Strands of Truth by Colleen Coble is the latest book by a talented mystery writer. I have been a fan of Colleen Coble's writing for quite a while. Her books are consistently well-written and have suspense at every turn. Once you start reading, you will not be able to put this one down! I love how Ms Coble makes each book unique. With so much progress in DNA these days, this novel makes perfect sense in today's world. What if you found your relatives but they wanted to kill you? Set in Florida, this novel has interesting information about sea life and how it is used in research and in art. The characters have deep longings for love and family and these themes will resonate with all readers. Readers of romantic suspense will adore this book, but I would recommend it widely to readers of many genres. Ms Coble's ability to spin a fantastic story would appeal to all readers. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Harper Taylor is used to being alone—after all, she grew up in one foster home after another. Oliver Jackson finally took her under his wing when she was a runaway teenager, and now Harper pours her marine biology knowledge into Oliver’s pen shell research. But she’s never stopped wishing for a family of her own.



So when a DNA test reveals a half-sister living just two hours away, Harper is both hopeful and nervous. Over warm cinnamon rolls, Harper and Annabelle find striking similarities in their stories. Is it just a coincidence that both their mothers died tragically, without revealing Harper and Annabelle’s father’s name?



Oliver’s son Ridge still sees Harper as a troubled teen even all these years later. But when Oliver is attacked, Ridge and Harper find themselves working together to uncover dangerous secrets that threaten to destroy them all. They must unravel her past before they can have any hope for the future.



Suspense, romance, and generational secrets meld in this engrossing new novel from USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble.



My Thoughts: This is a fabulous story! I can not say enough for this novel. It kept me on the edge until the very end. For those who love a great mystery, this is the novel to read. Full of intrigue and action that will keep the reader on their toes until the very end.


This is a story of family, values, and learning to trust. It's a story of secrets and trying to get what one wants no matter the cost. It amazed me to the lengths that one person went to just to get what they wanted. Colleen Noble has written an amazing novel and I know that her readers will enjoy this. I highly recommend this to all who enjoy mysteries, and intrigue.

Thrilling suspense and family drama hold the readers’ interest and make them wonder who and how and why. . . . The multiple threads and exciting plot weave this masterful mystery to life, pulling the past into the future and twisting them together, and more so as the time-slip story continues. The title fits the tale well. The characters seem real and develop naturally on the pages. Two women who could be half-sisters both lost their mothers when they were babies. This novel shows something that might possibly happen using DNA information to find a relative. I enjoyed the book and raced through it to see how it ended. Plenty of intrigue and surprises. The value of human life is emphasized in the story. You could consider this a different type of beach read since the story includes shoreline scenes. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

Romantic suspense at its best

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The views expressed in this review are my own.

Harper is taken under the wing by Oliver when she is fifteen. His two children Willow and Ridge always resented that he spent so much time helping Harper. Harper, with Oliver's help is growing mollusks for the black pearls and selling the meat to restaurants. Oliver decides to build a lab to study the medical effects of mollusks. He wants his son Ridge to work together on this project. Ridge doesn't want to at first, but he does for his father. When his father is attacked and Harper almost kidnapped he helps her find out who is behind it. Working together they grow close and fall in love with each other, but not before she is kidnapped and he has to save her life.

This was an interesting book, had great characters and a good storyline. I liked learning about the Mollusks and the sea silk. I also enjoyed the part where she met her half sister Annabelle. It was good to see Ridge reunite with his estranged sister Willow and for her to accept Harper.

The book had some very exciting scenes in it and some romantic times as well. I thought the black pearl in the engagement ring was a good touch.

I enjoyed reading the book and look forward to reading more from this author. I recommen

Strong characters, the right amount of dangerous tension, and a storyline that was easy to follow, but left you wondering just a little.

My only two complaints, as they were, is that I feel like, blink, and all the preexisting tension between our lead characters disappeared and they fell, a little unbelievably, in love.

Secondly, I wanted to know a bit more about the research… and not just the byssus. I wanted a little more “meat” to some of the important, heavily referenced details.

Now, those complaints vocalized, I will say that I found this absolutely enjoyable to read. I enjoyed how everything was all neatly wrapped up. I enjoyed the secondary characters and the story arc as a whole.

As the publisher touts, “Suspense, romance, and generational secrets meld in this engrossing new novel from USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble.” I can’t say that I disagree. Tension and promise were balanced nicely providing a fast-paced easy-to-read seaside escape.

I received a complimentary copy of this title with thanks to the publisher, Thomas Nelson, via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Suspense! Tragedy! Loneliness! Love! I had to keep turning another page! Harper Taylor has never known anything about her father. Her mother died when she was an infant and she was raised by her drug addict grandmother until she was placed in foster care. Harper does DNA testing in hopes of finding some relative but then strange events start happening! Is someone out to get her and her newly found half-sister? You will root for Harper to find a relative to love her! Ridge has never trusted Harper even though his father is her mentor and business partner. Now Ridge questions why he has had such negative feelings towards Harper. Ridge may not have been such a great guy as a teenager but you will admire him now. He has faced a lot in his life too. I learned some about the pen shell industry too! I loved Strands of Truth! It is another winner by Colleen Coble! I recommend this book to others. I received a complimentary e-book through NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

Colleen Coble never disappoints with her action packed suspense, and her newest delivery meets her high standards. This is a story you can't read slowly as the action builds with every page.

Harper Taylor has grown up as a loner having been shuffled from one foster family to another until she finally is taken under Oliver Taylor's wing as a runaway teenager. He pours his love for the ocean and its gifts into Harper and she becomes fascinated with marine biology. But she still longs for a family of her own. When a DNA test reveals a half-sister, her life changes because suddenly she and her half-sister find themselves unknowingly in danger.

I particularly enjoyed the generational research that Harper and Ridge, Oliver's son, had to do in order to trace their way back to Harper and Annabelle's unknown father. Following the threads to put the puzzle together was fascinating. The slowly developing relationship between Harper and Ridge along with her new relationship with Annabelle and her sons added a sweet dimension. Coble's characters were interesting and likable; and this, along with some interesting settings, added to a mystery that took the entire book to untangle.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review. (less)

Two deaths from the previous generation are tied to murder attempts in present day. All because of a DNA test?

In Strands of Truth, Colleen Coble proves why she is a leader in the romantic suspense genre. This book is filled with twists, turns, unanswered questions, and some plot points new and unique.

Add into that the strained relationship between Ridge and Harper, Harper’s longing for family, and several hands involved in solving the case, and I didn’t want to put the book down.

This is a story about the lengths people go to in desperation (even Harper to an extent). It’s about the family we know and wish we didn’t, the family we wish we had the chance to know but never did, and the family we create around us.

Coble’s books get better with each release, and this one is no exception.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Strands of Truth is a story about Harper Taylor, a young woman who grew up in the foster care system after her mother died in a mysterious car accident. Harper has always longed for family connection, having never known either of her parents, and has had a DNA test done to try to find family members, maybe even her father. Her search seems to be the starting point for a series of attacks. When Oliver, her mentor, business partner, and father-figure, is involved in an attack, his son, Ridge, gets involved. Ridge has always disliked Harper, believing that she uses his father for his money, but working together to unravel this mystery shows him a different side of Harper, one that begins to change his mind about her.

I enjoyed Strands of Truth. I’ve read all of Colleen Coble’s books, and I like how she ties in something as currently popular as DNA testing in this one, and not just the potential that it has to help people connect, but the potential it may have to lead to hurt (in a rather dark and twisted way). In that way, it was a unique and original story line. And as always, I appreciate that I can count on her writing to be clean and to have some focus on Christian values, particularly trust, forgiveness, and grace in this book. Her characters were easy to like and to relate to, and over all, I thought Strands of Truth was a good read.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

“The examination table was cold and hard under her back as Harper Taylor looked around the room.”

Opening line of Strands of Truth by Colleen Coble

From the cover, I knew this book would be fast-paced and suspenseful, I wasn’t wrong. In true Colleen Coble style, Strands of Truth had me enraptured from the prologue to the final page. Though this is a stand-alone novel, I grew so attached to the characters’ journey, I’d have loved it to go on,

Harper believes she has no family and leans into father-figure, Oliver, in her teenage years. As she matures, she continues to work with him. Ridge, Oliver’s son, begrudges the attention paid to Harper and is shocked when his father sets them to work together. Curious about her biological father, Harper uses an online DNA test and database to connect with her half-sister Annabelle. The two share more than blood, both of their mothers died under suspicious circumstances. When Oliver lands up in hospital after an attack, Ridge and Harper come together with Annabelle to weave the truth together.

Full of danger, unexpected turns and mystery, I thoroughly enjoyed it! The characters are so well thought through, even the villain has a great story, they are easy to connect with and understand. Assumptions are challenged as the story progresses and it’s interesting to see each character handle the changes.

It’s a five out of five on the en-JOY-ment scale and highly recommended.

I’ve only read one other Colleen Coble book before STRANDS OF TRUTH, but I know for sure, this won’t be my last one! She hooked me from the very first page and never let me go!
Colleen sure knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat while reading and I love when an author does that to me. Two women die in very different circumstances twenty years apart. Many years later, during a DNA test, their adult daughters find out that they are half sisters. Can the story get any stranger than that? Oh yes it can, but you are going to have to read STRANDS OF TRUTH to find out. No spoilers here!

As Annabelle and Harper try to figure out the connection between their two mothers, someone tries to kidnap each of them. The twists and turns just keep coming. So much so, that you won’t be able to put STRANDS OF TRUTH DOWN until the very end. You will learn a lot about Harper’s career as a marine biologist as well as sea silk. At least I did. You will also see how the main characters learn to trust and forgive throughout this suspenseful tale and you will be cheering for them to figure it all out. I thought I knew who was trying to get them, but of course, I was wrong! My emotions were all over the place while reading and as soon as I was finished, I immediately checked my book shelves for more of Colleen’s stories. I have quite a few and am excited to get to them.

Overall, STRANDS OF TRUTH is a book I can say nothing but fantastic things about. There is so much heart in Colleen’s writing that I was left with a huge smile on my face and my heart, very happy. All of the characters are very interesting and believable, so much so that I felt as if I’ve known them for a long time. I look forward to reading Ms. Coble’s previous books that I haven’t gotten to yet as well as her future ones. There is so much going on in this story, but Colleen does a wonderful job of weaving all the pieces together. All of the characters will have you feeling sad and then smiling on the same page. Once you finish devouring this story, you are going to want to tell everyone you know about this awesome book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

This is my first book by this author but I definitely will be seeking more. She is a masterful storyteller, weaving the past with the present. I couldn’t stop turning pages and did not get anything done while reading this. Very good!
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The author does a great job of writing intriguing stories that have you guessing till the end. Harper is a complex character and at times I wasn't sure if she would ever be happy. It was very hard for her growing up and her desire to be part of a family has always be high on her list. In a strange twist Harper discovers some background about her mother and possible half sister.

I loved when the story went back to the late 1960's and highlighted Judy and her time as a mermaid. I do remember watching shows where you saw young women swimming in this large tank looking like mermaids. A lot of the time it was at restaurants or special attractions. Judy's death may not be as innocent as it was played up to be all those years ago. I really wanted to stay in this period a bit longer because it fascinated me how these women were in the water for long periods of time.


There were times when I wasn't sure if Ridge and Harper would ever get along. After all, Ridge's dad took Harper under his wing and thought of her as a daughter. As Ridge and Harper start digging deeper into Harper's past, danger finds them. Unexplained deaths start happening and someone is out to stop Harper. What secret would cause someone to kill? Harper does have a hard time trusting people which dampens her friendship with Ridge. When Harper reveals something to Ridge, it shakes him to the core. I was just as shocked as him. There is a part towards the end of the story that I didn't like at all. It has to do with Harper and the person who kidnaps her. What he says to her was distasteful and I wish the author would not have included it at all. The rest of the story is fast paced and has a great ending.

The secret that Harper shares with Ridge makes for a great lesson in forgiveness and the need to feel wanted. Rejection is something that Harper has dealt with all her life. Will Ridge be able to accept her confession? I loved when Ridge said to Harper; " The right time for the truth is every minute of every day." Those are profound words that we should be practicing every day.

The story is a wonderful journey to finding truth, depending on God and learning to trust. The ending is excellent and it answers all questions posed during the book. I was quite surprised at who the killer was. It deals with DNA testing that I find interesting. I have often thought about doing a test to find out about my heritage.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Talk about twists and turns! I had absolutely no clue what would happen next, or who was trying to cause Harper harm. That didn’t stop Coble from having me guessing who could be behind all the craziness. This book was a total page turner. It was interesting watching characters who knew each other from the past get to know each other as adults. Often kids do crazy things, and it’s easy to judge people based on that, but we all have to grow up someday right? It was fun seeing a common goal draw two such seemingly different people together. Ridge grew up not knowing need, and Harper was just the opposite. When Oliver is attacked they have no choice but to join forces to find answers. The story they uncover will take your breath away. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Mystery and Suspense. It kept me turning pages until the very end. I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing and was in no way forced to post a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Harper Taylor believes she is alone in the world until a DNA test reveals she has a half-sister. When she meets her, they realize how similar their stories are. When both meet trouble soon thereafter, it seems too great of a coincidence.
While the ending seemed predictable, it took quite a while for the characters to figure out what was going on. Granted, at times there were four mysteries to figure out. They seemed so diverse that it seemed unlikely they’d be connected.
The story kept me reading. It moved back and forth between the past and the present. It sometimes made it confusing to keep the people and their connections to the present straight. All in all, it was an enjoyable read. Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is the first Colleen Coble book I have ever read and I can't wait to get my hands on more titles. Strands of Truth is fast-paced and has a fascinating plot. I love how she wove the characters' faith into the suspenseful storyline. Harper and Ridge demonstrate grace as well as fortitude while racing to solve this case before they become the next victims. A perfect cozy mystery!

Two women die in mysterious circumstances twenty years apart. Years later, their adult daughters learn they are half-sisters. From the day they meet, attempts are made to kidnap them. This exciting new novel by Colleen Coble is everything and more than I anticipated! The characters are engaging and likable, the faith and spiritual lessons of each is displayed beautifully, the prose sings, and the plot is riveting, capturing and keeping my attention throughout.

Harper’s life has been not been easy. Her mother died minutes after her birth, the results of a car accident that never could be explained. She never knew who her father was. She was cared for by her grandmother until her death of a drug overdose sent Harper through a series of foster families. She is determined to have the family she always wanted, but at 30 hasn’t seriously dated any man. She has just had an embryo transplant, having adopted an embryo from a pro-life woman recently divorced.

Oliver Jackson is Harper’s business partner and has been a mentor since she was an angry fifteen-year-old. He grew up in poverty and, having worked hard, grew several lucrative businesses and a small fortune. Daughter Willow, who lived with her mother after their divorce, and son Ridge who is close to his dad, are extremely jealous of Oliver’s relationship with Harper and think she wants to steal his fortune. Oliver encourages her to be the Christian woman she became, and invests in her business, growing and harvesting pea shells to sell the meat and most of the black pearls, keeping the unique sea silk fiber and a few pearls for fiber art. His wants to discover any medicinal uses for the mollusks.

Harper and best friend Sara are checking her pea shell beds with Oliver. Oddly, Oliver disappeared without a word, then they noticed his boat was gone. When Sara went topside, someone with a knife tries to take Harper. She fights to escape and gets to her boat. Many hours pass before Ridge finds Oliver adrift on his boat, in a coma.

For Harper’s last birthday, Sara got her a DNA kit to help find any relatives. Sara checks the DNA site and sees a match. There is a woman whose DNA is a close enough to be a half-sister! Harper goes to meet Annabelle, almost 20 years her senior. They get along so well that even if they weren’t sisters, they would be friends. Annabelle’s mother had been murdered and the killer never found. She never knew who her father was, and was adopted by a kind, loving couple. Annabelle, however, is about to begin chemo for lymphoma. They agree to meet again soon and stay in touch in the meantime. An attempted kidnapping occurs again for Harper, as well as Annabelle.

This fabulous, intriguing suspense novel includes cold cases, present-day kidnapping and possible murder attempts. Even though decades have passed, but it seems the challenges are related. Over time, I had a good idea who was involved and some of the motive, but not the details. This is a fascinating tale that includes learning about mollusks and sea silk. I enjoy Christian novels with beautiful demonstrations of faith and change, suspense, and something unique to learn. God-honoring romance is a delightful plus. The end is very satisfying despite resulting harsh realities of life in a broken world. I highly recommend this novel to women who enjoy well-written Christian fiction, suspense, and romance.

From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Celebrate Lit, and this is my honest review.

Harper Taylor never knew her mother or father. After her grandmother passes away she feels more alone then ever. She takes a DNA test to see if she can discover more about her family. The results show a half sister she never knew. When strange things start happening to both of them after meeting, they need to discover the connection! Is it Harper’s work or digging into her past that’s putting people in danger?

Strands of Truth is a great read and is among one of my favorites I have read by Colleen Coble. I give five stars.

Colleen Coble is a master storyteller who creates endearing characters, who face tragedy and betrayal but find redemption through God's grace. You will be hooked from page one as you read this engrossing tale of a woman who had lost her parents and was raised in foster homes. She always felt so alone without any one she could claim kin to. How through DNA she located a half sister. Then the twist and turns begin.......Is someone trying to kill her and her benefactor? Also her half sister? Is it possible her parents were also murdered? Why is all this happening now since she has finally found someone of her own blood? Coble has written a spellbinder that will keep you reading on to see how all of this great suspense plays out. What a book........I received a complimentary ARC from Thomas Nelson Publishing through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions written in this review are mine.