Member Reviews
In One Little Secret, three couples who are neighbors decide to rent out a beach house for a nice getaway. By the end of the trip, one person is dead and the remaining friends are all murder suspects. The story is told over a three-day period- the day before, the day of and they day after. This story is told through alternate timelines and main characters. There are unexpected plot twists throughout- keeping you guessing until the end. It’s a quick read that keeps your attention. I definitely recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
This novel, One Little Secret by Cate Holahan, is filled with secrets besides one little secret, it involves six friends, actually neighbors who rent a beach house for a week. They all gather after leaving their children at camp and head to the beach. It's winey and boozy and there is competition - jobs, lives, wives! It's a great mystery of each of these friends, who are three couples, can you believe anyone or all that you hear. Loved it, couldn't put it down.
Oh yeah, one ends up dead! #NetGalley #CrookedLaneBooks #OneLittleSecret
This is another great story in the genre of a thriller. It reminds me of Big Little Lies, and kept me guessing until the end. The characters, for the most part, are all very sympathetic, so that I didn't want any of them to be the killer. If you like Girl on the Train, One Simple Favor, Big Little Lies, etc, I would recommend this book. I wasn't sure of the ending until I read it, and yet it was still believable, which is not always the case with such novels.
C O N T E N T W A R N I N G : D O M E S T I C A B U S E
If you could see my face, you would see how pleasantly surprised I am. Whenever I spot a wine glass on the cover, I'm not too keen the book won't be an over glorified account of a woman with alcoholism proving she saw a murder take place. So when I get a mystery with plausible suspects and a couple of political hot takes, I'm ALL IN. And trust me when I say that these hot takes are dead on.
Gabby Watkins knows what's it like to be one of the few women in a position of power. And the ways people will undermine her for being a woman. When it comes to "women-related" cases or "unhinged witnesses", she's expected to handle them. Those being sexual assault cases and any crying women on scene. She knows it's not how it should be but in the meantime she's the only one willing to find these women justice.
No one expects murder in the vacation town of the Hamptons. Told in timeline sequences, Rachel's death unfolds with everyone involved in her last night. Each piece of information leads us closer and farther away from the truth. At the same time, another separate case of rape is being investigated. While the two crimes are connected in some way, I was hoping there was more to it than confirming an alibi.
The characters are well developed except for Rachel but that's because she's dead and the dead don't speak. I also felt that the motives were constructed in a satisfying series of reveals. I think this is the most competent mystery I've read this year. No matter the large list of names to juggle, I didn't have too much trouble since it's in the 3rd person and characters are constantly referred to by their name. That's not an important fact but it's helpful in storytelling.
I would say that the ending was a bit lackluster but maybe I'm conditioned to favor a showdown. In this instance, it was triggering to read how one of the characters is almost beaten to death. The epilogue was unnecessary and created baggage where we didn't need it. I see how Gabby needed one last admission but it wasn't justified. In the end, I totally recommend this to fans of straight forward crime mystery with a sprinkling of social commentary.
C O V E R R E V I E W :
The imagery and title is on the generic side. Unlike other covers that feature a wine glass, there's not much to distinguish this one from the myriad of others who had the same idea. Even the broken glass resembles the cover of Sweetbitter . I do like the type treatment with the opacity. However, everything about the cover is unsuspecting.
Whew! I'm exhausted after reading this book (in a good way of course)! Three couples on vacation at the beach, a murder, a rape at a house party, and a savvy detective. These all come together in a convoluted plot line that had me gasping at every twist. The novel is titled One Little Secret, but let's face it; is there ever just ONE secret where marriages are concerned? Complicated relationships, kids, lawsuits, passion, victimization, abuse, and loyalty all come in to play. This will definitely not be my last Cate Holahan book! Pick this one up for the beach this summer!
This started out a bit slow but quickly picked up the pace. Just when you thought you had it figured out, it would twist to a totally different way...then twist back. Good summer read.
Another good page turner by Cate Holahan. Once I got through a bit of a slow start, the story picked up and things began to move along. This will be a great beach read, which is exactly where I read most of this today. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a light whodunit, with a variety of characters, set in a beach house.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the digital review copy.
One Little Secret should be titled Many Large Secrets. This book is a messy read. There are so many snarled stories entangled and each chapter smooths out the story even more. Three couples rent a beach house together for a week. Only things unravel from the outset. One will end up dead, two were having an affair, there were two lawsuits, and many lies. It's chaotic at first trying to keep all the figures and their plots straight. Finally, the true killer is revealed, but st that point, the sacrifices have already been made.
Three couples. All seemingly friends rent a beach house for a week while their kids are at camp. But each person has at least once secret from the group. When Rachel winds up dead detective Gabby is determined to find out what happened to her and what everyone is hiding.
So I thought I had this one figured out right away, and I was a little bit right but not totally. The twists just kept coming! I really liked this book-it was a quick read and while for part of it I was just waiting for it to finally confirm my thoughts, after that I was dying to know what happened.
One Little Secret- a book about a group of neighbors who rent a beach house together- trying to become friends, even though they all have reasons to not get along. After a night of drinks, arguments, and accusations, one of them wind up dead.
I enjoyed parts of this book. It was well written, kept you guessing, very intriguing. The characters- kind of all over the place. Maybe that's what kept drawing me in- "what else can possibly come up in one night?!?!" Well, a whole lot. From tempers, to passiveness, to accusations, it was a little hard to keep up at first! It definitely had me guessing who did it. Great storyline. I loved the way the chapters flipped back from the day of to the night before. Great way to hold attention, and keep everything fresh in my mind.
I was however pretty disappointed in the lack of justice for most of the women in this novel. Starting with the case that the main detective is investigating at the beginning of the book. That girl deserved more. I was so sad about how that ended. I also think that for all 3 of the wives in the beach house, all of them were shown as weak and victims. It made my heart go out to each one of them. No matter what they did (or didn't do!) in the end I think that they were wronged by the world, the justice system, and their spouses. The detective? I hated, HATED the mother's day visit with her. I think there could have been a better way to reveal what came out of that. I like to think of her as stronger than what that last scene showed her as.
All in all a really great fun beach read. I think this could make a great movie. Are you listening Lifetime? Snatch this up!
This books starts with a woman being drowned by someone. That beginning lets the reader know that this will be a great thriller. Three families who, live in the same neighborhood, decide to rent a beach side home and go on a vacation while their children are at camp. Most of the character's have professional jobs and very fancy homes. The book has three parts, the day before, the day of, the day after but they are not individual books in the book they continue throughout the book as the day before, the day of ,and the day after. Sometime I was confused about this situation and had to write notes but not because of the book but more I sometimes get confused. The book title leads you to believe that one person has a secret but actually all people have secret in this book.. 'The book is extremely enjoyable with the end definitely fulfilling. My only
caution would be that there is domestic violence. I became a fan of the author and cannot wait to see her next book.
Thank you for NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read and comment on this book. I would recommend it to anyone.
One Little Secret by Cate Holahan is an entertaining story told over three days. Here is the basic idea of the story: a few couples decide to rent a beach house in the Hamptons as a quick getaway but someone is murdered and the others are suspects. I love that premise!
The glass beach house was supposed to be the getaway that Susan needed. Eager to help her transplanted family set down roots in their new town—and desperate for some kid-free conversation—she invites her new neighbors to join in on a week-long sublet with her and her workaholic husband.
Over the course of the first evening, liquor loosens inhibitions and lips. The three couples begin picking up on the others’ marital tensions and work frustrations, as well as revealing their own. But someone says too much. And the next morning one of the women is discovered dead on the private beach.
Town detective Gabby Watkins must figure out who permanently silenced the deceased. As she investigates, she learns that everyone in the glass house was hiding something that could tie them to the murder, and that the biggest secrets of all are often in plain sight for anyone willing to look.
Of course, everyone is hiding something, they all have secrets they don’t want to be shared but who is the killer and WHY? I always like books like this one, where a group of people are together tensions begin to build, secrets are exposed, add some wine, and a murder and there you go. This is a great book to bring with you on vacation!
Due out on July 9! Order here.
If nothing else, One Little Secret will likely make you feel much better about your vacation this summer. It begins with Detective Sergeant Gabby Watkins questioning a rape victim, then being called to investigate a probable murder. A woman has been found strangled and drowned in the ocean. She was one of 6 people, three married couples, renting a nearby beach house.
From there, time and perspectives shift. The time frame alternates between The Day Of (the drowning), the Day Before, and the Day After. The three couples have sent their teen and tween-age children to camp. Susan, a former attorney turned stay-at-home mother, has arranged the beach rental. She is desperately hoping to impress her wealthy, highly placed neighbors and eager to enjoy some kid-free time. The vacation, unfortunately, doesn’t last even 24 hours before Rachel, a beautiful and currently-practicing attorney, is found dead.
It slowly emerges that practically everyone in the house may have had a motive to kill Rachel. There is definitely more than the titular just one secret. There are drinking problems, affairs (real and suspected), lawsuits, resentments over money, and a husband who regularly beats his wife. That last is described in sometimes gruesome detail, as are the wife’s attempts to cover what is happening to her. There may also be a connection to the party where the young woman that Sergeant Watkins first questioned claimed to have been raped. Even Watkins’ husband and teenage daughter make an appearance in her investigation.
Cate Holahan gives herself a lot of balls to juggle, but she manages to keep them afloat. She never goes too far into the woods and maintains reader focus on the mystery of Rachel’s death. The motivations of the characters are clearly defined.
This will not be considered a classic, but it is a well-characterized and nicely paced addition to the domestic suspense genre. Read it while on the way to your own vacation. You’ll want to keep an eye on your partner and neighbors.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Three couples rent a house on the beach for a relaxing vacation while their kids are away at camp. Sounds like a fun time, until one of them is found dead on the beach. Suspicions and accusations fly, and we slowly figure out that everyone is not necessarily who they seem. I enjoyed reading this book. It was a quick read and kept my attention waiting to see what would happen next. I thought near the end I had it all figured out, boy was I wrong!
Make sure you add One Little Secret to you TBR pile!
Thank you to #CrookedLaneBooks and #Netgalley for the ARC of #OneLittleSecret.
Three couples rent a vacation home in the Hamptons while their kids are at summer camp. What should be an idyllic week at the beach turns deadly real quick. The author doesn’t waste much time jumping into the mystery which I appreciate!
The chapters alternate between the day before in “incident”, the day of and the day after. The chapter flow so seamlessly that you don’t have to pay attention to the headers.
This book sucked me in, kept me guessing and just when I thought I might have figured it out, gave a new twist! I certainly couldn’t have predicted the secrets everyone was hiding, who knew what and who was truly in the dark and how it would all unravel. This was my first book by Cate Holahan and I’ll be back for more.
I am very middling about this book. I thought the storyline was good- but the way it played out didn't live up to the plot. Some parts I found really exciting and others I was bored and wanted it to be over. I found most of the characters annoying and couldn't sympathise with any of them.....the only one I liked was the police officer. I feel like it could have been so much more than it was and I am a little disappointed with the outcome, I don't know what I expected and it was a surprise, but it wasn't that? Such a shame as I had high hopes for it.
One Little Secret by Cate Holahan
Three couples rent a Hamptons beach house while their children are away at school camp, the couples are all neighbours.
Susan organises the beach getaway as she thinks it would be a great way to get to know her neighbours better and receive some kid-free conversation as her husband is a workaholic.
Wow there is so much intermingling between these characters, they have so many undesirable qualities and are not very likeable people at all. There’s alcohol fuelled arguments, betrayal, jealously, sarcasm, secrets, domestic abuse..... and it’s only the first night. The story quickly turns into a whodunnit as one of the women ends up dead on the private beach.
Detective Gabby Watkins must figure out who is the murderer, so many of the neighbours appear to have motives. While this story was a page turner I found it a little confusing to follow the characters in the beginning of the story but as the story developed it became easier.
Great read if you enjoy a whodunit.
Thanks to Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review
This is my 3rd book by this author so I was excited when i got approved by NetGalley to review this book before it comes out. Her last 2 books I enjoyed both and gave each one 4 stars. This book alters chapters between The Day Before, That Day, and The Day after “the murder”. I found myself getting easily confused throughout the book. I’m not sure why I kept getting confused, maybe it was keeping all the characters straight? It was a great ending and I did not see it coming! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book for my honest review.
This book kept me on the edge of my chair - not an easy thing to do for a jaded reader like me!
3 couples, neighbors, share a rental property in the Hamptons, Ny for a week while their children are at summer camp. One of them is murdered and it's up to a Long Island detective to figure out who is telling the truth, who is lying, and who needs to be punished.
All marriages are different. They have outside to the public faces and inside behind closed doors faces and Cate Holahan shows up both sides of all three couples. There's a connection here that's more than just neighborly, so anyone of them could be the kiiler.
Told in alternating and multiple POVs, the book bounces back and for the majority over 3 days - before, the day of, and the after the murder. It was a great way to tell the tale, too, because just like a raw onion, the layers of the story and of the people were peeled back and revealed with each new chapter.
This is a great read. Thanks to Netgalley for a sneak peak.
Thank you to NetGalley, Cate Holahan and Crooked Lane Books for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.
The beach house is supposed to be a nice getaway Susan needed to get a break from her kids and to make friends with her new neighbors. So she invites her neighbors on a weeklong sublet with her and her workaholic husband. The liquor loosens lips and the three couples begin to pick up on other’s martial tensions and work frustrations. But someone says too much and the next morning one guest is found dead on the beach. Detective Gabby must figure out who silenced the deceased, but Gabby finds that everyone is hiding something that could tie them to the murder.
I really enjoyed this novel; it was so quick paced and such an easy read to whip through! I really enjoyed how the chapters went back and forth between the present day and the day before the murder, it definitely made things come into perspective in a different and interesting way. I really enjoyed some of the characters and really enjoyed to hate some of the others! I enjoyed all the secrets that were wrapped up in just these three couples and how different they appear from one another even though they are in very similar situations. This novel would be a perfect binge read for the beach this summer! I would definitely recommend.
Out July 9th!