Little Deadly Secrets

by Pamela Crane

Three best friends. Two unforgiveable sins. One dead body.

Mackenzie, Robin, and Lily have been inseparable forever, sharing life's ups and downs and growing even closer as the years have gone by. They know everything about each other. Or so they believe.

Nothing could come between these three best friends . . .
Except for a betrayal.

Nothing could turn them against each other . . .
Except for a terrible past mistake.

Nothing could tear them apart . . .
Except for murder.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Mystery, Audiobook, Suspense, Ebooks

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 18, 2020

About the author

To know PAMELA CRANE, you first need to know her husband. He sleeps with one eye open. He checks the knife block to make sure none are missing. Why? It could be because they have four kids and a farm full of mischievous animals. Or it could be because she writes murder mysteries, and about the occasional woman who has lost her marbles (not based on her real-life psyche, she swears!) Don't worry—her husband is safe...for now. Her books range from witty whodunnits to psychological suspense and even humorous women’s fiction thrown in for good measure. She’s a USA TODAY bestselling author of over a dozen novels (who’s counting?), but her biggest accomplishment is keeping her zoo of animals alive…and her husband in check. Grab a free book at www.pamelacrane.com.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! My back hurts and my legs turned into jellies, eyes are red, semi-closed, hands are shaky- I didn’t count how many cups of black coffee I consumed after sitting at the same position at least 6 hours. I couldn’t move, I didn’t take bathroom breaks and now I’m begging my husband to carry me to there because if I take more steps I may have some kind of most humiliating bladder accident.
Yes, this is occupational hazard of reading something so captivated and unputdownable, isn’t it?
This is whirlwind, twisty, reality questioning, exhausting and truly smart, exciting reading. Three protagonists are flawed, keeping secrets, having obsessions, bitchy, irritating parts but you eventually start to like them because you may empathize with their damaged parts and tolerate to their weaknesses.

Mackenzie seems like living a fairy-tale with a wealthy, charming husband who adores her and a beautiful 15 years old daughter Aria. But sometimes love can be suffocating especially when you’re married with some narcissistic, controlling, manipulative man who suffers from anger management issues, hiding lethally dangerous secrets. And what about her daughter: she caught her at the basement of her best friend Robin’s basement with Robin’s 18 years old son Ryan. Why were they doing? Did they have sex? Was it consensual or did Ryan drugged her daughter to take advantage of her?

Robin seems like happy, married with gorgeous Grant, three kids. But why she is hiding the credit card statements from her husband and why her husband lies about his whereabouts lately. When Robin has the biggest argument with Mackanzie about their kids and the inappropriate situation she found them into, why she told her the apple didn’t fall from the tree when she’s talking about Ryan?
Could their nearly two decades long friendship end with Mackenzie’s suspicions about Robin’s son?
And Lily seems like negotiator, bringing out the peace as she’s struggling to gather the crumbling pieces of her life. She is nonstop drinking, popping up pills and hiding her addiction problem, acting like normal and thankful that she doesn’t deal with a husband ( They are separated) and kids like their friends do. But she also deals with the biggest secret: she truly knows whereabout of Robin’s husband Grant as he lies to his wife that he’s going to a poker game.

Too many lies, too many secrets, rape, abuse, violence, betrayal, addiction, drugs, dark pasts take your attention and you became addicted this story. The author perfectly builds the high tension and as the characters’ start to spill out their secrets, the direction of the story approaches to the dead end.

I’m so pleased about the conclusion, the way the characters evolved and faced the consequences of their wrongdoings and taking responsibilities about their mistakes to change their lives and the closure they get was fair and acceptable.

I’m rounding up 4.5 stars rounding up to 5 and I truly recommend this book to the genre lovers. I already started to add the previous works of the author to my terrifyingly long TBR which gave me dizziness when I raise my head to look at the top point.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins /William Morrow Paperbacks for sharing this intriguing ARC with me in exchange my honest review.

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Women's Fiction that follow three best friends (Mackenzie, Robin and Lily), but it reads like a thriller. All three of the best friends has a lot going on and some of the drama goes back 20 years. I normally do not love books that as so many main people that has so much drama, but I really enjoyed this book. This book was fast-paced, and it is emotionally charged which keeps you wanting to find out what is going to happen next. I loved the audiobook, and the narrator was really good. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Deadly Secrets by Pamela Clare is a 2020 William Morrow publication.

I have not read a book by this author in ages- but it seems as though I have several of her books on my Kindle that need to be read- this being one of them. Crane’s style of suspense is somewhat addictive, and I’m glad I reconnected with her, because this is one wild and crazy saga- very hard to put down!

The opening scene sets the stage with a murder in progress...

Then the story shifts back to the nine days prior to this shocking event- unpacking years of turmoil, lies and of course, deadly secrets.

While stories of female friendships are very common, they aren’t normally like this group of women...

Robin, Mackenzie, and Lily have been friends for a very long time, but suddenly their bonds are tested by a string of events that could unravel everything they have ever meant to one another.

Cheating husbands, lies, secrets, addiction, rape and murder… it's all here.

While that sounds sensational and soapy, be aware that the story examines the murky depths of psychological abuse, controlling behavior, misogyny, the demands of motherhood, the toll and pain of addiction, and the question of consent.

I can’t say I found the book, especially suspenseful, but there is a mystery I wasn’t expecting, and some very nice twists along the way. It is heavy duty on the drama, which was fine with me, and I liked the ending, though some of it was a little too pat.

Overall, this is a dark, twisted tale, which examines many heavy topics, but is well-balanced between the characters, so that, while it is often tense, it is not too heavy handed.

I liked it a lot and am now eager to tackle the other books I have on my Kindle by Pamela Crane!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Deadly Secrets is an unputdownable thriller. It had me on the edge of my seat since the beginning.

There are so many lies and secrets in Little Deadly Secrets. It starts with murder and then goes back and then goes back nine days to what caused the murder. All the characters are very interesting and I enjoyed watching them deal with their secrets.

I highly recommend Little Deadly Secrets to fans of domestic thrillers.

Thank you Edelweiss and William Marrow Paperbacks/Harper Collins for Little Deadly Secrets.

Full review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Perfect Marriage is an unputdownable thriller. It had me on the edge of my seat since the beginning.

There are so many lies and secrets in One Perfect Marriage. It starts with murder and then goes back and then goes back nine days to what caused the murder. All the characters are very interesting and I enjoyed watching them deal with their secrets.

I highly recommend One Perfect Marriage to fans of domestic thrillers.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins Audio UK for One Perfect Morning.

Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this domestic thriller. There was a bit of a Desperate Housewives vibe to the story. Fair warning though, there are some disturbing things that pop up in the story so this book might not be for every reader. For what it's worth, this book isn't quite as dark as others I have read recently.

The first chapter reeled me right in. A husband is asleep in bed and his spouse has a knife on his throat. Chapter two kicks off at nine days before that moment and you get to witness everything going on in the lives of three friends from college. The story alternates between the three women with occasional chapters featuring their family members.

What's great about the story is you can't be entirely sure which husband is in the opening chapter as there is more than one possibility. There's so many secrets and lies going on with this group of characters so while you might have a theory, you do have to wait awhile before the author starts revealing her hand.

I think some characters were better developed than others. In terms of wrapping everything up, one character got the shorter end of the stick. I don't think any of the three friends were all that likable but it didn't matter to me as I was still interested in their messy lives. While the book is probably best read for the entertainment value, there is some substance to the story which is always an added bonus.

Recommend if you like reading domestic thrillers and/or are looking for a page turner of a read.

I received a free copy of this book from William Morrow. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

[Herbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"While the neighbourhood wives kissed their husbands good morning, I planted death's kiss on mine."
With a beginning like that, its safe to say I was hooked.

I didn't go in expecting too much from this novel, having never heard of Pamela Crane before, but it's safe to say I was blown away.

If you loved Big Little Lies, you'll love this.

[Brandice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Deadly Secrets is brimming with betrayal and scandal. Lily, Mackenzie, and Robin have been friends since college. Now they’re adults and Mackenzie and Robin have their own kids, including 2 teenagers. One night, a group get together takes a turn and the trio of women find themselves caught up in new tensions and secrets, in addition to the ones they already held tightly.

The story was fast paced and bingeable but for these women to claim they were friends is a total reach — Even one of the 89 things that happened here would have me cutting someone off from my life immediately and permanently, yet, I acknowledge that doesn’t always make for an entertaining book!

Little Deadly Secrets is high on the drama and domestic suspense. An engrossing read, if you don’t mind disliking basically the entire cast of characters.

[DeAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 With Friends Like These Stars

This one has a spectacular opening chapter and goes on to introduce us to three women have been friends since college – Mackenzie, Robin, and Lily – but they all have secrets they keep. These women have some serious issues, including domestic violence, drug addiction, and infidelity.

I admit that I had a bit of a hard time keeping track of the characters in this one. I’m not quite sure I would call this a thriller, maybe domestic fiction. There were definitely some twists along the way, but I didn’t really get invested in any of the characters enough to root for them.

There was one situation that didn’t ring true for me with a teenage daughter at a family party. I don’t want to divulge what happened, but I would have done so much more as the mother.

This was first read from this author and I see a lot of 5 star review for this one, it didn’t quite measure up for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pamela Crane, and Scene of the Crime/Harper Collins/William Morrow for a copy of this one to read.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mackenzie, Lily and Robin meet at college and become best friends they make, “A pact to stay friends for life ... a pact that would test their bonds for decades to come”

The friends are now grown up and Mackenzie and Robin are married with children. Their lives seem to be perfect, but scratch below the surface and they all appear to be hiding secrets that could destroy their close friendship and lives. With the death of one of the husbands and all 3 women having a motive for wanting him dead, can their friendships survive?

The story is told from their perspective’s and goes back to 1999 when the girls meet and bond at college.

I do love a book about friendships and secrets. The intriguing start of a woman with a knife at a man’s throat had me gripped from the start and the twists along the way kept me hooked until the end.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Mackenzie, Robin and Lily have been inseparable since college. Twenty years later, they still live in the same neighbourhood, have perfect homes, families and lives. But each woman is harbouring her own a secret, a betrayal and a lie. Will their bond be strong enough to survive if the worst happens? One dead husband and three women with motives.

I don't know which of the three women I liked the least. The first third of the book is a necessary introduction. The story is told from the three women's perspectives. It's a very twisty read that kept me guessing throughout. The ending was good with all the loose ends tied up. There was just a little too much going on at times. The Last third of the book is the best part. The story covers rape, drug abuse, murder, infidelity and domestic abuse.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Pamela Crane for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opening chapter sets the scene for Pamela Crane latest mystery thriller as one of the wives goes through with her plan to kill her husband.
The hook is which one of the main characters committed the crime and why.

Like many books in this genre the plot is told through alternative chapters as the reader learns each of the women have their faults and secrets.
Mackenzie, Robin and Lily have been friends since the 90's, they are inseparable but a past mistake also binds them together.

Whilst I never fully connected with the three main characters, it was the extended family that I found most interesting.

The book tackles tough subjects including drug abuse, rape, domestic abuse and of course murder.
It was really easy to get stuck into the mystery whilst the challenging topics are very well handled.
This one certainly kept me guessing.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

'One Perfect Morning' is my introduction to author Pamela Crane and I enjoyed it from start to finish.

Three women, Mackenzie, Robin and Lily have been great friends since college. Now twenty years on the all live close and have lots of things to be thankful for, perfect homes, perfect families and perfect lives. But each of these women have problems that no one sees behind their closed doors. They are crumbling under the weight of a secret, a betrayal, a lie. Their perfect lives are not so perfect after all.


Following the death of one of their husbands all three women have motives and their real friendship is put to the test. The story is told from the perspectives of the three women and the plot had me guessing all the way to the end. Entertaining read with lots of twists and turns and some excellent characters.


I would like to thank both Netgalley and Avon Books UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a Pamela Crane book! They are always so twisty and juicy and One Perfect Morning was all of this and more. Full of unlikeable characters, anybody could have been the killer. I would not want to be friends with these women, nobody in this story can be trusted, right until the very end. A fantastic, quick read that I just loved.

Mackenzie, Robin and Lily have been friends since college. 20 years later they are all living in the same neighbourhood with their families. All 3 women have their secrets and things from their pasts that would like to keep there. But events of a party at one of women’s homes threaten to blow it all open. Tensions are high and loyalties are tested. Their seemingly perfect lives are not everything that they appear to be.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my advanced copy of this book to read

[Jazz Webb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book....

I found the storyline a bit hard to follow at times everyone has a secret but we get trickled information about each secret along the way.

The story follows three best friends, who all met in college, Mackenzie, Lily and Robin. Mackenzie's relationship isn't healthy with Owen her husband being extremly controlling. Whereas Robin's marriage appears strong to the outside world but Robin and Grant is more rocky than it appears. Then we have fun loving single Lily, who in all honesty is a mess. When a question of consent between two of friends children is in dispute this test the friends like never before.

I honestly believe that to much is going on throughout the book. The story is told in first person by each of the best friends and occasionally by their spouse or child. But I didn't find this made it any easier to follow. The first half of the book I was struggling to realise who was who and which storyline fitted each woman, even if they often intertwined. Often I found the chapter would end on a so called 'cliffhanger', but then it wouldn't return to it.
I personally found that Robin was the easiest to follow as her secrets are dropped nearer the begining of the book. However once I got a grip on who was who I wanted to find out how their story ended (with an added interest into Mackenzie's). The second half of the book I couldn't put down.

I think this could of been an amazing story but it's been over complicated with secrets everywhere and the portrayal of the women just seemed quite stereotypical but not in a good way two homemakers and promiscuous divorce, seemed a bit out dated in my eyes.
Like I said I wanted to love this book but I did, I wasn't invested in the storylines because I didn't find them gripping.
3/5 stars

Thank you Netgalley and Avon books UK for a pre released copy

[Frank Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 bright stars! Wow!! What a great read this book was!! Crane is quickly becoming one of my favorite thriller writers! This is the second book of hers I've read in the past year and I've loved both of them! I absolutely loved this book. There were certain elements to this that could be classified as more family drama than a thriller, but the complexity, depth and deviousness to her characters make her novels incredibly thrilling and intense, IMO. There were several different elements in this book that kept me captivated, and that's what I need and a thriller/suspense read! I can't wait for Crane's next release!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drama drama drama!

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up for Goodreads.

[Lindsey Gandhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a crazy, dysfunctional train wreck for all the RIGHT reasons!! Normally when the words train wreck are in a review its describing how bad the book is. Not here! Pamela Crane has written a fun thriller with more twists, turns and secrets than you could ever keep up with. And with each secret that's revealed, it's hiding three more secrets and you can just see the train wreck that will happen in the lives of three best friends as they navigate through the madness.

Lillie, Robin and Mackenzie have been best friends since college. They have been there for each other through love, loss, children, heartbreak and trauma. Just as best friends do, they tell each other everything. Well, everything except for some very important secrets that will threaten to tear apart not only their lives, but also their rock solid friendship. Who will survive when the dust settles? Grab a glass of wine and curl up on the couch to read this juicy, fast paced thriller. You won't be disappointed!!!!

This was my first novel by Pamela Crane. I enjoyed her smooth as silk writing style so much I'll be checking out her other novels.

My thanks to Pamela Crane for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Mellisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn - this book was a none stop rollercoaster from start to finish! I couldn't bare putting it down, I just needed to devour it all in one go!

Mackenzie, Robin, Lily. Best friend since college. Each hiding their own deep dark secrets. They love each other so much, yet are each a secret away from tearing each other apart. Mackenzie, the sweet people pleaser hiding bruises. Robin, the stay at home mother who knows her husband is up to no good and comforts herself by raking up 40 grand debt. Lily, the woman who's constantly searching for new highs. Whether that is painkillers or her bestfriend's husband.

Three bestfriends who are caught in betrayal and abuse, which ends in murder.

I loved every single second of this story. I am devastated I've finished it. The simple, short chapters. Not too many characters. A lot of twists and spine tingling secrets. It was a book that constantly kept giving.

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Perfect Marriage is ONE PERFECT THRILLER.

*Presses Play*

"While the neighborhood wives kissed their husbands good morning, I planted death's kiss on mine."

Within minutes of starting this audiobook I was hooked. I picked this book blindly, I wasn't familiar with Pamela Crane and the cover wasn't all that inspiring to me but the synopsis was enough to go for it anyway. I am SO glad that I did. This book ( specifically the audiobook) blew me away!

In One Perfect Morning you will get to know three best friends and the innumerable secrets that not only bind them together but just might rip them apart. If you are a fan of authors like Liv Constantine and Liane Moriarty then I highly recommend you give this book a look as well!

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura Peden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how you write domestic suspense! Three BFF’s since college are all living in the same community as married adults, and all three have secrets. Their husbands have secrets, their children have secrets, everybody has a damn secret 🤫 There’s murder, mystery, lies, betrayal and on top of all that, great writing. There’s plenty of over-the-top drama but there’s also some serious subjects tackled as well, like addiction, domestic violence, and sexual assault. I listened to this in one sitting. Highly recommend!

[Fiction Addition Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive”
Three woman, three best friends all with secrets.
Lily, Robin and MackenIe all met at college and have been inseparable ever since. You never really know what goes on behind closed doors do you. Well in this case, abuse, murder, rape, affairs.
I was torn when I was reading this between liking it, getting frustrated with it and then tutting at it.
The plot has plenty of twists and turns and surprises that popped up .
Although the characters were well defined and realistic I found I didn’t like them or invest in them.
The book picked up as it went along. Lots of POV’s from lots of characters made it a little confusing at times.
This book is similar to Big Little Lies and intimately is about female empowerment.. but although the finish is nicely rounded off. I just didn’t get the wow factor.
3 stars from me .
Thank you William Morrow Publishers - expected 18 August

[Jodie (That Happy Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m going to start right off by saying this is one of my top reads so far in 2020. The story surrounds three college friends - Mackenzie, Robin and Lily who now twenty years later are living in the same perfect neighbourhood. On the outside, these women have perfect lives. Two of them are presently married with children. However, as the book reveals, not everything is as perfect as it seems. Told from the point of view of all three women, we learn that secrets, disloyalties and deceptions from the past and present are sometimes stronger than the bonds of friendship.
I was highly entertained by this storyline which I categorize as a combination of Women’s Fiction/Thriller. The author has created likeable and relatable characters. The book is a quick read and I couldn’t wait to do a household task so I could listen to more (and I hate housework)! The flow and transition of the book are logical and well presented. The author identifies, with sensitivity, topics of rape, spousal abuse, sexual consent, misogyny, and drug abuse. These topics are not dwelled on and are important to the storyline - I only mention it here as to warn those who are completely intolerant of such subjects. This would be the perfect read for book clubs.
I listened to the audiobook version of the book which was narrated by Sarah Borges who was perfectly cast as an age appropriate woman. I appreciated her strong and articulate voice- one that doesn’t feel as though she was simply reading the book. Her performance enhanced an already amazing book.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Audio UK for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic thriller by a talented author

3 best friends and secrets galore between them. At a party, they turn on each other. Secrets start unraveling each with a chilling result.

My second book by this author, I was quite entranced with the way the characters and their partners were plotted and each of their secrets made me laugh with a unholy glee.

The writing was swift paced and wickedness seeped into the words. I was completely hooked by the story and nothing could sway me right to the end.

A fun read, indeed

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced. Twists and turns. Easy to follow. Didn't see who the killer was even right at the end. Loved and hated some of the characters. Probably the fastest I've read a book. 3hours in took me, i couldn't put it down!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Kate Rock Book Tours and Pamela Crane for my gifted e-arc

A story that revolves around three best of friends, Lily, Mackenzie, and Robin, who sworn to sisterhood forever and their own respective lives and families. The book touches a variety of subjects like teenage drinking, rape, murder, betrayal, abuse, and drug addiction. It also talks about family relationships and friendship and shows how far you will go for your loved one. Each character has dark secrets that lead them to a lot of lying and poor choices. The three lead characters are relatable, one with a dark past, one who tolerates her husband’s abuse, and another one who barely has time for herself, yet she got cheated on. I like that this book also has the views of the three children; Ryan, Willow, and Aria. I think we shouldn’t misjudge our children because we believe they are younger, and they don’t know any better because we can also learn from them. This book is captivating and mind-blowing that pulled me in from start to finish

[Jypsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Kate Rock Book Tours for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Little Deadly Secrets
By: Pamela Crane


REVIEW ☆☆☆☆


Mackenzie, Robin and Lily have been best friends for at least twenty years. That's a long time to forge an unbreakable bond and know each other down to the last detail. How well do any of us ever really know one another? A solid relationship can suddenly turn to liquid and drown you in its deceptions and betrayals. This story is intrigue and mystery on another level. Everyone has a secret on top of another secret, etc. The hole gets deeper and deeper, and at some point, it has to stop, right? Stop digging and climb out is my philosophy! I love the female bonds and kinship in the story. True friends are hard to find, but lifelong friends are virtually impossible. This story will make your head spin with twists and turns, and it will pull you right in from start to finish. I definitely recommend Little Deadly Secrets for fans of mystery, suspense, thriller, women's fiction and more. It has a wide appeal, and Pamela Crane is a talent not to be missed. Pick up a copy today! *Please note there are some triggers in this book.*

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three young women met in college and became instant friends and have remained friends over the years.
Mackenzie, Robin, and Lily ... each so different. They know everything about each other .. or do they?

All three are married, two have children, one is headed for a divorce, one is having an affair with one of the husbands. One husband is abusive, one husband has found another love.

Nothing has ever come between the friends ... until now. Nothing could tear them apart ... until now. And no one was murdered ... until now,

Relationships, Friendships, Lies, Secrets, Murder .... this one has checked off all the boxes. The fairy tale of their first meeting turns into a nightmare years later as lies and secrets are exposed. Well written, there are twists and turns on top of twists and turns leading to an unexpected conclusion. The story line serves to highlight the mix of characters, the passions they share and the secrets they hide.

Many thanks to the author/ HarperCollins Publishers/ Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological drama. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[daniela weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

an engaging "good for her"
tale of broken sorority bonds
and motherly love applied to
topics like abuse, addiction,
trauma and violence. ♡

[Adah Udechukwu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Deadly Secrets is a cool and pretty straight-forward thriller.