Colleen Coble delivers another incredible suspense thriller with “One Little Lie.”
The book’s prologue opens with 15-year-old Button giving birth just before police raid the cult compound where she lives — separating her from her newborn when she escapes with her father.
Fifteen years later, Jane Hardy is named as her father’s replacement as Pelican Harbor Police Chief. Thrown into a vigilante case that has developed into murder, she has a tough first case — and in the meantime the mayor has decided that Jane must allow documentarian Reid Dixon to follow her around, filming her every move.
As Jane gets to know Reid and his teen-age son, Will, she can’t help feeling there’s more to Reid than meets the eye. But as they work more and more together to solve the vigilante acts and murders occurring in Pelican Harbor, they grow closer.
As their pasts, both connected to the cult, come crashing together, Jane must decide if she can trust Reid and save someone very close to herself while solving the recent crimes. And when Jane receives some shocking news, she must decide whether to go down a path of forgiveness, or resentment.
Coble always does an incredible job of creating a fast-paced, heart-pounding thriller with incredibly relatable characters. Both Jane and Reid have troubled pasts to overcoming, as well as people in their lives who created drama and trouble. In this story, Coble also does a great job of creating an inviting community — fans of Irene Hannon’s Hope Harbor will enjoy Pelican Harbor, right down to the adorable Pelican Pete (much like some plucky seagulls in Hannon’s series).
“One Little Lie” is also filled with great themes, like overcoming fear and one’s past; learning to love one’s self (as Jane’s friend Olivia tells her, “One of these days you’re going to break free from your parents and your past. You’re a strong, beautiful woman. I pray every day that you see yourself the way God sees you.”); retribution; the age-old question of “why does God allow something like this to happen?”; faith and trusting in what you can’t see; we all need to do what we are called to do; God sees us … always; cults and their lingering effects; feeling like you are failing others; the cost of betrayal; rage and anger will consume you; and the masks people wear.
Through Jane’s and Reid’s story, Coble reminds us of Micah 6:8 — that we should act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.
Fans of Lynette Eason, Kelly Irvin, Terri Blackstock and Hannon will love this novel. I can’t wait until September 2020 when the sequel, “Two Reasons to Run,” releases. “One Little Lie” releases March 3, 2020.
Five stars out of five.
Thomas Nelson provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.
“One Little Lie” (Pelican Harbor series, #1) by Colleen Cobl