Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this amazing debut novel in advance. This one was definitely a page turner, an intricate web of plot lines and perspectives. I can definitely say that the ending surprised me in a wonderful way. This is a solid debut and I look forward to reading more by this author!

It was Sophie Matthew’s sixteenth birthday party but her father Ethan used the occasion to show off his newly renovated cliffside mansion. As drinks were flowing and neighbors were socializing, a body fell from the balcony to the patio below. Kelsey Cox keeps you guessing who took that fateful plunge as she takes you back in time to introduce you to the participants and what led to the murder. Ethan and his wife Kim bought the rundown mansion and worked together to renovate it. Before it was complete their marriage fell apart when Kim’s drinking became a problem. He accused her of things that she had no memory of and moved on to Dani a new wife who was much younger. They shared custody of their daughter Sophie, but there was a lot of resentment whenever she dropped their daughter at the house that she designed. Dani and Ethan now have a new daughter, Charlotte. Since her birth Dani has had problems remembering events and Ethan has had to hire Orlaith, a nanny. In a home where the original owner’s wife committed suicide, Orlaith often expresses her belief that there is a presence in the home and that there will be more tragedy to come.

Cox’s story is told in short chapters that alternate between events at the party and the POV of the main characters. Kim vows to say sober at her daughter’s party, but facing Ethan and her old neighbors leads to a few drinks too many. Dani wants everything to go right to prove to Ethan that she is fine, but before the cake is cut disaster strikes. Through it all, Ethan proves himself to be a master of manipulation while coming across as the loving husband. The party comes to a conclusion with the death and a surprising twist that I never say coming. It is a story that will keep you glued to the pages to the very end. I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur for providing this book.

This domestic drama does not have many twists and turns. I feel the trope is getting overused.

Four POVs to determine if there is a haunted house, crazy new Mom, and nanny up to no good. All of these POVs work to convince the MC that her postpartum depressions is causing disillusions and hallucinations.

I was not surprised in the end. The characters were not too engaging. I was expecting to get mad at those who were against the MC, but not enough there.

Not bad, but not something I will regularly recommend.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox was my first read by this author, and it delivered a deliciously dark blend of psychological suspense and gothic intrigue. Set in the opulent Texas Hill Country, the story revolves around a lavish Sweet Sixteen party that spirals into tragedy when a body falls from a balcony. Cox crafts a locked-room mystery with a modern twist, unraveling secrets through multiple perspectives including Dani, the gaslit stepmother; Órlaith, the superstitious nanny; and Kim, the vengeful ex-wife. Each character is layered with emotional depth and hidden motives, making the unraveling of the truth both chilling and compulsively readable.

What impressed me most was Cox’s ability to fuse atmosphere with emotional tension. The renovated cliffside mansion isn’t just a setting it’s a character in itself, amplifying the claustrophobia and paranoia that permeate the narrative. Themes of motherhood, mental health, and inherited trauma are woven into the plot with sensitivity and bite, elevating the novel beyond a typical whodunnit. As a newcomer to Cox’s work, I found her prose sharp and immersive, and her characters unforgettable. This debut has definitely earned her a spot on my watchlist for future thrillers.

A sweet sixteen, a cliffside mansion, a haunting, and a body on the ground—sounds like my kind of party. This one had all the ingredients I usually love: layered women, petty drama, postpartum spirals, and just enough ghost story to make you squint at the shadows. The shifting POVs worked for me most of the time, but occasionally it felt like the plot was juggling too many secrets at once and not all of them landed clean.

That said, I was still into it. The vibes? Excellent. The mess? Delicious. The twist? Not bad at all. While it doesn't reinvent the genre, it offers a captivating and fast-paced experience that I prefer over another predictable thriller.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my copy of PARTY OF LIARS.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. I found this one to be an all consuming type of thriller. I was constantly thinking about it and couldn't wait to immerse myself back into this book. It was twisty in the best way and I can't recommend it enough. Go get this one.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox is the kind of book I can not get enough of!! Adults behaving badly, mixed with teens behaving badly is win-win for me!! You definiely want to add this one to the front of your TBR!


Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Party of Liars – Kelsey Kox

Set against the backdrop of a lavish Sweet Sixteen in the Texas Hill Country, the story unravels over the course of one night at a cliffside mansion where secrets come crashing down- literally- onto the dance floor. With all the lies and messy connections, you just knew the night wasn’t ending well.

My thoughts: This one was wildly extravagant for a 16th birthday (I had to remind myself to just roll with it), but it made the setting feel deliciously over-the-top. Every character was lying about something, which kept the tension high and made for a true popcorn thriller. The single location and one-night timeline streamlined the drama in a way that felt tight and fast-paced. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the story twisted in a completely different direction, keeping me hooked until the end.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a sweet sixteen that goes wrong. Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I found the writing style boring and it failed to catch my attention. I found the characters to be annoying as well and I just didn't care for it.

I hope others love it.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox is a fast-paced thriller packed with secrets upon secrets. Told from multiple points of view, the reader experiences the lead-up to the party from a variety of perspectives (the audiobook is fantastic, with multiple voice actors). We know that the characters have something to hide, but what is it? And how are they all connected? This was such a fun ride, packed with unlikable characters and so many reveals. Cox brings it all together nicely in the end.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the digital ARC via NetGalley.

4.25⭐️

I really like this book! Definitely slow to start but once things picked up, I was hooked! I definitely did not expect the ending and could not figure out who was responsible until the end.

Do check the TW for this one. There are some topics that might be triggering for some.

The best debut novel I’ve read in a long time. A page turning thriller full of suspense where all the characters are some sort of crazy, or are they? The setting is a party in a house on a cliff with a wall of windows looking out on to the world, or is it for the world to see in? A compelling cast of characters very well written within a perfectly architected story. Any one of these characters could have died, a suspenseful novel all the way to the end with a great twist. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

The story unfolds through four different points of view and also before the party and during the party. It could get confusing, but I felt like it was easy to follow along. It was a unique way to read a locked room mystery. We have no idea who the victim was, we just know someone died. So the majority of the book is spent with two mysteries... who died and why? It added another layer to a fast-paced, page-turner.

So over the top but also such a fun read! perfect thriller for the beach when you want to keep flipping the pages

Thanks to the publisher for the advacned copy!

Packed with lies, secrets, jealousy, and betrayal, this book was a thrilling ride! Set in a single location, the story shines through its dynamic, well developed characters who truly bring the narrative to life. I especially loved the audiobook with the cast of narrators who did an exceptional job capturing each character’s voice and emotion. Nearly every character is hiding something, building to a perfectly executed, suspenseful climax.

*Thank you to Kelsey Cox, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and Netgalley for the digital copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

What a fun and twisty neighborhood drama. I loved all of the intersecting dynamics between the kids and the parents throughout the neighborhood. I also did not see the ending coming!

Party of Liars made for fabulous vacation (and plane) reading. The story, which focuses on a sweet sixteen birthday party that has multiple family members and friends coming together and secrets being exposed, was extremely propulsive. Just when I thought that I had an idea where it was going, the story would take a sudden twist and I'd have to read the next chapter to figure out what was going to happen. It was an extremely fun and easy read. I'd recommend it for anyone who likes YA (or YA adjacent, I'm not sure if I'd put this solely in the YA bucket) thrillers.

Party if Liars by Kelsey Cox is a slow, simmering thriller set over one night at a lavish sweet sixteen party. Told in multiple female voices- the birthday girl, the first wife, the newest wife, the nanny and the best friend. As each layer of the thriller unfolds, the reader is left wondering what exactly is the truth and which character knows the most.

In this debut novel, Cox touches on the always underlying "mean girl" behaviors of both the teenage group and the adult women at the party. Each of whom survive on gossip and passive aggressive compliments. A certain level of gaslighting also takes place between the adults which forces the reader to remain skeptical of all perspective.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the chance to read this novel. I look forward to future novels by Kelsey Cox, as I think she has a strong handle on keeping her audiences wanting just one page more.

An interesting read.
The chapters were very short which made the reading go quickly.
It was a lot to sort out at once with the characters.
The house was a character and the most interesting one, in my opinion.