13 October 2026

Lucinda Berry’s books have become a bit of an obsession for me lately. She has a way of exploring the darker side of human nature and presenting it in a way that feels both disturbing and believable. Every time I pick up one of her books, I know I am in for a gripping read, and If You Tell a Lie was no exception!

Four teenage girls form a friendship at Camp Pendleton, but during their final year at camp, they do something that results in the death of a man. What happens that summer is something they can never take back, and the girls make a pact to keep it a secret, vowing never to speak of what really happened. For twenty years, that secret remains buried. But secrets have a way of coming back to haunt you, and eventually, the past catches up with them.

This story explores the complicated dynamics of teenage friendships and the powerful need to belong. As teenagers, fitting in and being accepted by the popular crowd can feel like the most important thing in the world. Sometimes, that desire is so strong that we follow others even when we know what we are doing is wrong. The fear of being excluded can make people do things they would never consider doing on their own. Berry shows just how easily one person’s influence can affect an entire group, blurring the lines between loyalty, manipulation and complicity.

And then there is Blakely! What a deeply troubled and manipulative character. She is a damaged little rich girl who is used to getting whatever she wants and has no problem using her friends to get her way. She knows how to influence the people around her, and the others seem willing to follow her lead, even when the consequences are devastating. I found the dynamics between the girls particularly interesting because it is not always easy to see where friendship ends and manipulation begins.

This was a dark and unsettling read that made me think about how easily toxic friendships can develop and how far people will go to protect themselves and the secrets they share. What starts as a teenage pact has consequences that stretch far beyond that summer, showing how one terrible decision can shape lives for years to come.

What I enjoyed most was how realistic the relationships felt. While the events are disturbing, the underlying themes of peer pressure, the need for acceptance and the influence of a dominant personality are all very believable. Not every friendship is healthy, and sometimes the people we think are our friends can bring out the worst in us.

Lucinda Berry has once again delivered a gripping psychological thriller that kept me invested in the story. If you enjoy dark stories about toxic friendships, manipulation, buried secrets and the lasting consequences of our choices, this is definitely one to add to your reading list!