Wow. What a great book. I have a few complaints – 1) that it ended 2) that I lost a LOT of sleep because I was hooked on the action. I also have a huge regret – somehow, I allowed this book to be pushed down my to-be-read list. HOW did I let that happen?

Colleen Coble drew me in from the first page and kept me hooked throughout the book. Set on the Gulf Shore, in the small town of Pelican Harbor, Jane Hardy is promoted to chief of police upon her father’s retirement. Journalist Reid Dixon, and his son Will, arrive in town claiming Reid is filming a documentary on Jane. Jane suddenly has her hands full with several homicides, and a kidnapping. Somehow, her dad is involved, but how? The more Jane investigates, the more lies she uncovers. Who can she trust any longer, and how will she handle it when the biggest lie of all is unveiled?

One Little Lie is book one in the Pelican Harbor Series, and I plan to devour book two (Two Reasons to Run) as soon as it is available, as it continues Jane’s story. It is set to release in September 2020.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, and all opinions are my own.

Colleen Coble will always be my go-to mystery writers. While I love her mysteries, it is the characters I love the most. I fall in love with them and don’t ever want to stop reading. However, be WARNED that this book leaves some strings to be tied in the next book. I don’t know what I’m going to do until it comes out, but I definitely cannot wait. This was such a good book!

One Little Lie by Colleen Coble

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Colleen Coble launches a new series based in the small town of Pelican Harbor, Alabama that will have readers engaged in an excellent story from page one until the end.

Colleen Coble is a favorite of mine for a multitude of reasons including her wonderful ability to craft a story that I can’t put down. This newest series start is just such a book and I am very excited to read the next one coming out later this year. She begins her story with a young mother about to deliver her first child. The girl is known as Button in the cultist camp her family belongs to and she is both terrified and excited about the new life to come. But her joy over her new little boy soon turns to heartache as the camp comes under attack and her father rushes to get her out. He tells her that her baby has died and they have to leave or they will be next. Hurting deeply, Button climbs in her father’s jeep and prays for her heart to stop breaking. Fast forward 15 years and a shrimping trawler has hauled in an unwelcome load – a man’s torso dressed in a wedding dress. Jane Hardy, newly elected Chief of Police in Pelican Harbor hopes to solve this case quickly to help the town and her political opponents instill more trust in her abilities. It is another in a line of recent unsolved cases credited to an unknown person they have dubbed the “Vigilante”. But there is much more going on than even Jane could see before and it will take all her ability and police prowess to puzzle out what is happening in her formerly quiet town. Reid Dixon has come to Pelican Harbor to film a documentary on the newly elected female police chief. He is intrigued by her sharp mind and how much she has invested in the people of the town. But Reid carries secrets from the past that he would rather keep out of sight while he completes his latest project. As Reid and Jane begin working together, albeit reluctantly, they will soon discover they have much in common, including a deep love of family. Jane’s father is the former police chief of Pelican Harbor and his recent retirement came rather unexpectedly. He is known for being a tough man and also a “prepper”, someone who is prepared for any possibility of apocalyptic happenings. But when he is accused of murder and theft, Jane will have one more case added to the growing pile she is already trying to solve. Could her father’s past be coming back to haunt him? Or is it someone in the here and now that is looking to push blame onto an innocent man. Jane will have to race against the clock in order to solve the crimes and keep her job – a job someone doesn’t want her to have. Reid is trying to do his job and protect his son from the problems of the past. But his problems soon become the main focus of Jane’s cases given that one of the recent victims is his former cameraman. Working with Jane seems to be the best way to confront it all and still get the documentary story he is looking to tell. The pieces begin falling into place as Jane and Reid dig further into all the people involved but there are still so many questions that need answers if they are going to keep Pelican Harbor safe. Working together gives Reid and Jane the chance to get to know one another better and while they both are drawn to the other, Jane is not sure she can let Reid behind the walls she’s carefully built to keep men out. There is something familiar about Reid that is tickling the back of her mind but she can’t bring it to the fore. Why does he draw her in so easily? And why does she feel such a connection to his teenage son? Jane will have to sort all this out and solve the crimes at hand if she is to keep everyone she loves safe and alive. I loved the well paced ebb and flow of this story. There were moments of intense action or suspense followed by in depth conversations that helped me connect very well with the characters and the situations. Each chapter revealed new information and with each newly uncovered fact the reasoning behind the crimes became clearer. The release of information was well done so as to keep me engaged and working to figure out what might happen next before it did. I had some suspicions about what might happen and sometimes I was right and then other times I was way off base – this made the book even better as I wasn’t able to predict everything. The spiritual aspects of the story were well done and natural. The faith held by the main characters was realistic and lent the story some important focus and depth. I was both glad and frustrated by the ending of the book – some things were tied off well and others were left hanging purposely for the next book to answer. I will certainly be reading the next one as I just have to know what’s going to happen with Reid, Jane and the rest of Pelican Harbor. This book will definitely be highly recommended to others as I’m positive they will enjoy the mystery as much as I did.

I received this temporary complimentary E-Book from Thomas Nelson fiction via Netgalley in order to provide an honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

ane Hardy is appointed interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, after her father retires, but there's no time for an adjustment period. When her father is arrested for theft and then implicated in a recent murder, Jane quickly realizes she's facing someone out to destroy the only family she has.
After escaping with her father from a cult fifteen years ago, Jane has searched relentlessly for her mother—who refused to leave—ever since. Could someone from that horrible past have found them?
Reid Bechtol is well-known for his documentaries, and his latest project involves covering Jane's career. Jane has little interest in the attention, but the committee who appointed her loves the idea of the publicity.
Jane finds herself depending on Reid's calm manner as he follows her around filming, and they begin working together to clear her father. But Reid has his own secrets from the past, and the gulf between them may be impossible to cross—especially once her father’s lie catches up with him.
One little lie changes everything for Jane. She has overcome a lot since fleeing the cult with her father. Her father has since become sheriff of Pelican Harbor and retired. Jane has taken over as interim sheriff. Reid wants to do a documentary on Jane as a female small town sheriff. Pelican Harbor is a sleepy little town with hardly any crime. Then murders start to happen. Somehow her dad is connected to them. The FBI gets involved and want to arrest her dad. Who can she trust. Reid is hiding something, her dad is hiding something.
This is a great mystery. I'm anxious for book two.
I was given this book by Thomas Nelson Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

I have always loved Colleen Coble's books. They are well written and well plotted. Most of the time I can't see how it ends util just before it ends. She writes interesting characters and doesn't pile on the religious aspects some Christian authors do.
This one was very different considering her main character was once in a cult so she had a lot of baggage to work through. And I was so happy to see the happy ending and resolution.

I love Colleen Coble’s writing and I was by far from being disappointed with newest release, One Little Lie. It begins her new series, Pelican Harbor. Readers are introduced to the town of Pelican Harbor, Alabama. Jane is the sheriff and finds that she has to find out why her father is charged with murder. She has to find out if he is guilty or why someone is wanting to falsely accuse him.
I thoroughly enjoyed One Little Lie. It was full of suspense that had my consistently holding on to my seat to find out what would possibly happen next. I had to keep turning the pages to find out how it would end. I had it read in one sitting. It is that good.
I am giving One Little Lie five plus stars. It is among my favorite books I have read by Miss Coble to date. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy clean, romantic suspense.

One Little Lie is a new tale from Colleen Coble and it is overflowing with suspense. You will meet Jane Hardy, a newly appointed sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama. What you do not realize at first is that Jane was part of a cult in her formative years. Jane’s father helped her escape when she was only fourteen years old!

It is now fifteen years later and on the first day of her new job, Jane must deal with Reid Bechtol, famous for his work on documentaries, as he is in town to work on a piece about small-town sheriffs. Before Jane and Reid realize it, they are both caught up in the details of several deaths that have occurred in her little town!

In the midst of all the chaos of trying to find a reason behind these deaths, Jane must deal with painful memories of her time in the cult. Not only did her mother stay behind, but her father told her day-old baby had died. She cannot help but blame God for the situation. You will not believe how these memories involve not only Jane, but Reid as well. Hold on until the final page to see some of the details come together!

was a fairly decent book first book by this author, loved the characters. definitely a surprising new author. Look forward to reading more of this author. ty for the Arc

The idea of reading about someone healing from a growing up in a cult and everything that came with it fascinated me. Even though I haven’t personally experienced something like that, the way Coble wrote the characters, I could feel along with both main characters who had come out of that; one who had already dealt with their past and one who was still in the process of healing. Before reading the book, I wasn’t aware that Jane’s story was going to be broken up into multiple books so I was kind of disappointed with the open-ended conclusion to the book. Nevertheless, I liked the book enough that I want to read the rest of Jane’s story.

Colleen Coble is quickly becoming one of my favorite suspense writers. She combines imaginative plots with honest characters with real struggles.

Here’s the thing. There are a lot of suspense writers out there. But very few who can many to deliver a gripping story while asking serious questions about spirituality and faith. Those who try, often end up with corny plot lines and cringe worthy endings.

In her new series, Colleen Coble proves once again it can be done and done well.

Jane is an exceptionally interesting character because of her past. She started life in a cult with her parents and gives birth to a son in her early teenage years. Jane is told that the baby has died shortly after birth and is quickly evacuated due to a fire at the cult compound.

Flash forward to find Jane as Sherriff of a small town police force, despite some people not believing a woman can do the job. She is dealing with her complicated past and her difficult future when Reid enters the picture and a body is discovered.

What I like about One Little Lie is that the characters respect each other but don’t have an instant and unbelievable connection, even though we know they are the chief love interests. It’s great romance writing, especially given that the romance isn’t the driving force behind the story.

I also love that Reid consistently defers to Jane’s expertise and training as a police person. Often times, in novels, the male lead will try to protect the female lead even when she doesn’t need protecting. It shatters the idea of an equal partnership and just doesn’t make any sense.

Always let the person with the training and the weapons do the protecting. That’s just good life advice.

The mystery twists and turns, even though I figured out most of the baddies towards the beginning. I would say, though, that the focus of book one wasn’t to solve the crime, but to bring all of the lies out in the open and establish each character and their relationships to each other.

That is where Colleen Coble truly shines. In developing relationships and characters. I can’t wait for book two, due out in September 2020. I HAVE to see where this goes.

*Special thanks to Colleen Coble, Thomas Nelson, and TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of One Little Lie in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity for the ARC.

This book in theory was very good, but....the beginning was so convoluted I had no idea who was who. It took me many days to actually figure out what in the world brought all these seemingly separate people together. It normally would take me a few hours to read this book, but the first 5 or so chapters just dudnt catch my interest. Once I pushed through the beginning mess, the book was great! Until, it said to be continued! I do not read series books until the full series is published. So, that was my fault when requesting.

All in all, good book....

Coble packed this novel full of intrigue, twists, and turns. More than once I questioned the tangle that must be her mind – and as she’s a talented mystery/suspense writer – I mean that as a compliment. There was so much to unravel in this novel and the pace just didn’t stop. It was gripping, emotional, and had me wondering until the very last page.

The romance element was a little lacklustre, but I think it has potential. As the story continues through a three-part series, I have hope that this aspect will develop throughout.

The characters and plot as a whole are well constructed as a suspense. with cults, law enforcement, murder, conspiracies, and a small coastal town, the romance takes a back seat to the overall quick moving insanity of the murder plot.

I received a complimentary copy of this book courtesy of Thomas Nelson Fiction. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Colleen Coble got me again. One Little Lie is a one of a kind story starting in a cult and then fighting to find the truth of her father’s guilt or innocence. From the first page I found the book impossible to put down. I had no clue what could happen next and Coble kept me on my toes. Imagining being in a cult was scary, and yet the way she wrote it made it seem so real. I could imagine thinking that it was the way to live, and feeling like you weren’t safe once you left the compound. Escaping with her father Jane learns life can be better. When her dad steps down as sheriff her dream to be chief comes true. Only now it seems that her little town isn’t so safe anymore. Too many people are ending up dead, and the killer keeps leaving something at the crime scenes. Unfortunately no one seems to know what it all means. Reid following her around was annoying at first, but even she can learn to appreciate having a man around. The tangled web of danger and mystery won’t be an easy one to escape. Can Jane and Reid get out with their lives? Or will hidden motives come to light and tear them apart?

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romantic suspense. I had fun guessing who could be after them and playing detective right along side them. I can’t wait to see what happens next. I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing and was in no way forced to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Colleen Coble has for many years been one of my favourite romantic suspense authors. She has a unique gift for storytelling that gets one immediately involved in the story and keeps one fascinated until that last page is read!! "One Little Lie" was no exception! It is truly one of the best novels crafted by this author yet!! This was a cliffhanger that still left me hanging by a thread at the very end of this book!! I must say that I am now eagerly awaiting Book two in this series to tie up some loose threads!

Each character is described is such depth with such detail that the reader is pulled into their lives as they travel a rather frightening, earth shattering road of life. I felt the trembling and fear as Jane finds out things that she would rather not know! People from her past and her father's could be responsible... but are they?? Every one of the people in this book appeared to be living with secrets, some from the past as well as the present. Everyday lives become scarier with each passing hour.

The plot is complicated with unexpected twists and turns appearing with every turn of the page. The tension builds as Jane tries to discover who and why lives are being threatened. One frightening event leads right into another. If you love books that keep you on the edge of your seat , then this is definitely one that you shouldn't miss!! My heart throbbed as I experienced every fear along with the characters. We are reminded of how fear can hold us back and keep us from having joy in our everyday lives.

A fabulous novel!! Definitely a five star book!!!


This book was provided by the author and CelebrateLit. The thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own.

First time reading one of her books. Read it in one day! I didn’t want to put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and characters. Only disappointment is I have to wait a while to read the next book in the series. I highly recommend this book.

It all started with one little lie. Just one that compounded unforeseen interest over time. First in the new Pelican Harbor series, this exciting novel is a successful combination of engaging, likable characters, breath-taking suspense, and a fresh infusion of faith and spiritual lessons. I enjoyed the Alabama Gulf coast and meeting Jane, Olivia, Reid, and Will.

Jane Hardy’s father recently, suddenly retired as police chief of Pelican Bay. A highly skilled detective, Jane was appointed first as acting chief, and now, chief. What timing, as one thing after another begins to happen until Jane is not sure if she is cut out to handle these crises.

Jane has not been on speaking terms with the Lord for many years, due to her upbringing, so she is only relying on herself as she tries to stem the sudden crime wave in town. When she and her father moved there and he began working for the police department, Olivia, the head dispatcher, immediately befriended her and grew to be like a mother to her. Olivia is the only person who knows the secrets of behind Jane and her father and has prayed for years for Jane to come to faith. Olivia, like Jane, doesn’t know about that one pesky lie.

We meet the delightful 70-something Alfie and his hard-working teenage helper, Isaac when they are out shrimping. Their last haul for the night was extraordinarily heavy. Inside the net was a huge Grizzly cooler. Inside the cooler was a dead body wearing a wedding gown. There are no means to identify the person. Two clues are left behind, one of which indicate the “vigilante” is behind this death, even though to date, the vigilante has not killed anyone. Until a woman is found “punished” and dead in her front yard.

Amid these events, Reid Dixon, a well-known documentary filmmaker, arrives in town. He is doing a documentary on small town police chiefs and has permission from the mayor to follow Jane on all her duties. The last thing Jane wants is to be filmed, especially since there are some people she really does not want anyone to see her. Reid has an ulterior motive, to get close to and learn about Jane. Against either of their plans, they become tentative friends with potential for more. Reid’s son Will likes the small town and wishes they could stay there rather than return to their New Orleans home.

When it seems that things could not get worse, including the serious illness of a loved one and the detective who wanted to be chief trying to prove Jane incompetent, her dad is framed. He is accused of killing the man in the ice chest and stealing and selling a small fortune of drugs and other items from the evidence room of the police department.

This intense, complex novel is everything that I have come to love about suspense novels by Colleen Coble. Lies, secrets, crimes that seem impossible to solve, and a heroine determined to do all she can to save her father and her town. I love how the author gently weaves the right amount of faith and spiritual lessons to encourage Christians while not preaching. The characters are well-defined. Whether there is one bad guy or multiple people behind events adds to the excitement and complexity. I was very surprised to learn the whodunit(s)! I did guess what the lie was and am looking forward to seeing how it plays out! I highly recommend this novel to fans of well-written Christian suspense with great characters and a potential for romance.

From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this from Celebrate Lit and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

I have read and reviewed a lot of Colleen's books over the last few years. She is one of my favorite authors. I actually binge-read (on audio) her entire Rock Harbor series last fall. She is a queen of suspense.

But I think her newest book One Little Lie, really moves to a whole new level for her. While I love all of her books, I thought she really did something different here, and it totally worked!

Jane Hardy and her father escaped from a cult when she was only fifteen. She has struggled for the last fifteen years to put that behind her. She's just been named interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, after her father retired.

But when a woman is kidnapped, two people turn up murdered and her father is arrested for embezzlement, Jane just might lose her new position. Could it really be possible that all of this started with one little lie?

I listened to One Little Lie through the Hoopla app on my phone. I absolutely could not turn it off! I listened to the whole book in less than two days.

Because I was listening to it instead of actually reading it, I was totally shocked when it ended with a cliffhanger! I was not ready for it. I have no idea how I'm going to make it until September when the second book in this series is released.

I'm always impressed with Colleen's ability to construct storylines from random places. I thought using the cult as a backdrop was a great approach.

As usual, her characters were spot-on. I liked the twist of a female officer and a male civilian who felt the need to "protect" her.

One Little Lie was a great read and I highly recommend it! It's definitely one of Colleen's best novels, and I can't wait to see where she takes this series!

My goodness, what a story! The layers, the threads, all skillfully twisted together into a single compelling story.
Ms. Coble’s characters are real, raw, and personable. Jane Hardy’s fears shape her life and her every decision, keeping her prisoner to an array of “what ifs.” Reid Bechtol has secrets, too. But unlike Jane, he is being proactive, trying to resolve the damage of the past.
The conflict between Jane and Reid smooths into a tenuous alliance as she investigates the murders in her town.
It took me a couple of chapters to settle in to the story and become acquainted with the characters. But once I did, it took hold and didn’t let go. The city council member who had it out for Jane for no other reason than she was a woman. The detective who resented her promotion. The detective who always had her back. And her father.
I played detective along with Jane, and rooted for her to come out from her self-imposed injunction on any kind of personal life and embrace the attraction she felt for Reid. I applauded Reid for his courage, especially with [SPOILER] making waves.
Ms. Coble has long been a favorite author, and I was happy to read her latest story.


ROBIN’S FEATHERS
FOUR FEATHERS

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Book Review, One Little Lie, Colleen Coble, Celebrate Lit Publicity

A woman gets her father’s old job and is challenged by the biggest atrocities her town has seen in years. She’ll need to do everything she can to forget her traumatic past and focus on her work, all while she reconsiders the idea of faith, if she wants to succeed. Christian author Colleen Coble places a woman in a traditionally man’s role in the fairly likable novel One Little Lie.

Jane Hardy receives the honor of becoming the police chief of the small force in her town of Pelican Harbor, Alabama, along the Gulf Coast. She’s pleased and a little intimidated by her new position; after all, she’s stepping right into the shoes of her father, the former chief. He has an excellent reputation, and she doesn’t want to let him or the town down in any way.

She doesn’t have time to think about any of that, however. Two bodies have been found, murdered in disturbing ways. These latest murders follow other mysterious killings in the area, which the officers have started calling the vigilante killings due to the vindictive nature of the murders. The murderer has left messages with the victims, because he—or she—clearly thinks the victims are perpetrators themselves. No one knows what they did, though, or why they deserved punishment.

Jane runs, literally, into Reid Dixon. A celebrated documentary filmmaker, Reid’s newest piece will focus on how small police forces help their towns. Despite her unease, Jane agrees to let Reid follow her around town as she investigates the latest murders.

Clues start coming out but don’t make any sense, and Jane struggles to put them together into a cohesive narrative. When she turns to her dad for advice, he’s reluctant to offer any. At first Jane thinks this is his normal reticence. Since he rescued her from the cult where they lived for more than a decade, her dad’s always been quiet.

Then the FBI comes to Jane with a stunning announcement: they’re holding her father as a person of interest in the murders. She fights them on the charge, but they have just enough evidence to make her father look suspicious. Reid lends moral support and works to help her solve the mystery, and the closer they get to one another the more Jane thinks of her childhood years in the cult. Why, she wonders, are these memories coming back now? And what will she do if her dad really is guilty?

Author Colleen Coble offers readers a chance to watch a protagonist in an unusual role. As an authority figure, Jane deals with insubordinate officers as well as ingratiating ones. Despite the stereotypical description of a petite frame, Jane’s honesty and integrity shine. So does her loyalty to her father. When other officers make cogent arguments as to why she shouldn’t be so quick in defending him, Jane struggles with the morality versus the legality of the information on hand. That struggle comes across as real and relatable.

The book suffers from too much of a pedantic approach. Characters have conversations, and then the narrative jumps in to explain what they just talked about. In the tussle between “show, don’t tell,” Coble errs too much on the side of telling readers what’s going on instead of letting the story unfold on its own. At some point, readers might get a little antsy with this method.

The connection to the cult, too, seems unnecessary. While Coble makes the different portions of Jane’s life fit well enough, it’s unclear why she needed to suffer through being in a cult. Even with a big revelation toward the end that most readers will see coming long before Jane does, the cult itself doesn’t serve a larger purpose in the novel.

Coble handles Jane’s questioning of faith in a realistic way as well, though, making one thing clear: when people face the worst of humanity, as law enforcement officers do, it can make them second-guess everything they know to be true. Readers who enjoy this type of story will enjoy this book. For everyone else, I suggest they Borrow One Little Lie.

This is my first Colleen Coble story and I'm sure it won't be my last.

Detective Jane Hardy has just been promoted by the Pelican Harbor Council to the Chief of Police. Her predecessor was her father, Charles, who retired quite suddenly a month previous. Jane's excited by the promotion but also intimidated by its magnitude. On her first day in the new job she has to allow a documentary journo, Reid Bechtol, to follow her around filming her every move for a new series geared towards promoting Jane's small Alabaman town.

A series of unusual deaths and abductions occur simultaneously which appear to be linked. Before too long, Jane is up to neck in small town conspiracies that point to the one person: her father. Reid, with an eye for a story, is soon captured by Jane's investigations as well as by her presence.

Coble does an excellent job paralleling Jane's hunt to convict a killer and her search for the truth about her past and her father's cageyness. Reid appears to know more than he's letting on and we're constantly turning pages seeking to find all the missing pieces to solve these various mysteries.

I was throughly entertained and happily got myself lost in the story. I liked how Reid had a sincere faith even though the story didn't dwell too much on his relationship with God.

I'm certainly looking forward to the second book in the series.

I received an ebook copy from the TN First Editions review team via NetGalley without any expectation of a favourable review.