"Party of Liars" by Kelsey Cox offers an intriguing premise with a mix of mystery, deception, and romance, but it doesn’t fully deliver on its potential. The story has its strengths—particularly in its atmospheric setting and the secrets that slowly unravel—but the pacing felt uneven, and some plot twists were predictable. While the characters had compelling backstories, their development at times felt shallow, making it harder to connect with them emotionally.

That said, Cox’s writing style is engaging, and the book keeps you turning pages, even if some aspects feel a bit undercooked. If you enjoy drama-filled mysteries with a touch of romance, this might still be worth a read, but it may not leave a lasting impact.

If you’re craving a fast paced, juicy thriller, Party of Liars needs to be on your summer TBR. Kelsey Cox absolutely nails the locked room whodunnit vibe, but with a fresh and modern edge. The story begins with a glamorous party and quickly spirals into chaos when a body quite literally crashes the celebration. From there, it’s a tangled web of secrets and betrayals. I loved the multiple POV’s, as each character has something to hide. Totally addictive and impossible to put down!

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.







I love a debut authors especially when a book is so good you can’t put it down that you read it in one sitting because you have to know what happens at the end. but the TWIST OMG I didn’t see it coming

Meh. This was okay. I was interested in who died (you don't find out until the end), which was why I kept reading, but overall an underwhelming book with very one-dimensional characters and a couple of twists that didn't make sense.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free review copy.

This was a fantastic read, and it's a debut?! I was shocked to to find that out! The multiple POVs and short chapters made this a quick and engaging read. That twist GOT ME!!! Highly recommend this one!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
Wow, this is an amazing read, I'm so glad the author decided not to give up on writing!
Everything works in this book: the characters each getting their own chapters, the whole set-up of the book
that makes it impossible to put down and the shocking and super ending.
I really loved the book, it's hard to believe it's Kelsey Cox's 1st book, can't wait for no. 2!

ARC Review through NetGalley. This book had more than a couple twists I didn’t see coming. Even though it’s a fast paced thriller on the shorter side, I do think it could have been shorter and still been just as good. I will read more from this author 😊

I went into this with low expectations. I wasn’t familiar with the title or author—just looking for a thrilling read. I was surprised to find myself completely pulled in and riveted till the end.

This multiple POV story takes place during Sophie’s sweet sixteen birthday party which ends in death. Honestly, teenagers and parties aren’t the type of subjects to lure me in. So I was caught off guard to find an emotional exploration of postpartum motherhood and tense family dynamics. The undercurrent of a supernatural force made for a spooky atmosphere which I really enjoyed. As far as characters go, unassuming Orlaith is my favorite. Her musings on the hardships of motherhood made me shed a few tears.

With plenty of twists and red herrings, I wasn’t able to fully predict the ending. I highly recommend if you’re looking for a mystery populated with women in all their glorious strengths and weaknesses. I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for more from Kelsey Cox!

I read this one and listened to the audiobook as well. Loved it! Everyone has so many secrets they are hiding and the end is surprising. Kept me interested the entire time and I like the different points of view as well. Awesome book.

Told from multiple POVs, Party of Liars is a fast, fun read about a Sweet 16 party gone wrong! I went through several theories about what might happen to who while reading this and definitely enjoyed the story

By the end of the night somebody will turn up dead. Who and why we don’t know yet. But the plot definitely gives room for multiple potentials, it could be absolutely anybody and everyone would have some sort of motive.

I loved how complex the plot was and even though you could potentially class this as a slow burn giving the majority of the book focuses on a singular evening, the pacing of the book in no way felt slow, I was fully invested in turning the pages and reading more and more.

Wow! This was soooo not what I was expecting. Party of Liars is not just an elaborate ‘Sweet 16’ birthday party goes wrong. This is fast paced with multiple POVs and identified timelines. Pay attention! There’s lots going on and a lot of characters to keep track of; they all play significant roles. The ending caught me by surprise! Grab a glass of your favourite beverage and prepare to read cover to cover- fast!
-I had the good fortune of receiving the audiobook as well as an invite to read the ebook. I alternated between listening and reading. Although I often tend to favour listening to an audiobook, this time I found reading the text made it easier to keep everyone and everything going on..
Thank You to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the invitation to read and enjoy this ARC.

fun, well-written thriller where a party goes very, very twisty. good writing style. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Review of The Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox is a gripping and thought-provoking novel that kept me hooked from start to finish. The story is told from multiple points of view, which adds depth and intrigue to the plot as we see the events unfold through different lenses. I particularly enjoyed the two wife characters' perspectives – their contrasting experiences and emotional journeys were compelling and added layers to the narrative.

By the end of the book, the nanny had surprisingly become my favorite character. I am so glad with the way her story ends for her, and I love that she has Dani and Charlotte.

The wrap-up was satisfying and tied everything together perfectly, leaving me with a sense of resolution without feeling rushed. I read another review that said they didn’t like the end- and I completely disagree.. I love the resolution. Overall, The Party of Liars is a fantastic read, and I highly recommend it!

This book was better than I expected! The audio was amazing, with its unexpected pops and twists. It’s a mix of everything—lies, betrayal, mystery, suspense, and a unique blend of a young adult and motherhood perspective. While there are moments that might feel a bit unnecessary, they likely serve to keep you guessing and build curiosity. You’re hooked the entire time, and just when you think you've figured it out, another twist is revealed at the very end!


Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC!

Party of Liars is a fast, fun read with multiple perspectives about a Sweet 16 party gone wrong. It’s an impressive debut! This murder mystery, set at a party in a supposedly haunted house, kept me hooked.

The mix of YA and adult storylines was great, appealing to both groups. I enjoyed how all the stories came together in the end, and while the conclusion was somewhat predictable, there were still surprising twists. It did take me a few chapters to get into it and figure out the characters, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down!

This ten-gallon thriller proves that everything is bigger in Texas, including the revenge we seek.

Kelsey Cox's debut novel, Party of Liars, is a bang-on pick for fans of Lucy Foley: Start with a glossy manor with a macabre past. Enter a lavish party where it feels like the whole town has arrived. But unlike Foley's English, rural, contemporary-yet-Christie-esque settings, let's kick this one off in Texas, where the celebration revolves around a Sweet Sixteen dripping in excess. Our narrators all orbit around Sophie Matthew on her special day: There's her mother, the drunk divorcee, Kim. There's Mikayla, her best friend with a dark secret. There's her stepmother, the much younger and trendier Dani. And there's Orlaith, Sophie's (muuuuuch younger) half-sister's nanny. As the guests, all dolled up and ready to get liquored up, roll into Sophie's dad's house for her soiree, it becomes clear that not everyone has arrived with the best intentions. Someone knows a dark secret in the Matthews household. And murder is the only way to fix the problem.

I've already mentioned above that Foley fans will find much to savor here, and if I have any note on this one, its that perhaps, structurally, this novel is almost a Foley knock-off, with a revolving door of suspicious narrators, a dead body whose identity remains unknown, and a tense build-up to the explosive end where the victim's actions are revealed to be great motivation for any of the characters to be vengeful. BUT, to that same (almost) criticism, there is flattery in imitating something great for genre fiction readers. After all, much like Foley's The Guest List, this one does leave you truly guessing. When the pieces start to come together, it's a delicious reveal. And the final pages offer an explosive twist that makes the story even more rewarding. This novel's last third is by far its strongest, leaving readers with a super satisfying popcorn thrill ride that suggests that Cox, just starting out, could have a big career in publishing ahead of her.

Set in Texas during a lavish Sweet 16 birthday celebration, Party of Liars is a moody and mysterious thriller. The book opens with a body falling from the balcony. Who was it? What happened?

-Whodunit
-Timeline jumps
-Multiple POV
-Family secrets

Party of Liars is a strong debut novel! I loved the different stories being woven together. I did feel like the beginning was a bit slow, but it picked up in the last half and I was riveted! I was particularly drawn to Orlaith’s story. I’m looking forward to more from Kelsey Cox!

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox was one of those psychological thrillers that kept me guessing until close to the end. Books like this are hard to put down and keep me until late at night.

The characterization was well done showing many sides of the main people in the story. I appreciated how the author showed the different aspects as the story went deeper into their lives. Often authors of books like this twist and turn the events leaving me feeling like I really didn't know anyone in the story very well. But then again, life is like that too.

I recommend this story.

I thought this book was an interesting read, but it didn’t fully captivate me. I felt the premise had a lot of potential—the exclusive black-tie party at a supposedly haunted mansion, the dramatic fall of a body onto the dance floor, and the tension between the guests all set the stage for a compelling mystery. I appreciated how the story introduced Dani, Órlaith, Mikayla, and Kim as characters with distinct backstories and motivations. I felt their perspectives added intrigue, but at times, I struggled to stay fully engaged. I thought the mystery surrounding the body’s fall and the secrets among the characters had moments of suspense, but I wanted more depth and development in some areas. I found myself wishing the pacing were a bit tighter. I felt there were moments where the narrative dragged or got bogged down in details that didn’t add much to the overall plot. While the twists and turns kept me guessing, I didn’t feel as connected to the characters or their motivations as I had hoped. For me, the story fell short in building the emotional stakes that would have made the ending more impactful.

Overall, I thought this book had an engaging concept, but it wasn’t my favorite read. I felt the mystery had its moments and the setting was memorable, but I didn’t find myself as immersed in the story or characters as I wanted to be. It was enjoyable enough, but it didn’t quite leave a lasting impression.

Thank you, NetGalley and Saint Martin’s Press for this ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to see what else this Author has in store for us !. This book was awesome. I loved the premise of Texas~ go bigger or go home. Sophie sweet 16 is definitely a go big or go home party. I loved learning about each of the four suspects. I love the suspense. I loved the mystery. I loved the drama and the revenge and the jealousy all wrapped up into this amazing story. It had me from page one and I was gripped until the end. I highly recommend this book for people that love, thriller ,Whodunnit mystery books.!