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If You Tell a Lie by Lucinda Berry is a cleverly twisted and messed up haunting thriller with a smashing and accurately manipulated twist.
This book is presented from a dual timeline with multiple POVs. This book shows how simply someone's life can be destroyed by lies and that a detailed investigation is necessary to save an innocent party! After reading this book you will start to question everything and trust no one!

Fourteen-year-old friends Megan, Thera, Blakely and Grace are grey and miserable in daily life, like everyone in this summer camp. But soon there is a hierarchy and Blakely becomes a silent leader. Unfortunately, kids will follow her even if they know it's wrong! When they have sworn to secrecy after crazy events in summer camp, they are positive that their secret is safe. 26 years later the secret is ready to come out. They will do everything to protect it! Sadly, they don't know they must protect themselves instead of a 26-year-old secret!

Events of this book will make you sad and mad! This story has so many layers to show how toxic can be relationships that look so innocent from the outside!

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this copy!

Fucking diabolical. Such a wild story from the past and for the present. And the ending left my jaw dropped. I do wish I could a little more of the after math for Grace, Thera, and Meg tho.

If You Tell a Lie is about four friends who swore to secrecy because of the events that happened one fateful summer, but also the dark truths that threaten to break out years later. This was my first time reading this author and I can not wait to read more by her. The book had such a good plot that was so intriguing. I was turning pages untill the very end and the ending I did not see coming. I loved this book and it was the perfect summer read and I recommend to any reader especially to those who love a good thriller. Thank you to the author Lucinda Berry, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this book in exchange of my honest review of If You Tell a Lie.

As someone who has read almost all of Lucinda's work, I really enjoyed this fast-paced twisty tale of 4 dysfunctional teen girls with a terrible secret. It was a super easy one to read and follow even with the multiple POV's. And in good old Berry fashion she ends it abruptly with so much more to be desired, which both drives me crazy but at the same time I've come to love about her style. Also, she always finds a way to work in the most unhinged psychological backstories on her characters.

If You Tell a Lie” isn’t a typical beach read, but it’s a book that will leave a lasting impact.

Lucinda Berry’s ‘If You Tell a Lie’ explores friendship, secrets, and the haunting consequences of past events from a summer camp that will linger in your thoughts long after you’ve finished reading.

It’s a tale of four women whose lives are mysteriously intertwined by a message hinting at a disturbing event from their past summer camp experience, drawing them into another compelling and dark narrative. It prompts deep reflection through exploration of peer pressure and the serious consequences of friendship.

Berry adeptly develops complex characters whose motivations become clearer as the story unfolds, intensifying their journey. This book is essential for thriller enthusiasts, Lucinda Berry fans, and anyone fascinated by the darkest aspects of human nature.

Prepare to dive into a story that will challenge your perceptions and keep you on the edge of your seat.

3.8 stars.

I received an advance copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

Let’s get this straight, Lucinda Berry knows how to write a thriller! This books starts off from the past and you get four povs from four girls that went to summer camp together and something terrible happens that haunts them until present day. The multiple view points and then flashback to “that summer” was easy to follow and plot was good! I gave 3.8 stars because at the end I wanted more. Wait, not wanted. Needed more! I didn’t like how the story ended because I have so many questions and I want to see how it plays out! But it’s crazy how much the author makes you think about certain situations. Because some of them are real issues that aren’t talked about openly. This book leaves you guessing until the end. And even more after that!

This was a slow start for me but she sprinkled hooks into it to keep you reading. It was twist after twist. Fantastic book!

This book was told from 5 perspectives alternating from then to now. It told the story of 4 friends at summer camp that had a horrendous thing happen to them and they secret they kept and how it was coming back to haunt them.

In short….Can you really trust your friends? Would you kill for them? Hide a body for them? You should trust your gut. Especially when it’s screaming.

This book wasn't for me.

I did not connect with the characters at all. I found them unlikeable and dull. It's a slow burn and unfortunately, it was just too slow and I got bored.

10/10! Berry is at it again with a wild ride that has you holding on for dear life! I was hooked from page 1. If You Tell a Lie is the perfect example of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, the real monsters are people, and a hug may also come with a knife to the back. Berry’s latest masterpiece makes you feel paranoid and uncomfortable. I absolutely adored this book!

My jaw hit the floor with this book! The best thing about Lucinda Berry’s books are that moment you’re so stunned you have no words! She leaves you questioning everything you’ve just read and your brain is like a hamster trying to move a wheel. The wheel is moving but the hamster isn’t.
If You Tell a Lie is her latest book and it’s amazing! Told for multiple view points and in dual time lines, the story line keeps you on your toes. Four girls go off to camp as they have for several years but this year things turn out different. Flash forward several years when they reunite, things are even more different.
I don’t want to give anything away but I can’t encourage you enough to GO READ THIS BOOK! You may think oh it’s slow but keep going because you WILL NOT be disappointed! Lucinda Berry has a way of making our brains turn upside down and make us think about things from so many different perspectives! Now get ready because this book is coming soon and it’s amazing!
Thank you Lucinda Berry, NetGalley, and publishers for the advanced reader copy of this book!

Another twisty book by Lucinda Berry! I finished this book in 2 days. Kept having to tell folks to leave me alone. I really liked the ending. Not your typical ending.

This book had twists and turns at every drop. These girls, now women, were a toxic friend group who were determined to keep their secrets hidden. Every time I thought I knew what to expect, there was something else hiding in the chapter. Blakely was the most unhinged girl in this book and I loved her pov. I need more!

This was a page turner and a wild ride!

The book centers on four camp friends, told in alternating POVs and dual timeline (then and now). I thought this was an interesting way to engage the reader as you get to know the girls a bit.

Without any spoilers, the now storyline takes a wild turn about halfway through and the drops you off a cliff at the very end. As in, I totally did a double-take to make sure that was really the last chapter.

The girls all met at a camp for gifted students and I 100% bought into their childhood bond and how things spiraled during their last summer together, but I was disappointed in how not smart they were 20+ years later. As adults with years to reflect on what happened, the whole present-day storyline just felt like you really needed to suspend belief.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I felt like this book had potential, but ultimately it fell flat for me. The four principal characters were unlikeable and it was hard to distinguish each one’s point of view. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You can’t trust anyone! Once you start a lie you have to tell more to cover up the first and it just snowballs from there!
I enjoyed the book and the characters, however it ended kind of abruptly it did feel a bit rushed at the end and so for that I give it 3.5 stars rounded up for Goodreads
This was in typical Lucinda fashion with all of the twists and suspense we love.
Thank you Netgalley and Lucinda Berry for the ARC

Book: If You Tell A Lie
Author: Lucinda Berry
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Pub Date: July 23, 2024
I am a big fan of Lucinda Berry but this one didn’t do it for me. She can be hit or miss and this one was a miss. There are a lot of characters to keep up with and many different POV’s. It felt slow at times and really really slow at times. The ending was predictable and there weren’t really any big twists to keep me reading.

I just finished if you tell a lie, and as always from this author, It did not disappoint! It starts off a little slow and it’s hard to keep track of all of the characters at first, with their different pov and the then and now settings. However once It picks up and the secrets start coming out its full speed ahead! I felt that the teenage experience, self discovery, and especially the dialog about coming out in the 90’s was entirely relatable and realistic. About 80% in I still had no idea what was going on but in a good way! I could not put It down and had to get answers. What is the truth? What is lies? Every time I thought I knew what was happening I turned a page and something new would be revealed, making me question my own judgement. In the end I was mostly correct about who the villain was, however was there only one? I don’t think so but that could definitely be subjective. With the first “crime” they were all so young, still learning about life, struggling with their own demons, and they were certainly naive. But they are not young anymore, still naive, maybe a couple of them, but does that excuse their involvement? This book absolutely leaves room for a sequel and I really hope we get one. I need more answers! Overall i give this a 4.5 out of 5 and I absolutely recommend It.

Wow, never saw that coming! Great book in the psychological suspense genre. This story is well written with lots of twists to the plot. Told in the voices of the four protagonists, it moves between past and present seamlessly.

The characters are multifaceted with personalities that move between likable to manipulative. The storyline explores karma and peer group pressure without naming them as such. A very satisfying read that I highly recommend.

I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.

This book was decent, not my favorite one by this author but I still enjoyed it. It is told from multiple points of view and between the past and present. It follows four friends who met at a camp. On the last year of camp as seniors something horrific happens and they were involved in some capacity. The past comes to haunt them when they all receive a chilling note that someone knows what they did that summer. This book was a good popcorn thriller and I enjoyed reading it. I do wish that the ending tied things together more because I feel like it ended on a bit of a cliff hanger.

A roller coaster of emotions, but loved it! A lot of things going on and a puzzle that was hard to put together! Did not disappoint!