Party of Liars
THE INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER
AN INDIE NEXT PICK
A LIBRARY READS PICK
Most Anticipated by Goodreads, People, Glamour, BookRiot, Fresh Fiction and more!
"This is the thriller of the summer." - Bestselling author Katie Gutierrez
A lavish, Texas-sized Sweet Sixteen turns deadly in this twisty, pulse-pounding new novel — serving up a fresh take on a classic locked-room whodunnit. Let the festivities begin…
Today is Sophie Matthews’s sixteenth birthday party, an exclusive black-tie bash in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, where secrets are as deep-rooted as the sprawling live oaks. Sophie’s dad has spared no expense, and his renovated cliffside mansion—once thought haunted and shuttered for years from outsiders—is now hosting the event of the season. Then, just before the candles on the three-tiered red velvet cake are blown out, a body falls from the balcony onto the starlit dance floor below.
It’s a killer guest list . . .
DANI: Sophie’s new stepmother who’s been plagued by self-doubt ever since the birth of her own baby girl
ÓRLAITH: the superstitious Irish nanny who senses a looming danger in this cavernous house
MIKAYLA: the birthday girl’s best friend who is not nearly as meek as the popular kids assume
KIM: the cunning ex-wife who has a grudge she can’t let go of . . .
Everyone is invited in. Not everyone will get out alive.
"My favorite kind of thriller - fun, twisty, fast-paced, and populated by characters who feel so real you'll want to invite them (well, some of them) to your next party." - New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins
"I couldn't put it down!" - New York Times bestselling author Nina Simon
"Explodes from page one." - Bestselling author Amanda Eyre Ward
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Community Reviews
At Sophie Matthews’s Sweet Sixteen in a grand Texas mansion, the night is destroyed when a body falls from the balcony onto the dance floor. The story unfolds through her new stepmother, her father’s ex-wife, her best friend, and her nanny as secrets and tensions rise. Each woman is hiding something, and suspicion spreads as the truth comes to light. As the night unravels, hidden betrayals and dangerous motives are the star of the party.
I bumped this book to the top of my review to-do list bc I just needed to express my absolute frustration with this book.
I'll be blunt, it wasn't good. The synopsis was probably the best part about it. I didn't want to DNF, and yes I suffered bc I refused to. I needed to see if it got any smidge better or things would make sense....spoiler: they didn't.
This book made the "haunted" mansion aspect it's entire personality yet there was not a single part of the plot that involved anything spooky.
Let's address Rachel Hawkins' quote on the cover: "Fun, twisty, fast-paced, and populated with characters you'll want to invite to your next party"... I beg to differ. This book was slow- and I mean slooooow. The thrill wasn't in the room with us-ever, and I'd never want to be anywhere close to these characters??
The Sweet Sixteen setting had me fighting for my life at the start, since the story leaned heavily on annoying teen drama that was more grating than gripping.
Honestly, I don’t recommend this one. You’ll be just fine skipping it.
Trigger warnings: postpartum depression, alcoholism, gaslighting, grief, infidelity, toxic relationships, emotional abuse, teen bullying, death, blood
Rich people behaving badly! long-held resentments and jealousies, alcohol, gossip and backstabbing, what could possibly go wrong?...Murder.
Sophie Matthews’ sixteenth birthday party is an exclusive bash in the heart of
Bulverde, Texas estate owned by her father, Ethan, and stepmother, Dani. The residence, reputed to be haunted, becomes the scene of tragedy when a body falls from the balcony during the event, lending new weight to local rumors. Potential suspects include Sophie herself, Ethan, Dani, Orlaith—the nanny to Sophie's infant half-sister Charlotte—Mikayla, Sophie's longtime friend who is experiencing strains in their relationship, and Kim, Sophie's mother, who may still harbor past resentments.
I did enjoy this book but would have liked to see more development in “the haunted house” and some character background. I don’t want to elaborate in case of spoilers. I thought it was well done for a debut author. I would definitely read what Kelsey Cox has for us next.
A.K.A. the Sweet Sixteen that makes your own awkward birthday at the skating rink look real chill in comparison.
Let’s get one thing straight: if I ever throw a Sweet Sixteen for my child that involves black-tie attire, cliffside views, a three-tiered cake, and the distinct possibility of someone falling to their doom mid–Cha Cha Slide… please assume I’ve been possessed.
Sophie’s dad throws a Texas Hill Country rager at his possibly haunted, definitely cursed, murder-mansion-on-a-cliff for her 16th birthday. There’s cake! There’s drama! There’s someone yeeted off a balcony before the third tier of red velvet even gets cut!
We’ve got a cast of characters straight out of a Real Housewives meets Clue mash-up:
🎂 A stepmom spiraling faster than the party planner’s champagne fountain,
🎂 A nanny who’s basically one vision short of a full-blown horror movie prequel,
🎂 A best friend who’s meek until she’s not (insert dramatic slow clap),
🎂 And an ex-wife with enough simmering rage to power the whole zip code.
This book is Real Housewives of Texas: Murder Edition, and honestly? I ate it up like red velvet cake with murder frosting. There are secrets, superstitions, backstabbing, baby mama drama, a possibly haunted house, and more plot twists than a pretzel factory. It’s a locked-room mystery, but make it bougie.
Verdict: Bring popcorn, suspend disbelief, and RSVP yes to this murder party. You’ll be glad you did—unless you fall off the balcony.
Let’s get one thing straight: if I ever throw a Sweet Sixteen for my child that involves black-tie attire, cliffside views, a three-tiered cake, and the distinct possibility of someone falling to their doom mid–Cha Cha Slide… please assume I’ve been possessed.
Sophie’s dad throws a Texas Hill Country rager at his possibly haunted, definitely cursed, murder-mansion-on-a-cliff for her 16th birthday. There’s cake! There’s drama! There’s someone yeeted off a balcony before the third tier of red velvet even gets cut!
We’ve got a cast of characters straight out of a Real Housewives meets Clue mash-up:
🎂 A stepmom spiraling faster than the party planner’s champagne fountain,
🎂 A nanny who’s basically one vision short of a full-blown horror movie prequel,
🎂 A best friend who’s meek until she’s not (insert dramatic slow clap),
🎂 And an ex-wife with enough simmering rage to power the whole zip code.
This book is Real Housewives of Texas: Murder Edition, and honestly? I ate it up like red velvet cake with murder frosting. There are secrets, superstitions, backstabbing, baby mama drama, a possibly haunted house, and more plot twists than a pretzel factory. It’s a locked-room mystery, but make it bougie.
Verdict: Bring popcorn, suspend disbelief, and RSVP yes to this murder party. You’ll be glad you did—unless you fall off the balcony.
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