If you're a fan of the locked room mystery trope, this is gonna be a hit. I think it's getting a little over done lately, but this one was a super fun time so I am not complaining!

Kelsey Cox invites you to the biggest, black tie PARTY OF LIARS in the Texas Hill Country. But not everyone gets out alive!

Ah, a Sweet Sixteen party! With dad, Ethan’s money, Sophie Matthew’s’ party promises to be the talk of the town, both before and after. With her best friend, meek, quiet Mikayla in tow, Sophie and her mother, Kim are preparing for the best night of her life. But Kim has resentment and grudges against Ethan and his current wife, Dani, who are living in the house that Kim believes still belongs to her. Dani, on the other hand, presents as a woman who has faced both physical and emotional problems since the birth of her daughter. She even feels like she loses track of blocks of hours and has started receiving threatening notes at the house. She’s had problems to the point that Ethan has even hired a full-time nanny., Orlaith, an Irish woman who sees danger and death around every corner of the house. Is she also there to spy on Dani for Ethan? But not everyone is who they pretend to be.

Things come to a head the night of the party when secrets are revealed, and Dani becomes much clearer on what is going on with her ‘problems’. Everyone seems to be hiding something and one of the party goers ends up falling to their death just before the cake is cut. But who was it and what happened?

Bouncing between past and present and from differing points of view, this novel was a downright page turner. It was one of those ‘one more chapter’ books that I read well into the night. I felt like I was surrounded by the opulence and high brow snottiness of the participants. It was a fun, twisty look at how the rich live. I believe this is my first Kelsey Cox book but it will certainly not be my last. I can’t wait to see where she takes me next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

It’s Sophie’s sweet sixteen and to celebrate her father and step-mother are throwing her a huge party at their fabulous home. Vogel mansion sits atop a hill overlooking Bulverde and the surrounding area. It’s over a hundred years old and is rumored to be haunted by The Mother. After undergoing a gut reno, everyone that’s anyone is eager to attend the big gala.
Wow! This is an edge of your seat psychological thriller full of non-stop suspense. A story about manipulation, jealousy and revenge, it’s one twisty tale chock full of red herrings. It should be included in everybody’s beach reads, it’s that good. 5 stars

This book is told from multiple points of view with some chapters giving glimpses of what happened after the party.

As I was reading this book, it felt more like a soap opera with a kid plot line and an adult plot line. Hidden secrets and surprises were revealed with every chapter. There is a gothic novel element as well which is referenced throughout the chapters.

If you love looked door mysteries, add this book to your TBR.

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advanced reader copy.

It's a killer sweet sixteen party! "A lavish, Texas-sized Sweet Sixteen turns deadly in this twisty, pulse-pounding new novel — serving up a fresh take on a classic locked-room whodunnit. Let the festivities begin…"

In her impressive debut, Kelsey Cox had me completely riveted as I devoured this thriller in one day! This atmospheric, gothic novel is a propulsive page-turner, and I couldn't stop reading until I knew what happened. You don't know who the victim or the killer are until the end of the novel. There is a cast of shady suspects including the birthday girl Sophie Matthew's best friend Mikayla, the ex-wife Kim (Sophie's mother), Dani the new mom and party hostess, or Orlaithe, the spooky nanny who is always talking about death.

This locked room mystery had a feel reminiscent of Rebecca or a Rachel Hawkins novel. I loved the character development as the POV changes per chapter, and we learn things about their past as they reflect on their memories seamlessly woven into present day. In addition, there are lots of pearls on motherhood, the loss of a child, and many more brilliant themes that can't be revealed without giving spoilers. This is one of the better thrillers I've read this year, and I highly recommend it. Kelsey Cox has just become an auto-buy author for me!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books, and Kelsey Cox for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

#PartyOfLiars #KelseyCox #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks #mystery #gothicthriller #suspense #anticipatedbooks #2025reads #ARCreview #bookreview #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #NetGalleyReviewer #bookclub #bookreview #bookrecommendations #Bookstagram #booklover

This book while slow to start but half way through the pace picks up in a big way and builds up to so many twists and turns that the reader will feel like they have whip lash. Everyone is carrying a secret and there are so many within the house who could have committed the murder. The truth though is not always pretty, and there is a lot to be discovered when you go to a party with liars.
Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

3.5

This book was an easy read, told from different POVs. In the beginning, I found it to be a bit slow but that definitely changed. The twists in this book had me exclaiming ‘OMG’ and ‘IKYFL’ 😆

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

What an amazing thriller told through 5 different perspectives. This book was recommended to me by a friend and it did not disappoint. This was my first Kelsey Cox book and it won’t be my last.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

A sweet sixteen party that ends deadly. we've got a guest list of messy women who are each struggling mentally and A haunted house. This book kept me on the edge of my seat gnawing on my finger nails until the conclusion. I will definitely be thinking about this twisty thriller for a long time.

A cliffside mansion with a haunted past. An outrageous, day-along Sweet 16 extravaganza fueled by booze, gossip, and the Texas heat. Practically the whole town is here, watching and judging and sharing stories. But when someone falls from the balcony to their death at the end of the night, did anyone else see it coming?

The story of Sophie Matthews’ unforgettable birthday party is told from four different perspectives: Sophie's childhood best friend, Mikayla; her mother, Kim; her recently postpartum stepmother, Dani; and her half-sister's Irish nanny, Órlaith. Each of them had their own struggles going into the party: Sophie's popular new friends, a devastating reputation, postpartum depression, and the loss of a child, to name a few. But the four are connected by Sophie and her father, Ethan, and all are both reluctant participants and witnesses during the big day.

It starts slowly: A pointed look here, a questionable comment there. But as the revelations begin to hit harder and faster, several lives threaten to unravel— until one finally does.

I wasn't convinced that I was going to like this novel at first, but once the events of the party kicked into gear, this became a quick and addicting read that played with my mind and heart brilliantly! Sure, you may guess at an element or two, but the full picture is quite the ride. There was one particular twist that was set up so well, it sent my jaw to the floor, and I don't generally consider myself an easy reader to surprise.

There's a claustrophobic tension in the way everyone knows everyone and they're all stuck together for the day. It may not work for every reader, but it made me want to desperately flip through until the end. The only minor inconvenience in the storytelling was the flashbacks: They were necessary, but seemed to really lump together in one section.

Four perspectives is a lot, but Kelsey Cox did a great book melding them together to form a cohesive story. I particularly liked the mother characters: Kim, a hot mess with too much to say and a reputation that seemingly doesn't allow her to be taken seriously, is a great foil to Dani, whose attempts to be an attentive and ever-dutiful wife, mother, and stepmother always seem to fall short. None of the perspectives are badly written— Mikayla and Órlaith are very interesting characters, in their own right— but the central theme of messy motherhood for Kim and Dani really stuck with me.

If you love a good, close quarters mystery with a lot of moving parts, Party of Liars was a surprise that will really stick with you! It's a snowball of small tensions that race into a bigger picture that's dark, thrilling and deeply personal for these imperfect but fascinating characters.

Party of Liars is about Sophie Matthews Sweet 16 and what unfolds in the course of one day. right away we know someone is dead.. but who?

I always love a book when rich people are doing questionable things. This was a Mystery/Thriller that was a slooooooooooow burn. AND I MEAN SLOW. This is not how I normally like this genre, however I did enjoy this book. As the story progressed I wanted to see who ended up dead and what actually happened. I enjoyed certain people's POV, but felt other POVs were not needed (KIM!). That ending though did get me, I did not see that coming! I would recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

I have the perfect recommendation for Thriller Thursday! My friends at @minotaur_books shared this #gifted ARC with me digitally a few months ago. It was lost in my overflowing TBR until a couple of weeks ago. Literally from the moment I started reading it, I was hooked. There’s nothing better than going into a book completely blind- no context or expectations- and having it blow your mind.

Party of Liars is a gripping thriller that starts out with a death at a Texas-sized Sweet Sixteen and works backwards through the unraveling of a marriage, the breakdown of new mom’s fragile psyche, and the tension of a teenage friendship. The story is set in a luxurious, possibly haunted mansion, that is ironically located in the relatively small town where my sister in law lives. It even shouts out my favorite coffee shop from my last visit, which made the haunted, ghost story vibes a little creepier for me.

What should be a huge celebration spirals into a gripping murder mystery, and you as the reader have to figure out who is really in danger. You will be guessing until the very end. This checks so many thriller boxes for me:
- Haunted house
- Seriously creepy small-town ghost story
- So many plenty of red herrings
- Classic locked-room murder mystery

Immediately after finishing this, I started searching for more books by @kelseycoxwriter. I couldn’t believe it was her debut. It’s perfect. I’m so thankful I was able to read it early. This will be on my shortlist of recommendations as soon as it released on July 1st!

Do you always read the back of a book before you dive in or do you like to be surprised?

#thrillerthursday #gifted #minotaur #partyofliarskelseycox #partyofliars

Talk about twists and turns! Just when I thought I had figured out what was happening, I was thrown off by a twist. There are multiple POvs to this story, but they are easy to follow. Overall, it was a good thriller and kept me on my toes.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary copy of this novel! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and this ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Sophie Matthews is turning 16 and her birthday party is going to be to die for! She and her family live in the deep heart of Texas. Her rich dad, Ethan, with her stepmom, Dani, and Sophie’s new half-sister, Charlotte, live in a newly renovated cliff top mansion rumored to be haunted. Sophie lives mostly with her mom Kim. Orlaith is and older Irish nanny living with Ethan and Dani helping them with baby Charlotte. However, Orlaith gives off some mysterious and strange vibes. Lastly, there is Mikayla, Sophie’s best friend! Ethan has put on an extravagant birthday party for his daughter. Everyone of who’s who is at the party throwing back glass after glass of alcohol and having a grand ‘ol time! Then, just as the cake is about to be cut, a body comes flying over the balcony and lands right on the dance floor!!! The question is, who at that party could have done it?!?!?
This is Kelsey Cox’s first novel, and I didn’t want to put it down! It pulled me in from the very beginning and the twists just kept coming. The ending was definitely a shocker!!! AVAILABLE July 1, 2025

I didn’t love this thriller, but I did really like it. First of all, there are so many characters and points of view that I got lost in those details at the beginning. Secondly, I couldn’t relate to any of the main characters, although there were a host of them. What I liked was the pacing, the short chapters and the tension that the author includes in the story as well as in the lives of the characters. Dani is the new wife of Ethan, a young and beautiful woman who is talented in baking but lacks confidence in the motherhood department. I felt bad for her that she was missing out on bonding with baby Charlotte, but she seemed to be okay with having a nanny, at least at first. The nanny, an Irish woman named Orlaith, presents a sinister factor to the story. I never knew when and where she would turn up and what she would do next. She seemed to resent Dani’s motherhood and marriage. Kim is the ex-wife who is more likely to throw a pity party than anything else. She attends the party because it is her daughter’s Sweet Sixteen party, but I don’t think she was there out of goodwill or love. Sophie is the spoiled little rich girl who has her dad Ethan wrapped around her little fingers and who plays the part of innocence well, but I didn’t like or trust her much because I thought she was shallow. Finally, her best friend Mikayla who has little or no self-confidence in her appearance and does not come from money offers the perfect backdrop for Sophie and her over-the-top party. Mikayla is the one with common sense and the knowledge to watch out at the party. Speaking of the party, the guests are mostly wealthy Texans with nothing to do with their time except gossip and invest money to make more money. Even though this was a Sweet Sixteen party, most of the guests were clients or friends of Ethan, a proud man who wants to show off the house that he just redid, from top to bottom. He seems like a good father and a caring husband, but again, he was a character whom I had little respect or trust for. The first almost forty percent of the book is setting the stage with all of the characters, their secrets and backstories. Most of that part moved at a slower pace than I would have liked, but I understood the reason for it once the death happens at the party. So many suspects among all of those guests! I liked how the tension escalated during the party and that the author provided red herrings, twists and actual clues about the murder that took place there. All in all, it was a good book that I was invited to read. I am not sure I would have picked it up on my own, but I am glad that I read it because I do enjoy good thrillers that are well written. This was a good thriller with some pacing issues for me, but I enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who likes a hidden mystery and a haunted house.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

4 ⭐'s for me!
The amount of drama between the friend groups and then also the families was very entertaining that I didn't want to put the book down. The mystery elements added in with how the nanny came about was very interesting and such a great twist. There were a few things that you could predict but then others you couldn't which made it a fast pasted read for me.
You can picture all these activities actually happening like a typical teenage party movie (with a twist!)
The added seem to be crazy ex-wife didn't hurt either!

The whole town is looking forward to Sophie’s Sweet Sixteen and getting a glimpse of the remodeled mansion that overlooks the town, but everyone arrives with dark secrets along with a gift…

A perfect thriller! This book grabbed me from the start and didn’t let me go until the last page. I know I’ll be thinking about the characters long after reading. As a mother, I loved the explanations of a mother’s love and struggles. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, the rug got pulled out from under me. This was a fun summer read and I look forward to more from this author!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing a free ARC for review via NetGalley.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and alc.

This was a really fun and addictive thriller. I was hooked from the very first page. It should be noted though that even though this book is set around a sweet 16, this book includes a lot of "adult" content, so it may not be best suited for younger readers. With that being said, I can't believe this a debut novel! Kelsey Cox is a fantastic writer.

Furthermore, the audiobook version of this book is fantastic! The audiobook is Narrated by a full cast including Dan Bittner; Kate Handford; Pearl Hewitt; Saskia Maarleveld, and Suzy Jackson. I loved each and every one of these narrators and I thought they were all perfectly picked to narrate this book.

I highly recommend that you pick up this book and pack it into your beach bag this summer!

A rich girl’s Sweet Sixteen ends in muuuurder. because of course it does. A remote Texas mansion, rumored to be haunted. A black-tie guest list full of secrets. A body drops from a balcony before the birthday candles are even lit. Classic locked-room setup. Too bad the payoff doesn’t match the premise.

It wasn’t that the ending was predictable — more like a “…seriously?” moment. The reveal feels less like a twist and more like how weird can we make this.

Most of the characters are unlikeable, which seems by design. When everyone’s a suspect, nobody can be too sympathetic. Fair enough. I did end up with strong feelings toward one character in particular (none of them good), so I’ll give the book credit for that.

Also? If you’re going to dangle haunted house vibes for 300 pages, give me something real. Ghosts. Demons. At least one cursed antique mirror. Otherwise, it just feels like a missed opportunity.

Kelsey Cox’s fast-paced PARTY OF LIARS mixes modern teen drama with the classic whodunnit formula, making for a fun, suspenseful thriller.

The story begins with an over-the-top Sweet Sixteen party held at a newly renovated Texas mansion with a creepy past, adding a sense of unease to the narrative. The glamorous celebration quickly turns deadly when a body "crashes" the party. That one incident triggers a twisty mystery full of secrets, suspicion, and long-held grudges.

The cast of characters is interesting and serves to keep the tension high, making it feel like everyone has something to hide. Cox does a great job layering each character’s backstory and keeps readers guessing with every chapter.

This is the kind of book readers can get pulled into and easily devour in one sitting. It’s engaging, unpredictable, and incredibly entertaining.