The story goes back and forth between Sophie’s 16th birthday party that her father, Ethan, and his current wife, Dani (who just had a baby) is throwing for her at their newly renovated haunted mansion. You know at the beginning someone dies at the party, but you don’t find out who it is, or who killed them until the very end. There are many different POVs, all female, all different and easy to follow. Each character has secrets to hide. I wish the paranormal parts were more prevalent and led up to something in the end. This was a fast-paced domestic thriller that was a fun read.

This was an IMPRESSIVE DEBUT! The story unfolds at a rapid clip, with short, punchy chapters alternating different timelines, all set on the fateful day of the party. The author does such a good job of keeping you guessing. The pacing was relentless- a steady freight train, taking turns with four perspectives in 3 different timelines kept me firmly seated in the story. Perfectly timed flashbacks helped to build the suspense through all of it.

At the heart of this thriller lies a storm of formidable women—fractured by grief, consumed by remorse, and harboring secrets sharp enough to cut through the lies that bind them. Four women take turns narrating, each slowly revealing their broken pieces in turn and time, I suspected each of these women could have been the unaliver/antagonist at some point while reading. Eventually I figured out the true villain of the story, but getting to hear exactly how it all played out was diabolical.

Dani: A baker and influencer who is Sophie’s stepmother, a new mom herself, who is desperate to appear normal, for reasons that go well beyond the superficial appearance. Orlaith: Charlotte’s superstitious Irish nanny. (The narrator for her did such an incredible job with the accent).
Mikayla: The birthday girl’s best friend, hiding secrets that change everything. Kim: The scorned ex-wife who picked out the lavish house and now watches—bittersweet—as another woman raises a glass in her place, in the life she always thought she'd have.

I like my stories, especially whodunnit thrillers, to be tied up tight. All lose ends were closed up, with the exception of one. Mikayla. I didn't get any closure for this girl and lord knows I have a ton of questions. I would have loved a chapter at the end of the book in her perspective as well.

As a mother so many things about this story made my heart hurt. It's hard to explain it though without going into too much detail which would spoil things for you.

“There is no word for a mother who has lost her only child, such as widow or orphan. But there are plenty of ghost stories of women haunted by children. The Irish speak of the Banshee, who died in childbirth- the Japanese warn of Ubume who if you meet her on dark road will hand you her swaddled infant who is really just a bundle of stone, or Mexico’s La Llorona, a mother who drowned her own children and now lures yours to the water’s edge."

If tangled minds, buried trauma, and secrets sharp enough to wound are your kind of thrill—this psychological rollercoaster will leave you breathless.


Themes:
Complex Women, Psychological Thriller, Mutli POV/Multi-Timelines, Complex Relationships, Illusion VS. Reality, Secrets & Deception, Consequences of Actions, Domestic Drama, Character Driven Plot Line

Trigger/content warnings: blood, violence, gore, vomiting, alcohol consumption, grooming, gaslighting, postpartum depression, recounted death of a loved one

Narrated by:
🎤 Dan Bittner
🎤 Kate Handford
🎤 Pearl Hewitt
🎤 Saskia Maarleveld
🎤 Suzy Jackson


Thank you to NetGalley, Kelsey Cox, and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me the enjoy and early audiobook copy in exchange for my honest thoughts! Party of Liars is out now!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for my advance audiobook copy of Party Of Liars by Kelsey Cox in exchange for my honest review. This was FANTASTIC as an audiobook and each character's point of view was voiced by someone different...that's the BEST treat!
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The setting is Sophie's Sweet Sixteen birthday. Our main characters are Mikayla (Sophie's best friend), Ethan (Dad), Dani (the new wife), Kim (the ex-wife), and Orla (the nanny). This started out innocent...things are weird. Kim seems to be crazy. Dani also may have some issues. So, we start to think, does he just like crazy??
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As the book goes on, I'm questioning the title. I did not expect what happened to happen. Wow. This was the BEST twist I have read in a long time, this is absolutely my favorite read of the year so far. I don't want to say much except...read this.
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This is absolutely a 5 star thriller. The ending just blew my mind over and over. Again, the audio was absolutely FUN to listen to and I highly recommend you do this one as an audio! Do NOT miss my book of the year!!

-will be posted on Instagram on July 2, 2025 at 6:00am Pacific Time

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox had such an intriguing synopsis so I just knew I was going to love it!

I mean, just look at it:

It’s a killer guest list...
DANI: Sophie’s new stepmother who’s been plagued by self-doubt ever since the birth of her own baby girl
ÓRLAITH: the superstitious Irish nanny who senses a looming danger in this cavernous house
MIKAYLA: the birthday girl’s best friend who is not nearly as meek as the popular kids assume
KIM: the cunning ex-wife who has a grudge she can’t let go of...
Everyone is invited in. Not everyone will get out alive.

You're intrigued too, right?

And it all adds up to fantastic characters, a haunted setting, and strange occurrences that unravel into one fun and twisted ride!

Cox crafted a large but manageable cast that was easily defined, with each character feeling all too relatable! This coveted setting created the kind of spooky atmosphere I love within summer thrillers! Unreliable narrators soon became spiraling characters and only added to the chaotic party vibes!

Dan Bittner, Kate Handford, Pearl Hewitt, Saskia Maarleveld, and Suzy Jackson narrated an audiobook that has quickly became a favourite! Their voices were distinct, allowing for these characters to really be the "perfectly" created individuals Cox intended!

Straight up, I'm a huge fan of domestic thrillers, and this is the perfect example of why!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

So, part of this was awesome but part of this was quite troubling and most of this was just dragging on "domestic drama"--50% into the book and nothing had really happened yet...it's a "sweet 16" party and rich, elite parents are throwing a huge party in which their teenagers are getting drunk with them (hello crimestoppers), multiple POVs (I listened to it on audio and there's at least 4 but it's really hard to keep track)....Things I loved: the different narrators helped with the different POVs; the short chapters helped move the book along. I appreciated that the book grappled with mental health issues, and the cover art is stunning!!! Overall, this book was good, not great. Just maybe not completely fleshed out yet with all that it was trying to accomplish. *I received a complimentary audio ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️½ – Great audio, meh mystery
I received audio from Netgalley


I really wanted to love this one. Party for Liars has a juicy setup—a Sweet Sixteen at a Texas mansion with drama, dysfunction, and a body dropping onto the dance floor. Yes, please! The audiobook was slick, well-produced, and the narration kept the pace moving. But the story itself...just didn’t stick the landing for me.

There’s a full cast of potential suspects and secrets, but unfortunately, not a single character I truly wanted to root for. They were intriguing in theory but mostly fell flat in execution. I felt more like a passive observer than someone pulled into the tension.

That said, Kelsey Cox has a sharp writing style that I genuinely enjoyed. The atmosphere was moody and modern, and I’d absolutely give her next book a shot. This one wasn’t quite it for me—but it wasn’t a total miss either. More of a “read on a rainy afternoon, then move on” kind of mystery.

4.5 / 5 stars

Sophie Matthews’s Sweet Sixteen is set to be the event of the season – a black-tie party in a newly renovated cliffside mansion in the Texas Hill Country. But before the candles are blown out, a body falls from the balcony onto the dance floor below.

A fun summer thriller with gothic edges and Big Little Lies DNA, in Party of Lies, secrets run deep, the past is hard to escape, and the truth of what happened that night slowly comes to light.

This book is an immersive, page-turning, one-day thriller, but it’s also layered with family secrets, social tensions, and a deliciously eerie setting that will appeal to gothic-leaning readers. It's the kind of book where you know something terrible has happened, but not to whom or exactly how, and you’re flipping pages to piece it together.

One of my favorite elements here was the house itself. Perched cliffside, one character calls it a “Barbie Dream Home” with an entire wall of windows, making everything visible and inescapable. But under all that glass and light is a cavernous, hidden wine cellar and underground spring. The house’s layered “landscape” reflects the characters’ secrets, the contrast between exposure and what’s hidden beneath, and the past that clings to the walls.

Of the POVs, Dani is definitely the heart of the story (sorry, birthday girl), and felt the most like the “main” character, grounding the tension with emotional stakes. Kim is messy and can be mean, but she’s compelling, especially if you’re listening to the audiobook, where Saskia Maarleveld’s narration makes her sections a standout. And while I won’t spoil details, Mikayla’s storyline offers some of the book’s biggest surprises.

If I had one quibble, it would be the portrayal of a character with a stammer. This is maybe a topic to which I am more sensitive than most, but it was a character detail that felt unnecessary to me.

Still, this is a fun, fast, engaging read perfect for summer – ideal for readers who enjoy Big Little Lies-style layered POV thrillers, crave a gothic edge in their summer books, or are looking for a quick, immersive audiobook. A fun pick for your July reading list.

🎧 A mother’s love has no bounds. Secrets, lies, deception. This story has a tie between decades.

Every decision has a meaning. A party. A sudden and shocking death. Was it an accident or a murder?

Many points of view. The narrators did a great job bringing everything to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy.

Party of Liars is a mystery novel that tells what happens at Sophie Matthews’s sixteenth birthday party. Not everything is picture perfect in Sophie’s life and it is all put on display at the party. They live in the mansion that everyone in town swears is haunted so of course everyone is there to check the place out. With multiple characters that cast doubts in your mind on their real motivation, you are playing guess who on what is really going on.

With plenty of twists and turns you will not see coming this was a very entertaining read. I love that the last few mystery books I have read have POV changes between several of the characters. It fleshes out what all is happening around the party and boy there was a lot going on. The plot was great, the characters were fascinating – All in all, I had a fun time with this book. If you are a fan of mystery novels you should give this one a try!

The narrators killed it, I think I would have been a bit lost on who was speaking without them, and it is much appreciated that they did such a fantastic job.

I loved the full cast of this audiobook! I loved the MPOV of this book and the short chapters! I listened to this one super quick and was super involved in the story. Loved listening to it unfold. Shocked by the ending! A great listen!

Party of Liars is OUT TODAY! 🎉

This is one of the rare occasions that I listened to a book on audio and wished I had read it physically instead. This story had me hooked from the first chapter.

In Texas, everything is bigger, including the secrets. We get to follow five people as they tell their stories and the events that lead up to someone’s untimely death at a blowout 16th birthday party.

I enjoyed getting to know each character and diving into their past and present. Cox paints each character in such beautiful ways, it was so easy for me to hate them and fall in love with them at the same time. I love a book that keeps me engaged and keeps me guessing. I did not see the plot twist coming at all.

If you’re looking for a thriller this summer with page turning story lines, be sure to pick this one up. But be warned you will not want to put it down once you do.

@kelseycoxwriter - I know I don’t know you personally but this book was one of my favorite I have read this year and I am so happy to see all the success this book will garner. I CANT WAIT to see what you have next for us readers, and hopefully net galley will approve me for that book as well. 🤩

PS please enjoy this picture of a Texas sunset

Audiobook Review: Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox
Narrated by Dan Bittner, Kate Handford, Pearl Hewitt, Saskia Maarleveld, and Suzy Jackson

I received this audiobook from NetGalley and truly appreciate the opportunity to discover and read new authors and leave reviews.

Party of Liars is Kelsey Cox’s debut novel, and as someone from Texas, I found it surreal, and honestly pretty exciting, to hear familiar places and references woven into the storyline. Hearing accurate pronunciations (shoutout to getting “Bexar” right!) and real Texas locations that I’ve been to or regularly visit made the experience even more immersive and personal.

The story itself is a twisty, suspenseful tale centered on a group of friends with secrets, lies, and a shared past that begins unraveling in the present. The non-linear timeline adds a layer of complexity, and I’ll admit it took me a little time to track who was who, especially as the perspectives and timelines shifted. But once I settled into the structure, it became easier to follow, and the mystery at its core kept me intrigued.

The audiobook’s cast of narrators: Dan Bittner, Kate Handford, Pearl Hewitt, Saskia Maarleveld, and Suzy Jackson were excellent. I’ve listened to many books narrated by Saskia Maarleveld and always enjoy her work, and the full cast really brought the characters to life. Their delivery, emotional tone, and pacing added a lot to the storytelling. The multiple voices made it easier to distinguish characters, which was especially helpful with the shifting timelines.

Overall, Party of Liars was a strong debut with a compelling premise, a well-matched cast of narrators, and an atmospheric setting that really resonated with me. I’m looking forward to seeing what Kelsey Cox writes next!

I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the different points of view that were used throughout the story. I feel like it really gave you a good sense of understanding everyone. The ending was great! I definitely did not see that coming! I thought the narrator was good as well.

This book was fast paced and the story line was interesting. I mostly listened to an audio of this, although I did read some parts. Unfortunately, I found that there were too many perspectives, which felt like 1 or 2 too many. I think with that many perspectives it can be difficult to fully develop all the characters and the story line... it just felt disjointed at times. Did the book keep me engaged until the end, yes. Did I like the characters, not really. Although my jaw did not drop at the end, I also was not bored by an easy to predict book. I think if you are looking for something fast paced and interesting, this is a good one. But if you want a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, I would probably skip this one.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copies.

Party of Liars is a new suspense novel set during a Texas sweet 16 party. New mom Dani is struggling to balance the demands of her infant daughter with her career as a baker and social media influencer. Sometimes, she feels like she's losing her mind. She sees things that aren't there and feels like she's being watched. Her husband is very loving, but contributes to her feelings of being crazy. Almost everyone at Dani's stepdaughter's party harbors a secret or two. By the end of the party, someone will be dead. Who will it be, and why?

I listened to this on audio and it was great. It is narrated by a full cast. I found myself doing extra chores just so I could keep listening.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a review copy of Party of Liars.

3.75 🌟

It’s messy, dramatic, a little chaotic, and honestly? A lot of fun. A domestic thriller meets teen drama, set at a Texas-sized Sweet Sixteen party.

You’ve got Dani, the baker turned influencer, the younger new wife and brand-new mom trying to hold it together while clearly unraveling. Ethan, the husband, seems doting enough, but you’ll still be giving him the side-eye. Kim, the ex-wife (a veterinarian) and mother of the birthday girl, is a hot mess express who’s definitely stirring the pot. Sophie, the birthday girl, is trying to climb the social ladder and bring her bestie Mikayla along for the ride. And Orlaith, the nanny, brings some mysterious energy that keeps you guessing.

What I liked:
✔️ Full cast narration
✔️ Multiple POVs (teen and adult drama)
✔️ The tension between the ex-wife and the new wife
✔️ The Sweet Sixteen backdrop was fun
✔️ Orlaith the nanny being creepy in the best way

It wasn’t as fast-paced as I expected, but I think that is mostly because I listened to the audiobook and there are a lot of characters to keep straight in the beginning along with some timeline shifts (flashbacks). It kept me on my toes. The twist at the end surprised me, and I was left wanting just a bit more closure from Mikayla since we got her point of view throughout.

Overall, this is family dysfunction served with cake. A fun, twisty listen that blends scandal, secrets, and party chaos all wrapped up in a bow.

Thank you Macmillan audio, NetGalley and Kelsy Cox for the advance listen copy in exchange for my honest review.

It’s a yes for me! 🖤

DeAnn @deannsreadingriot

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC.

There is nothing earthing shatteringly new in this novel, but I still had a darn good time with it. Fast paced with tons of characters you love to hate, I thought it all came together in a fun way.

This Sweet-sixteen party is definitely one to remember. Told in alternating perspectives between Kim, Sophie’s mother, Dani, Sophie’s step-mother, Mikayla, Sophie’s best friend and Orlaith, the nanny- we see that everything is not oh so perfect as everything may seem. And just before Sophie blow’s out the candles for her sweet sixteen- something terrible happens.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox is a multiple POV locked room mystery, sent at a party in a haunted mansion. While there are no major surprises, there are a couple fun twists in this novel. Starting with a slow burn, it gradually increases through a great pace.

I had the opportunity to read the ARC and listen to the audiobook at the same time, and was able to seamlessly move between the two. The cast of narrators did a fabulous job in engaging the listener throughout. I highly recommend this one.

Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Jul 01 2025

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This is a great locked room mystery. I really loved the multi POV and I highly recommend the audio book if you enjoy them. The full cast narration was absolutely superb.

Party of Liars is full of high drama and is a perfect guilty pleasure.