
Narrator: Cathleen McCarron
Published by Hachette Audio on June 18, 2019
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Length: 9 hours, 46 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple




The day Anna McDonald's quiet, respectable life explodes starts off like all the days before: packing up the kids for school, making breakfast, listening to yet another true crime podcast. Then her husband comes downstairs with an announcement, and Anna is suddenly, shockingly alone.
Reeling and desperate for distraction, Anna returns to the podcast. Other people's problems are much better than one's own--a sunken yacht, a murdered family, a hint of international conspiracy, but this case actually is Anna's problem. She knows one of the victims from an earlier life, a life she's taken great pains to leave behind, and she is convinced that she knows what really happened.
Then an unexpected visitor arrives on her front stoop; a meddling neighbor intervenes; and life as Anna knows it is well and truly over. The devils of her past are awakened--and in hot pursuit. Convinced she has no other options, she goes on the run, and in pursuit of the truth, with a washed-up musician at her side and the podcast as her guide.
When looking for a stand-alone book in between series, my go to  is the Reese’s Book Club, mostly because there is a great selection of mysteries featuring strong, capable women. This is how I found Denise Mina’s Conviction; part adventure thriller, part true-crime podcast, and completely engrossing. I had no idea what the story was about, and admit to being wary when I realized part of the story would be in a podcast format, but the yellow stamp on the front of the book has yet to disappoint, and I was willing to stick with it.
Denise Mina’s writing is sharp and evocative with a narrative that is both fast-paced and thought-provoking. The intricacies of the plot are expertly woven with twists that keep you guessing until the end. Though I’d classify Conviction as an Adventure Thriller, themes such as the reliability of memory, the impact of trauma, and the moral ambiguity inherent in the pursuit of truth are also explored. The protagonist’s journey is not just about solving a crime; it is also a personal quest for redemption that resonates on multiple levels.
The prologue lays out the basics of Anna McDonald’s secretive past. She’s been living a lie, and is now writing a tell-all novel because the careful, safe life she has constructed for her herself has imploded. I didn’t find Anna to be a very likeable heroine and I wondered if she was being set up as an anti-hero. She had all of the characteristics I look for in a heroine; smart, capable, resourceful, determined, loyal, etc. But there was something in the tone of her innermost thoughts and the disdain she seemed to have for nearly every other human that made me dislike her. Aside from the love she has for her children, she seemed to be simply pretending to care about everything else.
As the story unfolds, the reasons for her embittered state are obvious; and some might say she redeems herself by the end of the book. But honestly, I still didn’t really like her and I definitely would not want to be friends with her. It might have been the not-so-flattering similarities between my own thoughts and Anna’s that made me uncomfortable, but those same things allowed me to relate and understand her motivations and decisions as a character. While this might not sound like a glowing review, I honestly think it is a testament to the author’s brilliance that I was able to engage with and invest in the outcome of the story despite of my conflicted feelings about the main character.
Anna’s unlikely companion in this adventure, Fin, by contrast, was so easy to like it was ridiculous.    He’s supposed to be this charismatic, legendary artist, but we see him in all of his flawed frailty. Their friendship develops throughout the novel into a sort of give-and-take. Fin garners strength from Anna and with her support finds a way to manage his self-destructive thoughts and actions. Fin thaws something in Anna, awakens feelings she’d suppressed for so long out of fear, and keeps her tethered to her present when she feels as if her life is falling apart.
Conviction is an engrossing read that engages your mind and heart.  It is a clever blend of suspense and introspection with compelling, complex characters that don’t always behave as you’d expect.
Narration:
I enjoyed Cathleen McCarron’s performance of Conviction very much. Her pacing and diction were excellent. Since part of the narrative is in the format of a True Crime podcast, I think listening in audio gives the story a bit of authenticity.
Listen to a clip:Â HERE
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Thanks for putting this on my radar. It does sound good.
Love the cover on this one, and it sounds really unique! I need to read one of Reese’s book picks some day. Some have been ones that are already on my TBR too. Great review!
Intriguing! 😀