This was a great read. Having the story be told from various perspectives, and going from the present to the past, created a book with many turns that keeps the reader guessing until the end!

Party of Liars has all the hallmarks of a debut from a writer with formal training—structured, intentional, and full of "writerly" techniques. At first, I was intrigued. The setup hinted at a ghost story or a psychological thriller, which immediately caught my interest. Unfortunately, the ghost element turned out to be more of a misdirection than a true plot driver, which left me feeling a bit misled.

The story is told from multiple points of view, but I felt this diluted the narrative. The nanny's perspective was by far the most compelling and could’ve carried the entire story on its own. In contrast, the teenagers’ chapters felt unnecessary and, at times, uncomfortable to read. Their storylines didn’t add much and felt like filler material, perhaps included to check a box rather than serve the plot.

Another challenge was the pacing. Rather than moving the story forward, many sections focused on characters reflecting on their feelings or their pasts. It slowed things down to the point where I struggled to stay engaged—I even found myself zoning out while listening to the audiobook.
Some logistical details also pulled me out of the story. As someone from Oklahoma, I found it hard to believe in a daytime summer party in Texas, complete with glass walls and heavy drinking, with barely anyone paying attention to the birthday girl or her friends. If you've ever experienced that kind of Southern heat, you'd know—it's not exactly party-friendly.

All that said, I do think Kelsey Cox has potential. Her ideas are interesting, and I believe that with a few more books under her belt, she’ll find her stride. Party of Liars wasn’t quite for me, but I’ll be curious to see what she writes next.

Party of Liars is a slow-burn thriller packed with secrets, tension, and a haunting Texas mansion backdrop. Told through layered perspectives and shifting timelines, the story unravels during a Sweet Sixteen party gone terribly wrong. Dani’s postpartum spiral stood out, and the unraveling of each woman’s secret kept me hooked. Some twists I saw coming—others hit hard. A strong, atmospheric debut from Kelsey Cox!

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox was an interesting read with characters that had several layers. The narration was good.

I really enjoyed this book. Following separate narratives as we weave through the night of a sweet sixteen party, as well as jumping back and forth throughout different lives and points of view. All throughout the book I tried to figure out what happened next and even who ended up dead… but Kelsey Cox kept me guessing until the end. I also very much appreciate the way she tied up the story and characters a year later. This book takes you on the whodunnit ride but also gives you closure to the story so you don’t feel like you’re like there’s more missing…
If you’re not sure if you should read it or not… DO IT.

It’s rich people behaving badly and I am here for it! Throw in toxic relationships, alcohol and a suspicious and slightly creepy nanny and it is on!

I was immediately taken with this book. The motley crew of characters each bring something to the table and reel you in. I also love how the author doesn’t give away who the victim is or how the incident occurred. I find this to be an incredibly powerful draw to keep you gripped to the story. There are any number of possible victims with even more possible guilty parties. Just when you think you see where the story is going, you find someone else with a plausible motive.

Once I got close to the end, I started to see it all coming together before it was revealed. But that final twist at the very end got me. I did not see that one coming and it definitely brought a new layer and understanding to the character for me. Well done, Ms. Cox. Well done!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this before it is released. I love the concept of everyone in one spot and the increased suspense after each perspective. It was hard to guess what was going to happen in the end. There are gaps in the plot and turning points in character development that is unclear. Overall, pretty good book!

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox is a chilling, twist-filled thriller that had me hooked from the very first chapter. I absolutely loved the use of multiple narrators and POVs—it adds layers of suspense and keeps the tension high throughout.

A mother’s love, a mother’s remorse, and a mother’s vengeance. This story explores all three in a way that’s haunting, emotional, and deeply unsettling. My favorite quote? “I wish I could stop doing bad things.” It perfectly captures the dark undercurrent that runs through the entire book.

The premise is deceptively simple: a Sweet Sixteen party turns deadly when someone falls from a balcony. Accident… or something more sinister? From there, the story spirals into a psychological maze of secrets and lies.

Told through the eyes of a new mother, an eerie nanny, an alcoholic ex-wife, and a jealous best friend, every character has a motive—and none are what they seem. The layers of deception are brilliantly constructed, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, another twist hits.

This is a tightly written, well-paced thriller that feels tailor-made for a screen adaptation. I could absolutely see this becoming a must-watch limited series. A total mind-bender—and an easy 5-star listen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

Party of Liars
By Kelsey Cox
Narrated by Dan Bittner; Kate Handford; Pearl Hewitt; Saskia Maarleveld; Suzy Jackson

Publishing July 1,2025

Rich people doing things they shouldn’t always hooks me in. This Texas based book of whodunnit was a good read. Sweet 16 party gone wrong. Rich people toxic relationships, drunk exes and nannies who you just can’t trust. Many were invited but how many will actually leave alive. This was a fast and fun audiobook told in multiple point of views.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC audiobook. All opinions are my own.

My goodness gracious, you guys… this book completely blew me away!
I wanted to forget all my responsibilities as a mother and wife and just devour this story in one sitting.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox is packed with tension, drama, and so many shady characters.
A locked-room mystery… at a party… inside a glass, supposedly haunted mansion?
Say. Less.

It’s Sophie’s 16th birthday — and the guest list is fire: her best friend Mikayla, her new popular crew, her alcoholic mom, her parents' friends, and the new nanny Orla.
One wild night. One tragedy. One unforgettable story.

Huge thanks to @kelseyxcox, @minotaur_books, and @netgalley for the Audible ARC!
Party of Liars releases July 1st, and trust me — you do not want to miss this one.
This book will be living rent-free in my head for a LONG time.

Party of Liars was too fun to read! Who doesn’t love a story about a sweet sixteen party turned deadly. I enjoyed this fast paced thriller.

Pros:
-multiple points of view
- great narrators
- everyone has a secret
- slowly learning each secret
- the view of new motherhood and the accuracy of the feelings
- the ending twist

Cons:
- took quite a while to get into the story and have anything notable happen
- Makayla

Like I said all of the narrators were great! I listened at 2x and it was the perfect speed.

All in all a decent thriller audiobook!

A sixteenth birthday party at a Texas mansion takes a deadly turn. A whole host of unsavory narrators add to this story, revealing a myriad of shocking secrets. The multiple narrators make this a huge success audibly and convey the author's sense of urgency, diverse opinions and intrigue. Each character has his or her own flavor and contributes to the increasing build-up of suspense, right up to a very shocking conclusion. This was an absolute pleasure to read and I see the makings of a movie in the future. Ideal for fans of Liv Constantine.

Party of Liars is a great look at the intricate lives of one family. Kelsey does a great jobs of showing POV's from various characters across all age and wealth demographic to really look at this group of people.

I love a story like this, where the present is happening in one place over a night or day, the birthday party. Then the rest of the story is a look at each character involved over the years/weeks/months leading up to. This gives the reader a really good look at the relationships between characters and helps a mystery build. And wow did the mystery and characters build! I thought I knew who everyone was and what would happen, I had various theories and I was wrong.

I enjoyed this story and the vast characters introduced.

This one was more of a domestic drama than a thriller, but overall an enjoyable read. The plot was complex and the multitude of secrets and lies unraveled at a steady pace. There were a lot of deeply flawed characters to keep track of, and most of the twists were predictable for me, but I spent a lot of time trying to figure out where the nanny's story was going to go. The full cast of narrators in the audio version did an excellent job voicing all the different POVs.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox is such a fun, creepy read. I loved the multiple POVs, and the way the house was described—like a dollhouse—made it even spookier. Big thanks to Minotaur Books for the ARC!

Oh my goodness…I loved this book. It was one of those reads that keeps you on the edge of your seating waiting to see what happens. Plus, a few twists and turns kept me on my toes! It was perfectly plotted and paced. I was pleased by how it ended and thought the characters were brilliantly fleshed out! A must read for thriller lovers!!!

4 stars rounded slightly up.

This wasn’t quite what I anticipated, but I did enjoy it. It has a bit of a chaotic feel at the start, and I think it jumps from before and after too soon in the book, when the characters aren’t established yet, but there are only a few main characters, and the rest don’t really need to be told apart. Also, that audiobook narration is done very well, and helps keep storylines straight. Giving the main characters all differing accents was a great add to keep a large cast clearly divided.

There were a few key points that I felt came from nowhere and weren’t realistic as plot twists, but it was still a fun read. This is 100% one where I’d say go audiobook or not at all, and enjoy the story without thinking too hard about the logistics or facts. It’s a popcorn thriller for sure.

I liked the different POV's in this one! Plus, the dual timeline. We get what leads up to the party and how the party plays out. All the different twists and secrets kept me reading until the very end. I was SHOCKED by the major twist at the ending! I did not predict that one!

It was so refreshing to listen to this audiobook!! I really liked the narrators and will look for them in the future.

The storyline kept me going and wanting to listen… it gripped me till the very end. The ending wasn’t what I expected at all.