LUCINDAAAAAAA! *shakes fist*
Okay, now that I've got that out of my system, let's dive into this honest, NON-spoiler review! Special thanks to @NetGalley and the publishers for an electronic ARC. This was a treat!

Four girls--Blakely, Grace, Meg, and Thera--have spent every summer together at Camp Pendleton, and now that they're seniors, this is going to be the best year yet... that is until the camp becomes a crime scene. Worse, they're the only true witnesses to the crime, but they have vowed to keep everything a secret. 26 years later, each of them receive a letter in the mail: someone knows what they did.

IYTAL is a wild story about lies and the power of manipulation. In true Berry fashion, it is a wild ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat, each chapter revealing more depth and detail to the story that has your mind twisted.

I personally love the dual timeline and the multiple POVS. When you dive into a psychological thriller, you always suspect that someone is unreliable, so having the different perspectives always gives that perfect hindsight to make the story even more well-rounded.

The characters are VERY well-developed; however, I wish they all held a purpose to the plot of the story. There was a ton of backstory for everyone--which I normally love--but it became a little disjointed and confusing as the story narrowed in for the plot. Some may argue that this is a "red herring," and maybe so. I felt it was a lot of unnecessary information that was distracting from the shock value of the twists.

One thing I love about Berry's writing is her ability of developing different worlds in one book, and somehow stitching them together to really blow your mind for an incredible climax. Unfortunately for this novel, I felt it was a miss. Again, there was a lot of information--maybe the plot was a little too overworked--and it took away from the shock (at least for me). I love bizarre things, but some of the resolutions seemed a little too far-fetched.

The prologue: grabbed my attention like WHOA! But...I had to re-read it after I finished the book because, well, I don't know how belongs to this book.

This might not be my favorite Lucinda Berry book, but I am still a fan! This novel kept my interest, kept me guessing, and hey! I found it to be very entertaining. I think that's somewhat of a win.

🚩 As always, please check TW. 🚩

⭐- 3.25/3.5

Thank you to @netgalley #ThomasAndMercer and @lucindaberryauthor for my e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
In standard Berry fashion, we have a fast paced, twisty turn-y thriller with some very heavy topics. And also in standard Berry fashion, we have characters that will make you feel some intense emotions—primarily mistrust, this time. Give me an unreliable narrator and I’m a happy girl, but this time we had 5 to choose from, so I’m a very happy girl. We also had a dual timeline, another one of my favorite things. It can be hard to do well, but this one was done perfectly, and really enhanced the theme of mistrust. I love a book that can keep me guessing til the end, and while I had a feeling about a few things, there were still some moments that got me up until the end!
This is the perfect summer thriller if you’re looking for something to crush your spirit just a bit, like I always am.

I'd read Lucinda Berry's grocery list! She twists and turns and keeps you holding on until the very last page.

Happy publication day to Lucinda Berry! I loved the camp backstory and the flip to modern day. It shows how far friends will go to keep a secret buried in the past.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Thomas&Mercer for the book #IfYouTellALie by #LucindaBerry. This book is very interesting and devoured it in one sitting. A book about a group of friends that went to a gifted camp together for years. Their “Senior” year, one of the coaches gets murdered by his wife. The girls know more than they are saying and have promised to keep this a secret forever. Present day and one of the girls needs help, around the same time as the wife that murdered her husband gets out of jail. Is there something more going on?

Synopsis: Four friends are reunited twenty years after a murder at the summer camp they attended together.

Thoughts: I’m going to keep it short and sweet to avoid any spoilers. This book has all the ingredients for a summery thriller with a summer camp setting, dual timelines and multiple povs unraveling the story of secrets kept for decades, and twists that I didn’t guess. That being said, I wanted a lot more out of the characters and their motivations because the amount of disbelief I had to suspend was a little much for me.

Read this if you like:
🏕️ summer camp thrillers
🏕️ dual timelines
🏕️ multiple pov
🏕️ unreliable narrators

As anyone will tell you Lucinda Berry never disappoints. Lucinda drew me in from page one as usual. I loved the multiple POV's an Now and Then timelines. I thought the characters and the story were well written. As usual there were a few twists I didn't see coming but it wouldn't be a Lucinda Berry book if that didn't happen. She's one of those authors that I have yet to know what's going to happen in one of her books. I love that about her writing. You go in thinking maybe this time I will figure it out but NOPE she total spins you around. I always find myself at the edge of my seat by the end of her books and this one was no different. As with most of her books please check trigger warnings. I would highly recommend this book and any of her other books!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

An actual text I sent to my friends while reading this: "It started off so promising, and now its got horrible pacing, its weirdly religious at the moment, its completely abandoned the plot for something else." And I sent that 75% into the book. It did not get better. At all. This felt like the author had so many plot ideas in her head and couldn't hold onto a single one throughout the whole book. There's twists in a book and then there's u-turns. I'm always so nervous about Lucinda's books because there's been some I loved (The Best of Friends and Saving Noah) and some I absolutely despised (Off the Deep End). This, unfortunately, fell into the despised category for me.

If You Tell A Lie
Lucinda Berry

This is a thrilling exploration of the devastating consequences of secrets and lies and is the perfect read for psychological thriller readers.

Four friends sworn to secrecy over the events of one fateful summer camp. 27 years later they each receive a note saying;
‘I KNOW WHAT YOU DID THAT SUMMER AND I’M GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY.’

‘My job was to be the one that showed them. Introduced them to life with consequences. Where you pay for your actions. Where you’re punished when you hurt other people.’

This unfolds in a dual timeline, then and now, and is a disturbing journey into the dangerous and sometimes deadly consequences of peer pressure.

‘We did a terrible thing and eventually you have to pay for something like that. You just couldn’t get away with it. It was too big. Things that bad didn’t go unpunished.’

Blakely always got her way and the other girls followed her lead, blindly, even when they knew it was dead wrong. That last summer camp totally annihilated Regina’s life.

‘This was why I hated lying. You couldn’t just tell one lie. One lie led to another and another, like an alcoholic who couldn’t have just one drink.’

You didn’t want to just end someone’s life - you wanted to destroy it.

Ok my thoughts; I found the start a little lacklustre but knew this was setting the tone, backstory and groundwork for the manipulation to unfold later on. The ending most definitely picked up to the point that you just had to shake your head and give it to; that was well played. I most definitely did enjoy reading this although it didn’t blow me out of the water, but the ending was fun and maybe just maybe too tidy.

If You Tell A Lie is released today! @lucindaberryauthor @thomasmerceruk thank you for the ARC.

‘I was always watching them. Studying. Observing. Taking notes. They didn’t know I was always watching. It’s because rich kids are just like their rich parents.
Totally self-absorbed. And without regard for anyone else. Especially people outside their inner circle.’

So this might be my most favorite Lucinda Berry book ever! I love how she took a summer camp vibe and added on the psychological thriller aspect to it. This book had more of an actual thriller aspect than her other books. Like I was on the edge of my seat and kind of scared to read this one at night. lol. I totally thought I had the plot figured out and was so sure I beat it this time (normally I think I have her plots figured out and I never do) and I was wrong again. Whatever your thinking, it's wrong!! The twists were so good and I never saw any of them coming. Please Lucinda don't ever stop writing!!!!

Thank you Netgalley, Lucinda Berry and Thomas & Mercer for the ebook! This was a dark and twisty tale that had my mouth hanging open most the time!! You'll have to read it to believe it.

If You Tell a Lie by Lucinda Berry is an utterly gripping story.
This book was fantastic. So twisty, it kept me guessing throughout.
I absolutely love Lucinda Berry! I have absolutely enjoyed all the books I’ve read! This one is definitely no exception!

Thank You NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Its probably gonna sound odd but I know this author is insanely popular but this was my first book from her. I can definitely see why she is so popular though. This book was crazy in all the ways.

4 girls go to camp as young children and become the best of friends. Their final year there, tragedy unfolds and they will make a pact to keep the darkest secret and to never see each other again. The secret haunts them in their daily lives as they have gone their separate ways.

A book with many gasping moments. Twists and turns and sociopathic personalities. It was a little drawn out in some places and could be confusing at times with many POV’s and timelines.

“If You Tell a Lie” by Lucinda Berry is a gripping thriller that delves into the dark repercussions of a youthful lie. The story revolves around four former friends—Blakely, Grace, Meg, and Thera—whose summer at Camp Pendleton takes a deadly turn when a deceitful act leads to the murder of their tennis coach, Mr. Crosby. Bound by a pact of silence, they part ways, but their past is soon resurrected when an ominous note forces them back together.

Berry's narrative alternates between two timelines, exploring both the events leading up to Mr. Crosby’s death and the present-day fallout. This dual timeline structure adds depth to the story, revealing the complexities of the characters’ motivations and the impact of their past decisions. The tension builds as the women confront their shared history and grapple with the resurfacing threat from someone who knows their secret.

The novel is effective in its portrayal of the psychological effects of guilt and peer pressure. The characters are well-developed, with each one’s response to the unfolding mystery offering insight into their personalities and the nature of their relationships. The suspense is palpable, and the narrative’s twist, while surprising, might feel slightly melodramatic for some readers.

If You Tell a Lie by Lucinda Berry is a thrilling summer read. The story follows four friends—Blakely, Grace, Meg, and Thera—who met at Camp Pendleton for gifted children. During their senior summer, a reckless lie leads to the murder of their tennis coach, Mr. Crosby. They swear to keep the secret and never speak to each other again.
Twenty years later, a sinister note reunites them, threatening to expose their dark past. The story unfolds in a dual timeline, showing their teenage dynamics and how they have evolved as adults. The relationships and peer pressure are portrayed realistically, reminding me of high school drama.
The plot is dark and twisted, with secrets slowly unraveling. The pacing is fast, and the characters are engaging. Although the ending feels rushed, it adds to the shock value.
If you enjoy suspenseful thrillers with complex characters, this book is perfect for you!

Very grateful to the publisher for my copy, opinions are my own.

If you tell a lie is a story of about four teenagers at a summer camp. One of their counselors is murdered and they all swear to keep it a secret and leave the past behind until years later they receive a note.

This is my first book by Lucinda Berry and I was really excited to read the ARC after seeing how popular her other books are. However, it was disappointing for me. The character development was not unique. I kept confusing their back story, especially Meg and Grace. Also the story was not believable, the choices they made as grown adults were beyond me. The twist was also ridiculous and the ending was extremely abrupt and disappointing. I was waiting for some explanation but it just ended, like there was a chapter or two missing.

I personally didn’t enjoy this book but I will give the authors other books a chance.

Thank you Net Galley for ARC for my honest review.

This one had a lot of potential for me in the beginning, I was fairly invested in finding out exactly what had happened in the long ago summer but unfortunately the end ruined it for me. The author always does a really good job at exploring the psychological side of things in her books, (I’ve read most of them​) and her background gives her an edge into the way people behave that always fascinates me. So there was still that strength here and she explores grooming, the effects of peer pressure and many more dark issues here with a keen insight. Where she lost me was the constant need to suspense disbelief and then the ending felt rushed and abrupt with so many questions left hanging. Having so many unresolved issues kept me from rating this higher but I’m sure I’ll read the author again in the future because many of her books have been great for me.

Most people didn’t like the ending but I found this so dull until it got to that point. So I actually bumped my rating from a 2 to a 3 once I got to the twist at the end.

Four girls who meet a summer camp and become close friends are part of a crime and murder during their last year of camp. Many years later they're pulled together, after years of hiding what really happened that fateful day, by another crime that binds them. This is written in true Lucinda Berry style with a mystery that ties friendships, relationships and true evil together. I flew through this one.