4.5 ⭐️

This was so entertaining! I was hooked from the beginning and up until the end you’re questioning who did it. I didn’t guess the ending. The audio was fantastic and is full cast!

Thank you Macmillion audio for an ALC. Releases tomorrow!

Party of Liars is a locked room mystery full of twists and turns. Set at a black tie Sweet Sixteen, the book opens with a death, but you don't know who dies, why they died, or who killed them. Kelsey Cox then takes you back in time and presents you with multiple options for all of the above. The suspects include (but are not limited to):

- Dani, the young new wife and mother to Ethan Matthews, the father of the birthday girl. She might be going crazy, she might be living in a haunted house, or she might just be an overtired new mother.
- Kim, Ethan's ex and mother to the birthday girl. She has a tendency to drink too much, and maybe still has an axe to grind when it comes to her ex and his new family.
- Mikayla, the birthday girl's best friend with secrets of her own that she's desperate to keep from her.
- Orlaith, Ethan and Dani's nanny. She loves to tell a morbid story, believes deeply in Irish folklore, but also has a deep seeded secret she hasn't told anyone.

As the clock ticks closer to the death, the secrets and storylines all start swirling together, forming a perfect storm that ultimately leads to the death of one of the characters.

I really enjoyed this -- it was well layered and structured. There were a few parts in the middle that dragged pacing-wise, but after pushing through, it was well worth it. The different secrets that everyone was hiding were twisty and dark, and the reveals were decently timed to keep you hooked. I guessed a few, and a few took me by surprise, which is usually the mark of a thriller well-done.

The audiobook has a different narrator for each POV, which makes it easy to keep track, and also makes the book engaging. I'd highly recommend for thriller fans!

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Party of Liars - Kelsey Cox

Rich people behaving badly? Sign me up! That’s one of my favorite tripes!

Party of Liars is juicy, scandalous fun set in the kind of exclusive lake town where secrets run just as deep as the water. When the elite Blackstone family invites a group of “friends” to their private estate for a weekend of glamping and luxury, old grudges, hidden agendas, and one very big secret come bubbling to the surface. And when someone ends up dead, it becomes clear that this isn’t just a party—it’s a powder keg waiting to explode.

The drama is delicious, the pacing is brisk, and I loved peeling back the layers of each character’s lies. No one is innocent, and that’s what makes it so fun. Think Big Little Lies meets The Guest List, but with a sharper edge and a more modern vibe.

Thank you St Martins Press, NetGalley and Kelsey for the advanced copy. Party of Liars lands in bookstores July 1st.

What summer read are y’all getting into?
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#PartyOfLiars #ThrillerReads #RichPeopleBehavingBadly #SummerThriller #BookstagramThriller #ReadingWithBrian

I listened to the audiobook and wow, what an experience. The full cast of narrators brought so much depth to the story, making each character stand out in their own way. The plot was definitely a slow burn, but it was done so well. It kept my attention the entire time with its layered storytelling and steady buildup of suspense.

The multiple POVs made it especially compelling. I loved seeing each character’s version of events and how the truth slowly unraveled. And that ending? Totally worth the wait. A twisty, well-executed mystery that really delivered.

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 grand mansion towering on a cliff in an affluent area of Texas held a tragic past and was rumored to be cursed. A young couple purchased the house and began renovations, but before they could finish, they divorced.

The husband, Ethan, remained in the mansion and became a successful psychiatrist. He later remarried a young woman in her twenties named Dani. Even before their marriage, Dani was known as a cake-making influencer and was an independent woman. However, after giving birth, her mental state became unstable. Suspecting postpartum depression, Ethan encouraged her to see a psychiatrist friend of his.

Out of concern for his wife's mental health, Ethan hired a middle-aged woman from Ireland, but Dani found it hard to trust the superstitious Orlaith.

Ethan’s daughter from his first marriage, Sophie, usually lived with her mother, Kim. But Ethan decided to hold Sophie’s 16th birthday party at the newly renovated mansion. It was a glamorous black-tie affair attended not only by Sophie’s friends and family but also by many local people.

Kim, who preferred to avoid Ethan, had no choice but to attend the party for her daughter’s sake. Before their marriage, Kim had been a tough and independent woman, but she blamed Ethan for her descent into alcoholism and the loss of her veterinary license. Still, few people sympathized with Kim’s drunken, destructive behavior. Even Sophie seemed ashamed of her mother.

Caught up in the excitement of her party, Sophie failed to notice that her best friend Mikayla was hiding a major secret.

At this gathering of people concealing secrets and lies, a tragedy occurs…

It is revealed early on that someone falls from the balcony during the party—but who it is and why remains unclear until near the end.

As the pages turn, the secrets, lies, and past traumas of the main characters are gradually unveiled. Each revelation leads the reader to guess what happened, but the story is skillfully crafted to resist easy conclusions. Characters appear quite different by the end, especially Kim, with whom readers will likely grow to empathize.

The novel evokes the atmosphere of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, though it leans more heavily on elements reminiscent of Agatha Christie.

For Japanese readers, the lavish celebration of a “Sweet Sixteen” might be a curious cultural detail. This tradition—especially for girls—marks the transition from childhood to adulthood, and in the American South, particularly in Texas, the scale of such parties can be quite extravagant. That aspect adds another layer of enjoyment to the story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the AUDIOBOOK copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

What a wonderful read! The characters are great and the plot is very engaging. I highly recommend it - this is a must-read!

Sophie is celebrating her sweet-sixteen, Texas style, which means BIG, until a body falls from the balcony. This novel travels between the past, before and leading up to the party, and the party itself. I really enjoyed getting all of the players view points, and the narrators did a great job of giving life to the characters. This kept me on the edge of my seat, and only got better and more insidious, with a great twisted ending. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

A sweet sixteen birthday party in the Texas hill country goes terribly wrong - when a body falls from a balcony. But who is it? and why did they have to die? Listened to an audio version of this one - it had several different narrators for each POV. The story is told by Irish nanny, Orlaith, Kim (the ex-wife), Mikeyla, BFF of the birthday girl, and Dani - the new wife and stepmother to the birthday girl, Sophie. Although a nicely done cast narration, I felt the story took too long to tell, and I was chomping at the bit for a resolution. No one is exactly who they claim to be, and parts of the story are a bit preposterous. A fun, summertime thriller - but could have been shorter! Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reader copy.

Sophie Matthew’s dad throws her a lavish sixteenth birthday party. It’s an exclusive black-tie event for kids and adults alike in a mansion in the Texas Hill Country. The party turns deadly when a body falls off the balcony, onto the dance floor below. The cast of characters includes Sophie, Sophie’s new stepmom, a superstitious nanny, Sophie’s best friend, and Sophie’s mom.

I really enjoyed this one. Despite the multiple points of view, I found the book easy to follow. I enjoyed the different characters and their secrets. There was sufficient buildup throughout the story, and then the final twist was satisfying. I enjoyed the cast of narrators: Dan Bittner, Kate Handford, Pearl Hewitt, Saskia Maarleveld, and Suzy Jackson. They each did a great job voicing their characters. I give this one 4 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys thrillers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for an 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.

Party of Liars is hands-down the best thriller I’ve read this year. It’s an absolute page-turner that kept me riveted from the first sentence to the jaw-dropping final twist. I stayed up until 2am because I literally could not put it down. Kelsey Cox delivers a masterclass in suspense with this brilliantly crafted thriller.

The glamorous setting is a luxe-yet-creepy cliffside mansion and the atmosphere is perfect. Every character is compelling and richly developed, from the anxious new stepmom Dani to the fiercely underestimated best friend Mikayla. I especially loved how the story revealed layers of secrets and betrayals in such a smart, engaging way. The clues are subtly woven in (you can piece things together, but never too easily) and the twists had me gasping out loud.
This is the kind of thriller where you feel like you’re inside the party, watching the drama unfold in real-time. The pacing is lightning-fast, the writing sharp and cinematic, and the tension builds beautifully until the final shocking reveal.

Absolutely fantastic. If you're looking for your next summer obsession, Party of Liars is it. Perfectly executed, totally addictive, and twisty in all the right ways. Kelsey Cox has knocked it out of the park.

The audiobook of Party of Liars is a five-star production that elevates an already gripping thriller into a fully immersive experience. With a stellar full cast, including Dan Bittner, Kate Handford, Pearl Hewitt, Saskia Maarleveld, and Suzy Jackson, each character is brought vividly to life, making the tension feel even more immediate and the stakes even higher. The shifting perspectives are seamlessly handled, with each narrator adding depth and emotion to their roles. The pacing, tone, and delivery are spot-on, pulling you deeper into the story with every chapter. This is the kind of audiobook that makes you invent errands just so you can keep listening. Absolutely outstanding.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox delivers a high-octane blend of scandal, suspense, and drama, all set against the glitzy backdrop of a Sweet 16 party gone terribly wrong. Told through multiple female POVs and bouncing between "before" and "after" timelines, the story keeps a tight grip on the reader with short, punchy chapters and a steady drip of secrets.

At its core, this is a book about pressure, societal, parental, and personal, and how far people will go to hide their truths. The characters, many morally grey, are compelling even when they’re not entirely likeable. Their voices feel distinct, and their motivations are messy in the best way. Whether it’s the “queen bee” hosting the party or the outsider with something to prove, each narrator adds a new layer to the mystery.

The atmosphere is rich, think locked-room thriller meets Southern gothic flair, with a supposedly haunted Texas mansion adding an extra chill. While the paranormal elements don’t quite land as solidly as the rest of the plot, they contribute to the book’s slightly over-the-top, popcorn-thriller appeal.

If you’re looking for subtlety, this may not be the story for you. But if you enjoy stories with fast pacing, layered secrets, and characters who aren’t afraid to get messy, Party of Liars is a wildly addictive ride.

A little over-the-top at times, but compulsively readable with a strong emotional current and a cast that keeps you guessing. A 4-star thrill for fans of Pretty Little Liars meets One of Us Is Lying.

Party of Liars is a thrilling, mysterious "who did it" contemporary suspense story that slowly uncovers characters' faults, making more than one person a suspect.

Ethan spared no expense for his daughter Sophie’s Sweet Sixteen party. Held in his renovated cliffside mansion, which he shares with his new wife, it will be a party to remember, but not for the reasons intended.

ETHAN: Sophie’s father is a successful psychiatrist with a hidden speech impediment. 
CURTIS: Ethan’s best friend, work colleague, and Dani’s psychiatrist.
GEMMA: Curtis' wife, Kim's ex-best friend.
KIM: A disgruntled ex-wife with a drinking problem and a grudge.
DANI: Sophie’s new stepmother, suffering from postpartum depression, and urged to seek help with Curtis. She isn't crazy about the nanny, and she's been getting threatening notes.
ÓRLAITH: A superstitious Irish nanny who senses bad things in this old house. 
MIKAYLA: Sophie's best friend, whom the popular kids assume is so innocent

The party is in full swing, many are having a great time, especially the women in hushed, gossiping whispers regarding Kim and her rumored problems that ended her marriage, the sketchy men lurking at the teen girls dancing provocatively to the loud music. Kim is drinking more than she intended and blows a gasket over Ethan's birthday gift. Dani was having a panic attack over the gift that was a surprise to her as well. Everything went smoothly until it didn't, and then a body falls from the balcony onto the starlit dance floor below.

It’s a killer guest list... literally

Thriller/Mystery
Sweet 16 Birthday party 🎂
Multiple POV
Creepy old house
Teen Drama
Jealous Ex
Secrets & Deception
Dark & Tense
psychological tension
Motherhood Stress
Mental Health
Snarky Fake Women

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for this ARL in exchange for an honest review

"Party of Liars" by Kelsey Cox is a high-gloss thrill ride as a pretentious Sweet Sixteen bash spirals into a deadly affair. Sophie Matthews’s black-tie birthday party is the epitome of high society glitz: a cliffside mansion, a VIP guest list, and a top-shelf bar that never closes. But the celebration comes to a screeching halt when a body plummets from the balcony, transforming the party into a pressure cooker of suspicion and lies. This book peels back the layers of a family whose ficticious exterior masks something far more sinister. There’s Dani, the unsure stepmom trying to keep it together; Kim, the ex-wife who can’t quite let go (or let live); and an eerie, folklore-loving nanny who brings an unexpected and unnerving energy to the mix. Everyone is performing, but someone’s performing a deadly act.

The sense of control these characters fight so hard to maintain cracks at the seams. Bless their heart. The only thing more dangerous than the killer might be the facade they’re all trying to keep up. Cox did a stellar job at presenting the public facing persona of each character to the reader then slowly showing us the real person—warts and all. And I loved the way Cox weaved in Órlaith, the Irish nanny, whose eerie instincts and creeping dread added a surprising gothic pulse. She threw me at first, but her storyline cut deeper than I expected, adding a twist of darkness and folklore to the mansion's already haunted walls.

Overall, it's an entertaining read with your favorite tropes on full display: locked room, whodunnit, multiple POV, southern gothic, dark family secrets, psychological elements, and toxic social climbing. "Party of Liars" is a tightly wound thriller where vindication is served ice-cold.

Don't forget about the audio performers! Narrated by all-star cast of Dan Bittner, Kate Handford, Pearl Hewitt, Saskia Maarleveld, and Suzy Jackson.

Thank you to Kelsey Cox, Macmillan Audio, Minotaur Books, & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my authentic review.

Today is Sophie Matthews’s sixteenth birthday party, hosted by her father Ethan & his new wife Dani. It is an exclusive black-tie affair, with Sophie's friends, and Ethan's friends and associates. This is the first time people are going to get to see inside this huge cliffside mansion, and they are excited. The mansion is built like a dollhouse - the entire back of the house, facing out over the cliff is glass. Dani hates it. Ethan swears no one is able to see in, because they are too far away, but she still feels on display, since the bedroom, nursery, kitchen and living room all have the glass wall. It doesn't help that there is a rumor that someone died in the house that was originally on the property, and that woman, called "the mother" haunts the house. Nor does the fact that Dani keeps finding things missing, or moved around, when she knows she didn't do it, and the other day she found a note calling her "crazy" and saying she didn't deserve everything she had. Dani had a breakdown right after their baby Charlotte was born, and since then, everyone keeps tip-toeing around the word "crazy". But Dani is feeling better now, or at least she is trying to, and she is determined to help make Sophie's party a success. The party seems to go off without a hitch, then as all parties do there were a few little incidents but nothing major. Then, just before the candles on the three-tiered red velvet cake are blown out, a body falls from the balcony onto the starlit dance floor below.

This book was SO good. It is told in the alternating viewpoints of Dani, Kim (Ethan's ex-wife), Mikayla (Sophie's best friend), Orlaith (the nanny), as well as some that are just the day of the party or after the party. You find out from almost the beginning that detectives show up at the party, and there is a scene at the hospital, but you don't know who is in the hospital, and you don't know who died. They save all that until almost the very end. There is so much drama. Dani is looking suspiciously at every guest, especially after another incident happens to her during the party. Ethan & his partner at their psychiatry practice stand at the bar and leer at all of the teenage girls when they are dancing suggestively together, and then later when they are running around the pool in tiny bikinis. I mean,,,,, ewwwww! One of the teenage boys sneaks in some alcohol and pills for the others to pass around, which is a recipe for disaster. Kim drinks too much, as always, and embarrasses herself and Sophie with her behavior. There are so many ways the party could go wrong, so many dynamics in play. This book was juicy and addictive. The narrators did an excellent job with this one, making me feel as if I were at the party watching it all unfold. I highly recommend it!

Thank you for the ARC. The narrators did a fantastic job with this audio book. It kept me listening and entertained. The story was pretty good. It held my attention and was intriguing. I really like how it talked about postpartum depression/psychosis and I’m still questioning things after finishing it. Not to mention there were betrayals, alcohol dependency issues and lies.

Party of Liars
By Kelsey Cox
Narrated By: Dan Bittner & Kate Handford
Minotaur Books
Macmillan Audio
(07/01/25)
5⭐️

🔘Thriller/Suspense
🔘Mystery
🔘Psychological Thriller

Someone ends up dead at a huge, lavish sweet sixteen party in Texas…but who, and by whom? Do you want to find out?
Nothing is as it seems at the party and every character has something to hide! Whodunnit? You really want to know? You’ll have to hang on until the very end to find out! But it’s going to be a fun ride!

This book built up at a nice pace but methodically, making it very entertaining to follow the story. The turn of events keep you guessing throughout and you will never imagine who the victim and the murderers are! A definite 5 stars for this gem!

The narrators are truly amazing with their voice changes to make it from several POVs. Amazing!

Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for my candid review!

Tropes:
🌶️Murder
🌶️Psychological Conditions
🌶️Mindgames

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

This debut novel by Kelsey Cox has me hankering for her next book, whenever it is written. Having been born in Texas, lived here most of my life, and having ridden my horses, biked, run and hiked over most of the state, it was fun to read about this party talking place in Bulverde, TX. I felt at home except for the rich people part. I've never been invited to a party at a mansion but once we meet all the characters, I think being a loner might be a better choice than having these people for friends. Not everyone is bad but the rumor mill and real events can be enough to topple the highest on the totem pole of life and add booze (there is lots and lots of booze) to the mix, and people are telling tales that should not be told (and doing things that should not be done).

It's the sixteenth birthday of Sophie Matthews, daughter of the man who owns and has renovated the (maybe) haunted mansion on the cliff. Sophie's parents have been divorced and her mother, Kim, is bitter about the young new wife and baby and that they are living in the mansion she'd helped renovate. Dani is Sophie's new step mom and they get along really well but something happened a few months ago and Sophie hadn't been invited back to her dad's mansion until her birthday party. Hopefully Dani is feeling better or whatever, at least she has a nanny, a woman who is so much more than anyone suspected.

Along with all the adults invited to the party are the teens, Sophie's popular friends, plus her best friend, Mikayla, a girl who has spent her time being on the outside looking in, although Sophie has her back when she needs someone to back her. Still, it's a lonely life for Mikayla since Sophie can't include her in all her popular girl activities.

Under the surface, bad things have been happening for a very long time. The place has terrifying rumors about a dead mother and baby, there are horrible sounds around and in the mansion, Dani is seeing things, and she is getting threats. What a great place and time to have a drunken party! I was so surprised with how intriguing the books is and this was with reading the first 25% and being hooked and then listening to the last 75% and being even more hooked. The multi narrator cast is awesome and made up of narrators I've always enjoyed. I'm so glad I got to read/hear this one with Jayme so that we could try to add to the gossip mill. Be sure to check out her review.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio (audiobook), St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books (ebook), and NetGalley for this ARC

Party of liars indeed! This is such a fun read! We have a cast of characters who are all a bit suspicious. We have unreliable narrators. The pacing in this was really good. Cox let just enough of everyone's secrets leak out bit by bit that I didn't want to put the book down. I love that we don't know who it was who died until the end so everyone's secrets are all relevant. The ending was great! I listened to the audio version and the narration was wonderful too. I give this one 4 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book for review.