This book is set over a really short time period, literally just over a day. I love it when a story is told so quickly, when you expect something else entirely. I enjoyed this one a lot, and even more when the plot twist came right at the end! I never would have guessed that it would play out like it did, and as that final chapter was unfolding, my jaw honestly dropped!

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox was a very a gripping psychological thriller with a gothic edge which I really enjoyed especially as it was so different from what i usually read. So, I am glad this cover caught my eye, but not this pink one!

Finally, Sophie Matthews big day has arrived! and she is turning the big 17! and she has a big birthday party later which is an exclusive black-tie bash in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, Now, Sophie’s dad has spared no expense, and his renovated cliffside mansion, which was once thought haunted. This exclusive party for Sophie is the big advent of the season and no better that her dad hosting this,
Sophie is all excited and looking beautiful, just before she blows the candles out on the three-tiered red velvet cake . . . .
A body falls from the balcony onto the starlit dance floor below. 🥹

WoW. . . That was a big surprise for everyone at the party!

There are several suspects who are there at Sophie's party. . . .These are:-

"DANI:" who is Sophie’s new stepmother, who’s been plagued by self-doubt ever since the birth of her own baby girl

"ÓRLAITH:" who is the superstitious Irish nanny who senses a looming danger in this cavernous house

"MIKAYLA:" who is the birthday girl’s best friend who is not nearly as meek as the popular kids assume

and "KIM" who: is the most the cunning of them all, she is the ex-wife who has a Big grudge she can’t let go of . . .

Everyone is invited to this party. But Not everyone will get out alive.

Brilliant. I highly recommend this book. Great holiday read.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my ARC.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for arc

I had problems with arc I downloaded onto my kindle when reading the chapter with all wrong in it skipped a few chapters was getting so confused I did tried to read it on NetGalley app but I kept getting a headache and couldn’t turn the brightness down I tried and the you can’t change the text size on NetGalley app

It’s nothing to do with the author with the problems I had I dont know how to fix it for kindle download

What I did read up to 226 I felt the plot was a little Larking at places and couldn’t get really into it that’s why I made a decision not to carry on reading it I might pick up the book in the future and try again later

Rating: 2.5/5 but rounded up to 3 stars

I really didn’t like this book at all, I tried to like it but somehow I couldn’t get into it. The blurb made it sound interesting - someone is dead and there’s a killer- however the plot didn’t exactly give me that, there was no killer in it. There were a lot of lies and secrets amongst every character in the book, giving Big Little Lies vibes but the book just wasn’t engaging enough.

The chapters were actually quite short which I believe the author was going for a fast paced page turner consisting of different POVs of Orlaith, Kim, Mikayla and Dani but sometimes I find myself struggling trying to figure out if I was reading the past or the present time. I didn’t have much attachment to the characters as there were too many introduced and I was getting lost with who was who.

I was so close to DNF-ing this book but I read on hoping something shocking would happen but to me, I wasn’t hooked. I do applaud to the author for this debut novel as the idea of the book was good however there’s still things to improve on. Please don’t let my review put you off reading it as this is my own thoughts, someone else might actually enjoy this book more than me!

Thank you to NetGalley for this copy of the book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Part of Liars by Kelsey Cox
An impressive debut! I was hooked from the very beginning. The four POVs added depth and kept me constantly guessing — just when I thought I had it figured out, another twist came. I especially appreciated the short, fast-paced chapters; they made it so easy to fly through the book, even when I only had a few minutes to read. A gripping, binge-worthy read that’s hard to put down!

Unfortunately I didn't finish this as the writing didn't work for me at all and I was expecting a locked-room mystery thriller and it is actually a domestic thriller. Not my cup of tea at all and not a subgenre that I enjoy reading.

This is definitely all on me and I'm leaving a review as I was granted early access as an eArc and I definitely feel like I'm an outlier compared to most other readers.

I went into Party of Liars expecting a tense, locked-room mystery - and while I definitely got that, I wasn’t prepared for just how layered, unsettling, and compulsively readable this would be. What starts as a standard whodunnit quickly evolves into something much more complex, with a creeping sense of dread that never lets up. I told myself “just one more chapter” more times than I can count, and before I knew it, I’d finished the whole thing in less than a day.

What really pulled me in, though, was how the characters evolved. At first, I was convinced I wouldn’t connect with any of them - most seemed cold, suspicious, or flat-out unlikable. But gradually, as secrets unraveled and past wounds surfaced, I found myself caring deeply about each of them. Their flaws made them feel human. Their decisions, even the reckless ones, felt rooted in something real. It gave the story emotional weight, beyond just the mystery.

And while there’s a slow-burn quality to the pacing, it never dragged. There’s always this quiet hum of tension, as if something terrible is lurking just off the page - and when the reveals do come, they’re properly chilling. I didn’t see them coming, but in hindsight, all the signs were there. That’s the best kind of twist.

Underneath all the suspense, there’s a surprising depth here: about motherhood, trust, guilt, and the danger of ignoring your instincts. Party of Liars isn’t just a puzzle - it’s a smart, emotionally grounded thriller that got under my skin in all the right ways.

Gothic style thriller, would make a great movie or mini tv series. A real page turner, had it read in 2 days. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.

his book was so good!! it did not take the turn i expected and i loved it. throughout the whole book i was questioning who the body was and wondering who was responsible. the author led us down lots of different paths and ideas as none of the main characters seemed trustworthy and things they all said contradicted each other. the last 15% was incredible as things started to be revealed and we realised that things we had been led to believe might not have been true. for a debut book by the author this was incredible and i would 100% recommend.

While I enjoyed this book, I picked it up expecting a gothic edge, but it turned out to be more about the lives of rich and privileged American families. The story centres around Sophie Matthews' Sweet Sixteen party, held at her father's newly refurbished cliffside mansion. The house is buzzing with family and friends, drinks are flowing, and emotions are high. Just after Sophie cuts her cake, the party comes to a sudden halt when a body falls from the glass balcony onto the dancefloor below.
The narrative then splits between events before and during the party, gradually revealing more about the main characters and the circumstances surrounding the fall. The story is told through the perspectives of four primary female characters, each with their own struggles and secrets: Sophie’s mother Kim, her stepmother Dani, her best friend Mikayla, and Órlaith, Dani's elderly nanny to her infant daughter, Charlotte. I appreciated this aspect of the book, as seeing the same events through different eyes provided a fuller picture of what actually happened and offered insight into each character's thoughts and motives. The use of unreliable narrators added depth and intrigue. Be warned, though—the chapters vary in length, so "just one more chapter" might take longer than you think.
However, while it's not essential to like the characters in a book, in "Party of Liars," it wasn't that I disliked them – I just didn't care. The characters often felt two-dimensional, and their development seemed rushed.
I also didn't like Órlaith, the nanny. Having married into an Irish family, I find the portrayal of Irish characters as mystical and superstitious quite annoying. It feels like lazy writing. Additionally, the book frequently hints that the Matthews' mansion is haunted, but there's nothing supernatural about either the house or the story - just rich and privileged people behaving badly.
Overall, despite its flaws, I enjoyed the book. The novel has twists and turns, making it a page-turner. The alternating perspectives and timelines build tension and keep readers guessing. I did not guess the identity of ‘the body’ and the events leading up to the fall was quite a surprise. I also like the twist at the very end. This book is a perfect beach read. Thrilling and entertaining, but instantly forgettable.
Party of Liars is a debut, so hopefully, Kelsey Cox will further hone her skills in future works.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel. I believe it’s a debut, and an extremely good one at that.
Is this a ghost story? A psychological thriller? A whodunnit?
There’s going to be a party. A ridiculously lavish Sweet Sixteen. And something nasty is going to happen…..
The story is told through the POVs of four women, all linked to the BIG HOUSE (an important character in this story in its own right), and jumps about in time quite a bit (which got a wee bit confusing). They are all at the party, all with different links to the Birthday Girl.
I found myself empathising to an extent with all of them, as the author lays out their thoughts and feelings, their justifications and insecurities….. but remember the title of the book!
As the story unfolds, you are drip-fed little teasers, wee glimpses of what’s going to happen, without ever actually giving it away. Extremely well done.
The tension ramps up satisfyingly as the party progresses. So many potential suspects. So many potential victims. Ghostly goings on…..whew! Ah,I see what’s going on…..oh no, wait a minute….
And I will admit I never guessed the ending(s) till the very last minute.
I liked this a lot.

Multiple pov, told in first person. We jump seamlessly through the timeline between the lead up to the party, during it and after - all leaving breadcrumbs of twists yet to come.

The short chapters ramp up the pace and each one teases you just enough to leave you wanting more, trying to piece together the secrets. I found it a gripping suspense, shrouded in mystery and I couldn't help but wonder who was an unreliable narrator.

It focuses quite heavily on motherhood, with not only the characters, but also with the local legend of 'The Mother'. I enjoyed this and felt it added an additional element of unsettling suspense to the story.

The build up through the book is to the body that has fallen from the balcony during Sophie's sweet sixteen party. I think I suspected every single person at one point or another whilst reading this, but I was so shocked by the twist.

Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for this advanced copy.

This was such a dark psychological thriller that I couldn't put down. Everyone in the story is a suspect and as you read it is hard to work out both who the victim will be and who the killer is.

The story is set in Texas on the night of Sophie's lavish 16th birthday in her father's mansion house. At the end of the night one of the guests will have fallen from the balcony. But who is the hunter and who is the prey?
Sophie's parents are divorced and Kim resents her ex husbands new wife Dani, with her new baby and large house. Dani's Irish nanny seems very mysterious. Does she have ulterior motives for looking after baby Charlotte. What happened to her own daughter all those years ago?
These are just some of the many guests that hold secrets.

I loved the slow burn build up of tension in this book. The short chapters narrated by the main characters at the party made it unputdownable. Towards the end each new chapter brought a new suspect with a motive! The characters were all well written and believable.
If you enjoy dark locked room thrillers I would recommend reading this!

Twisty, addictive, and impossible to put down 🎭🔥. Party of Liars delivers secrets, scandal, and shocking reveals with razor-sharp plotting and juicy drama. Kelsey Cox’s characters are flawed, fascinating, and hiding plenty of skeletons. I couldn’t stop turning the pages! A deliciously dark, binge-worthy read for fans of domestic thrillers and messy secrets.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.

This book had the potential to be great, but the jump around from character to character and timeline made it somewhat confusing and therefore a struggle to follow in places.

The storyline and premise of the book was good and there were some unexpected twists and turns.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the EARC :)

I'd never heard of the author, but the title and cover caught my eye, so I couldn't resist requesting this!
I won't go too deep as I don't want to give anything away, but WOW what a book. I was absolutely hooked.
The plot and writing style kept me on my toes throughout, with the POV switches keeping your attention and adding extra perspective.

4 stars - not a 5 as I felt perhaps it was a bit too long.

3.5 stars
I had never heard of this author before, so going in I wasn't sure what to expect. What I got was a fun, easy read that was packed full of rich people drama!
I really did enjoy having lots of different POV's throughout the story. Luckily as this was very well done I never once found it confusing and it was very easy to follow whose perspective we were reading from. This was probably down to the fact that all the characters were well defined individuals, so each gave us a different view of the story.
I found the plot intriguing and the writing style kept me fully interested from start to finish.
I also liked the books setting of Texas. This did add to the story and it came across well.
But I do have to say that not a lot actually happens in this book. I found it to be a bit slow paced and the plot was dragged out with nothing really happening until the last 20% of the book, which was disappointing.
I did also feel like the book was slightly too long. The plot could have been wrapped up sooner which would have helped stop the story feeling dragged out.
This was a easy read, that I would describe as a domestic drama with a little bit of a thriller element.

Party of Liars is a gripping locked room drama full of shady characters and jaw-dropping twists.

It is Sophie Matthews’ Sweet Sixteen party - and the opportunity for her father and stepmother to show off their newly renovated Texan cliff top mansion. Before the night is out someone is dead having fallen from a balcony …. but who?

Told from multiple POVs, young and old, and moving between the days leading up to the party and the hours afterwards, this is a story full of characters you will love to hate, secrets galore and jealousy seemingly oozing from every pore.

With a story of motherhood at it’s heart, there’s mystery, a haunted house, a cast of characters that will leave you questioning everyone and everything, and twists that will keep you on your toes until it all comes together at the end.

On reading the blurb for this book it was right up my street. Huge lavish party for a sweet 16th, lots of narrators among the partygoers, prospect of loose lips from much partying and a house which had a spooky past. However I found it okay, a little difficult to get into and once I did it was nearly over.

There is a decent storyline but the characters are largely unlikeable and I didn’t connect with them or their stories.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the setting of this book - a fabulous mansion on the hillside, where the family's luxurious lifestyle is on display through the huge glass walls for all to see in the town below.

This is a real contrast with the lives of the main characters, which are much darker and full of secrets. The book is therefore full of tension and conflict, which builds as the story goes on.

I enjoyed reading chapters from different characters' points of views, as it made it all the more difficult to decide who to believe.

I'll certainly be on the lookout for more from this author!