As much as I wanted to love this book, I struggled to get through it. The premise was interesting enough, but I think it’s really difficult to write an entire novel that takes place over the course of one evening. It made the majority of the flashbacks feel like filler. This was a painfully slow burn of a story. I was able to figure out very early on who the killer was, although I didn’t guess who died or why. That was the only redeeming element of this book.

I’m honestly speechless right now! I just finished the book and WOW… just WOW. Where do I even begin?! Can I just scream: READ. THIS. BOOK.

This wasn’t just another murder mystery, it was an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. I had no clue who (if anyone!) was going to die, and when it happened… OMGAH, I was completely stunned.

The characters? Incredible. Each one had such a strong backstory, I found myself playing detective the whole way through, “You definitely did it” or “Yup, you’re not making it to the end.” And just when I thought I had it figured out? Nope. The twists had me reeling.

I don’t usually rate books because I believe every writer brings something special to the table, but this? This one is a solid 10/10 for me.

The ending left me shook, sad, surprised, and somehow even more in love with the story. I’m SO glad you dropped the peas.

WOOOOOOOF. You think you know what's going on and then BAM, CURVEBALL. Discovering through the eyes of Dani, Sophie, Kim, and Mikayla what happened was a whirlwind of deceit, repressed feelings, and teen angst. It's got a little something for everyone. I could just imagine the house on the day of the party, a cacophony of mirth and good cheer with an undercurrent of the MOTHER. Don't hesitate, read this NOW.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

This one lost me with too many character perspectives. Had a hard time getting into the story.

Party of Liars was fast paced and all over the place, in a good way! You've got Sophie, the birthday girl. Her dad Ethan and his young wife, Dani. Sophie's mom, Kim, who turned to alcohol after her relationship ended. Throw in a nanny, a teenage best friend and a group of party guests and you have straight up chaos. The book is kind of split between trying to figure out who exactly was killed and who exactly was the one that did it. As I said, it was all over the place! Some things I figured out and some I completely missed and was shocked by!

My only criticism and reason for dropping a star is just that there were A LOT of characters. I usually enjoy the multiple POV's in books but this one not only had multiple POV's but also just a ton of background characters that you needed to keep track of. I found myself needing to double check things a few times. Other than that though, it was a fun read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for an honest review. This is a debut novel by Kelsey and boy oh boy was it a fun time.

This novel follows the stories of 4 women and how they intertwine on the day of a Sweet 16 party. The mom, stepmom, best friend, and nanny of the party girl all tell their stories of lies and struggles all resulting in trying to find out exactly who plummeted to their death at the party. This was a fun read and I really hope this isn't the last novel by this author.

Easily 4 stars

This was such an entertaining read!

The book starts off with the hook that somebody is going to fall to their death, but we have to wait a long time to find out who, and the suspense will start to kill you. The drama is also soooo well done.

Usually when a book has multiple POVs I start to get confused between characters, but in this case they were each unique and introduced properly enough that I always knew who was who. Each character is crafted so well where you relate to them and feel what they’re feeling only for the perspective to flip and you relate to the next character too. Dani, the new young wife, would be so easy to hate from the perspective of the ex-wife Kim, but then she just ends up being impossible to hate and very self aware of her own mistakes.

So many times in this book I ended up being fooled by a misdirection which is always based on assumptions rather than the author outright lying. So when I reached the end it made me want to go back and re-read the whole book.

I wouldn’t really think of this as a locked room whodunnit because most of the book is trying to figure out who’s going to die because it’s withheld, but in the context of the book there’s no “whodunnit” aspect at all, similar to a present day The Briar Club by Kate Quinn.

Nevertheless, the story and characters are very engaging and well thought out, and the suspense of waiting for the inevitable death is masterful. And rest assured everything is wrapped up nicely and it ends up being a really satisfying read. Anyone who loves a good suspense mixed with family drama will eat this up.

I was in the mood for a twisty thriller, and this was just that - It was so much of that! I also love a thriller that builds suspense with multiple narrations, and this was also that. It's events and observations leading up to a murder at a sweet sixteenth party through the eyes of the stepmom, the best friend, the mom, and the nanny. As you might expect, everyone's got secrets that are slowly revealed. The twists keep coming until the very end. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early look at this July 2025 release - It's sure to be a hot (like Texas heat hot) summer read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book!

In this captivating read, Cox draws readers into a suspenseful world filled with the heat and thrill of a celebration, a party that should be happy and jubilant, and events that turn everyone into a suspect! A web of dangerous secrets and morally ambiguous choices will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Cox skillfully crafts a cast of characters that embodies the duality of human nature, with ulterior motives often expertly masked. The interplay between desperation and ambition drives the plot forward, inviting readers to explore themes of trust, deception, and the lengths one will go for a chance at keeping secrets hidden. This book is perfect for fans of glittery, glitzy settings, discrepancies between tragedy and celebrations, and the hunt for clues and the truth among such dangerous circumstances!

this was such a great and tightly woven story! you do guess a lot as it is happening and it is super twisty! I loved it! the audio version was outta this world! I would say more but I don't want to even give away a tiny bit of this tale!
thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a fun mystery/thriller that wasn't overly impressive but still held my attention and made me want to finish it as soon as possible. The characters were all slightly unlikable (except for Dani), so I didn't really find myself rooting for anyone to stay alive. They did a great job of keeping you guessing up until the last few chapters, and I'm so thankful that it ended the way it did.

From the point of view of multiple women who are all interconnected to our birthday girl, Sophie, we go back and forth between past and present (and even one glimpse into the future) to see what led to a body falling from the balcony right after Happy Birthday has been sung. This book reminded me just how annoying teenagers can be, but also how awful rich people are as well. And as always, men are the WORST (but so are some ladies).

Nice little palette cleanser if you find yourself reading too many fantasy or romance novels. I'd recommend!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the multiple POVs taking place at the same party and I loved how to all tied in together. I really liked how the setting of the book (the house) became almost a character themselves. I enjoyed how the characters that you assumed were the villains were not and who the villain ended up being.

I also really liked how the ending and drama wasn't dragged out. It wrapped up with a great ending really nicely. Overall I thought this book was fanatastic and I look forward to reading more from Kelsey Cox.

Welcome to the Texas birthday party from hell . Someone didn’t make it out alive . The suspense and thrill left me guessing an awesome whodunnit story ! Never judge a character too quick . Loved this story from beginning to end !

My honest review- this is a DNF for me. I made it through 30% and that was a struggle. Too many characters, too many points of view, too much jumping around in the timeline, and the characters lack substance. The transitions from each character and point of view were not smooth. I wanted to like this one but I can’t get through it.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc.

It's Sophie's Sweet Sixteen and it's about to hit the fan. Her mom is drinking too much, her stepmom is losing it after the new baby arrived, and her best friend is acting super weird. Also the nanny is a little creepy? But whatever, she's determined to have the time of her life. Too bad everyone's issues decide to come to head on what is supposed to be her special day. It'll be a day she'll never forget, but that's mostly because of the body that interrupts the party. This story is tightly plotted, propulsive, and a perfect suggestion for anyone who wants a well-crafted domestic thriller.

Thank you for the ARC!
This book was amazing !! I could not put it down. It definitely kept me guessing until the end and I did not see that twist coming at the end. It was great to see the different point of views from each character. Definitely recommend !

I could NOT put this book down, not for a minute! Told by multiple characters, the story packed a punch and gave a well-earned twist at the end. I'm already itching for the next Kelsey Cox book.

"Party of Liars" was a quick read.

Told from multiple POVs, this story centers on a Sweet 16 party gone wrong. So many of the party guests have drama that will keep readers guessing until the end.

While the premise was good, I didn't personally gel that much with the book itself. I think it was more of a mood reader issue on my part though.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for selecting me for this ARC as part of the St. Martin's early reader program.

Wow- this is the thriller I’ve been waiting for!! I read so many books from the same genre that it’s difficult to be truly shocked anymore, but this did it!

You will love keeping up with the Matthewses as you follow the complicated relationship of the “new” wife “old” wife and suspicious housekeeper. How can so much happen at one sweet sixteen party? The combination of teenage drama, divorce, and nosey neighbors provide never ending plot twists you won’t see coming.

I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to read more by this author!

Wow! I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but found myself relentlessly turning the pages needing to know how this story unfolds. This takes place during Sophie’s sweet sixteen birthday party in an elaborate glass house in the heart of Texas hill country!

What made this story for me was the cast of characters. They all had something interesting going for them and the drama at the party was top tier. Who would make the biggest scene?! Who was the victim of the accident? This is a must read and I’m telling you if you like drama, you’ll fly through it.