Lie in the Tide started off really well. I was drawn in quickly. I love a good reunion thriller, and the premise was promising. I was excited to read it, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to its promise.

I really disliked most of the characters, which made it hard to care what happened to them. I especially disliked Remi. She made unbelievably stupid decisions.

Overall, the concept was clever, but it was very predictable, and I found the characters almost too stupid for words. I wasn't keen on Holly's writing style, especially the silly twist at the end in the epilogue.

2.5 stars from me.

Thanks to Netgalley, Severn House, and Holly Danvers for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the different perspectives and the ending, while a teensy bit expected (or maybe just expected since I wanted this person to be the killer), was perfect. It was a little slower paced, but I felt it was a great storyline and an easy read!

I was able to guess who the killer was quite early in the story, but that did not keep me from enjoying the ride.

I definitely was not expecting that ending and I cannot wait for the second book in this series to be written and published!

This was a twisty mystery and a fun change from the Lakeside Library cozy mystery series than Holly writes.

Looking forward to reading more of Holly's work in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Severn House for an early copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I loved this book and read it in one day! I thought it was well written and I loved the characters. I would definitely recommend this book.

A nice twisty thriller. Perfect summertime read.

The ending was pretty predictable, but the way it came together wasn't.

Lie In The Tide by Holly Danvers takes a reunion of high school friends and turns the event into a murderous affair.

Will Mori and her friends figure out who killed Calista?

We start with high school friends who are getting together after not seeing each other for 20+ years. They were "the group" in school and the best of friends, but after graduation, they went their separate ways.

Now the four ladies are supposed to meet up on Cape Cod at a big house owned by one of their friends.

The Ladies
Mori was the shy one. Now she is a best-selling author of romance. She has been married three times and may be on the verge of her third divorce. Mori isn't used to having people around as she spends most of her day writing. I would say the character that we get to know is smart, but spends the majority of her life writing romance novels, and she flirts like crazy with all men. I connected with Mori right away.

Calista, once a cheerleader and reserved, is now a high school English teacher and, on the outside, seems to have the perfect family. But her life is based on a lie and her husband is pissed about it. I think he is overreacting a bit. However, I also understand both sides of their argument. Calista's secret may blow up two marriages. However, it shouldn't have ended in death.

Avery, always outgoing and down to earth, is now a farm wife in Iowa. She does so much for her family, but worries that her neighbor has set her sights on Avery's husband. Avery also hides a secret, but not one that will affect her friends; it will impact her family. It is a sad secret that she keeps. I felt the sorriest for her.

Last, we have Remi, the yoga teacher, who owns a gym in Florida with her high school sweetheart husband. She seems to be a bit lonely, but she lies the easiest and her friends don't know when she is telling the truth or not. Remi's life is very different from the others, but she is still vulnerable and somewhat sweet. However, she is playing with fire when it comes to her husband and the trainer with whom they are involved. It's a usual plan, but financially, it makes sense; however, morally, I don't believe it's possible.

The Mystery
Oh, my, did Ms. Danvers keep me guessing. I was like it's him, no her, no him. Then, about halfway through the story, I made up my mind. I was right, and he deserved more than what he got. Yet, he will get his up-incomings.

Five Stars
My rating for Lie In The Tide by Holly Danvers is five stars. I loved it. Well done, Ms. Danvers. I hope to see more like this from you. I do recommend it to all suspense readers out there.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Lie In The Tide by Holly Danvers.

Until the next time,
~Jen

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

This is my first book by this author & I'll definitely be on the look out to ready more of her books! I really enjoyed this story!!!

A group of friends meets up for a reunion trip after 20 years. They don't know each other very well anymore, everyone has secrets, and someone ends up dead.

This wasn't my favourite book. The idea itself and the concepts in the book were interesting and had potential, but maybe it wasn't well developed enough? Combined with the writing style, repetitive language, and whiny, immature characters and I was basically just reading it to get it done.

I appreciate having the chance to read something new by an author I've never read before, but it just wasn't for me.

This was a twisty, easily binge worthy mystery style thriller. Think of BLL and The Guest List, it's the perfect combination of those for sure. Full of twists and secrets, can you trust your friends on this reunion after 20 years?

This books was great right from the jump. It’s so twisty and I loved to hate all the characters. It was so fun to read and quick too. I could not put it down! Looking forward to the next one of the series!

Secrets are bound to dampen the reunion of four friends after two decades: Mori, Avery, Remi, and Calista. Their lives are about to change, and soon, one of them will face a tragic end.

I enjoyed this book. While it’s a quick read, it boasts intriguing protagonists and suspense that hits hard as these four women step away from their lives. As I read, I couldn’t help but think of the quote I’ve heard many times: “You can never go home again.” These women may have been bonded when younger, but their lives have taken vastly different paths. Add to that the murder of one of them, and the story takes a dramatic turn.

As a resident of Massachusetts, I recently spent a weekend in Natick. Having Natick and the Cape as backdrops in the story made me feel more connected. I eagerly anticipate reading more from this author in the future.

Many thanks to Severn House and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Haunting and lyrical story that blends mystery with emotional depth. The writing is atmospheric and gripping, pulling the reader into a web of secrets, grief and resilience.

This is a fun and easy summer/beach read. Several twists and an ending I definitely didn’t expect! This was my first book by this author and it won’t be the last!

Lie in the Tide by Holly Danvers had high hopes. It was promoted so agressively that I really thought it was going to be great.

The story was boring and fell flat for me. It was quite predictable.

I really wanted to like it but the characters were not even likeable.

Lie In The Tide by Holly Danvers opens with four high school friends meeting up in Cape Cod, Massachusetts for a reunion of sorts. When one of them doesn't show up, and no one can get a hold of her, the other friends are desperate to find out what happened.

NetGalley, thank you for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this novel. I requested a copy of this book based on their synopsis and the author. When my request was approved, I was thrilled.

The story started off well and kept me wanting to know more. Early on, I thought I had everything figured out, but much to my surprise, there was a plot twist I didn't count on. I won't say more as to not spoil it for others.

It's an easy read and perfect to take on vacation. Although I enjoyed Lie In The Tide by Holly Danvers a lot, I wish there was more action in the first half of the book. The second half was action packed, and I found myself rushing to finish the story to see if my gut instinct was correct.

As for the characters, I really liked them all with the exception of Calista's husband. There were traits in each of the main characters that I could relate to, which I thought was great.

I gave Lie In The Tide by Holly Danvers four out of five stars. This is a fantastic book for those who love a good mystery with lots of suspense. I can't wait to read more books from this author.

When friends who haven't seen each other in decades come together on a secluded beach that have secrets, what can happen? I kind of guessed the plot and twists about halfway through the story. Remi really got on my nerves and when a dead body and evidence is found...why would she try to conceal it and the other girls go along with it? That really irked me! I would have to give this book a 3-star.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is an excellent read for anyone who likes mystery/thriller/suspense, and I loved it right up until the epilogue. 🤬 Lie in the Tide was written as the first book in a series. Knowing that, the (infuriating!!) epilogue makes sense as a jumping off point for book 2 (although I’m still salty about it and feel hoodwinked!). If you don’t want to commit to a series, you can read this book as a standalone, but skip the epilogue (just trust me here).

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun gal pal type mystery. It’s the kind of book that’s perfect to relax with on the beach. It keeps you interested but not so gripping that you’re getting a sunburn from not moving. I liked the main idea of the book but some little things just didn’t make sense for me. Delaying calling the police when you find a murdered friend to protect another friend (who doesn’t even seem like a main suspect or anything) didn’t make sense for me because they hadn’t seen/talked to each other in 20 years. The epilogue though had me shocked. My mouth was literally hanging open. Now I’m left with so many questions. Overall a fun read.

Rating: 2.75
Mode of Reading: NetGalley Digital ARC, courtesy of Holly Danvers and her publishing team at Severn House, in exchange for my honest review...
It's an ARC... When does it Release? This book was just published June 3rd 2025 - You can get your copy now!
How did I pick this up: I love discovering new authors through ARCs, so when I found this on the "Read Now" section, I had to snag it up as it gave 'classic popcorn thriller' that felt perfect for the summer
Short Yet Sweet Review: 4 friends decide that after reconnecting online, that they are going to spend a week together on Cape Cod to reconnect and catch up. Mori, who is an author, hosts at her old friends at a beautiful beach villa complete with a handsome chef but when Remi (who is TTC with her husband), and Avery (who runs her family farm) arrive, their fourth houseguest Calista doesn't show up. Has something happened to her? What secrets do these 4 friends share? Will the lies that they've told each other and the secrets they've kept hidden be found out? What has happened to Calista?

I want to say, up until the Epilogue, Holly had me hooked on a solid 3 to 3.5 popcorn thriller. So much so that I was going to start recommending it to folks who don't traditionally read thrillers because there's enough 'umph' in it to keep anyone engaged. But... am I stupid? Was this all a dream? Was this all the book that Mori wanted to write? I can't.... no really.... I CANNOT. For me to continue to recommend this book, I almost would tell people not to read the epilogue.

However, if I separate out that this type of ending is my least favorite way to end a book (truly grinds my gears... and it won't do that for everyone so keep that in mind!), this book had me hooked. Danvers wrote a good quick popcorn thriller that you could read quickly sitting by the pool and coming in at only 240 pages, it's not overwhelming at all; just what the summer called for. Not to mention the cover is beautiful and really captures your eye!

Lie in the Tide
Picturesque Cape Cod is the setting for an unforgettable 20 year reunion of four friends, each harboring a ruinous secret.
They are about to find out how one small lie can turn deadly and one of the four women will not make it out alive.
Lie in the Tide is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep you gasping-out -loud!