Perhaps it’s not even fair to compare Mina’s previous novels to Conviction because this latest is so different, it seems to have been written by someone else—some glorious genetically engineered composite of Mina herself along with Daphne du Maurier...fellow Scot Helen MacInnes...and, especially toward the end, Lisa Scottoline...Conviction is spectacular; if you, dear reader, can sanely spread your enjoyment of it out over, say, a week, you’re a more disciplined consumer of suspense fiction than I am. I inhaled this novel in two extended sittings in one day ... As much as it is a weird suspense tale in which both ghosts and bullets fly through the air, Conviction is a giddy celebration of the art of storytelling itself ... it’s a testament to Mina’s considerable storytelling gifts that by the end of Conviction, I wanted to go right back to the beginning and read all those intertwined tales all over again.
Denise Mina’s work is increasingly intriguing ... Her newest novel might be described as a fictional non-fiction. It is a thriller that often evokes an almost Hitchcock-like air of paranoia, doubt, double identities, sexual frisson ... a novel which...is fascinated with story above all else ... Conviction is one of those rare and perfect titles, meaning both a belief profoundly held and to have been found guilty. The genius of the novel is that it reiterates that old phrase that a wise man once said—'the truth will set you free'—and it does so via fiction.
In Scottish author Denise Mina’s Conviction...Anna McDonald of Glasgow has gone to great lengths to keep her shocking back story secret... Ms. Mina has long been an outstanding writer, but in Conviction she combines all her gifts—for suspense, humor, menace, sentiment—in spectacular fashion.
It’s a brilliantly plotted, deeply complex psychological thriller, and also an intelligent black comedy with emotional depth and an uplifting outlook. The story is gritty at times—it includes some violence and profanity—but the gutsy heroine at its center grabs the reader’s heart as she and her sidekick crime-solver grapple with clues and villains, seeking justice and redemption as the tension mounts ... It’s exhilarating to watch [Anna and Fin's] self-esteem and friendship grow while they dodge dangerous assassins from her past. The incredibly connected modern world of social media (and its negative and positive effects) becomes an impressive character in its own right. Mina is a master storyteller: Conviction reels you in, daring you to keep up with the clues and surprises that its entwined mysteries share.
...[a] deftly plotted new crime thriller ... Mina’s prose is full of poetic gems. No wonder she’s won all those prizes! ... Throughout the novel, Mina effectively conveys Anna’s state of mind, and while she doesn’t always make the best decisions, you can believe in her ... You’re in for quite an adventure, at times a deadly one, with this intriguing tale!
Mina’s grim gangster time hop, The Long Drop (2017) seemed unbeatable, but Mina—pivoting dramatically here—delivers another winner with this suspenseful, humorous, and surprisingly hopeful ode to storytelling. Mina’s longtime fans will happily recognize traces of Paddy Meehan’s snarky survivors’ nature as Anna chain-smokes her way toward a satisfying showdown.
A compelling, complex thriller ... [a] crackling tale ... This one has it all: sexual predation, financial skulduggery, reluctant heroism, even the power of social media.
...[a] spellbinding thriller ... balancing introspections on modern life and human nature with laugh-out-loud humor. Mina delivers a metafictional marvel that both endorses and exemplifies the power of storytelling.
