Author Cristian Cuevas recently released A Fool Believes, his chilling debut about the twisted dual personas of a high-functioning addict. Based on the real-life spiral of a longtime friend, Cuevas adds depth to this harrowing tale by drawing upon his own experiences as an outsider looking into someone else’s nightmare.

Although names have been changed to protect the identities of those involved, A Fool Believes is a true story that follows one man’s meteoric rise and inevitable collapse to rock bottom. On the surface, John is the portrait of the American dream—top car salesman in Texas, prosperous, a family man. But beneath that façade is John’s growing passion for a rock-star lifestyle of sports cars, gambling, and drugs.  

As John’s sales tactics veer from questionable to downright criminal, the highs take John to new lows as he’s forced to confront the debt to both his creditors and his conscience. With thugs demanding payment and screwed-over military clients knocking at his door, John must rely on an eclectic cast of friends to see him through a gauntlet of his own making.

Fans of Frank W. Abagnale’s “Catch Me If You Can” will connect with John’s gray sense of morality and his love of the good life for as long as it lasts. Although A Fool Believes is best suited to adult audiences of all ages, some themes—like John’s search for self-acceptance and belonging—may resonate with younger adults in particular.

A Fool Believes emphasizes the importance of believing in yourself and learning to reconnect with your true nature no matter how far astray you wander. Readers praise Cuevas’s realistic dialogue and commitment to accurately portraying a complex topic like addiction. Describing A Fool Believes as “a triumph,” reviewers agree that Cuevas is an up-and-coming name to watch.

A Fool Believes is available for purchase on Amazon.com. Cristian Cuevas is an American author from Texas. He attended University in Los Angeles where he pursued film acting and writing. He currently works in the automotive industry while attending college for law.