The Girl Who Lied is an excellent beginning for a new series. Set in a small Maine town, a brutal murder starts a chain of events that leads to the revelation of many secrets. And it seems everyone in the town has a dark secret they've been hiding.

The novel is written from multiple points of view, giving the reader good insight into several characters. It's not an easy way to write but the different voices here are distinct and well constructed.

Chief Maggie Riley leads the investigation. Formerly a decorated detective, why has she ended up in the middle of nowhere? Her lover Steve is a stock market trader who is running from something. Other complex local characters are introduced too, and the state police turn up to complicate things even further. It all comes to a head in the ending - but there are questions unanswered. This is going to be a series to follow.

Twisty and addictive! I'll admit, I had a slow start with this book and still am not sure that I like the author's overly descriptive prose, but as the characters began to develop and we got into the heart of the scene I was really swept away and hooked until the end. I'm going to reserve judgement until I try out book two to see if the writing style is for sure for me. Sometimes too much description of scenes and characters comes across as long-winded rather than beneficial, so I have to see how the next book makes me feel.

Maggie is a strong character that was quick to keep me reading to see what her secrets were and whether she would solve this wily crime. I liked that she was good-hearted at the same time as being aware and skeptical of trusting.

I recommend this book to anyone that likes a bit of a diabolical thriller that takes you in several directions at once before finally revealing the truth.

Shannon Hollinger's debut novel, "The Girl Who Lied" (Chief Maggie Riley Book 1), is a thrilling and addictive read that will keep you guessing until the end. With unexpected twists and multiple points of view, the story brings characters to life and offers a fresh take on the genre. Chief Maggie Riley and her partner Steve harbor intriguing secrets, while the town itself holds hidden truths. The surprising outcome and innovative twist will leave you wanting more. Don't miss this must-read series, and keep an eye out for books 2 and 3 releasing within a month of each other. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

This is the first book of Shannon Hollinger's that I have had the pleasure of reading. If you like the authors D.K.Hood or Lisa Regan , who I am a fan of, then I guarantee you will love Shannon!
Just as I thought I had the killer figured out it wouldn't be them! This book not only kept me on the edge of my seat but I couldn't put it down! It was so different in that you will suspect just about everyone at least once or twice!
All in all this was a really fun read and I really encourage you to read it!

Antonia M

Thanks to Netgalleyand and Bookouture for access to this Arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I read of this author. At first I was a little bit confused with so many different pov. Turns out it was only 4 haha, I got used to it as I went on reading. There are so many secrets, so many deceptions going on. It was a great read. To say that I didn't expect that end is an understatement. I didn't see it coming at all !! In fact, it's the last person I would have suspected. I really enjoyed this book and impatient to read more of this series

The Girl Who Lied (Chief Maggie Riley Book 1) by Shannon Hollinger First book in the Chief Maggie Riley Series is a fast paced mystery with multiple cases to solve. Told from multiple POVs, each voice is unique to the individual. Maggie and Steve are a couple who are keeping big secrets from each other and from the people in town. There was a surprising outcome with an innovative twist. This is a binge worthy series and it is good that books 2 and 3 come out within a month of each other. I am more than ready to revisit the town of Coyote Cove Maine and follow more of Maggie's cases.

Thank you to the author, publisher, Bookouture and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Kept my attention from the start

This was a good book. Highly revered police officer, Maggie Riley left her job to work in a small Maine town for reasons that are only partially revealed. Her boyfriend, Steve, also has secrets from his past. When a visitor is found murdered in the woods and a young girl is found in shock nearby, Maggie needs to solve the crime, and help the girl.

This was a good book and really set up what I hope will be a long series.

This book is the start of a new series and I can’t wait for the next book. Chief Maggie Riley and her boyfriend Steve both have secrets they are trying to keep hidden. A murdered man threatens their secrets. It definitely had a surprise ending that I didn’t see coming. If you love romantic suspense you will love this book.

This is the first in a new series and if this is anything to go by, I will be adding this series to my must reads. The characters were well written and interacted well. The plot originally seemed simple, but a few pages in I discovered it was anything but. The twists kept coming and the ending was a surprise. I'm looking forward to book 2

A little slow at the beginning, seemed to have so many different things going on. Once it got that at out of the way, it flowed really well. Had some suspense that had you guessing.
Characters were on with lots of secrets.
A decent read once it gets started.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read and review.

A small town in Maine harbors many secrets, and the discovery of a stranger’s dead body brings them to light.

Chief Maggie Riley is overqualified for the position she serves, and as a woman and a non-local she is resented by many for getting the job. She had her reasons for coming to this quiet place including some trouble in her old life, but no one in town knows what they are. One night she goes out to check on a report of poachers in the area, and instead comes across a dead body. The man has met a violent end, and he is not from the area. In the face of an imminent storm, she summons help to secure the scene as bet she can before the rains wash evidence away. She also finds a Heather, a local teenage girl who is apparently in shock, nearby and suspects that the girl is not telling the truth about the reasons for her presence. State troopers soon arrive to take over the case, but the lead detective doesn’t seem to have the skills or the local knowledge needed to get to the truth. Maggie has both, and uses them to uncover both the identity of the victim and that of his killer. Her search for answers dislodge the secrets of others in town, including those of a resentful subordinate with an unhappy family history and a bad marriage as well as the ones that Maggie’s neighbor and sort-of boyfriend Steve keeps concealed. What was Heather doing out that night? Why was the murdered man in this tiny Maine town? Can Maggie keep her own past and secrets hidden while she is uncovering those of others around her? Will justice be brought, and if so at what cost?

The Girl Who Lied is the first in a new series featuring talented but troubled Maggie Riley. Over the course of the novel, I learned bits of Maggie’s history (though not all), and found her to be an intriguing character. The insular nature of a small town is well drawn, and I sympathized with many of the difficult choices that need to be made in a complex situation. Maggie as to debate what is lawful, what is ethically right, and where justice lays in the middle of it all. It was a quick read, told from the point of view of several different characters in alternating chapters. The author’s background in crime scene technology and physical anthropology added some unique and intriguing elements to the story. This novel may appeal to readers of authors like J. A. Jance, Tess Gerritsen and Linda Castillo may also find this a solid entry on their TBR list. Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for granting me access to an advanced reader’s copy of The Girl Who Lied; I look forward to the next installment in the Maggie Riley series.

"The Girl Who Lied" is an absolute page turner. I rated it 5⭐ and can't wait to read the rest of this series!

This atmospheric story is set in the small town of Coyote Cove. Some would say that not much happens there but I would argue that it's just probably well hidden. In this town everyone has secrets and it'll have you questioning who, if anyone, you can really trust.

Mystery. Intrigue. Murder.

One thing is certain, Chief Maggie Riley has her work cut out for her!

Thank you Shannon Hollinger, Net Galley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC of this book!

This was a great read. It’s the first in a series about a small town Maine police chief with a secret past and the guy she’s fallen in love with who has secrets of his own. A grisly murder brings in the state police and leads to more horrific discoveries. It’s told through multiple POVs but they all add to the story and never get confusing. I’m happy the author has already written the first three books in the series because I’ll be looking up the next.

I read a digital review copy of this book via NetGalley.

This one definitely had me guessing… but passively guessing? With the way the POVs are laid out some felt like you could feel the character spiral while others just felt bluntly revealed. I ended up enjoying this layout since it seemed to pull a fast one on me. With that being said, the writing definitely flowed and there were no dull moments.

I also really enjoyed Chief Riley’s character but do I trust her… or anyone in this town!? There are still many unanswered questions about the main character’s backstory which I am looking forward to getting more of in the next book! Luckily it is out at the same time this one is. Thank you so much to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Seductive and twisted. Highly recommended! Readers, find some quiet alone time to settle in with this one because you won't stop reading until you've turned the final page. Highly recommended to fans of mysteries, suspense and thrillers.

Chief Maggie Riley is new to upper Maine, but she's not new to police work or being a detective. In her small quiet town, Maggie is on patrol when she comes across a man's body in the middle of the road.. With a storm coming, she's doing her best to preserve the scene when her progress is halted by teenage girl's scream. The state police and their crime lab is called it - and that creates more havoc for Maggie to sort through - as well as the discomfort created by her deputy (Murphy) who does not like working for a woman and has serious baggage. And, that's not to say Maggie doesn't have any secrets of her own - or does her partner/friend, Steve. There are so many twists and turns... secrets exposed and hidden. Really liked the opening to this Series. Thank you to Bookouture for an advanced reader copy of this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

The Girl Who Lied - Chief Maggie Riley Book 1 is a thriller with a strong female lead who will make you want to immediately grab the next in the series.

Maggie Riley is the Chief of Police for a small town in Maine. She finds a dead body and a traumatized teen girl and thus begins our story. Why was the girl at the scene? What happened?

Maggie has to solve the crime, confront her past and the reason she left her past life as a detective and we have to figure out who she can trust and why!

This was a wonderful read, that I read in one setting and a character that I can't wait to follow in further books.

This book was given to me as an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.

Hollinger had me from page one in this book! I looooved this book! I was cheering Maggie on. It is filled with suspense from start to finish! I am hooked!!! I was so happy to see that this book said "Book 1" I will definitely be reading more of Maggie Riley!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of The Girl Who Lied, the first novel to feature Police Chief Maggie Riley, set in the fictional small town of Coyote Cove, Maine.

Maggie finds a dead body on the side of the road. With a storm about to strike she does what she can to preserve the evidence when she realises that the man has been stabbed to death, but is startled to see seventeen year old Heather McGillis stagger out of the nearby woods in a state of deep shock. She is only one of many suspects in town and only one of many keeping secrets.

I enjoyed The Girl Who Lied, which is a dark tale of secrets and deception with several big twists. It is told from various points of view so the reader gets a broad picture of the thoughts and actions of the main players, but not so broad that it encompasses all their secrets and misdeeds.

The novel is all about the hunt for a killer and the way the investigation affects those even peripherally involved. In the course of this hunt several other crimes are unearthed and some deep secrets brought to light. I think that this part of the novel is well planned and executed. I was less enthusiastic about some of the other aspects, mostly to do with Maggie and her boyfriend, Steve who appear to be keeping big secrets.

Maggie was a highly decorated detective in Florida until her much younger brother disappeared. She conducted her own investigation and it led to an implied breakdown and a change of pace and scenery in small town Maine. There are hints in the novel that there is far more to this story than disclosed and not all of it good. Then there is Steve. He too is keeping secrets. He has already been acquitted of murder once, but that’s not the full extent of his secrets. These secrets are obviously going to be a thread and, personally, I’m already less than enthusiastic as big secrets told in a thread annoy rather than interest me. I’m a bit old fashioned and would rather a novel concentrate on a tangible investigation (like most used to) rather than tease out what, in this case I think, will be illegalities of some kind. I will read the next novel before deciding whether or not to continue with the series as it’s best not to judge on one example and I like the main plot a lot.

The Girl Who Lied is a mixed bag for me, but I think that those who like a more psychological approach will lap it up. 3.5*

Chief Maggie Riley is a highly decorated detective hiding secrets from her past while living and working in very small Coyote Cove, Maine. One night when driving home she sees the dead body of a man in the woods. Standing near it is a young teenager, Heather, who is nearly hysterical. Why is she near the dead man and are they connected? Maggie and her boyfriend Steve get very involved despite each also having something to hide. Told in multiple POV’s, the past and present threaten to collide, all while the State Police are coming after Maggie. This is a clever story where the facts are slowly fed to the reader. Maggie is a strong female character who consistently stands up to the narrow-minded and sexist State Police. The Girl Who Lied is a quick fun read and I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
With thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC. My opinions are my own.