You Think You Know Me (London & Cambridge Mysteries) Paperback – March 19, 2016

This book had me turning pages all the way through. I enjoyed the way the author left several possibilities open to make the reader keep guessing. Clues were dropped along the way, but the whole plot was not resolved until the end, so it kept me from putting the book down for very long. The character development was very well done. I felt as if I knew the main characters quite well. An enjoyable, suspenseful read.

Anna Morris is a freelance journalist trying to make it a full time job. Invited to a friend's art alley, she's thinking this may be her chance to pick up some celebrities to interview. Her friend, Seb has been out of touch for a while, so this is a chance to reconnect to him.While there she catches the eye of a man who introduces himself as Mas. Tall, dark and handsome, she's intrigued by him .. but then she discovers that Max isn't really his name. So who is he really?All of a sudden she finds herself enmeshed in the background of the art world ... deceptive deals, stolen paintings and mysterious deaths .. one that happened several years previously.She's a journalist, so by golly, she's going to investigate. But some people are telling her all about Darrick Farron - the real name of Max. And what she hears isn't good at all. But yet she is still drawn to him.Staring to doubt everything she thinks she knows, she faces more danger than she realizes ..and it's close, very close to home.Very good story premise ... strong characters. Alicia and Sally are secondary characters but they add so much to the story. Alicia is mother hen and criticizes everything Anna and Sally do. Sally is a free spirit and wants to know all the details about Anna's life. Is she just an inquisitive person .. or is something more sinister at play?Anna is a strong woman, doing her best to make all the right decisions and trying not to fall for a man who is not who he said he was. Darrick is the book boyfriend all the girls want. He's handsome, treats Anna well, and you won't know the truth about him until the very end of the book.I wish to thank the author / Choc Lit / Netgalley for the digital copy of this suspenseful story. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

The plot was very interesting, as were the characters. Sadly, this is not one of the Author's better efforts. I found the ending far too neat and tidy and I saw the set up coming about halfway through the story. It was well written, but conventional. I've read much more compelling work by this Author. I would say, skip it. I doubt I'll move onto the next book in this series.

I have liked every book by Clare Chase. Enjoyably written. Lots of twists with everything tied up in the end.

In You Think You Know Me, Clare Chase explores the mystery behind the past death of a young woman that was thought to be suicide – and the relationships behind it.The story involves journalist Anna Morris who has just moved to London to see if she can cut it as a freelancer. She has an interest in the art world which brings her into contact with old friends and new. She’s a little naïve and unsure of herself and the mystery begins when she falls for the enigmatic Darrick Farron but discovers he’s not what he seems. As her new life starts to feel precarious she’s forced to question who she can trust including gallery owner and her former lover Sebastian Rice who offers her a job – and a steady income – out of the blue. Why?The story is an involving read. Told in the first person, it takes us into the mind of Anna and the confusion and fear she feels about the spiralling mystery into the death so many years before. For me, the real strength of the writing is in the characterisation. Anna herself is forced to dig deep and find her inner courage. And I found Anna’s flatmate Sally particularly well drawn as she shows unexpected depth under pressure. Other characters are similarly interesting – and suspect – although Darrick remained a little too enigmatic for this reader and a scene of suppressed violence remained unexplained. I also question whether Anna's sexual attraction to him really gave her an insight into her deeper feelings.The tension builds slowly through the first half of the book with much detail of Anna’s new life in the shared house in London. Around the middle chapters I began to feel that frisson of fear that a good mystery inspires. Then the climax came as a complete surprise with an unexpected twist.If I have a criticism of You Think You Know Me, it’s the way the threads are resolved at the end through dialogue. As a writer of first person mysteries myself, I wonder how the events that took place years before could have been presented to the reader in a more immediate way than by two characters reporting them to each other in a long conversation. The climax happens before all discoveries are made, and I wonder if Anna could have discovered a few more details herself, through her own sleuthing, before the dramatic scene that reveals the true culprit and stops further investigation into the mystery. But that’s the eternal question for all authors :-)

Edgy! I think I know who the Culprit is/Then Until the end...I’m Surprised

Psychological thriller with lots of twists to keep you guessing. With interesting and fun character to keep you entertained. Overall a great read.

After reading a few 3 star comments on Goodreads, I had my doubts about this book. Fortunately, the sample I downloaded – the first 4 chapters – totally got me. Some readers might think this a 'slow' book, instead, I felt that it reads like a psychological thriller, intentional, sure footed. The ending was quite unexpected. It is not slow, I liked the pace. I enjoyed the main characters and didn't find the heroine annoying like other heroines in other mystery books. In the end, I couldn't sleep until I finished the book late into the morning. I plan to read this again and savour it. Very well done if this was indeed a first novel. Original.

Excellent mystery absolute absorbing great read regards

Suspense, intrigue and thrills in a story that kept me guessing throughout."Sometimes, it's not easy to tell the good guys from the bad.Freelance journalist, Anna Morris, is...flung into the shady underground of the art scene - a world of underhand dealings, missing paintings and mysterious deaths."All the characters, even minor ones, are three-dimensional and believable and they all have their part to play in the intricate plot. I found the details of the workings of the art world fascinating and I'll use that as my excuse for totally failing to spot whodunnit. The writer has the knack of making you suspect everyone until your head is spinning.The slow build up through the first three quarters of the book felt frustrating at times but once I'd got my breath back after the tension of the last few chapters I could see how cleverly plotted it all was.Highly recommended for readers who enjoy well written, thought provoking suspense.My copy was purchased from Amazon Kindle store.

Clare Chase is now one of my favourite authors. This novel is a "Special" !!