I’m not understanding the bad reviews for this book. Right from the first paragraph, I knew this book was going to be a cut above what I’d read of late.

Joy has now hit her seventies, retired from running a tennis academy and waiting (im)patiently for one of her four children to give her a grandchild. Then, on Valentine’s Day, she disappears, texting a gibberish message about going ‘off grid’ to her family. Soon, the police are involved and looking for a body, and Stan, Joy’s husband of over 50 years, is their prime suspect.

The story is told in dual timelines -- now, and the few months leading up to Joy’s disappearance. I don’t think I’d call this a murder mystery, as such (although Moriarty surprised me with some of the twists at the end). Apples Never Fall is more of a family drama, it's funny and, obviously, quite sad at times, with lots of thought provoking scenes centring around themes of domestic violence - physical as well as psychological abuse.

Moriarty’s characterisation is brilliant. Joy is a joy, full stop. But Moriarty gives each character their moment in the sun. There’s some characters who I’m sure I would have disliked if a lesser writer presented them. Moriarty, though, evoked empathy and manipulated me into liking them, no matter the extent of their questionable morals and actions.

Maybe it’s the tennis readers disliked? There’s a lot of tennis talk in the book. However, I think as long as you get the general gist of the characters’ passion for the game, it doesn’t matter if you’re a fan yourself or not.

Can’t think of a better way to start my reading year. 5 out of 5

Every family is dysfunctional in their own way... Delaney tennis family is dysfunctional in at least 6 ways (the number of family members).
Once competitive tennis players Delaney mum and dad have been running tennis school until they decided to retire and sell off. None of their 4 kids have taken over from them or achieved any significant results in the sport family lived and breathed for years.
Boredom and confusion comes to those who retire after years and years of hard work and full-time involvement elsewhere (not home). Stan and Joy are finding it hard to live in retirement and... live with each other.
One night a stranger is at the door. This young waif of a girl worms her way into the family. Seemingly a stranger, a new person, she stirs the pot of Delaney dysfunctionality and pops open so many sores, one can't help but feel something horrific and drastic might happen to any of Delaney...
Moriarty has done her job amazingly. She created a set of characters where every single person is so flawed they seem amazingly real.
Apples Never Fall is a thriller without gore and blood. It is a mystery without any repercussions (but police does get involved). It is a love story where love is tested by betrayal, 4 grown up kids and myriad of broken or repressed dreams.
Does it end well? Well...

Loved this book. I found this book to be very good. It had me hooked from the beginning.. Was a great read. It would definitely be a book I would recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

I was really unsure about this book before I started it based on some reviews I read that weren't very flattering. It is a little convoluted at times and I was never really sure where it was heading. But, isn't that the sign of a well written book? It ended up exactly what I have come to expect from Liane Moriarty...a well written character based book with a subtle twist in the tail!

Had read mixed reviews about this one but I thought it was quite good although the storyline did jump from past to present a lot as well as being told from the perspectives of numerous characters. Joy and Stan met through their love of tennis and had a long life together raising their four children and their own tennis business. Then one night an injured girl arrives on their doorstep and they take her in. But does she has a secret agenda that could destroy them? And is it linked to why Joy has been missing for three weeks? A good story.

An entertaining family drama/mystery centred on a tennis obsessed family, parents Joy and Stan married for ages, and their four adult children. The main plot is about the disappearance of Joy but there’s also flashbacks to events that happened months earlier. It’s quite a big cast of characters but I did find them easy to distinguish and the complicated plot is written in such an enjoyable way that it wasn’t a problem (I really liked how sometimes the chapter was written from the point of view of an unimportant character observing the main ones eg a waitress at a cafe. This was more common earlier in the novel) . That gets to main issue I had with it - it was way too long! The ending should’ve been much sharper and snappier. All the chapters after where we find out what happened to Joy seemed like too much, I kept thinking not another one.

This book is about families and relationships. It was a real slow burner. Lots of secrets and I would have to say this book is not her best. I found it to be very predictable.

I enjoyed learning about the lives of retired couple Joy and Ted Delaney who had run a very successful tennis school. We find out about family relationships involving their four adult children who have very different personalities. It all seems very normal until a strange girl Savannah arrives on Joy and Ted’s doorstep one night and claims to have been abused by her boyfriend; Joy is very sympathetic and takes the girl into her home. She becomes very close to Savannah and enjoys her company more than her own children however Savannah is not what she seems. Later on Joy goes missing and we are left guessing whether Stan could be responsible. I think Liane Moriarty has real skill in creating interesting characters and her twists in the plot were very clever. My only criticism is I found the story rather drawn out and would have liked it to have concluded sooner. Thanks to Netgalley for access to this story.

“He'd forgotten how you had to up your volume when all the Delaneys were together.”

Liane Moriarty is known for her sweeping family sagas with mysterious undertones and Apples Never Fall is no exception. This time we're focused on the Delaney family - Stan and Joy and their four adult children. The pair recently sold their tennis academy and are settling into retirement when an unexpected visitor one night, Savannah, shakes up their already fragile household.

The book shifts between the past (Savannah's arrival) and the present (Joy's disappearance). It's also told from multiple perspectives, including the children, Stan and Joy, the police investigating Joy's disappearance, friends of the family and random passers-by. While the varying points of view keep the story moving at a steady pace, they did have a tendency to briefly confuse me at times.

Thankfully, it was easy to keep up with the Delaney children as they all had very different personalities and dynamics. Moriarty expertly weaved their own personal stories into the narrative as the mystery slowly unfolded and long-held secrets were revealed. There was also a strong focus on tennis throughout and the sport's lasting impact on the Delaney family.

So, if you like family dramas with complex characters, I do recommend Apples Never Fall, particularly listening to the audiobook. The narrator did an amazing job of handling so many different perspectives.

Liane Moriarty has a knack for writing about complex family dramas set in Australia. The author brings as a story about a tennis loving/worshipping family in Melbourne and the stories of each and every family member. No one is perfect in this book and that’s the beauty of this book because you will like all the characters without any hate or judgment because the author will not give you a reason to.
Liane is one of my favourite authors and she continued to deliver books that make you go ‘what the hell did I just read?’ and I am here for it!

Thank you to the publisher and author for granting me this EARC!

I really wanted to ‘love’ this book given my association with tennis and Liane’s reputation, and whilst it had some fantastic elements, it was not the blockbuster I had hoped for. Liane is Australian writing royalty and this latest offering has been highly anticipated by her huge fan base. Apples Never Fall is a suburban mystery tale that sees complex, tension filled, family issues come under Liane’s unique microscope of satire and clever observations.

Liane is the master of layering a story with lots of small, seemingly insignificant details and moments, that give you pause to ponder what is really going on behind closed doors. This is a book where a copious amount of effort has been put into the background story and character analytics of all those involved. Here you will find Liane’s trademark blend of wit, humour, especially in relation to domestic issues and a gentle mystery is added to this complex family drama. The problem is that it is super long in some sections that I feel could have been better edited t0 pack that real punch that I was looking for in the mystery aspect.

At its heart, this is the story of family, a look at the dynamics and everyday life of its members. This is where Liane truly shines and people are sure to relate. So whilst the mystery is not what many were expecting, I cannot help but feel she was striving for something more than the classic thriller. It’s clever, it’s thought provoking and it is most entertaining.

‘Once your mother has momentum no-one can beat her,’ Stan always said, and he was talking about tennis but every single thing Logan’s dad said about tennis could also be applied to life.’





This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Moriarty has done it again. Another book that you start reading thinking it will be one thing and then as the story unfolds it becomes something else

The Delaneys are a well-respected tennis loving family. When the matriarch, Joy, goes missing, all of the family secrets start to emerge.

I think Moriarty write families so well, reminding us that we only ever see the public version of other people lives, and we tend to only show the world our public side as well. The neighbours share their insights, the children share theirs, and bit by bit we get to see the bigger picture of this family.

This book is not just about a missing mother and wife, but the story of a family, showing each family member's journey getting to where they are today. Reminding us that there's always more going on in peoples lives than we can see from the outside.

🍎Apples never fall🍎

Oooh! This was the first of Liane Moriaty’s books that I have read and I really enjoyed it!!
It was a bit of a slow burn with the sense of tension and unease building steadily throughout.
+ Some great twists at the end! 🤫

This one paints the picture of a competitive, sporty family who may look picture perfect on the outside but definitely have ‘something’ going on behind closed doors 🎾🏆
This ‘something’ or ‘somethings’ are delved into really well by the author over the course of the book!

Thanks to @netgalley and @macmillanaus for allowing me to read this one - it is out now!!

I am a huge fan of Liane Moriarty, and have read all bar one of her books. I was so excited to find out she had a new book coming out this year!

The Delaneys seem to have it all. Stan and Joy had a successful tennis business that they have now sold for their retirement, and they have four successful grown up children. Everything seems to be going well, until Joy suddenly disappears - and the children don’t know whether to report it. Isn’t the husband always the prime suspect?

The books alternates between now and six months ago, and gives us insight into the Delaney’s lives. Enter a stranger, and there is intrigue and suspicion, and in typical Moriarty style, it has the reader eager to keep turning the pages.

I had high expectations for this one, and it did not disappoint. It was a bit of a slow burn, but that didn’t concern me at all - I found it set the scene well. A definite must read for all Moriarty fans!

Thanks to @netgalley and @macmillanaus for the arc!

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well, this author is one of my favourites and she definitely does not disappoint with this take about tennis, families and the nature of love and truth.

Joy and Stan ran a successful tennis training school but have now retired. With their grown-up children out of the home, Joy feels bored and restless waiting for grandchildren that seem to be a low priority for her children to produce! But one day a young girl in need of help lands on their doorstep and the whole family is thrown into turmoil.

As usual, there are plenty of secrets to uncover and a mystery to solve but the way the author weaves this family's story and the impact the small occurrences in life have upon them and the people around them is so beautifully told that the reader is invested - its an amazing talent for an author to have.

Crisp and compelling and delicious!

When Joy Delaney disappears her 4 adult children, Brooke, Troy, Amy and Logan report her as missing to the police. Rumours are rife as to what has become of Joy and suspicion is focused on her husband Stan.
As a family they are desperate to find what has happened to their mother and secrets emerge that cause them to consider where family loyalties lie.
I didn’t love this as much as her other books but was a relatively easy read.
#Netgalley #ApplesNeverFall

Joy is missing and it would seem that her husband of many years, Stan, is acting extremely guilty. Their four adult children are unsure of what to do and are all divided on what they think has happened - interestingly two of them seem to think their Dad is capable of murder.
Then you have Savannah, a young woman who stayed with Stan and Joy the previous year, who cannot be tracked down.
An intriguing mystery that takes a back seat to what this book seems to actually be about - what resentment and unsaid thoughts do to a family and .... tennis.

What I liked:
- Joy - she is such a quirky character and I truly felt for her... most of the time.
- The shifting point of view
- The character development and exploration - its sublime.

What I didn't:
- how slow the plot moves it was easy to forget at times that we were still needing to figure out the mystery of what happened to Joy (though the shifting POV did help with this.)
- Savannah - I'm not sure who would actually invite a perfect stranger to stay with them - serious RED FLAG there but maybe thats more of a personal opinion

Would I recommend? Absolutely the domestic/family drama is totally worth it.

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty was a very enjoyable read.

The story revolves around Stan and Joy Delaney, a couple of tennis tragics – having run a Tennis Academy in Sydney for many years. They have now sold their business and have four adult children, Logan, Amy, Troy and Brooke. Parents and kids alike were all terrific tennis players, just on the cusp of ‘making it’. As with any large family, there’s some interesting interplay between family members, sibling rivalries, jealousies – resentments and the parents have the usual smattering of issues you’d expect from any married couple. This alone is interesting enough for a story.

Enter Savannah, a mysterious girl who enters the lives of the Delaney family. This turns the family on its head – the reader is left guessing what this young woman is all about, why is she there?

You know, I’m not sure if it was the familiarity of Australian life (in Sydney), the sport of Tennis – which, along with cricket is a staple of the Aussie sporting diet over the summer months, or the writing. It’s probably all of these factors that made this a very enjoyable read for me. I found it fresh and lively and I was looking forward to picking it up after a day at work. The ending was a little unexpected, which was good.

If you enjoy a mystery with a good dash of family drama – you’ll probably enjoy this one.

4 Stars

Liane Moriarty, Apples Never Fall, Macmillan Australia 2021

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this Uncorrected Proof Copy for review.

I am thrilled to have received this impressive new novel from Liane Moriarty. While I have enjoyed all her novels, I was a little disappointed with Nine Perfect Strangers. However, Apples Never Fall is such a triumph, my previous disappointment is irrelevant.

Apples Never Fall is an engrossing and intelligent novel.

The prologue is impeccable, with its introduction to the intricate plotting which is a hallmark of this work. The apple motif, which is woven throughout the novel; the dramatic demise of the ‘vintage lady’s bike’; and the Australian setting with bushfires, blowflies settling on the bicycle wheel instead of a cuddly koala in a gumtree, the intrusion of a Holden Commodore V8 and its barefoot driver; and the typical knowingness of residents when their expectations are fulfilled, open the narrative. The writing is wonderful, we are immediately drawn into the scene, feel the car backing up, hear the thudding music, think about people with asthma suffering from the heavy smoke filling the city. Nothing is extraneous to the narrative with which it is the opening lob.

Characterisation is another winner, from the waitress’s observations, the patient’s overheard conversation, sibling, and parents’ responses to each other and direct commentary on their behaviour – Joy and Stan Delaney and their children, Amy, Brooke, Logan and Troy develop smoothly as people who, while complex, are also playing out family dynamics that are familiar territory. The way in which other characters are introduced, described through their activities, relationship with the Delaneys, and their involvement in the Delaney Tennis Academy is a masterpiece of plotting as well as characterisation.
Brooke’s ruminations on the physical conditions of people she observes, while pondering whether her physiotherapy business will fail, is pure comedy. Her tribulations also contribute to the building of Joy’s character, with some comic asides. The comedy is so well realised, we are compelled to laugh but the compulsion is uncomfortably wrought with the feeling that one should not - what a combination!

Tennis has been the Delaney’s life, from when Joy and Stan met over an impressive serve and a decisive volley. The game, with its back and forth, love all, game set and match; the children’s participation (but not to star level); the possibility of a star to coach unrealised; sale of the business; and an uneasy retirement provides the background to a story that becomes a drama when Savannah knocks on the Delaney’s door. An escapee from an abusive relationship, she is a welcome addition to Joy’s empty nest. The drama is intensified when it becomes clear that the earlier overheard conversations are about a disappearance. Joy, after leaving a cryptic text message (received by the children, but not Stan who does not deign to have a mobile phone) disappears.

From the bicycle flung by the roadside, the apples ready to rot in the heat and the background of the bushfires at the beginning of the novel, the Delaney’s domestic drama almost seems to be played out on tennis court of one Australian dream. Although there are larger social issues on the side-lines their impact is muted by the close-knit reality of the Delaney family. The insidious drama of the Covid 19 pandemic opens the narrative to a world beyond the tennis court, and onto another family life. While the pandemic also has a domestic image as a plane takes off under imperfect conditions with masks itching and glasses fogging – the ramifications are dangerous. Similarly, domestic drama takes an ominous turn as a young woman relives her past. The Delaney family back and forth, played out so well within the confines of the court has no relevance here. The novel ends with completion of the plot ingeniously devised to give an alternative view to a domestic drama that has been playing alongside that of the Delaney’s from the start.

Apples Never Fall is an excellent read. And another would not go astray. There is so much to be unpicked, clues to devour, smart plot lines to savour. I shall enjoy re-reading this novel and feel tempted to return to Liane Moriarty’s earlier work as well.

As always, Liane Moriarty writes with enormous insight about families. Her characterization is superb. This story about Joy and Stan Delaney, who have recently retired from running their own tennis school, and their struggle to cope with 'nothing important to do' will resonate with many readers. Joy finds herself worrying about their four adult children's lives, who all have issues in one way or other, and Stan is obsessed with a tennis star he once trained but who left him for another trainer before he became a star.

The plot is rather convoluted, involving a strange young woman, Savannah, showing up at Joy and Stan's home, and later, the family's rather delayed concerns when uncharacteristically, Joy disappears. The twists are unexpected.

I think most readers will recognise themselves or their parents or children in many of the funny and heart-warming moments in the family's interactions. The ridiculousness of the pressures the family all grow up with in the competitive world of tennis comes through loud and clear. It could no doubt be generalised to other sports, such as swimming, football etc etc. and the pressures young people

The last chapter seemed tacked on (and indeed from her appearance onwards, Savannah was the least believable character) and it is a grim thought that every book from now on that goes anywhere near the years 0f 2020/2021 will have to have a Covid spin. It didn't seem necessary in this novel. I think it would have been better without those Covid references.

I am happy to recommend this book. Thank you Pan McMillan and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this digital ARC.