An extremely well-written, suspenseful mystery! 4.5 stars


I knew I would love this book when I saw the cover, and it didn't disappoint! Filled with drama, mystery and shocking twists, it was just the quick, suspenseful read I was looking for.

This was my first time reading this author and I enjoyed her work very much. I am very interested in reading more of her work. I was especially impressed with her writing - she made the book very atmospheric!

Would recommend to: fans of Shari Lapena and other domestic noir authors!

First time reading author Cate Holahan and I enjoyed the fast pace of the book.

The book has 4 separate story lines based on 3 couples and another based on domestic help. A lady gets murdered and story revolves around who done it. It did become a bit predictable (Jenny makeup to hide bruises) at times but it also has surprises and still it keeps you hooked.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

This was a quick and fun read - not too heavy but lots going on. There were several different storylines among the three couples and it took me a couple of chapters to really figure out who everyone was. But it was a good thriller and will be a great vacation read this summer.

A great book! Something fascinating to curl up with on a rainy evening, holding a cup of tea... The characters are believable and realistic. Kudos to the writer!

Wow-One Little Secret by Cate Holahan is a delicious, icy summer treat that I finished in nearly one sitting. Three couples from Westchester come together for a week's vacation in a summer share in the Hamptons while their children are away at camp. We meet glamorous, beautiful Jenny and her ED physician husband, Louis; the striking, petite lawyer Rachel and stay-at-home-dad Ben and rounding out the group former lawyer turned SAHM Susan and her brilliant husband Nadal who launched an impressive startup. While the families are neighbors and Susan and Nadal relative newcomers to their affluent community, it is soon clear that beneath the glossy exteriors are many secrets intertwining them in ways unimagined.

Set against the swanky backdrop of the Hamptons the week is off to a heady start as the drinks are flowing along with the things they most want hidden. Soon, of the group is found dead and everyone is a suspect. The prologue to the book is important and cleverly intertwines as the lead detective sergeant Gabby is trying to solve a few mysteries of her own. Everyone has motive and means and secrets have a way of revealing themselves in the most unlikely of places. Pack this book in your beach bag as it is not to be missed this summer!

What a book. I was hooked just from the cover and description. Thankfully I was not disappointed. This is a fast paced read. Easy to read. Your on the edge of your seat wondering which way it’s heading. Fantastic read

One Little Secret is a Peyton Place-esque domestic murder mystery thriller. Together with her husband Susan invites two couples, neighbors/friends, to join them at a summer rental home in the Hamptons. Susan is hoping (maybe a bit naively) to become closer friends with her neighbors during a relaxing summer beach getaway. Author, Cate Holahan, hits-the-mark with well-defined characters, from the tenacious detective, Gabby, to violent wife-abuser, Louis. The story deals with socially relevant issues. Holahan tackles the subject of how married husbands and wives deal with which one makes more money than the other. The plot also delves into serious matters such as a young female rape victim, a physically abused wife, and a murder. I much appreciated how each chapter of the book provided a point of reference such as: The Day Of, The Day After and so on. The points of reference made the story flow nicely so it was easy to keep track of what was happening and when. One Little Secret is compelling and suspenseful. I found One Little Secret to be an engrossing page-turner.

3.5 stars- Im going to try my very hardest to write a good review without being able to use any spoilers, so here it goes!

While the kids are away at summer camp for a week, the neighborhood parents decide to take a bit of a beach vacation themselves! That fun only lasts about 24 hours before alcohol lets secrets loose and one woman winds up dead on the beach.

This slow rolling thriller makes me appreciate not living in a close-knit community with mom friends, I'll tell you that! The drama and secrets that unfold between these families makes me think I'll never be able to trust my friends and neighbors! These sets of parents are so full of betrayal that just a few sips of alcohol ignites the secrets and they start spilling!

Any time you approach the topic of spousal abuse, you take a big risk. Cate Holahan approached it very tastefully and it played into the mystery of the story well.

Although very enjoyable this is probably not the book to take on holiday with you if you're going with friends! Susan and her husband Nadal are new to their neighbourhood and when school summer camp takes their and their friends' children away for a few weeks they decide to have a break too. Susan arranges the whole thing, not realising just what she is setting in motion.

With two of the couples whose gardens connect with their own they head to the Hamptons for a relaxing getaway. When one of them is found dead however, new detective sergeant Gabriella, 'Gabby', Watkins finds herself knee deep in her first murder case.

This is a great book, pure whodunnit, not quite a locked-room mystery but the cast is small and, of course,  as the title allows, all have something to hide. I thought I'd guessed it, then doubted myself, then guessed again and thoroughly enjoyed the process.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good murder! I'm not sure if Gabby will return but I hope so.

Wow, this is one of the best books I have read in awhile. It will hook you from the first chapter. I had mixed feeling about the house guests and the aupair in the beginning but those feelings get worked out and then at the end they are all mixed up again. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to read something fast paced and exciting. I am going to check out Cate's other books as well.

This is a fast-paced, well-written domestic thriller in which none of the characters are terribly likeable but that is sort of the point. I really got swept up in this psychological drama/mystery and although it does follow a typical formula, it is a delight to read and keeps you guessing with lots of twists in the plot.. A perfect beach or weekend to read, I would definitely suggest picking this up if you are a fan of Liane Moriarty or Shari Lapena.

I LOVED this book! Perfect for anyone who enjoyed The Hunting Party. Mixes a classic locked room mystery with the glamour of the Hamptons and the scandals of an affluent group of neighbours. I also loved the detective - she was such an interesting voice and felt like a real three dimensional character instead of just a plot device. I would highly recommend for any one who enjoys thrillers.

Sorry, this was a duplicate request of mine. Please refer to my original feedback. This was really a very good read ! Thank you, Jan

A fast paced psychological thriller, that keeps you hooked throughout.

One Little Secret is a perfect beach read, full of mystery and drama, and a host of deeply messed up characters, each with secrets to hide.

I loved the setting of the book; a posh beach house shared by three couples as a vacation spot, before a criminal act sends them each turning on one another.

The book had a series of twists. Some of them I foresaw, and others shocked me. However, I felt like the final twist was given away too soon in the book.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and look forward to reading other works by the author!