A thank you to @kelseycoxwriter @minotaur_books and @stmartinspress for #gifted the e-book and @macmillan.audio #MacAudio2025 for the #gifted audiobook!

This gripping thriller kept me on the edge of my seat from the very first page.

What begins as a charming sweet sixteen birthday party for Sophie Matthews spirals into chaos with an unexpected death, unveiling a web of secrets that gradually come to light.

This fast-paced novel unfolds through the perspectives of Kim, the ex-wife; Dani, the new, younger wife and mother; Órlaith, the devoted nanny; Mikayla, Sophie’s loyal best friend; and Ethan, the husband and father. The narrative expertly weaves between the moments leading up to the party and the aftermath, revolving around a shocking body that plunges from the balcony during the celebration.

With jaw-dropping twists and revelations that consistently caught me off guard, the author has crafted an intense narrative that brilliantly interlaces numerous secrets. I was captivated by how the distinct viewpoints intertwined the timeline, enriching my understanding of each character's emotional depth. The mystery of who has died and the reasons behind it kept me guessing—anyone could be the victim, and everyone had their own motive.

The narrators delivered phenomenal performances, breathing life into the characters and capturing the raw emotions as the secrets unfolded.

If you crave thrillers packed with surprising twists, this is the book you’ve been waiting for. Mark your calendars for July 1, 2025, when this unmissable read hits the shelves!

Party of Liars is a debut that delivers everything it promises on a silver platter.

A sweet sixteen turns in a bloody nightmare when someone falls from the balcony. It's garish, bloody, and so so so good. This book is full of so many different narrators, it's fast-paced and it has rich people misbehaving. There's lies, drama, tension, jealousy. If you want a book you can bury your nose in and finish without even realizing it, Party of Liars is it.

One of the best thriller debuts I"ve read in a while! Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the arc!

I’d heard good things about Part of Liars and it delivered. It did a great job of bread-crumbing out clues which I’m a fan of and it made me doubt my opinions of the characters as I learned more about them, but I was still caught off guard by how things turned out.

I enjoyed that the story was from four perspectives — the new wife, the first wife, the nanny and the daughter’s best friend. Together they told a complete version of the events and the backstory that leads to the fatal night.

Surpassed my expectations

PARTY OF LIARS
BY: KELSEY COX

I seldom rate a novel that I read this low which I always feel bad about doing, but this either wasn't for me even though I'm usually the one that appreciates an innovative approach. I love the premise and I do love character driven Literary fiction. This is obvious not that, but it seemed more character driven than plot driven and it added very little focus to keep my interest since it seemed to try to do to much and it suffered from not enough of what the premise was based on that had potential. I expect that this suffered even though I know the writing device could have used more interesting ways of describing the characters since it seemed to fail to develop these characters without saying the same thing too many times about all the characters to the point that made them tedious. This can be done to deepen the connection to the reader with depth which none did. I'm aware that this isn't supposed to be character driven for the genre. If you're writing a plot driven narrative it lacked intensity without enough substance to move it forward to keep me engaged. I thought there were times when I felt that I had been enjoying it, but since the point of this review is to give honest feedback I will. The synopsis is one I read and I only did since I'm unfamiliar with this author. My opinion was that I lost my patience with it since if I had to summarize it is that it wasn't pulse pounding or suspenseful and by that it had me at 50% with me thinking that please get to the point for the genre you're writing in since this was super repetitive about characters without depth to appreciate the writing. I expected it to be more interesting for a book that has cliff hanger short chapters. That should drive the plot forward for a novel that is marketed in the Mystery/Thriller genre especially a Gothic type. Instead this was circling backward just when it should hook you it would annoy me since the surface level traits were too trite and banal that by 51% of hints or red herrings I was disappointed that it lacked suspense. It was one that I should be more drawn into the storytelling for something that you know should have happened to justify the page length that for this genre of mystery it kept circling back to a different character's concerns or thoughts. That would be appropriate if these characters had depth and layers, but to me they just got me feeling annoyed. Instead of the suspense I should feel I have to be honest and say that I have read other books that this technique or writing device works well. I think that repetition can work to draw me in deeper if it's narrative is not so dull and this just felt that it lacked from too much of not enough intriguing character development to the point of making me care since these characters were flat and one dimensional. I think if this repetitious characterization is going to succeed it needs to add more layers and this neither delivered on capturing me emotionally which is fine for this genre if the plot actually propels a mystery that didn't happen soon enough. I've read the entire book and it was a struggle. I could have given a plot summary because I empathize with a debut writer and this said the same thing that my opinion is that this felt like it suffers from the kitchen sink syndrome. I urge others to read other reviews because some people really loved it which I'm honestly finding that makes me happy, but it may be it just wasn't the right fit for me. I rarely find that I have rated a clever premise this low so it could be that it is just not a good fit for me. I hope that the timing was bad, but I'm wishing the author and St. Martin's Press my best wishes and thanks for generously sharing this ARC with me.

Sophie's dad has spared no expense for her sweet 16 party so when a body falls free from a balcony, everyone is a suspect. This twisty tale was had to put down.

I really liked this one! Multiple POVs that give a different perspective of everything that happens at the party, leading up to one fatal event. I kept guessing what was going to happen and, while I got a few things right, there were so many surprises that happened too!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars. I couldn't put this book down! Short chapters, multiple POVs, everyone has secrets and they all become unreliable. A sweet 16 party becomes deadly but it's anyone's guess at who is dead until the very end. Everyone has motive as a negative web of lies unfolds. It was so well done!! Highly recommend if you like thrillers!!

A lavish sweet sixteen party was turned deadly when a murder happens, the party is full of lots of secrets and liars …. I really wanted to love the one as the synopsis sounds like something right up my alley! Sadly, it was a bit of a miss for me!

The book has a bit of a slower start, the book is told from four different POVs which I usually like, but I feel like too much time at the beginning was set giving character development and background information, and not enough happening in the present!

I felt like most of it dragged and then everything happened in the last 10% of the book! I just wanted more throughout the entire book, there were also a few parts that were just a bit icky for me!

🥳pub day: July 1

Thanks so much for my advanced copy!! @stmartinspress @minotaur_books

my rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sophie Matthews’ extravagant Sweet Sixteen takes a tragic turn when, just after she blows out her birthday candles, a body falls from the balcony and crashing the celebration in the most horrifying way possible.

The party is hosted at her father Ethan’s newly renovated mansion, perched high on a hill in Texas Hill Country. With its glass wall and lavish interior, the home has long sparked rumors: some say it’s haunted, others just say it’s cursed. But tonight, for the first time, guests get a full view inside.

Among those attending are Sophie’s close-knit but complicated group of friends, Sophie’s mother whom is Ethan’s unstable, emotionally volatile ex-wife Kim, and Dani. Dani is Ethan’s new wife and Sophie’s stepmother, still adjusting to motherhood and battling her own dark thoughts. Then there’s the mysterious nanny, Órlaith, whose obsession with the house’s ghost stories blurs the line between superstition and danger.

Told through alternating points of view and shifting timelines (“Before” and “After” the fatal fall), Party of Liars slowly untangles the twisted web of secrets, betrayals, and resentments each character carries. Everyone has something to hide. And in a house where nothing is quite as it seems, the truth is as fragile, and dangerous, as glass.

Kelsey Cox delivers a slow-burning psychological thriller that explores the lies people tell to protect themselves and the ones they love. With its mix of family drama, teen dynamics, and eerie atmosphere, this novel is as emotionally charged as it is suspenseful.

I enjoyed this book. It continuously built suspense and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time trying to figure out who died and who did it. The book sometimes dragged a little and there were too many plot lines for me but I liked the way that it tied together in the end.

Sophie Matthews’ sixteenth birthday party is an exclusive bash in the heart of Texas Hill Country, and Sophie’s dad has spared no expense. Among the attendees are Dani, her dad's young second wife as well as his ex-wife, Kim, who is Sophie's mother. Dani and Ethan have a young baby and a superstitious Irish nanny to help out with her. Enough said. Avoid reading too much about the book if you intend to read it.

Talk about rich people behaving badly! Too much alcohol, long-held resentments and jealousies, so much gossip and back-stabbing, it's hard to know where to look next. The story is told from the points of view of a number of characters before the party, during the party and after the party. There are hints of the supernatural but, for those readers (like me) who are not fans of this device, nothing overt. It took a while for the story to pick up and draw me in but there's lots of drama and secrets. I really enjoyed reading this book and rate it at 4.5 stars, rounded down. I understand this is the author's debut novel and it's a very impressive debut.

TW: There are some triggers including alcoholism, post-partum depression, mental health issues and others.

Thank you to Minotaur Books, via Netgalley, for inviting me to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: July 1, 2025

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A sweet sixteen gone wrong 🍾🎂☠️

I was hesitant about this at first with the main plot centered around a sweet sixteen, thinking it might feel more Young Adult, but this book has DRAMA and all the suspense. I enjoyed the multiple POV- The nanny was so mysterious, the mom was a total reck, the best friend so innocent (or is she). I would say this is a little bit of a slow burn but the story plot and character development had me hooked the whole time. Some of the twists were a little predictable but the big twist at the end had me shocked! This is a fun & quick read to add to your TBR

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars

It’s Sophie’s 16th birthday and her dad and young stepmom are hosting at their hilltop mansion. A mansion that is allegedly haunted. This isn’t a haunting book, but it is a book about people with secrets. Fueled by alcohol, both the teens and adults get progressively drunker and more deceptive throughout the evening, culminating in the death of one partygoer.

Personally, I thought this book was a little slow, but there were done small twists peppered throughout the book. I liked the ending 80 pages, which is why I bumped up by 1/2 a star.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a copy of this novel.

Party of Liars is a razor-sharp, slow-burning thriller set against the glittering backdrop of a Texas mansion with secrets buried deeper than the wine cellar. Kelsey Cox delivers a gripping whodunit filled with shifting perspectives, buried grudges, and a chilling sense of unease that builds with every chapter.

The story kicks off with an extravagant sweet sixteen that quickly turns deadly, and from there, the twists don’t stop coming. Each character, especially Dani, Órlaith, Mikayla, and Kim, is layered with motives and misdirection, making it genuinely hard to know who to trust. Cox is particularly skilled at weaving domestic drama with psychological suspense full of the weight of lies and betrayal.

Highly recommend!

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books in exchange for my honest review.

A glitzy fast-paced spin on the classic locked-room mystery. A Sweet Sixteen in a possibly haunted Texas mansion? YES, please! I loved how secrets unraveled and the motives surfaced. I also really enjoyed the multiple POV twisty writing style and oh! So much drama! This is perfect for fans of juicy whodunnits with a dark, glamorous edge.

Thank you to Minotaur Books via netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review was posted (Instagram, Goodreads, bookishlytara blog, Storygraph) on July 5, 2025. An additional post (with a reposted review) was posted on Instagram on the publication day as well as an Amazon Canada review. (links below

Layered with palpable foreboding and eye-popping secrets, Party of Liars delivered a locked-room whodunnit that was impossible to see coming. From the short, cliffhanger chapters to the just-maybe-supernatural subplot, I couldn’t put the book down and ended up finishing it in well under twenty-four hours. You see, the constant sense of something big coming up just around the bend had me reading one more chapter over and over. It wasn’t until the climax and its series of thoroughly chilling reveals, though, that I was won over completely. After all, the earth-shattering twists took a good book and made it into a truly unforgettable read.

The second biggest win in this suspense/thriller was easily the transformation of each and every character as the plot rolled along. You see, I started off either disliking, not trusting, or outright judging most of them in the beginning. The more I learned, though, the more that I grew to love each of them in turn. With believable motivations within a backdrop of manipulative lies, they felt fully fleshed out—even if they also came with just enough fictional flair to make them all sing. And while I would coin this book a slow burn, the buildup of their various missteps and traumas along with the constant sense of unease meant a book that I just couldn’t put down.

All said and done, thanks to a complex, onion-like plot and the potential for the bad guy to be just about anyone in the cast, I couldn’t have figured this one out no matter how hard I tried. What really got me in the end, though, was the depth of the characters and the psychological insights gleaned by the author. Exploring motherhood, friendship, and the question of listening to one’s instincts, not only was the plot full of plenty of chills and thrills, but it delivered a story that made me think as I read along. So if you’re looking for a book filled with complex group dynamics and memorable characters, you’re going to want to grab this debut ASAP. Rating of 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Kelsey Cox, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for my complimentary physical and digital copies. All opinions are my own.

What a great title. No one and nothing is as it seems. The story starts off with a scream and keeps you engaged try8ng to determine what happened. The nanny Orlaith was my fav. Great twist at the end.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox is a jaw-dropping, binge-worthy thriller that had me hooked from page one. The story is packed with juicy secrets and dark truths that slowly unravel in the most satisfying way. Each character is layered and complex, making you question everyone’s motives right up until the final, mind-blowing twist.

Kelsey Cox does a phenomenal job weaving suspense with emotion—there were moments I was gasping, and others I was completely heartbroken. Just when you think you have it figured out, the story takes another unexpected turn.

If you love thrillers with strong female leads, messy secrets, and a plot that keeps you guessing, Party of Liars is an absolute must-read.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur books for this book. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.


This book has rich people drama and tells the tale of a series of events that lead to someone’s death and the manipulations of one man to three different woman and the chain of events that caused his downfall. In this book we are following Dani, Kim, Orlaith, and Mikayla. Dani is a new mother who seems to be suffering from postpartum depression and believes that she is seeing a ghost of a woman named The Mother who fell off a balcony after her infant daughter died. But after reading parts of the past and present leading to the Sweet Sixteen birthday party of Kim’s daughter with Ethan, Nicole. We find out what ultimately led to Ethan’s death and the manipulation that Ethan used on both Kim and Dani and Orlaith’s daughter who was engaged to Ethan and later killed in a car accident. Dani realizes that Ethan had been manipulating her and that her brain made her forget until the night of Nicole’s party. There are twists and turns throughout this book that I thought was beautifully done.

Multiple POV thriller that takes place at a sweet sixteen . All through the book I kept thinking “ don’t let it be what i think it is …” ( this is all i can say without spoilers) and it was what I thought it was so honestly the book lost a half a star because of it !

My rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫