I loooooooved this book. I love multi POV and I love a plot that’s kind of like a bunch of puzzle pieces coming together. My pet peeve is when mysteries have loose ends, and this didn’t at all. Every character’s mystery was concluded, all the questions were answered. That’s not to say anything about this book is boring, because it isn’t. I guessed a few things correctly before they happened, but in a way I didn’t mind, and I was totally surprised by other things. Kelsey Cox had me on my toes. The setting adds a lot to the story and the lore about it being haunted adds a fun splash of spookiness. The dynamics between the characters are well written and believable while being fraught with tension and underlying issues. The themes are dark but not as dark as other mystery/thrillers I’ve read. I was lucky to read this book early through Netgalley and I think people will really love it when it hits stores this summer. I’m looking forward to whatever else Kelsey Cox writes in the future.

Ethan, Dani and baby Charlotte live in a renovated 100 year old home in Texas. Some say the house is haunted. They are throwing a sweet sixteen party for Ethan's daughter Sophie and have invited half the town to the party and to see the newly renovated home. Also invited to the party is Kim, Ethan's ex wife and Sophie's mother. After the party has been going on for hours and just as the elaborate cake is brought out tragedy strikes the party.
This is told in multiple POV's including Dani, Kim, the nanny and Sophie's best friend Mikayla. It turns out that several people at the party are not who they seem to be. Who fell from the balcony and what exactly happened ?
I did enjoy this book and I liked reading about all the different points of view. My favorite character was Dani and I would've liked to hear more about her love of baking.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book for review.

Party of Liars is the perfect thriller/Mystery for those who love playing detective. This story takes place in Texas at the remodeled mansion of Sophie's father. Right before she blows out the candles, a body drops from the balcony. What was supposed to be the best sweet 16 party a girl could want turns into a nightmare. With a group of suspects and crazy twists turns, this book will keep you guessing.

I am new to thrillers and this was the perfect book to start out the season. I loved how the author told this story. I was guessing constantly. One minute I think I have figured out who the bad guy is then the next, I'm trying all over again to figure out the mystery. This story had the perfect amount of suspects to go along with a spooky atmosphere of a supposed haunted mansion. I really enjoyed this story and I find that this would be the perfect read for any YA lover. If you are looking for a great thriller with lots of unexpected twists. this book is for you!

A Party…a Past…and many many lies. What more could you ask for in a book. This was a super fast ready with very short chapters. Good characters and a twisted storyline. You don’t have a clue where it is going to end and who did what.

This one had a great premise but was just okay for me. I hated literally all the characters and really didn't care what happened to any of them. It was hard to feel sorry for them in the resolution. Sorry, not for me. Others will enjoy it.

I feel somewhat ambivalent about this book. I am not always a fan of multiple points of view, and I think there could have been fewer of those in this book with the same effect. On the other hand, the unsettling setting of shadows and hidden faces that surround the huge and dramatically situated mansion near Bulverde, Texas is carefully described and draws in the reader.

The characters center around two groups: teenagers and adults who are intertwined, as the reader ultimately understands, by their relationship to one person. There are themes that are well drawn, including postpartum depression, alcoholism, medication as a forced form of treatment by psychiatrists, the compelling and conflicting friendships of women, teenage sexual drama, parental/child relationships, and a homicide (classified as an accidental death). The ultimate reveal of the source of the mystery is shocking and well described.

The author does an excellent job of intricate description, and the creepy scenes throughout the book are definitive and effective.

I'll be interested to see what the author produces if she writes another book. This was a good first effort.

Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Satisfying easy read of a white lady thriller. One major red herring early on was kindof annoying when the related twist was revealed, but still a good example of the genre and I would happily devour more from Cox.

Wow, I loved this book! A slightly slow start at first, and a lot of characters to keep up with (I took notes), but once I got a few chapters in, I couldn't stop reading. Without giving anything away I really wanted to throat punch one of the characters at one point. I was like "Oh, heck no!!" Quite a few twists and turns I didn't see coming and one I figured out shortly before it was revealed. I cannot believe this is the first published book by this author. Can't wait to see what she writes next! Definitely a fan!

A sweet 16 party for Ethan’s daughter Sophie is held in the stunning house he shares with his new wife, Dani, and their infant daughter. Told from multiple POV’s, Ethan’s ex-wife, Kim, and Sophie’s friend, Mikayla, provided the most intriguing perspectives (at least to me). The reasons for acting the way they did, made me try and guess why the most, though every character’s POV left me with questions.
We know from the description that a body will fall from the balcony sometime during this lavish party. The house has a tragic history, maybe it’s even haunted. Without giving anything away, I will say that the living always seem to be more hideous than the dead.
Kudos to chapter 98. I could not figure out what motivated this particular character and the reason, well it was jaw dropping. A really good read.

I never knew what would happen next in this book. There were plenty of moments when I thought I had it figured out, only for the plot to take an unexpected turn. It kept me fully engaged from beginning to end. I particularly enjoyed the multiple perspectives and the rich character development—each character felt vivid and familiar.

This book was told with multiple POV including the perspectives of teens and adults, a suspenseful mystery surrounding a sweet 16 birthday party, and lots of drama! Would be an ideal beach read for this summer!

HOLY CRAP!!
All The Stars!
You guys, this book completely blew me away and I wanted to forget all my responsibilities and do nothing else but read this book!
Party Of Liars is filled with so much tension, drama, and so so many questionable characters. A locked room mystery, at a party, in a glass, supposedly haunted mansion?! Say less!
It's Sophie's 16th birthday, and everyone is invited to her dad and stepmom's house. A house that has a haunted past. The guest list includes her best friend, her new popular friends, her alcoholic mom, her parents friends and the new nanny.
The night ends with a body falling off the balcony.
Don't miss this book! Thank you Kelsey Cox, Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for this ARC. Party of Liars comes out July 1! I highly, highly recommend this book! I will be thinking about this book for a long time!

There certainly are plenty of liars at this party! This book starts with someone falling to their death which had me eagerly flying through the pages to find out who the victim was. The story is told through multiple POVs giving you a blend of adult and teenage drama. It's evident that everyone has something they are hiding and trying to figure everything out was a lot of fun. I didn't do a very good job though because all the twists and turns were shocking to me! Sadly, I was a bit disappointed with the way the plot ended up going because it involved an overused trope that I'm sick of. Also, there was one thing about the ending I didn't love. Those are just minor issues, but it's why I'm giving this book four stars instead of five. Overall though, Party of Liars is a fun, compelling read full of juicy secrets and shocking twists. I think most readers are going to really enjoy this one. I know I'm already looking forward to seeing what Kelsey Cox comes up with next!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

"Party of Liars" by Kelsey Cox is an exciting mix of a Texas-style Sweet Sixteen and a classic whodunit. The story takes place in the beautiful Texas Hill Country during Sophie Matthews's lavish sixteenth birthday party at her dad's fancy, supposedly haunted mansion.

Things take a wild turn when a body suddenly falls onto the dance floor right before Sophie blows out her birthday candles, turning the whole vibe from celebration to sheer panic. Cox introduces a bunch of intriguing characters, each hiding their own secrets and motives, including:

- **Dani**: Sophie's insecure stepmom.
- **Órlaith**: The superstitious Irish nanny who feels something's off.
- **Mikayla**: Sophie's quiet best friend who has more depth than she seems.
- **Kim**: The bitter ex-wife who's still holding a grudge.

As the story unfolds, the mansion itself feels like a character too, adding extra suspense with its creepy history. Cox weaves in some clever plot twists and dives deep into the characters' minds, making it hard to put the book down.

Overall, "Party of Liars" is a thrilling read for anyone who loves a good mystery with unexpected turns, keeping readers hooked until the very last page.

This was such a fun and exciting story. Teen dramas, adult dramas, secrets, hidden identities--no one was who they seemed. Compelling and full of twists. Perfect for new years!

Kelsey Cox’s Party of Liars is a fast-paced, twisty thriller that keeps you hooked from start to finish. With complex characters, plenty of secrets, and a story that keeps you guessing, it’s the kind of book you can’t put down. A solid debut that fans of suspense will love!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was well written (in terms of prose) but the story itself was incredibly slow paced, like, it doesn't really pick up and explain the actual dilemma until 80% in. I think the goal was to build suspense but I struggled to finish because I wasn't given enough to be invested and was actually tempted to DNF because of it. I'm glad I stuck around because the last 20% was really interesting and I was pleasantly surprised by the twist!

Thank you so much to the publisher for the digital review copy!

I will begin with possible trigger warnings. This book will mention and discuss: pedophilia, alcoholism, medication abuse, suicide, loss of child, narcissism.

Ethan and Kim were once married. They purchased an abandoned mansion, that was believed to be haunted, looking over a cliff and spent their time and money remodeling it. They have a daughter Sophie and eventually divorce.

Today is Sophie's sixteenth birthday. Her dad and new wife Desi are throwing her a huge sweet sixteen party no expense spared. The whole town is invited, and show up mainly to see the lavish mansion everyone calls the dollhouse.

Lately, weird things have been happening at the house. Is it actually haunted? Then it is discovered messages are being left for Dani that she does not deserve this lifestyle. Dani is slightly on edge as there are so many people coming into this house to celebrate this day with them.

Then it happens. A body falls from a balcony. No one is allowed to leave the property at this point.
Who is it that fell? Who caused it? What happened?

This is the first book I have read by this author. I was not able to put this book down. It had me pulled in immediately trying to figure out who did it. In the end it gave me the wow factor I look for in a mystery.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox was an interesting read that held my interest from the beginning.

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.

Told from multiple perspectives, I was kept in suspense and enjoyed this different take on a murder mystery. I was engaged with all of the characters - even though they weren't likable - and looked forward to finding out who did what and why.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in lieu of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox due to be published July 1, 2025.

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. The cast: Dani, the stepmother; Orlaith, the Irish nanny; Mikayla, Sophie’s best friend; Kim, the ex-wife; and Ethan, Sophie’s father. Lots attend the party – one won’t survive it.
Loved this book – my first by this author. The story was told by different points of view – each chapter by a different character in the book. Their stories interweave and reveal much about each one of them. They tie into each other in the end in a shocking way – it is great!

#NetGalley #KelseyCox #StMartinsPress #PartyOfLiars