This has to be my favorite Colleen Coble book! She combines suspense and romance so seamlessly. I found myself falling into the storyline and not wanting to come out. Jane is a feisty little chief of police working so hard to prove herself that I couldn’t help but cheer her in! I love a suspense book that leaves me guessing, and this one did. I never guessed who the murderer was and how the different crimes were tied together. Thank you, Ms. Coble, for distracting me during the Coronavirus pandemic. I can’t wait to read the sequel!

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

Classic Colleen Coble. Give yourself the gift to savor this story. You will not be disappointed. Five Stars.

This is book # 1 in a new series by Colleen Coble, and her fans will not want to miss this one. Set in a small town in Alabama, this is a must-layered book with a lot going on between its pages. Jane Hardy has been appointed the interim sheriff and Reid Bechtol is doing a documentary about it. That is the intro to everything that starts to happen really fast. Jane’s father, the former sheriff, is arrested, bodies are dropping all over the place and that is all within a few days of Jane’s taking office. There seems to be something sinister going on for sure and Jane is determined to clear her father and solve the mysteries of who is murdering different people around town in a vigilante justice style. There is definitely a lot going on in the plot and sometimes it almost overwhelmed me, but as a big fan of the author, I kept going and I was glad that I did. Coble does a masterful job of drawing everything together and surprising us with the conclusion. I loved how well she portrayed Jane, making her realistic with flaws and dreams. The whole cult part of the book seemed to be a background that was added, but it was interesting how the author wove it into the main storyline. All in all, I highly recommend this book to those looking for clean, powerful suspense with a sprinkle of romance!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Wow! I was hooked from the first to the last page! What a story… I will be waiting for the release of the next book. Jane was such a strong character and all the twists and turns and discoveries! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

When Jane Hardy is appointed sheriff in her small town Alabama, she is required to work on a documentary with a man named Reid. Jane had a traumatic childhood growing up in a cult. Reid is hiding something from Jane. I learned a lot about cults and how they affect people even after they had the courage to leave them.

This is a romantic suspense novel with a religious element. While some characters found solace in God’s words, thankfully the Christian element was not overpowering. In fact, I think this book could have been written without those scenes and still be a good read. This is multi-pronged suspense read with a slow burn, no heat romance. It has a HFN ending so you know there is more to come with these characters in the future.

Despite all the rave reviews, the story could not hold my interest because I could see where it was going from the second chapter. I was disappointed that I could not get into this book because it’s in my favorite genre. I do wish the author would have delved into the cult details more. I think others may really enjoy this story though. Maybe next time!

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Although the final outcome seemed more than a little bit unbelievable, this story kept me hooked the entire time. Plenty of intrigue and drama mixed in with a teensy bit of romance and I kept turning the pages. Colleen Coble is a great author.

Wow. What a great book. I have a few complaints – 1) that it ended 2) that I lost a LOT of sleep because I was hooked on the action. I also have a huge regret – somehow, I allowed this book to be pushed down my to-be-read list. HOW did I let that happen?

Colleen Coble drew me in from the first page and kept me hooked throughout the book. Set on the Gulf Shore, in the small town of Pelican Harbor, Jane Hardy is promoted to chief of police upon her father’s retirement. Journalist Reid Dixon, and his son Will, arrive in town claiming Reid is filming a documentary on Jane. Jane suddenly has her hands full with several homicides, and a kidnapping. Somehow, her dad is involved, but how? The more Jane investigates, the more lies she uncovers. Who can she trust any longer, and how will she handle it when the biggest lie of all is unveiled?

One Little Lie is book one in the Pelican Harbor Series, and I plan to devour book two (Two Reasons to Run) as soon as it is available, as it continues Jane’s story. It is set to release in September 2020.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, and all opinions are my own.

Colleen Coble will always be my go-to mystery writers. While I love her mysteries, it is the characters I love the most. I fall in love with them and don’t ever want to stop reading. However, be WARNED that this book leaves some strings to be tied in the next book. I don’t know what I’m going to do until it comes out, but I definitely cannot wait. This was such a good book!

One Little Lie by Colleen Coble

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Colleen Coble launches a new series based in the small town of Pelican Harbor, Alabama that will have readers engaged in an excellent story from page one until the end.

Colleen Coble is a favorite of mine for a multitude of reasons including her wonderful ability to craft a story that I can’t put down. This newest series start is just such a book and I am very excited to read the next one coming out later this year. She begins her story with a young mother about to deliver her first child. The girl is known as Button in the cultist camp her family belongs to and she is both terrified and excited about the new life to come. But her joy over her new little boy soon turns to heartache as the camp comes under attack and her father rushes to get her out. He tells her that her baby has died and they have to leave or they will be next. Hurting deeply, Button climbs in her father’s jeep and prays for her heart to stop breaking. Fast forward 15 years and a shrimping trawler has hauled in an unwelcome load – a man’s torso dressed in a wedding dress. Jane Hardy, newly elected Chief of Police in Pelican Harbor hopes to solve this case quickly to help the town and her political opponents instill more trust in her abilities. It is another in a line of recent unsolved cases credited to an unknown person they have dubbed the “Vigilante”. But there is much more going on than even Jane could see before and it will take all her ability and police prowess to puzzle out what is happening in her formerly quiet town. Reid Dixon has come to Pelican Harbor to film a documentary on the newly elected female police chief. He is intrigued by her sharp mind and how much she has invested in the people of the town. But Reid carries secrets from the past that he would rather keep out of sight while he completes his latest project. As Reid and Jane begin working together, albeit reluctantly, they will soon discover they have much in common, including a deep love of family. Jane’s father is the former police chief of Pelican Harbor and his recent retirement came rather unexpectedly. He is known for being a tough man and also a “prepper”, someone who is prepared for any possibility of apocalyptic happenings. But when he is accused of murder and theft, Jane will have one more case added to the growing pile she is already trying to solve. Could her father’s past be coming back to haunt him? Or is it someone in the here and now that is looking to push blame onto an innocent man. Jane will have to race against the clock in order to solve the crimes and keep her job – a job someone doesn’t want her to have. Reid is trying to do his job and protect his son from the problems of the past. But his problems soon become the main focus of Jane’s cases given that one of the recent victims is his former cameraman. Working with Jane seems to be the best way to confront it all and still get the documentary story he is looking to tell. The pieces begin falling into place as Jane and Reid dig further into all the people involved but there are still so many questions that need answers if they are going to keep Pelican Harbor safe. Working together gives Reid and Jane the chance to get to know one another better and while they both are drawn to the other, Jane is not sure she can let Reid behind the walls she’s carefully built to keep men out. There is something familiar about Reid that is tickling the back of her mind but she can’t bring it to the fore. Why does he draw her in so easily? And why does she feel such a connection to his teenage son? Jane will have to sort all this out and solve the crimes at hand if she is to keep everyone she loves safe and alive. I loved the well paced ebb and flow of this story. There were moments of intense action or suspense followed by in depth conversations that helped me connect very well with the characters and the situations. Each chapter revealed new information and with each newly uncovered fact the reasoning behind the crimes became clearer. The release of information was well done so as to keep me engaged and working to figure out what might happen next before it did. I had some suspicions about what might happen and sometimes I was right and then other times I was way off base – this made the book even better as I wasn’t able to predict everything. The spiritual aspects of the story were well done and natural. The faith held by the main characters was realistic and lent the story some important focus and depth. I was both glad and frustrated by the ending of the book – some things were tied off well and others were left hanging purposely for the next book to answer. I will certainly be reading the next one as I just have to know what’s going to happen with Reid, Jane and the rest of Pelican Harbor. This book will definitely be highly recommended to others as I’m positive they will enjoy the mystery as much as I did.

I received this temporary complimentary E-Book from Thomas Nelson fiction via Netgalley in order to provide an honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

ane Hardy is appointed interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, after her father retires, but there's no time for an adjustment period. When her father is arrested for theft and then implicated in a recent murder, Jane quickly realizes she's facing someone out to destroy the only family she has.
After escaping with her father from a cult fifteen years ago, Jane has searched relentlessly for her mother—who refused to leave—ever since. Could someone from that horrible past have found them?
Reid Bechtol is well-known for his documentaries, and his latest project involves covering Jane's career. Jane has little interest in the attention, but the committee who appointed her loves the idea of the publicity.
Jane finds herself depending on Reid's calm manner as he follows her around filming, and they begin working together to clear her father. But Reid has his own secrets from the past, and the gulf between them may be impossible to cross—especially once her father’s lie catches up with him.
One little lie changes everything for Jane. She has overcome a lot since fleeing the cult with her father. Her father has since become sheriff of Pelican Harbor and retired. Jane has taken over as interim sheriff. Reid wants to do a documentary on Jane as a female small town sheriff. Pelican Harbor is a sleepy little town with hardly any crime. Then murders start to happen. Somehow her dad is connected to them. The FBI gets involved and want to arrest her dad. Who can she trust. Reid is hiding something, her dad is hiding something.
This is a great mystery. I'm anxious for book two.
I was given this book by Thomas Nelson Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

I have always loved Colleen Coble's books. They are well written and well plotted. Most of the time I can't see how it ends util just before it ends. She writes interesting characters and doesn't pile on the religious aspects some Christian authors do.
This one was very different considering her main character was once in a cult so she had a lot of baggage to work through. And I was so happy to see the happy ending and resolution.

I love Colleen Coble’s writing and I was by far from being disappointed with newest release, One Little Lie. It begins her new series, Pelican Harbor. Readers are introduced to the town of Pelican Harbor, Alabama. Jane is the sheriff and finds that she has to find out why her father is charged with murder. She has to find out if he is guilty or why someone is wanting to falsely accuse him.
I thoroughly enjoyed One Little Lie. It was full of suspense that had my consistently holding on to my seat to find out what would possibly happen next. I had to keep turning the pages to find out how it would end. I had it read in one sitting. It is that good.
I am giving One Little Lie five plus stars. It is among my favorite books I have read by Miss Coble to date. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy clean, romantic suspense.

One Little Lie is a new tale from Colleen Coble and it is overflowing with suspense. You will meet Jane Hardy, a newly appointed sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama. What you do not realize at first is that Jane was part of a cult in her formative years. Jane’s father helped her escape when she was only fourteen years old!

It is now fifteen years later and on the first day of her new job, Jane must deal with Reid Bechtol, famous for his work on documentaries, as he is in town to work on a piece about small-town sheriffs. Before Jane and Reid realize it, they are both caught up in the details of several deaths that have occurred in her little town!

In the midst of all the chaos of trying to find a reason behind these deaths, Jane must deal with painful memories of her time in the cult. Not only did her mother stay behind, but her father told her day-old baby had died. She cannot help but blame God for the situation. You will not believe how these memories involve not only Jane, but Reid as well. Hold on until the final page to see some of the details come together!

was a fairly decent book first book by this author, loved the characters. definitely a surprising new author. Look forward to reading more of this author. ty for the Arc

The idea of reading about someone healing from a growing up in a cult and everything that came with it fascinated me. Even though I haven’t personally experienced something like that, the way Coble wrote the characters, I could feel along with both main characters who had come out of that; one who had already dealt with their past and one who was still in the process of healing. Before reading the book, I wasn’t aware that Jane’s story was going to be broken up into multiple books so I was kind of disappointed with the open-ended conclusion to the book. Nevertheless, I liked the book enough that I want to read the rest of Jane’s story.

Colleen Coble is quickly becoming one of my favorite suspense writers. She combines imaginative plots with honest characters with real struggles.

Here’s the thing. There are a lot of suspense writers out there. But very few who can many to deliver a gripping story while asking serious questions about spirituality and faith. Those who try, often end up with corny plot lines and cringe worthy endings.

In her new series, Colleen Coble proves once again it can be done and done well.

Jane is an exceptionally interesting character because of her past. She started life in a cult with her parents and gives birth to a son in her early teenage years. Jane is told that the baby has died shortly after birth and is quickly evacuated due to a fire at the cult compound.

Flash forward to find Jane as Sherriff of a small town police force, despite some people not believing a woman can do the job. She is dealing with her complicated past and her difficult future when Reid enters the picture and a body is discovered.

What I like about One Little Lie is that the characters respect each other but don’t have an instant and unbelievable connection, even though we know they are the chief love interests. It’s great romance writing, especially given that the romance isn’t the driving force behind the story.

I also love that Reid consistently defers to Jane’s expertise and training as a police person. Often times, in novels, the male lead will try to protect the female lead even when she doesn’t need protecting. It shatters the idea of an equal partnership and just doesn’t make any sense.

Always let the person with the training and the weapons do the protecting. That’s just good life advice.

The mystery twists and turns, even though I figured out most of the baddies towards the beginning. I would say, though, that the focus of book one wasn’t to solve the crime, but to bring all of the lies out in the open and establish each character and their relationships to each other.

That is where Colleen Coble truly shines. In developing relationships and characters. I can’t wait for book two, due out in September 2020. I HAVE to see where this goes.

*Special thanks to Colleen Coble, Thomas Nelson, and TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of One Little Lie in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity for the ARC.

This book in theory was very good, but....the beginning was so convoluted I had no idea who was who. It took me many days to actually figure out what in the world brought all these seemingly separate people together. It normally would take me a few hours to read this book, but the first 5 or so chapters just dudnt catch my interest. Once I pushed through the beginning mess, the book was great! Until, it said to be continued! I do not read series books until the full series is published. So, that was my fault when requesting.

All in all, good book....

Coble packed this novel full of intrigue, twists, and turns. More than once I questioned the tangle that must be her mind – and as she’s a talented mystery/suspense writer – I mean that as a compliment. There was so much to unravel in this novel and the pace just didn’t stop. It was gripping, emotional, and had me wondering until the very last page.

The romance element was a little lacklustre, but I think it has potential. As the story continues through a three-part series, I have hope that this aspect will develop throughout.

The characters and plot as a whole are well constructed as a suspense. with cults, law enforcement, murder, conspiracies, and a small coastal town, the romance takes a back seat to the overall quick moving insanity of the murder plot.

I received a complimentary copy of this book courtesy of Thomas Nelson Fiction. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.