Moonglotexas“Button eyed the compound’s exit and forced herself to trudge behind her parents as the pain intensified in her belly.”
Opening line of “One Little Lie” by Colleen Coble
Having read and enjoyed several Colleen Coble novels, I looked forward to reading her latest, “One Little Lie”. At it’s centre, as it’s title suggest, this novel focuses on the way lies weave and twist their way through lives wrecking havoc. Our two leading characters, Jane and Reid, both have a history with cults and are keeping secrets about their pasts. The town has a vigilante on their hands determined to expose the hidden lives of those in Pelican Harbor and the violence is escalating. As the new interim sheriff, Jane works tirelessly to find the culprit whilst being watched by Reid and his documentary camera.
The writing is beautiful, as always, but I struggled to connect with these characters. I think perhaps it’s because I couldn’t trust any of them, each is deceiving someone and making choices so contrary to the ones I’d make. I have also now concluded cults are a thread in books I don’t enjoy. The mystery is interesting and keeps the pace up as Jane and Reid race to find a vigilante, a murderer and a kidnapper, unsure if they are the same person. The conclusion wasn’t a surprise for me but if you are interested in cults and the consequence of deception wrapped up in suspense and mystery, this one may be for you! It’s a three out of five on the enJOYment scale.
From the back cover:
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 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.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
