This is a fantastic fast paced crime thriller. It’s dark, creepy and full of secrets.

Chief Maggie is a cop in a small town in Maine when she stumbles upon a body, who killed him and why? Heather a local girl walks into the crime scene looking frightened and scared. The state police are called to help out the investigation.

There is nothing to dislike about this book, the characters are great and loved reading about them. The plot had me guessing all the way through. Grab a chair and a spare few hours and you’ll read it in one sitting.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Becoming the chief of police in a small town certainly presents its challenges for Maggie Riley. Her recent discovery of the body of a dead man is her newest case. Shockingly, when a young girl named Heather suddenly appears, Maggie cannot help but wonder if this girl has anything to do with the dead body.

What makes this book, and Maggie’s case, so interesting are the multiple points of view, including that of Maggie and the girl Heather. This increased the tension in this excellent start to a new series.

I loved how this book explored Maggie’s past. Never forgetting a past tragedy in her personal life, as well as to why she left a successful job as a detective in a big city. This rounded out a new character, with enough intrigue and drama to keep my attention. I was fully immersed in the story, and in fact, went right on to reading books two and three in the series, Their Angel’s Cry and The Shadow Girl.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This was a great mystery! I think this is a great start to a new series because the characters are well written and the story was well thought out and executed. I was entralled in the mystery up until the very end and will looking forward to the next books of the series. I would reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries. 10/10
Special Thank You to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl Who Lied is the book one in the Chief Maggie Riley series and my first time reading the author's work. I picked this one up as I am always on the lookout for a good police procedural, and The Girl Who Lied promised a gripping and suspenseful tale.

The story which unfolds took place in Coyote Cove, a small town in Maine. It introduces readers to Chief Maggie Riley. Maggie, a former detective, left the big city to become the chief in this small town. She is a woman with many secrets, some of which came to light as the story unfolded. Interestingly enough, she's not the only one with secrets. The featured secondary characters also had their share of secrets, which made for an interesting read. 


Since her arrival in Coyote Cove, she faced resentment from a few of the locals because of her gender. However, it didn't stop her from performing her duties. One night, while performing said duties, she happened on a corpse. On closer inspection, she discovered the individual met a violent end, a rarity in the small town. Added to that, he was not from the area. Now Maggie faces the task of learning the identities of the victim and the murderer.


The mystery failed to provide much of a challenge, as the identity of the killer was evident right out of the gate. Now, while I had an idea about the motive, how remained a mystery until the end. Despite figuring from early the identity of the killer, the story held my attention. The secrets of the characters and its impact on the murder investigation, along with the POVs of the characters, made The Girl Who Lied a compelling read. 


Although classified as a thriller, the story did not deliver a thrilling and suspenseful ride. It lacked the nail-biting suspense one would expect from this genre. Also, I wouldn't consider this a twisty read, as the events meant to be plot twists were predictable. I am curious to learn what else Maggie is hiding. Therefore, I look forward to picking up book 2, Their Angel's Cry, which shares a release date with book one.


Overall, The Girl Who Lied delivered an interesting tale, which will appeal to readers who have no issue with predictability in the mystery genre.

Read the trigger warnings on this one. This book was dark. I can’t say much without giving it away, but the topics were dark. Maggie is a small town police chief with a mysterious past and she is haunted when murders come to her town. She has to work with others to get this case solved, and a lot of baggage is brought up. Due to the darkness, I looked up the next book and it looks even darker, so I am going to pass on the series. But, I recommend it if the trigger warnings don’t bother you!

This book was so hard to put down! It kept me hooked and wanted to know what happens next.

This is the first of a new series by Shannon Hollinger that will be following Maggie Riley, the police chief in a small town called Coyote Cove. It is a multiple POV mystery/thriller/crime novel that alternates between the POV of Maggie, her lieutenant Dale Murphy, her boyfriend Steve and a young girl named Heather.

Maggie Riley finds a body that was brutally stabbed on the old logging backroads in her small town of Coyote Cove. Since the town is so small, it is only her and her lieutenant Dale Murphy on the police force. She is forced to call in the state police, who make the investigation anything but easy. While analyzing the crime scene, a teenager named Heather comes stumbling out of the bush looking traumatized. Could she be the murderer? Or is it someone else? Everyone in this book has their secrets. At different points of the novel, I suspected each main character could have been the murderer. The twists keep you on the edge of your seat, trying to solve the murder on your own while reading.

I am definitely looking forward to reading the other books in this series! Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

This story is an atmospheric psychological suspense with a police procedural element set in a small, insular community. Everyone has secrets, especially Maggie, the police chief and Steve, her neighbour, both settled in an isolated place for a reason. It has an evocatively written setting and distinctive characters. I worked out the murderer, but the plot has many twists; each revelation throws up another mystery. I like the main protagonists, the dynamic between the police and the state detectives and the community and the poignant vibe that defines the story.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This is the first book in the Maggie Riley series, This is a fast paced story line with many twists but easy to follow.. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I enjoyed the story, and I'm looking forward to seeing more from this series in the future.

My main gripe is with the marketing for the book, in particular the title: "The Girl Who Lied"
If you're like me, and like overthinking what titles are referring to, you'll probably also be able to figure out the ending, like I did.

I appreciated Maggie's willingness to take in a teen who needed a safe place to stay, and I also enjoyed the thoroughness of her investigating.

Slight Spoiler: <spoiler>I liked that the police themselves weren't escaping suspicion.</spoiler> Most characters had secrets, and it made it an interesting story to follow.

I think this one is worth reading if you're interested by the synopsis, but it's just not a new favourite of mine.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advance copy of the book (both ebook and audiobook, I enjoyed listening to it while reading along).

My only gripe with the audiobook is that there are multiple narrators and I found it hard to remember whose perspective we were in, but reading along with the ebook made it a lot easier to follow.

This book is the first in a series. Also a new author for me.

Chief Maggie Riley finds a body in the remote wilderness. A teenage girl also appears out of nowhere. Are the two linked?

I'm always excited to begin a new series. I love getting to know the characters and what the first case will involve.

Maggie's job won't be easy. Living in a town where many of the residents don't think a woman can do the job is tough. But so is Maggie. She will fight for the victims and fight her own demons to get justice.

I love that the main characters are quite flawed. I find that so much more realistic and interesting than books that portray people as perfect.

There is a lot going on in this book. Sometimes, I thought it was too much, but as the book progressed and I got to know the people it didn't seem that way anymore.

I liked this one so much and can't wait to start book two! I wonder what we'll find out about Maggie in this one.

Thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for the arc.

4.25⭐

Meet Coyote Cove chief of police Maggie Riley. Who has been living and working in the small, isolated Maine Town for the past four years. Hiding from her past both personally and professionally; as a once decorated homicide detective, she's now quite content to deal with a quieter pace of life. 

Until one night she comes across the body of a man, oozing blood from multiple stab wounds just as a ferocious storm is about to hit and all evidence is washed away. But Maggies instincts take over and her quick thinking has her saving as much evidence as possible. 

And whilst she works the scene, she's shocked to see a teenage girl emerge from the forest a silent scream on her lips.

But what is she doing there? And how is she connected to the victim?

That's what Maggie is determined to find out and she's going to have to use all those long buried detective skills and contacts to do it.

However, she's up against a town full of secrets, and people who will go to any length to keep them buried.

And with plenty of mystery, multiple points of view, great pacing and a storyline that keeps you reading. The Girl Who Lied is a brilliant introduction to new protagonist Maggie Riley, and it's a story I would happily recommend to others.

There’s a blood moon rising over the tiny Maine town of Coyote Cove when Chief Maggie Riley comes across the body of a man, blood seeping from stab wounds into the damp forest floor. As she desperately struggles to secure the scene as an approaching storm threatens to destroy all evidence, Heather, a local teenage girl, emerges from the woods terrified, a silent scream on her lips.

Maggie, a decorated former homicide detective and more than over-qualified for a two-horse-town police chief, has been hiding from her past for the last four years. The quiet of Coyote Cove was everything she needed after… what happened. But with this murder, the life she left behind has found her. Who is the killer? Why was Heather out in the woods that night? And what dark secret is the girl hiding? To uncover the truth, Maggie must use the skills, and contacts, of her former world, however painful that will be.

Oh this book is good. So many secrets. So many lies. I was hooked from start to finish and can't wait to read more about Maggie and the past she's so desperate to hide.

When Sheryff Maggie Riley finds a dead body on an old log road she is shocked because it isn’t something she’s used to seeing in the small town of Maine where she moved to four years before. When she calls Lieutenant Dale Murphy she must cater to his greatness to get any kind of compliance out of him she knows there is some thing about her being a woman and his boss that irritates him.
Things only grow worse when it looks like it was going to rain but because sheriff Maggie has done big city police work before she knows exactly what to do. While still on the scene she sees a local girl Heather laxadaisical he meandering out of the woods looking bewildered and unorganized but when Maggie asked her what she was doing she claims she it was just out for a walk but that doesn’t explain why before Maggie got to her she started screaming when she saw the crime scene. In the state of Maine the state police deal with major crimes and sheriff Maggie is loath to deal with the two sent her way. John is a male chauvinist who doesn’t even do his job properly and Robinson just wants to interrogate Maggie as to why she is in a small town when she is such a rockstar when it comes to being a detective. The only solace the sheriff gets is her two puppies and her new bo Steve who lives across the street from her but even he doesn’t know everything that has happened in her past not her accomplishments or the one failure she can’t get over. Maggie is supposed to leave the major crimes to the state police but it seems her old training is something she is loath to steer clear of and she finds herself investigating and doing a better job than those who are really supposed to be doing it and it’s a good thing she does because the man on side the road will not be the only major crime in Magis small town. The girl who lied will show Maggie who she can trust and who she can in those who are worth standing up for and that includes our crew. I loved this book I loved the standup person Lieutenant Murphy turned out to be and thought this was a great book Maggie and dale or both haunted by the past but it seems we are going to see them work through it and become better for it I love this new service and can’t wait to read more from it. This is a definite five star crime mystery if you love a well told story surrounded by a great mystery then you definitely will love this book I want to thank Net Galley Ann Bookoutcher for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This is a common review for the first two books in this series, a series that promises to become a favorite as it's well done, solid and gripping.
Let's say that Coyote Cove would not my first choice for a hike or a trekking due to the high probability of finding or becoming a corpse. The murder rate in those woods is higher than those of Chicago during the Twenties.
That said I loved what I read as there's a sense of empathy, sorrow and a layer of sadness that matches with the darker side of these story.
Maggie is damaged and flawed: you know something happened, you know there's some dark but you cannot help loving her courage and desire to make things better.
The small town atmosphere, the cast of characters are well done. The author doesn't sugarcoat anything and delivers solid mysteries that will keep you hooked and guessing.
Another intriguing and exciting crime thriller series featuring a strong female detective.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I was completely invested in this book once I started reading it. I could not put it down. This book was twisty, thrilling and darkly dangerous. Maggie Riley is the Chief of Police in Coyote Cove, a small town in Maine. Maggie was a highly decorated detective in her past until something happened. That something is hinted at frequently in the book and will keep you flipping the pages. because you want to know more. Maggie is way too qualified for the small town police department, but she feels safe here and crime is almost non-existent, until the night she finds a bloody body on the side of the road, along with a screaming teenage girl named Heather. Heather is an easy suspect for everyone, but Maggie believes there is more to the story. She will have to use her past professional skills and contacts to solve this mystery.

The mystery flows well. Each chapter is told from the point of view of the starring characters of the book. It becomes immediately obvious that each character has a secret. You will have to read the book to find out what those secrets will be. The characters are likable. Maggie is a new favorite character for me. She has nerves of steel and a steel trap for a brain. I look forward to reading the next two books in this series, and I hope to see more books starring these characters.

s the reader I was like a dog chasing a bone trying to put the puzzle pieces together. Every time I would think I had it figured out, another shocking twist would appear. Kudos to the writer for keeping me fully interested in this book and left me wanting more.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a great read! The character development was wonderful and I felt like I knew them and then found out they had secrets. That was a great twist. I thought I knew who the killer was but the twist at the end proved me wrong. Everything I want in a thriller. I cannot wait t read the sequels!

Thank you to #Netgalley and #Bookouture for my copy of #TheGirlWhoLied by #Shannon#Hollinger
Welcome to a brand new series centred around the small town of Coyote Cove and its chief of police Chief Maggie Riley.
When Maggie finds a murdered body on one of the back roads she has to draw on her experience from her previous life.
Nothing like this happens in Coyote Cove until tonight.
A great start to what I hope will be an entertaining series.

I enjoyed this book so much. I found that anytime I was able to steal a few minutes in the day I’d pull my kindle out to keep reading.

This book was very well thought out and written. As I was reading it I was constantly thinking back to the title to see if I could figure out which girl was lying and what they were lying about. Needless to say I was wrong.

My mind is still blown. Thinking about all of the events that have taken place in the book. I am looking forward to continuing on to the next book in the series.

I hope this review inspires you to pick this book up and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

This was a great book and I am so excited that it's a series and I have the ARCS to the other 2 books! I can't wait to read them! I was hooked into this book right from the jump and couldn't put it down! I am totally here for Maggie & Steve's relationship and can't wait to see how they are able to break down each other's walls!

#TheGirlWhoLied
#NetGalley

The Girl Who Lied is a suspenseful thriller where in a town in Maine called Coyote Cove, Chief Maggie Riley is called to a murder scene by one of her lieutenants. The story follows Maggie and a slew of state detectives as they try to piece together who murdered the victim. This story is filled with dark secrets. Everyone seems to have something to hide. Once you think you might know what going on, there’s a new surprise waiting for you. I read this book in one sitting. The writing is superb. The characters are all sketchy but I found myself really liking Maggie. This book is a page turner and it left me wanting more. I’d love to read other books by this author and would definitely love another Maggie Riley book. Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends.