A twisted story of a family touched by tragedy on a wedding day. Are the sisters who we think they are. Also Saul and Blue are back, who is investigating who?

I wasn't quite sure how Fiona Cummins could possibly follow or match All Of Us Are Broken, given it's heady mix of thrills and emotional drama, but I shouldn't have worried. She is such a brilliant author that anything she produces is guaranteed to be of the highest quality, and that is definitely so of Some Of Us Are Liars. Whilst this might not fit into the traditional mould of a crime thriller, it does feature a crime and the pursuit of justice. But to try and pigeon hole this as a 'police procedural' or a kind of domestic thriller would be to ignore the subtleties and emotional core that make this something so much more. If I were to try and classify this at all I would perhaps call it a tragedy of family drama that just happens to involve the police and, in this case, our old friend DS Saul Anguish.

Now, whilst Saul features in this book, it is more on the periphery and whilst his relationship, or otherwise, with Blue is still important, the after effects of the previous investigation still being keenly felt, it is not really what this book is about. Saul does feature as part of the central narrative, having been called to the home of one of the key protagonists, world famous Actor, Winter Kellaway, after reports of a suspected intruder on her estate. As a result, he also finds himself back at Winter's home after the great tragedy, the one that drives the majority of the story, occurs. Saul's story is secondary to the main event, but after what happened in the previous book, it is inevitable there should be some fall out. For that reason, I would advise that you read at least All Of Us Are Broken, before heading into this one. Not essential, this can be read as a standalone, but it's a great book too, so why wouldn't you.

As for this book, this drama, this is the story of three sisters, Winter, Jen and Alyssa. Seemingly inseparable and so invested in each other's lives that when a true tragedy occurs, the force of emotional tears them, and their family apart. I really liked the way in which Fiona Cummins introduced the three women, skilfully highlighting the differences in their characters, whilst still managing to bring to life the strength of the bond between them. It's the kind of thing that is hard to put into words, but the essence of which hums through the narrative. Bending the narrative back and forth in time, to scenes from the sister's youth and other events from the past that come to shape the future, we get a real sense of the three women and what drives and motivates them in the present.

By doing this, using this technique, the author also manages to create a sense of unease, sowing seeds of doubt as to the real circumstances that led to the tragedy that we bear witness to. I found myself second guessing what I thought I knew, not quite trusting the witness testimony that we were being fed, and being drawn further and deeper into the emotional turmoil that ensues. The narrative drips with understandable melancholy, and there was more than the odd scene where I could feel the emotions brewing and bubbling to the surface. The almost visceral sense of loss that emanates from Jen is so acutely observed and recounted that it is hard not to feel a part of her heartbreak. Likewise Alyssa, who has her own cross to bear and yet I felt an unerring sympathy for.

As the title suggests, there is a lot more to this story than meets the eye, a myriad lies and lies by omission, that mean the full extent of what happened does not become clear until nearly the end of the book. I thought I knew, I was wrong. And this is the beauty of Fiona Cummins' writing. She manages to hide the truth from her readers in the midst of the beautifully emotive and descriptive text. To twist the story just enough to cast a shadow of doubt over what you have read, drip feeding clues and whilst directing your attention, or suspicion, away from what should perhaps have been obvious.

And the ending ... Well, things between Saul and Blue may have hit a rocky patch in this book, but that ending promises so much more. So many questions, so much concern, and the overwhelming sense that things are building to one almighty crescendo, I can hardly wait to read what comes next. Most definitely recommended.

Fiona Cummins can do no wrong! Her novels are well written, gripping from start to finish and full of twists and Wow! moments. This is not just crime fiction, it is the story of a family torn apart by tragedy and the subsequent revelations. The tension is palpable, the secrets and lies delicious and the whole thing is a joy!

Jen, Alyssa, and Winter are sisters and are very close to each other. But when they throw a wedding part for Jen, Tragedy strikes, and the sisters are never the same again. The day results in a court case where Alyssa is accused of murder.
I am a big fan of the authors work so I was excited to receive a copy of her new novel Some of us are liars. I found this quite different to her other works even though I thought this was beautifully written I found this story to be rather a slow burn, and we don’t find out what really happened that fateful day in the latter half of the book. I felt like giving up, but I am glad I stuck with it. It turned out to be quite an entertaining read. 3.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for my copy of Some of Us are Liars by Fiona Cummins.

WOW!!!!! I really didn't see that coming.
A fascinating read that you won't want to put down. Weaving three stories into one,
You are gradually able to put the stories together in time for ONE unbelievable finish.
I devoured this book, I had to know the end before I slept. It wasn't what I thought.
SUPERB!!!!!!

Another excellent book from this author. I didn’t find this as dark as some of her previous books, despite the tragic events detailed, but thoroughly enjoyed the enthralling stand alone story entwined with the ongoing storyline of the very unusual, to say the least, detective, Saul Anguish, and his partner, Blue. Whilst the main story is very well concluded, the hints and twists at the end leave you desperate for the next episode with Saul.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review and to Fiona for your always wonderful imagination and talent.

This is only really worth it for the last few pages. The first half of this book jumps without cohesion through so many POVs of people you don't care about and aren't given the time to. The midpoint is the twist that was heavily implied from the start and while the twists during the trial were intresting they were too rushed and frankly too late. If I wasn't craving a thriller I would have DNFed this because the intrigue wasn't really there apart from one POV that popped up 2 or 3 times and was the only bit I was invested in. Also one character having 3 names was plain stupid. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC

This book was amazing! Loved the twists. Although the main part of the story is incredibly heart wrenching the interplay between the Kellaway sisters is fab.

Having read the previous two books in the Saul Anguish series, I was keen to get my hands on this new instalment, and it didn’t disappoint! This time the tale charts family relationships before and after a tragic event takes place, an event which tears through the whole family. As always with this author, the book is exceptionally well written with engaging characters, more than a few twists and turns and an ending I didn’t see coming!

It was fascinating to pick up Saul and Blue’s storyline from the previous book, but I did, at times, forget that this was part of the Saul Anguish series as the Kellaway family are such strong characters, it very much felt like their story, however, THAT ending sets things up perfectly for the next the next instalment, and I am so here for that. All in all, the story is tense, tragic and extremely dark in places – very highly recommended.

A complex family mystery inspired by the tragic stories you sometimes read about in newspapers. The death of a much loved child, Teddy, haunts Winter, Jen and Alyssa - three sisters whose history is not what it seems.

In addition to this, we have creepy policeman Saul and his partner Blue. To be honest, I found this plot line a little confusing and unnecessary in what was already a very complex book. I can only imagine that the author with develop their story in later novels, but in this particular novel they detracted from the main story.

The tragedy of Teddy’s death unfolds on what was to be Jen’s wedding day, and through a mixed timeline we are given more and more information about the events of the day - and those leading up to it. However, is his sister’s fear of Aunty Winter (once Deborah) justified? Or is someone else hiding something.

The denouement was a bit of a surprise - and perhaps slightly anticlimactic - if more ‘real’ than some of the other answers might have been. An enjoyable - if complicated - read.

I liked the premise of this book. It is about sisters and family with loss and grief at its base. It is both a thriller with elements of a court drama which works well.

The various characters and storylines are woven well. The book while a part of the series also works as a standalone. Overall an interesting read for sure.

Thank you Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

I got to a point where I didn't care what the whole story was or why it happened, but kept turning the pages since I had already been through half the book. Constant foreshadowing in flashback style coupled with a bunch of characters whose PoVs hint (oh the author makes sure you get it) of secrets they hold ruined the read for me. An accomplished writer making some inscrutably bad choices.

A dark and twisted tale of sisters, families and long buried secrets. I struggled with the story and found some of it quite upsetting. However, the final twist encourages me to look out for the next novel in the Saul Anguish series.

It took me a while to get into this book which was the first I’d read by this author, mainly because the beginning chapters seemed to jump about a lot with different time frames and characters. However the second part managed to pull all the strands together and really drew me in so I felt satisfied by the end of the novel.
I also wasn’t aware that it was part of a series featuring a detective called Saul Anguish and there were several references to his back story which intrigued me.
It is the story of three sisters and a tragic event that befalls one of them that affects the whole family. The second part of the book involves a court case which was extremely gripping.
It is more of a story of family dynamics than a murder mystery but there are some very clever twists, particularly one towards the end that I really didn’t see coming.
I found the premise interesting, how would you feel about a close family member whom you’d loved all your life if they caused a terrible tragedy that would affect you forever ? This was the crux of the book and it certainly left me thinking about what had happened. It soon becomes clear that there are many secrets and the sisters are not being entirely truthful in the aftermath of the horrific event.
I definitely recommend reading “Some Of Us Are Liars” and even though it seems to be part of a series, it is easy to read it as a standalone.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

Saul Anguish unexpectedly discovers long-hidden secrets while investigating a tragedy at a luxurious family wedding on the coast of England.

Fiona Cummins has done it again with another novel that will leave you an emotional wreck.

Some of Us Are Liars is utterly heartbreaking and incredibly dark. I read this on a very sunny day while on holiday and I still had goosebumps from this book.

I really enjoyed the interweaving of narratives from different characters as I tried to guess what was going on. While it was fascinating to pick up with Saul's storyline from the previous book, I liked that this could also work as a standalone because the focus is on the characters within the family.

If you love jaw-dropping shocks then this is definitely a book you will enjoy.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This is a very emotional rollercoaster of a read. It is filled with flawed characters, especially Saul, a bucket full of tension and an incredible piece of plotting. It is told from multiple points of view and two different timeframes. It is a slow, steady paced tale and definitely worth reading if you like thrillers. I highly recommend the read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

5/5 stars. This book tells the story of three sisters: Winter, Jen and Alyssa who are close but all very different.

It opens with the first day of a court case and then flits back to Jen’s wedding celebration party. This event was organised and hosted by Winter at her lavish mansion, but the day ended in tragedy. I enjoyed this book and it was quite the page-turner. There was out a back story to one or two of the sisters as there were some childhood flashbacks so i was keen to find out how the story would end. A couple of twists in there too which made a satisfying read.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing an advance copy in return for my honest opinion. I have also published this review on Goodreads and will post a shorter summary on Amazon.

Wow! Wow! Wow! I just lost a whole day to this book. I couldn't put it down. It begins as three stories in one which do all come together eventually but it is so clever! To further complicate matters intertwined throughout is the continuation of the story of Saul Anguish and Blue. The characters have you believing they're one thing when they're actually another. From start to finish there are so many plot twists I'm dizzy! Absolutely fabulous. Can't wait for the next one in the Saul Anguish series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

An absolutely breath-taking novel about familial relationships and the damage we can do to one another.

Saul Anguish remains one of the most compelling detectives I have ever read but the true "stars" of this novel are the sisters at the heart of an unspeakable tragedy. Fiona Cummins captures the nuance and complexity of family with stunning aplomb. Every word is laced with intention and not one detail is without its place. What Cummins has written here is an absolute triumph.

There is a scene in this novel that will haunt me for the rest of my life, and I do not say that lightly. Not for the faint-hearted but absolutely one of the best books of 2025.

This is another chance for us to meet up with the troubled detective Saul Anguish and this story takes us further into his psyche. The story follows the life of 3 sisters, the famous actress Winter Kellaway, the happy mother of 2 Jen and Alyssa. This book is extremely well written and follows the 3 female relationships and a tragic event that overtakes them all and rips through the family. This book kept me guessing right until the end and when the twist comes it knocks you off your feet! I loved this and am very grateful for being able to have read an advanced copy through Net Galley - the only issue with that is that I now don't have the publication date to look forward to it, this really is a book you feel bereft after reading!