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!

Thank you to @lucindaberryauthor, Thomas & Mercer, and Netgalley for my #gifted copy for honest review!


4.5⭐️
Just finished this one and dang!!!
You know those characters you just don’t feel good about but everyone loves? It’s got that,deep friendships, murder, and camp! I couldn’t stop when things started going down, they keep going and going! It’s like when you watch scary movies you’re screaming at the tv “what are you doing?!?!?” Because you’d like to think you’d know what to do. That was me at this book! And of course you get that psychological parts that come with events like this and spiral it can take on lives! I love the endings are a little left up for to imagine what happens further!

Lucinda Berry is by far one of my favorite authors. Her newest book was. I disappointment. Told in dialing timelines, we get sent down a dark journey of lies, secrets, and 4 friends who would do anything for each other.

This book had a lot of twists and turns but also made you think “what would I do in that situation at such a young and impressionable age”. I loved this book and will be adding it to the top of my list of favorites for this year!

I absolutely loved the prologue. I even audibly said "Wow. You've got my attention." I'm not a huge fan of so many POV and different timelines. I'm already having to keep up with five different people, and now you also want me to keep up with their past and present? I'd often forget which person I was reading and have to either go back to the beginning of the chapter or find a sentence where the names were listed and cross them off the list in my head. It was like a multiple choice question. However, towards the middle I learned their personalities, which made it easier than it was in the beginning. Some of the sentences didn't make sense. For example (I won't give anything away): Was the one to hold the *insert rest of the sentence*. Who was the one to hold it? There wasn't a name at all. I mean you know who it was because it says it in another sentence somewhere else, but it just felt incomplete. It just seems odd and makes you do a double take. There are other sentences with just one word. Yup. Just like that. Also ones like the one I just wrote, but they were not all like that. Honestly, sometimes a sentence really is just a few words, BUT this was majority. I think editing needed a little more time with it. I do have to say, I love all the references to "back then" because that was my back then. It was almost like I was in the conversation with them going "oh yea! I remember that" which was a lot of fun. I think this is probably the first book that made me nostalgic. The twist was semi predictable with predictable characters, but it was delivered well. One thing I've come to love about Berry's books is that it kind of leaves you wondering about what ifs. This wasn't that at all. It was a very abrupt and quick ending. The entire book is a build up to just a blip of an ending. That was kind of disappointing. Overall I liked book and would recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley, publisher and author for a chance at at a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I primarily read thrillers and very much enjoy the suspense in a lot of them but unfortunately this one was a miss for me. I did not enjoy the characters, they were very unlikeable. The book is told from the perspectives of four girls and two timelines which I tend to dislike because it can just get confusing.

Do I absolutely hate it? No. Will this stop me from reading anything written by Lucinda Berry? Also No.

Side note: I absolutely do love the cover art.


If you tell a lie will be released on July 23rd so I recommend you read it for yourself,

This book was everything I love about Lucinda’s writing. I was on the edge of my seat, I thought I had everything figured out (definitely did not), and it made even more excited for more books to come!!!!

Lucinda does it again with an absolutely captivating read. Following the story of four friends who have kept a dark secret for decades, they are suddenly brought back together under the guise that someone has found out what they did, and they're coming for revenge. Complicated personal relationships, dysfunctional family dynamics, and insecurities bring these girls together to try to bury their secret once and for all, but does anyone really know anyone's true intentions?

Although I was hoping for more closure on a few of the characters and certain situations had me internally screaming at these girls, Lucinda still does a wonderful job of digging into the psyche of complicated decision making.

I adore Lucinda Berry's books. If You Tell A Lie was exciting and fast paced. Loved loved loved it! 5 stars!

I was very excited to receive this ARC by Lucinda Berry.. this was now my fifth book by her that I’ve read and I’m still trying to process everything that happened. I enjoyed the story of this book but In my opinion I felt like the beginning was slow and dragged out and it ended erupt. I wasn’t ready for this book to be over and felt like there was so much more left unsaid.
Thank you NetGalley, Dr. Berry, and the publisher for the ARC.

This book was SO good! I got sucked in from the beginning and became emotionally attached to the characters. I tore through it, and especially for the last half of it I couldn't put it down! It didn't quite have the same impact on me that Saving Noah did (few books have), but still left me with a "WTF?" feeling at the end. I can't recommend it highly enough!

Gripping and diabolical! It is near impossible to put a Lucinda Berry book down till the last page is read. Most of them are mind blowing and psychologically terrifying. In this story we see what can happen when a group of rich girls at summer camp decide to play a dangerous and cruel prank on one of their teachers. The effects will be deadly and leave life long scars. I really dug into this one even though I had to close my eyes more than once! If you’re looking for a book to keep you up all night and leave you feeling a little disturbed then pick this one up! Thank you Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on July 23, 2024

I received an electronic advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolute loved Lucinda Berry’s other books they were 5⭐️ and would recommend to anyone, but unfortunately this one did not work for me. I’m not saying you shouldn’t read it because the storyline was good concept. I just felt like some of the beginning could have been cut out and added more Regina dialogue. I didn’t think it got interesting until about chapter 30 and then it felt rushed.

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC provided by NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer

Lucinda Berry is an auto it author for me so if she writes it, I’m gonna read it. I haven’t been disappointed in anything she’s written and this was no exception. This pulled me in right away and kept my attention throughout. I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good, twisty thriller. Keep ‘em coming Lucinda!

Blakely always gets her way, no matter what so little did she know that her actions would cause issues years to come. When the four friends go to summer camp they are able to get away from their lives. When the new tennis coach shows up everyone goes boy crazy but Blakely is determined to make him hers. But things go horrible wrong. Fast forward 10+ years later and Blakely is once again in trouble and needs her friends. Little do they know the problems they are about to face!

I loved this book! This was another one of Lucinda Berrys knockouts and is one I could read over and over again. The development of the characters through their entire journey shows how we might get older but friends can be there forever. I think that this book had a great plot and kept me on the top of my feet. I didnt want to put it down and would highly recommend!