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    Don't Believe It
    Don't Believe It
    Don't Believe It
    Audiobook10 hours

    Don't Believe It

    Written by Charlie Donlea

    Narrated by Nina Alvamar

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    From acclaimed author Charlie Donlea comes a twisting, impossible-to-put-down novel of suspense in which a filmmaker helps clear a woman convicted of murder-only to find she may be a pawn in a sinister game. The Girl of Sugar Beach is the most watched documentary in television history-a riveting, true-life mystery that unfolds over twelve weeks and centers on a fascinating question: Did Grace Sebold murder her boyfriend, Julian, while on a Spring Break vacation, or is she a victim of circumstance and poor police work? Grace has spent the last ten years in a St. Lucian prison, and reaches out to filmmaker Sidney Ryan in a last, desperate attempt to prove her innocence. As Sidney begins researching, she uncovers startling evidence, additional suspects, and timeline issues that were all overlooked during the original investigation. Before the series even finishes filming, public outcry leads officials to reopen the case. But as the show surges towards its final episodes, Sidney receives a letter saying that she got it badly, terribly wrong. Sidney has just convinced the world that Grace is innocent. Now she wonders if she has helped to free a ruthless killer. Delving into Grace's past, she peels away layer after layer of deception. But as Sidney edges closer to the real heart of the story, she must decide if finding the truth is worth risking her newfound fame, her career.even her life.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMay 29, 2018
    ISBN9781501994739
    Author

    Charlie Donlea

    USA Today bestselling author Charlie Donlea was born and raised in Chicago. He now lives in the suburbs with his wife and two young children. Readers can find him online at charliedonlea.com.

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    Reviews for Don't Believe It

    4.5/5

    123 ratings13 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Wow! Brilliant... and that ending had me gobsmacked. So glad I found this author

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      One of the best mysteries I’ve read in a long time. Had me guessing & changing my guesses multiple times. Narration was good for female characters, but not so good for male characters but the story line was so good I just ignored that as I was engrossed in the story.
    • 5/5
      Good read. I Enjoyed both the story and narrator's voice. .
    • 5/5
      Great Thriller, couldn’t put it down, a great holiday read, it’s easy fast reading and extremely intriguing. I found the end a little disappointing but a great ending for readers to want more. Can’t wait for a sequence!!! When is it coming out?
    • 4/5
      Don't Believe It by Charlie Donlea is a compulsively readable mystery about a documentary filmmaker's latest project that could exonerate a convicted killer.

      Sidney Ryan has made a name for herself with her true crime documentaries that have exonerated three people wrongly convicted of crimes they did not commit. So after months of letters from Grace Sebold, who is convicted of killing her boyfriend, Julian Crist, Sidney heads to St. Lucia to begin filming for an upcoming project. Grace's claims of innocence are compelling and as Sidney revisits the ten year old case, she quickly discovers some troubling information about the original investigation.  Sidney soon wonders if Grace's claims of innocence might just be true which raises the intriguing question about who, in fact, killed Julian.

      Sidney is quite tenacious as she re-examines Grace's case. She is not certain that Grace is innocent but she is not convinced she is a murderer either. She reviews the case files with an open mind but she is nonetheless surprised by medical examiner Dr. Livia Cutty's findings after she looks at Julian's autopsy report. This shocking discovery is a huge turning point in the documentary and Sidney doggedly continues searching for exculpatory evidence that could clear Grace's name.

      In the meantime, Gus Morelli is in a rehab facility where he is recovering from recent surgery. He stumbles across the documentary as it is airing on TV and he is very interested in the information that Sidney is uncovering. With the help of his physical therapist, Gus contacts Sidney and what he tells her about Grace is incredibly explosive and threatens to derail her entire project. Needless to say, Sidney is dismayed by these revelations, but she cannot in good conscious ignore this stunning information.

      Don't Believe It is an incredibly riveting mystery that is impossible to put down.  All of the characters are well-drawn and engaging with plenty of depth and relatable strengths and weaknesses.  The chapters weave back and forth between excerpts from Sidney's documentary and the events unfolding in the present. With plenty of clever red herrings and cunning misdirects, Charlie Donlea brings the novel to a twist-filled and shocking conclusion that is completely unexpected.  Fans of the genre do not want to miss this spellbinding mystery.
    • 4/5
      Don’t Believe it by Charlie Donlea is a 2018 Kensington publication. St. Lucia- The perfect place for a spring break excursion, weddings, or marriage proposals. Grace is positive her boyfriend, Julian, is about to pop the question, but their vacation quickly turns into a nightmare. Tragedy strikes before Julian has a chance to propose, and his death is ruled a homicide. Grace is swiftly arrested and convicted of his murder. The case was an open and shut slam dunk. But, in her letters to Sidney Ryan, Grace swears she is innocent. True Crime, ‘wrongfully convicted’, documentaries are all the craze. Capitalizing on this, Sidney Ryan, a freelance filmmaker, thinks the 'Sugar Beach' case will make a compelling story. Despite some doubts, the network gives her the green light. But, when Sidney arrives in St. Lucia, she uncovers evidence that Grace had never mentioned- evidence that points to her guilt- not her innocence. But, Sydney also sees the dubious way the investigation was handled. Was Grace guilty or innocent? Will Sydney’s documentary raise more questions than it answers? The ratings are through the roof, but has justice finally be done? This brisk, and timely thriller, cleverly takes advantage of the current true crime documentary trend. Only in this case, there are a few hidden dangers our documentary filmmaker never counted on. Not only that, the secondary characters are all intertwined with Grace in surprising ways, exposing motives and resentments that never came out at the trial. But, niggling doubts linger about Grace’s innocence, while Sydney grapples with the magnitude of the documentary’s success against the personal risks she must take to find the truth. The atmosphere is authentic and tense, nailing the true crime formula of these mega popular documentaries and crime shows with a realistic look at what goes on behind closed doors at the network studios. It also has the feel of a cold case, which is one of my very favorite mystery tropes. There are plenty of jaw dropping revelations, and a huge last minute twist, that left me breathless. I do hope this author writes fast, and is right this minute working on a follow up to this book!! I’ve heard some great things about this author, but this is my first impression of his work. Needless, to say, it will not be the last. I will be looking up his other books, and impatiently awaiting his next release. 4 stars
    • 5/5
      Sidney Ryan is an up and coming documentary producer about to tackle the story of a lifetime. One that could make or break her career. For the past two years she has been receiving letters from Grace Sebold, convicted of killing her boyfriend while vacationing in St Lucia ten years prior. Grace claims she is innocent and needs help proving she had nothing to do with the murder of her boyfriend. Grace had a bright future ahead of her before being tried and convicted of killing her boyfriend.

      Sidney, with three successful documentaries under her belt, decides to go on a fact finding mission, which leads to holes in the case against Grace. Sidney’s documentary, Girl on the Beach, garners nationwide attention, leading her in the top spot in ratings. The documentary also sensationalizes the case against Grace when new evidence comes to light that has the potential to exonerate Grace after serving ten years in a St Lucia correctional facility. Is Grace performing one hell of an act or is she really innocent after all? Sidney wonders the same thing when she receives a letter that points to Grace being much more than what she claims to be. Is fame and fortune worth more to Sidney than the truth, because her life may depend on the answer to that question.

      True crime documentaries are a huge hit on television. The Investigation Discovery channel on cable has many highly watched shows devoted to true crimes. It is one of the few channels in my home that is watched most frequently. Personally, I have always been interested in true crime stories from serial killers to murders and at best these type of shows sensationalize crimes that have taken place. So, it comes as no surprise that when I read the synopsis of Don’t Believe It by Charlie Donlea, I knew I had to read it. I am ecstatic to say that the story does not disappoint. I was sucked in right from the start as the story slowly builds leading to a twist that shocked the heck out of me. You ever get so shocked that your jaw just drops? Yeah, that was me! The ending is completely mind blowing and one that the author took a huge risk on, but it works and I wish more authors had the courage to do what was done here.

      Don’t Believe It starts out strong with a solid plot that holds its momentum straight through to the end. I could not find one hole in this story at all. Everything worked from the suspense to the characters and through all the twists and turns. The entire story is so detailed and well written that I could not find one thing wrong with it. The story was gripping and quite honestly, I had a hard time figuring out if Grace Sebold was guilty or not. Charlie Donlea is definitely an author to watch out for. Five stars is not enough praise for this story. If Don’t Believe it is not on your TBR you are seriously missing out!
    • 4/5
      With true crime documentaries (Making of a Murderer, etc.) being the new thing being streamed by audiences through Netflix, etc., this book delves right into that newfound popularity.Sidney Ryan has a new idea whereby the documentary is produced weekly and then streamed at the end of that week. There are an unknown number of episodes as Sidney has no idea how the story will end. Her subject is Grace Sebold, who has many names such as "Grisly Grace", etc. Grace is in jail having served ten years of her life sentence for killing her fiancee by pushing him off a mountainside into the water below in St. Lucia.There is also an elderly man named Gus who has just had one of his legs removed due to cancer and is in rehab learning to deal with this situation. The reader is advised that he worked in police enforcement, however, that doesn't happen right away. They are also not made aware of what Gus's role is going to be in the book for a while. However, he does become a very intricate part of the story.The U.S. Attorney's office also gets involved as Grace is a U.S. citizen in jail in a foreign country who may be innocent. All of these things just add to the plot to garner a few more very interesting twists.I found it fascinating to read and watch how Sidney Ryan deals with all these situations. Of course, that's not the only thing that held my attention. The ending with its multitude of twists was crazy. I was shocked!! I will say though, I did not like a certain part of the ending. That's not what I wanted to happen, at all!! Ha!!An interesting read that held me spellbound throughout the whole book.Did she or didn't she? You gotta read it to know. And, it's worth it.Thanks to Kensington Books and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
    • 5/5
      As I started reading the first few pages of the book, I wanted to crawl under the covers and hide. The author grips readers with vivid details of Julian's last moments on this earth. I felt the slam to the back of the head and saw the red crimson blood dripping onto his shoulders. I knew this would be a book I couldn't put down. Why would someone so viciously murder Julian ? Could it be his girlfriend, Grace who in an act of rage who took his life?When the verdict of guilty of first degree murder is read, Grace showed little emotion except to appear about reading to faint. What must be running through her mind as she is taken away? Her freedom is gone and she must spend her life behind bars reliving the nightmare she just went through. Years later Grace is sill claiming her innocence. Sidney is an outstanding character with credentials that are very impressive. Her world will be turned upside down as she receives a letter from Grace ten years later while still in prison. She wants Sidney to prove her innocence. It was very creepy for me to read that Sidney has traveled to St. Lucia to stay in the same room Grace stayed in ten years ago. I liked the description of the area and found it to be very inviting. Sidney is not there to take in the sights , but to see if she can change Grace's life and prove her innocent. The documentary that Sidney is working on about Julian's murder is intense and very detailed. Will the help of Inspector Pierre help Grace or will she forever be guilty to the world? Some say the system rushed her conviction because they didn't want to hurt their tourism. Sidney must work closely with everyone to find the real truth behind Julian's murder.As Sidney starts to interview Grace in prison, I loved the mention of the love lock. In Paris, couples have their names engraved on a lock. They then go to Pont des Arts Bridge and secure the log to the bridge. The key is tossed in the Seine. The lock symbolizes that you have found the person you want to spend your life with. Grace and Julian never made it to Paris, but to Sidney that lock shows their love for each other. I thought it was such a beautiful thing to do and I'm glad the author included it in Graces story.As Sidney starts to dig deeper into Grace's conviction, she starts to question if Grace was wrongly convicted. I loved the details of the crime lab and how the tests were run to prove evidence was not handled correctly. Sidney's documentary about the case being done live has gained a lot of attention. The story is captivating and will have you staying up late to finish. The book is packed with intrigue and has the government starting to take notice of the documentary. There are a few graphic parts in the story that may bother some along with a few cuss words. But I hope it won't keep you from reading on the best thrillers of the year. Its one of the best thrillers I've read with twists that caught me by surprise. Just when you think you have solved the crime, the author cleverly takes you in an unexpected direction. Expect the unexpected in this explosive story with an ending that will make you shake your head in shock. I received a copy of this book from The Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour. The review is my own opinion.
    • 4/5
      Sydney is an up and comer in the television business. She tackles legal cases with a questionable outcome. Her last three documentaries have proven that the innocent have been imprisoned, securing their releases. Grace Sebold has sat in prison in St. Lucia for the last ten years, convicted of the murder of her boyfriend. insisting all the while that she is innocent, she contacts Sidney. Sidney decides to investigate the case, and do so while making a new type of documentary. The audience will find out what she learns, as she herself learns it, good or bad.Loved the way this was written, following the same format as that of the popular Serial or Making of a murderer. The book is divided, at least the first two thirds, into the investigating of evidence, interviewing those involved, and talking to Grace in prison. A rather unique inclusion, a retired detective who is in the hospital recovering from a leg amputation, he will become integral in the forming the conclusion of the case. It takes a big, unexpected twist towards the end, one I didn't see coming, and I had thought I had it all figured. Not! ARC from Netgalley.
    • 4/5
      I was sent this book by the publisher, Kensington books. My ratings and reviews will be my own personal opinions and are in no way influenced by publishers or authors who may have sent me books to review.If you love real crime documentaries, you will love Don’t Believe It. This is a story based on a crime committed on St. Lucia ten years prior. Grace continues to claim her innocence, and a documentary is going to be made to go through the evidence to help prove once and for all if Grace is incident. I really loved the mystery around the murder, as it really did keep you guessing. I will say though I thought I had everything figured out within 40 pages, and I ended up being right! Even though I thought I knew what happened, I still really enjoyed the twists along the way. I loved being able to examine the evidence along with the show, as it really makes you feel like you are along for the ride.I really enjoyed the writing style, and I like that the flashbacks of the murder were told in a TV episode format. However; at times the story would cover too many details around other stories and also around things I just did not care for. For example, I really did not care about camera angles or the filming around the documentary. I just wanted it to move on to the episodes.I also loved how Gus comes into the story, as I did not see what he brought to the story coming.Overall, I think this was an overall great mystery! It is one of my favorite of the year so far!
    • 4/5
      Sidney Ryan has put together the most watched documentary in television history. The Girl of Sugar Beach is a true-life mystery that is running in real time. The audience finds out exactly what happened ten years ago in St. Lucia when an American woman was accused of murdering her American boyfriend. Is Grace Sebold guilty or did the police want everything tied up in a neat little package to avoid a drop in tourism and money? The audience seems to think Grace is innocent and it looks as if she's getting out of that St. Lucian prison soon. Sidney has been uncovering startling evidence, things that were overlooked during the original investigation. But as the television series races towards its final episodes, Sidney receives a letter saying she got it all wrong.Charlie Donlea is one of those authors, for me, where I don't have to read the blurb because I already know it's going to be good. If you've read his last book you'll recognize some names in this one, which I liked. I liked the aspect of Sidney Ryan digging around to free those who were wrongly accused and airing Grace Sebold's story on tv in real time. I found it easy to envision a group of friends in St. Lucia for a wedding and then everything being torn apart and everyone having to go on with their lives in different ways. Some things were convenient and the ending was a little far-fetched but overall it's another solid and entertaining read from this author.Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for an ARC.
    • 5/5
      Loved this book!!!! It was amazing and one of my favorite books that I read this year. After reading "Summit Lake" (which I LOVED), I became a huge fan of the author and get excited when there's a new book out.This book definitely has twists and turns and I didn't want to put it down. I was hooked immediately. Grumpy retired Detective Gus Morelli became one of my favorite characters and I never suspected the important part he would play in Grace's story. I loved how he was still seeking to get the truth out about what really happened.Sidney Ryan decides to film a real-time documentary on Grace Sebold. Grace has been sitting ten years in a prison in St. Lucia after being convicted of murdering her boyfriend. Sidney starts her own investigation and discovers some new evidence. There's even an appearance from Dr. Livia Cutty. Grace's friends, Ellie, Daniel, Charlotte and her brother Marshall play a major role in the whole story. I wasn't expecting the ending. I thought I might know who the killers was, but I kept changing my mind. I wasn't completely surprised but the motives behind it were scary.Now that I finished the book, I wish the story wasn't over!!! Even though Grace was released from prison she is still stuck in one for the rest of her life.I LOVED the book so I definitely recommend it. I also recommend "Summit Lake and "The Girl Who Was Taken" because they were just as amazing. I can't wait to read the author's next book. Thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books and the author, Charlie Donlea, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.