a complimentary copy of this title *together Freddie's new business card and a lovely postcard from the author* with my thanks, and it was my pleasure to read and provide this unbiased review.)
The technically homeless, romantically chaotic police consultant still fails to censor her thoughts before voicing them, meaning she remains a cause for concern to her school friend and semi-starched superior, Detective Sergeant Nasreen Cudmore, particularly since the momentously questionable use of a stationery cupboard.
During their previous encounters they have been introduced to some very dark places and people, but there’s nothing worse than receiving an eye-witness report of an assault on a young girl only to find there’s nothing they can do about it. The ordeal was streamed live to an online audience but the video link can no longer be traced, so there’s zero chance of tracing the suspects in this digital vision of hell. And to make matters worse, the only viewer brave enough to step forward has been branded a tipsy hysteric, instead of being considered a credible source of valuable information.
Damn. This is raw. Not only did the victim’s fear make a lasting impression but I felt the witness’s raging frustration too. Knowing the urgency of the circumstances and willingly reaching out to the authorities only be dismissed was insulting and incredibly judgemental – the lady lived alone, therefore that empty wine glass next to her laptop must suggest a vivid imagination has replaced all rational thought. The conclusion? No crime took place.
And yet, how soul destroying it must be for police officers when deciding which ghost they should chase? Clearly a fair proportion of the community are vying for their attention in other ways, so making that instinctive call to effectively ‘abandon’ any potential crime must be immensely difficult, as oversights could have grave consequences.
The assault may have appeared online but that doesn't mean the trauma appeared any less real as it tore through these two-dimensional pages. Location and community also play a crucial role, as a run-down estate already heaving with illicit activity provides the perfect breeding ground for further apprehension to thrive.
I’m a huge fan of Freddie’s clumsy attempts to follow basic procedure as well as her nose, despite what her colleagues are advising. Cocky verbal hostility and commitment issues aside, she’s a decent sort and her reactions to grim situations feel authentically impulsive, not forced for effect. Without a doubt, it's her distinctive energy that steals the show.
Trust Me is a story of hope that someone, somewhere, will believe yours.
(I received a complimentary copy of this title *together Freddie's new business card and a lovely postcard from the author* with my thanks, and it was my pleasure to read and provide this unbiased review.)
June 15, 2017
What do you do if you witness a murder…but no-one believes you?
When Kate sees a horrific murder streamed live on her laptop, she calls the police in a state of shock. But when they arrive, the video has disappeared – and she can’t prove anything. Desperate to be believed,
Kate tries to find out who the girl in the video could be – and who her killer is.
Freddie and Nas are working on a missing persons case, but tensions in the police force are running high and time is ticking. When Kate contacts them, they are the only ones to listen and they start to wonder – are the two cases connected?
Dark, gripping, and flawlessly paced, Trust Me is the brilliant third novel in the hugely popular social media murderer series.
My Review
It’s the norm for everyday society, we are an online generation. Surfing the net, we chat, we comment, we watch videos. What happens when you witness something on a live stream feed, a sexual assault, Kate did……….........Trust Me
Kate is a character held in high regard, a pillar of society, a headmistress at the local school, she witnessed a sexual assault online, the video content was removed, the evidence gone and no other witnesses. The police are reluctant to pursue the matter, who will take Kate seriously. Freddie and Nas are investigating a missing person associated with gangs, they cross paths with the missing person’s report of the girl online, could they be the same person, is it gang related.
Freddie is a character rebuffed by many of the police officers she works with due to her being a civilian. She is actually quite a wild character with some of the antics she gets up to, she doesn’t seem to care too much about what people think. I like the fact she thinks out of the box, doesn’t always follow protocol, it sometimes gets results other times lands Freddie in trouble. Nas on the other hand follows protocol, she can be quite a stiff character who has built herself a backbone that has no bend I put this down to Nas being career driven and working in a vastly male organisation. Freddie and Nas are like chalk and cheese, very different characters but working in a partnership that brings the best out in each other.
Trust Me is the third instalment in the Social Media Murder books, Angel has produced a plotline which is highly feasible due to our love of Social Media and the Internet as a whole. Once something is posted it can’t be unseen, you can delete it but someone will already have seen it. Angela has written an unforgettable book……………………..Trust Me
Thanks to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and to Angela Clarke for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
When Kate sees a horrific murder streamed live on her laptop, she calls the police in a state of shock. But when they arrive, the video has disappeared – and she can’t prove anything. Desperate to be believed,
Kate tries to find out who the girl in the video could be – and who her killer is.
Freddie and Nas are working on a missing persons case, but tensions in the police force are running high and time is ticking. When Kate contacts them, they are the only ones to listen and they start to wonder – are the two cases connected?
Dark, gripping, and flawlessly paced, Trust Me is the brilliant third novel in the hugely popular social media murderer series.
My Review
It’s the norm for everyday society, we are an online generation. Surfing the net, we chat, we comment, we watch videos. What happens when you witness something on a live stream feed, a sexual assault, Kate did……….........Trust Me
Kate is a character held in high regard, a pillar of society, a headmistress at the local school, she witnessed a sexual assault online, the video content was removed, the evidence gone and no other witnesses. The police are reluctant to pursue the matter, who will take Kate seriously. Freddie and Nas are investigating a missing person associated with gangs, they cross paths with the missing person’s report of the girl online, could they be the same person, is it gang related.
Freddie is a character rebuffed by many of the police officers she works with due to her being a civilian. She is actually quite a wild character with some of the antics she gets up to, she doesn’t seem to care too much about what people think. I like the fact she thinks out of the box, doesn’t always follow protocol, it sometimes gets results other times lands Freddie in trouble. Nas on the other hand follows protocol, she can be quite a stiff character who has built herself a backbone that has no bend I put this down to Nas being career driven and working in a vastly male organisation. Freddie and Nas are like chalk and cheese, very different characters but working in a partnership that brings the best out in each other.
Trust Me is the third instalment in the Social Media Murder books, Angel has produced a plotline which is highly feasible due to our love of Social Media and the Internet as a whole. Once something is posted it can’t be unseen, you can delete it but someone will already have seen it. Angela has written an unforgettable book……………………..Trust Me
Thanks to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and to Angela Clarke for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 26, 2018
So I seem to be the odd one out, but this book just irked the shit out of me. It wasn't horrible - the plot was decent, quick-moving, it held my attention.
But it was so sloppy! Josh's older sister is introduced as Melanie. A couple of pages later she's Melinda. Then back to Melanie again, then once more she's Melinda. ...you serious??
But not nearly as annoying as a suspect telling the cops he left the party at 1:00 AM, then on the next page he says he left at 11:00 PM. The cops reiterate he left at 11:00 PM and I'm thinking - he's fibbing, his story is changing, they haven't caught on yet but he's obviously hiding something! But no - 1:00 AM is never mentioned again and everyone's acting like it never happened.
Seriously, in a crime novel where everyone is suspicious things like this are unacceptable.
I don't even want to go into how Freddie and Nas behave like complete and utter shitheads, and that last chapter from Kate's point of view was so idiotic I nearly gagged. I understand that crime novels often have to push reality to keep the reader engaged and interested, but it's generally understood that the plot has to at least hold a little bit of realism, to make us think it could have really happened, that it's possible for it to happen. So to have a chapter written in the point of view of a person who got shot, has died and is in the process of going to heaven to be with her dead daughter... Just a pathetic attempt at iducing emotion.
And I have to admit, for the first few chapters I had no idea what was going on, who were all these people and what the fuck were they on about. And by the time I got to the end, I couldn't remember any of those vague chapters anymore, and couldn't bring myself to care enough to go back and re-read.
The weakest of the series, this one.
But it was so sloppy! Josh's older sister is introduced as Melanie. A couple of pages later she's Melinda. Then back to Melanie again, then once more she's Melinda. ...you serious??
But not nearly as annoying as a suspect telling the cops he left the party at 1:00 AM, then on the next page he says he left at 11:00 PM. The cops reiterate he left at 11:00 PM and I'm thinking - he's fibbing, his story is changing, they haven't caught on yet but he's obviously hiding something! But no - 1:00 AM is never mentioned again and everyone's acting like it never happened.
Seriously, in a crime novel where everyone is suspicious things like this are unacceptable.
I don't even want to go into how Freddie and Nas behave like complete and utter shitheads, and that last chapter from Kate's point of view was so idiotic I nearly gagged. I understand that crime novels often have to push reality to keep the reader engaged and interested, but it's generally understood that the plot has to at least hold a little bit of realism, to make us think it could have really happened, that it's possible for it to happen. So to have a chapter written in the point of view of a person who got shot, has died and is in the process of going to heaven to be with her dead daughter... Just a pathetic attempt at iducing emotion.
And I have to admit, for the first few chapters I had no idea what was going on, who were all these people and what the fuck were they on about. And by the time I got to the end, I couldn't remember any of those vague chapters anymore, and couldn't bring myself to care enough to go back and re-read.
The weakest of the series, this one.
June 12, 2017
Trust Me is the latest book from Angela Clarke and it reunites us with DS Nasreen Cudmore and Freddie Venton.
Kate sees a horrific murder - witnessed live via a live video stream but the police don't seem to believe her and when the police eventually arrive the idea has disappeared. Nas and Freddie are working on a missing persons case and even Kate contacts them, they wonder if the cases could be linked.
This book is tense and fast paced. I read it in just over a day and was drawn in from the first page. Nas and Freddie are great characters and work extremely well together. Along with a great plot line, this is the fabulous third book in the brilliant social media murders series and is definitely worth 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Angela Clarke for the chance to review.
Kate sees a horrific murder - witnessed live via a live video stream but the police don't seem to believe her and when the police eventually arrive the idea has disappeared. Nas and Freddie are working on a missing persons case and even Kate contacts them, they wonder if the cases could be linked.
This book is tense and fast paced. I read it in just over a day and was drawn in from the first page. Nas and Freddie are great characters and work extremely well together. Along with a great plot line, this is the fabulous third book in the brilliant social media murders series and is definitely worth 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Angela Clarke for the chance to review.
November 20, 2017
I've thoroughly enjoyed Angela Clarke's Social Media Murders series so far and, although I found this one a little slower to start, it is another tense outing for Freddie and Nas.
The characters - new and old - are good, it's quite creepy and genuinely scary in places, and quite sad too, but there are also some light-hearted moments to lift the mood, usually courtesy of Freddie! I really hope there is more to come in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC of Trust Me.
The characters - new and old - are good, it's quite creepy and genuinely scary in places, and quite sad too, but there are also some light-hearted moments to lift the mood, usually courtesy of Freddie! I really hope there is more to come in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC of Trust Me.
June 27, 2017
this is a great series.. i love all of them and this one was no exception. the fact that these things could so easily happen in modern society.
October 9, 2017
Done it again
Yet another great book. Strong characters and a good story line. Characters are developing nicely. Hope there is a book 4.
Yet another great book. Strong characters and a good story line. Characters are developing nicely. Hope there is a book 4.
June 24, 2017
Trust Me is the the third novel in Clarke's Social Media Murderer series and it is brilliant. It is gripping, immensely well paced and so well constructed it is compelling, exciting and unputdownable. Freddie and Nas are developing into very likeable, complex and engaging characters who have their flaws but also have their strengths, courage and bravery. I really enjoyed being back with them and watching the dynamics between them develop as well as learning more about them as people.
To me, this felt like Clarke's strongest novel in the series - and that's saying something as I thoroughly enjoyed Watch Me and Follow Me! But I felt that in this novel, we have got to know the characters so much better that we enjoy seeing them tested a bit more. I enjoyed watching the relationship between them changing as they learn more about each other and find themselves in more conflicting and challenging situations. I found myself rethinking my attitudes towards Nas and Freddie at various different stages of the book and enjoyed discovering a deeper layer to their characters.
Nas and Freddie are very different in their thought processes, decision making and behaviour. They tackle their problems and dilemmas in very different ways yet they are both heroes. They are both dedicated to solving the crime. Freddie is still more of a risk taker and I think her appeal is that she's more maverick in contrast to Nas - who is also restricted and confined by her conventional role within the police force. However in this instalment I felt that Nas also showed bravery and courage and that the climax of the novel and the relationship between the women was absolutely gripping.
In terms of the murder and plot, I felt that the structure, suspense and tension was so tightly managed and so well executed in Trust Me that this is nothing but an exceptionally strong, confident and competent example of the crime thriller novel. Clarke once more picks a contemporary issue related to Social Media - this time Periscope and the use of live streaming on the Internet. Once again, she raises questions and explores our fears about the abuse of social media but not in a way that feels far fetched or sensationalised. Once again, she explores issues, themes, motives and the effects of using social media in a way that is shocking, gripping, unsettling and also hugely captivating.
But this novel is not just about social media. Clarke also seeks to challenge things that might feel taboo or that are not discussed openly enough with our children and our community. This story raises questions about age restrictions and how social media is not just a platform for promotion, sharing information, selling things and spreading the word but also how more and more it is a way of people feeling validated or encouraged. "Likes" and "followers" allow people to continue with things, ideas, behaviours or actions that they would not normally or logically do and I found this really fascinating.
"My likes were going mental. They were loving her!.........They were sending all these comments....We were racing up the charts...."
There are several different voices in this novel and I found the alternation between the different narratives very effective. I was intrigued by the use of "A" and "B" and thought the sections that revealed the internal struggle of "A" were really well crafted. Clarke's inclusion of the perpetrator's viewpoint is bold, brave and totally works. It's always great to challenge the reader and their emotional reactions to characters. The world is not black and white, people's feelings are not black and white and situations are never as straight forward as they might appear.
I also found I reacted very strongly towards Kate. Her character is very well crafted. I loved that I was sometimes unsure whether to trust her, or whether she was reliable, but that I was rooting for her and feeling every moment of her anguish and fight throughout the whole book. Her emotional story arc is so palpably recreated with a sensitivity and understanding that indicates not only the depth of Clarke's talent as a writer, but also as an observer of people.
Much to my excitement, Clarke has included Reading Group Questions at the end of her book as well as a Q&A. One of the questions asks her about the darkness of Trust Me. I want to end by quoting her answer as I think it sums up exactly what she has achieved in this novel.
"When you write about crime, you explore the darker sides of human nature and interaction, in a way that is safe for the reader. But you have a responsibility to do that in a careful and considered way, while still giving a great story."
To me, this felt like Clarke's strongest novel in the series - and that's saying something as I thoroughly enjoyed Watch Me and Follow Me! But I felt that in this novel, we have got to know the characters so much better that we enjoy seeing them tested a bit more. I enjoyed watching the relationship between them changing as they learn more about each other and find themselves in more conflicting and challenging situations. I found myself rethinking my attitudes towards Nas and Freddie at various different stages of the book and enjoyed discovering a deeper layer to their characters.
Nas and Freddie are very different in their thought processes, decision making and behaviour. They tackle their problems and dilemmas in very different ways yet they are both heroes. They are both dedicated to solving the crime. Freddie is still more of a risk taker and I think her appeal is that she's more maverick in contrast to Nas - who is also restricted and confined by her conventional role within the police force. However in this instalment I felt that Nas also showed bravery and courage and that the climax of the novel and the relationship between the women was absolutely gripping.
In terms of the murder and plot, I felt that the structure, suspense and tension was so tightly managed and so well executed in Trust Me that this is nothing but an exceptionally strong, confident and competent example of the crime thriller novel. Clarke once more picks a contemporary issue related to Social Media - this time Periscope and the use of live streaming on the Internet. Once again, she raises questions and explores our fears about the abuse of social media but not in a way that feels far fetched or sensationalised. Once again, she explores issues, themes, motives and the effects of using social media in a way that is shocking, gripping, unsettling and also hugely captivating.
But this novel is not just about social media. Clarke also seeks to challenge things that might feel taboo or that are not discussed openly enough with our children and our community. This story raises questions about age restrictions and how social media is not just a platform for promotion, sharing information, selling things and spreading the word but also how more and more it is a way of people feeling validated or encouraged. "Likes" and "followers" allow people to continue with things, ideas, behaviours or actions that they would not normally or logically do and I found this really fascinating.
"My likes were going mental. They were loving her!.........They were sending all these comments....We were racing up the charts...."
There are several different voices in this novel and I found the alternation between the different narratives very effective. I was intrigued by the use of "A" and "B" and thought the sections that revealed the internal struggle of "A" were really well crafted. Clarke's inclusion of the perpetrator's viewpoint is bold, brave and totally works. It's always great to challenge the reader and their emotional reactions to characters. The world is not black and white, people's feelings are not black and white and situations are never as straight forward as they might appear.
I also found I reacted very strongly towards Kate. Her character is very well crafted. I loved that I was sometimes unsure whether to trust her, or whether she was reliable, but that I was rooting for her and feeling every moment of her anguish and fight throughout the whole book. Her emotional story arc is so palpably recreated with a sensitivity and understanding that indicates not only the depth of Clarke's talent as a writer, but also as an observer of people.
Much to my excitement, Clarke has included Reading Group Questions at the end of her book as well as a Q&A. One of the questions asks her about the darkness of Trust Me. I want to end by quoting her answer as I think it sums up exactly what she has achieved in this novel.
"When you write about crime, you explore the darker sides of human nature and interaction, in a way that is safe for the reader. But you have a responsibility to do that in a careful and considered way, while still giving a great story."
June 16, 2017
All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com
Even though 'Trust Me' is the third book in the 'Social Media Murders' series, I found it relatively easy to keep up with the storyline, despite having not read the first book in the series. There are a lot of characters in this storyline, but given the nature of the investigation and how complex it seems to be, I would be rather shocked if it did contain less characters. At least this way, the investigation comes across more realistic and closer to the real deal. I really enjoyed the complexity of the plot, especially as usually I am the first one to get confused by really complex storylines with a lot of characters! Angela Clarke made the plot extremely easy to understand without losing any of the momentum.
What would you do if you saw some rather horrific events via a Facebook live video?
You'd go to the police, right? Of course you would!
But, what if you nobody believed you? It IS social media after all....
Well, that is what happened when Kate contacted the police about a video posted on Facebook. No proof = no case. Was Kate seeing things? Was the video actually there, or is her memory starting to fail her? When Kate gets in contact with another two officers, a lightbulb begins to flicker at the end of the tunnel...but for how long?
The entire case, of which the storyline is focus on, brought me out in chills. It could happen. Anything can be posted on social media and then deleted, it's so scary to think about what can happen, and then removed, in a blink of an eye.
I was hooked by the multiple shock factors within the story - they kept me on my toes, send shivers down my spine, and even remove all of the moisture from my mouth. All the events in the book were so real it unnerved me. I am no longer a wuss when it comes to books of this genre (yay me), yet whilst I enjoyed the intensity of the graphic events, I did end up feeling a teensy bit queasy. I can't even pinpoint why. Maybe it was how cold-blooded they came across? Or how realistic? Or how shocking? Or even a mixture? I'm not saying that I love feeling nauseous, I don't, but feeling queasy thanks to certain events of this book I didn't even consider a bad thing. Does that make me weird?
I LOVED Freddie's attitude to her work! It's as though she has thrown the 'how to act at work' manual out of the window, ripped up the file of procedures to follow, and has decided to just follow her own gut and hope for the best. Even the times she gets her knuckles tapped she doesn't change her ways, instead she sticks her two fingers up at her superiors and looks smug when her instincts were right. To be honest, I'm surprised she didn't end up losing her job! Freddie is my favourite character out of the entire book, I would be devastated if she didn't appear again. She really is the breath of fresh air, sassy, fiery character who made me giggle when I probably shouldn't have. My bad.
As for Detective Inspector Nasreen, I couldn't gel with her as much as Freddie. Don't get me wrong she is a fantastic addition to the storyline, but a lot more hard-nosed than Freddie.
So, what did I think of 'Trust Me' overall? I bloody loved it! If I was put on the edge of my seat any more, I would have fallen off and landed on my backside. THAT'S how immersed in the storyline I was! It truly was a rollercoaster ride of intensity, complexity, and multiple shockers.
Yet anther fantastic book from creative genius, Angela Clarke, an author whose mind you wouldn't want to cross down a dark alley! Outstanding.
Thanks Angela & Avon Books.
Even though 'Trust Me' is the third book in the 'Social Media Murders' series, I found it relatively easy to keep up with the storyline, despite having not read the first book in the series. There are a lot of characters in this storyline, but given the nature of the investigation and how complex it seems to be, I would be rather shocked if it did contain less characters. At least this way, the investigation comes across more realistic and closer to the real deal. I really enjoyed the complexity of the plot, especially as usually I am the first one to get confused by really complex storylines with a lot of characters! Angela Clarke made the plot extremely easy to understand without losing any of the momentum.
What would you do if you saw some rather horrific events via a Facebook live video?
You'd go to the police, right? Of course you would!
But, what if you nobody believed you? It IS social media after all....
Well, that is what happened when Kate contacted the police about a video posted on Facebook. No proof = no case. Was Kate seeing things? Was the video actually there, or is her memory starting to fail her? When Kate gets in contact with another two officers, a lightbulb begins to flicker at the end of the tunnel...but for how long?
The entire case, of which the storyline is focus on, brought me out in chills. It could happen. Anything can be posted on social media and then deleted, it's so scary to think about what can happen, and then removed, in a blink of an eye.
I was hooked by the multiple shock factors within the story - they kept me on my toes, send shivers down my spine, and even remove all of the moisture from my mouth. All the events in the book were so real it unnerved me. I am no longer a wuss when it comes to books of this genre (yay me), yet whilst I enjoyed the intensity of the graphic events, I did end up feeling a teensy bit queasy. I can't even pinpoint why. Maybe it was how cold-blooded they came across? Or how realistic? Or how shocking? Or even a mixture? I'm not saying that I love feeling nauseous, I don't, but feeling queasy thanks to certain events of this book I didn't even consider a bad thing. Does that make me weird?
I LOVED Freddie's attitude to her work! It's as though she has thrown the 'how to act at work' manual out of the window, ripped up the file of procedures to follow, and has decided to just follow her own gut and hope for the best. Even the times she gets her knuckles tapped she doesn't change her ways, instead she sticks her two fingers up at her superiors and looks smug when her instincts were right. To be honest, I'm surprised she didn't end up losing her job! Freddie is my favourite character out of the entire book, I would be devastated if she didn't appear again. She really is the breath of fresh air, sassy, fiery character who made me giggle when I probably shouldn't have. My bad.
As for Detective Inspector Nasreen, I couldn't gel with her as much as Freddie. Don't get me wrong she is a fantastic addition to the storyline, but a lot more hard-nosed than Freddie.
So, what did I think of 'Trust Me' overall? I bloody loved it! If I was put on the edge of my seat any more, I would have fallen off and landed on my backside. THAT'S how immersed in the storyline I was! It truly was a rollercoaster ride of intensity, complexity, and multiple shockers.
Yet anther fantastic book from creative genius, Angela Clarke, an author whose mind you wouldn't want to cross down a dark alley! Outstanding.
Thanks Angela & Avon Books.
June 12, 2017
This is book three of a series and as with all series books, although the main story is self-contained, to get the very best from the characters, especially with respect to their backstories and development, it is best to start from book one and read in order. The previous books have both been good and the characters within somewhat complex that I would recommend this course of action for this series more than most.
As with the previous two books in this series, on completion of this one I went back to check all my internet privacy. With new technologies popping up pretty much weekly, it's easy to get complacent and let things slide but reading books like this one always triggers my spidey senses and makes me a bit more vigilant. Hey, it's better than staying scared you know!
This book centres around live streamed videos. Kate is surfing the net for stuff to watch and stumbles across a live video that appears to show someone being assaulted and killed. Shocked by this, she does the only thing she can do; she reports it. But, being as it was live-streamed, the video is gone and with it, any evidence of its existence so the police are pretty much powerless to do anything, even if they believed her, which she suspects isn't the case. She does however have connections and it is to Freddie and Nas she turns to help her. They are supposed to be carrying out their own assignments into missing persons' cases but hey, never one to stick to the rules, Freddie's interest is piqued enough to muddy the waters of her position within the Police to try to help.
As with the previous books we have the chalk and cheese pairing of Nas and Freddie. Both with very differing agendas and ways of seeing things but complementing each other perfectly. They are united in their working situations both being rather precarious even if for vastly differing reasons. But, at the end of the day, both being eager for justice. Just at differing costs and in different ways.
As the story progresses, the action ramped up to almost frenetic proportions, culminating is what was for me an extremely exciting and thrilling conclusion. I've already mentioned my fears regarding internet security and privacy but this series exposes the evils of technology whilst also keeping the balance by highlighting the good it does too. If the author isn't herself a technology guru, she definitely does her research as all the techno parts of the book come across as completely credible and, for luddites like me, very well explained.
Characterisation was, as always, pretty spot on. I am already familiar with most of the main players through the previous books and am happy to report that they are all developing nicely and consistently. Maturing well like fine wines really! I am especially impressed with Freddie as she strives to find her way in life.
Pacing is also excellent throughout, the story full of action both physical and cerebral in manner which increases nicely throughout until, as already mentioned, the thrilling finale which to be honest left me a bit gobsmacked but totally satisfied.
All in all a good addition to what is shaping up to be a great series. Roll on book four.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
As with the previous two books in this series, on completion of this one I went back to check all my internet privacy. With new technologies popping up pretty much weekly, it's easy to get complacent and let things slide but reading books like this one always triggers my spidey senses and makes me a bit more vigilant. Hey, it's better than staying scared you know!
This book centres around live streamed videos. Kate is surfing the net for stuff to watch and stumbles across a live video that appears to show someone being assaulted and killed. Shocked by this, she does the only thing she can do; she reports it. But, being as it was live-streamed, the video is gone and with it, any evidence of its existence so the police are pretty much powerless to do anything, even if they believed her, which she suspects isn't the case. She does however have connections and it is to Freddie and Nas she turns to help her. They are supposed to be carrying out their own assignments into missing persons' cases but hey, never one to stick to the rules, Freddie's interest is piqued enough to muddy the waters of her position within the Police to try to help.
As with the previous books we have the chalk and cheese pairing of Nas and Freddie. Both with very differing agendas and ways of seeing things but complementing each other perfectly. They are united in their working situations both being rather precarious even if for vastly differing reasons. But, at the end of the day, both being eager for justice. Just at differing costs and in different ways.
As the story progresses, the action ramped up to almost frenetic proportions, culminating is what was for me an extremely exciting and thrilling conclusion. I've already mentioned my fears regarding internet security and privacy but this series exposes the evils of technology whilst also keeping the balance by highlighting the good it does too. If the author isn't herself a technology guru, she definitely does her research as all the techno parts of the book come across as completely credible and, for luddites like me, very well explained.
Characterisation was, as always, pretty spot on. I am already familiar with most of the main players through the previous books and am happy to report that they are all developing nicely and consistently. Maturing well like fine wines really! I am especially impressed with Freddie as she strives to find her way in life.
Pacing is also excellent throughout, the story full of action both physical and cerebral in manner which increases nicely throughout until, as already mentioned, the thrilling finale which to be honest left me a bit gobsmacked but totally satisfied.
All in all a good addition to what is shaping up to be a great series. Roll on book four.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
September 29, 2017
Trust Me is the third novel in Angela Clarke's social media series, and as always this author manages to send a chill down my spine when I consider what could happen to anyone who partakes in social media of any kind on a daily basis.
Kate is watching videos being live streamed online when she witnesses a horrific sexual attack on a young girl that culminates in violence. Kate is horrified and does what she considers to be the right thing by reporting the crime to the Police.
However by the time the Police arrive, the video has been removed from the internet without a trace left behind. No other witnesses have reported a similar offence and Kate is forced to let the matter lie, shocked that the Police have questioned her own judgement after spotting a glass of wine on her table.
She knows what she saw.
Or does she?
Luckily Kate has connections to Freddie Venton, a Civilian Police Social Media consultant who alongside DS Nasreen Cudmore are working on a missing persons case that could be connected to local gangs. Could one of the gang members be behind this? Could the missing girl be the girl in the video?
Previous readers of this series will know that Freddie's mind, much like her mouth runs at a million miles an hour, and she is admirably keen to help Kate. But as always doesn't put an awful lot of thought into her actions before she carries them out.
Inevitably this leads her to trouble, but Freddie isn't afraid of a little trouble if it means getting the Police the right result and the criminals bought to justice. As always Nas is on hand to try and help her friend, but not if it involves breaking the rules. Could Freddie have gone too far this time? If so, just who will be there to back her up when it all goes wrong?
Kate is watching videos being live streamed online when she witnesses a horrific sexual attack on a young girl that culminates in violence. Kate is horrified and does what she considers to be the right thing by reporting the crime to the Police.
However by the time the Police arrive, the video has been removed from the internet without a trace left behind. No other witnesses have reported a similar offence and Kate is forced to let the matter lie, shocked that the Police have questioned her own judgement after spotting a glass of wine on her table.
She knows what she saw.
Or does she?
Luckily Kate has connections to Freddie Venton, a Civilian Police Social Media consultant who alongside DS Nasreen Cudmore are working on a missing persons case that could be connected to local gangs. Could one of the gang members be behind this? Could the missing girl be the girl in the video?
Previous readers of this series will know that Freddie's mind, much like her mouth runs at a million miles an hour, and she is admirably keen to help Kate. But as always doesn't put an awful lot of thought into her actions before she carries them out.
Inevitably this leads her to trouble, but Freddie isn't afraid of a little trouble if it means getting the Police the right result and the criminals bought to justice. As always Nas is on hand to try and help her friend, but not if it involves breaking the rules. Could Freddie have gone too far this time? If so, just who will be there to back her up when it all goes wrong?
October 31, 2020
I am such a fool, because I found this book and then assumed it was a standalone, and that the rest of the 'social media murders' were just thematically connected. WHY I ASSUMED THIS I DO NOT KNOW. But the upshot is, I was decently confused and realised pretty quickly that I was missing some backstory here. But I powered through because I was interested in the core plot of this book.
That being said, you can read it as standalone, or a long time after reading the first 2, as everything is decently recapped and the actual crime itself is very exciting. I will be going to read the rest of them now :P
That being said, you can read it as standalone, or a long time after reading the first 2, as everything is decently recapped and the actual crime itself is very exciting. I will be going to read the rest of them now :P
March 6, 2020
So disappointed 😔 I thought this one wasn't any where near as good as the 2nd in the series. I've never not finished a book but I gave up with 70 pages till the end. I found this book boring and too skippy, it was abit all over the place.
June 21, 2020
This is the first of the series that I've read and I loved it. Looking forward to reading the others in the series and other books by this author.
September 9, 2017
Trust Me thrusts the reader back into the lives of Detective Nas Cudmore and her childhood friend, and now colleague Freddie Venton. Two people. who are so very closely linked, by their work and through their shared history, yet are so very different in character.
Whilst this book is the third in the Social Media Murders series, it does work very well as a standalone novel, although I'd urge readers to go back and read the first two in series to gain more insight into the past history that has shaped this partnership.
Kate is the head teacher of a school in one of the toughest parts of London. Aged fifty-five, she's turned the school around. She's respected, but she has her own demons. When Kate stumbles upon a live-streamed video on the internet she can hardly believe that it is real. It is real, very real. Kate has witnessed the rape and murder of a young girl, live online and seemingly filmed by a very young man.
The local police don't believe her. The video has been deleted, the young PC notices the empty glass and questions Kate about her drinking. It's clear that she's not going to be taken seriously. She remembers seeing Nas and Freddie on the TV news, after they'd worked together on an infamous case. She contacts them.
Nas and Freddie are working on the 'Spice Road'; a place in the darkest bowels of the internet, a place where drugs are dealt and huge sums of money change hand. A place for criminals and violence and death.
Trust Me follows Nas and Freddie as they become more and more determined to find out just what Kate saw online. Angela Clarke has once again produced a finely tuned, fast paced and totally up-to-date crime thriller. She hooks the reader in and doesn't let go, twisting and turning on a breathless journey that explores the darkest depths of humanity whilst building her characters with ease and flair.
This is not just a crime story, it's also a clever look at the intense relationships built up within the police force and how these can affect judgement and trust. Nas and Freddie and their complicated relationship adds great depth to this series.
Trust Me is chilling, atmospheric and gripping. The Social Media Murder series is one of my favourites, and Angela Clarke continues to prove that she's a writer to watch
https://randomthingsthroughmyletterbo...
Whilst this book is the third in the Social Media Murders series, it does work very well as a standalone novel, although I'd urge readers to go back and read the first two in series to gain more insight into the past history that has shaped this partnership.
Kate is the head teacher of a school in one of the toughest parts of London. Aged fifty-five, she's turned the school around. She's respected, but she has her own demons. When Kate stumbles upon a live-streamed video on the internet she can hardly believe that it is real. It is real, very real. Kate has witnessed the rape and murder of a young girl, live online and seemingly filmed by a very young man.
The local police don't believe her. The video has been deleted, the young PC notices the empty glass and questions Kate about her drinking. It's clear that she's not going to be taken seriously. She remembers seeing Nas and Freddie on the TV news, after they'd worked together on an infamous case. She contacts them.
Nas and Freddie are working on the 'Spice Road'; a place in the darkest bowels of the internet, a place where drugs are dealt and huge sums of money change hand. A place for criminals and violence and death.
Trust Me follows Nas and Freddie as they become more and more determined to find out just what Kate saw online. Angela Clarke has once again produced a finely tuned, fast paced and totally up-to-date crime thriller. She hooks the reader in and doesn't let go, twisting and turning on a breathless journey that explores the darkest depths of humanity whilst building her characters with ease and flair.
This is not just a crime story, it's also a clever look at the intense relationships built up within the police force and how these can affect judgement and trust. Nas and Freddie and their complicated relationship adds great depth to this series.
Trust Me is chilling, atmospheric and gripping. The Social Media Murder series is one of my favourites, and Angela Clarke continues to prove that she's a writer to watch
https://randomthingsthroughmyletterbo...
July 26, 2017
Trust Me is book three in the social media murder series set in London.
It opens with a young girl, running scared.
Late one night, Kate stumbles across something shocking via a live video upload on the internet. She reports the incident to the police, but when they follow it up, the video has been deleted; the incident is filed. Concerned no one is taking her seriously, Kate makes contact with the media and does a live interview.
Cyber-crime chasers, Nasreen and Freddie, are working on a gang related case when they are named as police contacts by Kate in her TV appeal. More witnesses to the video come forward; now, the case is taken seriously. Freddie uses her investigative journalist and social media skills to search for leads. Not afraid to bend rules, she is the polar opposite of Nasreen who does her police work by the book, in this race-against-the-clock plot.
I liked Freddie, an appealingly unconventional, social media geek, who keeps the story twisting with leads others haven’t thought of, as opposed to some of the police officers who are always one step behind the criminals; mostly, I found them to be fairly stereotypical of this sort of crime fiction. They make snide remarks about civilian Freddie being in their midst, but she holds her own with sharp one liners that leave them verbally beaten, and I gave her a few mental thumbs up.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of in this book, especially if you are new to the series. The pace is kept brisk with brief use of descriptive detail, enough to allow the reader to create their own pictures. I was left wanting to know more about Freddie and Nasreen, because I haven’t yet read the first two books in the series, where they have built-up their working relationship, so I'd say it's probably a good idea to start at the beginning of the series. There are several other threads running through this book, with hints at romance for more than one character.
Fans of Angela Clarke’s writing and readers who enjoy fast paced crime with underlying romantic themes will certainly enjoy this book, but I didn't think it brought anything new to the table that I hadn't read before.
It opens with a young girl, running scared.
Late one night, Kate stumbles across something shocking via a live video upload on the internet. She reports the incident to the police, but when they follow it up, the video has been deleted; the incident is filed. Concerned no one is taking her seriously, Kate makes contact with the media and does a live interview.
Cyber-crime chasers, Nasreen and Freddie, are working on a gang related case when they are named as police contacts by Kate in her TV appeal. More witnesses to the video come forward; now, the case is taken seriously. Freddie uses her investigative journalist and social media skills to search for leads. Not afraid to bend rules, she is the polar opposite of Nasreen who does her police work by the book, in this race-against-the-clock plot.
I liked Freddie, an appealingly unconventional, social media geek, who keeps the story twisting with leads others haven’t thought of, as opposed to some of the police officers who are always one step behind the criminals; mostly, I found them to be fairly stereotypical of this sort of crime fiction. They make snide remarks about civilian Freddie being in their midst, but she holds her own with sharp one liners that leave them verbally beaten, and I gave her a few mental thumbs up.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of in this book, especially if you are new to the series. The pace is kept brisk with brief use of descriptive detail, enough to allow the reader to create their own pictures. I was left wanting to know more about Freddie and Nasreen, because I haven’t yet read the first two books in the series, where they have built-up their working relationship, so I'd say it's probably a good idea to start at the beginning of the series. There are several other threads running through this book, with hints at romance for more than one character.
Fans of Angela Clarke’s writing and readers who enjoy fast paced crime with underlying romantic themes will certainly enjoy this book, but I didn't think it brought anything new to the table that I hadn't read before.
June 17, 2017
I was sent an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley and I am very grateful as I'm already a fan of Angela Clarke. Was happy to see Nas & Freddie again and enjoyed another well written, gripping story! Would highly recommend this to anyone and I'm looking forward to the next instalment!
June 2, 2017
While undertaking some online research for her work, Kate stumbles upon a live video which is seemingly showing a young woman being murdered. After calling the police, she discovers that the video has disappeared and that people are reluctant to take her seriously. How can she prove that this was not a figment of her imagination and that, somewhere, is a girl in need of help? Meanwhile, Sergeant Nasreen Cudmore and her friend Freddie Venton are working on a missing persons case - could the two incidents be connected?
Trust Me is the third of Angela Clarke's Social Media Murders series, following on from Follow Me and Watch Me and, again, deals with the dark side of the internet. This time the spotlight is on Periscope and how people, anywhere, can watch video clips that are put online. It is, in many ways, a modern retelling of the Agatha Christie classic, The 4.50 from Paddington, where instead of Elspeth McGillicuddy witnessing the strangling of a woman when passing on a train and nobody believing her, we have Kate witnessing the rape and murder of a young woman online and the video being removed before her story can be corroborated.
In Trust Me, we see a different side to Freddie's character in that she is struggling to come to terms with feelings she has never felt before. This angst does not stop her impulsiveness, however, and she is soon infuriating her friend, Nas, who is more adept at playing by the rules. There are times, though, when we see Nas acting without thinking, showing that the friends' personalities are beginning to rub off on each other.
One of the things I liked most about this book was that, although it is a police procedural, it is not a traditional whodunit. The naming of the culprit is secondary to the actual investigation and the police search for the girl in the video. It is still a fast-paced story, though, especially in the last fifth of the book when one of the characters is placed in mortal danger.
I've enjoyed reading all of the books in this series so far and I hope that Angela Clarke has some more in the pipeline!
With thanks to Net Galley and Avon Books UK for the ARC.
Trust Me is the third of Angela Clarke's Social Media Murders series, following on from Follow Me and Watch Me and, again, deals with the dark side of the internet. This time the spotlight is on Periscope and how people, anywhere, can watch video clips that are put online. It is, in many ways, a modern retelling of the Agatha Christie classic, The 4.50 from Paddington, where instead of Elspeth McGillicuddy witnessing the strangling of a woman when passing on a train and nobody believing her, we have Kate witnessing the rape and murder of a young woman online and the video being removed before her story can be corroborated.
In Trust Me, we see a different side to Freddie's character in that she is struggling to come to terms with feelings she has never felt before. This angst does not stop her impulsiveness, however, and she is soon infuriating her friend, Nas, who is more adept at playing by the rules. There are times, though, when we see Nas acting without thinking, showing that the friends' personalities are beginning to rub off on each other.
One of the things I liked most about this book was that, although it is a police procedural, it is not a traditional whodunit. The naming of the culprit is secondary to the actual investigation and the police search for the girl in the video. It is still a fast-paced story, though, especially in the last fifth of the book when one of the characters is placed in mortal danger.
I've enjoyed reading all of the books in this series so far and I hope that Angela Clarke has some more in the pipeline!
With thanks to Net Galley and Avon Books UK for the ARC.
July 22, 2017
The third Freddie and Nas thriller in Angela Clarke’s engaging Social Media murder series and this has been my favourite of the three.
First the housekeeping, it is book 3 of a series so there are some references to past events. I have goldfish memory and can never remember character names so I can confirm that Trust Me *can* be read as a stand alone (or out of sequence). The author ensures that new (and forgetful) readers will not be disadvantaged when previous events are discussed as she nicely outlines events from earlier books and ensures you have the pertinent detail to enjoy Trust Me.
To the book…it is generally accepted that you can find anything on the internet but one evening Kate comes across a Periscope feed which is streaming the attack of a young woman. Kate is compelled to watch the feed as she realises that the woman is initially incapable of refusing the sexual advances of her assailant. When the attack becomes increasingly violent Kate is convinced the girl cannot have survived the incident.
She contacts the police but they seem unable to help – she cannot find the video again, there is no sign of a victim and Kate does not even know where the incident took place. Her frustration eventually leads her to call Freddie who has no doubt that Kate is telling the truth but can she make her police colleagues believe Kate’s story?
Freddie has her own problems to contend with – her role with the police is in jeopardy due to funding problems. There is a potential solution but Freddie will need to change her role and undergo some training if she is to remain attached to the police. Meanwhile Nas is also battling to recover her status amongst her colleagues as past decisions are still casting a shadow over her place within the squad.
As Trust Me unfolds we are treated to the frustrations of Freddie, the problems with investigating an incident with little evidence and a potentially unreliable witness and we see loyalties tested under extreme circumstances. It makes for gripping reading and fans of Angela’s previous novels are in for a treat with Trust Me.
First the housekeeping, it is book 3 of a series so there are some references to past events. I have goldfish memory and can never remember character names so I can confirm that Trust Me *can* be read as a stand alone (or out of sequence). The author ensures that new (and forgetful) readers will not be disadvantaged when previous events are discussed as she nicely outlines events from earlier books and ensures you have the pertinent detail to enjoy Trust Me.
To the book…it is generally accepted that you can find anything on the internet but one evening Kate comes across a Periscope feed which is streaming the attack of a young woman. Kate is compelled to watch the feed as she realises that the woman is initially incapable of refusing the sexual advances of her assailant. When the attack becomes increasingly violent Kate is convinced the girl cannot have survived the incident.
She contacts the police but they seem unable to help – she cannot find the video again, there is no sign of a victim and Kate does not even know where the incident took place. Her frustration eventually leads her to call Freddie who has no doubt that Kate is telling the truth but can she make her police colleagues believe Kate’s story?
Freddie has her own problems to contend with – her role with the police is in jeopardy due to funding problems. There is a potential solution but Freddie will need to change her role and undergo some training if she is to remain attached to the police. Meanwhile Nas is also battling to recover her status amongst her colleagues as past decisions are still casting a shadow over her place within the squad.
As Trust Me unfolds we are treated to the frustrations of Freddie, the problems with investigating an incident with little evidence and a potentially unreliable witness and we see loyalties tested under extreme circumstances. It makes for gripping reading and fans of Angela’s previous novels are in for a treat with Trust Me.
February 10, 2018
I awarded the previous two books in this series 5 stars, * (prior to checking) I have awarded this 4 stars. I don't think that's particularly fair. If I really had to justify my differentiation it would be because the previous two, especially the first, were so very different.
Different because of the characters introduced, especially Freddie. And different because of the Social Media angle. By book 3, neither of these aspects are new and surprising. And, yet, part of the enjoyment of reading a series is how the characters develop through not just one book, but several, covering a greater time period.
I'm dwelling too much on detail, here.
The thing is, this is the third book in the series. If you haven't read Follow Me and Watch Me, please go back and do so. And, assuming you enjoyed them, you'll enjoy this.
Clever device - social media - and quirky character aside, there are so many strengths in the writing of this writer.
Never get sniffy about crime novels. There are people who believe that the 'literary' genre is far superior to any other. Rubbish. Far too much 'literary' fiction is centred on the shallow - or self-centred - lives of relatively privileged people (and rather too many domestic noir books are, to be fair, excepting the incident that makes them 'noir').
It's only really police procedurals and similar that are shedding light on our society. This book highlights depravity on a deprived estate and provides a contrast with the rather nice families of the two rather middle class boys and the Tory MP.
If I were to issue a criticism of this book and many other (excellent) books like this, it perhaps oversimplifies life on crappy sprawling estates. If I was working class and lived on such an Estate I would be mightily annoyed.
However, it would be ludicrous to think that, somehow, there aren't these problems. A lot of people prefer not to think about them, or pretend that they only happen to other people.
So, basically, I think that, despite my caveat, this sort of book - and I happen to think Angela Clarke is outstanding - actually acts a vital document of society, deprivation and depravity in this decade.
And it also happens to be a thrilling read. Well written (in several different ways). I'm not one for 'I couldn't put this down' but it was definitely a book I pondered between reading sessions, and one that made me eager to start another session.
As series books go, this one would probably work quite well as a standalone; I just think it's worth reading the series in order.
Different because of the characters introduced, especially Freddie. And different because of the Social Media angle. By book 3, neither of these aspects are new and surprising. And, yet, part of the enjoyment of reading a series is how the characters develop through not just one book, but several, covering a greater time period.
I'm dwelling too much on detail, here.
The thing is, this is the third book in the series. If you haven't read Follow Me and Watch Me, please go back and do so. And, assuming you enjoyed them, you'll enjoy this.
Clever device - social media - and quirky character aside, there are so many strengths in the writing of this writer.
Never get sniffy about crime novels. There are people who believe that the 'literary' genre is far superior to any other. Rubbish. Far too much 'literary' fiction is centred on the shallow - or self-centred - lives of relatively privileged people (and rather too many domestic noir books are, to be fair, excepting the incident that makes them 'noir').
It's only really police procedurals and similar that are shedding light on our society. This book highlights depravity on a deprived estate and provides a contrast with the rather nice families of the two rather middle class boys and the Tory MP.
If I were to issue a criticism of this book and many other (excellent) books like this, it perhaps oversimplifies life on crappy sprawling estates. If I was working class and lived on such an Estate I would be mightily annoyed.
However, it would be ludicrous to think that, somehow, there aren't these problems. A lot of people prefer not to think about them, or pretend that they only happen to other people.
So, basically, I think that, despite my caveat, this sort of book - and I happen to think Angela Clarke is outstanding - actually acts a vital document of society, deprivation and depravity in this decade.
And it also happens to be a thrilling read. Well written (in several different ways). I'm not one for 'I couldn't put this down' but it was definitely a book I pondered between reading sessions, and one that made me eager to start another session.
As series books go, this one would probably work quite well as a standalone; I just think it's worth reading the series in order.
July 22, 2017
This is the third book in the Social Media Murders series, and I swear the books are getting better and better. Whilst I enjoyed Follow Me, I thought Watch Me was even better and Trust Me certainly lived up to my expectations.
It centres around Kate, Nasreen and Freddie. Kate was watching live videos on the internet and saw someone being sexually assaulted and then stabbed. Pretty gruesome, right? Kate immediately phones the police and they’re not sure she’s telling the truth. There were no reports from anyone else and the account seems to have disappeared after the assault. Nasreen and Freddie feel like they have enough to go on to investigate Kate’s claims. Freddie believes Kate from the start and after a while Nasreen comes around. They’re determined to find out what has happened to the girl and see if there’s a link with another girl that’s gone missing.
I thought this book was really gripping. I wasn’t sure where it was going to go, but I was eagerly turning the pages. I thought it was incredibly well paced. I have really enjoyed getting to know Nasreen and Freddie better throughout the series. I definitely think both characters have got more likeable over time.
I’m glad to say that I didn’t predict what was going to happen. I love that in books! I like to be kept guessing and for me Trust Me did exactly that.
I don’t know if it was the author’s intention to make readers more wary of social media, but I really am more wary after reading this series. I always teach the children in my class (primary school) about internet safety, but I’d never thought about how dangerous it is for adults out there too.
It centres around Kate, Nasreen and Freddie. Kate was watching live videos on the internet and saw someone being sexually assaulted and then stabbed. Pretty gruesome, right? Kate immediately phones the police and they’re not sure she’s telling the truth. There were no reports from anyone else and the account seems to have disappeared after the assault. Nasreen and Freddie feel like they have enough to go on to investigate Kate’s claims. Freddie believes Kate from the start and after a while Nasreen comes around. They’re determined to find out what has happened to the girl and see if there’s a link with another girl that’s gone missing.
I thought this book was really gripping. I wasn’t sure where it was going to go, but I was eagerly turning the pages. I thought it was incredibly well paced. I have really enjoyed getting to know Nasreen and Freddie better throughout the series. I definitely think both characters have got more likeable over time.
I’m glad to say that I didn’t predict what was going to happen. I love that in books! I like to be kept guessing and for me Trust Me did exactly that.
I don’t know if it was the author’s intention to make readers more wary of social media, but I really am more wary after reading this series. I always teach the children in my class (primary school) about internet safety, but I’d never thought about how dangerous it is for adults out there too.
June 27, 2017
With thanks to Netgalley and Avon books for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
One night school teacher Kate is watching a live video stream on Periscope. She is shocked to see a young woman in an empty room with two males. A voice in the background shouts 'like this post, get this to one thousand likes'. Then the young woman is glassed in the face and raped by one of the males, the other male can be heard in the background shouting 'hey'. Kate calls the police but they do not believe her when she can't tell show them the webcam footage, name the victim of tell them the location.
Meanwhile DS Nasreen Cudmore and journalist turned Civilian officer Freddie Venton are investigating Spice Road which is on the dark web. The website is owned by a London gang. One of the members of the gang Paul Robertson has gone missing along with his daughter Amber.
Kate goes to see Freddie who instantly believes her. Nasreen is unwilling to investigate due to lack of evidence. Annoyed Freddie advises Kate to go to the press. The gamble pays off when another 3 witnesses come forward, 2 teenage boys and a MP.
This series is going from strength to strength. I loves the differences between studious but boring Nasreen and wilful, sassy Freddie. In this book Freddie is living with a man but is unwilling to commit and leaves him. Nasreen still feels strongly about her boss DCI Jack Burgone after their one night stand in the last book. There is a funny scene with Freddie and her boyfriend that makes Nasreen infuriated. When Nasreen does not keep Freddie up to date, she puts her life in peril.
The plot was ingenious, it was fast paced and the story never dragged.
There have been a few instances of attacks being filmed on mobiles and then posted on Facebook. It certainly makes you aware that the internet is a force for bad and good.
One night school teacher Kate is watching a live video stream on Periscope. She is shocked to see a young woman in an empty room with two males. A voice in the background shouts 'like this post, get this to one thousand likes'. Then the young woman is glassed in the face and raped by one of the males, the other male can be heard in the background shouting 'hey'. Kate calls the police but they do not believe her when she can't tell show them the webcam footage, name the victim of tell them the location.
Meanwhile DS Nasreen Cudmore and journalist turned Civilian officer Freddie Venton are investigating Spice Road which is on the dark web. The website is owned by a London gang. One of the members of the gang Paul Robertson has gone missing along with his daughter Amber.
Kate goes to see Freddie who instantly believes her. Nasreen is unwilling to investigate due to lack of evidence. Annoyed Freddie advises Kate to go to the press. The gamble pays off when another 3 witnesses come forward, 2 teenage boys and a MP.
This series is going from strength to strength. I loves the differences between studious but boring Nasreen and wilful, sassy Freddie. In this book Freddie is living with a man but is unwilling to commit and leaves him. Nasreen still feels strongly about her boss DCI Jack Burgone after their one night stand in the last book. There is a funny scene with Freddie and her boyfriend that makes Nasreen infuriated. When Nasreen does not keep Freddie up to date, she puts her life in peril.
The plot was ingenious, it was fast paced and the story never dragged.
There have been a few instances of attacks being filmed on mobiles and then posted on Facebook. It certainly makes you aware that the internet is a force for bad and good.
January 1, 2021
This is the third book in the social media murders series by Angela Clarke. A vicious rape and murder, is accidentally viewed by a member of the public on Periscope while she is surfing the web on her laptop who then brings it to the attention of the police. So far, so good and these kind of things have happened. Always be wary of random live feeds!
At first they are hesitant to investigate, as they believe that the murder could have happened anywhere and most probably occurred outside the country and therefore, their jurisdiction until the media become involved.
The two main characters are Freddie, a Police analyst and DS Nasreen Cudmore, her supervisor who are put on the case while juggling it with other investigations.
This novel gets three stars out of five from me. The build up is quite slow and it would be easy to lose interest. A central sub plot is the relationship between Freddie and Nas, full of the usual female angst about their love lives and social status. Some will really enjoy the interplay, but I just don’t emotionally invested in these things.
The pace quickens in the final third and this part I thoroughly enjoyed. It becomes a race against time to stop the next killing. There is a nice mix between the threat of violence and the actual violence. At the end, the author tries to tie everything up, relying a good bit of coincidence. Always difficult in a long novel and for me, she doesn’t manage it. All the same an enjoyable read, but not a classic or must-read.
At first they are hesitant to investigate, as they believe that the murder could have happened anywhere and most probably occurred outside the country and therefore, their jurisdiction until the media become involved.
The two main characters are Freddie, a Police analyst and DS Nasreen Cudmore, her supervisor who are put on the case while juggling it with other investigations.
This novel gets three stars out of five from me. The build up is quite slow and it would be easy to lose interest. A central sub plot is the relationship between Freddie and Nas, full of the usual female angst about their love lives and social status. Some will really enjoy the interplay, but I just don’t emotionally invested in these things.
The pace quickens in the final third and this part I thoroughly enjoyed. It becomes a race against time to stop the next killing. There is a nice mix between the threat of violence and the actual violence. At the end, the author tries to tie everything up, relying a good bit of coincidence. Always difficult in a long novel and for me, she doesn’t manage it. All the same an enjoyable read, but not a classic or must-read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2017
Trust Me is the third book in the social media series by Angela Clarke.
Each of the novels have focused on the more worrying sides of social media. In this book, the site featured is Periscope. It is another that I have never used but one that I do understand. Sort of.
This is a series that I am up to date with, an unusual occurrence for me with all the books that are published. I have enjoyed getting to know the characters, seeing them settle into their roles and changing their views as they learn. I have seen all their strengths and many faults, these police officers are more human than some that are seen in fiction. They also have complicated relationships.
Out of the three books that have been published this is my favourite one so far. Partly because Periscope is less complicated than other social media sites but mainly because I now know these characters. My favourites, Saunders and Chips have more of a presence and there is less focus on Freddie and Nas’s past.
Freddie has grown on me over the three books. Her desire to do the right thing isn’t always the correct way from a policing point of view and she struggles at times with the choices that she makes and getting into trouble for them. The attitude of some of the police towards her role was convincing. I can believe that there are some officers who think that civilian officers are not important to an investigation. I read the novel quickly, the chapters were very short and there were multiple narrators. Some accounts were upsetting, especially the ones that were anonymous and some were intimidating.
I hope that this isn’t the final book in the series, part of me feels that it has been brought to a close. I hope I’m wrong. I don’t think of it as an intense crime series if it was televised it would be more like No Offence than Line of Duty. Its great fun, even though the subject matters are serious.
With thanks to the publisher for the copy received via NetGalley.
Each of the novels have focused on the more worrying sides of social media. In this book, the site featured is Periscope. It is another that I have never used but one that I do understand. Sort of.
This is a series that I am up to date with, an unusual occurrence for me with all the books that are published. I have enjoyed getting to know the characters, seeing them settle into their roles and changing their views as they learn. I have seen all their strengths and many faults, these police officers are more human than some that are seen in fiction. They also have complicated relationships.
Out of the three books that have been published this is my favourite one so far. Partly because Periscope is less complicated than other social media sites but mainly because I now know these characters. My favourites, Saunders and Chips have more of a presence and there is less focus on Freddie and Nas’s past.
Freddie has grown on me over the three books. Her desire to do the right thing isn’t always the correct way from a policing point of view and she struggles at times with the choices that she makes and getting into trouble for them. The attitude of some of the police towards her role was convincing. I can believe that there are some officers who think that civilian officers are not important to an investigation. I read the novel quickly, the chapters were very short and there were multiple narrators. Some accounts were upsetting, especially the ones that were anonymous and some were intimidating.
I hope that this isn’t the final book in the series, part of me feels that it has been brought to a close. I hope I’m wrong. I don’t think of it as an intense crime series if it was televised it would be more like No Offence than Line of Duty. Its great fun, even though the subject matters are serious.
With thanks to the publisher for the copy received via NetGalley.
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