One Wrong Word by Hank Phillippi Ryan

 

Arden Ward is a crisis management expert. No one knows better than her that one wrong word can ruin a career and a life. Now, Arden finds herself on the other side as she is wrongfully accused of having an affair with a client. Her job is lost, but her career may be salvageable, IF, she helps out one more client.

Cordelia Bannister needs help for her husband, Ned. Cordelia thought that once Ned was acquitted of the drunk driving accident that killed a man, her life would begin to return to normal. It didn't. She needs Arden's help to get Ned to take this seriously and to put their life back on track. 

Arden is up against a clock to save her reputation, but she finds herself drawn into the mystery of what really happened the night of the accident. Before long, another accident further complicates the issues. Is Arden helping a killer? And how much danger has she put herself in?

One Wrong Word is a fast-paced and suspenseful novel with an interesting and likable main character. The mystery unfolds with plenty of twists and turns that keep you guessing. In addition to uncovering evidence, the perception of who is telling the truth and how much of it are they telling is constantly changing.

Although Arden is a likable character, she never seemed to be doing much actual crisis-managing. Other than a few off-handed remarks about handling reporters, there didn't seem to be much going on related to her actual job. Arden also seemed too credulous in believing people who were pretty obviously lying. Her occasional gullibility helped move the story forward, but overall, the mystery was exciting and the pace of the story never flagged. The twists felt realistic and the story lets the reader guess along with Arden about what actually happened. 

This is a fast-paced thriller with a strong central character. 

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.