In the quiet lakeside town of Pickwick Bend, a Memphis weekender is found dead inside her gated Magnolia Shores vacation home, and what looks like a tragedy quickly becomes something far more dangerous. I picked this one up for the small‑town secrets, the book‑club sleuths, and the promise of escalating tension, and it delivered a memorable mystery with genuine risk and danger.
About the Book
When a visitor to Pickwick Bend is discovered dead, the local crime‑loving book club can’t help but take an interest. Shelby Rae, Trixie, Janelle, and Curtis soon realize the victim wasn’t simply vacationing; she was digging into old deeds, buried bloodlines, and a secret that could upend a powerful family. As gossip spreads and records vanish, danger closes in. A suspicious fire. Missing documents. And a chilling attempt to silence one of them inside her own home.
The Pickwick Bend Murder Club must uncover the truth before someone closes ranks for good, because in a sleepy small town, secrets never lie.
Book HookUp Book Review: Secrets Never Lie
Secrets Never Lie is fresh, engaging, and layered mystery with real danger. The kind that steadily escalates and keeps you turning pages. I enjoyed the way the tension built, and the reveals were satisfying and well‑timed. The Pickwick Bend Murder Club is a genuinely likable team; Shelby Rae, Trixie, Janelle, and Curtis feel warm, capable, and organically connected. Spending time with them felt like joining the group myself, and I’d happily follow them into another book.
There is, however, a craft issue worth noting. The story is compelling, though some repeated paragraphs and metaphors occasionally interrupted the flow. A few sections made me pause to make sure I hadn’t lost my place, and the repetition slowed the pacing in spots. Even so, the momentum always returned, and the strength of the mystery, danger, and characters outweighed those moments.
Overall, this is a strong small‑town mystery with escalating stakes, a memorable reveal, and a team of amateur sleuths you’ll enjoy spending time with. With a tighter editorial pass, it would shine even brighter. If I could give half stars I'd say 3.5 stars, but I can't so it's 4 stars.
BookHookUp Content Note
Clean mystery with danger, mild peril, and small‑town intrigue. No graphic violence, language, or adult content. Themes include family secrets, amateur sleuthing, and community dynamics.
There is a King Sumo Giveaway for this tour.
Prizes:
- One print copy of Secrets Never Lie: Pickwick Bend Murder Club by Susan Boles. US only.
- $10 gift card and book lover swag to one winner.US only.
- Also three digital copies of Secrets Never Lie: Pickwick Bend Murder Club by Susan Boles US & International.
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I received a copy of this book from Great Escapes Book Tours with no compensation, and all opinions are my own. Book HookUp participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Similar Books You May Enjoy
Curated to match the tone, danger level, small‑town secrets, amateur sleuth teamwork, and clean‑fiction feel of Secrets Never Lie.
The Broken Spine (Beloved Bookroom Mystery) by Dorothy St. James — A librarian‑sleuth uncovering secrets, community dynamics, and escalating danger.
Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop by Darci Hannah —Small‑town charm, amateur sleuthing, and danger woven through community relationships.
The Plot Is Murder (Mystery Bookshop Series) by V.M. —Burns Bookshop setting, amateur sleuth teamwork, and a clean mystery with twists.
About Susan Boles
USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Susan Boles writes novels that make each character vivid, while highlighting small-town southern communities where life may be slow but never boring. Whether the novel is a cozy mystery, romance, or romantic suspense, she brings real life to characters and towns alike.
Susan has received multiple awards for her Lily Gayle Lambert cozy mystery series, along with accolades for her romance and romantic suspense novels. When she isn’t writing, Susan enjoys genealogy, reading, gardening, knitting, and crocheting (all the granny hobbies), which she squeezes in whenever possible. Susan, her husband, and their dog, Krissy, live in West Tennessee near the area where Susan’s family settled in the early 1800s.
Author Links
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profile/susanbolesauthor Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Bookshop.org
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