⭕️🏨 Circle of Liars 🏨⭕️

- Kate Francis @katefrancisauthor

⭐️⭐️⭐️

YA thrillers proving again and again why they are one of my favourite genres! Seven teenagers arrive at a remote motel in the Californian desert for a school residential. At first, the dilapidated motel looks like nothing more than a prank, but soon, it spirals into something far more sinister. The seven all have something in common - they’re all guilty. Exactly a year ago, the school gym burnt down and killed two people. Each of the seven had a hand in it, and by the looks of it, someone else knows it too. Someone who is watching their every move…

By the turn of every hour, one of the seven must be expelled from the motel, where they are shot dead. It’s very Lord of the Flies-esque in the way it pits the teenagers against one another and explores dynamics within the group. I found the character of Ellis so interesting, the way his role as the leader of the group and his struggle for dominance was portrayed. Ana was a great narrator and experiencing the story predominantly through her lens was a fantastic choice. I would’ve liked some of the other characters to be explored more fully - Jax, Jade, and Caden.

This book is so thought-provoking with its central questions - of course, you can’t help but compare the actions of the characters with what you would have done in their situation. Whether you’d be ruthless enough to survive, or whether you’d be picked off early. The ending will probably hit differently for every reader, depending on what you like, but for me personally, I really liked it. It did make me view the entire book in a different light. I was, however, underwhelmed by some of the plot twist, including who the real villain was.

Overall though, a twisty, fast-paced young adult thriller with a killer premise! I’d recommend for fans of Karen M. McManus and We Were Liars.

Thanks to @usborneya for the digital ARC! Circle of Liars published 3rd July so you have no excuse!

✶ PRE-READING ✶
I haven't read any other books by Kate Francis, but the publisher, Usborne, have been working very hard on their teen list for the last few years and their taste is impeccable, so I was sure I'd enjoy this. The idea is tantalisingly horrific - what would I do in a situation like this?

✶ POST-READING ✶
As I thought... It's a fast paced read, a one sitting kind of read - you won't want to put it down once you start. The idea is very clever and the characters settled early, unlike some novels where I struggle with the groups. The antagonist among the kids was clearly signposted early on, but watching everyone edge closer to the (moral) line was fascinating, and it left me wondering uneasily what I'd do in that situation.

It surprised me by... What was clearly meant to be a major twist came through a bit too early for me. Clues are threaded in well, but I clocked the plot point well before the story wanted me to. That said, it didn’t ruin the ending, just softened its impact. There’s still emotional satisfaction and a strong thematic through line, and while I had a few guesses about the ultimate villain and was partially right on one, I didn't guess.

✦ RECOMMENDATIONS ✦
📘 One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
If you loved the mix of teenage secrets, group dynamics, and moral ambiguity in McManus’s breakout thriller, Circle of Liars offers a darker, more claustrophobic twist on the formula. It amps up the stakes - instead of detention, we have death. But the same questions about guilt, identity, and who you can trust are front and centre.

📺 The Wilds (TV series)
Much like The Wilds, this is about teens pushed to their psychological limits in an isolated location, with secrets bubbling up as survival takes priority. The group dynamics - shifting alliances, betrayals, emotional flash points - are core to the tension. There’s also a similar sense of being watched or manipulated by an unseen force.



✦ MUSIC PAIRING ✦
Because sometimes, the heart of a story plays out like a song.

🎵 Music Pairing
Featured Song: “bury a friend” – Billie Eilish

Vibe Album: When I Get Home – Solange

Artist Rec: Banks – for that moody, edgy, emotional energy that underlines the whole book.

✧ VIBE CHECK ✧
🌀 Vibe Check
Colour Palette: Flickering neon, scorched amber, motel beige, blood red

Soundtrack: Yellowjackets meets Truth or Dare (but better)

Season: Late summer - humid, tense, on the edge of something burning

Mood: Suspicion, dread, and the creeping guilt of a lie unraveling

Scent: Burnt plastic and industrial air freshener

★ TAROT CARD PULLED ★
🔮 Tarot Pull: Judgement – Santa Muerte Tarot
A bare-boned child rises from a coffin as a family of skeletons look on, dressed, composed, almost ceremonial - it’s a powerful image of rebirth and reckoning. Circle of Liars is steeped in that same energy: facing the consequences of what you’ve done, stripping away the masks, and emerging either condemned or transformed. Not everyone makes it through, but someone will. Changed.

Seven students travel by bus to a school camp. But the location is a dilapidated and abandoned motel and their host is an unseen and sinister character who is intent on holding the teenagers to account for a fatal fire.
Every hour the mystery avenger forces the students to select the guiltiest among them to step outside the white circle around the motel and be killed.
Which one will be left alive and why?
Ideal for fans of Young Adult thrillers with Christie's And Then There Were None Vibes.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.
Upon publication, I will post my review on my blog and on GoodReads.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Circle of Liars had me gripped from page one. If you’re anything like me and absolutely loved the drama and deceit of One of Us Is Lying, then buckle up—because Kate Francis just delivered a YA thriller that is just as amazing and unputdownable.

Seven teens, a creepy abandoned motel, a mysterious game called “The Balloon Game” (which is so not as cute as it sounds), and a whole lot of secrets tied to a tragic fire from the year before.

What I loved most? The characters are so well-drawn. Every character has a secret, and every chapter peels back another juicy layer. You’ll love some, hate others, and suspect everyone.
Francis doesn’t just serve up twists—she catapults them at you. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, BAM—plot twist. And the themes? Guilt, revenge, survival, and the blurry line between justice and vengeance. It’s deep, but never preachy. Just the right amount of dark to keep you hooked without losing the fun.

If you love high-stakes drama, morally grey characters, and a mystery that keeps you guessing until the very last page, Circle of Liars is your next obsession. Kate Francis, you’ve got a fan for life.

This was a intense read as the teens are thrown into a deadly game of secrets, guilt, and survival. Twisty and tense overall.

Circle of Liars … I’m not sure where to start. I guess simply: I enjoyed this. It was a fun read.

I did, however, see the ending coming from the start. And the big reveal of who Norman was.

I liked the characters, but some of the things they said … I didn’t like so much. Like, Ana’s story versus Jade’s? Not the same, and Alex painting it as a “we’ve all do e just as bad” like NO. She was trying to save her and her brother from a fiery death.

This is probably a 3.5-3.75 star from me.

**Listened to audio book as well as reading along with electronic version**

The synopsis of this book really intrigued me, even if it did sound a little bit like other books in the YA genre that I had read before.
The book was very slow to get going but once the 'game' begun I was in! I was there for it, and I desperately wanted to know what was going on. Lots of questions to be asked.
The ending was a bit of a let down, after the big build up.

One of the biggest problems I had with the book was that the characters were not likeable, and were not different enough. I didn't know who was who - the audio book slightly helped with this as one of the characters was British and there were male and female narrators. But Francis did not differentiate enough between the characters so this hindered my enjoyment somewhat.

The narrators were really great, and I liked the fact there was a male and female narrator and that they differentiated their accents to aid in the characterisation.

Overall this book was big on the build up, but the ending just wasn't worth the read!

Usually, I devour a single-location YA thriller, and while this one isn't the worst I've read, it just wasn't a favourite, either. I didn't find any of the characters truly likeable, and because of this, some of them sort of meshed into one, and I was forgetting who was who and what motive they might have had for wanting to kill off their classmates. That being said, however, I didn't expect the true killers' identity to be who it was after everything that happened. I mean, it kind of makes sense, but their reasoning for wanting revenge wasn't the most morally solid, and you'll know why once you've read this book.

This book surprised me in the best way.
When I first started Circle of Liars, I was a little hesitant. It gave off some strong “group of teens trapped in a creepy place because of a terrible thing they did years ago” vibes, and I thought I knew exactly where it was going. But I was wrong and I’m so glad that I was. What starts off feeling a little cliché quickly finds its own voice and momentum, and by the end, I was hooked. I devoured the entire thing pretty quickly because I had to know what happened.
At its heart, this is a solid YA thriller with a deliciously dark premise: a group of teens are brought together to face the consequences of a fire that killed two of their friends/loved ones. There are strong echoes of I Know What You Did Last Summer and Saw but toned down in a way that makes it more accessible (and palatable) for younger or more sensitive readers. For someone like me, who loves YA but is a bit of a wuss when it comes to fullon thrillers, this was the perfect balance of eerie and addictive.
The multiple POVs, especially from Ana and Ellis, added depth to the story, although I did find some of the extra perspectives a little unnecessary. Two POVs probably would’ve kept the tension tighter and the pacing more intense but that's just me. Still, the added layers gave insight into the relationships and how quickly they unravel when secrets begin to surface.
Speaking of characters: wow. Kate Logan knows how to write characters you feel. Some I rooted for, some I pitied, and one in particular I loathed with every fibre of my being. He’s the kind of character you love to hate: manipulative, cruel, layered, and so well written. Whether he’s redeemable or not is left to interpretation, which makes for some great post-read discussion.

The twists were relentless. Some I guessed, others blindsided me, but the pacing made it all so fun to follow. Every chapter gave you just enough to pull you along and then dropped a little bombshell to keep you on your toes.
There were a few rough edges such as some stereotypical characters, occasional cringe moments, and plot details that felt a bit inferred rather than fully explored but nothing that took away from the experience. It’s a fast-paced, cleverly structured YA thriller that keeps you guessing.

If you’re looking for a thriller that’s dark but digestible, creepy but not overwhelming, with strong characters and non-stop twists Circle of Liars should be on your TBR. It’s a rollercoaster of secrets, guilt, and truth and a standout in the YA thriller genre.

Thank you to the author and publishers for allowing me an e-ARC of this book! It did not influence the review below and all opinions are my own.

This book was definitely not what I expected (in a good way). The author portrays the characters in an excellent way, so much so that I found myself hating some of the characters because they were so foul. The creepy mystery element is interesting and fun, and I think YA thriller is difficult to write to kudos to the author! This book was good at keeping the reader on their toes. Sometimes the characters felt very ‘cliche’ and ‘cringe’ at times, as there were some which were very stereotypical, although that may just be because of the genre of the book. I also found it hard to focus at points because certain things were inferred and not fully clarified. But overall, anyone who is into YA and thrillers will love this!

Rating: 3.5/5 stars (rounded up to 4)

I really didn't get along well with this book. The book felt contrived – the whole situation was too unreal. The teen characters were a set of very deliberate stereotypes: the hot but shy musician, the social media influencer and self obsessed girlfriend, the druggie, the trans kid, and the jock/bully. The plot was derivative of the many high school YA mystery books of previous years. I was just so frustrated reading this book, as things became more ridiculous as the book progressed. The big reveal at the end was an anti-climax as it was so unbelievable. I could say I'm not the target audience for this book but I've read plenty of brilliant, original, well written YA books over the years to compare this to.

Circle of Liars by Kate Francis is a gripping YA thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
The story revolves around seven high school students who arrive at an abandoned motel for what they believe will be a fun retreat. However, they soon receive a chilling text message: "I know what you did a year ago." Each student harbours a guilty secret about a tragic school fire that claimed the lives of three classmates .

As the students navigate the tense atmosphere, alliances form and break, revealing their true colours. The motel is rigged with CCTV cameras and explosives, turning their stay into a deadly game where only one can survive. The novel explores themes of guilt, friendship, and survival, with dramatic twists and turns that will leave readers guessing until the very end

A school retreat turns into a nightmare when 7 teenagers arrive at an abandoned motel, only to find that somebody knows the part they each played in a disaster that took place the previous year.

A sinister challenge follows - in which they all reluctantly participate - since the alternative is immediate death.

Only one person will make it through. But is there any way of being certain that whoever does is indeed the person who deserves to survive?!

An appealing YA thriller, this will be enjoyed by fans of Ravena Guron and Karen McManus.

With an armful of flawed teens, an abandoned motel, and an anniversary ticking towards their doom, Circle of Liars ratchets up the tension and high emotion, even if the conceit is far from fresh. A couple of audacious twists mostly stick the landing and Circle of Liars closes as a mostly satisfying YA thriller about grief, regret, and amends.

With a name like ‘Circle of liars’, I followed the intriguing title into a tale of deception, betrayal and a deadly game of survival.

It was such a good story and I’m a big fan of teenage ‘you know what you did, here are the consequences’ kind of drama. Exactly a year ago to the day marks the anniversary of a fire which proved fatal. Was it an accident? Arson? Premeditated suicide? All is not as as it seems..

The group of 7 get lured to an old run down motel and find that they can’t leave.. propelled into a deadly game, they must find a way out or die. With a plot like that, how could it not be addicting from the start?

I always looked forward to going back to the book whenever I had to Velcro myself away. I easily read whole chunks of this book in one sitting and towards the end, was rapidly eating up pages to find out what was going to happen. So entertaining! I loved it.

Circle of Liars by Kate Francis is a heart-pounding psychological thriller that grips you from the very first page. Seven teenagers, each carrying a dark secret about a tragic school fire, are invited to a seemingly innocent school retreat. However, when they arrive at an abandoned motel, the fun quickly turns into a nightmare as a sinister text message reveals someone knows the truth about their past.

The group is thrust into a chilling game of survival where they must each face their guilt and decide who among them deserves to live. The rules are simple: each hour, they must choose the “guiltiest” of the group to cross a white line, a line that marks their death. If they fail to make a choice, they will all die. But with each passing moment, their secrets begin to unravel, and the true question becomes not just who deserves to die, but who can be trusted.

The tension in Circle of Liars builds relentlessly as the teens’ complicated relationships, fears, and lies come to light. The suspense is masterfully crafted, and the twists are sharp and unexpected, keeping you guessing until the very end. The psychological depth of the characters makes the story all the more gripping as you are drawn into their individual battles with guilt, morality, and survival.

A fast-paced, gripping, and twisty thriller, Circle of Liars is a captivating read that will have you questioning every character’s motives and wondering how far you would go to save yourself. With a premise that is equal parts thrilling and unsettling, this book is guaranteed to keep you up late into the night. If you're looking for a dark, suspenseful mystery with high stakes and unexpected twists, Circle of Liars is not to be missed.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.