This was my first Lucinda Berry book and I enjoyed it. Told in last and present and from multiple points of view. Friends from childhood they go through something very traumatic and vow to never speak of it again. Until they all receive letters. What we witness is the untold views of that night from each girls perspective and even from the wife’s. I did enjoy the twist at the end and I cannot wait to read more from her.

This was only my second Lucinda Berry book, the first technically only being a short story (One of Our Own) and while I did enjoy it, I had a lot of problems with it as well. Mainly the ending, it shocked me for sure but it was very abrupt and had me wanting more. There were many POVs from both the past and now so to end without wrapping all the characters storylines up was very disappointing. I will likely read more of her in hopes this was a one off.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC for my honest review.

Title: If You Tell A Lie
Author: Lucinda Berry
Available Now!

I was so excited to get this arc from NetGalley! So many of Lucinda Berry’s books are already on my TBR so I knew I’d want to read this one too!

The synopsis really sucked me in….The story centers around four girls who have attended summer camp at Camp Pendleton together for years and are are experiencing their final year of camp as seniors. There is a feeling among the group that this year is going to be different than the previous years. However, they never could have predicted just how different it would be! When a handsome new tennis coach shows up and ends up murdered, the girls swear that they will never say a word about what they know and they go their separate ways. Twenty six years later, they all receive a mysterious note that brings them together again and they experience a turn of events that none of could have ever saw coming!

This book is told through dual timelines. One being during the time at Camp Pendleton, and the other being twenty six years later when the friends meet up again. I really enjoyed the summer camp setting. It definitely made me think about my childhood and my experiences at summer camp. The book also touches a lot on the issue of peer pressure among teens and really highlights what can happen when people do things they don’t agree with just to fit in. These girls just kept making one bad decision after the next and you just know it’s not going to go well for them!
The ending of the book took a turn that I didn’t expect and I definitely didn’t see the final twist coming at all!

I loved the premise of the book. I feel it was short so there was room for more but then again that also leads to a sequel. I feel like it made little sense that the women didn't know what the dad looked like especially the one who spent time with him so that flaw sent me down a rabbit hole. Overall the storyline was very easy for me to get drawn in and I loved the twist.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I am fan of Lucinda Berry. However, this was not my favorite by her. Not horrible, but just a little slow and a bit juvenile. I still like her writing and will continue to enjoy others. Read like a YA

Lucinda Berry, is and will always be a favorite author of mine.

Each book I pick up, I swear is the best Berry book I have ever read and then another publishes and I'm right back to repeating the same phrase.

Best Berry Book

That actually has a nice ring to it, I think I'll keep it.

If You Tell a Lie

Holy, mother of Moses, Berry, has once again put my soul in a blender.

These are my favorite kind of books.... the ones that drudge up long buried secrets. "
Friends" or better yet "frenemies" all held together by lies that hold them together.

EEeeEEkkKK!!!

This book is my newest obsession and I believe it will be yours too

Check out this teaser :

Bestselling author Lucinda Berry serves up a haunting thriller about four friends sworn to secrecy over the events of one fateful summer—and the dark truths that threaten to erupt years later.

They never considered how his wife might react, or that by the end of the summer a man would be dead. But Blakely always got her way, and the others followed her lead—even when they knew it was dead wrong.

The girls had been friends from day one at Camp Pendleton, a haven for gifted children. But their senior summer was different. When Mr. Crosby, the handsome tennis coach, wound up murdered after a reckless lie, Blakely, Grace, Meg, and Thera 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 pulling the strings.

Unfolding in a dual timeline, If You Tell a Lie is a disturbing journey into the dangerous, sometimes deadly consequences of peer pressure—with a bone-chilling twist you’ll never see coming.

Good story. Lots of twists and turns. Lots of drama. Lucinda Berry never disappoints. I really enjoyed everything about this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

This was amazing and kept me hooked until the end! That girl oh my that girl! I knew she was a bad person but holy cow!!!

Lucinda Berry is quickly becoming a favorite author! Her writing is great, character development and twists so so good! I will recommend this book to reader friends for sure! Thank you for the chance to read an advance copy!

Four friends are bound together by a secret. Fast forward twenty years later and all the gang receive notes referencing the secret. As the friends get together to plan what to do next, it becomes clear all is not as it seems.

Wow this one was such a page turner! I loved the multiple POVs, short chapters and dual timelines. I had no idea which way this book was going to go with the ending being a total surprise. Definitely worth a read if you're a thriller fan!

3.75/5
Dive into the thrilling world of If You Tell a Lie where summer camp and sinister secrets collide!

Book Description:
Best friends Blakely, Thera, Meg, and Grace have been meeting every summer at camp since they were eight years old. This is their last year at Camp Pendleton, and they're determined to make it their best year yet.

But this summer, with all the girls crushing on the hot new tennis coach, things take a dark turn when Coach Crosby turns up dead. The girls make a pact of silence, sealing their fates with a promise that ties them together forever.

My thoughts:
Peer pressure during adolescence is intense and can cause reasonable people to do unfathomable things. Lucinda Berry crafts a gripping page-turner perfect for summer escapades, weaving dual timelines and the girls' perspectives to unravel the chilling events of that fateful summer.

Warning: "If You Tell a Lie" delves deep into themes that may unsettle some readers, so consider checking trigger warnings. As a fan of thrillers and crime fiction, I can't explain without spoilers why this one hit different for me. I found Berry's novel compelling and a great read for anyone craving a ride into the darker corners of adolescence and the secrets we keep.

📚Read this if you like:
•  Friends sworn to secrecy
•  I Know What You Did Last Summer vibes
•  Dual timelines
•  Multiple POVs

whew, I can appreciate that it all didn’t turn out the way I expected it to, at all. The characters were unlikeable but the plot was easy to follow. I certainly think Blakely was the worst, but relatable in the sense than everyone knows someone like her.. to a degree. My friends are currently reading some of the authors older books and I am looking forward to catching up to where they are at.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher + the author for my DRC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. Really love Lucinda writing but this one did not hit like a lot of her others for me. Loved the multiple POV and duel timeline. The ending twist was great but felt like I still had questions that did not get answered by the end.

3.5 rating rounded up to 4.

Out now!

I mostly love Lucinda Berry's stories (there are a couple exceptions to this LOL) and this one goes on the "pretty good" list. It didnt blow me away but I liked the story. I think Lucinda does well with multi-POV & multi-timeline. The POV didn't feel too confusing to me because each of the girls is pretty different; and they are well-written to have their own things going on yet in the camp chapters to come together as best friends. Overall, I liked getting to know each of the characters through their POV.

This didn't feel overly twisty but it worked. the ending, however, was a letdown big time. A couple other reviews mentioned they hope there could be a sequel and I sort of wish the same so that we can see some justice done!

IF YOU TELL A LIE had an interesting premise, with multiple characters quickly introduced and a story that promised some mystery and intrigue. Really enjoyed the first half of the book but the second half quickly spiraled out of control. It felt like the stories introduced initially were pivoted away from, and new motives/actions were brought in that were confusing. The ending was unsatisfying and left a lot open.

I’ve enjoyed many Lucinda Berry books in the past but this was not my favorite.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review IF YOU TELL A LIE.

This book centers around the stories told by five adult women as they flashback to an incident that happened over 20 years ago when they were kids. This book was so well written and had me constantly wondering what was going to happen next. It’s crazy how easily people can influence others. Great read!!

This one was a like, not a love. Berry has a knack for writing thrillers, and in that respect she did a great job on this plot. But the multi-timeline, multi-POV got a little confusing at times and made it difficult to keep the characters straight. I didn't feel closure at the ending, so it left a sour taste in my mouth.

LUCINDA!!! I loved this book….but, that ending! Seriously?!?! I have so many unanswered questions. I know you generally do just standalone books, but I feel this story needs another book to answer my questions. lol!!

In all seriousness, this book was definitely a page turner and left me thankful that my parents never sent me to summer camp. I also loved the diversity of the main female characters , but that ending definitely leaves you saying “what the hell Lucinda?!?!”

Thank you to NetGalley, publisher and author for providing me with an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Lucinda Berry has a way with thrillers that make you quite literally devour them in one sitting. She also always manages to bring a WTF factor to the book that will have you staring off into space wondering “how the heck did she come up with this?”

Full of turns, this book delves into the past and present and weaves a tale that will have you clutching your pearls.

I love everything this woman writes and this book is no exception! Lucinda will keep you on the edge of your seat with the multiple POVs and dual timeline. If you are a thriller reader, specifically psychological thrillers, or if you have loved some of her other books, definitely check this one out!

Amazon
I didn’t realize it didn’t post. Posted today. Lona Claire.