Before reading this book I was already a Colleen Coble fan, so I went into this book with some expectations and she lived up to them!

Jane Hardy is the interim sheriff for a small town in Alabama when her father retires. She is thrown into the life of a sheriff and almost immediately she has some crazy cases that hit her desk and one of her detectives believes her father to be at fault and wants to pursue him heavily and she must stay impartial while being a daughter and the sheriff.

I loved Jane Hardy as a character. I could tell that this was the first in the series as this book was setting the ground work with the characters for the following books to come. A lot of the book was character development with the cases taking a back seat to their development. I didn't hate this fact, just felt a little different from the typical mystery thriller books with such a focus on the main characters.

Just to warn anyone before they pick this one up, Colleen Coble is a Christian fiction author and some books there are minimal references to her faith, not so in this one, so if you try to avoid books with religious references, you may need to avoid this one. The plot and everything is so good, so I would still recommend this one, just with the one caveat.

This book was so intriguing! I couldn’t put it down and read it in a day! Jane becomes sheriff when her father retires from the position. A stream of murders are happening that she needs to solve. But memories of her life before in a cult are always there to traumatize her. Reid is working on a story about the new sheriff. He and his son get close to her while they work on the mysteries plaguing their town. This start to a series was really action packed and fast paced! The romance that will most likely develop in future books was limited in this book. A lot of building up plot for the next book/s and establishing relationships. The ‘lie’ mentioned in the title was pretty shocking! This book ends on a complete cliffhanger! I can’t wait to read book 2!
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in trade for my honest opinion. My thoughts are my own.

Colleen Coble is one of my favorite cozy mystery writers. Jane and Reid's story is original and full of twists and turns you will never see coming. The narrator made the story come to life and I hope they make the entire series audio!

I read this book several years ago. I didn't remember the title of it when I began to read the audiobook, though, and so it was like a new read all over. This plot is a very unique one, and the twists it takes you on will keep you guessing and leave you shocked. Absolutely loved it all over again.

This book is full of twists and turns! Colleen Coble knows how to write a murder mystery with lots of suspense that will keep you intrigued. This is the first in The Pelician Harbor series, which are all about Jane Hardy, so be prepared to read or listen to more. There are no swears or alcohol and level 1 kisses only. Dual POV.

This book was absolutely captivating—I couldn’t put it down and ended up finishing it in a single day! After her father retires, Jane steps into the role of sheriff, just as a string of murders begins to unfold in the town. As she investigates, she's constantly haunted by memories of her past life in a cult, adding a chilling layer to the story. Meanwhile, Reid, a journalist working on a feature about the new sheriff, finds himself and his son growing closer to Jane as they become entangled in the town’s dark mysteries.

The story kicks off this new series with a bang—it's packed with action and moves at a rapid pace. While the romantic tension is present, it takes a back seat in this installment, likely setting the stage for future developments. There's a strong emphasis on establishing characters and building the foundation for upcoming books. The secret referenced in the title was genuinely shocking, and the book ends on a major cliffhanger. I’m eagerly anticipating book two!

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

#OneLittleLie #NetGalley

An amazing and gripping story, I was hooked after the first chapter. I will definitely be reading more book by Colleen Coble. I’m now a total fan of and cannot wait to check out her other works. Never a dull moment and couldn’t wait for the next chapter, highly recommend reading “One Little Lie”.

Colleen Coble's One Little Lie (audiobook) plunges listeners into a tense world where a dark past relentlessly pursues a woman seeking her lost mother. Fifteen years ago, Jane escaped a cult with her father, but her mother chose to stay behind. Ever since, Jane has been searching for her, haunted by the fear that someone from that horrifying past might have tracked them down.

Enter Reid Dixon, a renowned documentary filmmaker whose latest project focuses on Jane's career. Though Jane dislikes the spotlight, the committee overseeing her work embraces the publicity. As Reid films, Jane finds herself increasingly relying on his calm presence, especially as they begin to work together to clear her father's name from a new accusation.

However, Reid carries his own secrets from the past, creating a widening gulf between them. This divide becomes almost impossible to cross once her father's "one little lie" finally catches up with him. Coble crafts a compelling narrative of suspense, family secrets, and the arduous search for truth, leaving listeners questioning who can be trusted when the past refuses to stay buried.

Pelican Harbor #1
One Little Lie
Colleen Coble
This is the first book in this series, and I can hardly wait for the next installment.
Pelican Harbor, Alabama is a small, sleepy Jane Hardy is a small woman, some people think she is too small to be the acting sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama. When Jane’s father retired, she was hired as the interim. A short time after she takes over the sheriff's office, her father is arrested, accused of theft and murder. Jane believes he has been set up; she needs to find the proof.
When Jane was growing up, she and her parents were part of a cult. Fifteen years ago, she and her father escaped. Her mother refused to leave. Jane has searched for her mother but has been unable to find her.
Reid Bechtol is a journalist that makes documentaries. He has requested permission to make a documentary on Jane as female sheriff in a small town. Jane has little time or interest in the project. However, the committee that hired her insists she cooperate. Jane and Reid quickly become friends, and she finds herself attracted to him. They join forced her father to prove innocent.
Reid has a past and secrets. Will the secrets destroy the budding relationship?
One Little Lie is well written. I love the characters. Jane and Reid are strong lead characters. I enjoyed their budding relationship now if it can stay strong. We will have to wait for the next book to see if their relationship survives. This book is a police procedural tale with a great K-9 dog.
I highly recommend this book.
Thank you Thomas Nelsen and NetGalley for the ARC.

Jane Hardy hardly has time to get her feet wet in her new job as interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor as her father has been arrested for theft. What is more is that it seems like he is connected to a recent murder. It doesn't take Jane very long to see that someone is trying to set her father up. While Jane begins her investigation thoughts of her past are never far from her mind. Fifteen years previously she escaped a cult with her father, never seeing her mother again - as well as someone incredibly endearing to her. Could what is happening to Jane's father be connected to their difficult past?

Meanwhile Jane is suddenly being shadowed by Reid Bechtol, a popular journalist who is now focused on covering her career. One thing Jane doesn't like about her new job is the political aspect, and how it makes her have to agree to be followed by Reid. So, while Jane pursues leads to clear her father, Reid begins his questions as he digs into her past.

This is where composing this review could be a bit problematic. There is a connection between Reid and Jane that begins to come to light - something that involves shocking lies and secrets. That is about all I can say about that.

What a thrilling story! I have the second book in this series for review, Two Reasons to Run, and boy am I glad that I headed to my library to get and read this book first, because this book has critical information that is necessary to be able to fully enjoy the series as a whole. The third book in this series, Three Missing Days, is scheduled for release in April 2021.

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Synopsis:
When Jane Hardy is appointed interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, her new role is immediately tested. Her father is arrested for theft and linked to a murder, throwing Jane into a whirlwind of betrayal and suspicion. As she works to clear his name, filmmaker Reid Dixon begins documenting her every move, complicating things further—especially when Jane discovers he’s hiding secrets of his own. The past they’ve both tried to bury resurfaces, threatening everything they hold dear.

My Thoughts:
One Little Lie is a gripping and emotionally rich story that explores how even the smallest deception can become a significant obstacle in relationships. Colleen Coble masterfully illustrates the corrosive effects of jealousy and malice, showing how these emotions can distort a person’s character and ultimately lead to their downfall. The story also highlights the destructive consequences of vindictiveness, not just for the target but for the person who harbors it. At the heart of the novel is a powerful message about forgiveness—that it is the only path to true inner healing and peace. I especially appreciated how the author weaves faith and Scripture into the narrative, offering a hopeful reminder of how God can transform pain into growth. I loved this book for its suspenseful plot, its depth of emotion, and the spiritual truths it so beautifully reveals.

I absolutely devoured this book, and I loved every second of it. The many amazing plot twist, and the many theories you get from reading this, might be right, and might not be right. I had a feeling that I knew what was going on, but also not. Amazing. Just amazing.

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.

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

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.