It started with one little lie. But Jane Hardy will do everything in her power to uncover the truth in this gripping new romantic suspense. Jane Hardy is appointed interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, after her father retires, but there’s no time for an adjustment period. When her father is arrested for theft and then implicated in a recent murder, Jane quickly realizes she’s facing … she’s facing someone out to destroy the only family she has.
After escaping with her father from a cult fifteen years ago, Jane has searched relentlessly for her mother–who refused to leave–ever since. Could someone from that horrible past have found them?
Reid Bechtol is well-known for his documentaries, and his latest project involves covering Jane’s career. Jane has little interest in the attention, but the committee who appointed her loves the idea of the publicity.
Jane finds herself depending on Reid’s calm manner as he follows her around filming, and they begin working together to clear her father. But Reid has his own secrets from the past, and the gulf between them may be impossible to cross–especially once her father’s lie catches up with him.
“Colleen Coble always raises the notch on romantic suspense, and One Little Lie is my favorite yet! The story took me on a wild and wonderful ride.” –Diann Mills, bestselling author
- Full length romantic suspense
- Includes discussion questions for book clubs
- Part of the Pelican Harbor series
- Book One: One Little Lie
- Book Two: Two Reasons to Run (available September 2020)
- Book Three: Three Missing Days (available April 2021)
more
What an interesting read as all of Coble’s books are. This one deals with people who have come out of cults but with a different twist than most books deal with on the subject. Some will say “it’s just a little lie” but then one must lie again in order to prevent the truth from being revealed. There is a lot of suspense and action in this story and a lot of lies to cover up the truth. The characters are very believable and appealing. The faith thread is prevalent along with lots of secrecy and suspense. You will not be disappoint in the first book of this series and I am looking forward to the second book in the Pelican Harbor series, Two Reasons to Run. I highly recommend this book…….I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley but was under no obligation to write a positive review.
Colleen Coble has always been a favorite author of mine because she is a master at writing in the romantic suspense genre. I have loved her books since I first read her Rock Harbor series and I can tell this series is off to a great start after reading One Little Lie.
There are so many things going on in this book that it is hard to narrow it down in a review. The backstory is that Jane Hardy escaped with her father from a cult when she was 15 years old. Now, several years later Jane’s father has been the sheriff and now she is acting sheriff. She is a complex character dealing with her past while also having a lot going on in the present. She is thrown in to dealing with some murders that appear to be the work of a vigilante. Things become very personal when her own father is accused of these crimes. On top of all that, she is being followed by Reid who is making a documentary of small town law enforcement. But just what is his angle?
The author tackles many themes in this book including forgiveness, reconciliation, consequences of lies, etc. As I mentioned earlier, I view Jane as a very complex character and I am curious to see how she transforms and grows throughout the series.
Is her father guilty of the crimes he is accused of? Does Reid have more involvement with Jane’s past than Jane is aware of? You’ll have to read to find out. I can tell you that the ending definitely took me by surprise. I can’t wait to see what happens in book two due to release later this year.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
First I love this author. Second I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
Highly recommended.
Be warned this is the beginning to a new series.
I was happy and was a little frustrated at the end. But I’ll be getting next books.
ONE LITTLE LIE ….Coleen Coble.
Pelican.Harbor.Series
Jane follows her father with a career choice of be coming a police Officer.
Now a police chief in Pelican Harbor, with murders to investigate. Her past
comes out, when her father in implicated. There is mayhem and murders. An one lie has turned into a tangled web of lies. Good page turner, and good
characters with Jane. Given ARC by Net Galley and Thomas .Nelson for my voluntary review and my honest opinion
Promoted to chief of the small Gulf Shore police department, Jane Hardy is quickly challenged by two gruesome murders, a kidnapping, and her father’s being investigated. On top of that, Jane has to allow Reid Bechtol shooting a documentary to follow her as she investigates. I received a free copy of this eBook from the publisher through Netgallery. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. I didn’t want to put this book down. There are interesting twists in the story. Even though Jane resolves the cases, there are some personal issues that won’t be resolved into the next book. For me this made the book richer since it makes the book more realistic and is still has a satisfactory ending. I look forward to the next book in the series. I love this very suspenseful book.
The title of this book is appropriate, but one little lie morphed into many more, and then they were no longer little.
As the story begins, Officer Jane Hardy has just made Chief of Police, succeeding her father in the job. We soon see not all are happy about her appointment, and when bodies begin to appear, some think she is not up to the task.
Now the City has given the go ahead for a noted journalist to follow here to make a new documentary, but there sure seems to be something else going on?
This book is full of secrets, and when they fall, yes, I was surprised by some, but others blew my mind, I never saw them coming.
I became so involved in this story, and in the end didn’t want it to end, and yes, there is a teaser at the end, another book is coming in the Fall.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.
This is a startling story about faith. Jane and Reid have secrets. The author takes us on a remarkable journey of several lives that are being impacted by the secrets they are keeping. It is a police procedural. As Jane takes on the new job of Chief she is trying to track a killer bent on destroying her family. As she begins to have feelings for Reid, who is a reporter telling a story about her life, more secrets are revealed that will try to crush her. It is a great story filled with plenty of surprises.
When does a secret become a lie?
What a fantastic way to spend an afternoon! The author has done it again, drawing the reader into a story that will not let you go until you reach that last period, and then leave you hoping for more. Welcome to Pelican Harbor, Alabama where Jane Hardy is the newly appointed chief of police. This appears to be a quiet little town that is enjoyed by tourists and locals alike. However, things are about to change. Reid Dixon, a well-known documentarian, arrives in town to do a piece on small town police force, especially one with a female chief. Hang onto your seats, this page-turner has just begun.
When did the lies begin? Perhaps years ago when Jane and her father fled a raid on the cult they were involved with – who could know. Anyway that was a long time ago and certainly would not affect life now, except that she always wondered how her newborn baby died and where her mother had disappeared to. Now with several murders, kidnapping and more lies Jane begins to wonder if she is cut out for this job. An unexpected ending left me hanging and waiting for the next book in this wonderful series.
This book was received through Thomas Nelson, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, NetGalley and CelebrateLit. All impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited.
One Little Lie is about Jane Hardy, a small town police chief in Pelican Harbor, Alabama. Jane was raised in a cult until she and her father escaped when she was 15, leaving behind Jane’s mother, her newborn baby whom she had been told had died shortly after birth, and her “husband” Moose whom she hardly knew. Jane carries a great deal of resentment towards God, sadness at the memory of her lost child, and abandonment issues as her mother was unwilling to escape with them. But she has grown into a tough, self-reliant, respected police woman. And as she is one of just a few female police chiefs, the town’s mayor has arranged for a famous documentary producer, Reid Dixon, to film footage of Jane on the job for a documentary that will hopefully be good publicity for the town. Just as Jane begins in her new position as chief and Reid and his son, Will, begin riding along and filming, a series of events begins to unfold, starting with the discovery of part of a body, then a murder, followed by kidnappings. Jane questions her ability to handle all that’s been thrown at her, but Reid becomes a great source of support and encouragement for her. When feelings begin to develop, Reid worries that a secret about his past may push Jane away. But first things first; there is an ever-growing mystery to solve and it’s beginning to seem like it might be personal.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading One Little Lie. I’ve read everything Colleen Coble has written, and this was just as exciting and action-packed as some of her other titles, such as Strands of Truth, the Lavender Tides series, and the Rock Harbor Series. I liked the complexity that being involved in a cult brought to Jane’s character. And as with all of Colleen Coble’s books, I appreciate the inclusion of characters who are there to help nudge the main character back towards God. I so appreciate having romantic and exciting books to read that are clean and faith-based.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I know it’s totally crazy since I read tons of authors in the romantic suspense category but I have never read this author before this book! I’ve heard of her plenty but have never actually read any of her books! That will change quickly, thanks to NetGalley asking me to read this book, the beginning of her new series about Pelican Harbor on the Gulf Coast. It was fantastic. I really enjoyed the characters and the story line. It did have a couple negatives – too many things going on at once, which overloads the story sometimes, and a couple “farfetched” police procedures – but all in all, something I enjoyed very much and can’t wait for the second book already! Just to let other readers know – it does end on a cliffhanger and I wasn’t ready for that! However, it just makes me want to read the next book even more! Jane is the new police chief in Pelican Harbor, after her father has retired and the poor woman has more than she can deal with when the crime wave hits fast and furious immediately upon her taking the job! Then, she’s told by the mayor that she will have a documentary filmmaker shadowing her – not at all what she wants! However Reid and his son become indispensable to her. As others have said, this book is not much on romance but heavier on suspense. I would have liked more romance but perhaps the next book!
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.
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.
This book had a lot of layers. Parts were unpredictable, but parts were not. Romance was a part of the story, but it was paced properly. (The couple did not fall in love in two weeks and get married – their love story will be lingering longer which makes for more realistic reading!) As for the suspense, I did figure out certain parts, but there were other elements that I completely missed. A page turner for sure! Truth ended up being crucial to the story. I really liked how the author continued to reveal how lies affected the characters. Honestly it is a good reminder for me personally that if I fudge on the details or withhold key elements from my story that struggles may result. Pelican Harbor made for a fund setting! I cannot wait for the rest of this series! Thanks to #netgalley and Thomas Nelson for allowing me to preview this book (and not have to wait until March to read it! This review includes my own opinions that involve a positive recommendation!
Another jewel from Colleen Coble! I loved this book, although it should have come with a warning: May cause sleep deprivation! There are multiple storylines, but they are skillfully meshed together. This action-packed story set in the small town of Pelican Harbor on the Alabama gulf coast moves along swiftly with unexpected turns as lies and revenge generate mayhem and mystery. The characters in this exciting narrative are credible and appealing. The faith element enhances the story, and the romantic element takes a back seat to the secrecy and suspense. I am looking forward to the second book in the Pelican Harbor series, Two Reasons to Run, releasing in September. I highly recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
I loved “One Little Lie” by Colleen Coble. I have read all of Colleen Coble’s books, but I think this is my favorite of hers! It got my attention from the first page to the last page. I couldn’t wait to see how it would end, and I’m excited to say there will be another book after this one. It definitely had a twist for me. I had ideas as to who the “villain” was, but I never guessed who it ended up being.
Jane Hardy is the main character in this novel. Her and her father escaped a cult years ago, and now Jane has been appointed interim sheriff. Reid Bechtol is a well-known journalist who has come to town. He ends up shadowing Jane and the two of them try to solve some murders that have happened in this town.
I definitely recommend this novel by Colleen Coble. She is one of my favorite authors and has never disappointed me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Excellent mystery! Plenty of suspense, some romance, this book was a page-turner that kept me guessing. It’s a compelling mystery, filled with characters dealing with secrets of their pasts, a police K-9, family drama, and small town politics. I highly recommend it and look forward to the next book in the series!
Great read! A lot of page turning suspense with this one. Location is great; Gulf Shores, Alabama. Great characters. Murder, a cult, secrets from the past, surprise revelations. Highly recommend! Looking forward to more books in this series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC
A fast paced mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat!
It was full of twists and turns! I couldn’t read it fast enough and read it in one day! I really like this author’s books and will anxiously waiting for the next one! Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy
I cannot wait to read the second book in this series to find out how every one in this story is going to handle the secrets that were revealed in this first book. I loved the characters in this story. There were so many twists and turns throughout this suspenseful story. Every character seems to have a secret that needs to be revealed. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.