Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox. This book was a good story but it didn't captivate me the same way that it has others. The story takes place at a party and various points of view are heard. At times while reading I just got bogged down and it was moving quickly enough for me. It read more like a domestic drama than a thriller in my opinion. It wasn't quite like the description of the book that was given in the synopsis. I did enjoy it, however, it did not fully engage me. A 3 star rating from me. Many have given 4 or 5 stars, so please read their reviews.

“Some parties end with cake. This one ends with sirens.”
Okay, we start with flashing police lights and the hint that something terrible went down at a Sweet Sixteen party in a fancy Texas neighborhood. But instead of spilling the drama right away, it rewinds and slowly builds the tension through multiple POVs—moms, teens, even the nanny. I loved seeing the layers unfold and trying to piece it all together. Everyone’s got secrets.

The structure was really cool. You don’t even hear the word “hospital” until you’re like 73% in, and the actual death reveal doesn’t come until around 90%. It’s a slow burn for sure, but the kind that keeps pulling you forward. I couldn’t stop guessing who got hurt and who was responsible.

Bonus points for the character list at the beginning—super helpful with a big cast. And every character had depth. No one’s totally innocent, and the book does a great job showing both the polished exteriors and all the messy stuff underneath.

If you like layered, character-driven mysteries with just the right amount of rich-people drama and emotional chaos, this is a fun one to pick up.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox is a fast paced thriller which takes place at a Sweet 16 Birthday party which ends in a tragedy when someone falls from the balcony. We first learn that the house which is located on a cliff is rumored to be haunted by someone known as “The Mother.” That already was enough to grab my attention.

The story is told in multiple POVs which works great with this book as we start to learn a little about each of them and try to decide if they are hiding something. The story is mainly about Dani who is a new mother and it’s revealed that something bad happened weeks back and it is believed to be due to the “baby blues” but could there be a more sinister reason?

The story is told in the present POV which is Sophie’s party and it’s also told in the past which recounts stories that all lead to this day of the party.
What I liked about this story is that it just hooks you and you want to keep reading more to see who fell from the balcony. Did this person fall by accident, intentionally at the hands of another, or did something supernatural take place?

Overall this was a great fast paced thriller which I enjoyed. I did not see that end coming!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books. All opinions are my own.

The short chapters and the story being told from multiple points of view really keeps you engaged. The mansion is rumored to be haunted - is it? Dani may be suffering from postpartum psychosis- is she? Is Kim struggling with more than just her drinking? Is Mikayla just jealous of her friend Sophie, or is there more? What is the nanny hiding? Was the death at Sophie’s sweet 16 birthday party an accident, suicide or murder? Everyone has secrets and is hiding something! Psychological thriller readers take note! This is a twisty, entertaining read!

Today is Sophie’s Matthew’s 16th birthday party. Her dad has spared no expensive and has invited friends and family to his expensive mansion that looks out onto their small Texas town. The mansion was once thought to be haunted but has gone through a full renovation and is now the talk of the town. The party is in full swing when a guest goes over the balcony and secrets and lies could destroy more lives.

This book had me fully immersed from the very beginning. The characters, setting and plot were so well written that I could see everything visually in my head with such detail. The characters were interesting and well developed and wow did it get darker than I expected.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I am always a fan of locked room mysteries and this was no exception. Unfortunately a lot of this book was about rich people behaving badly. There have been too many books of this trope lately and they aren't interesting or entertaining.

It had the potential to have a good storyline but everything just fizzled out. Not a favorite.

I received a free ARC of this book and then was never in the mood to read it. I saw a review saying how good it was and I wanted to give it a try before its’ publication day, so I decided to make it my next read.

This book was not at all what I was expecting! I thought it would have more of a YA feel to it, and I’m glad it didn’t. It gets dark, FYI. I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives and the twists in this one.

More like a 3.5. Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this book. The story had a decent plot line and some good mystery woven in. I definitely was interested in what was going to happen. The story felt a little long for me especially in the middle...there was a lot of alluding to people keeping secrets but not telling you anything until the end. Overall it was still a decent read.

Such a great thriller!! I loved the short chapters and all the different POVs.
I couldn’t put it down. Definitely did not expect the ending — such an unexpected twist!! Will definitely recommend!!

P. S. Loved the Ulta reference - I work for Ulta Beauty, it’s always fun when books mention us!!

My 2025 Reading 📚

52) Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox (ARC)

Publication date: July 1st, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. And Congrats to @kelseycoxwriter on this banger of a debut!

This was such a fun and twisty psychological thriller. I always know a book is going to be good when I can see it playing out like a movie in my head while reading. The atmosphere and setting were nailed from the first chapter, so it was easy to feel fully immersed. The different perspectives had me hooked and constantly questioning what the heck was going on, who was crazy, and who wasn’t. There were so many ways this could have played out, and I was not disappointed. This really checked all the boxes for me as a thriller addict. Highly recommend!

Summary: A Sweet Sixteen party at a remote Texas mansion spirals into chaos when a body falls from the balcony before the birthday candles are even blown out. As the night unfolds, buried secrets emerge among the guests, including a troubled stepmother, a superstitious nanny, a loyal best friend, and a bitter ex-wife. With one guest dead, long-held grudges and hidden motives come to light.

A provocative and pulse pounding thriller that stacks up with the best of them! The author deftly utilizes common tropes including gaslighting and the unreliable narrator to bring this novel to life. It was at the front of mind and I wanted to know what happens next. Told through many POVs, the story is fully fleshed out and you can definitely sink your teeth into it.

If you love a twisty thriller, Party of Liars is definitely the book for you! Everyone wants an invite to Sophie’s lavish Sweet Sixteen party…but someone won’t leave the party alive. Secrets, lies, and drama abound as the characters are forced to question who they really trust.

The multiple POVs of this book were a definite highlight for me! Readers get to hear from 4 very different, yet equally compelling, characters. There’s Dani, Sophie’s stepmother who’s feeling overwhelmed after the birth of her new baby girl; Orlaith, the suspicious Irish nanny who fears there’s danger lurking in the possibly-haunted house; Mikayla, Sophie’s best friend who just might have some secrets hiding under the surface; and Kim, the ex-wife who’s struggling with her past mistakes and navigating a messy, complicated connection to the family. Kelsey Cox does a great job of developing each character and their distinct perspective! You may not love every character, but you’ll be completely absorbed in the story nonetheless.

The pacing of the book was also really well-done! I was constantly on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next, and the many twists kept me guessing throughout. Party of Liars would be the perfect book for thriller fans to bring to the beach this summer, but its hints of mystery and spookiness also make it a great fit for fall TBRs. Either way, you won’t want to miss this read! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the ARC.

Well paced, with an effective mix of POV characters to convey the various sides of the story. The overhanging shadow of a possible haunting brings a gothic aspect to what might have otherwise been a fairly standard domestic suspense story. We know that something tragic happened at this big party, but we don't know exactly what or to whom until the very end. There're enough mysterious threads spun to keep you guessing throughout and willing to accept whatever direction the story wants to go. I was certainly satisfied with the resolution.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and St Martin's Press for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are my own.

There's a death at a sweet sixteen party in a newly renovated haunted castle. We start with the death, although we don't know who it is, and then flashback to the party in various POVs.

This was one of those stories with entirely unlikable characters and yet, I enjoyed it much more than I usually do when there are no redeemable characters. I definitely pegged the baddie pretty early but liked that they got their comeuppance. This is one of the few times where the chapters after we get the solve made sense to me.

It's a night - and a party - that won't soon be forgotten

The mansion that sits atop a cliff in Texas Hill Country was built over a hundred years ago for a beautiful young woman who died from an accidental fall soon after the building's completion. Her husband moved away, the house was neglected and became more and more dilapidated, but the whispers about what happened there continued on through the years. It is, many have come to believe, haunted. It was recently bought and completely renovated by someone new and the people of Comal County watched the goings on from afar, their curiosity only whetted when the entire back wall of the house was replaced with glass. At long last the full scope of the renovations will be visible to the party; Sophie Matthews, the teenaged daughter of the owner of the house, is turning sixteen and her Texas-sized Sweet Sixteen party will double as the mansion's coming-out celebration. Over the top decorations, elaborate displays of food, a DJ, and a three-tier cake baked and decorated by Sophie's stepmother Dani compete for attention with the elegant clothes and big hair sported by the attendees...but a body falling to its death trumps all. Has history repeated itself? Is the mansion truly haunted, or is this death the result of all-too-human emotions?
Party of Liars is a borderline gothic novel of suspense that weaves multiple themes through the story as it unfolds. Chapters are narrated by different characters, mostly a group of four women who each have a connection to the house on the cliff, its owner Ethan Matthews and his daughter Sophie. There is Dani, Ethan's young new wife, who recently gave birth to daughter Charlotte and is struggling with what appears to be postpartum depression; Kim, Ethan's ex-wife and Sophie's mother, who is bitter about her new circumstances and likely has a problem with alcohol: Órlaith, the older woman who is serving as nanny to Charlotte and who has brought old world superstitious beliefs with her; and Mikayla, Sophie's. quiet longtime best friend who is tolerated if not accepted by Sophie's new circle of cooler friends. Dani's self-confidence has been shaken by the unsettling thoughts in her mind, and those around her watch her nervously for signs of mental illness...is she careening out of control, or is she being gaslit by someone? The identity of just who fell to their death remains a question until very late in the book, which adds to the mystery of what is going on in this privileged home. Its an intriguing premise, although I found the number of different narrating voices a bit of a distraction and I was able to accurately guess many of the plot twists that cropped up throughout the book (always a danger when one has read as many novels of suspense as.I have). I found it to be an entertaining read overall, a solid 3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4, which will appeal to readers of Vi Keeland, Sarah Pekkanen and Rachel Hawkins. My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me access to a copy of the novel in exchange for my honest review.

Reading challenge category – 2025 Flourish and Blotts: Headmaster – Harry Potter: A book that mentions Harry Potter (cat is named Mad Eye Moody)

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. As a debut novel, I wasn't sure what to expect, but Kelsey Cox did a great job with her storytelling. Party of Liars is told from multiple points of view and not in chronological time. We have way before, before, during, and after the party. In the same vein as Big Little Lies, someone at the party dies, but we don't know who it is until the end of the book.

I did see the "twist" coming, but it didn't change the enjoyment level of the book for me. 4/5 stars. Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC copy.

I really enjoyed this! I think it's a fast, fun read with great pacing. I loved the tension, the twists, and the themes. It's full of discussions about family, motherhood, friendships, etc. The story is told through multiple perspectives and it worked so well here. All of the characters had a very distinct voice, personality, and depth. I was a little concerned about it reading a little young for me based on the story surrounding a sweet sixteen party, but YA didn't cross my mind one time. I'm very excited to recommend this book to library patrons and to read more from this author in the future!

Overdramatic but not always in the best way. Told in multiple point of views, we set the scene with younger wife Dani the new stepmom ready to celebrate her husbands daughters sweet 16 from his first marriage and Kim, the first wife, the one still holding onto her daughter but almost the one society has left behind. Also the point of views of best friend forever to daughter Sophie, Mikayla, and lastly that of Orlaith, the nanny - so four point of views introduced at like 6% in was unnecessary. In a very SLOWLY reveal of secrets and revelations, not everyone makes it out of the sweet 16 party alive.

This is a story that loves its descriptions, details in the setting and for the most part, was enjoyable to the attention to details the author created. This is very much a red herring build up type of thriller. Because of so many point of views and quick switches I never felt attached to any of the characters. Kim and Dani were definitely the two most intriguing point of views- Kim displaying the way people feel sorry for the ex, the way you don’t really split friends after a breakup. And new mom Dani really portraying the way society can judge mothers and intrusive thoughts, constantly making her feel like she must not be a good mother.

This was probably a little too long and too slow- like the story just had too many parts that the story progression was stalled. At times the gaslighting was too much and unbelievable which I think some editing down would help. The story goes very twisty, character developments feel contradictory in places, particularly Mikayla, but not a bad thriller if you want a full cast of un rootable characters. But what can you expect from a book called Party of Liars? I am interested to see what this author does next.

I enjoyed this thriller. Everyone is seemingly perfect at a sweet 16 party but then a death and subsequent mystery surrounding it have you questioning all the characters. Love a rich people behaving badly, multiple POVs, unreliable witness, and a not too scary thriller. This was a fun ride and I devoured it in 2 days. Great for the beach.

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy.

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced copy of “Party of Liars” in exchange for a review.

When I started seeing this book creep into book club predictions for July, I moved it to the top of my TBR pile. It’s been a tough year for mystery/thrillers. There’s only been a few released this year that have wowed up, and this has now become one of them!

I thought the author handled a story with a lot of characters very well. I never felt lost on who was speaking or what perspective we were on. I really enjoyed the slow build (though the pacing still felt engaging), and the big reveal at the end was satisfying and well planned/executed.

I think this book is going to get a lot of hype when I releases, and I think it’ll be well deserved!