Jane Hardy is appointed as police chief of Pelican Harbor and is immediately asked to be in charge of a murder investigation, and the killings seem to have a connection to her past.
As she delves into the investigation further she has to face some hard truths in the past, and during the investigation she is also asked by the mayor to include a journalist, Reid in the details - and she is not clear on his motives!

good, fast paced story, I now look forward to listening to the next book in the series.

Thanks to NG, Thomas Nelson Fiction Audio for the ALC

Colleen Coble's suspense novels are never a disappointment. Jane Hardy survived a cult, but lost her baby when her dad escaped with her. Years later, she becomes chief of police following her dad's footsteps. Shortly after her new promotion, a string of crimes occurs in her little town and her dad is arrested. Meanwhile, a popular documentary journalist wants to film her for a story about small town police; however, his interest in Jane is more than just her interesting career. As things heat up in town, the two work together to discover the truth about what is happening and the truth about her past.
Filled with interesting, well thought out characters, this story is well paced and filled with drama. At least one twist, completely surprised me; and while I did see others coming- it didn't detract from the experience. I enjoyed the cast and the story. I am glad it is the first in the series because I would like a little more from some of the side characters!
I would recommend this title and this author.

This was a good book. I liked how the end left you wanting to know what happened for the next book. I thought the cult thing was interesting and I enjoyed Jane’s character. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrator.

After a string of fantasy and romance, I was thrilled to listen to One Little Lie. Part mystery and part police procedural with a dash of romance thrown in, it was a great listen for my recent hour long drives.

The story starts with a baby born and a cult attacked. A girl, mother to the newborn baby boy, is pulled from the chaos by her father. He tells her the baby is dead, a fact she begrudgidly takes to heart as she can see other cult members lying dead as they make their escape.

The reader then jumps forward in time. Jane has just been appointed the interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, after her father's retirement. Right off the bat, she has a series of murders thrown at her. As if that isn't enough, Reid Dixon appears and tells her he is tasked with following her around for a new documentary.

As she investigates, lies upon lies begin to be uncovered as roadblocks are thrown in her path.

I did guess a few of the things revealed as the story progressed, but still found it enjoyable. I'm now curious to see what subsequent books in the series tackle.

Devon O'Day serves as narrator for the audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ARC audiobook. All opinions are my own.

One Little Lie kicks off Colleen Coble’s Pelican Harbor series with a gripping blend of suspense, family secrets, and small-town drama. While marketed as romantic suspense, the romance takes a backseat to the mystery and character-driven plot — which, depending on your preference, can be either a pleasant surprise or a slight letdown.

The story follows Jane Hardy, newly appointed interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, who is immediately thrown into turmoil. Her father is arrested under suspicion of theft and quickly entangled in a murder investigation. As Jane digs into the case, secrets from their shared past — including a dark escape from a cult — begin to surface.

Enter Reid Bechtol, a documentary filmmaker who becomes unexpectedly entangled in Jane’s investigation. Although he’s there to spotlight her career, he ends up being a crucial ally as truths begin to unravel. Their partnership grows steadily throughout the novel, but the romantic tension remains subtle and understated.

Coble shines in building a suspenseful atmosphere, with well-paced twists and a strong female lead in Jane. The themes of trust, betrayal, and the long shadow of past trauma give the story emotional depth. However, readers expecting a more traditional romance may find the emotional connection between Jane and Reid a bit too slow-burning.

Overall, One Little Lie is a solid start to a promising series. If you enjoy small-town mysteries with layered characters and a steady dose of intrigue, this is worth the read. This book is the first in the series of three books. I immediately hunted down the following sequels and finished them. It is good series that allows the romance to develop over the course of the three books.

I would like to thank Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio | Thomas Nelson Fiction, Netgalley for the audiobook.

This is the first in a new series called The Pelican Harbor series. Colleen Coble is an author whom I have read before. The narrator for this book is Devon O'Day, and he does a great job of keeping the story moving and interesting.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this audiobook.

This book is a gripping Christian suspense novel that follows Jane Hardy, a newly appointed police chief in Pelican Harbor, as she investigates a mysterious murder that may be tied to long-buried secrets from her own past. As the case unfolds, Jane must navigate personal betrayals, community pressure, and her complicated relationship with her father—all while trying to uncover the truth.

From the very beginning, the plot drew me in. I found it incredibly engaging and hard to put down. Coble does a fantastic job of pacing the story, offering just enough information at the right time to keep you guessing and theorizing about what might happen next. The suspense was well-balanced with character development, making it not only thrilling but also emotionally compelling. I really enjoyed the entire story and found it intriguing throughout.

I don’t have any strong dislikes for this one—it was solid all around!

Audiobook narration:
Devon O'Day did a fantastic job narrating this story. Their voice suited the tone perfectly, and I appreciated how easy it was to distinguish between the characters. The narration added an extra layer of immersion that made the experience even better.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson & Zondervan Fiction Audio for the copy in exchange for my honest review.

The character development was so well done. Sheriff Jane Hardy is a strong but broke woman who is battling her past and having to confront the lies that have followed into her present.

Having to battle insecurities on her interim role she has multiple murders, her father being investigated, insubordinate staff and a docu-series producer following her every step. Every piece of the puzzle not all that it seems!

Reed is a surprise, an interesting subplot of the story. A slightly predictable connection, but you can’t help but root for him! You just want to yell at Jane and say your anger is misdirected Jane!!! I get it but so wanted closure for Reed, and like the romance that was building from them working together.

The whodunnit was a surprise! And I liked how the crimes were all wrapped up in the end.

This was my first book by Colleen Coble and I am a fan! I enjoyed this audiobook made available to me from Netgalley. The narrator is great and was definitely part of my enjoyment of the book.

Jane Hardy has been appointed interim police chief after her father retires from the job. But in this small southern town, some people aren't too sure she can handle it. To complicate matters, a very handsome documentary producer has arrived in town and wants to profile her for a series on small town police. Jane doesn't need this annoyance when she has two fresh murders to solve. Plus she has some personal history that still haunts her and she does not want it to be revealed.

The characters in this book are complex and provide much interest in the story. In particular, I liked the character of the producer's teenage son, who is portrayed as mature and level-headed, unlike most teens in novels. I also, as is always the case with Colleen Coble novels, enjoyed the thought-provoking life lessons that underlie the main mystery. Another enjoyable book from a great author!

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and NetGalley for providing an advance review copy of this audiobook. My opinions are my own.

It's an enjoyable read. I enjoyed this author's writing.

The characters were great & relatable. I enjoyed the twists & turns & action & surprises.

Thanks to the author, publisher & Netgalley for this ARC read. All opinions are my own.

One Little Lie by Colleen Coble was a fun Christian suspense book. This story caught me straight from the start. I was on my chair trying to figure out what happened to the baby and what was the truth.

I also got to listen to the audiobook for this and the narrator was good. She brought the story to life.

*I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.

I throughly enjoyed this read, however I felt as the the "main" mystery was too predictable, however I enjoyed following how the story unfolded as more secrets came to the surface even though it felt a bit far fetched, the writing style was engaging it keeps you wanting to know how everything ends. The romance plot was well done and just the right amount given the plot. This was my first reading experience with this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

2.5⭐️

My interest piqued when I read this story was about a cult. Sadly, that was barely a part of the story. Although it did come full circle, I was expecting it to be the main focus of the plot.

Calling this a romance was also a far stretch. Whatever love was discussed wasn’t done in a healthy manner. The prologue helped the rest of the story become pretty predictable but in a good way — hoping for the story to unfold the way it did.

I really wanted to enjoy this book but it felt choppy with a lot of unnecessary characters in the middle. I had a hard time following who was who and who belonged to who. The beginning and end were enjoyable but all the stuff in between just wasn’t it for me.

"One Little Lie" is the first in The Pelican Harbor series. Like other Colleen Coble books, this is a wonderful romantic suspense book. This book is police procedural theme, for those who like those (I do!) and the FMC is very strong! Colleen always does an excellent job with pacing and blending the romance with the suspense. I also love that she can write a gripping thriller without swearing and "spice"--"One Little Lie" gives you all the tension without having to worry about your kids walking in on your audio book! Excellent narration too! Easy 4 stars!!! *I received a complimentary audio ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

I hadn't read a Colleen Coble book for years, so when I saw this one I knew I needed to read/listen to her writing again.
This book was everything I wanted from a Colleen cable book! The book was intriguing from the beginning and I was hooked. This story is full of twists and turns that I hadn't been able to predict.
The narration was wonderful!

So many layers! Suspense, heartbreak, mystery, lies, and truth. I loved Jane and Reed and can't wait to dive into book 2!

Anyone who is looking for a new suspense/thriller series will want to look into bestselling author Colleen Coble’s Pelican Bay Series, where the first installment is, One Little Lie. The book is set in the small southern town of Pelican Bay, and Jane Hardy, a young police officer, is named chief of police after her father’s retirement. Since there are only five officers in this small town, and there are some who are against her new position, Jane has her work cut out for her, especially since an elderly shrimper brings up a cooler with the torso of a man who has been dismembered and dressed in a bloody wedding dress. There is another murder the same week, and a stranger to Jane, Reid Dixon, comes to town to film a documentary on Jane; he is semi-famous for producing a documentary on cults. Jane was in a cult with her parents until she was 14, but her father took her out after she had a baby boy who died and the area was destroyed by fire.

Colleen Coble is the author of several series that are clean, suspenseful, and a bit romantic. She does a good job of telling the story and adding unexpected twists and turns with surprise endings that keep readers on the edge. In this, Jane is a likeable protagonist, and very believable. Coble does a good job of developing both Jane and the supporting characters. Her father is arrested for the murders, and she works hard to prove his innocence.

All told, this is a great introduction to a new series and is a good one to read. The audio version has an excellent narrator, so readers may want to listen instead of read.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Title: One Little Lie
By: Colleen Coble
Pub. Day: March 3, 2020

Genre:
Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Christianity, Audiobook

Trigger Warnings:
Cults, (undertones of underage sex, and violence)

Favorite Quote:
“She'd left God behind long ago, and she doubted he'd care to hear from her now that she was in the worst trouble of her life.”

Colleen Coble does it again!!! I love all works written by this creatively skilled author!

Review:
This is the first installment in the Pelican Harbor series. Highly Recommended!!!

Jane is the new chief of police, replacing her retired dad. As Jane moves into the position, the community of Pelican Harbor, Alabama, becomes thrown into the realms of chaos. Coble takes the reader down an engaging twisty path of secrets, lies, and utter mayhem. As additional characters are cast into the unexpected twists and turns, Jane continues to be surprised by the evidence brought before her, and is on a mission to uncover the truth. Coble’s first novel in this series is off the charts good, focused on themes of faith vs. fear until the uncertainty of the secrets come full circle. Coble spotlights the connection between a father and daughter relationship with tidbits of romance.

The audiobook was narrated by Devon O’Day who read with consistency, clarity and enunciation. She has a way of bringing Colleen Coble’s stories to life!

Thank you to Colleen Coble, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity of an Advanced Readers Copy. I am voluntarily leaving my personal review.

#OneLittleLie
#ColleenCoble
#DevonODay
#ThomasNelson
#ZondervanFiction
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley
#ARC

One Little Lie pulled me in right from the start. It begins with Jane and her father escaping a controlling cult, and the heartbreak of her baby “dying” in the process. Fast-forward 15 years, and Jane is being promoted to police chief just as her father retires. But her new role isn’t easy—she’s under pressure, dealing with two new murders, and being followed by a famous journalist who writes documentaries and is working on one about what it’s like to be a female chief in a small town.

The tension builds as secrets from the past resurface, and everything starts to unravel. The entire story hinges on one lie told 15 years ago—and when it comes to light, everything changes.

This book has layers mystery and great emotional depth. I loved the way the past and present collided, and how Jane’s strength and vulnerability came through. A compelling mix of small-town drama, crime, and long-buried secrets.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I just finished Colleen Coble's "One Little Lie," and while I typically shy away from giving away plot points, I have to admit, I figured out the "big twist" relatively early on. Usually, this would be a death knell for a mystery novel in my book, but I'm genuinely happy to say that in this case, it didn't detract from my enjoyment one bit.

Coble has a real knack for crafting compelling characters. I found myself genuinely invested in their journeys, rooting for them, and feeling their struggles. It's rare to connect so deeply with a cast in a mystery, but here, it was effortless. Even knowing where some threads were leading, the journey with these characters was captivating.

And the mystery itself, despite my early deduction of the central secret, was still incredibly engaging. There were enough layers, red herrings, and additional questions to keep me utterly hooked. I found myself constantly turning pages, eager to see how everything would unfold, how the characters would react to the revelations, and how all the pieces would finally fit together. Honestly, I just didn't want to stop reading. It was one of those books that you pick up "just for a few more pages" and suddenly it's 2 AM.

So, while the central reveal might have been a bit telegraphed for me, the rich characters and the skillfully woven, gripping narrative earned "One Little Lie" a solid four stars. Highly recommend it if you're looking for a mystery that pulls you in and keeps you turning pages!