Secrets Abound in Colleen Coble’s ‘One Little Lie’ [REVIEW]

Pelican Harbor is a picturesque little community. It doesn’t seem possible that anything bad could ever happen here. But vice happens where you least expect it. Yet murders are on the rise and the new sheriff in town must catch a killer to prove her mettle in One Little Lie, the debut novel in Colleen Coble’s latest series.

Fifteen years ago, Jane Hardy and her father escaped the clutches of a dangerous cult. In the years that ensued, he rose in the ranks of law enforcement until he eventually became the sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama.

Now retired, he’s handing the job over to his daughter, just in time to get arrested for theft and implicated in a recent murder. Confident her father isn’t to blame, Jane is suddenly plagued by questions, including: who is framing her dad? And why are they out to destroy the only family she has left?

These questions are already piled on top of one that has nagged her for years: whatever became of her mom? The answer to that is anyone’s guess. Since Jane and her dad fled the cult, leaving her mother behind (only because she refused to check out), Jane’s looked tirelessly for any clue as to her mother’s fate. Is someone from their terrifying past behind the events of late? And if so, what do they hope to accomplish?

There’s also a new man in town with his eye set intently on Jane. A well-known documentary filmmaker, Reid Bechtol intends to cover the young sheriff’s blossoming career and has the blessing of the committee that hired her to do just that, much to Jane’s chagrin.

Initially, Jane loathes the idea, but Reid’s calming presence draws her to him, and suddenly the two of them work together to help clear her father’s name. Secrets seldom stay buried, and Reid’s past threatens to destroy the relationship they’ve forged. Now will one little lie Jane’s father once told ruin any chance they may have at happiness?

I’ve been reading Coble’s work for years, and she consistently delivers stories that are both riveting and complex, all without adding anything explicit to the plot. One Little Lie doesn’t disappoint and will certainly satisfy her legion of fans. In fact, this may very well be her best work yet!

Filled with quirky, unforgettable characters, this is the kind of tale where everyone is a suspect and anyone could be the killer. After all, everyone seems to have a motive, something personal they would rather keep hidden.

This may leave readers wondering: Can any small town have as many secrets as Pelican Harbor does? It may seem a bit far fetched to those who have never lived in a small coastal town themselves. Having done so, however, I assure you that I found the web of lies and deceit that stretches across the community completely believable. As a result, the sense of foreboding that arises is deliciously palpable and makes for a fascinating thrill ride filled with twists and turns, one which had me eager to keep turning pages until the final facade is razed to the ground.

In the grand tradition of the late Mary Higgins Clark, Coble knows how to wreak havoc with our nerves with loads of suspense and a hint of romance. One Little Lie is a great beginning to a new series which will undoubtedly have readers eagerly awaiting their next trip to coastal Alabama and the small town that is Pelican Harbor.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Colleen Coble is a USA Today bestselling author best known for her coastal romantic suspense novels, including The Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, and the Lavender Tides, Sunset Cove, Hope Beach, and Rock Harbor series.

Her novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 4 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail.

Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana. To find out more, visit ColleenCoble.com, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

ONE LITTLE LIE
By Colleen Coble
352 pp. Thomas Nelson. $16.99

Purchase One Little Lie at one of these fine online retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Half Price Books, IndieBound, Powell’s, and Thomas Nelson.

One Little Lie is brought to you in association with TLC Book Tours.

Listen to a clip from the audiobook or read the first chapter of the novel here.