Friends and Liars by Kit Frick is a captivating mystery that delves into the complexities of friendship, secrets, and the impact of wealth. After Clare Monroe’s tragic death on New Year’s Eve in Italy, the story alternates between 2019 and 2025, revealing what has become of her college friends—Luca, Harper, Sirina, and David—over the years. As the truth about Clare’s death slowly unfolds, Frick masterfully explores how little we often know about the people closest to us. The setting in Lake Como adds a rich, atmospheric backdrop, and though I figured out some of the twists early on, I was still thoroughly engaged by the story’s unraveling.

What I appreciated most about this novel was the intriguing portrayal of complex relationships, alongside the subtle yet effective examination of how wealth shapes their dynamics. The pacing was steady, and Frick’s writing was engaging without bogging the reader down in unnecessary details. If you're in the mood for a mystery that explores both the intricacies of friendships and the secrets we keep, Friends and Liars is an enjoyable, thought-provoking read—just in time for those holiday gatherings where we might all learn a little too much about each other!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!!

Early on I realized how much I wanted the final "twist" to be literally anything other than what it, in fact, ended up being (exactly when it would, almost inevitably, be). Add to that a dull but persistent dislike of the characters and you'll find this is a forgettable one, for me at least.

I've had some of Kit Frick's books on my want to read list for years, but this is my first time reading one. It was decent, although not as good as I had hoped. The characters were not likable, so it was hard to root for anyone. The plot was interesting though. There are some pretty good twists, and I mostly liked the ending, but there was one part of it I could have done without. Also, I felt like the tasks asked of the main characters were so trivial I don't even see why they were so worked up about it. Friends and Liars wasn't a bad read, it was just a bit lackluster. 3.5 stars rounded down.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

Think Pretty Little Liars meets adult drama in Italy, an intoxicating mix of secrets, lies, and a tightly knit friend group hiding plenty. Some characters drove me up the wall, and while the ending was predictable, it was still satisfying. A fast-paced, twisty murder mystery that keeps you second-guessing everyone.

College friends of Claire Monroe are invited to her family’s estate in Italy for a memorial commemorating the anniversary of her death five years ago. The story is told from the perspective of each of her friends, which helps the reader get to know each character’s personality. Unfortunately, they are all pretty terrible. It turns out they all hurt Claire in different ways shortly before her death when she was seen floating in the water, an apparent suicide.

You might wonder why they would all return for the memorial, especially because it’s being held at the place where she took her life. But they all do, and it works out great for the person who begins leaving them messages and gifts and intimating that they know all about the bad things the friends did to Claire. As they visit with her family and tour Claire’s favorite places, they try and figure out who’s behind the threats and what they plan to do. And how far the friends will go to ensure no one else discovers their secrets.

Perhaps if the friends were likable, the story wouldn’t have irritated me as much. Two of them professed to have ‘loved her so much’, yet they had an affair throughout her entire relationship with one of them. That’s not a spoiler, you find out early on, but I won’t divulge the other secrets. But they’re equally horrible, and I wanted them to get called out for their lies early on – totally didn’t root for them. And her best friend’s secret wasn’t even a secret and was just a mess.

The ending was good but I think many readers will see most of it coming. And at the very end, I think there should have been a bit of a reaction shown, not just the abruptness. Eh well.

Quick and fast paced. A thriller/mystery that’s under 300 pages and had me hooked from the beginning. I liked the multi POV and the surprise twist at the end

The storyline has been done several times in various ways, but this time it grabbed my attention. I think the exotic and gorgeous setting helped, as well as a mix of male and female characters. The writing is sharp and intelligent. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Friends and Liars is a gripping tale about friendship, betrayal, and the complexities of trust. Frick's writing is sharp and captivating, weaving together a narrative full of emotional tension and intrigue. The characters are well-developed, each one bringing a distinct voice to the story, and I appreciated how the author explores the nuances of relationships and the choices that can shape our lives.

While the plot was engaging and kept me turning pages, I did feel that some moments lacked the emotional depth I had hoped for. There were times when the pacing felt a bit uneven, which made it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. However, overall, this book is an enjoyable read, particularly for those who love stories about friendships that are anything but simple.

Thank you again to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC—I’m excited to see how others respond to this intriguing story!

Rich people being awful and chaos...who doesn't love a story about messy rich people? The different time shifted POVs were a great touch. It was interesting to see everything play out from Claire's POV up until her death. This was a slow burn with unlikable characters but I needed to keep reading. The ending was a surprise, that is worth sticking around for. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for sharing this book for an advanced review.

This was a great thriller, delving into the lives of old college friends who no longer communicate over the keeping of a dark secret. When they all reconnect the thrill begins as gifts are received, unexplained happenings arise, and more. If you’re like me, you’ll be constantly changing your mind about the truth as the story unfolds. Loved it!

With friends like these who needs enemies!!!!!this friend group was insane very secret, suspicious grimy all wrapped up in one and I loved every minute of it lol it was a good read

finished in one day. what a wild ride!! there's nothing i love then unreliable narrators, multi pov, and college friends reunited!! every single pov had me on the edge of my seat and clutching my kindle on what was going to happen next. if you love a scenic thriller - this one is for you!! thank you for the arc :)

✨ARC Review✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Clare, David, Sirina, Luca, & Harper: 5 college friends spending New Year's Eve 2019 in Italy. All of them have secrets.

Only 4 of them made it home. And 5yrs later, some how, someone outside of their circle knows everything they've tried hard to forget.

Tragic death, betrayal and a twisted ending that will have you feeling like you need an exocism the way your head will be left spinning.

I was instantly hooked by this book. It grabs you from page one and keeps you guessing until the final reveal.
The multi-POV was engaging, you could feel each characters' emotions as their fear of being exposed heightens.

And that reveal?! I was blown away. Every time I thought I had it figured out, I quickly realized that I definitely didn't!

Thank you Simon & Schuster for sharing this book with Netgalley for advance review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Clare Monroe drowns on New Year's Eve in Italy. 5 years later her friends gather for a memorial. There is guilt and secrets. I liked the duel time lines and rich people problems. This was a slow burn with unlikeable characters but I needed to keep reading. This was about complicated friendships and I was entertained.

I love a good murder mystery. I love back and forth timelines which this had. I did enjoy the story but at times it was hard to keep engaged and fully attentive. I finished it and still think it was pretty good

I was instantly sucked in to this story from page one. I am a sucker for a murder mystery, but the diverse characters presented in this book made it all that much better. Each one had a very unique personality and backstory that added layers into the mystery itself and it very much kept me on my toes. Though these characters all had very unlikable moments throughout the story, I found myself connecting with them and loving the way the past mixed into their futures.

The different, time shifted POVs were a great touch! It was interesting to see everything play out from Clare’s POV up until her death.

The ending was definitely a surprise, but I won’t give away too much. It’s worth sticking it out till the end.

While the writer’s prose is beautiful and engaging, it’s very wordy at times. Some passages have too much unnecessary detail included that made it drag a bit here and there. A particular example being the description of Luca’s apartment in the beginning. While creative, and beautifully worded, it was a lot. It wasn’t relevant enough to the plot to warrant that much description and noted detail about it. A simple explanation of he lives in small, rundown place would have sufficed to get the point across. There are several other moments like these, particularly scenery descriptions or character descriptions that I found myself skimming over because it felt superfluous at times.

All in all, for someone who really enjoys this genre and all that comes with it, this book really checked those boxes and then some.

I really appreciate the ability to be able to read and review this ARC! I enjoyed the experience and look forward to doing it again!

Rich people being awful and chaos...who doesn't love a story about messy rich people?? I know that is always a selling point for me, whether it be for a book or a tv show or a movie.

This story is set in a beautiful Italian villa (Lake Como) with past and present timelines following the spooky and mysterious death of Clare (she is VERY wealthy). Her friends reunite at that villa, the place she died, to have a memorial for her.

This sounds like such a fun story because, as I've said before, I love a story about messy rich people (I love shows like The White Lotus and Succession), but I found this to be a bit lackluster. I wanted so much drama and mystery from this, but I found these characters to be too flat for this plot.

But I could totally see this working really well as a tv show!

And this really does read so fast!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

This YA thriller taps into the intensity of boarding school life and the dark underbelly of privileged friendships. The writing is sharp and suspenseful, and the secrets unfold in clever ways. A few twists were predictable, but others genuinely caught me off guard. Kit Frick nails the emotional messiness of teen relationships and the weight of long-held secrets.

Kit Frick’s *Friends and Liars* is a thrilling read set in the stunning but tricky environment of Lake Como. The story kicks off five years after Clare Monroe, an heiress, tragically dies, bringing her college friends—Luca, Harper, Sirina, and David—back to the palazzo for a memorial. Each friend is weighed down by guilt, and as they reconnect, old tensions and secrets start to spill out.

Frick does a great job blending psychological suspense with a tangled mess of lies, creating a pace that keeps you constantly wanting to turn the page. The characters are interesting, and the dynamics between them are filled with unresolved feelings, making it tough to figure out who’s trustworthy.

The palazzo and the lake feel almost like characters themselves, adding to the creepy vibe of the story. While the twist might not completely catch seasoned thriller fans off guard, the journey to get there is still super engaging.

Overall, *Friends and Liars* is a moody dive into guilt and friendship, kind of like *The Secret History* meets *I Know What You Did Last Summer*. It’s a great pick for anyone who enjoys dark academia or thrilling vacation stories.

Wow.. so I have some thoughts but I can’t say them as I don’t want to give any spoilers!! But that type of reaction is a good one as when a book evokes a visceral reaction that makes you want to scream at the characters. Kit Frick does a great job laying out an intriguing multi-POV, duel time line page turner.

The books duel time line is from New Years Eve 2019 and then June 2025. It gives the perspective of friends Luca, Harper, Sirina, David, and Clare, the victim in the story, and how their lives unfolded in the 5 years since her death. There is talk about the pandemic and its impact on their lives but thankfully it’s passing mentions and not a major plot point as that would have completely turned me off. It definitely takes a look at the intricacies of complicated friendships as well as the impact that wealth can have on them.

I’ll admit that I figured out the twists fairly easily but to be frank, I didn’t care as I enjoyed the ride and was more intrigued by the explanation. I also enjoyed the setting in Italy. Frick was able to weave in enough subtle details that created a rich environment that allowed me to learn a bit about the area. The various details flower organically and didn’t come off as an info dump.

I found the book to be well written, engaging and overall entertaining. It comes out Dec 2nd 3025, just in time for the season of spending time with your own friends and family. Hopefully your gatherings will fair better than this group of friends!


I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary ARC from Atria Books and imprint of Simon and Schuster through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again