4.5 stars!!!

This one was such a quick paced thriller for me. If you like The Guest List, locked room thrillers, or multiple POVS, you may like this book!

Sophia is turning 16. Her dad and stepmom are throwing her an extravagant birthday party. Screams are heard and someone is found dead. Who is it and what happened? We have a non-linear time line, multiple views, and multiple suspects.

The author had me guessing for a while! Then she hits you with a twist, that I wasn't expecting. You try to connect who did what and the ending goes by quickly! Told from the mom, step-mom, nanny, and best friends perspective, you see where everyone is paying attention.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

The perfect summer domestic thrill! Sophie is having a sweet sixteen and a whole cast of suspicious characters are in attendance. When something tragic happens, the reader is left wondering whodunnit. From the suspicious Irish nanny to the ex wife and the flirtatious friend, the reader will be questioning the entire party of liars. I enjoyed the dual timeline of before and after the party and the multiple POVs. The twisty ending is the perfect way to wrap up this party.

Meet the characters of this excellent and engaging book.
Ethan a master manipulator
Kim his alcoholic ex-wife
Dani his adoring new wife
Sophi daughter of Ethan and Kim
Mikayla Sophi’s BFF
Orlaith nanny to Charlotte, Ethan and Dani’s newborn
Secrets, toxic relationships, wild teenagers, so called therapists and gossip ridden friends and neighbors all thrown together for a sweet sixteen birthday celebration. But there is nothing sweet about the innuendos and tension of the multilayered characters and when a death occurs only the shadows of horror remain.
Fast paced and multi layered with characters that seem to define unpleasantness and mystery. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Minotaur Books for this EArc. This review is my honest opinion.

I want to thank Net Galley thru St. Martins for this ARC in exchange for a truthful review. I downloaded this book May 6th, 2025 and finished June 12th. This is important because those who have read my other reviews know I never not finish a book even if I hate it and usually once I start a mystery it takes me a few days to read.
This book created so many emotions that it was a roller coaster ride forcing me to put it down for a few days while I absorbed the plot which shook me to my sole.. What I thought was a slow developing story is a well written and extremely provocative mystery.
There are a slew of characters that will pique your interest. Sophie Matthews, a 16-year-old. female preparing to celebrate her sweet sixteen will spark your interest as the adult world around her implodes. No fears this is no young adult mystery with themes being developed that are modern, deep, and provocative to say the least. If you are like me, many times your head will ache trying to sort this out, but you will have many “aha” moments. In the end you will say “WOW”.
Not a light mystery

Party of Liars completely pulled me in with its mix of gossip, secrets, and that perfect “everyone’s hiding something” energy. It starts with a mysterious death at a party, and from there it turns into this twisty, drama-packed ride where you’re constantly second-guessing everyone. I felt like I was eavesdropping on the juiciest, most dangerous group chat imaginable.

The characters are messy in the best way. Some I loved, some I seriously side-eyed, and all of them kept me hooked. There’s something so fun about trying to piece everything together while also watching friendships unravel and alliances shift. It gave me Pretty Little Liars vibes but with its own fresh spin.

If you’re into fast reads with scandal, suspense, and just the right dose of teen chaos, Party of Liars delivers. I couldn’t stop flipping the pages and definitely didn’t see the ending coming.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Kelsey Cox for an ARC of Party of Liars! When the twists start coming they don’t stop coming. I’m still trying to pick up my jaw. The beginning was a slow burn a bit - but the second half just keeps coming at you. I love the different perspectives - you hear from the birthday girls mom, Kim, the step mom, Dani, the nanny, Órlaith, and the best friend, Mikayla. I loved the layout of their chapters where it was present and past then present again. The only part that is slightly overdone is the description of the house. It is in fact amazing - but I kept going more story lol! The story majorly takes place on Sophie’s 16th birthday party at her father and step mother’s big house on the hill that is supposedly haunted by the mother. Someone screams and there is a loud crash and a fall. We follow through the party and the lies that are unfolding. Kim and her drinking and grudges, Dani and her postpartum, Mikayla and the darkness in her, Órlaith and her stories and superstitions. Not everyone is going to leave this party alive or with their secrets.

If you are a fan of twisty storylines and convincing yourself the killer is someone, only to be surprised by the real story THIS IS FOR YOU! Thank you to Netgalley, Kelsey and her amazing team Minotaur Books for the eARC in return for an honest review! This is a SMASH!

What To Expect:
⭐ Multiple POV
⭐ Dual Timelines
⭐ Ex-Wife and Younger Current Wife Drama
⭐ Story line of teenage daughter & friends
⭐ Twisted storylines
⭐ A very twisted spouse who will surprise all of us in the end

TW:
There are discussions of an older male with a 16 year old caught in inappropriate relations.
Postpartum Depression after giving birth.
Teenagers abusing alcohol and drugs.

My Thoughts:
WHOA. The ending of this story will blow you out of the water. The way it all falls together through the eyes of the multiple main characters is incredible. You have to stay focused on the story through each chapter as they are all different POVs but also different story lines being built. From the nanny to both ex & current wives all having back stories to tell, history to share and all tied in to the current story. There is heart break, concern for a new mom and growing concern for all the guests in attendance at the event that is the main focus of the story. Amongst so much more!

You will be questioning who the body is that the police are called for. You will be questioning who could have caused such a terrible thing to happen. You will be wondering who is really to blame for ALL the issues that seem to be happening. Is it really paranormal or the story that has plagued the house and town where the event takes place? So many questions are asked and eventually answered BUT it will surprise you WHO and HOW they all ended up where they are at the end of the book!!!

All the characters are well developed, the storyline though twisty is well organized and well written. You don't feel lost or as though something was thrown in as an afterthought. Each scene depicted makes you feel as though you are standing in the room with each character. The lipstick writing on the mirror had me feeling as though I was losing my mind with the main character! Along with so many other scenes including the details about the house! The view alone sounds magnificent!

Ugh just so so good!

Also if you struggle with following dual POVs and multiple storylines when physically reading the audiobook is a 10/10! The audiobook team is incredible! Giving each character their own voice and tempo to the story really helps each storyline stand on their own. Cheers to the entire narration team: Dan Bittner, Kate Handford, Pearl Hewitt, Saskia Maarleveld and Suzy Jackson you were all absolutely amazing in your delivery of your characters and the scenes unfolding with them! LOVED IT ALL!

Synopsis:
oday 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—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.

It's Sophie's 16th birthday. Her parents are split up, her dad lives in a jumbo dollhouse on a hill, and is classically remarried with a new baby. Sophie's mom, Kim, has a drinking problem, and her stepmom, Dani, might be crazy.

Is it the house? The house was originally built in the 1800s, was insanely large, and a young mother jumped to her death after her child died. The house sat abandoned until Kim and Ethan purchased it and began to renovate it. But somehow this ginormous house was both towering over the town and in a neighborhood with a cattle ranch and a bunch of other mcmansions. And the house was haunted, because of course it was.

This was the most boring, anticlimactic, drawn out, and exhausting not a thriller. There were so many POVs and characters and back story and hints at more interesting things that never really came to be that it was a struggle to get through it. Most of the stuff didn't even matter in the end, and not in a mysterious fun way, just a filling up the page way.

I really had to fight my way through this one. I did not particularly care how it ended, and once it finally came down to what happened, it was kind of a let down actually. This is more character driven than plot driven, but for that to work the characters need to be more interesting, and this was a huge miss for me.

4.5⭐️

This was an enjoyable thriller! Themes of revenge, supernatural elements, and flawed characters combined to form an intriguing plot. Themes twists were subtle, but well done.

I will preface this review by stating I am generally a lover of domestic thrillers so I sort of feel like I was destined to enjoy this book. It had all of the necessary components for a good domestic thriller- drama, lies, shady pasts, and murder. There were several good twists and an ending that was truly satisfying. I deducted one star simply for how utterly annoying and pretentious all of the teens in the story were- they were so easy to hate! 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this novel.

Party of liars by Kelsey Cox was a story of love jealousy and a little crazy. A sweet 16 party turns deadly who could the suspect be. We have Ethan the father who likes to have control over his wives. His wife.Dani who just had a baby Charlotte and doesn’t seem to have control over her own life any longer. Then there is Ethan’s ex-wife Kim who tends to drink a lot, but is this really her problem or is somebody out to get her? Then there is Orlaith the nanny. She has a hidden story. What is her connection with Ethan and his wives? What can she be hiding? Then there is.Milayla the birthday girl Sophie oldest friend. What connection does she have to Ethan?

Everyone seems to be having a great time at the sweet 16 but that things start to get a little strange. Kim is drinking as usual but she starts remembering things from the past. Is it because she’s in this house that she and Ethan built from scratch? Or are these thoughts and visions that she’s having? Are they in the present? Is someone trying to hurt her? Then there is. Dani who knows things aren’t right. She’s been getting weird messages about her living in this house. Who was trying to scare her? Did these thoughts that she is having are they real or is she imagining it? Can she trust the nanny who she feels is always in her space. How are all of these women tied together? there are many questions to answer and the ending will answer everything for you with a big twist.

It enjoyed this book. I love a good twist and turn. My only problem with this book is that I wish it was a little shorter. I sometimes got lost. They were too many time frames and people thrown in and I was getting a little confused. Other than that, I love the characters I love the way it was written, and like I said, I loved my twist and turns

Thank you Storm and NetGalley for the arc. A four star review for Ms. Cox. Looking forward to her next book.

I fairly enjoyed this thriller but, I’m not a huge fan of paranormal elements in a thriller. It threw off the story for me.

This one started off strong, but then ended just ok. I am not usually one for superstitious characters so that didn't work for me. The nanny's POV didn't really come together IMO until the end.

Ethan is a psychiatrist who seems to be drawn to unstable women. His first wife Kim became an alcoholic, losing not only her practice and her license, but her husband and her home as well, leaving her bitter and vengeful towards Ethan.
Ethan's new twenty-seven year old wife Dani is an accomplished baker, but since having her newborn baby, Charlotte, has become severely depressed and she fears she might hurt her own child.
Most claim it's the house they live in. That it's haunted by The Mother who is claiming what is hers. But that doesn't stop Ethan from throwing a party for his daughter Chloe.
With the entire neighborhood in attendance, someone ends up dead and you will be shocked to find out who and why.
This book was an absolute page-turner and the ending will leave you in total surprise.

Thank you to Netgalley, Minotaur, Macmillan Audio and Kelsey Cox for the ARC/ALC!

Sophie Matthews’ sweet sixteen birthday party is the event of the season. Her father has spared no expense in the party at his cliffside home (which, rumor has it, was haunted). Nobody expects a body to fall from the balcony before the birthday girl can make a wish…

This was a fun thriller full of intriguing characters. Dani, Sophie’s stepmother, is grappling to find herself after having a baby. This I could relate to deeply, as a mom myself; that feeling of losing the old version or yourself and in a sense of being born again yourself. She had to contend with a husband who was overly cautious of her condition, an ex-wife (Kim), who won’t let go of the past, and a nanny (Orlaith), who meddles where she doesn’t belong. Told through multiple points of view, little pieces of the puzzle are revealed. And the title holds true - every single one of these characters is lying in some way, shape or form, and that made for one entertaining thriller! Twisty and with short chapters, this took bingeworthy to a new level! I easily could have read it in one night if it wasn’t for real life - lol! The ending also really threw me for a loop - I didn’t see it coming at all - brilliantly executed! I can’t wait to see what this author comes out with next. On audio, with a full cast, this book truly came to life!

“Party of Liars” releases July 1, 2025. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

An over the top sweet 16 party goes awry when one of the guests turns up dead. This is how the story opens and I love the structure of the novel as it works backwards from there. This one gave me major Big Little Lies vibes since the identity of the deceased is kept a mystery. The story unfolds through the perspectives and backstories of several different characters at the party. From the guest of honor, her best friend, her father and his new young wife, her disgraced mother, and the odd nanny, there are plenty of unlikeable characters, rich people behaving badly, teen drama, and an unsettling foreboding to keep the pages turning quickly. I enjoyed this fun summer read and recommend to those who like locked room mysteries, Big Little Lies, and are OK with darker themes (postpartum depression, alcoholism, and others that I won’t know for fear of spoilers).

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

It’s Sophie Matthew’s sixteenth birthday party hosted by her father at his luxurious home rumored to be haunted by a woman who had killed herself after losing her child to death. Will a similar fate happen to Sophie’s baby step-sister who is currently living in the haunted home? Dani, Sophie’s stepmother says she is seeing and hearing the rumored ghost and Dani is not quite comfortable with being a mother with a young baby to care for. Kim, the ex-wife is regretting divorcing her husband and living the lavish life she once had. Oplaith the nanny, is obsessed with caring for the baby as she longs for her own daughter who had passed away. And Mikayla, Sophie’s best friend wants it all and is determined to have it. Let The Party Begin!!!!

This took me a a few chapters to get into because I was so confused early in with the different POVs. However, soon I was going page by page trying to see how this would all end. Who was the person who fell and how did the different POVs connect to it.

This one doesn't disappoint. I was more chapters away before things really started clicking into place. I had some theories I had discarded but things were seemingly too perfect for me to fully discard them.

Top notch book leaving you hanging on until that very end.

A sixteenth birthday party at a renovated (and rumoured to be haunted) mansion brings all sorts of party goers out. The divorced parents, the new wife, the bizarre nanny, the bday girl’s BFF, loads of guests, teens & other well to do couples. The chapters are from several of then main characters POVS which for me is positive. It lets you understand what each of them is truly going through. It’s does slow down a bit in the middle & the chapters get a bit repetitive. I wish we’d gotten to the action a little quicker. However I really enjoyed the ending, it wrapped things up perfectly. Overall it was a good mystery & one I can recommend. I will definitely look out for the author’s future books because the flow of the writing was really strong.

🎉

Read if you like:
* The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
* The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
* The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

What if I told you there was a book that combined an Agatha Christie-style locked room mystery with My Super Sweet Sixteen? This was that book and it was so much fun to read. There are multiple POVs and all of them are interesting and important and add to the story in their own little way. While I did figure out the twist relatively early into the book, I really enjoyed the journey the story took me on and I simply did not want to stop reading until the very end. Put this one on your list!
I will definitely recommend this to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the ARC!