One Little Lie is a contemporary thriller written by Colleen Coble. It is book one in The Pelican Harbor series.
Summary: Jane Hardy has just been promoted to sheriff in the small town of Pelican Harbor, Alabama, and she has everything to prove. She is filling her father’s position, she is a woman, and she is trying to make up for her devastating past.
When a string of murders occur, Jane must figure out if and how they are related.
Then when her father is implicated, she doesn’t know what to believe.
As she digs deeper, she finds that the murders are just the beginning of a web of lies and unsolved crimes just waiting to spill out of the darkness.
Will she be able to unravel the tangled web of lies and betrayal before it is too late?
My Thoughts: This was a good read. There is a ton of mystery as to what happened in the past, and how it ends up all being interconnected to the present. It has an interesting plot line, a good message about dealing with past mistakes, and a strong female lead-which I like.
One thing to note though-the story definitely continues on into the next book-not everything gets completely resolved in this one. If that bothers you as a reader, you might want to wait until the next one is released!
I would like to thank Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you.
*Please Note: This book will release on March 3, 2020.

Wow! Colleen Coble hit it out of the ballpark with “One Little Lie”! An intriguing story set in the Gulf Shores. Jane follows in her father’s footsteps as a small town police chief. Reid and his son come to town in hopes of creating a documentary on small town law enforcement. Jane begrudgingly allows Reid to follow her every move as she investigates two murders. This story has a lot of twists and turns. I didn’t want to put it down. Highly recommend this book for anyone who loves mysteries and suspense

The Pelican Harbor series begins in this fast paced book filled with mystery. Readers will probably guess one of the secrets pretty fast but the question of why has lots of twists and turns. The one little lie becomes a web of deceit as other secrets gradually become apparent. Readers will have to wait until September to find out more answers when the second in the series is released. Highly recommended!

Such a strange coincidence...but the second book in a row where the main character grew up in a cult and was still struggling emotionally as an adult. This read was so engaging I completed it in one day, rushing through things I needed to do and postponing others in order to finish it. I have read and enjoyed many of Colleen Coble’s books, but this read was a murder mystery, suspenseful and fast paced with minimal romance. I am eagerly awaiting the second book in this new series, Pelican Harbor, which will be published in September. The main characters, Jane, Reid, Will, and Palmer, quickly became realistic and early on I guessed at their connections. Jane, a newly named Police Chief after taking over her father’s job, depicts a strong woman in public while privately struggling with nightmares of her horrific past. Once she takes over, a series of events and deaths occur, taxing her limited resources. Reid and his son Will are an added aggravation to her as they are there to videotape her day to day life for a future series on small town police chiefs. It was a delight watching their lives intersect and connect. Many thanks to Colleen Coble, Thomas Nelson Paperback, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read this engaging ARC.

One Little Lie is a rich story with so many issues going on and in a lovely setting that adds to the local flavor. As the story begins, Detective Jane Hardy has been offered the job of police chief of small town, Pelican Harbor, on the lovely coast of Alabama near Mobile. Her dad was the former chief and has recently retired. Not everyone is happy about Jane getting the job, including another detective and a councilman. The small town has been thrown into a tailspin with a vigilante attacking people and now two bodies to investigate. Reid Dixon and his son Will are in town renting a house while Will is on spring break. Reid has a company that makes documentaries and is making a documentary about small town police forces. Now there is special interest in Jane becoming a chief of a small town. Jane and her father were once in a cult until they left fifteen years ago. They have quite a history with this. Reid has a secret too. Someone is not only killing and intimating citizens but someone has set the FBI out on Jane's dad. There is an abduction of a senator's daughter. Are all events connected in someway? Why? Who can be trusted? This story is full of mystery, suspense, retribution, revenge, and maybe romance...all sprinkled with faith interwoven. Another winner by Colleen Coble.
I received a complimentary ARC from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

Once I figured out who all the characters were, I enjoyed the story line. I found the premise interesting, as Colleen explored the devastation a cult can cause, especially when someone has kept up a lie. As I read the story, I found myself rooting for Jane. She'd had too much to deal with and too many loose ends. Some she didn't even know about. At first, Reid annoyed me, but he proved to be a good guy. As the mystery tied to the cult unravels, the suspense escalates and makes for an interesting ending. You'll enjoy the twists and turns that run along beside the mystery. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"One Little Lie" is Book One if the Pelican Harbor Series: Book 2- "Two Reasons to Run" will be out September, 2020 and Book 3- "Three Missing Days, June 2021.


This book kept me on my toes! I even was hollering and mad at some of the characters! And yes it was a 2 am read until the end! Not what or who I thought was involved at all!!! Colleen Coble is a master story-teller! I absolutely love her!

"Faith wasn't something Jane could wrap her head around. How did you trust something you couldn't see?"

Jane Hardy escaped 15 years ago with her father from a cult. Leaving her mother behind who refused to leave.
Fast forward to Pelican Harbor, Alabama, Jane is the new Sheriff after her father's surprise retirement. He's now facing criminal charges and a possible murder charge.

Is someone from their past framing her father?

Reid Bechtol, a journalist who is following Jane everywhere doing a documentary on her.
Who is Reid? He's vaguely familiar to her.
I cannot wait to read the other books in this series.

I received this eARC from publisher and NetGalley. Opinions and review are my own and I was not paid for my review.

Thank you to @NetGalley for an advanced copy of ‘One Little Lie’ in return for an honest review, unfortunately, this book just really wasn’t my jam.

There were times I felt the plot was too predictable, other times I felt the dialogue seemed forced or not to flow naturally, and still other times where there were gaps where more was needed. The book left me wanting more.

Are lies of omission really lies? Does telling a partial truth count as being truthful? Secrets and lies are everywhere in the southern Alabama town of Pelican Harbor. Dig into book one of Colleen Coble’s newest series and join Jane and Reid in Pelican Harbor as they try to uncover the truth and keep anyone else from being hurt. And maybe, just maybe, truth will set them free, too.

I received a complementary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to @NetGalley for an arc of ‘One Little Lie’ in return for an honest review.

Thriller/Crime/Romance/Christian lit - I’m not sure where 'One Little Lie' is supposed to fit in. I originally requested the title based on it being a mystery/thriller genre.

Unfortunately, on more than one occasion whilst reading this book, I felt things were either too coincidental or not followed up quick enough. I have listed just a few of my frustrations (spoiler alert) below:

1. Finding a 4 year old hidden in a police officer’s closet. Said 4 year old had managed to escape a murderer/kidnapper, hide out all night, make his way to a police station (where he seemingly meandered in without anyone noticing), walked into an office (which wasn’t locked) and locked himself away in a closet. Subsequently, upon being discovered, I feel little was done to actually find out how he got there and whether, in fact, someone had hidden him in the closet as they had kidnapped him etc etc.

2. With a murderer/kidnapper on the loose, how many times can you just go for a coffee and not actually investigate said crimes? It was far too handy to just mention things were ‘passed onto state’, especially when the whole story revolves around incidents so obviously tied together.

3. When collecting her grandson, the senator states she will be getting a call from the kidnapper in around an hour. Rather than wait with the chief for the call, she leaves. This annoyed me. I then wanted to find out what was said on the call as it was integral to the whole storyline. We had to wait three or four days later to discover that the senator did not receive a call! Again, surely this would be checked out immediately even if this case is passed onto the state.

I continually became frustrated wanting to find answers. My frustration came not through epic twists but more the lack of effort from characters or excuses not to progress the investigation by stating that the responsibility had been shifted from the main characters.

Unfortunately, due to the above I wouldn’t recommend to thriller/crime lovers.

I felt like this book was more of romance and mystery than actually story. I wasn’t able to reply connect with characters as much as I would have liked. I also felt a little lost in to plot so it took me a while to really want to finish it. I did however it just wasn’t my cup of tea in the end.

Did not finish this book. It will be fine for someone who us interested in Christian fiction. However, for secular college classes did not find it attractive.

One little lie changed the course of Jane Hardy’s life. One lie Reid Bechtol told and the secrets he kept held him in bondage and made him a target for his ex-wife. Their whole relationship was based on a lie. When would it end? He had to get the courage to face his fears and tell the truth no matter the cost. It would be a big price to pay but it would be worth it not to live the way he has. Always on the run!

Jane Hardy couldn’t shake the lies she lived with and believed before her father rescued her from the cult compound they lived in until she was fifteen. What was the truth? Who could she trust? Why wouldn’t her father ever talk about the past?

In the middle of getting to know these two Reid Bechtol a well-known creator of in-depth documentaries and Jane Hardy newly appointed Pelican Harbor interim sheriff there is a whirlwind of danger and suspense like this small town has never seen before. Could they crack the case before another murder occurs? Could Jane and Reid find the truth that will set their souls free?

I enjoyed this first novel in the Pelican Harbor series. I look forward to hanging out in this small town and with these delightful characters. Next up is Two Reasons to Run available Sept 2020 and the last Three Missing Days available June 2021.The author includes discussion questions for this lively, sweet romantic suspense novel. There is so much to discuss.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com

This is a "Christian mystery/thriller romance" or "romantic suspense," the first I've read by this author, who comes highly recommended.

In the opening scenes, a girl called Button gives birth on her 15th birthday on the commune of the cult that she has begun to lose faith in but that she and her parents still belong to. The commune comes under attack that same night. In the melee, her father informs her that her baby died, her mother refuses to leave, and they have to escape immediately. With no real relationship with Moose, the baby's father (who she's never even seen clearly), and with no hope for her baby or her obstinately indoctrinated mother, Button leaves with her father.

Fifteen years later, a series of vigilante crimes and a gruesome murder take place in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, a small, nascent tourist town on the gulf. Jane Hardy has just been appointed chief of police after her father's retirement. At the mayor's insistence, successful documentary filmmaker Reid Dixon and his son will be shadowing Jane as she works to solve the crimes, prove her worth, clear her father's name, and deal with her own emotional issues and an intersecting web of the secrets and lies of others.

A note about genre — I'd consider this a police procedural mystery/thriller, where the mystery and thrills are adequate but the procedural part seems a little loose. It's very light on romance. I suspect there will be more in the rest of the series, but that doesn't quite fulfill the happily-ever-after requirements for this first book. <<<<<SPOILERS: Given the delicate situation of the burgeoning relationship and the characters' backstories, I would've been super uncomfortable if it *had* wrapped up into an easy HEA resolution, so I'm not knocking it for being romance-lite. What was there was already borderline disturbing.>>>>> It's relatively moderate on Christianity — a couple of Bible verses, invitations to church, a couple of C.S. Lewis quotes, a main character and two minor characters explicitly guided by Christian perspectives.

So why only 2 stars? It's a decent story, but not a great book — too many characters introduced in the first few chapters and referred to by too many different names, too many unnecessary subplots, a couple of plot holes and fact-checking issues, and one character's intro to the narrative is jumbled. And I wasn't comfortable with some of the content — unnecessary identical stereotyping of the only two explicitly Black or brown women in the book (both 50-something described as looking like 30-somethings because of their dark skin or their dark eyes and hair), the psychological issues surrounding the cult participation weren't very well examined (though perhaps that, too, will come in future installments), the prepper lifestyle and stockpiling of a private arsenal was justified if not completely normalized, and <<<<<SPOILERS: yes, I liked Reid well enough and I understood his dilemma of trying to get to know Jane to find out if it was safe to introduce her into Will's life, but the subterfuge was a big ol' NOPE for me. Controlling, disrespectful, counterproductive to building trust in an already messed up situation nope. Also, and probably most importantly, I understand the urge to "redeem" what happened to Jane (and Reid) in the cult, but it was basically statutory rape — she was FOURTEEN and he was eighteen — and I'm zero percent comfortable with romanticizing that into a sweet "feels like coming home" kiss between them 15 years later and without her informed consent about who he was and how their paths had crossed earlier. Nope. Nope. Nope.>>>>>

Content warnings: cult, underage sex and pregnancy, vigilante justice, tar and feathering, corrupt police, child abduction, death and dismemberment

My thanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasNelson for an advanced copy of #OneLittleLie in exchange for my honest feedback.

Wow, wow, wow! One little lie by Colleen Coble jumped right in with the action and never let up. I don’t think I’ve ever read a suspense novel with so much going on. There was always a new murder or crime happening and truthfully it was hard to get a breath. I had to carefully read each word because you never knew what clues or what might happen next. Nothing was out of the realm of possibility it seemed. I really liked the characters and the premise. The ending left me screaming for more. But now I can’t wait until the next in the series to see what happens.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

WOW, what a ride!! This is a Must Read book! It is full of action, adventure, suspense, mystery and a touch of romance. I'm not going to get into what the book's about, you can read that on the back cover, plus I don't want to let a spoiler slip out. This book is very well written and keeps you on the edge of your seat. It will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. If you've never read a book by Colleen Coble or if you are a long time fan, you're going to love this book. This book would be wonderful for a book club, it has really good discussion questions at the end. Thank you Thomas Nelson--FICTION via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this awesome book. All opinions expressed are my own.

There was a lotore than one little lie in this story! Jane, the new police chief in thus little town (taking over from her Dad) has to deal with murder, spousal abuse, kidnapping and evil every where she turns, along with having a journalist/documentarist following and videotaping her every move along with his son Will. It seemed like an awful lot of trouble for one little town, and Jane has her own secret, her and her Dad were cult members for 15 years before escaping. Actually kind of a fun whodunit if you could suspend your disbelief for a couple of hours! Thank you to #NetGalley for this copy.

I will leave a review on Amazon or B&N on Mar 3, 2020

I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

I have read several of this authors books before and always enjoyed them. Romantic suspense is one of my favorite genres, having said that this book was ok but in my opinion it was too busy. I felt like you could have taken the cult angle and went into more detail with that, or have a little less of all the other angles in the book. There are so many layers and things happening in this book at times I felt lost. Overall the book is very well written, as all her books are. I know everyone doesn't enjoy the same things, thats why I always would suggest others read and make their own decisions concerning this book.

Truth will set you free:
In true Colleen Coble style, the mystery and intrigue draws you in from the very start and it was a thrilling and enjoyable read throughout. There were plenty of secrets waiting to be revealed and many unexpected twists which kept me guessing until the very end. Whilst there were a couple of improbable situations (especially with how the 4 year old acted and responded), overall it was very realistic and and the characters were relatable.
I liked how the book dealt with the need and yearning we all have to belong and to know that we are valued and loved. The premise that fear can hold us back was something that most readers would be able to resonate with and I liked the reminder that Truth always prevails.
There is resolution to the case but it is a continuing story and the relationship between Reid, Jane and Will is not finalized. Now I can't wait to read the next book which is due to be released September 2020!
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Colleen Coble is quickly becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery writers. Jane and Reid's story is original and full of twists and turns I never saw coming. I gave up sleep to finish One Little Lie. The only disappointment was the cliff hanger and the wait for the next book in the series!