Trust Me by T.M Logan

Synopsis

TWO STRANGERS, A CHILD, AND A SPLIT SECOND CHOICE THAT WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING . . .

Ellen was just trying to help a stranger. That was how it started: giving a few minutes respite to a flustered young mother sitting opposite her on the train. A few minutes holding her baby while the mother makes an urgent call. The weight of the child in her arms making Ellen’s heart ache for what she can never have.

Five minutes pass.
Ten.

The train pulls into a station and Ellen is stunned to see the mother hurrying away down the platform, without looking back. Leaving her baby behind. Ellen is about to raise the alarm when she discovers a note in the baby’s bag, three desperate lines scrawled hastily on a piece of paper:

Please protect Mia
Don’t trust the police
Don’t trust anyone

Why would a mother abandon her child to a stranger? Ellen is about to discover that the baby in her arms might hold the key to an unspeakable crime. And doing the right thing might just cost her everything . . .

Review
Trust Me is the first book I have read by bestselling author T.M Logan. It has a wonderful premise that makes for an intruguing and heartfelt read. Ellen Devlin is travelling back to London after an appointment at her infertility clinic that has not gone as well as she wanted. Feeling hurt and disappointed the last thing she wants is for a young mother and baby to sit across from her. Asked by the young mother, Kathryn, to hold Mia whilst she makes a phone call the Ellen is shocked when Kathryn to leaves her literally holding the baby. A note tells Ellen to trust no one, including the police. As Ellen’s life seems to spiral into a week of danger and uncertainty, never knowing who to trust or why Mia’s life needs protecting she is in a race against time and an unkown assailant,in this tense and emotive thriller.

Trust Me is narrated by several of he main characters including Ellen and the two police officers investigating her claims, DI Gilbourne and DS Holt. From Ellen’s point of view the situaton she finds herself in is ironic, in that she is forty one, has infertility issues that have cost her her marriage, and her ex husband of only three months is now having a baby with his new girlfriend; a real kick in the teeth. Obviously her instincts are to protect Mia, but in this case just what does protecting her involve, and just who do you trust, especially if it’s not the police. Ellen is an intelligent woman but it is her emotions and heart that lead her decisions where Mia is concerned, her protective nature comes out and ultimately puts her in some very frightening positions. I did feel empathy for her situation, it almost seemed cruel for her to have a baby to look after but ultimately have it taken away. Her story, being handed the baby, not taking Mia directly to the police, seem very suspicious and through DI Gilbourne and DS Holt we see how the investigation pans out, why was Mia left with Ellen and why she finds herself in danger.

I found Trust Me to be a real slow burner, not really gaining momentum until the last fifty pages or so. There were several different plot lines that seemed very disparate, and I felt took my attention from the main story line. They did all come together at the end but I felt at least one wasn’t really necessary and at times I did get a bit bored and distracted by this. However, T.M Logan did get my attention back towards the shocking conclusion, where all the twists and turns, and different characters finally came together. I may have worked out some of the mystery of this book, but I have to admit that T.M Logan really kept me guessing with his many red herrings and plot twist.

Overall I really enjoyed Trust Me, and loved the premise of the book, which would make a great book club read with the discussion on what you would do in Ellen’s place. It is a real smoke and mirrors read, no one is what they first seem, and the plot goes off in several different tangents whose importance is only revealed at the very end. Tension and suspense simmer throughout this meticulously and intelligently plotted emotional thriller.

I would like to thank Zaffre Books and Tracy Fenton of Compulsive Readers for inviting me to take part in this blog tour in return for my honest review.