Convince Me

This uneven psychological thriller from Sadowsky (The Empty Bed) opens at the funeral of handsome, gregarious L.A. entrepreneur Justin Childs, who died in a car accident. Annie, his 31-year-old widow, is skeptical of the police theory that Justin was under the influence of Valium “when his car shot over a tight curve on Mulholland Drive and plummeted down a mountainside,” and teams with another mourner, Will Barber, Justin’s old friend and business partner (who was about to join him in launching a startup, Convincer Media), to investigate. They soon discover Justin lied to them about his personal and professional finances. Meanwhile, Justin’s mother is desperate to protect her son’s reputation, and will stop at nothing to keep his secrets from coming to light. Annie and Will assume their roles as amateur sleuths with aplomb, but there’s little tension as they uncover Justin’s villainous past, given that Justin doesn’t pose much of a threat in death. Sadowsky fans will hope for more excitement next time. Agent: Jeff Kleinman and Claudia Cross, Folio Literary Management. (Aug.)