Tag: BOOKS

Secrets Never Lie: Pickwick Bend Murder Club
by Susan Boles

About Secrets Never Lie

Secrets Never Lie: Pickwick Bend Murder Club
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting –  Tennessee
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Argent Ocean Publishing
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 25, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 274 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0999386891
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0999386897
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0999386880
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GSBRZR61

In the quiet lakeside town of Pickwick Bend, Tennessee, a Memphis weekender is found dead inside her gated Magnolia Shores vacation home. At first, it looks like a tragedy best left to the authorities.

But what begins as curiosity for the local crime-loving book club turns dangerous when they discover what the victim was really doing in Pickwick Bend – digging into old deeds, buried bloodlines, and a secret that could cost a powerful family everything.

As gossip spreads and documents vanish, Shelby Rae, Trixie, Janelle and Curtis face escalating danger. A suspicious fire. Missing records. And a chilling attempt to silence one of them inside the one place she should be safe.

Now the Pickwick Bend Murder Club is racing to uncover the truth before someone closes ranks for good.

Because in a sleepy small town, secrets never lie.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

The Pickwick Bend Murder Club started innocently, meeting once a week to discuss crime novels. Then they decided they could maybe solve real mysteries. Pickwick Bend Murder Club – We Read. We Theorize. We Solve.  This was stitched on a banner that hung in the back of the room.

Then a woman from Memphis was killed; her body found in her vacation home in the gated community of Magnolia Shores. Is this a case for the Pickwood Bend Murder Club? One librarian, Janelle, one hairdresser, Trixie, one historian, Curtis, and one retired genealogist, Shelby Rae, believe it is. They are soon digging through old records, listening to gossip, and trying to uncover secrets to break the case wide open. Sheriff Harlan Crane warns them continually to leave the investigation to him before one or more of them gets hurt.  Soon threats are made, records go missing, and a fire erupts, all to get them to back off, but they don’t; they just get more determined.

Secrets never lie in Pickwick Bend, but people die. Has The Pickwick Bend Murder Club bit more than it can chew? Will their first real case be their last?

The first thing I noticed was that the author has a very detailed writing style. It evokes the senses and feels like poetry. I enjoyed it very much. It pulled me into the story.

“In Pickwick Bend, secrets had a way of drifting out like lake mist at sunrise. Slow, quiet, and impossible to hold back for long.”

“She pulled her cardigan close as she walked to her car, the night heavy with a scent of wet earth and magnolia.”

Ms. Boles has created strong and engaging characters. Just small-town folks trying to do the right thing. Janelle has filled the library archives with so much history. Curtis is a Civil War enthusiast ready to share his knowledge with anyone he traps to listen. 🙂 They are both savvy at searching through all kinds of records. Trixie owns The Beehive Revival hair salon, where gossip runs rampant. Shelby Rae uses her genealogy skills to research and find connections between the deceased and others. She also leads the Southern Ladies Line Dancing Group, where the ladies talk while their boots are scootin’. It was a pleasure to meet them.

Caroline Prescott was herself a mystery. A Memphis weekender, she was seen about town, had a home in the gated Magnolia Shores subdivision, and said she had come to town for “a little peace and quiet”. Apparently, that peace and quiet ruffled someone’s feathers. Sheriff Harlan didn’t seem to be making any progress, and the Pickwick Bend Murder Club was determined to get justice for Caroline. I liked that they met almost every evening to compare notes and decide on the next steps. They also came running if anyone was threatened. I appreciated that the sheriff strode in or “stepped onto the porch like a storm rolling in” several times, trying to protect club members. When the killer was finally identified, it wasn’t easy to get him into custody. The capture was smartly plotted and dangerous, but it ended satisfactorily.

My one critique is the unnecessary repetition; one section was word for word. Another quick edit could tighten this up and make the story even better.

Secrets Never Lie has given this series a fine start. Ms. Boles writing style is appealing. The characters are interesting, with room for growth. This mystery is well-plotted and entertaining. I feel the small town of Pickwick Bend has just started to reveal its mysteries. I am excited for this series to continue.

I voluntarily reviewed this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy.

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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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Purchase Links –

Amazon – B&N –  Bookshop.org
Find all of Susan’s Books HERE.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org, and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.