I absolutely loved this book. I actually read it before the official launch but being this the first ARC I received from NetGalley, I hadn't figured out how to leave my reviews of the book except on my socials. Now that I have it figured out, i want to thank @netgalley for allowing me to read this book before release day. I was pulled in from the very first page, I was not expecting the twist at the end either. I thoroughly enjoyed all the twists and turns Lucinda gave us right til the end. 5 star read from me!
Can't wait for the next one!
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy of If You Tell a Lie.

I love a lot of Lucinda Berry thrillers but this one felt a little too YA for me. The twists and turns were too over the top for me to believe could ever happen. Easy read, just not my favorite.

Lucinda Berry books are usually so engrossing. But this one didn’t hit the same as the others. I don’t usually mind the girls at camp and keeping secrets trope too. I did read this one fast hoping more things would happen. I didn’t like the characters that much and I felt bad for the adult main character in their past.

I’m so glad that my group of friends and I didn’t cover up a death like this.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas&Mercer and Lucinda Berry for a copy of the eARC and an honest review of the book.

I really enjoyed this book! I thought the “then” chapters took us inside the minds of these teenagers in a way that showed us what was truly important to them and had us remembering what it felt like to be teenagers. The story progressed at a good pace, and everything wove together seamlessly. The ending truly had me shocked. I didn’t see it coming. I knew she was messed up but I guess I didn’t realize how messed up!

Lucinda Berry has become an auto buy author for me. I have thoroughly enjoyed every book of hers I’ve read and this one is no exception! Do yourself a favor and read this book as soon as you can!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy of this in exchange for my honest opinion!

4 Stars

Another great read from Dr. Lucinda Berry. I really enjoyed this story and found it very entertaining from start to finish. My only complaint was I thought I was going to be getting a summer camp thriller story, which is true for the first half of the book. I loved how we got all the POVs from each of the four girls plus Regina's POV. But after the half way mark, the story shifted to almost a completely different story to the woman's present story and it short of came out of left field. I enjoyed the "other story" but it wasn't exactly what I "signed up for." But again, the story was enjoyable overall. I also got confused from time to time on if this was set at a summer camp or a school just due to a few terms that were used.

This book was exciting and thrilling and such a page turning story. Told in dual timelines of before and present time. Four friends meet at a summer camp and during those teenage years end up in a lie that spans multiple decades. This is not a simple lie. It one that changes families and the community. The story is told in mullet point of view of each of the girls which really helps keeps the anticipation of the story. A great psychological thrilling story of friendships, secrets, and lies.

Can you really trust your besties?

That is what this group of young girls ask themselves. When the pressures of wanting to fit in during summer camp leads to an insane murder. They all go their separate ways promising to take the secrets of that summer to the grave. Until they receive a note insinuating that someone else knows. Estranged friends come back together to only be trapped in yet another web of lies and deceit.

FREAKING.LUCINDA.BERRY.IS.A.GENIOUS

I absolutely love the unique spin on psychological that Berry takes within this story. I truly had no idea where this was going until it smacked me right in the face. I had an feeling it was going where it went but I definatly didn't it getting there the way I did. It gives a bit of I Know What You Did Last Summer vibes and I loved every minute of it!

Go read it like yesterday! Ummmkay bye ✌️

Thank you to Lucinda Berry and Netgalley for an advanced look into these ladies lives. And making me glad I never went to summer camp 🖤

This was interesting when I realized where I was. Bounces around a lot to many different povs and it’s a bit hard to keep up at times. The ending was just there all of the sudden when turning the page and I was like. Ohhh we are here. Just ends in like three pages. I have heard other books by the author are great. This just wasn’t for me

I loved the guessing and the what will happen next vibe of this novel. I love books by Lucinda Berry and this one was amazing. I definitely recommend this one and I look forward to more titles by Lucinda.

This was another 5 star from Lucinda. The plot, the character development, the twists, and turns were amazing and thrilling! Would 5/5 recommend.

Lucinda hit it out of the park with this one. Her twists are just phenomenal. I’ll forever be the first in line for her next book!!

Let me start by saying that I'm normally a HUGE fan of Lucinda Berry. (And I really LOVED this cover!)

Unfortunately, this one just missed the mark for me. I had trouble connecting with any of the characters and didn't feel the spark that makes me want to read THIS "thriller" (as opposed to the thousands of others out there). Don't get me wrong, it's a fun read. But the spark in both the story and the characters was just missing for me.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

"If You Tell a Lie" is a gripping psychological thriller that had me hooked from the very first page. Berry masterfully unravels a tale filled with suspense, secrets, and unexpected twists, making it difficult to put the book down.

The story delves deep into the complexities of truth and deception, exploring how lies can shape and shatter lives. The characters are well-developed, each with their own layers of intrigue and depth, making them both relatable and enigmatic. Berry's portrayal of their emotional and psychological landscapes adds an intense, almost haunting realism to the narrative.

The pacing is well-crafted, with just the right amount of tension building up to a climactic revelation.

"If You Tell a Lie" is a compelling read for anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers that delve into the darker aspects of human nature. Lucinda Berry has crafted a story that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page. Highly recommended for fans of suspenseful, character-driven narratives.

Four best friends meet at summer camp and reunite year after year. At their final year of camp, something is different. For one thing, Mr. Crosby is the handsome new tennis coach, who all the girls have their eyes set on. For another, this is the first summer the girls have started keeping secrets from each other. By the end of the summer, someone is dead, another is arrested, and the girls never speak to each other again. Years later, these former best friends all receive threatening letters in the mail and reunite one last time to see if they can finally put what happened that summer behind them.

The story is told in alternating perspectives and in different timelines with the past covering what happened that summer and the present showing how each of the women dealt with the aftermath and meeting up again for the first time. I think that some of the perspectives were a bit too similar in voice, so it could be difficult to tell the characters apart. The most interesting characters were also featured the least. Some of the backstory also seemed a bit unnecessary given how short the book was. There were also some parts set in the present, but focused entirely on past memories, which was a bit confusing as well. The plot is nothing super new, but it was entertaining nonetheless. There were some twists at the end that were surprising. I'd recommend this one to people who read a lot of thrillers or who like thrillers that focus on female friendships.

This was one of the best by Lucinda Berry. Just like her other books, you’re pulled in immediately by the story, and I really loved these characters. The story moved fast, which I always love. The twists are good, not just thrown in, but you don’t see them coming. Loved this book!

Great ending.. all the characters were well detailed but still took me a minute to figure out who was who but they kind of remind you throughout the book. A few bit shocking scenes that kind of came out of nowhere, but fit in just right

I wanted to love this one but the different perspectives made it had for me to get into. May translate better on audio so I ay try that in the future just to see if its more enjoyable for me that way.

I enjoyed the multiple POVs and dual timeline. I don’t really feel that it made much sense meshing the past and present drama the way it did though

So good. Lucinda is one of my favorite authors and this one is just as good as all the others. I love her writing style and the cover is great. Thank you so much for letting me read this in advance