Synopsis: Four friends are reunited twenty years after a murder at the summer camp they attended together.

Thoughts: I’m going to keep it short and sweet to avoid any spoilers. This book has all the ingredients for a summery thriller with a summer camp setting, dual timelines and multiple povs unraveling the story of secrets kept for decades, and twists that I didn’t guess. That being said, I wanted a lot more out of the characters and their motivations because the amount of disbelief I had to suspend was a little much for me.

Read this if you like:
🏕️ summer camp thrillers
🏕️ dual timelines
🏕️ multiple pov
🏕️ unreliable narrators

As anyone will tell you Lucinda Berry never disappoints. Lucinda drew me in from page one as usual. I loved the multiple POV's an Now and Then timelines. I thought the characters and the story were well written. As usual there were a few twists I didn't see coming but it wouldn't be a Lucinda Berry book if that didn't happen. She's one of those authors that I have yet to know what's going to happen in one of her books. I love that about her writing. You go in thinking maybe this time I will figure it out but NOPE she total spins you around. I always find myself at the edge of my seat by the end of her books and this one was no different. As with most of her books please check trigger warnings. I would highly recommend this book and any of her other books!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

An actual text I sent to my friends while reading this: "It started off so promising, and now its got horrible pacing, its weirdly religious at the moment, its completely abandoned the plot for something else." And I sent that 75% into the book. It did not get better. At all. This felt like the author had so many plot ideas in her head and couldn't hold onto a single one throughout the whole book. There's twists in a book and then there's u-turns. I'm always so nervous about Lucinda's books because there's been some I loved (The Best of Friends and Saving Noah) and some I absolutely despised (Off the Deep End). This, unfortunately, fell into the despised category for me.

If You Tell A Lie
Lucinda Berry

This is a thrilling exploration of the devastating consequences of secrets and lies and is the perfect read for psychological thriller readers.

Four friends sworn to secrecy over the events of one fateful summer camp. 27 years later they each receive a note saying;
‘I KNOW WHAT YOU DID THAT SUMMER AND I’M GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY.’

‘My job was to be the one that showed them. Introduced them to life with consequences. Where you pay for your actions. Where you’re punished when you hurt other people.’

This unfolds in a dual timeline, then and now, and is a disturbing journey into the dangerous and sometimes deadly consequences of peer pressure.

‘We did a terrible thing and eventually you have to pay for something like that. You just couldn’t get away with it. It was too big. Things that bad didn’t go unpunished.’

Blakely always got her way and the other girls followed her lead, blindly, even when they knew it was dead wrong. That last summer camp totally annihilated Regina’s life.

‘This was why I hated lying. You couldn’t just tell one lie. One lie led to another and another, like an alcoholic who couldn’t have just one drink.’

You didn’t want to just end someone’s life - you wanted to destroy it.

Ok my thoughts; I found the start a little lacklustre but knew this was setting the tone, backstory and groundwork for the manipulation to unfold later on. The ending most definitely picked up to the point that you just had to shake your head and give it to; that was well played. I most definitely did enjoy reading this although it didn’t blow me out of the water, but the ending was fun and maybe just maybe too tidy.

If You Tell A Lie is released today! @lucindaberryauthor @thomasmerceruk thank you for the ARC.

‘I was always watching them. Studying. Observing. Taking notes. They didn’t know I was always watching. It’s because rich kids are just like their rich parents.
Totally self-absorbed. And without regard for anyone else. Especially people outside their inner circle.’

So this might be my most favorite Lucinda Berry book ever! I love how she took a summer camp vibe and added on the psychological thriller aspect to it. This book had more of an actual thriller aspect than her other books. Like I was on the edge of my seat and kind of scared to read this one at night. lol. I totally thought I had the plot figured out and was so sure I beat it this time (normally I think I have her plots figured out and I never do) and I was wrong again. Whatever your thinking, it's wrong!! The twists were so good and I never saw any of them coming. Please Lucinda don't ever stop writing!!!!

Thank you Netgalley, Lucinda Berry and Thomas & Mercer for the ebook! This was a dark and twisty tale that had my mouth hanging open most the time!! You'll have to read it to believe it.

If You Tell a Lie by Lucinda Berry is an utterly gripping story.
This book was fantastic. So twisty, it kept me guessing throughout.
I absolutely love Lucinda Berry! I have absolutely enjoyed all the books I’ve read! This one is definitely no exception!

Thank You NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Its probably gonna sound odd but I know this author is insanely popular but this was my first book from her. I can definitely see why she is so popular though. This book was crazy in all the ways.

4 girls go to camp as young children and become the best of friends. Their final year there, tragedy unfolds and they will make a pact to keep the darkest secret and to never see each other again. The secret haunts them in their daily lives as they have gone their separate ways.

A book with many gasping moments. Twists and turns and sociopathic personalities. It was a little drawn out in some places and could be confusing at times with many POV’s and timelines.

“If You Tell a Lie” by Lucinda Berry is a gripping thriller that delves into the dark repercussions of a youthful lie. The story revolves around four former friends—Blakely, Grace, Meg, and Thera—whose summer at Camp Pendleton takes a deadly turn when a deceitful act leads to the murder of their tennis coach, Mr. Crosby. Bound by a pact of silence, they part ways, but their past is soon resurrected when an ominous note forces them back together.

Berry's narrative alternates between two timelines, exploring both the events leading up to Mr. Crosby’s death and the present-day fallout. This dual timeline structure adds depth to the story, revealing the complexities of the characters’ motivations and the impact of their past decisions. The tension builds as the women confront their shared history and grapple with the resurfacing threat from someone who knows their secret.

The novel is effective in its portrayal of the psychological effects of guilt and peer pressure. The characters are well-developed, with each one’s response to the unfolding mystery offering insight into their personalities and the nature of their relationships. The suspense is palpable, and the narrative’s twist, while surprising, might feel slightly melodramatic for some readers.

If You Tell a Lie by Lucinda Berry is a thrilling summer read. The story follows four friends—Blakely, Grace, Meg, and Thera—who met at Camp Pendleton for gifted children. During their senior summer, a reckless lie leads to the murder of their tennis coach, Mr. Crosby. They swear to keep the secret and never speak to each other again.
Twenty years later, a sinister note reunites them, threatening to expose their dark past. The story unfolds in a dual timeline, showing their teenage dynamics and how they have evolved as adults. The relationships and peer pressure are portrayed realistically, reminding me of high school drama.
The plot is dark and twisted, with secrets slowly unraveling. The pacing is fast, and the characters are engaging. Although the ending feels rushed, it adds to the shock value.
If you enjoy suspenseful thrillers with complex characters, this book is perfect for you!

Very grateful to the publisher for my copy, opinions are my own.

If you tell a lie is a story of about four teenagers at a summer camp. One of their counselors is murdered and they all swear to keep it a secret and leave the past behind until years later they receive a note.

This is my first book by Lucinda Berry and I was really excited to read the ARC after seeing how popular her other books are. However, it was disappointing for me. The character development was not unique. I kept confusing their back story, especially Meg and Grace. Also the story was not believable, the choices they made as grown adults were beyond me. The twist was also ridiculous and the ending was extremely abrupt and disappointing. I was waiting for some explanation but it just ended, like there was a chapter or two missing.

I personally didn’t enjoy this book but I will give the authors other books a chance.

Thank you Net Galley for ARC for my honest review.

This one had a lot of potential for me in the beginning, I was fairly invested in finding out exactly what had happened in the long ago summer but unfortunately the end ruined it for me. The author always does a really good job at exploring the psychological side of things in her books, (I’ve read most of them​) and her background gives her an edge into the way people behave that always fascinates me. So there was still that strength here and she explores grooming, the effects of peer pressure and many more dark issues here with a keen insight. Where she lost me was the constant need to suspense disbelief and then the ending felt rushed and abrupt with so many questions left hanging. Having so many unresolved issues kept me from rating this higher but I’m sure I’ll read the author again in the future because many of her books have been great for me.

Most people didn’t like the ending but I found this so dull until it got to that point. So I actually bumped my rating from a 2 to a 3 once I got to the twist at the end.

Four girls who meet a summer camp and become close friends are part of a crime and murder during their last year of camp. Many years later they're pulled together, after years of hiding what really happened that fateful day, by another crime that binds them. This is written in true Lucinda Berry style with a mystery that ties friendships, relationships and true evil together. I flew through this one.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Mercer for the ARC of this book.

I went into this book with super high expectations 1) because I freaking love Berry and 2) because I’ve read all of her books and just could not wait for this one.

I did enjoy this book and the twists were wild per usual. However, it was pretty slow in the beginning. I didn’t find myself picking it up but then kept giving it another shot. I’m glad I did. The last half of the book was great. I trust no one now lol!

Can’t see what Berry comes up with next. I’ll literally read anything this woman writes!

This book had Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants vibes. Not sure if the character of Blakely Reynolds was intentional in the fact that it made me picture Blake Lively as that person or not.

It starts off with a group of girls in summer camp, and quickly becomes darker from there. It was a fun read with great twists.

Gave it 4 stars because of the ending.

If You Tell a Lie by Lucinda Berry

Lucinda Berry’s book are quick reads for me. If You Tell a Lie is no different. It’s a psychological thriller told in dual timelines and multiple POVs. There’s a lot of manipulation and lying; sometimes you aren’t sure which character to believe (which I like!).

If You Tell a Lie is basically a reckless journey with peer pressure and social contagion and how dangerous or deadly the outcome(s) can be.

If you want an easy psychological thriller this is the book for you. Short chapters. Each chapter that ends makes you want to start another. There’s a few crazy twists but it’s supposed to be entertaining right?? I guessed one twist but wasn’t prepared for others. I would have liked to know what eventually happened to 3 of the characters or maybe it was left open for a sequel?

There are some subjects of sexual abuse, rape (mentioned not described), eating disorders and gruesome depictions. No sexually explicit scenes.

4 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

#NetGalley #ifyoutellalie #lucindaberry

If You Tell A Lie is full of crazy drama and unstable characters, and I couldn't put it down. Lucinda Berry has crafted a twisty tale involving 4 best friends who promise to support each other forever. The storyline switches between "then" when the four main characters were senior campers at Camp Pendleton and "now" 26 years later. All four girls have had difficult childhoods and are thankful to have each other. They have spent 9 consecutive years at summer camp together and are determined to make their last summer the best one yet. However, things don't go to plan, and the girls end up leaving camp with many secrets they will not speak of again ... until 26 years later when something brings them together once more. Wow! The storyline goes a bit off the rails, but it was exciting and kept me turning the pages. I always enjoy Berry's writing style as it makes for an easy, comfortable, yet captivating read. If You Tell A Lie would make a great tv movie or mini series. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the digital ARC.

Blakely, Grace, Meg, and Thera became best friends on day one at Camp Pendleton, a haven for gifted children. Then, their final summer, Mr. Crosby,, the handsome new tennis coach, winds up murdered after a reckless lie. The four girls swore themselves to secrecy., and never spoke to each other again....until now. Twenty years later a sinister note claiming to know what they did brings them back together. And once again Blakely is the one pulling the strings.

I really wanted to like this book. I normally like this author's books, but this one just fell flat for me. The characters all seemed to lack depth, and I didn't find anyone that I really found especially likeable, or like someone I could root for. The story is told in alternating chapters between past and present, so you can see what happened at camp all those years ago, along with what is happening now. Overall, this is a solid 3 out 5.