This is the first book by Kit Frick that I have read. I enjoyed it. I like her writing style. I like the way the story unfolded, shifting back and forth in time. It was a page turner, as I wanted to eagerly find out what happened to Clare, and who was leaving the clues. I highly recommend this book. It was suspenseful.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books for a chance to review this book.

Utterly enjoyable!!!

One great read that will appeal to patrons of all reading levels and genres.

Loved it and will recommend it far and wide!!

This story is rife with secrets, suspense and unraveling friendships. Five years after Clare died at her family’s Italian villa, her parents decide to have a memorial and invite everyone who was present the day she died. Clare’s four friends travel to Italy only to find out that they’re being toyed with because someone must know what really happened that fateful night.

Through alternating timelines, we discover what really happened and who was responsible. The plot is intense and character driven with a breathtaking finale. Though this book starts out slow, and maybe a bit wordy, the ending totally makes up for it.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.

Friends and Liars by Kit Frick is a quick, twisty read set in the stunning backdrop of Lake Como. Five years after Clare’s mysterious death, her old college friends are invited back to her family’s luxurious villa for a memorial, but someone clearly knows more than they’re saying. Mysterious gifts and pointed messages turn the reunion into a tense game of secrets and blame. The dual timeline and multiple POVs keep things moving, and the setting is so vivid you can almost feel the Italian sun. That said, the big twists are a little too easy to spot, and the characters never feel fully fleshed out. Sometimes they’re unlikeable in a way that makes it hard to care what happens to them. Still, the pacing is fast, the drama keeps you hooked, and the mix of wealth, lies, and old grudges makes for an entertaining escape. A decent, if not standout, thriller.

This was just an ok read for me. The setting was amazing and it could have been a great story but it was just a little too bland for me. The plot was very slow moving and not dramatic at all. This is more of a slow burn mystery. Thank you to Netgalley for letting me give an honest review of this book.

THIS WAS CRAZY. the secrets were so juicy, I just wanted to know more and I honestly couldn't have guessed the ending if I tried. The length was perfect and kept the story completely to the point, with no fluff which I appreciated. Honestly a really solid thriller if you are into big time secrets, blackmail, and a hauntingly sketchy death.

This was an alright book. It wasn’t my favorite, but at the same time it wasn’t a bad read. So middle of the road for me. I appreciated that it was fast paced. Books written this way are easier for me to get into and stick with. I also really enjoyed the multiple POV and how clear they were. The setting was also immaculate. I imagined myself right there with everyone at Lake Como. However, on the flipside, this book was so predictable that all the twists were so obvious. I actively try not to guess twists but there was no way you will miss these. The character development was also off. While I don’t need to always like characters, I want to feel like I know then and why they are unlikable. That was not the case here. And because I just got to the point I hated them all, I ended up just not liking or being involved in the story.

OKAYYYY! Let me tell you, this read is an absolute masterclass in atmospheric tension and intricate character dynamics.

From the very first page, you're pulled into a world brimming with secrets, where every friendship feels fragile and every truth is a potential lie.

Frick expertly weaves a narrative that is both gripping and emotionally resonant, keeping you guessing until the very end without ever resorting to cheap tricks.

The writing is sharp, the pacing is perfect, and the exploration of trust, betrayal, and the complexities of young adult relationships is handled with impressive depth.

This book is a truly captivating read and left me thinking about it long after turning the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a temporary e-ARC!

When four friends reunite in a beautiful Italian setting to celebrate the life of their deceased friend, secrets are revealed and relationships tested. "Friends and Liars" is a twisty, delicious story that features the messiness of the ultra-rich.

Overall, this was a quick read with enough suspense to keep the pages turning. However, I did feel like the story was familiar in a way that made it a bit lackluster and the twists were predictable. I enjoyed the multiple POVs, but none of the characters seemed fleshed out enough to be likeable. And, there were varying degrees of believability in their backgrounds and motives.

The writing style itself was great and I'm interested in reading more of the author's work. But, this one didn't live up to its full potential.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Five years ago, Clare Monroe died from a tragic accident. Five years later, her family is hosting a memorial honoring her life and invited four of her closest friends. However, we quickly learn that each friend has a secret to hide and each friend played a role in the events that led up to Clare's death. None of them truly want to go but all of them feel obligated. After they arrive at the family's estate in Lake Como, they realize their hesitation was justified. Someone knows what each of them had done. And that someone wants them to pay.

I have to admit, I struggled with this one from the beginning. The writing was beautiful but it felt so...so...so slow. It wasn't until I buckled down and scheduled dedicated reading time that I actually made some progress. That's also when I realized just how good this novel is.

The author's writing is downright gorgeous. Every beautifully written detail transported me to Italy, to Lake Como and to the palatial estate of the Monroe family. And Frick doesn’t stop there. Every nuance of each character is brought to life so much that I felt I was part of their inner circle, with each encounter languidly and lavishly leading me to the next.

However, it takes a while for this book to pick up. Frick spends a lot of time on exposition so if you like fast paced books that get to the point, you may struggle with this one. I promise you, though, that if you take the time to read this, even a little each day – don’t spread this out over weeks –you’ll be rewarded with a last-minute twist that you do not expect. The last chapter blew me away, right down to the final sentence.

3.5/5 Stars
This book was extremely fast paced, but was missing a few things I felt. The plot had potential but went with your typical plot twists and poorly made characters. The plot twists, were so obvious unfortunately you could feel them coming from a mile away which was unfortunate. And the characters they had potential, but they just didn't really live up and progress at all. I did love that it was fast paced and had a decent settings and did give you dual timeline that showed what happened in the past and then now but I wish more happened.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Twisty and turny in all the best ways.
Kept me guessing and reading trying to figure out who the killer was.

Great for fans of classics like Agatha Christie who want the same vibe but more modern.

Wow! This one really had my mind spinning. It follows a group of friends one of whom is from a wealthy family (Clare). It spans multiple time lines and multiple points of view, recounting their friendship and secrets that all of them are hiding. When Clare dies during a new years celebration, the group vows to take the details of the night to their graves. 6 years later they are invited back for a memorial celebration of life by Clare’s family. They start to worry when they start receiving threatening letters and gifts that someone k owes what truly happened the night Clare died.

Thank you to much to Atria Books! Friends and Liars pulled me in right away. It’s tense, twisty, and full of atmosphere. Kit Frick sets the story in a stunning but eerie Italian palazzo, where four old friends reunite for a memorial and things quickly go off the rails. I loved the slow reveal of secrets and guilt. The characters are messy in a way that feels real, and the Lake Como setting adds to the unease. If you’re into suspense with complex friendships and dark secrets, this one is worth reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Friends and Liars by Kit Frick.
This story is about four estranged friends reuniting for a memorial at a luxury villa on Lake Cuomo. The opulent yet dark story slowly reveals the many secrets and flaws of the characters in this unpredictable thriller. I found it to be a bit slow at times, but ultimately a decent read.

Thank you to Atria Books for my arc!

Someone needs to post the Taylor Swift lyrics that go something like “pathological people pleaser who only wanted you to see her.” If you read this book you know. honestly this book was a fun read, super toxic friend group but kept me interested with a fast paced storyline.

From the moment they arrive at the Monroe family’s opulent palazzo, it’s clear something is very wrong. Anonymous notes, eerie gifts, and the creeping sense that someone knows exactly what they did that night crank up the paranoia. The dual timeline—Clare’s voice from the past and her friends’ perspectives in the present—adds layers of tension and dread that kept me flipping pages late into the night.

The characters are flawed, messy, and not always likable, but that’s part of the fun. Everyone’s hiding something, and Frick does a great job peeling back the layers slowly, teasing out the truth with just enough misdirection to keep you guessing. The final twist? Totally didn’t see it coming—and I loved that.

My only gripe? A few too many characters made it tricky to keep track at times, and the middle dragged just a bit. But overall, this is a moody, atmospheric mystery perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying meets The Secret History with a dash of White Lotus drama.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the ARC!

Friends and Liars is a tense and atmospheric thriller that had me hooked from the first page. Kit Frick crafts a beautifully dark story set in an opulent Italian palazzo, where old secrets and betrayals simmer beneath the surface.

The story follows four estranged friends haunted by their involvement in a tragic death, forced to reunite for a memorial that quickly turns deadly. The mix of luxury, mystery, and psychological suspense creates an irresistible combination—every chapter ratchets up the tension as trust erodes and suspicion takes hold.

I loved how the author slowly peeled back layers of guilt, deception, and fear, making the characters flawed and compelling. The isolated setting on Lake Como adds to the claustrophobic, uneasy vibe that permeates the novel.

If you enjoy edge-of-your-seat suspense with complex friendships, dark secrets, and stunning settings, Friends and Liars is a must-read.

Five years after Clare's mysterious death at a Lake Como palazzo, four friends reunite for a memorial.

Nothing is as it seems in this multi-POV thriller, full of unpredictable twists and layered with deeply buried secrets.

⭐️⭐️⭐️3.5/5 stars for me. (rounded it up to 4)

TRIGGER WARNING: this book does mention su*cide, drug use, SA, abuse, addiction, and cheating. so if those topics make you uncomfortable or can affect your mental health, this book is not for you.

with that said. this is giving... Pretty Little Liars, the show specifically. a whodunit mystery/thriller of 4 friends who unknowingly get caught in a hornet's nest of their wealthy friend's family, a friend who had passed away under mysterious circumstances. they all have secrets to hide and they're the only ones who know... but then they find out someone else knows. there's twist, turns, and major plot twists. a few literally had me gasping out loud, others were kind of... predictable.

this is a multi POV of characters. i felt like all the characters were unlikeable in their own way, but the only tolerable one was Luca. he felt real; flawed, but believable. everyone else seemed like drinking and hiding their own secrets were their personality traits. which got a little frustrating, because it made them all sound a tad bit dull outside everything that happens.

i like how descriptive the author was, especially about the surroundings. it made it nice to immerse yourself into this image of a lakeside mansion and yummy Italian food. (not gonna lie, it made me hungry and i had to snack. HAHA!) aside from that, there were some things that got a bit repetitive. it doesn't take away from the story though.

it's a decent, addicting read. i HAD to know what happened next and find out how things played out, even though it may have dragged a bit at times. would still recommend!

thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. i leave this review voluntarily. all thoughts and opinions are my own.