This is the full story (3.5 stars rounded down)

It's possible that you may have seen the posts on my social media pages earlier today, which I displayed for my stop on the blog tour organised by Bookouture. In these, I said that One More Lie contains everything that Sheryl Browne excels at. Let's be clear: I wasn't lying.

Sheryl is wonderful at telling a story from multiple points of view, and also at transporting the reader to a whole host of different settings. In this case, we are taken to a beach on a summer's night, where a group of young friends are celebrating the end of their school days. The next morning, shy newcomer Pippa is found dead on the sand.

Then we are transported forward 20 years to where the same people, still friends, are at the funeral of another one of their group. Memories resurface and Becky wants nothing more than to talk about what happened on the night Pippa died. But why do none of her friends want to breach the subject? Is it innocence, and having moved on with their lives? Or is it guilt?

The writing is as strong as ever, and I found my mind changing as often as that of the main character, Becky, as to what really happened on that fateful night all those years ago, and whether her husband or her close friends were innocent or not. And a few interspersed chapters that take us back into the past and give a few tantalising clues only caused me to keep changing my mind all the more.

Add that the prologue is great and that I loved the final chapter, and so far, so good. The problem is that, whilst all of the above is the truth, it's not the whole truth.

Where this book fell down for me is best explained in the author's note at the end. Sheryl writes that she set out to explore issues that were personal to her, and to pose the question: can we forgive a likeable character who does something that is morally wrong? The real problem for me though was that I felt that what are essentially those same issues are explored better in two of the same author's earlier books: Do I Really Know You and My Husband's House. And I can't really answer the question because - with the exception of the unfortunate Pippa, who I really felt I understood and who my heart went out to - I didn't really find any of the characters likeable. Becky, in particular, seemed to be very naive and Emilia very selfish. Meanwhile, I wonder if at least one of the male friends, Richie and Tom should have been given their own narrative, because I struggled to relate to either of them having only seen them described by two women that I disliked.

A couple of other, more minor criticisms are that I couldn't quite understand the point of making Becky pregnant - it's a part of the story that doesn't really develop - and that I wasn't convinced by the solution offered. And, whilst I understand that it's quite natural for the same thoughts to go round and round in someone's head, and need to be written on the pages more than once to be able to convey this, it's probably my dislike of the characters that made me find parts of the book a bit repetitive.

It's difficult for me to come to a conclusion on One More Lie, which is really why I've spent the whole of this review writing about it instead of tacking it on to the end of a recount of some autumnal dog walks. (Normal service will be resumed soon.) On the one hand, there's no doubt whatsoever that it's well-written, that I read it easily, and that I enjoyed it. If you're a fan of Sheryl Browne - and I love her as a person as well as an author - there should easily be enough to keep you satisfied.

But, if this had been my first ever read of a book by this author, and if I'd known nothing about her, would it have been enough to make me really, really want to read some of her others? If I'm to write a truly honest review, and leave all preconceptions and friendships aside, I have to say that I'm not sure it would.

My summary, then, is this. If Sheryl Browne is a new-to-you author, then One More Lie is absolutely worth a read. But I'd suggest reading the aforementioned Do I Really Know You or My Husband's House first.

My thanks to Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book, and to Bookouture for including me on the blog tour. With their agreement, I will post this review on my blog and on Netgalley only, with all public posts limited to a promotional spotlight.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this arc honestly.

This is a tough one. The story is good, no doubt, but it’s similar to a lot of others with the same plot (no reinventing the wheel-but that’s fine). My issue with the book though, the characters were all increasingly terribly annoying and I couldn’t muster up liking any of them. By about midway through I was noticing a ton of repeating the same things over and over again which drove me nuts. Then there were a few plot holes / discrepancies that shouldn’t have occurred, to the point I’d re-read the page before to make sure I wasn’t making up the mistakes, which takes you out of the story. I did want to (and did) finish the book but mostly to make sure I was right in my predictions. The epilogue was pretty vague and could have just been removed if that’s all there was to it.

Thank you to Sheryl Browne, Bookouture, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I tried. I really did. But at 15% I had to throw the towel in and DNF. I don't know if it was the writing or the fact that I just didn't like Becky

I love a good psychological thriller and One More Lie has many of the ingredients to be just that. It was a compelling read and once I started I wanted to know how it ended. The good thing about a digital copy is that you can’t (easily) flip to the end so no spoilers for me. The characters are just irritating enough to have you frustrated but not so much that you don’t care what happens. The tension is there from the beginning and it doesn’t really let up right the way through. At times I felt like I was watching in slow motion wanting to tell them to stop, can’t they see the danger they’re in! I love that. There is nothing you can do but read on and know that whatever happens you are safe and sound, just a spectator in the chaos and danger that surrounds them. I enjoyed the way the facts about what happened all those years ago are drip fed to you as the story moves on. An incident that has haunted a group of friends for years is finally catching up with them. Secrets, lies and plenty of gaslighting, this book kept me in suspense until the end.

This was a uniquely written story that alternates between first person perspective to third person, which some may find hard to get used to. I honestly prefer when the story is written differently, and in this case, it was what initially grabbed my interest. This explored the meaning of friendship and showed the true reality of what many supposed friends are, unfortunately, like. The different timelines and perspectives kept this going at a fast pace. While none of the many characters were exactly likable, this was an addicting page-turner with, of course, a great twist to top it off. Any fan of female drama, thrillers, and twisty stories will devour this one. Four stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

One more Lie is a fast paced, intricately plotted page turner right from the start. College friends, now married Emilia and Tom, Becky and Richie meet at Jodie's funeral, another friend who dies after committing suicide. They know it is because of what happened twenty years ago. At a beach party, a girl named Pippa was murdered and her body was found on the sand. At that time all of them decided to keep a secret. Until now.. They turn on each other, even their spouses as the police start asking questions.

The way this thriller was written was genius. We get several PoVs along with the main PoV of Becky that give us access into the psyche of each character, almost all of them are abnoxious and unlikeable. There is plenty of cheating, jealousy, backstabbing and revenge which kept me invested. I had a part of the mystery figured out but just couldn't guess the final twist and the ending was totally unexpected.

If you are looking for a suspenseful, tense and entertaining psychological thriller, then this is the book for you. It is now available on Kindle Unlimited.

Thank you @bookouture for having me on the #booksontour @netgalley and author @sherylbrowne for the digital ARC to read and share my honest review.

Unfortunately I found this book a little difficult to get into. I did not find the main characters likeable and found some to be a little too gullible. The story flowed nicely though and kept me entertained. A big thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc!

One More Lie by Sheryl Browne

Will u tell one more lie?

Everything went back to 20 years ago when Pippa's body was found at the beach. During the investigation, the group of friends were lying, including Becky. 20 years later, another body was found which was related back to the case. The story has a great storyplot with wonderful twists and turns. The various POVs and the timelines caught my attention. The flow of the story was smartly arranged which I would say it's one of the most impressive thriller I've read recently. The connection between the teenage life and the present adult life.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for my copy.

Pub date: Nov 18, 2024

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover…… but how amazing does this cover look?
Becky’s friend Pippa died at a beach party when they were all teenagers. All of the friends stayed in touch but no one wants to talk about that fateful night. Fast forward twenty years and Becky is now pregnant. When another friend dies, Becky is in a race to figure out what happened before someone else gets hurt. This is an excellent book with twists and turns that you don't expect.
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#OneMoreLie #SherylBrowne #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks

What a roller coaster of possible scenarios and outcomes! It took me a bit to get into the book. It’s a bit creepy/disturbing, suspenseful and dark but I’m glad that I persevered to the end. Not my favourite by Sheryl Browne but One More Lie had me guessing and reevaluating my suspicions all the way through.
Thank You to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Sheryl Browne for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Just released!
Sheryl Browne never disappoints! What a complex and intriguing thriller! This one had multiple POVS and went back and forth in time. I didn’t know who to trust or believe! Many secrets and lies. A great read!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this

Another great read from the talented Sheryl Browne. Very deserved 4 stars!

Becky and her husband, Richie and Emilia and her husband, Tom, have been close friends since university and also included in their group was Jodie and her (now ex) girlfriend Zoe. However, these memories that should have been carefree, were stained by the death of a girl, Pippa, who at that time, was at a beach party the group threw that night. The group grew up and as adults made lives for themselves but still stayed close friends. Despite the group never talking about Pippa and the events of that beach party, the memories still weigh very heavily on Beckys mind. When the group hears that Jodie has committed suicide it shocks them to the core. After the funeral Becky can’t stop thinking about Pippa and how her murderer was never found, and her death ruled an accident after drinking too much alcohol. The group also told lies to the police investigating the death over who was where at certain times during that fateful night. Becky tries to talk to the others about Pippa, but everyone rebuffs her, even Ritchie, and just want to carry on forgetting about what happened that night. However, soon enough, they realise that the past is coming back to haunt them, they find out that Zoe was killed by a hit and run driver, Jodie has died and then there is a fire at Ritchie’s place of work and also at Becky and Ritchies home, all four friends are concerned for their safety, especially with Becky being heavily pregnant now. Will they find out what really happened to Pippa that night on the beach? And if so, is anyone brave enough to get justice for her before anyone else loses their life?

Sheryl Brown never lets me down with her stories and this one was no exception! What a tangled mess of people in this friendship group and I loved hearing the story from the group’s multiple characters points of view. Pippa’s made my heart hurt for her. I thought it was very clever writing with not revealing who she met on the beach that fateful night and it definitely kept me guessing all the way through. I have to admit I really didn’t like any of the main male characters and although I did like Becky, she did exasperate me at times as I felt she was ignoring so many massive red flags and there was a number of times when I just wanted to scream at her! I did figure out a certain character about a third of the way in, but this didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story at all, and I feel my guess was probably more down to the fact I am a seasoned psychological thriller fan rather than it being glaringly obvious. I did feel I was getting whiplash trying to figure out who the murderer was as I kept changing my mind and then when it was revealed I was very shocked and didn’t see it coming (maybe I am not such a seasoned psychological thriller fan as I thought I was 😉) so well done Sheryl Bowne!

Ultimately, another great story from Sheryl Browne and I am already immersed in another book of hers. I love all her books and can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sheryl Browne and Bookouture for my advanced reading copy. Out now.

One More Lie by Sheryl Browne is another entertaining read from a great author.
Brown has a unique writing style that makes you connect with the characters and want to learn more about them.
 The story kept me on my toes with the twists and turns throughout.
And it had a level of suspence that makes you want to keep reading.
This book was extremely well-written and plotted and the characters well-developed.

Reading in Between the Wines book review #117/130 for 2024:
Rating: 4 🍷🍷🍷🍷
Book: One More Lie
Author: Sheryl Browne
Available now!!! Releases TODAY!!!

Sipping thoughts: Twisty! Suspenseful! Browne brings another book filled with lies, jealousy, love, and friendship. One More Lie is the book where you shake your head and don't understand why these group of friends call themselves "friends" rather than frenenemies. Read on to find out what happened to Pippa. I bet you will guess wrong like I did!

Cheers and thank you to @Netgalley and @Bookouture for an advanced copy of @OneMoreLie.

#OneMoreLie #SherylBrowne #Bookouture #NetGalley #ARC #advancedreader #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

A compulsive, twisty read in which the past seems to be repeating itself as one of Becky's friends is found dead in suspicious circumstances. It is difficult to know who can be trusted and, as the peril grows, suspicion shifts focus. Is Becky's marriage as happy as she thought? Is she being gaslit by one of her friends, or the father of her unborn child? Is she really in danger? Is the caring counsellor as professional as he should be? Just when you think you have worked out the answers, the next chapter has you guessing again. A very cleverly constructed tale and a delicious book to devour.

Hold onto your hats folks because this is one wild ride from the past to the present! Secrets, revenge, and lies are the name of the game! Sheryl Browne delivered once again with One More Lie! Just when I thought I had everything all figured out, Browne showed me that I was wrong, wrong, wrong! I love it when that happens. What a clever, well thought out, well written, and captivating mystery!

Friends gather on the beach for an end of the year celebration, unfortunately, a shy newcomer to their group (Pippa) is found dead the next morning. Twenty years have passed since Pippa's death, and another member of the group has been found dead...

One More Lie is chock full of tension, dread, questions, secrets, suspicion, and blame. I enjoyed watching the group slowly begin to look at each other in new lights. Wondering what happened to Pippa on the beach all those years ago, and who is behind what is happening now. The book is told through the POV of several characters with Becky being the main POV given in this riveting mystery.

I enjoyed the mounting suspense as the book grew to its shocking close. This book had a fair number of twists and turns along the way which is always a plus for me. This was my 6th book by Sheryl Browne, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

would like to thank netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this awesome book

20 years ago a beach party happened but that night one of the girls who attended the party ended up dead.... the remaining party goers lied to the police and lived to tell the tale

now though guilt still sits heavily with them

as these former beach friends attend another funeral things get rather heated at the wake....

could their friend have really committed suicide because of what happened 20 years ago... was she really carrying the guilt around ....

wow have to say there wasnt one redeeming character that i could actually like in this book...but it well written and keeps you guessing

well worth a read....

Very interesting and twisty psychological thriller from Sheryl Browne! A group of university students remains tight after two decades with guilt as the common thread. Who killed their classmate? It could be anyone of them. As the story unfolds, you will think it is this person then maybe that person until the very end!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

What a great book as all her books are. It’s all about a beach party many years ago where one of them died you have no idea who could have done it the story skips to present day then to 20 years earlier there are so many red herrings so when you actually find out its such a shock I couldn’t stop reading it definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat I loved it,

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookoutre

I absolutely am a huge fan of this author so I knew this would be fantastic, and it definitely was! I was so hooked on this book I read it all in a night. The little twists that unfolded throughout were superb! I literally thought I had this worked out but I was completely wrong. This is one of the best books I have read this year and I know it will hit that number 1 spot on the bestseller list and it is absolutely fantastic.