NetGalley ARC | Party of Liars

I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I freaking loved this one!

Sophie's dad Ethan has spared no expense for her sweet sixteen birthday party. It will be a night that no one will ever forget - not least of all because of the body that falls from the balconey to the dance floor just as Sophie is about to blow out the candles on her cake.

Do not be fooled by the cover or the fact that this takes place at a teen's birthday party, it is not YA - which I thought it was at first. This is not a knock on YA, I love the genre, but this book turned out to be so much deeper than I thought it would be, with a cast of characters who are flawed, intriguing, enigmatic, and so much more.

Over a decade ago Ethan and his first wife, Kim, purchased the dilapitated Victorian mansion deep in the Hill Country of Texas. With over one hundred years of history, it's no surprise that there are rumors of the house being haunted, and most locals have avoided the place for as long as they've lived there.

Fast forward to Sophie's birthday, which is hosted in the gorgeously renovated mansion by Ethan and her step-mother, Dani. Sophie's mom Kim is also attending the party. Then there is the ever-present nanny, Orlaith, hired to care for Ethan and Dani's new baby, Charlotte. Sophie's best friend Mikayla, her ex-boyfriend Mason, and a variety of other characters fill out the cast. All will have varying degrees of importance at different times in the story, as it is split into three parts.

The 'Before the Party' introduces us to our four narrators: Dani, Orlaith, Kim, and Mikayla. We get to know each of these women very well as we observe events through their eyes and are privy to their thoughts and secrets.

Dani is Sophie's step-mom and recently gave birth to Charlotte. She feels like she's failing at everything and sees a psychiatrist - who happens to be her husband's best friend. No conflict of interest AT ALL there. Dani is convinced someone is stalking her and wants Charlotte for themselves. Rumors of the house being haunted by 'the mother' do not help at all as odd things keep happening in their home. It's incredibly easy to have so much empathy for a woman who is clearly drowning but trying her best to not let it show. She's put her dream of opening a bakery on hold and settles for social media to showcase her talent for now.

Kim is Sophie's mom, Ethan's ex-wife. She's got a bit of a drinking problem and a habit of holding onto grudges forever - as she should, perhaps. She's definitely angry at Ethan, this was once her home after all, too. But she's going to try her best (maybe) to hold it all together for Sophie's big night - if she can control her rage and her alcohol intake. At times it is harder to have empathy for Kim, you want to shake her and just tell her to stop drinking for ONE NIGHT. But she deserves that empathy as much as Dani.

Mikayla is Sophie's best friend, though perhaps she's not been quite as good of a friend as Sophie thought. There's a side to her that none of her friends have seen before and it's possible her secrets will come out at the party. 

Last but certainly not least is my favorite, Orlaith. She's the Irish nanny who perceives danger around every corner. Rumors about the house have circulated for decades, and there has to be a reason. She knows something is not right in the home and will protect Charlotte, and anyone else who needs her, at all costs.

Sometimes an author runs the risk of characters sounding alike with multiple narrators, but that was not the case here at all. Each lead was her own fully fleshed out person. It's been a while since I've read a multi-POV book and have not had to go back and see who is narrating at least once or twice. But here, each female has such a unique voice and situation, though they're so closely entwined, that there is no trouble telling them apart.

The majority of the action takes place in part two. We see events unfold in real time and as we move from character to character, slowly each layer of the mystery is peeled back as the pieces quickly or slowly move into place.

The third part takes place after the party, where we get other points of view from more minor characters, which adds to some of the confusion for those who don't know what's really happened. There was so much I did not see coming.

I feel like the pacing was fantastic, especially for a book where most of the story takes place in a span of a few hours. Things were constantly happening and bummer for you if you weren't paying attention. The tension is constantly building, because between Dani and Orlaith, there is clearly something not right about the house. Whether it's a paranormal cause, or another human toying with them, it's impossible to tell.

It was so hard to tell who to trust, which is what made it so difficult to determine who the killer was. Each narrator was complex and had things they were hiding, so it felt like with each chapter I was constantly changing my mind about who was capable of murder. At that same time, all of the woman had motive, and would have been well within their right to do something drastic.

I can happily say I was wrong a lot. I'd keep changing my mind, sure that I had it figured out THIS TIME, and then boom! New information.

This was a fantastically written novel, don't let the sparkly cover fool you. It's not a cheap thriller that you'll forget about when it's over. You get to know the characters so well, and there are several themes that weave their way throughout the story - focuses on mental health, the dark side of motherhood we don't talk about enough, the deep feelings of regret and rage. 

You won't necessarily like all the characters, but you'll definitely feel empathy and respect.

Highly, highly recommended.