Member Reviews
If you’re looking for a juicy domestic thriller to pack on your own vacation or trip to the pool, One Little Secret is a good choice. It’s a suburban noir filled with exaggerated characters you won't quite like or root for (except for the detective) and some exciting twists and turns. Some of the plot points reminded me of Big Little Lies, but without that story’s depth and poignancy. It’s a fun soapy drama that you’ll speed through easily.
Three couples rent a beach house for a vacation. After one night, one of the women ends up murdered. Everyone has secrets and everyone has a motive. I wasn't that into the book. The characters were unlikable, with maybe one or two exceptions, and there were so many huge secrets between various individuals despite the title of this book. Two stars.
Three couples decide to rent a home in the Hampton’s while their children are away at camp but one member of the group is found dead the morning after they arrive. The investigation immediately focuses on the friends sharing the house and more than a few have a motive. Who was driven to kill, the neighbors being sued by the victim, her husband, or someone else? This is a fantastic psychological thriller that examines the lives led behind closed doors.
Cate Holahan has created a world where spousal jealousy, infidelity and a threat to financial stability lead to the death of a friend. The story is gripping and I surprised by every twist and turn as the story was laid out. I highly recommend this book to shine who enjoys reading suspenseful tales and enjoys unpredictable twists. .
I really enjoying the beginning of this book. I was intrigued by the storyline, and the changing viewpoints. But I felt like as it went further, I felt like I lost the connection to the characters. The storylines that I thought would come together instead just seemed to confuse the story. By the end of it, I was frustrated. The “reveal” seemed to just be a way to “shock” the reader, rather than helping the story come to a conclusion. Very disappointing for how good it started.
A well written novel with great character development. Three couples go spend time in a vacation beach house. They are neighbors and they all share secrets. Some characters are nicer than others but they are all hiding something. There are several satisfying twists but my problem with this book is that it was described as a mystery, when it is more of a drama. There is a dead body and a detective but the focus is more on the dynamics of the relationships amongst the characters. Since this is not a genre I enjoy, I could never fully get into the action but for someone who enjoys those kinds of novels, it is worth reading. I really liked the detective and her realistic approach to justice but I was never completely invested in the resolution of the mystery.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Crooked Lane Books!
So many secrets....little ones, big ones, twisty ones. I liked this book so much. I love not being able to guess how a story is going to play out and this book definitely had me guessing up until (almost) the very end. Well written and easy to read.
I loved the writing style, it was such an enjoyable reading experience thanks to that and the short chapters that made for a quick read. It was entertaining and a great thriller all in all.
Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I don't want to give too much away about this book, but I enjoyed it. Its told over 3 days and has each character speak in their voices to build the suspense of the novel.
This is the first book of Cate Holahan's that I have read and I truly enjoyed her writing style. She didn't add extra fluff in but rather kept the book to the point which made it extremely easy to read, understand and enjoy. I was able to read this over the course of 2 days. Entertaining novel and I look forward to read more of her work.
One Little Secret by Cate Holahan is a brilliantly written novel enabling the reader to feel suspense as they whizz through the chapters.
The characters within the novel are very thought through and the reader is enable to visualise their appearance as well as learn about their personalities through the words on the page. Gabby who is a detective is a strong female lead and it this is nice to read as she is seen as a feminist character. Each character adds their own input into the story and their lives are all intertwined through a series of events which will be revealed within the novel.
Each chapter is full of suspense and they are nice and short so the reader is not left hanging or bored with the content. The plot is structured into two strands: before and after the murder.
The settings are beautiful within the book and they can only be described as a paradise haven where only the rich of the rich get to go. Pathetic fallacy is used a lot to set the tone of each chapter as the plot twists and turns.
As the reader you go through a roller coaster of emotions throughout as who to side with and trying to work out who is lying and who is telling the truth. and you are constantly question yourself as to whodunit.
The story is set for the most part in a huge glass rental house, and the saying "people in glass houses should not throw stones" perfectly applies to this novel.
Overall I think this was a very good novel by Holahan and I will not hesitate to pick up another of her books in the future, as I read this one in only one weekend!
ONE LITTLE SECRET by Cate Holahan was a very easy, fast paced read. Great mystery/thriller to keep you reading. The characters are engaging (well most of them) and the plot twists are unexpected and fun.
The very first chapter of "One Little Secret" by Cate Holohan had me hooked. The book follows three couples who decide to vacation together on a waterfront beach property. Each couple has its own set of secrets that are revealed throughout the novel. One night of too much drinking, a body found on the beach, and the secrets start to unravel. There are plenty of surprises to be found in this thriller that will keep you guessing.
I really enjoyed this book! I was pretty confused at first as there were so many characters introduced quickly but the plot was great, the storyline unexpected and am overall great and easy read, definitely recommend!
A group of neighbors rent a beach house together, and one of them ends up murdered! It took me a few pages to get hooked on One Little Secret, but then I couldn’t stop. There were many layers to the characters and the story. Just when you think you know who committed the murder, then something else happens in the story. A great beach read!
One little secret? How about a hundred along with a hundred clues? Glass houses and stones. Twists and turns. Drinking and secrets never mix. An excellent mix of thriller and mystery this is a great summer read about three couples on holiday and then one was dead.
I enjoyed this book. The characters were richly layered, each with flaws but most still sympathetic. The alternating timelines ratchet up the tension until you just can’t wait to find out the identity of the killer.
This book took a while to get into. It was a really slow start for me and there was a lot of internal dialogue/description that really had me skimming over pages. About 40% through, it picked up and I grew interested in what was happening. Then about 60% through, it started to get slow again. I did finish it and I didn’t hate it, it’s not one of my favorites but the story was good and the overall idea of women watching out for women is so important and needs to be heard. I did expect a few of the twists, but I didn’t know who the murdered was..which is always a good surprise! I’m usually good at picking them out. Overall, I would read this author again but I do wish it had sucked me in quicker. Still worth the read!
Thank you so much for the digital copy! This was my first Cate Holahan book & it was awesome! I became so engrossed in the characters & could picture them together. I love mystery/thrillers and this one did not disappoint . It kept me guessing right to the very end! Well done !!
Thank you to NetGalley, Cate Holahan and Crooked Lane Books for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.
The beach house is supposed to be a nice getaway Susan needed to get a break from her kids and to make friends with her new neighbors. So she invites her neighbors on a weeklong sublet with her and her workaholic husband. The liquor loosens lips and the three couples begin to pick up on other’s martial tensions and work frustrations. But someone says too much and the next morning one guest is found dead on the beach. Detective Gabby must figure out who silenced the deceased, but Gabby finds that everyone is hiding something that could tie them to the murder.
I really enjoyed this novel; it was so quick paced and such an easy read to whip through! I really enjoyed how the chapters went back and forth between the present day and the day before the murder, it definitely made things come into perspective in a different and interesting way. I really enjoyed some of the characters and really enjoyed to hate some of the others! I enjoyed all the secrets that were wrapped up in just these three couples and how different they appear from one another even though they are in very similar situations. This novel would be a perfect binge read for the beach this summer! I would definitely recommend.
Out July 9th!
This book takes place on a beach where a group of neighbors go in together on a beach house for the week. Their children are at summer camp and they hope that this week helps them unwind and hopefully meet some of their own needs. It turns out each person in the house has their own list of things they hope to accomplish and a reason behind being there either with their partner, or to meet someone else. When Rachel turns up dead, everyone has a reason perhaps, but there was only one person that was directly behind the murder. This book kept me on my toes and kept me guessing. The characters were well written and realistic. This author is one to watch and I am already waiting to read more from her. Thanks for the ARC, Net Galley!
this thriller kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! I think I may have found a new auto buy mystery author.