Book Review: "Conviction" By Denise Mina

An adventurous mystery

If Conviction by Denise Mina were a movie it would be a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson. After watching it you would probably think is this the stupidest or funniest movie I've ever seen? And that's exactly how I felt at the end of this mystery.

Unlike other books I've read I loved the book in the beginning and couldn't get enough but as the book went on I slowly lost interest and the multiple subplots became too much and muddled the story. I didn't truly regain interest till the last couple of chapters when the mystery was solved and everything fell into place.

Anna McDonald is a mother of two in a complicated marriage and has been hiding a dark secret for a long time. As a way to escape her marriage, dark past, and life she listens to true crime podcasts. One morning just like any other morning she gets up before her family turns on her podcast and starts listening, until she realizes she knows the victim in the podcast while discovering this her husband announces he is leaving her for her best friend and taking their children with him. Devasted, Anna still can't stop listening to the podcast and finds it a distraction from everything falling apart around her.

Finn Cohen ( her best friend's husband) comes to see Anna while she is still in shock, Anna decides it's time to take matters into her own hands and the investigation surrounding the podcast and old friend. Fin eventually agrees to join her on this adventure and record along the way not realizing they would develop a large following and soon be stars of their podcast.

As the story continued that is where I lost interest and the multiple subplots started to take place. On a wild goose chase to solve the mystery and get answers the unlikely pair still in shock from their spouse's announcement become both detectives and podcasters by default.

The adventures and scenarios the two encounter are dramatic and hard to believe. Anna and Fin are not typical main characters you feel you can connect with or are particularly likable. They both have flaws and do not give warmth to the readers. They are two people who just had their lives turned upside down and go chasing mysteries.

Overall the book was okay and I gave it three stars. Conviction is an entertaining but not a must-read book I couldn't put down. I didn't hate it but I also didn't love it.