I would have grabbed this book for the cover alone, I think it is wonderful. Luckily, Lie in the Tide had a great story to go along with the great cover. For her thriller debut, Holly Danvers has done well.
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Four high school friends meet up for a week on Cape Cod to celebrate Calista’s birthday. They hadn’t seen each other in years and their lives had all taken vastly different paths, so they were all excited as well as anxious to finally meet up again. Anxious because they all have secrets they carry to the Cape along with their luggage. Secrets that could get one of them killed!
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This was a twisty quick read perfect to highlight on #ThrillerThursday even if it won’t hit the shelves until June 3. Preorder it or make a note to get this book in June so you will know why everyone will be talking about that ending! It will be a perfect beach read, or a perfect read while you are waiting out baseball practice.

Huge shout out to NetGalley and the author/publisher for making this available to me for my review!

I loved this book and I loved the whole premise behind it. This is book one of the Little White Lie series and I can’t wait for more! A perfect example of how a literal “little lie” can turn into so much more.

Mori, the former shy, outcast turned romance novel extraordinaire. Calista, former big scandal with her family turned picture perfect housewife. Remi, former cheerleader married high school sweetheart. Avery, social butterfly turned farm wife and mom to many.

Four women. One reunion. Twenty years overdue. One white lie. Two missing persons. One dead body.

How far would you take one lie? Find out how far these ladies will go to cover the killer.

I love how this book mentioned off page items. I’m still here for it but an excellent way to keep this a clean, page turning thriller. I can’t wait to read more!

This is the book I needed to get me out of my mystery/thriller slump. Give me a fast paced thriller with people behaving badly, and you've won me. Lie in the Tide had my attention from start to finish. I cannot wait to read more from Hollywood Danvers!

Lie In The Tide
by Holly Danvers
Pub Date: Jun 03 2025

Lie In The Tide is full of mystery, drama and suspense, a real page turner! I was hooked from the start, there were lots of secrets, unexpected twists and turns. All in all your perfect summer beach read! This is the first book of A Little White Lies Thriller Book 1.

Synopsis: Theirs is a reunion . . . to die for! Four friends are meeting at a beautiful Cape Cod beach house for a long overdue reunion. But before the trip is over, one of them will wind up dead . . .It’s been twenty years since Mori, Avery, Remi and Calista last saw each other. As they reconnect on Cape Cod to celebrate Calista’s 40th birthday, each one hides a painful and devastating secret.

Many thanks to #LieintheTide #NetGalley #SevernHouse for providing me an E-ARC of this book.

This is the perfect beach read for your summer enjoyment. This is a fast paced engaging fun read that kept this reader turning pages into the night. Four women join together after 20 years for a reunion. Each has a deep dark secret they are hiding. The character development was richly drawn to the story and done to perfection. When one is murdered each is faced with exposing their secrets as they determine who is responsible among them. The tension builds and each woman is suspect by the others.
I loved this story and hope this author will continue to write suspense as she has all the perfect elements here. I highly recommend this book for your reading enjoyment.

Thank you with gratitude to Severn House, Holly Danvers, and Net Galley for the opportunity to review. My review opinions are my own.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Four friends plan a reunion on Cape Cod after not seeing each other for 20 years. Mori, Remi, Avery, and Calista’s lives couldn’t be more different, but after some reservations, everyone is excited to meet at the gorgeous beach house. However, the reunion doesn’t go as planned. A “little white lie” changes the tide, and one of them tragically dies.

Will these friends find out the truth? Will their friendship survive?

Mori, Remi, Avery, and Calista were friends in high school. Now Mori is a bestselling erotica author, Remi is happily married to her high school sweetheart, and after fertility struggles, she is finally pregnant, Avery is living her best life on a farm in Iowa with a house full of kids, and Calista is a high school English teacher, and a typical mom, aside from having a huge secret. Truthfully, they all had secrets, and as they are revealed, there are consequences. Ms. Danvers did a nice job introducing her characters. They intrigued me right away, but I was searching for more depth in the history of the friendships.

I loved the Cape Cod setting and detailed descriptions of the beach and beach house. That Mori hired a student chef for the week was also a fun touch, but it got a little weird in places. Like the characters, I may have had reservations about spending a week with people I hadn’t seen in 20 years, but the setting is a major plus.

Ms. Danvers has written several cozy mysteries, and there are several cozy elements in this book. She ramps things up to bring it into the suspense/thriller genre with some twists and tension. Told from multiple points of view enabled the reader to get everyone’s perspective, but the characters’ dialogues felt forced at times, and their reactions to events and situations felt off. The murderer was easy for me to pin down, but I needed to see how everything played out. The pages were turning quickly and came to a very satisfying conclusion.

Then I read the epilogue, and I was angry. For me, it ruined the whole story. I realized then that this is how it had to end to be able to have this book be the beginning of a series, and I didn’t like it. I have read all of this author’s cozy mysteries and enjoyed them. I have also read tons of suspense thrillers and enjoyed them. Even with the issues I mentioned above, I enjoyed this story, a 4-star read, but the epilogue frustrated me so much. It has been a few days, and I am still riled up.

Lie In The Tide was an enjoyable, suspenseful read about friendships, secrets, and tragedy, if you stop reading before the epilogue. It has received some good reviews from people I trust, but for me, this book took a dreadful detour, and I can’t look past the deception.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

I picked this book up because of the author and not the genre - I don't typically read suspense/thrillers, but this one was a pleasant surprise indeed. I knew I would like the writing style because I have read other books by the same author and have enjoyed them.

This was a story told, at first, from the POV of four friends and then the narration sort of blends together, but expertly.

These women are coming together after 20 years apart and all of them are harboring secrets from each other and from those they love the most. When one goes missing, only to turn up dead on the private beach of their vacation house, the three remaining friends realize they don't know each other at all at this point in their lives and don't know who to trust.

There were constant twists and turns throughout the whole book and I could barely put it down - the ending is completely unexpected and will leave you wanting more.

5 stars

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Severn House, Holly Danvers, and NetGalley for the copy of Lie in the Tide.

This was the first book of Holly’s that I’ve read and I was hooked from page 1. Her writing kept me intrigued and wanting to find out more. I was questioning everything by the end. What a great read!!

First of all-this cover!!! 😍🩵

This book was so ironic in the sense that I just recently had my 20 year reunion & I just turned 40 last week. What a perfect time to read this!!!

This book had a lot of baggage to unpack! Lots of tea 🫖

I loved the characters & how different they were from each other. Even the unlikable ones-I kinda liked lol. The tension between the girls created a great plot that made you wanna keep reading.

This was such an easy quick read…my favorite kind. This will be a perfect beach/summer/by the pool read this summer.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes a fast paced thriller. & I will certainly be looking for more by Holly!

A gripping, nostalgia-filled mystery with razor-sharp twists!

Holly Danvers delivers a compelling blend of friendship, nostalgia, and suspense in *Lie in the Tide*. When four childhood friends reunite on Cape Cod after years apart, their long-awaited vacation takes a dark turn with a shocking murder. What begins as a relaxing getaway quickly spirals into a dangerous hunt for a killer—one who may be closer than they think.

Danvers masterfully explores the tension between past and present selves, asking: "How well do we really know the people we grew up with?" The dynamic between the friends feels authentic, layered with history, secrets, and unspoken tensions. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, another twist upends everything—especially the final reveal, which lingers long after the last page.

The Cape Cod setting adds a vivid, almost cinematic atmosphere, balancing the idyllic with the sinister. Danvers’ pacing is impeccable, keeping the mystery taut while allowing the characters’ relationships to deepen.

For fans of Big Little Lies or Lucy Foley’s The Guest List, this is a must-read. 4.5/5 stars—Lie in the Tide is a smart, addictive thriller that proves the past is never truly buried.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the ARC!

"Lie in the Tide" is a captivating, suspense-driven novel that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eager to uncover the truth hidden within a tangled web of lies. The author, Danvers, skillfully crafts a clever whodunit plot that gradually unfolds, building tension with each turn of the page. I enjoyed the characters, and the subtle twists added depth and engagement to the story. Overall, this book is a thrilling read that combines mystery with intriguing character dynamics, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

I received an advance copy, and in return, I am leaving an honest review.

Four high school friends plan to reunite decades later for a vacation in Cape Cod. Each woman is at a different stage in their life and slightly worried if they'll be able to reconnect the way did in their younger years. When one friend is late to arrive, a mystery unravels with more questions than answers.

This was a quick read for me that kept my interest looming suspense.

pros:
-quick read with an easy-to-follow plot
-predictable in a good way that doesn't draw away from the story
EXCEPT WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED IN THE EPILOGUE?! WHO AM I?! WHAT IS LIFEEE?!

cons:
- possible TW for pregnancy issues/loss

Thank you to #NetGalley for this ARC of #LieInTheTide, on shelves now!!

Wow!!! What a great debut Suspense novel!!!

Some may recognize Holly as a Cozy Mystery writer, but if that’s not your speed, don’t let that deter you from this book. Don’t worry, you still have amateur sleuths but on a darker, more urgent level.

I enjoyed every minute of it. I couldn’t put the book down. While twisty lines are drawn throughout the novel, it was easy to follow.

The story is very character driven. High school friends meet up for a reunion more than 20 years later and things may not go as planned. Everyone has lies, secrets, and will go far to keep them hidden.

I had the who dunnit figured out early on, at least I thought I did. No spoilers but that epilogue!!!! That really threw me for a loop and left me dying to know more.

I want to thank Holly/Sherry for allowing me to watch the progress of this novel. I feel so honored to have been able to experience your joy from inception to release day (from afar and via messages but still wonderful).

I had a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and Severn House Publishing and I purchased an audio copy published by Dreamscape Media. I highly recommend the audio as I love Amy McFadden’s narration. #read #reading #book #books #audio #audiobooks #fiction #mystery #suspense #thriller #booksta #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booktok #booktoker #booktokfyp #newrelease #debut #netgalley

𝖧𝖺𝗉𝗉𝗉𝗒 𝖱𝖾𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾 𝖽𝖺𝗒 𝖧𝗈𝗅𝗅𝗒! 𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖼𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝗌 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖻𝖾𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗂𝖿𝗎𝗅!

𝖧𝗈𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝖽𝗂𝖽 𝖺𝗇 𝖺𝗆𝖺𝗓𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗃𝗈𝖻 𝖼𝖺𝗉𝗍𝗎𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗍𝗆𝗈𝗌𝗉𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖢𝖺𝗉𝖾. 𝖨𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗌𝗈 𝗂𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗂𝗏𝖾, 𝖨 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝖺𝗅𝗆𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗌𝗆𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗈𝖼𝖾𝖺𝗇 𝖺𝗂𝗋, 𝗆𝗂𝗑𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗇 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖺 𝗍𝖺𝖽 𝗈𝖿 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝖾𝖻𝗈𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀. 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝖿𝖾𝖼𝗍 𝗏𝗂𝖻𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖺 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝗂𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗋.

𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗆𝗂𝗌𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝖿𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝗋𝖾𝗎𝗇𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖺 40𝗍𝗁 𝖻𝗂𝗋𝗍𝗁𝖽𝖺𝗒 𝖼𝖾𝗅𝖾𝖻𝗋𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖺𝖿𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗐𝗈 𝖽𝖾𝖼𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀. 𝖨𝗍 𝗌𝗈𝗈𝗇 𝖻𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗌 𝖼𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗇 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗁𝗂𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗍𝗅𝖾 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝖾𝗌.

It's a quick popcorn thriller with a steady pace, and it had potential, unfortunately, I felt it lacked character depth which made it difficult to connect with so for me it was just an ok read.

But other reviewers gave it lots of love, so it could be just a me thing. Overall the story is good, and you guys might love it.

Moriah writes erotic best selling novels and has become quite wealthy. Living in New England, she asks her wealthy gay friend, Jerome, if she can borrow his home that is beach front to entertain three friends that she has not seen in 20 years. He generously agrees.

Calista is an English teacher and mother to 22-year-old Devon. Her husband, Kirk, is a jerk and she has become fearful of him since he learned of a secret she has kept from him their entire marriage. She is looking forward to getting away from Kirk for a few days.

Remi is married to Gabe and they own a gym. Remi is newly pregnant and thrilled.

Avery is a farm wife with a number of children. She loves her life and while she looks forward to seeing her friends again, she hates to leave her family. She’s hiding a medical secret from her family that she will confess to them when she returns home.

Moriah, Remi, and Avery are enjoying the place and being together again but are concerned that Calista has not arrived yet. She calls to say she has been delayed and will be there the next day.

The next day on the beach they discover Calista’s body in the surf and wonder what could have happened to her. They are trying to figure out what happened but it seems one of them is hiding a secret that could blow up their friendship. Who killed Calista and why?

This is a good thriller but has a touch of corniness to it. However, the characters are good and the plot is a good one as well. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

After about the 5th chapter, I couldn't put it down. Very good combination of detail and dialogue to keep the reader intrigued and invested. Semi predictable plot but, in my opinion, the true twist was in the epilogue and I'm here for it! That was a great ending that left the reader wanting more but not necessarily needing more. Would recommend!

This has been an engaging and unputdownable read from the very first page.
A dark and chilling psychological thriller.
Danvers writing is sharp and vivid, creating a strong sense of place that heightens the narrative's tension.
The pacing is skillfully managed, with suspenseful moments.

1⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for an advanced copy of Lie In The Tide.

Four women who were best friends decades ago meet up for the first time in forever. Each one of the women have secrets they are keeping.

This book was very juvenile in my opinion and I was not a fan of any of the characters.

This was such a great read about four friends reuniting after twenty years of being apart. The storytelling was so good I couldn’t stop reading! There was lots of drama and secrets that kept the storyline interesting. It was an example of how lies can change lives. The book ended with a crazy, mind-blowing twist! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Review: Lie in the Tide by Holly Danvers

Lie in the Tide brings together four estranged friends for a stormy reunion on Cape Cod, where secrets swirl thicker than the sea mist. Holly Danvers sets up an intriguing premise—decades-old friendships tested by betrayal, deception, and hidden truths. The backdrop is atmospheric, and the layered secrets of Mori, Remi, Avery, and Calista do keep the pages turning.

However, the story suffers from an overreliance on dialogue, which often slows the pacing and undercuts the tension. The mystery is a bit predictable, and at times, the characters’ actions—particularly their interference in the investigation—feel more frustrating than suspenseful. While each woman’s backstory is compelling in theory, the execution doesn’t quite deliver the emotional payoff you might expect.

A decent beach read if you enjoy character-driven drama with a touch of mystery, but don’t expect many surprises along the way.

Thank you Holly Danvers and Netgalley for the advanced copy!