Please Don't Lie: A Thriller (Crystal River)

In this stylish, twisty thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christina Baker Kline and award-winning author Anne Burt, a young woman heads to the Adirondacks with her new husband for a fresh start--but the past won't let her go.

Two years ago, Hayley Stone lost everything. First, her parents died in a devastating fire. Then, her sister overdosed, leaving Hayley alone and hounded by a media circus that turned her family's tragedy into tabloid fodder. When her new husband suggests a fresh start in the Adirondacks, the promise of anonymity in an isolated mountain town feels like salvation.

But the mountains hold darker secrets than she ever imagined.

Her once-loving husband grows distant and volatile. The widow down the road keeps spewing vague accusations. Not even their new friends--a free-spirited couple living on the property--can help Hayley shake the creeping sense that something is off.

As winter edges closer, Hayley discovers that her sanctuary is anything but safe. Trapped and isolated, she faces a terrifying truth: in trying to escape her past, she may have run straight into something far more dangerous.

BUY THE BOOK

Published Sep 1, 2025

268 pages

Average rating: 6.5

4 RATINGS

|

Community Reviews

MissiJo
Jan 13, 2026
7/10 stars
Seemed a bit predictable. Not sure why she was so trusting of Brandon and especially Tyler/Megan after all she had been through. Also, I was surprised Hailey did not know who Tyler was right away!

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.